Chapter 483: Gu Xinian’s Diary

1:30 a.m., outskirts of Hua City.

The bright moon drifted among the clouds, its silvery light pouring down like water, revealing the magnificent and elegant silhouette of the ancient mansion hidden in the night.

The night was tranquil. In the courtyard behind the iron gate, blooming hibiscus flowers were lush and dewy, the fountain in the center gurgled, griffin stone statues on both sides looked spirited, the air was filled with the scent of fresh grass, and faint traces of Gui Hua fragrance lingered.

Under the gentle glow of the night lamp, a girl in a white dress walked lightly along the pebble path.

She passed through the garden, accompanied by the soft chime of wind bells, and entered the mansion through the side door.

Although the interior arrangement of the mansion differed somewhat from her memory, the girl seemed especially familiar with the structure of the vast house. She went up the stairs all the way to the top floor and entered the bedroom with the large balcony.

Click!

With the soft sound of a switch, the room lit up.

Bathed in bright light, the room was decorated mainly in pale pink, warm white, and light gray, full of girlish charm. The exquisite princess bed was covered with a fluffy velvet quilt. The girl fell onto the bed, and most of her body sank into it.

She closed her eyes, breathing in the faint, sweet fragrance drifting in the air, using her body and soul to feel those details invisible to the naked eye. Unconsciously, the corners of her mouth lifted slightly, her face full of happiness.

“So much like it!” the girl murmured in a voice only she could hear, “It’s just like the real thing…”

As she spoke, she stood up and walked into the semi-open walk-in closet in the corner of the room, stopping in front of the full-length mirror.

Under the light, the finely crafted mirror reflected her figure.

In the mirror, the girl’s long, jet-black hair hung loosely, her oval face was as white as jade, her delicate nose was straight and beautiful, her thin lips tinged with cherry pink, and her snow-white jawline was graceful.

Her sea-blue eyes were like gemstones, her gaze blooming like peach blossoms, alluring and soft.

Her slender figure was clad in a pure white silk camisole nightdress, her rounded shoulders and milky skin smooth as cream, her softly contoured collarbones seemed to brew a thousand jars of green plum wine–ethereal and intoxicating.

A pair of jade-like legs stretched out from under the hem, long and straight, bare feet on the floor, her pink toes exuding a hint of cuteness.

“Father is successful in his career and upright, mother is talented, virtuous, and gentle. The daughter, though occasionally stubborn and willful, is still pure and kind…”

“A harmonious and happy family, huh? Ha!”

Jiang Li looked at her reflection in the mirror, at her appearance untouched by experiments and Spirit Pattern, and let out a scornful laugh, then sighed heavily and silently.

If there were no haunting, no Dream Come True Journey, would she really have become like that?

But unfortunately, it was all fake.

Life cannot be repeated. Some things, once they happen, have already changed the ending.

It’s like a clean, tidy sheet of white paper, crumpled, torn, and splashed with ink, ruined beyond repair. Even if you use all kinds of methods to restore it to a clean, tidy sheet, it’s still not the original one.

Perhaps some people, even most people, when faced with the chance to relive life and walk the rest of their days along the most beautiful path, would still rush in headlong, even knowing it’s fake.

But not Jiang Li.

What is, is. She was good at restraining her emotions and didn’t like lying to herself.

When she woke from her slumber and carefully explored the Amber Mansion, she chose without hesitation to believe in that segment of memory from the “dream.”

It was as if the flood of memories pouring into her mind, and the rules of this special space, had no effect on her at all.

Jiang Li quietly met her own gaze in the mirror, as if making a silent farewell.

So, she closed her eyes.

In utter silence, her mind raced, processing a vast amount of information, forcibly stripping away all irrelevant and false memories.

It was as if a hideous wound was being carved into her soul, or as if a cold steel nail was being driven into her brow, stirring violently.

Pain sharp enough to make one faint in an instant swallowed her consciousness, stabbing at her nerves.

Her body trembled slightly, beads of sweat appearing on her forehead.

In a daze, she saw a girl walking away from her.

That was Jiang Li whose parents were alive, Jiang Li who grew up in a greenhouse, Jiang Li who was called little queen, Jiang Li who was tough on the outside but weak within…

But none of those were the real Jiang Li.

“Although it was a beautiful dream, now… it’s time to wake up!”

Muttering to herself, Jiang Li suddenly opened her eyes. The once seductive gaze instantly turned cold as ice.

Like an illusion, she heard the sound of something shattering, countless beams of light flickering deep within her eyes.

The dreamlike bubble vanished, dissipating completely.

“Hoo–!”

Looking somewhat weary, Jiang Li slowly exhaled a turbid breath, steadied herself, and immediately began searching the room. She quickly found the [Face-Changing solidified spell formation mask].

When dawn comes, I’ll go find that guy…

Thinking of Lu Yibei, Jiang Li’s slender fingertips unconsciously tightened around the mask in her hand, and a hint of warmth and disdain appeared in her icy eyes.

After all this time, he still hasn’t seen through the illusion. That guy’s willpower is really weak.

I’m quite curious, just what kind of beautiful dream could make him so indecisive? Jiang Li wondered.

——–

“Damn! No way? That fast?” Wang Meili stared at the photo in her hand, where Jiang Li’s gaze was resolute, and couldn’t help but exclaim.

One hour, thirty-one minutes, and seven seconds.

Jiang Li broke the record for everyone who entered the special space, recognizing their true self in the shortest time.

The second place took a full ten days.

“She really is human, right? But can human willpower really be that strong?”

This girl is capable and forceful, acts swiftly and decisively, and knows exactly what she wants and doesn’t want.

Most importantly, her will is so firm, she’s practically like an emotionless machine.

“If Yibei ends up with a girl like this, wouldn’t he be completely dominated, bullied every day? That’s just too pitiful.” Wang Meili muttered to herself.

She was starting to dislike this girl a bit.

Compared to such a fierce girl, she still felt Nanling Rao Hua, or maybe that silly girl, would suit Lu Yibei better.

However, dislike is one thing; she wouldn’t interfere with Lu Yibei or Jiang Li because of it.

Wang Meili’s dislike of Jiang Li–what does that have to do with Lu Yibei?

“Tsk, whatever, if they really get married, it’s not me who’ll suffer anyway.” Wang Meili curled her lip and stuffed the photo into her jacket pocket.

Some say that for a mother-in-law and daughter-in-law to get along perfectly, one of them has to be dead.

Coincidentally, Wang Meili herself is the dead one!

——–

3:20 a.m., inside the faculty housing compound.

“Bang–!”

Lu Yibei put down her phone and slammed the table. “Damn it, I said I’d seriously study Gu Xinian’s diary! How did I end up falling again?”

But, thinking about it…

Some bosses can pause time, some can reverse time, some can erase time…

I’m so good at wasting time, am I not totally qualified to be a boss?

Lu Yibei thought, curled her lip, refocused, turned up the desk lamp, and opened the rubber-bound notebook on the table.

[September 1

Starting today, I’m a fifth grader. Dad told me to keep up the good habit of writing a diary.

What should I write today?

Hmm, my little sister is so cute!]

I think your little sister is cute too… Lu Yibei grumbled inwardly, unable to resist a snarky comment.

“This is ridiculous!”

“I risked being caught by the Truth-Seeking Fellowship and attacked by monsters, and all I brought back was a useless little-sister-obsessed elementary school diary?”

She steadied herself, forced some patience, and flipped a few more pages.

[September 14

After a weekend, back at school, all my classmates are acting weird.

They’re whispering about me behind my back.

Wang Xiaobao won’t play with me anymore.]

Wang Xiaobao? Why does that name sound so familiar? Lu Yibei frowned and quickly flipped a few more pages.

[October 1

Went out to find friends during the holiday, but when everyone saw me, they all ran away.

They seem scared of me, but the way they look at me is scary too.

I’ve seen that look before–last time a mouse ran into the classroom, and that’s how the teacher looked at the mouse.]

[October 12

After school today, a few middle schoolers stopped me and beat me up. I got a black eye.

One tall middle schooler warned me to stay away from his little brother.

They said my dad is crazy, so I’m a little lunatic too.]

[October 17

For several days in a row after school, someone would stop me and bully me.

Some people, like those middle schoolers before, called me a little lunatic. Some didn’t say anything at all and just started hitting me, and some even threw rotten vegetable leaves at me.

I don’t care if they bully me, but it’s not okay for them to bully my little sister.

I fought with them.]

[October 18

Dad took leave for me and told me not to go to school for now.

These days, Dad always leaves early and comes home late, as if he and the uncles at work are preparing for something big.

I don’t really get it.]

Seeing this, Lu Yibei paused for a moment, took a sip of water, and couldn’t help but feel a bit of sympathy for Gu Xiliu.

Back then, Gu Xiliu was only eleven or twelve years old. He probably didn’t understand the Truth-Seeking Fellowship stuff at all, nor did he know that his classmates discriminated against him because his dad was involved in some cult activities, right?

[November 7

Uncle Wang came to see us today and brought Wang Xiaobao to apologize to me.

It was only today that I found out everyone bullied me because Wang Xiaobao was badmouthing me and my dad behind our backs.

Wang Xiaobao, screw you!]

“Pfft–! Cough, cough, cough!”

At this point, the water in Lu Yibei’s mouth hadn’t been swallowed yet and sprayed out all at once, causing a violent coughing fit.

“Well, well, so it was you! No wonder the name Wang Xiaobao sounded so familiar!”

[December 12

Today, Father suddenly told me that my little sister might have to leave for a while.

He told me to behave and not to worry about her.

But, where is my little sister going?]

[December 13

Something big happened at Mom’s workplace, the lime kiln. The tall chimney collapsed.

There was a big fire at the lime kiln, and Mom got hurt and was taken to the hospital.

I wanted to take my little sister to visit Mom at the hospital, but my little sister was nowhere to be found.]

[January 5

My little sister still hasn’t come back. Is she never coming back?]

……

Lu Yibei continued reading Gu Xinian’s diary. For a long stretch after that, the diary entries became simple, everyday notes tinged with a bit of loneliness. Occasionally, he mentioned his little sister, but only in passing.

Just like that, nearly two years passed in the diary’s timeline before any useful information appeared again.

[February 3

Father suddenly told me he was going to take Mom and me to look for my little sister.

I was so happy I couldn’t sleep. That night, I heard strange noises downstairs.

I pressed against the window and saw lots of uncles and aunties walking around the yard, busy with something. Dad seemed to be among them.]

[January 7……]

“Huh? How did it go from February back to January? Could this elementary schooler have… Wait a minute!”

Looking at the diary, Lu Yibei’s expression gradually grew serious.

If Gu Xinian didn’t make a mistake, and the dates changed like this, it must mean he stopped writing for a year, or maybe even many years, and then started again.

Thinking this, Lu Yibei flipped a few more pages and found that several consecutive entries were all in January, and the handwriting was noticeably neater than before. This confirmed her guess, so she turned back to the entry for January 7.

[January 7

I finally understand what happened that day!

Our whole family, in order to come to this world to look for my little sister, accidentally caused the death of Gu Qianqian’s parents.

What should I do? Just thinking about it, I get chills whenever I see Gu Qianqian.]

“Ah… hiss–!” Lu Yibei took a deep breath. “So Gu Xinian really isn’t as honest as he looks!”

He killed her parents and then pretended to be her uncle and took her in?

Just thinking about how Gu Qianqian lived with the murderer of her parents during that time, day in and day out, treating them as family, made Lu Yibei shudder.

If Gu Qianqian was smart enough to discover her uncle’s family’s ‘secret,’ what would happen?

Would they silence her? Lu Yibei wondered.

[April 12

When Father came home, he was covered in blood, his clothes soaked through.

He said he’d been targeted by a group of people calling themselves The Midnight Watchers Society operators, and probably couldn’t stay in this world any longer.

I asked him if we could still go back.

He told me we could, but it would take time to prepare.

I asked him what about Gu Qianqian, and after a long silence, he said, ‘We can’t take her with us…’]

Lu Yibei turned to the next page. But as soon as she saw a name mentioned in the entry, she froze in place.

[April 14

A man named Lu Ming came to our home.

He said he could help us…]