Chapter 9: Strange Neighbor 09

Yu Bai was lost in a haze of disbelief, unable to pull himself together for a long while.

“Little Yu? What’s wrong?”

The psychologist across from him watched his unusual expression. Her easy smile gradually faded, replaced by genuine concern.

She recalled the story he’d just finished telling and asked casually, “That pipe-banging noise you mentioned earlier… do you remember how long it lasted? Could you tell me more about it in detail?”

The question felt entirely new, utterly unfamiliar.

Hearing this, Yu Bai suddenly snapped back to reality.

It was a week ago on this very day. He hadn’t wanted the soon-to-retire Doctor Chen to worry, so he’d brushed off that absurd, eerie tale as nothing more than a story he’d made up on the spot.

After that, he would share a warm farewell with Doctor Chen, give her the retirement gift, take the bus home, then get fed up midway with some couple’s melodramatic fight and get off to walk back to the complex. He’d catch the elevator that happened to be waiting on the first floor…

And encounter the non-human neighbor for the first time.

The chilling touch of that skin still seemed to linger on his fingertips.

What had he said when he’d grabbed the non-human neighbor’s collar?

Either restore everything around them to normal.

Or get the hell out.

…Wait. Restore to normal?

Without thinking, Yu Bai blurted out, “Have I been here the whole time?”

He reached for the backpack sitting at his side.

“Hm?” Doctor Chen, who had finally gotten him to speak, froze. The worry in her eyes deepened, and her voice grew even gentler. “You’ve been right here the whole time. We’re in the middle of chatting.”

The gift box sat obediently in his backpack, still unsent, topped with the butterfly bow he’d tied himself.

At this moment, Yu Bai finally confirmed what was happening before his eyes.

He had really gone back in time.

A complete and utter restoration to the original state.

…

Timely error correction was a good thing, but wasn’t this action a bit too quick?

Couldn’t it have given him a heads-up before rewinding time?!

He hadn’t been mentally prepared at all!

Yu Bai let out a complicated sigh of relief. He had no time to dwell on the faint oddity lingering in his heart—that final gaze, where ripples had suddenly stirred across the gray-blue lake’s surface, hadn’t looked ready either.

But he had no chance to ponder further details right now. Doctor Chen was already wearing an expression he knew all too well.

After his father’s unexpected death, Doctor Chen—the one sent for psychological counseling—had looked at elementary-school-aged Yu Bai with just that gaze.

Full of cautious affection and concern, ready at any moment for his mental breakdown.

“…” Yu Bai recalled his earlier behavior and tried to salvage the situation. “Sorry, Doctor Chen. I zoned out for a second.”

“It’s fine.” Doctor Chen’s voice was gentle. “Do you want to rest a bit? Or should we keep talking? I’m really curious about those strange things you described.”

Don’t be curious.

The truth behind it all was far too shocking for an ordinary human.

Yu Bai steadied his emotions and flashed an easy smile. “Doctor Chen, did I scare you?”

“Hm? Why do you say that?”

“Because I scared myself.” Yu Bai’s eyes suddenly lit up, brimming with excitement. “I just thought of a really fun story. I want to write it down right now!”

Doctor Chen fell silent for a moment.

Then she studied him with an appraising look.

Gritting his teeth, Yu Bai pressed on. “How about using our conversation so far as the opening? I think it’d be perfect… Once I finish it, I’ll definitely show it to you. Or mail it over.”

Sorry. His acting skills weren’t great.

He was just a third-rate magazine writer who craved a peaceful life. He had no idea why these wild, rollercoaster weird events kept befalling him.

It took quite a while, but he finally convinced Doctor Chen that he was just overwhelmed by a sudden burst of inspiration—not losing his mind.

Then, following the script, he presented the gift. The delicate ceramic angel inside the neat little box felt reassuringly heavy.

“Congratulations on your retirement.” Suppressing the tangle of emotions in his chest, Yu Bai leaned in for a hug without hesitation. “Thank you for everything these years.”

“And the gift—hey?”

Caught off guard by the embrace, Doctor Chen’s tears of emotion hadn’t even welled up yet. Instead, she burst out laughing.

She reached up and ruffled the top of Yu Bai’s head. “You’re such a strange kid today.”

Speaking from the heart, Yu Bai replied, “No, I’m just really happy.”

“Really?” Doctor Chen laughed even harder, teasing him. “Happy that I’m finally retiring and won’t bug you anymore?”

“…Of course not!”

“Alright, alright, it’s not that.” In their farewell hug, Doctor Chen patted his back with a smile. “I think after I retire, I’ll miss you too.”

“Little Yu, give me a call whenever you have time. Don’t worry about bothering me.”

The young man resting on her shoulder gave a muffled response. “I will.”

This time, it was Yu Bai who felt a slight sting in his nose.

Maybe it was just that having life return to normal was so moving.

After bidding Doctor Chen goodbye, Yu Bai left on his own.

He strode right past the elevator lobby in the building and deliberately took the stairs down.

At least on this extraordinarily special day, he wouldn’t set foot in any elevator.

That was the true sign of post-elevator-accident trauma.

As he descended, Yu Bai pulled out his phone and made a call.

He waited quite a while before it connected.

“Hello?” The familiar voice came through, breathless. “I was just doing deadlifts—what’s up, Little Bai? Need something?”

“Yeah, something.” Yu Bai asked, “You want to eat watermelon?”

“Watermelon?” Yan Jing sounded surprised, hesitating. “I kinda do… but it’s high in sugar and carbs. Can’t eat too much—I’m prepping for a competition.”

“I saw a massive one. Yoga-ball sized.”

“No way, for real?!” Yan Jing didn’t hesitate. “Hell yeah, I’ll eat it! Where are you? I’m coming right now!”

The familiar scatterbrained thought process, but zero reaction to the test.

Looks like he was the only one who’d carried his memories back.

That was for the best. His mental resilience was stronger than most people’s anyway.

As long as he forgot this episode, the world would be normal.

Yu Bai breathed a sigh of relief and delivered his line flatly. “Oh, my mistake. It was just a yoga ball painted like a watermelon.”

“What?” Yan Jing tried to parse it. “What kinda weird crap is that?”

“Yeah, weird stuff. No idea who came up with it.” Yu Bai changed the subject. “Mind if I crash at your place for a couple days?”

“Sure! My mom was just saying the other day that renting outside sucks—you should come stay with us. She misses you like crazy. Wait, did she call you?”

“Nope.” But Yu Bai already knew about it. “I miss your mom too.”

“…” Yan Jing sucked in a sharp breath. “She’d be thrilled to hear that, but honestly? It kinda scares me.”

“Little Bai, you okay?! Sick? Kidnapped? Is this some kinda code?! Oh man, what do I do now—”

Yu Bai cut off his wild imaginings coldly. “I’ve got stuff to do. Hanging up. Bye.”

“You’re good! Whew!” Yan Jing finally relaxed, sounding cheerful. “Come over soon then. We’ll hit the arcade after I get off work. See you tonight!”

“Tonight.”

Yu Bai hung up and stepped out of the dim stairwell. He left the building and emerged onto the bustling, noisy street.

There, under the eaves across the way, he spotted the four buzz-cut guys in floral shirts huddled together, pretending to play cards.

They froze and looked up at him in unison.

What a heartwarming sight.

Yu Bai met their gazes calmly.

Then he slowly raised his hand and gave them a friendly wave.

“Good afternoon.”

Knife-Scarred A Qiang was the first to show shock on his face.

Before the bodyguards could say a word, Yu Bai walked over. “I’ve got something to ask you guys.”

“Just say it, Young Master Yu!”

“Don’t call me that.”

“Got it, Young Master Yu! What do you need us to do?”

“…”

“I’m planning to move.”

Yu Bai instructed the bodyguards to head to his place, pack up his things roughly, and take them to Yan Jing’s house. He specifically warned them not to use the elevator on the left.

If they ran into a middle-aged guy with a beer gut in a polo shirt, charging toward the elevator with a bag that smelled deliciously of food, they needed to stop him—don’t let him rush inside.

Yu Bai was still grateful to Master Wang for the soundproofing work, even though they hadn’t met yet.

Barring surprises, that faulty elevator’s plunge would halt midway. No real accident. But avoiding the scare was better.

Today, he wasn’t just skipping elevators—he wasn’t setting foot in that complex at all.

Not today. Not ever.

Yu Bai intended to sever any possibility of ever seeing that mysterious non-human again.

He couldn’t waste this miraculous time reset.

A Qiang didn’t question his odd request. He agreed enthusiastically. “We’ll handle it right away!”

“Thanks. Appreciate the trouble.”

Looking at these familiar faces, Yu Bai suddenly added in all seriousness, “Nice shirts.”

The wind kept rustling the colorful hems of their shirts.

A Qiang had nearly reflexively said it was no trouble—that was their job.

But upon hearing that, he instinctively exchanged a glance with his companions behind him. Then, looking a bit embarrassed, he rubbed the back of his head. “As long as Young Master Yu thinks the styling doesn’t look bad, that’s good enough.”

Under the dim yellow lights of the night, Yan Jing sat in front of the arcade machine. After listening, he scratched his head in confusion. “So, where do you plan to live from now on?”

The two buff little characters on the screen froze in place.

Yu Bai replied, “Rent another place, or maybe buy one. I haven’t decided yet.”

“Oh, take your time thinking about it. You can keep staying at my place! But why the sudden move? That neighborhood isn’t actually haunted, is it?”

“Worse than haunted,” Yu Bai said cryptically. “Just don’t go into that neighborhood anymore.”

“Really? I’ll definitely steer clear next time I pass by.” Yan Jing’s face lit up with curiosity. “What exactly happened while you were living there?”

“You’re better off not knowing.” Yu Bai thought for a moment and sighed. “Though, I think I missed out on a chance for you to get rich overnight.”

After the time loop reset, one regret he couldn’t shake came to mind.

No major events had rocked the world that week, but plenty of little things had played out just as they always did.

Yu Bai never paid attention to lotteries or anything like that, afraid some overdramatic twist of fate would drop on his head.

If only he’d remembered the winning numbers from one of those lottery draws that week—he would’ve handed them straight to Yan Jing’s family.

“Huh?”

Yan Jing blinked, seeing that Yu Bai wasn’t going to elaborate. His gaze flicked to the joystick in Yu Bai’s hand, which wasn’t gripped tightly.

Yan Jing’s fingers flew into action.

Yu Bai’s buff little fighter suddenly toppled over, taking a barrage of punches.

A bright KO flashed across the old arcade screen.

“Hey, I won!” Yan Jing completely forgot about the earlier topic, jabbing Yu Bai with his elbow. “Noob, rematch!”

“…”

Oh well. Forgetting the lottery numbers was probably for the best.

Yu Bai tightened his grip on the joystick and dove back into the fight. The arcade’s cheerful music blared once more.

Yan Jing had the next day off, so after the arcade, the two switched to PC games, playing through the night just like when they were kids.

As dawn light crept through the window, the bleary-eyed Yu Bai—up all night—felt exhaustion crash over him. He and Yan Jing yawned in unison before heading to their separate rooms to crash.

The sun was shining beautifully today.

That was his hazy last thought, brimming with contentment for his current life, as he sank into deep sleep.

The world before his eyes faded into tranquil darkness.

When Yu Bai woke again, his head spun as if it’d been tossed in a washing machine for a dozen cycles.

He opened his eyes to blinding sunlight, his body sinking into something softer than a mattress.

A familiar voice sounded in his ear.

“Looks like this move really affected your work…”

Yu Bai bolted upright. “Fuck!”

Doctor Chen’s words caught in her throat. She stared at him in shock. “Huh?”

Yu Bai locked eyes with her.

In his peripheral vision, the warm afternoon sunlight outside the window looked just as lovely as ever.

But he’d seen this exact scene yesterday—or rather, a week ago.

Ignoring Doctor Chen’s concern, Yu Bai spent several minutes processing the absurd reality.

He’d looped back again—to the root of all this evil, that very day.

Right after he’d grabbed his non-human neighbor by the collar and threatened him in a rage.

This was bad.

He wasn’t just going back in time.

He might be trapped in it.

…He’d known that weirdo who mimicked his notes and his plants couldn’t possibly be that normal!

Five minutes later, the roar of a motorcycle engine shattered the quiet street beside the building.

The buzz-cut man with the scar on his face gripped the handlebars solemnly, throttle maxed out. On the back seat rode a pale-skinned young man in black-framed glasses, a few strands of striking brown hair peeking from under his helmet.

The floral shirt’s hem whipped high in the wind as they sped by.

Twenty minutes after that, in the quiet apartment building, any residents passing by couldn’t help but glance in one direction.

A young man stood rigidly by the elevator, his expression cold and resolute, as if waiting for someone.

Yu Bai had raced back to the complex at top speed. After pounding futilely on the door of Room 1204, he’d come down to the first floor.

He didn’t know exactly how long it had taken his past self to get home a week ago, so he couldn’t pinpoint when he’d first run into the non-human neighbor.

Guarding here early ought to catch the guy no matter what.

After some time, that figure Yu Bai wouldn’t forget even as a ghost finally appeared in his line of sight.

Trailing behind was another middle-aged man hurrying over with a plastic bag.

Wang Jianbin, the hardware store owner, had been busy all day. He’d picked up some piping-hot fried chicken, skewers, and spicy hot pot noodles to treat himself to a good meal at home.

The elevator dinged open on the first floor—he couldn’t wait to get back.

But something seemed to be going on ahead.

A tall man who had been about to step into the elevator was blocked by a pale-skinned young man with brown hair facing him head-on.

The young man was strikingly handsome, but his face was taut with barely contained fury, his voice gritted through clenched teeth.

“From now on, live wherever you damn well please. It has nothing to do with me.” He jabbed a finger. “Now let me go home!”

The black-haired man who’d been stopped paused, even turning his head to glance behind him along the young man’s line of sight, as if checking if anyone else was there.

When he turned, his gray-blue eyes—like a winter lake—came into view, brimming with bewilderment.

“Why are you looking at someone else? Look at me!” The brown-haired, pale-skinned young man grew even angrier. “I’m talking to you!”

At that, the blue-eyed man actually turned back to meet his gaze.

The elevator sat silently waiting, the three of them frozen outside its metal doors. The atmosphere hung thick and awkward.

Wang Jianbin had completely forgotten about heading home. He stopped to watch, inwardly marveling: “…Whoa.”

One of the leads was a foreigner!