The cycle begins to repeat itself today.

"I'll go instead, you can stay home and rest."

I held a piece of paper in one hand, which was probably a list of the ingredients I needed. When she wasn't looking, I reached out and took it from her: "Didn't you say it wasn't fair? I'll go buy them and prove that I'm really okay. Even if I am, there are so many people here, someone will call and take me to the hospital."

“I don’t think this is a very reassuring situation…” She hesitated for a moment, “Then how about this, I’ll go with you, and we can buy the groceries we need for tonight while we’re at it. That way I can keep an eye on you.”

"There's no need to worry so much," I sighed.

“If I’m not worried about you, who will?” She glared at me. “Either I go alone, or the two of us go. You choose.”

"Then let's go together." There was a hint of helplessness, but mostly an indescribable joy. It always feels good to be cared for, even though she didn't want her to worry.

"Wait a moment, I'll cook the rice first." After saying that, the younger sister turned and left the room.

I then re-examined my body, pressing on almost every spot where I had felt something amiss, but I didn't experience any pain or other unusual sensations. I had even suspected something was wrong with my body, but after checking, nothing unusual seemed amiss.

Although I'm somewhat worried, it's not enough to terrify me. Nothing has happened yet, and when something does happen, I can use special methods to avoid the outcome, repeating the process until the cause is found.

I'll make a note of this for now, but it's not appropriate to investigate it in front of my sister.

Moreover, how exactly to investigate such matters is a question that needs careful consideration.

Chapter 135 Words of Warning

When I went shopping with my sister, I felt more like an observer. She was the one who cooked, and she decided what to buy. After we bought everything, she wouldn't let me carry any of the groceries, because my earlier behavior had made her worry unnecessarily. Only when she was completely full did she give me some of the lighter items. She was surprisingly assertive in this situation.

But as I walked back home, I didn't experience the same symptoms as before. The heaviness I felt earlier seemed like an illusion, completely gone. Perhaps it really was just because I hadn't fully woken up yet, which gradually made me let go of the matter.

When I got home, my sister pushed me into my room to rest. I had nothing to do, so I lay on the bed, and sleepiness gradually crept in, but it wasn't as sudden and intense as before. Having already slept for a while, I could easily resist this level of sleepiness.

But that feeling just now didn't seem fake. I'd never experienced anything like it before, and I didn't think I had any hidden illness. I couldn't help but think of the regression events that had only recently started happening. No matter how strange something else was, it couldn't compare to this. This made me think of it in an instant, and I also began to suspect that what I just experienced was a side effect of my recent regressions.

I had anticipated and could accept this outcome. Nothing in this world happens without a reason. As things stand, the time travel event occurred because of the actions of Ye Zi and Lin Xue while they were in an abnormal mental state, and also because of my death. However, I still have no clue about the underlying cause. But since the time travel happened to me, it is naturally related to me. I violated the laws of nature and returned to the past, so I should naturally accept the punishment for my violation.

Moreover, to be honest, if what just happened was the so-called punishment, I feel the severity was somewhat insufficient. The punishment received was completely disproportionate to the benefits gained. A brief, persistent feeling of weakness could be exchanged for one, or even several, lives. Where else can you find such a good deal? Furthermore, it's unclear whether this was caused by the time travel. If it's simply a physical issue, then no one in this world could resist such a temptation—to test the future at a slight cost, and for the future to steadily move forward according to one's own pace and expectations.

I closed my eyes, no longer thinking about grand things; that wasn't for me. My goal hadn't changed from the beginning: to break free from this cycle. Saving Ye Zi, making Lin Xue more normal, or even making Lin Yin less extreme—those were all secondary objectives.

But, honestly, do I really think that way? The immense benefits of rewinding time fascinated me, and I was just using my last line of conscience to uphold the empty promise that "I don't want this ability." Ye Zi is a good girl; is saving her really unimportant? The problems of the Lin Xue and Lin Yin sisters are problems they simply cannot solve on their own. If left unchecked, Lin Xue will only sink deeper, and Lin Yin will only follow in Lin Xue's footsteps. But is that their fault? I don't think so.

My purpose may have changed. When did it change? Was it when I witnessed Ye Zi falling from the rooftop? Or when Lin Xue stabbed herself in the back? Or when Ye Zi pushed Lin Xue away from the blade? I don't know, but that doesn't matter now. What I'm doing hasn't changed. Even if I'm confused about it, what I'm doing won't be a bad thing.

Such ability is merely a tool, a knife. The key lies not in how sharp or easy the knife is to use, but in the thoughts and intentions of the person wielding it. I sincerely pray that I can hold onto my original aspirations.

Soon, my sister's voice pulled me back to reality. I opened my eyes, and my sister was already standing by the bed: "The food is ready. Do you want to eat? Or do you want me to feed you?"

"Then let's forget about it." I sat up, preparing to get off the bed.

"You look much better, but you should still get some rest."

"I know." I nodded; my sister was really worrying too much.

I stood up. She looked at me suspiciously for a moment before turning and leaving the room again. I followed her out into the kitchen. There weren't many dishes, but I'm not a picky person, and besides, nothing tastes better than food cooked by someone who cares about you, even if her concern was a little excessive.

"I'll stay home and look after you this afternoon. Just get some rest." She said while eating, "Mom and Dad are so busy right now. If you get sick or anything else happens, it'll be a burden on me. Please think about your only sister."

It was so long-winded it was almost annoying, but I still nodded. I didn't have the right to ignore other people's kindness; it would be too much of a luxury for me.

“Just tell me what’s wrong. If you can’t tell your parents, you can at least tell me, right? People say cats have nine lives, but if a cat is really injured, it can still die from a fatal wound. Life is unpredictable, so it’s better to be careful.”

She was giving examples, but I was thinking about something else.

Cats have nine lives, a saying we used to hear often, and sometimes you'd even hear someone say, "Are you a cat?" to describe someone's incredible luck. If I were to count carefully and roughly, how many times have I died? Four times, I think, or maybe five? Is there a limit to this ability? For example, nine times like a cat, or six times? Seven times? I have no idea.

My sister's words served as a wake-up call, making me take my own life more seriously once again. From a common-sense perspective, my previous thoughts of risking my life were rather frivolous. What if this was the last time? I still had to escape the cycle of reincarnation, save Ye Zi, and resolve the issues with the Lin Xue and Lin Yin sisters. With so many things to do, I should have been more careful.

I was a little careless before because I was emotional, but how could I forget that I should value my own life?

Perhaps I have changed more than I imagined.

Chapter 136 An Excellent Younger Sister

Shortly after lunch, my sister made me lie down on the bed to rest, while she sat in a chair in my room playing on her phone. I didn't really want to sleep, but it seemed like there was nothing else to do, so I lay quietly on the bed and continued to sleep. I fell asleep quickly until my sister woke me up again. Lately, it's been so easy for me to fall asleep. Although I maintain a fairly regular schedule, the afternoon is definitely not my time to rest.

It's probably because I've been too tired lately, or maybe it's because of the accumulated stress from that incident.

Because I had rested for so long, when I woke up my body felt a bit sluggish and weak, but unlike before, it seemed to be entirely due to sleeping too much. My sister went back to the kitchen, and I stretched my limbs a bit, waiting for the weakness to subside before getting out of bed. I picked up my phone and checked the time; it was almost 5:30. Evening self-study didn't start at the scheduled 7 PM; if I dawdled any longer, I might be late.

I left my room and went to the kitchen. We always eat in the kitchen at home; there's a small table there. But when it's just my sister and me, she seems to find it too troublesome. She doesn't use the small table much; she just puts the food on the counter and eats standing up, finishing quickly. Eating like this actually helps with digestion, and I don't have any other reason to complain. Having someone cook for me is already quite nice.

"Have you been too tired lately? You slept from noon until past five in the afternoon. I don't remember you ever sleeping for that long during this time of day," my sister said to me while eating.

"Maybe, it doesn't feel much different from before. It's just that the pressure has increased since I started senior year." I gave my sister a vague answer and quickly ate my meal. For questions I wasn't sure about myself, it was best to give an answer that wouldn't worry her too much.

"The senior year of high school is indeed quite tough, although I'm pretty much at that level now."

My younger sister is also in high school, but she's only in her second year. She's under slightly less pressure than me, but not by much. No, if you factor in attitude towards learning, she should be much more exhausted than me right now. My current state isn't even worthy of being called "trying," while my sister is a genuinely good student. Although she's not quite at the level of Lin Xue, her grades are definitely in the upper-middle range of her class and even the grade. I can foresee how bright her future will be if she works hard.

"I'm finished eating. Shall we go to school together?"

I nodded and quickly finished the rest of my food. The dishes didn't need washing; there probably wouldn't be enough time anyway. Besides, my parents seemed to have washed them before we got back, or my sister, who got home half an hour earlier, would have washed them. It didn't really concern me much anymore.

I quickly packed my bag. Right now, I have nothing but my books. The Ye Zi incident hasn't happened yet, so I naturally can't get Ye Zi's short sword. But I don't think I need to be overly nervous. Even though I know Lin Xue might pose a deadly threat to me, before the Ye Zi incident, that is, until tomorrow night, Lin Xue will be defenseless against me. It's not as dangerous as I think to attack her.

After my younger sister packed her schoolbag, she put on her shoes, opened the door, and waited for me at the entrance. I also put on my schoolbag, put on my shoes, and went out. We walked to school together. I only walk with her to school on weekend evenings each week; at other times, whether it's getting out of school or going to school, we're not at the same time.

As I walked towards the school, it seemed that my surroundings changed because my younger sister was beside me. Unlike me, who is rather ordinary-looking, my sister is one of the prettier girls. She also has excellent grades and is popular at school. I often see her classmates greeting her on the way, and she always responds with a smile.

I intended for her to walk with her classmates; she was better suited to go to school with them than stay with her somewhat dull older brother. But she kindly declined.

"You can spend as much time with them as you like, but right now you need my care more."

My guilt was building up inside me. She was a kind girl, and I had nothing to repay her with, which made me feel ashamed as her older brother.

Neither my sister nor I said much on the way. She has a habit of using her phone while walking, and when I tell her to stop, she whine and playfully begs me. If anything happens, I'll pull her along, and she'll smile and say thank you. I haven't felt this happy in a long time.

Once we reached the school grounds, we parted ways in front of the main building. Her classroom was also on the second floor or higher of the main building, so she didn't need to go to the old teaching building with me.

After saying goodbye, she ran upstairs. I checked my phone, finished my meal, and went back to school. It was already past six o'clock. Although there was still about half an hour, I didn't know when the subject teacher for evening self-study would arrive, so getting to the classroom as early as possible would be best.

I headed towards my classroom. Along the way, many people were coming and going; some were students returning from the cafeteria to the main building, while others, like me, had just arrived at school. I didn't recognize anyone, so I quickly moved on. Just as I was about to reach the bottom of the teaching building, I heard a familiar voice. It came from behind me and was getting closer.

I deliberately slowed my pace, waiting for Lin Xue to walk past me and get ahead. And as I expected, Lin Xue quickly walked ahead of me. I probably didn't even attract her attention, which was to be expected, since only after I saved Ye Zi could I possibly leave an impression on her mind, and a very deep one at that.

Lin Xue was carrying her schoolbag, so she probably came directly from home. I wonder if, like my family, she and Lin Yin came together after dinner. But that doesn't matter; as long as she goes back alone, that's enough.

Chapter 137 Lin Yin's Photo

Walking behind Lin Xue, I entered the classroom. Since Ye Zi usually arrives at school on time, I can easily return to my seat.

I walked to my seat and sat down. I should have been able to sleep during this free time, but I wasn't in the mood to sleep at all. I observed Lin Xue. She seemed to have taken out her textbook and started reading, but she didn't do anything else. Even when Ye Zi walked in from outside the classroom, I didn't see her do anything strange. She didn't react to Ye Zi's arrival at all, as if she wasn't interested in her at all.

If I hadn't already known about her relationship with Ye Zi, I probably would have been easily fooled by her too.

Ye Zi was slowly walking towards me. I wanted to greet her, but the situation didn't allow it. As usual, I rested my chin on my hand, looking out the window. I felt Ye Zi sit down quietly and heard the sound of her turning pages. So much time had passed; I really wanted to talk to her again… However, Lin Xue's problem was just as important as Ye Zi's. If I ignored Lin Xue, it would only leave endless trouble in the future. I had to restrain myself.

I never imagined that I would ever think about these things.

I sat quietly in my seat, waiting. Since Yezi had arrived, the teacher should be here soon too. I just didn't know if tonight would be a test or a lecture. I should remember, but so much has happened, my memory is a bit hazy, and I can't recall.

I saw the teacher walk into the classroom, carrying a stack of blank papers. I knew those must be test papers, which would be a bit of a hassle. I didn't have the mind to do the test right now. Although I'm not usually very diligent, if I did poorly, there would still be a lot of problems. I might be kept after class for a talk, or my parents might be told. Neither of those things would be good for me.

It's 6:30 now. The teacher handed out the test papers. After I finished the test, the teacher will probably go over it with the explanations. I quickly scanned the test paper, circled the questions that I could do and that wouldn't take me long, and finished them quickly. I just scribbled a few lines on the others and left them alone. It didn't take me too much time.

I put down my pen, intending to continue observing Lin Xue, when I noticed Ye Zi beside me seemed to be secretly watching me. When I turned to look at her, she would hide herself again. It seemed like this had happened before.

I glanced at Lin Xue, who was writing her test paper at the front of the classroom. She didn't even look up, so she probably didn't see anything.

Just like before, I unfolded my test paper and pushed it slightly towards Ye Zi. I could sense her surprise. I stopped focusing on her and continued looking in Lin Xue's direction. Teachers don't often come down to check on these kinds of tests; the scores aren't used to assess academic ability, it's just practice.

Time ticked by as I worked on the test, and soon it was over. My test paper had already been returned by Ye Zi, since I hadn't written much at all. When the time was up, the teacher said we should take a break, and many people stood up. I saw Lin Xue stand up as well. I wanted to stand up and go out with her, but after thinking about it, I decided against it.

If I went out with her, I might be able to see what she did afterward, but given Lin Xue's cautious nature, it's more likely I wouldn't get any useful information. Therefore, going out with her wouldn't be beneficial. Although I didn't show any close relationship with Ye Zi in front of her, if it were up to me, and I had my eye on Ye Zi, I wouldn't be careless about Ye Zi's deskmate. Rashly going out with her might attract her attention. Even if I blended into the crowd, once she noticed me, she couldn't help but be wary, since I was always associated with Ye Zi's deskmate.

I hope to make Lin Xue completely unguarded around me, but that's probably impossible; she's a cautious person, and I've already confirmed that. However, if I can lower her guard to a level below a safe threshold, that would be enough for me.

I had considered using the information I've always known to coerce her into obeying my orders, but there are quite a few people who went out with Lin Xue. Although there might be a risk of going astray later, it's better not to take the risk now.

Ye Zi thanked me, and I could only nod briefly before looking out the window. The windowpane, reflecting the darkness, was like a mirror, and I could see Ye Zi's slightly disappointed expression. I hadn't wanted to look like this. But Lin Xue wasn't here right now; would it be alright to just say a few words? I turned my head in my own direction, but stopped halfway through.

I saw Lin Xue standing outside the corridor window, looking inside. Even from the corner of my eye, I could tell she was looking in my direction. I didn't dare move. I could feel Lin Xue scrutinizing me, but my posture was a bit strange when I turned around. My original intention was to face Ye Zi and talk to her while Lin Xue was away, but now the situation was different, and my current posture felt odd.

What should I do? Since I've already chosen not to go out and follow Lin Xue to avoid attracting her attention, I at least need to protect the other side, but it seems I no longer have that opportunity.

I looked at Ye Zi: "Let me go out for a bit."

Ye Zi paused for a moment, then quickly stood up and made way for me to walk out. I thanked her and headed out of the classroom. To the left, I could pretend nothing had happened and act like a naive student simply wanting to leave. To the right, I could go find Lin Xue and directly tell her that I had a lot of information about her, forcing her to confront me.

There's no one else in the hallway right now...

I paused for a moment, then turned and walked to the right until I stood in front of Lin Xue: "Could you come over here for a second? There's something I want to talk to you about."

"Why can't you say it here?" A wary look appeared in her eyes, but this was something I had expected. I had a way of dealing with it.

I took my phone out of my pocket, opened the photo album, and placed it in front of her.

Is this okay?

What I showed her was, of course, a picture of her sister.

Chapter 138 Lin Xue's Anger

"You!" Lin Xue's voice rose sharply, and her gaze shifted from my phone to me. She seemed agitated, but this was understandable. The information she received from Lin Yin indicated that the two sisters had a good, or even very good, relationship. Both being suppressed by their parents, Lin Xue naturally knew what had happened to Lin Yin, meaning there was a strong possibility that she knew about Lin Yin's back condition.

So, when I showed Lin Xue the photo of Lin Yin's back, it was tantamount to telling her that I had done something to her sister. Naturally, Lin Xue, wanting to protect her sister, would be furious, just as she is showing now. However, I have a feeling that something is amiss, a vague sense that I can't quite put my finger on.

"What did you do to my sister?!" Lin Xue questioned me in a low voice, and her words pulled me out of my own thoughts. I looked at her and focused my attention on her.

"Looking at this photo, can't you guess what I did?" I deliberately provoked her by speaking unclearly, because intense emotional fluctuations can reveal a person's truest self, which helps me to judge Lin Xue's thoughts and actions.

"How dare you?! How dare you treat her like this! How could you do this?! I'm going to tell the teacher!" She was furious and agitated, striding towards the classroom door, where the teacher was sitting. Of course, I couldn't let this happen. As she passed by, I whispered, "Are you just going to abandon your sister like this?"

She stopped, turned and stared at me: "How dare you say such a thing? Don't you know what you did to her?"