A perfect life begins with changing the timeline.

moment.

"...I see. So, you can't control the patterns of so-called 'dream' recurrence, right?"

"Yes."

"...I don't think so. Think about it, the other two people you dreamed about are your future selves. Oh right, including me. And the reason you dream about us 'future selves' is actually because there's an implicit pattern. The first conman, Li Mu, was on your first day at the company. If that was just a coincidence, then the second Li Mu is quite obvious. You won the lottery, going from a greenhorn to a multi-millionaire. And the night before you went to claim your prize, if you didn't dream about him, then it's very likely that you would be interviewed when you claimed your prize, and then... become him. And that's what happened to me..."

Li Mu had somehow ended up sitting in this dark space, looking up at himself in his wheelchair, nodding as he listened to his analysis:

"Hmm, and then?"

"And then? The answer is obvious, isn't it? Do you know David Deutsch?"

"I don't know, who?"

"One of the founders of quantum computing, and also one of the revelers of the multiverse theory... You can check it out on Baidu Encyclopedia later... Uh, anyway, it's not important. What's important is that his multiverse theory posits that at every decisive point in time, the universe splits into multiple different branches, each representing a possible outcome. This theory challenges traditional philosophical concepts and offers a completely new understanding of reality. Do you understand?"

Li Mu discovered that he quite enjoyed chatting with this version of himself.

The other person seemed to know a lot.

Upon seeing him shake his head, "Li Mu" smiled gently:

"The fact that we can meet now actually confirms his theory in some ways. At every important juncture in your life, you dream about your future self, or rather... about us. Although I don't know why this happens, it's true that we've appeared at every important juncture in your life, haven't we? And according to you, the first Li Mu lost his finger, while the second had all his limbs intact. I think... perhaps when the futures of these 'branch' versions of ourselves appear before you, every time you make a change, our futures might cease to exist."

"Well."

Li Mu was surprised.

He had never thought about this before.

Now, hearing Li Mu say this, he suddenly had a sense of déjà vu, as if he were "killing someone".

Very strange.

But just then, he heard "Li Mu's" plea:

"So, Li Mu, change your timeline and make me disappear."

"...?"

Li Mu was stunned, and instinctively responded:

"What?"

His tone was full of surprise and absurdity, but "Li Mu's" eyes became fervent:

"I said, let me, or rather, my timeline... disappear."

"Don't you want to live anymore?"

"What's the point of my life?"

"Li Mu" posed his own rhetorical question.

Then, as if realizing something, he laughed:

"Speaking of which, you don't know why your future self turned out this way, right? Hmm..."

A hint of reminiscence flickered in his eyes, and his tone became somewhat hollow:

"That's a really long story."

……

Li Mu accepted Wang Fan's invitation and attended the investment conference organized by Guangfa Bank.

He arrived very early that day, and there weren't many people in the club yet. As a first-time visitor and an unfamiliar "entrepreneur," he chose a very inconspicuous spot in the back corner.

Then... as the time drew near, many successful people in suits arrived at the club one after another. But sitting next to him were several young people.

Li Mu called them rich kids.

A very new vocabulary word.

Regardless of what these rich kids would do with this kind of investment, Li Mu, sitting next to them, overheard them talking about forming a sports car club.

He became interested.

Out of curiosity, I asked about sports cars.

Young people are always easy to talk to, and they quickly became acquainted. When they heard that Li Mu wanted to buy a sports car, the other person even gave him a lot of advice.

Finally, after the investment meeting, everyone went out for drinks and had a long chat.

It's a way of building connections.

After becoming friends, Li Mu, at their urging, ordered a Lamborghini.

But once a person becomes obsessed with a certain interest, there is no stopping them.

Especially after experiencing the wonderful sensations of luxury cars, beautiful women, parties, and revelry—feelings I'd never experienced before…

Fueled by vanity and the desire to be admired, he lived like a god for over six months. He frequented various events with his friends, surrounded by beautiful women and showered with compliments. And when the sports car club was launched, as one of the initial founders, his vanity propelled him forward.

One Lamborghini is clearly not enough.

But with 40 million in his pocket and a sense of financial caution, he didn't spend it all on the car.

However, at gatherings with friends, a comment like, "You're still driving that Lamborghini," can occasionally sting his pride.

By chance, Li Mu met a car dealer.

The other party specializes in making waterwheels.

Around 2000, waterwheels were incredibly common along the coast.

Authentic, cheap, and with the car dealer's guarantee of "connections, no fear of being investigated," he finally decided to order a Ferrari.

As a result, this Ferrari became the beginning of the tragedy.

Unreliable quality refurbished cars, refurbished parts, counterfeit brakes from aftermarket dealers who were cheated out of their products, reckless driving, car accidents...

In a melodramatic TV series, he became the unlucky guy who got paralyzed in a car accident.

"And that is my story."

Amidst Li Mu's silence, the person in the wheelchair spoke in a calm voice.

It took Li Mu about half a minute to process these "future" ideas.

After a moment, he nodded:

"I understand. So if I don't go tomorrow, I can avoid becoming like you, right?"

"Theoretically, yes."

Li Mu nodded, but then changed the subject:

"But I suggest you go."

"Are you crazy?"

Li Mu was stunned.

I thought to myself, "Dude, you're practically a walking wheelchair now, why are you still trying to get me to go?"

Didn't we agree to "kill" you?

Li Mu smiled slightly:

"You just need to avoid those people, right? Besides, that investment conference really did change your life. Because I met a broker there. We only started communicating after I became paralyzed, and it was through him that I entered the world of investment. I earned my second, and even third, fortune, and many, many more in the future. Li Mu, I need you to kill me, or rather, annihilate this timeline of mine, to free me. But... you are also me."

Looking at his past self, "Li Mu" said earnestly:

"As repayment for killing me, I hope you're doing better."