The cycle begins to repeat itself today.

Tears still clung to Ye Yuqing's face, but she wore a relaxed and relieved smile.

"Finally, someone likes me."

That's what she said.

Chapter Thirty-Five: The Hidden Blade

Ye Yuqing's words were utterly bizarre to me. Even in this state, even with her straddling me, I couldn't muster any thoughts I should have. What kept flashing through my mind was the sharp blade she had used to pierce my heart on this very day, about an hour earlier. However, the tears streaming down her face as she laughed were relentlessly hammering at my reason and compassion. I didn't possess such qualities; everything I did was merely for myself.

Continuing like this won't help the conversation. I looked at her and said, "You just said that you would do anything I wanted you to do, right?"

In this extremely bizarre situation, Ye Yuqing's reaction upon hearing my words was one of overwhelming joy; she nodded rapidly. I bit my tongue, making sure I wasn't dreaming or hallucinating, but this was indeed reality, only far more absurd and ridiculous than anything I'd seen before. Coming to my senses, I was about to tell her to get off me when I saw Ye Yuqing place her hands on the hem of her clothes. What was she trying to do? My question vanished in shock before it even lasted a second. It was summer, and she wasn't wearing clothes that could be easily removed; I could even see large patches of pale skin beneath the fabric.

"Stop!" I had already guessed what her action meant; her mind was filled with thought processes I couldn't understand.

"Yes, I'm sorry." Her expression became cautious again. "I don't have this experience. I will practice more in the future."

I almost laughed out of anger at her, but I really couldn't laugh at all. Ye Yuqing's current situation is more complicated than I imagined, whether it's real or just acting. If it's real, I don't know what she went through to become like this. If it's acting, then what kind of secret could make her sacrifice to this extent? I can't understand it.

"Anyway, put your clothes down first, then get off me." I couldn't let her continue to erode my reason.

She stood up with a slightly disappointed expression, and I finally snapped out of my daze, propping myself up. There was nothing nearby to lean on, so I shifted my posture, sitting cross-legged to hide my embarrassment. Ye Yuqing stood beside me, her demeanor somewhat obsequious. Her actions were a constant reminder, making me question whether her behavior was genuine. I realized this and forced myself to retain that impression.

If it weren't for what just happened, today's gains would have ended there, and our most important objective would have been a complete failure. But it seems the failure wasn't so complete. Based on the intelligence I had, I have a relatively sufficient database to compare with Ye Yuqing's words, ruling out the possibility that she was deliberately deceiving me from the beginning. Because if that were the case, I wouldn't be able to make any progress; every step I took would just be testing the waters in her carefully woven trap. I have to eliminate that option because now, she's the only clue I have. Even if she's now an individual entirely composed of lies and falsehoods, she can still give me something. Even if it's fake, wrong, or deliberately arranged by her, it's still acceptable. The intelligence I currently possess is still too little.

Now it seems that there are more possibilities in Ye Yuqing that I can explore.

I sighed and looked at Ye Yuqing standing beside me. I have to admit, her actions just now did have some impact on me, and I'm not entirely calm about my thoughts about her now.

"Sit down, let's talk." I patted the seat next to me, gesturing for her to sit. She obediently sat down beside me, hugging her knees with her arms, seeming a little reserved. Whether this was her true nature or just an act to mislead me, I didn't care anymore; I couldn't tell anyway. Right now, just being able to talk to me was good enough.

“Before you speak, give me the knife you hid.” I hadn’t forgotten she always carried a blade. She seemed surprised, as if she didn’t know how I knew she had a knife, but she still reached out and unfastened her outermost vest, then took a sheathed blade from the inside and handed it to me. I took it; it was still warm from her touch. I almost wanted to slap myself. I drew the knife from its sheath. This knife, more like a short sword than a knife, was about the length of a normal adult’s wrist to elbow. Except for the tip, both edges were rounded; running a finger lightly across it wouldn’t cut, and there was barely any stinging sensation. This short sword was quite heavy; apart from the reinforced plastic hilt, the blade was entirely made of steel. Was this the thing that killed me once?

I glanced at the short sword briefly, then sheathed it. I placed the sword to the other side, lest Ye Yuqing suddenly use it for something unpleasant.

"Where did you get this type of controlled knife?"

"...I bought an unsharpened short sword online, and I sharpened the tip myself with a whetstone, and this is what happened."

Is this okay?

"Why are you bringing a knife to school? Are you afraid someone will try to hurt you?" Like that person I haven't met yet, except now it's me.

Ye Yuqing shook her head: "Because someone might interfere with today's date, we have to eliminate them."

As the victim, I no longer have the energy to be angry. Although Ye Yuqing, who killed me over such a trivial matter, deserves my anger and revenge, given her current state, the person she was meeting should be my ultimate target. Ye Yuqing's thought process is highly problematic; the importance of this date even made her feel that killing was insignificant, as long as the date's success was guaranteed. This is not the kind of thinking a normal person would have.

I checked my phone; it was already 10:10.

"How do you usually get down there?"

Chapter Thirty-Six: The Mysterious Outsider

Returning the way I came, I watched Ye Yuqing skillfully and easily scale the wall, stepping onto the steel bars, and re-enter the lecture hall. I, meanwhile, took the knife and cautiously returned to the lecture hall. Ye Yuqing was still waiting for me there. I found my schoolbag on the nearby table. Seeing me move, Ye Yuqing seemed to suddenly remember that her schoolbag was still in the classroom and asked me, "Can I go back and get my schoolbag?"

"Go ahead." I didn't intend to control her actions, but I followed behind her and observed her movements, and didn't find anything suspicious.

We walked downstairs together, arriving at the spot where Ye Yuqing had fallen to her death. I stared blankly at a corner of the flowerbed, lost in thought. Ye Yuqing, who had previously left only a body there, was now standing perfectly fine beside me. That unreal feeling washed over me again. I snapped out of my reverie. Ye Yuqing was simply sitting beside me, quietly watching me. Let's not dwell on these things anymore; there are still so many questions we haven't answered.

"Tell me about the date you spent months planning."

"Don't you know?" I was asked in return.

"I just want to know the difference between what you know and what I know." I made up an excuse, hoping she wouldn't find anything out.

Having apparently succeeded, Ye Yuqing began to tell her story.

"About half a year ago, or maybe a little earlier, during the period after the Lunar New Year but before classes started, I... I was resting alone on a bridge. Then I met someone who told me that on the night of September 12th, after school ended, before 10:10 pm, I would meet someone who liked me on the roof of the teaching building closest to the cafeteria. And... I believed him, and from that time on, I've been preparing for today."

"Who is that person? What does he look like?" I had a feeling, or rather, I was absolutely certain, that the person Ye Yuqing was talking about was 100% related to this matter. But Ye Yuqing shook her head vigorously, showing an apologetic expression.

"I'm sorry, I don't remember."

I think she's lying to me.

"I don't even remember what he looks like anymore, I can't even remember if he's a man or a woman."

Perhaps worried that I might think she was lying, she explained again: "I really can't remember, no matter how hard I try, I can't recall it. I only vaguely remember that something like this happened. I'm so sorry..."

She became dejected again. Although I sensed that the person was likely related to my current situation, that wasn't my initial goal. If I could find out, it would be a pleasant surprise; if not, it wouldn't be a big deal. I comforted her and encouraged her to continue.

"Then, I've been preparing until now. Because there's not much I can do at school during the day, and the school gates are closed late at night, I can only knock off all the broken glass on the outside of the wall and smooth it out. I usually use that big rock to climb over the wall. You should know that."

My steps faltered, and I finally stopped. She had already spotted me while I was following her, which made many of my previous guesses, including the possibility that she had sent the person she was supposed to meet away beforehand, very plausible.

"You know I'm following you, why don't you call me out on it?"

"Oh?" She perked up. "You...you were following me all along?"

"Stop trying to fool me." I was annoyed that she was still pretending. Anyone would feel embarrassed when their supposedly secretive actions are exposed, and although the other person has the right to mock them, it's still unpleasant.

"I... I didn't realize you were following me. I know you climbed over the wall because of your hand." She hurriedly explained, "Wasn't your hand cut? I noticed it this morning. Since the most important day is approaching, I checked it, and there was indeed blood on it..."

So, I didn't see her for a while around noon today. Was it because she went to the school gate to check on the condition of the wall? I was so focused on following Ye Yuqing that I forgot to clean up the traces I left behind. It was a mistake I made because I wasn't paying attention, so I can't blame anyone else.

“…Go on, continue.” I skipped the question and let her continue.

"And then... and then from that time on, I've been working hard to prepare. But half a year ago we were only in our second year of high school, and our classrooms weren't here, so I could only come here at night. Whether it was climbing over the wall or going up to the roof, it required strength, but because I did it so much, I became more and more skilled. I almost fell off the roof a few times because I was scared, but later I didn't care much anymore because I was used to it."

"Classrooms are assigned by the school, so why are you so sure you'll be in this classroom this semester?"

Colluding with the school administration? That's impossible, because it wouldn't bring them any benefit. Our school is just a high school in a small town. If it weren't for the fact that the area is so small—building a second high school would be pointless and wouldn't attract enough students—it would probably be struggling to maintain its current state. And its situation isn't even good. To use the interests of the entire school to drive a student to suicide? Even a pig would know that such a thing should never be allowed, right?

“It doesn’t really matter whether I have class in that building or not. They don’t lock the doors, and I usually go there very late, so not having class in that building doesn’t affect me at all.” She looked at me: “In fact, only you know where I am. There hasn’t been a problem at all all this time.”

Indeed, Ye Yuqing doesn't usually go up there during the day when there are many people around. When I saw her on the rooftop at lunchtime, it was already lunchtime, and the corridor where the classroom was located was almost deserted; everyone was either at lunch or waiting for it to get quieter. However, she was waving in my direction. Why would she do something so conspicuous? Was she really waving at me?

But I can't ask now, because this time, in order to deliberately avoid arousing Ye Yuqing's suspicion, I have minimized my interactions with her as much as possible.

"What about your friends? Didn't they notice anything unusual about you either?"

"I'm the same as you, I don't have any friends."

Her tone remained unchanged, but I could feel an unspoken loneliness permeating it.

Chapter Thirty-Seven: The Dark Past

We walked together to the school gate. It felt like this walk took much longer than usual, and even with Ye Yuqing talking to me and trying to distract me, I couldn't shake this feeling. She walked unusually slowly tonight, constantly shifting from walking side-by-side to trailing behind me, which made me feel uneasy and uncomfortable. But now, with the short sword she could use to stab me in my hand, I couldn't imagine her wanting to kill me in one fell swoop.

"No friends?" I didn't believe Ye Yuqing's words. Making friends and making good friends are two different things. As long as you can exchange a few words occasionally, without becoming enemies or getting angry, that person can be called a friend. Because three years is too short, I feel there's no need to make friends, and I have no intention of interacting with others. I'll only maintain a minimal level of communication, leaving these things for after I graduate from university. But Ye Yuqing doesn't seem to be that kind of person. I don't see anything similar about her. Even from the fact that she responded enthusiastically to my attempts to talk to her, it's clear she'll engage with anyone who speaks to her. And while she's not unattractive, she's not hateful either, which is perfect for social interaction.

How can I believe someone who is perfectly suited to being entangled with others, both in terms of circumstances and personality, when she tells me she has no friends? I await her explanation.

"Don't let my current appearance fool you, I haven't talked this much with anyone in a long time. My family is quite wealthy. My grades shouldn't have placed me in this class, but... my parents got me in here, spending a lot of money, what you call 'using connections.' My grades used to be terrible, always at the bottom of the class. I wasn't very talkative, and I was timid, especially since the girls in my class were all high achievers. With the way our school arranges seating, after a month or two, I was surrounded by annoying boys who were always making lewd jokes. I wanted to sit with the girls, but my grades weren't good enough, so I never made any friends. I was always alone, and that's how I ended up like this. It's probably because I wear nice clothes that some people in my class guessed my family was rich, and then... I got blackmailed."

Ye Yuqing chuckled dryly twice: "I didn't actually want to dress so conspicuously, but that's all the clothes I have at home."

Such things certainly exist. Choosing to attend school is indeed the choice of most minors, but various differences exist within this group, whether in knowledge, physical ability, or intelligence. These differences are ubiquitous, and many cannot be bridged through normal means, such as mindset and… family background. Regardless of age, resentment towards the wealthy is a natural phenomenon. Seeing others possess what one cannot has is an unpleasant feeling. Some people choose to resolve to bridge this gap through their own efforts in the future, while others choose a more direct, quick, and effective method—violence.

To have someone who has everything better than oneself, yet be able to bully them at will—even adults who are already adults would want such a situation, let alone so-called young people whose minds are still at this level? They will inevitably not have a bright future, because they lack the necessary abilities to create one. However, they possess the power to destroy the present, abusing their power—which exists only in this time and place—to wantonly harm others, using their "youth" as a shield. They are the kind of people I hate most who act without reason and cause a great deal of trouble.

"now what?"

“It’s all fine now,” she said with a smile. “And I don’t think it will be any different until I finish high school.”

I looked at her with some confusion, but she didn't keep me in suspense.

“As I said, my family is quite wealthy. After I was blackmailed, I told my teacher about it, and the teacher handled the matter and told my parents. I am the only child in my family, and they were very angry. Then they used their connections to get the boys who blackmailed me expelled. There is only one high school here, and they all had to continue their studies, so they all left.”

This is a relatively good outcome. Although using connections is a low-level tactic, it must be admitted that it is indeed quick and effective. Enforcing justice doesn't always require just means. As long as the law isn't broken, it's generally acceptable, especially since the party being punished initiated the dispute. People must always be responsible for their actions, and this result isn't necessarily bad.

"But before they left, they spread the word. They said I couldn't take a joke, that I was a crook, that I was unreasonable, that I made a big deal out of small things, that I used connections to get revenge, or something else, I don't remember exactly. From that time on, everyone else in the classroom was afraid of me. The boys who sat in the back would stay as far away from me as possible, and if I asked them a question, they would pretend not to hear me. If the bad students in the back were like that, it was even less likely that the girls in the front would be friends with me. From that time on, it was like I became invisible. And then, I felt really sad. My parents were rarely home since I started high school, and I often thought, maybe I should just die. Last semester, I suddenly realized that even the teachers weren't paying much attention to me anymore, and then one night I went to the bridge to get some fresh air and ran into the person I mentioned before."

I discovered something.

The idea of ​​suicide for Ye Yuqing didn't originate recently, not even six months ago, but much earlier, two years ago. I suddenly felt like cursing, both those damned extortionists and her indifferent parents. If it weren't for those worthless people, Ye Yuqing would never have committed suicide. Although her grades weren't good, she still had a good chance of making friends normally. If her parents had cared about her more, this suicidal thought wouldn't have lingered in her mind for two whole years.

The problems I face have once again expanded countless times.

Chapter Thirty-Eight: A Small Reward

I looked at Ye Yuqing and found she was looking at me too, but her expression was very calm, with a faint smile on her face, as if the experience she had just recounted had nothing to do with her. I started to have doubts again. Sometimes, people are just like that.

I considered Ye Yuqing's words, but due to a lack of evidence, I couldn't verify their truthfulness. However, comparing them to my current situation, I noticed a flaw—my grades weren't among the lowest. To avoid attracting the attention of other students or teachers, I intentionally controlled my academic progress. Although I mostly just attended classes casually, I would relax for a day or two when my grades improved slightly, and study hard for a couple of days when they dropped. Although my grades fluctuated and my seat changed several times, it was generally within the "normal" range. By my senior year, my seat hadn't changed for several days.

If what Ye Yuqing said is true, then it's impossible for Ye Yuqing's grades to remain in the middle range like mine.

"Aren't your grades pretty good right now?"

"I can't die yet, there's nothing else to do, and no one to talk to. Besides playing on my phone, all I can do is read books, but my phone doesn't always have battery."

She gave her answer, and I didn't find any particular flaws, at least not any. Her explanation was self-consistent.

As I walked out of the school gate, I couldn't help but glance at the section of wall I could climb over. Ye Yuqing was right in my line of sight; I saw her looking at me with a bright smile. She knew what I was looking at, and although she wasn't trying to hide it, the feeling of being seen through wasn't pleasant. I gave a soft snort, turned my head back, and continued walking. She seemed to notice my displeasure, composed herself, and obediently followed behind me. I had to slow down again to keep pace with her.

At this point, I realized that Ye Yuqing's behavior on the rooftop had another possibility.

Ye Yuqing had long considered suicide, but hesitated for two years—no, a year and a half. Six months ago, she couldn't take it anymore and wanted to jump into the river. One night, she went to the pedestrian bridge and happened to encounter "that person." Based on his words and actions, and for ease of remembering, let's call him the prophet. This prophet has several possibilities. First, he has some unique method or channel to know what will happen six months from now, and then he posed the question about Ye Yuqing to me. In this case, this prophet might be intricately connected to my current situation, which was my previous judgment. Second, he's just an ordinary person. He happened to meet the suicidal Ye Yuqing and failed to persuade her. To give the desperate Ye Yuqing hope, he lied and claimed that six months from now, she would foresee her so-called "true love." The prophet entrusted Ye Yuqing's fate to a very low-probability coincidence, and I just happened to be the one who fulfilled that coincidence.

If my time were normal, Ye Yuqing would have simply fallen to her death in front of the teaching building. But my time wasn't normal; I experienced "today" four times. The first two times, I didn't even know what happened that night. The third time, Ye Yuqing fell to her death right in front of me. The fourth time, I "became" the person who kept the appointment, extending Ye Yuqing's life. Using mathematical probability, the probability of Ye Yuqing surviving was probably only one in four. Considering my own thoughts, if there were no such thing as a time reset, I wouldn't have cared whether Ye Yuqing lived or died. In reality, the probability of Ye Yuqing surviving was not even one in four; her chances of survival were infinitely close to zero.

If I didn't go upstairs, Ye Yuqing has two possibilities: First, she might have interacted with that "other person," whose existence is unknown, and something might have happened that led to her suicide; second, that "other person" doesn't exist at all, and Ye Yuqing, upon discovering that her only hope had vanished, experienced extreme excitement turning into immense sorrow, thus leading to her suicide. If I hadn't been discovered by her and successfully reached the rooftop, she also has two possibilities: First, she might have survived after meeting "other person," and whether I live or die, judging from Ye Yuqing's current behavior, seems entirely dependent on what "other person" wants from me; second, that "other person" doesn't exist, and I become the person she hoped to meet, prolonging her life. This is similar to the current situation, but the premise is invalid; I was discovered by Ye Yuqing before going upstairs, so it cannot be considered one of the possible outcomes.

I rubbed my temples. The lack of sleep and the constant reassembly and overturning of information had left my brain slightly dazed as it raced.

"What's wrong with you?" Ye Yuqing asked with some concern. Her attitude was very clear; she directly centered herself on me, trying her best to show obedience and concern—behaviors that generally wouldn't be disliked. But precisely because of this, I became increasingly annoyed, except that this annoyance wasn't directed at her, but rather at those useless people and her parents. A wave of irritation washed over me again.

"It's alright, keep going."

"Oh……"

I feel like I still have a ton of questions to ask, but to my surprise, I've found myself unable to even articulate what I want to ask. There are too many questions, and choosing the most valuable ones isn't easy. Besides, given my current mood, even asking Ye Yuqing questions seems difficult. Although she was the one who tried to kill me, she was also the one who just saved my life. I've decided not to pursue the matter of her stabbing me anymore, so I won't hold onto it. But I will still be grateful to her for saving my life. I cherish my life, even if I had the chance to start over.