The cycle begins to repeat itself today.

I reached out and stroked Lin Yin's face, gently rubbing it to make her lift her head. This was to prevent deeper contact from causing me to lose control of my body. Although there was still a delay of about three seconds, I could at least still do what I wanted to do.

Lin Yin looked up at me, and I looked back at her. After three seconds, I was finally able to speak.

"Let's leave it at that for now."

Lin Yin nodded, seemingly still enjoying herself, and then started tidying my clothes. I let her do it, but she seemed to be enjoying it, and her hands and feet weren't very well-behaved. However, she did manage to tidy my clothes, and I didn't intend to interfere to that extent.

After helping me straighten my clothes, Lin Yin stood up and stopped touching my body. I opened my hand and felt no resistance; the effect had worn off. I picked up my phone again to check the time; only a few minutes had passed. It was still quite a distance until 2 PM.

I patted the seat next to me, gesturing for her to come and sit down. Before she even sat down and touched me, I told her directly, "Don't think about any more nonsense in the remaining time. Just rest quietly for a while, okay?"

I'm a little worried that she might lose control again and do what happened earlier, which would go against my original intention but would satisfy my desires. I don't know if I can decisively reject such desires, but if I have any more intimate contact with Lin Yin, I still won't be able to control my body.

She hummed in response, then obediently sat down beside me. Because I was a little worried, I didn't let her lie on my lap again. She leaned against the wall, shoulder to shoulder with me, her head slightly bent, resting on my shoulder. That should be enough.

I slowly surveyed my surroundings. All I saw was the vast, empty rooftop and the white clouds drifting in the sky. Nothing else. Looking up, I saw only the edge of the roof; nothing seemed suspicious. That laughter—though not Lin Yin Sanyue's, or Ye Zi's, and I'd hardly ever heard their laughter before—had a familiarity I couldn't find in them now.

If I could hear it again, I should be able to quickly recognize whose laughter it was. If the other person laughs in front of me again, I will definitely remember it.

However, apart from the sound of a gentle breeze and the indistinct noise from below, I didn't hear any other familiar sounds in this place. Lin Yin, who was sitting next to me, was very quiet, and I could only hear her very soft breathing. Perhaps she was a little tired. I turned my head slightly and saw her with her eyes closed, but she probably hadn't fallen asleep completely yet, so I didn't want to disturb her rest.

Enough has happened today, and I have very important things to do tonight, so I don't want to cause any more trouble at this time. As for that laughter... like most of the unsolvable problems I've encountered before, there are almost no clues that I can follow up on. I can only wait for the clues to come to me one day; searching for a needle in a haystack is not my forte.

I closed my eyes and leaned against the wall to fall asleep. I didn't wake up until my phone, which was next to me, started ringing because it was time for my work.

I reached out and swiped the alarm clock away. I felt my shoulders bearing some of the external force, just like when I was asleep. I gently shook Lin Yin with my other hand, which startled her awake. Her somewhat bewildered expression showed that she didn't know what was going on.

Despite the lingering lag, I slowly said to her, "It's already two o'clock, we should go down now."

She nodded as if suddenly realizing something, then got up from beside me, finally avoiding direct contact. This also freed me from the restriction on my movements, making me more agile. I stood up, supporting myself against the wall, and looked at Lin Yin, who was staring at me, gesturing for her to open the rooftop door. We were already sitting not far from the door; Lin Yin turned and took a few steps before pulling the doorknob and opening the door.

I followed Lin Yin through the door and looked around. There was no one there, but noisy sounds could be heard from the corridors of the building, some near and some far. In this relatively enclosed building, such noise would travel quite a distance. I wasn't too worried about other people coming up here. There were very few classrooms on the rooftop, and apart from people like Lin Yin and me with an unusual relationship who wanted to do something inappropriate, very few people would come to this floor.

Many classrooms on this floor are unused and mostly used as storage. There might be a few classrooms with students attending classes next to the stairs on the other side, but there are none on this side.

As for students who want to go to places that others don't usually go, they generally choose these classrooms that are used as storage rooms rather than being limited to the rooftop in front of the door.

I watched as Lin Yin closed the door and then turned the key a couple more times, probably to lock it again and restore the door to its original state.

I suddenly remembered something.

"Lin Yin, do you know who else has the key to the roof besides you and the teacher in charge of the keys in the office?"

"Hmm? I don't think so?" Lin Yin frowned and thought for a moment: "It seems like no one comes up to the roof once or twice a year. Even if someone does, they might just ask someone to come and do some repairs during holidays, right? After all, it's such a dangerous place."

"Really?" I was a little disappointed, but I didn't show it.

"Let's go." I took the lead and walked downstairs, and Lin Yin quickly followed.

Chapter 162 Previous Issues

After parting ways with Lin Yin on the floor where her classroom was located, I continued walking downstairs, heading directly towards my own classroom. It was already around two o'clock in the afternoon, and I couldn't afford to dawdle any longer. To avoid any unforeseen complications, I should try my best to avoid doing anything different from what I had done before.

As I walked from the main building towards the old teaching building, I saw a considerable number of students walking towards me or walking along the same route. It was close to the start of class, but not too rushed; most students would be heading back to their classrooms around this time. In this large group, even though I focused intently on searching for familiar faces, I found nothing.

With just a familiar voice that I couldn't place, I had no chance of finding the person I was looking for in such a large crowd. There aren't many people in this world skilled at finding a needle in a haystack, and I'm clearly not one of them.

I walked upstairs, with two or three classmates ahead of me. I didn't know them; they were just on the same floor as me, while my floor only had our classroom. I walked a little behind them, trailing behind, at a similar pace. I didn't know if they noticed me, but they certainly didn't intend to talk to me, which was normal for me now, and I didn't care.

After watching them enter the classroom, I finally reached the door of the lecture hall. I glanced casually at the door; it was still ajar. I wondered if Yezi was still upstairs at this hour, but I couldn't go up to her now; something bad might happen.

I recalled the first and only time I was stabbed by Ye Zi, and the words she said at the time. It all felt like it happened just yesterday, but the cruel joke of time has led it all to an uncertain future.

As I walked toward the classroom, I suddenly remembered something—when Ye Zi killed me, she was saying thank you and apologizing while shedding tears, saying that she killed me because she didn't want me to get in her way. But the time I successfully saved Ye Zi after that, something she said caught my attention.

Because of everything that happened, I don't remember the exact words, but she didn't seem too surprised by my arrival. She said she had expected someone she knew to go up there, but did she know anyone else besides me? According to her, no, and Yezi had already proven to me by saying she didn't have many friends that I was probably the only one who had spoken to her at that time, at least in that class.

March, who had been observing Ye Zi, doesn't count. Ye Zi probably wasn't even aware that March was watching her and manipulating her in some covert way to achieve certain goals. However, Ye Zi had some premonitions about the people she would meet in the future.

Although she was ignored by almost everyone, she had her fantasies. But to Yezi, everyone else was probably just one of those who "ignored her," just as a cat sees all humans as simply humans. Yezi's thoughts about others were likely similar. To be remembered by Yezi, one must be someone who wouldn't ignore her like others and leave a lasting impression.

As for me, I'm probably the first person she's spoken to in a long time; others probably wouldn't leave such a deep impression on Yezi so easily. Are there others who have left a more lasting impression on Yezi? I felt a little jealous, but I knew it was just unreasonable, so I quickly dismissed the feeling.

Another point is that when Ye Zi killed me, she used the excuse that she didn't want me to ruin her plans. At the time, I didn't find anything suspicious about that. After all, this was a plan that Ye Zi had been preparing for a long time. This plan concerned her own life and future, so it wasn't incomprehensible that she was cautious and extremely concerned about it. But now, thinking about it, why did Ye Zi conclude at that time that I would interfere with her plans and kill me the moment I stepped into the lecture hall?

I must have spoken to Ye Zi before, that has never changed. I should naturally be someone who left a deep impression on Ye Zi, and she should be more cautious about my choices. However, at that time, she stabbed me through the neck. She expressed her gratitude and apology to me, but she did not think that I would be the one who could go up to the roof to meet her. Why?

Logically speaking, I should have had a good chance of becoming the person corresponding to that agreement, so why did Ye Zi kill me without hesitation? And later on the rooftop, there was the feeling that she had already guessed about me and was glad that I was there, the determination to sacrifice everything for me, and the thought of suicide when she felt that she was hated. Why is there such a big difference between the two outcomes?

I tried to figure out these two questions, but I always felt like I was missing a crucial clue. I racked my brains but couldn't come up with anything, and before I knew it, I was back at my seat. I glanced tentatively out the window and was relieved to find that the previous situation hadn't occurred.

Today has brought many changes compared to before. For example, March's identity and purpose are now clear, but I've restrained her, so she shouldn't have any impact on me. Another is March's younger sister, Lin Yin. What she did to me today wasn't just today, it's something she's never done before. There was also the symptom I experienced when looking out the window, the sudden sense of delay when I reached the rooftop, and that mysterious yet familiar laughter… Today's situation is quite different from before, but thankfully, it hasn't affected my relationship with Ye Zi much.

I think I can resolve this smoothly, right? Although I'm a little uncertain, I'm still confident. Even with such strong side effects, it's still an extremely powerful tool I can rely on. I'll make full use of this privilege until everything is completely resolved.

Chapter 163 The Return of Laughter

The afternoon classes started shortly after Yezi arrived in the classroom. I continued to waste this time in my own way until the afternoon classes ended and the last class of the evening was about to end. I then brought my attention back to the present.

I glanced at Ye Zi beside me without noticing. She didn't show any obvious expectation, but her hands on the table were still fidgeting, revealing her excitement and unease.

As the bell rang to signal the end of get out of class, the teacher, having finished teaching all evening, breathed a sigh of relief, said "Class dismissed," and then packed her things, heading towards the office next door through a side door. The students, who were already prepared, immediately stood up and walked outside as soon as she announced the end of get out of class. Ye Zi was among them; she quickly packed her bag, stood up, and followed the flow of people outside.

I quickly followed her. What happened next was pretty much as I remembered. Yezi followed the flow of people from upstairs to downstairs, and after walking a short distance, she stopped and started walking back towards the teaching building. I followed her discreetly, but at the top of the stairs, I saw March looking at us with a half-smile.

What was she trying to do? I looked at her anxiously, but Ye Zi had already walked past her without anything happening. She was still looking in my direction, and I realized that I was probably her target, so I walked towards her.

She didn't linger long, only suddenly moving as I approached, saying as she passed me, "Tomorrow morning, same place, be sure to come!" Then she walked away with the flow of people.

She probably only meant to say that one sentence. I glanced at her, and when I came to my senses, Ye Zi had already disappeared from my sight. I didn't want this short delay to cause another day like this. I hurriedly ran upstairs to the floor where the classroom was located. The lecture hall door was still the same as before; Ye Zi had probably closed it again after going in. I went in as well.

I glanced around; no one was there, at least I didn't see anyone. I went to the window and checked the path I'd climbed up before. Nothing seemed to have changed. Slightly hesitant, I climbed onto the windowsill. Even though I'd climbed here before, scaling such a height was still dangerous. I followed the available footholds on the wall and quickly grabbed the roof railing. This time I was prepared; I shouldn't be scared by the leaves.

I climbed up and saw Yezi's face full of joy.

"It really is you..." She came up to me, her eyes wide open, as if reflecting moonlight. "I knew it. You were the only one who would talk to me normally in all this time..."

"You..." I was about to speak when Ye Zi suddenly grabbed my hand. That strange sense of delay spread instantly, making it difficult for me to move. I had initially wanted to resist, but the events that had occurred on the rooftop of the main building flashed before my eyes, and my mind started working again, lessening my resistance. Besides, I wasn't really in a position to push Ye Zi away anyway.

Yezi pulled me closer, and I thought she would kiss me, but she just threw herself into my arms, holding me tightly, and some soft sounds came out—she was probably crying. I felt ashamed of my fleeting thought and wanted to comfort Yezi, but I couldn't control my body. I felt some sensitive parts of my body making slight contact with Yezi, and her sobs subsided, even stopped.

She loosened her grip on me slightly, moved a little further away, and looked up at me with a flushed face: "Yes, yes, that's fine. If you want to."

She stood on tiptoe and actually kissed me. Her movements were a little awkward, but that was perfectly normal. I was so captivated by this more intimate gesture that I couldn't move and responded to her.

Yezi led me to a relatively safe place, ending the kiss. She pulled one hand away and placed it on the hem of her dress. I knew what she wanted to do, but I couldn't stop her. An idea flashed through my mind, and I immediately put it into practice.

I wanted to touch Yezi's hand. As I thought about this, my hand moved freely and without any hindrance, pressing down on Yezi's hand that was about to lift her clothes, and then ending the action.

She looked at me, puzzled. I simply held her hand, looked at her, and waited quietly for about three seconds before I finally spoke: "No need to rush, we have plenty of time."

Yezi's reaction was more intense than I had imagined. Her eyes, which were fixed on me, suddenly welled up with tears, and she nodded heavily in front of me. Then she threw herself into my arms again.

I reached out and hugged her, our bodies touching intimately, but she didn't seem to care. My senses became heightened as a result; besides the physical sensations, I could even hear the wind more clearly. But the intimate contact completely overwhelmed my attention, and I only vaguely heard a soft laugh, so faint it was as if it had never existed.

But that familiar feeling made it impossible for me to ignore the laughter; I could barely hear it in the relatively quiet environment. She didn't seem to be nearby, far away, somewhere that should be able to see us…

My mind flashed back to the main building I'd just visited during the day, but that couldn't be. The main building and the old teaching building were quite far apart. Even ignoring that distance for now, it was nighttime, and you couldn't see anything clearly from that distance. Besides, even the loudest laughter couldn't have traveled from that building to this one; she couldn't be upstairs in the main building.

The only other place nearby that can see this area is the rooftops of the two dormitory buildings for male and female students. However, the dormitory rooftops are the same as the old teaching buildings, making it impossible to get up there unless…

However, it's easier to deal with the boys' dormitories. Although non-resident students are not allowed to go up there either, they always find a way to sneak in. I have no way of confirming the situation with the girls' dormitories.

Such a sound could only be heard from the rooftops of these two buildings; even if you went down one floor, you couldn't possibly see where I was.

With my eyesight, I have no way of knowing whether there are people in such a dark environment.

This is really troublesome.

Chapter 164 The Vanished Drunkard

Ultimately, the presence of the leaf itself drew more of my attention. I couldn't abandon her in this situation, nor could I escape my current predicament.

I tried my best to recall what I did at the time, and carefully recreated what happened that day. This was not difficult for me. The things related to Ye Zi seemed to me as if they had just happened yesterday.

After saying that last sentence, I could probably officially call her "Ye Zi" again. Before going downstairs, I took the short sword from her backpack; I didn't want her to carry something so dangerous. As for March taking the knife, I'd just have to ask her again. If March was willing to hand it over, that would be best; if not… I'd have to take it by force. Perhaps that's the direction she'd prefer things to take.

Things unfolded much as I remembered. I was invited to Yezi's house and returned home around 11:30 PM. I still took the same road uphill past the hospital, and when I reached the streetlight that slightly haunted me, I no longer heard those frightening and helpless footsteps.

But not hearing those footsteps made me feel a little strange. I walked slowly towards my home and soon arrived at the place where I had died twice, or rather, three times... It should be three times. Once I was killed by March before she could react, once I was killed when I saw March's face, and the other time I committed suicide because I couldn't accept Yezi's death.

The fact that I had died three times so close to home made me feel a little ridiculous after things calmed down a bit. I smiled and walked past, about to leave and turn into the alleyway into the neighborhood, but after taking only two steps, my eyes widened in an instant, I stopped in my tracks, and my heart pounded wildly.

I slowly turned my head and looked to the side, but there was nothing there except darkness and the thing that was already there. Nothing was there; something had disappeared! Something that wasn't there before! Something that could only be seen tonight.

My memory gradually became clearer. I remembered seeing that simply dressed, drunken man several times; his image flashed through my mind, and I even remembered the style of his clothes. I had gotten very close to that guy and was the first to confirm his identity. I even called the police to have him taken away. He definitely existed; there was no way I could be wrong. There was no way I could be wrong.

I stood there, the incident replaying in my mind, almost as if skipping the reset process. There were many unnatural aspects to it; logically, few people would be that drunk. This happened after Ye Zi's incident, but before March's first attempt to kill me. Something must have changed that altered the situation...

It was March. March's original intention was to kill me to vent her anger, but after I went back two days, I eliminated the possibility that March would want to attack me at the source. Even if she did attack me, it would definitely be in a rather erotic way. I couldn't see any signs of pretense in March's attitude... She even reminded me to keep our appointment tomorrow morning downstairs in the teaching building tonight. She probably wouldn't do such a thing; it wouldn't benefit her at all. Only if I live can I bring her more of what she wants.

This is the only thing that has changed completely, even reversing the order in which I met Ye Zi and March. And today, it seems that apart from being a little intimate with Lin Yin on the roof of the main building, nothing else has happened. Everything is the same as what happened on that day. To be on the safe side, I tried to recreate the situation from that day.

No, that's not right. There's something else different: that familiar laugh I've never heard before. This has never happened before. Accompanying it is a delay in controlling my body, rampant fantasies, and even desires that sometimes override my own thoughts—all things I've never experienced before. But there were signs before.

I was lying in bed at home, fully conscious, but completely unable to control my body. In that state, I felt as if something was licking my body from head to toe, which felt a little strange.

Sometimes I feel like I have some energy but suddenly become very sleepy, or after several regressions I have experienced more severe physical symptoms in front of my sister. If you include all of these, many things have actually happened that are different from what happened back then.

However, many of these things only affect one symptom of my own and have no particular connection to other things. So, as expected, this matter is probably still related to March.

The time and place are exactly the same as when I first encountered that drunkard, but I don't see him. This is very strange. However, I feel that I might not be able to investigate this further. If it really is related to March, then March would naturally know about it. But now it's different because I've already resolved March's problem. She won't want to kill me, so she wouldn't need to orchestrate this drunkard incident to kill me. Although I don't know how she did it or what the point would be, if March's problem is resolved, this situation naturally won't happen.

How can I possibly get an answer if I ask about something that has never happened? It's impossible in itself.

I stood there and waited a little longer, but the drunkard still didn't appear. I was mostly convinced of my own guess, so I turned around and continued walking into the alley, heading in the direction I wanted to go home.

Just like I did in the alley near my school, I had this strange feeling that I was being watched again. But when I looked around, I couldn't see anyone, not even a dog barking. It was eerily quiet.

I walked towards my home.

Chapter 165 The Lively Little Sister