Ch 23: Text Messages Across Time

【Millet porridge, buns.】 At 10:12, seventeen-year-old Lin Wu sent his breakfast on time.

The other side quickly replied with lunch: 【Shredded potato over rice, egg.】

After confirming the code, Lin Wu went straight to the point: 【How did the ending turn out? I have the right to know the truth!】

He rarely used emphatic punctuation like exclamation marks when chatting. Adding one now showed just how badly he wanted to know.

After sending it, Lin Wu stared at the message interface, tense.

Just as he thought the other side would deflect again, this time they didn’t avoid it: 【There’s a new ending.】

【What kind of ending?】

【On September 23, 2004, you told Uncle Wang and Aunt Hao about the first three endings. They didn’t believe you at first, but after the lottery drawing, they did. A month later, everyone moved to Shenhai. Uncle Wang worked at the Shenhai Steel Factory, Aunt Hao became a local teacher, and you and Huihui transferred to a local high school. Later, you were admitted to Jianghe University, Huihui got into the Shenhai Dance Academy. Everyone lived well. After Aunt Hao resigned, she and your mother opened a bun shop together. The business has grown large, now covering two thousand square meters…】

In the café in 2024, Lin Wu carefully recalled every detail of his current life.

【That sounds good.】 In the hospital ward in 2004, Lin Wu smiled when he saw the message. But three minutes later, the smile disappeared—

【December 28, 2004, a second-year high school girl in Xuhu was killed after school. This was the third victim of the Xuhu serial murder case. January 11, 2005, the fourth victim. March 2, the fifth victim…】

Lin Wu listed each victim of the Xuhu case with precise wording.

In the ward, seventeen-year-old Lin Wu felt those words pierce his chest like knives. Confused, he asked: 【Weren’t there only four victims?】

【After Huihui and your mother escaped, there may have been a butterfly effect.】

【Do the victims overlap with the first three endings?】

【The original four victims didn’t change. There are five new victims.】

……

After this message, both sides fell silent.

Seventeen-year-old Lin Wu gripped his phone, typing and deleting repeatedly, unconsciously biting his lip. At that moment, a new message appeared: 【Is this Xiao Wu?】

Lin Wu froze, then cautiously replied: 【…Aunt Hao?】

“Yes, yes!”

In the café in Shenhai, Hao Shuqin stared at the message with tears in her eyes.

The evening before, she had seen three sets of numbers in Lin Wu’s study. One set was the timeline of the Xuhu murders. Another set was the times of death in the three endings involving Luo Xiaorong and Wang Jiahui.

The third set read: 2004.9.5 (1), 2004.9.9 (2), 2004.9.17 (3), 2004.9.19 (4), 2004.9.23.

Below 2004.9.23 was a 2024.9.23 circled in red.

She didn’t understand what the numbers meant, but she knew September 23, 2004 was the lottery drawing date, and the 19th was when the ticket had been printed.

The more she thought about it, the more something felt wrong. That night, she brought it up with Wang Manshan.

“Has Xiao Wu been hiding something from us all these years?” Wang Manshan asked.

In truth, not just these years. After they moved to Shenhai, Lin Wu had seemed relaxed for the first few months. Then there was a period when he suddenly shut himself in his room. After that, every winter and summer break, he would return to Xuhu for a while. They had asked him about it, and he only said he missed Xuhu, but they felt there was nothing there worth missing.

“Manshan, do you think the one who killed Huihui could be the same person as the serial killer?” Hao Shuqin suddenly recalled the newspapers on Lin Wu’s desk. After moving, they had heard about the Xuhu case and had wondered whether the killer was the same one from Lin Wu’s “dreams.”

But in the three endings Lin Wu described, including Huihui and Luo Xiaorong, there were six victims. In reality, there were nine.

Dreams were not reality, so they hadn’t thought too much about it before. But now, after connecting everything, a sudden fear took hold. Could it be that six victims were predetermined, and because they moved away, it changed the killer’s targets?

“Quick, get me some blood pressure medicine!” Hao Shuqin felt like she couldn’t breathe.

Wang Manshan hurried to find it for her. “None of this has happened. Don’t overthink it.”

He said that, but his expression grew more serious. After analyzing everything for a whole day, they decided to call Lin Wu, only for Lin Wu to contact them first.

“Xiao Wu, in those three endings, what happened to your Uncle Wang and me? Just tell us what happened in the dream.” In the café an hour earlier, Hao Shuqin had encouraged him.

“In the first ending, Huihui remained in a vegetative state for twenty years. After she passed away, on August 18, 2024, you jumped from a building and took your own life. After handling your funeral, Uncle Wang also ended his life.”

“In the second ending, you both held on for two years after Huihui died, then in 2007, you ended your lives.”

“In the third ending, you both held on for two years…”

………

Lin Wu felt like his words were knives. Hao Shuqin and Wang Manshan’s expressions shifted from uneasy to gradually pale.

“What about the other victims in those three endings?” Hao Shuqin asked the question that had been troubling her all day.

“Other than Huihui and my mom, the other four didn’t change.”

“Are they the same as in reality?”

“In reality, there are five additional victims.”

“You must have done something good in a past life. Heaven sent you a dream to warn us…”

If it were anyone else, they would feel lucky after escaping disaster. Hao Shuqin had felt that way before. Translated on Hololo novels. But now, knowing that four of the victims in reality were exactly the same as in Lin Wu’s “dream,” her voice trembled on the verge of tears. “Xiao Wu, tell Auntie the truth. What you said isn’t a dream, is it? It’s something that will actually happen? Like in those rebirth movies… you were reborn, you knew Huihui and your mother would die, so we avoided it. And because of the chain reaction, the killer’s targets became other people…”

Her eyes were fragile, glistening with tears. It was the first time Lin Wu had ever seen her like this. He said painfully, “It’s not rebirth. But those previous endings were what originally happened.”

Over the next half hour, Lin Wu opened the messages and explained everything in detail, from the moment he got the phone until now.

“A phone connected to the past…” Before coming out, Hao Shuqin and Wang Manshan had boldly guessed whether Lin Wu had been reborn. They hadn’t expected it wasn’t rebirth, but something even more unbelievable.

Their minds felt like they had exploded, everything in chaos.

In a daze, a new message appeared on the phone: 【Millet porridge, buns】.

They knew this was a message from 2004.

Today was September 22, 2024. On the other side, it was September 22, 2004. Hao Shuqin covered her mouth and cried. On September 22, 2004, they hadn’t yet won the lottery. She was teaching at No. 32 Middle School, Wang Manshan was working at the steel factory. Both were dealing with unpleasant relationships. Everything was still on its original path.

【Is this Xiao Wu?】 Hao Shuqin asked, holding the phone.

【…Aunt Hao?】 came the reply.

Hao Shuqin broke down in tears, gripping the phone. She didn’t know what to say, until at 10:27, the connection between the two times closed.

…

“What’s wrong?” In the 2004 Xuhu hospital, Qin Weidong had been watching Lin Wu’s expression ever since his smile disappeared. He saw the smile fade, his lips press tight, his expression growing more and more serious.

Several times he had wanted to ask what was wrong, but Lin Wu’s expression was so intense that he held himself back.

“It’s nothing…” As before, Lin Wu deleted the messages and returned the phone to Qin Weidong.

“It’s late. I’ll head back.” He slung his backpack over his shoulder and started to leave.

“Hey!” Qin Weidong grabbed him instinctively.

Lin Wu lowered his head to look at him.

“Are you really okay?” It wasn’t that Qin Weidong was being fussy. Lin Wu’s face was too pale, completely expressionless, as if something had suddenly hollowed him out.

“I’m fine.” Lin Wu forced a slight smile.

“As long as you’re fine…” Qin Weidong slowly let go. “Call me when you get home.”

“Okay.”

“And send another photo!”

“Okay.”

Still uneasy, Qin Weidong added, “You’re acting a bit strange today. I’ll walk you out.” He started putting on his jacket and shoes.

“I want to walk by myself.” Lin Wu stopped him. Even though he tried to act normal, his thoughts were in turmoil. He didn’t want to talk to anyone.

Qin Weidong could tell. “Then be careful on your way back.”

“Mm.” Lin Wu left with his backpack. In the taxi, he kept thinking about the “fourth ending” his future self had described: Huihui and Luo Xiaorong were alive, Uncle Wang and Aunt Hao were successful, Huihui would be getting married by the end of the year… everything was so good, yet his chest felt tightly blocked.

At 11:10, the taxi arrived at the entrance of the residential complex.

Ding ding—

As if timed perfectly, Qin Weidong’s call came the moment he arrived.

“Hello,” Lin Wu answered.

“Are you there yet?” Qin Weidong asked.

“Just got out after paying.”

“Then go inside. I’ll listen for a bit, just to make sure you get upstairs and home.”

“Okay.”

Lin Wu walked toward his building with the phone. On Qin Weidong’s end, he could hear the rustling of the wind, then the sound of footsteps on the stairs. Soon after, the sound of a key turning in the lock.

“I’m home,” Lin Wu said.

“Photo,” Qin Weidong reminded him.

“Mm.” Lin Wu went inside, wrote down the current date and time, then took a photo facing out the window toward the building below and sent it.

“Got it. Good night,” Qin Weidong replied after receiving the photo.

“Good night.”

After washing up, Lin Wu first went to Luo Xiaorong’s room. She was already asleep, resting quietly. He watched her for a moment, then returned to his own room, lay on the bed, and stared at the ceiling. Even though he had said good night, he couldn’t fall asleep at all.

“Leaving now?” At the entrance of the steel factory residential compound, the driver asked after Qin Weidong put away his phone. Half an hour earlier, he had been waiting for passengers outside the hospital when he saw a high school student get into the taxi ahead. Before he could even think about how lucky that driver was, the door of his own car had been opened.

“Follow that car,” the passenger had said, pointing ahead.

“Did something happen?” the driver asked as he started the engine, glancing at him through the rearview mirror.

The passenger seemed very experienced. “Catching someone cheating.” After saying that, he closed his eyes to rest.

The driver was full of curiosity. Seeing that the man was wearing a hospital gown and didn’t look like trouble, he muttered to himself and followed the car ahead.

When they reached the entrance, the high school student in the front car got out. Their car stopped about ten meters away. The passenger in the back watched through the window, and the driver followed his gaze. He saw the student pay, get out, and walk home with his head lowered, as if deep in thought.

Then the passenger in the back made a call, sent messages… He waited at the entrance for ten minutes, the meter still running. Now the other side had finished texting.

“Let’s go.” After listening, Qin Weidong put away his phone.

“Where to?” the driver asked as he started the car.

“The hospital.”

“The same hospital as before?”

“Yes.” Qin Weidong was restless and didn’t feel like talking.

“Alright…” The driver thought it was strange to come all this way only to go back, but since the trip was long, he figured it would be a good fare and felt pleased.

As the driver drove, he thought about where to get breakfast the next morning. At the same time, seventeen-year-old Lin Wu, thirty-seven-year-old Lin Wu, Wang Manshan, Hao Shuqin… everyone lay in bed tossing and turning, unable to sleep, or rather, not sleeping at all.

…

September 23, 2024. Just as dawn broke, the doorbell rang at Lin Wu’s home.

The live-in caregiver had taken the day off. Hearing the bell, Lin Wu went to open the door.

Hao Shuqin, Wang Manshan, and Wang Jiahui stood outside. Wang Jiahui’s eyes were red, clearly having learned the truth from Hao Shuqin. When she saw Lin Wu, her voice hoarse, she asked, “Brother Lin Wu… what my parents said, is it true?”

“Yes.”

“In the original fate, Aunt Luo and I were killed. We moved away, so the victims became other people, five more than before?”

“Yes.”

“If we hadn’t moved, those five people wouldn’t have died, right?”

“According to the original timeline… yes.”

Wang Jiahui tried to calm herself, but couldn’t. Tears streamed uncontrollably. “Brother Lin Wu, so we stole their lives, didn’t we?”

Lin Wu’s eyes reddened as well. He didn’t answer, only reached out to wipe her tears.

“Brother Lin Wu if you can change the ending, take Aunt Luo and leave. Don’t tell me I’ll die, and don’t tell my parents either. The killer wants to kill me. If I die, they won’t have to. I dragged everyone down. Take Aunt Luo and go, go as far away as possible. Don’t let anyone else be implicated. Give their lives back. Give back the life I stole. Please take care of my parents for me. Don’t let them end their lives…”

Just a day ago, Wang Jiahui had been a bride-to-be looking forward to her wedding. Translated on Hololo novels. Now, she felt like the executioner who had taken five girls’ lives. She didn’t know why the killer targeted her, but in the previous endings, she died and five girls lived. Now she lived, and five girls died. Did that mean if she died, those five girls would live?

She tried to convince herself that the murders had nothing to do with her, but she couldn’t. She decided to return the life she had “stolen” and accept the judgment of her original fate.

Wang Jiahui felt like an executioner. Lin Wu felt the same.

【Time is a river that cannot flow backward. The reversed river will eventually reach its end, and beyond that end, everything will be set in stone.】 This was the phone’s message.

It told him he could keep altering fate through the phone, but that ability had an endpoint. He could choose to stop now, but as Wang Jiahui and the others believed, their perfect lives were built on the existence of five additional victims. They weren’t the killers, but those five had died because their choices had altered the path.

He wanted Luo Xiaorong to live, but…

Lin Wu closed his eyes. He thought of the elderly couple at the fruit stand. For twenty years, they had been waiting for the killer to be caught. The families of the other victims were also waiting, hoping their daughters and loved ones could come back. He couldn’t live by stepping on the fate of others.

“I’m sorry…” Lin Wu looked at the three of them. He felt unbearably cruel. He could have kept the truth from them, but he also believed that if he made a choice, they had the right to know their own fate.

He felt as though he had killed five people: Wang Manshan, Hao Shuqin, Wang Jiahui, Luo Xiaorong, and his seventeen-year-old self.

He was an executioner as cruel as the killer.

“I’m sorry…” He felt like a terrible person. Truly terrible.

At that moment, Lin Wu felt as if he stood on a cliff, holding a blade dripping with blood, a river of red flowing beneath his feet.

All strength left him. In a daze, he felt an embrace. Hao Shuqin held him.

“Xiao Wu, don’t say sorry. Thank you for giving us twenty years of a dream. Our lives were borrowed, and they should be returned to those who were meant to live. Maybe we’ll have a new ending. Even if we don’t, it doesn’t matter. Don’t blame yourself.”

Yesterday, Lin Wu hadn’t spoken his decision. He had only said sorry when they first met. They knew he was still struggling, so after telling Wang Jiahui the truth, they came together to find him.

They wanted to tell him not to blame himself, not to carry everything alone. If someone had to draw the final line on this life, then it should be them. This was never something he should bear alone.

Xiao Wu, don’t blame yourself. You did nothing wrong.

“Xiao Wu, live well,” Hao Shuqin said, holding him.

No matter whether fate is changed or not, live well.

✧˖°.──⋆⭒˚.⋆💌⋆⭒˚.⋆──✧˖°.