Ch 46: Text Messages Across Time

“Can we talk?” Seeing that Lin Wu hadn’t answered, Qin Weidong asked again.

“Alright…” Lin Wu replied after a brief daze.

Three minutes later, the two of them sat in a private tea room in the hotel lobby. The place was elegant and quiet. After they settled in, a server poured tea for them.

“Thank you.” Lin Wu held the cup and thanked him.

“Did we know each other before?” After the server left, Qin Weidong went straight to the point, studying Lin Wu as he spoke. Lin Wu had just come down for a walk and was wearing a light beige hoodie and light blue jeans. The outfit was casual, but his features and bearing made him look clean and composed.

“You don’t remember?” Lin Wu asked calmly in return.

“Sorry, can you give me a hint?” Qin Weidong leaned back slightly.

“We met in high school.”

“You were from Lide High?”

“No, First High.”

“Where did we meet?”

“Jianna Burger.” As Lin Wu spoke, he watched Qin Weidong’s expression. He saw confusion and puzzlement in his eyes, as if he truly didn’t remember anything.

“The burger place?” Qin Weidong frowned. He remembered the shop, but not meeting Lin Wu there, and couldn’t imagine how they would have met in such a place.

“President Qin, did you ever have memory loss or a concussion after your senior year?” Lin Wu asked carefully.

“No.” Qin Weidong answered firmly.

“Do you remember the period from September to November of your senior year?” Lin Wu paused before asking.

“I remember. Was there anything special about that time?” Qin Weidong recalled going to an internet café where there had been a fire, but nothing else stood out.

“Do you remember having a phone?” Lin Wu stared at him as he asked. His eyes were clear and bright, especially when focused.

For a moment, Qin Weidong was distracted. Then he tried hard to recall. “I bought a lot of phones in high school. Nothing special comes to mind.” He had no memory of any unusual phone.

“I must have mistaken you for someone else…” Lin Wu kept his composure on the surface, but his mind had gone blank. They had known each other in high school. In the 2004 timeline, they were still connected. But twenty years had passed. He couldn’t possibly tell him: twenty years ago, your phone could connect to the future. We went through a time-crossing story together. You helped me save my mother.

Leaving aside how unbelievable it sounded, where was the proof?

The time-crossing messages could serve as proof now, but seventeen-year-old Qin Weidong had said he didn’t want to know about the future, so he could still look forward to life. Now that everything in Qin Weidong’s life was stable and successful, there was no need to drag him back into the past. If it affected his life, it might create an even worse butterfly effect.

“Sorry, I must have mistaken you,” Lin Wu said after making up his mind, no longer dwelling on it.

“How did you know my name?” Qin Weidong still felt that something hadn’t been explained.

“You were quite well-known in high school. Students from other schools knew you too.”

“Really?”

“Yes.”

Half an hour later, Lin Wu stood to leave. Before going, he looked at Qin Weidong.

“President Qin.”

“Mm?”

“Goodbye.”

In that moment, Lin Wu thought of their conversation about being lifelong friends. He had truly liked Qin Weidong as a friend. Now that the other didn’t remember him, it felt like a pity. But then again, seeing that Qin Weidong was living well now, the regret faded.

After Lin Wu left, Qin Weidong sat in the tea room for another half hour. He couldn’t shake the feeling that Lin Wu’s expression when calling his name the other day wasn’t just that of someone who vaguely knew him. After thinking it over, he took out his phone and called Hu Wei.

“Brother Qin, what made you call me?” Hu Wei had gotten married and had children after graduating from college. He now ran a small convenience store. His child was seven, and life was comfortable.

“Just free, thought I’d check in,” Qin Weidong said casually, then asked directly, “Did I ever lose my memory in high school?”

“No. You had a fracture once, a high fever once, and got hit in the foot by a rock once, but otherwise you were fine.”

Hu Wei’s answer matched his own memory. Qin Weidong continued, “Did I know someone named Lin Wu?”

“Never heard you mention him.”

“Did I do anything unusual in high school?”

“Nothing… oh wait! During senior year, there was a period when you were kind of like in a relationship. You kept going out, and you even asked me how to tell if you liked someone. That was pretty unusual.”

“Mm? Who was I dating?” Qin Weidong immediately sat up.

“Probably Li Xin from No. 32 High. She liked you a lot.” That was their best guess back then, after trying to match it with people Qin Weidong knew.

“Li Xin?” Qin Weidong thought hard before recalling what she looked like. They had met twice at a group dinner in their second year. He didn’t feel like she liked him, and he didn’t think he liked her either. If anything, he felt he would prefer someone quieter.

“Yeah. You said she was strong and kind, and that even if she wasn’t good-looking, you’d still like her.” Hu Wei grew interested.

“Did I?” Qin Weidong didn’t remember any of it.

“Yeah! I was worried you were being tricked, but after a while, you just stopped talking about it.”

“When did I stop?”

“No idea. It wasn’t long though.” Hu Wei didn’t remember exactly. He only knew that not long after, everything returned to normal, and they went back to being inseparable friends.

“Oh…” Qin Weidong couldn’t recall. After chatting a bit longer, they hung up.

He fell into deep thought. At first, he had found Lin Wu’s question about memory loss strange. But now, could it be that he really had lost his memory?

After thinking it over, he called Qin Jianzhang.

“You’re up this early?” Qin Jianzhang was in a different time zone, attending an evening event.

“Nothing going on lately. Sleeping early, waking early,” Qin Weidong said briefly, then asked, “Dad, did I ever lose my memory in high school?”

“If you had lost your memory, would you still remember I’m your dad?”

Qin Weidong: …

After hanging up, Qin Weidong checked his own hospitalization records. Aside from a fracture, a high fever, and getting hit in the foot by a rock, there had indeed never been anything dramatic like a car accident or memory loss. Now, apart from the “relationship” Hu Wei had mentioned, there seemed to be nothing unusual.

“A relationship…” Qin Weidong reflected on himself. He had lived thirty-seven years. Forget dating, he had never even really felt his heart stir. He couldn’t imagine what it would be like to truly like someone.

…

“Alright, slowly lift it up… now slowly lower it…” At Xuhu Hospital in 2004, Qin Weidong carefully guided Lin Wu through raising and lowering his arm.

Lin Wu was recovering well. Every day, aside from dressing changes and anti-inflammatory injections, he worked on homework and did simple stretching exercises to prevent muscle atrophy.

“I can do it myself.” Lin Wu followed the motion and lifted and lowered his arm, indicating he didn’t need help.

“It’s fine. I’ll watch you. Just do three more sets slowly.” Qin Weidong spoke patiently.

“Alright…” Lin Wu completed three more sets. After working up a light sweat, he stopped the morning session.

“What do you want for lunch?” Qin Weidong helped him back onto the bed and asked.

“Lanzhou noodles.”

“Isn’t that too simple?”

“I don’t feel like eating anything complicated.”

“Alright, then we’ll add extra beef and eggs.” Qin Weidong wanted something more substantial, but the day before when he suggested ordering bird’s nest and shark fin, Lin Wu had firmly refused. He knew that if he pushed further, Lin Wu wouldn’t eat it.

Fortunately, after being carefully nourished these past days, Lin Wu had gained three jin. His complexion and overall condition were much better. Qin Weidong was very satisfied.

“You’ve been staying at the hospital these past few days. Will it affect your studies?” Lin Wu asked while thinking.

“No. I’m with you every day. If there’s anything I don’t understand, I can just ask you.” Qin Weidong assured him confidently.

“When are you going abroad?” Lin Wu asked after a pause. He had heard Qin Weidong mention it before. In 2004, going abroad still felt like something from television dramas, far removed from ordinary life.

“Probably the first half of next year.” Qin Weidong had never cared much before, but now he felt reluctant. After thinking for a moment, he asked, “If I start studying seriously now, do you think I could get into a good school?”

“Your Chinese and English are pretty good. Your humanities subjects are weaker. Repeating a year might be more suitable,” Lin Wu answered after some consideration. Qin Weidong came from a well-off family that had already been preparing him to study abroad. Seeing more of the world would probably be better for him. Lin Wu had also heard from his future self that Qin Weidong’s life would turn out well.

“We’ll talk about that later.”

Qin Weidong decided not to dwell on it. Seeing that it was about time, he stood up and put on his coat. “I’ll go downstairs to buy the noodles.”

“Okay.”

At noon, Qin Weidong returned carrying two deluxe bowls of noodles, topped with meat, eggs, and vegetables, rich in protein and nutrients. After they ate their fill, he cleaned up the trash with practiced ease and opened the window to air out the room.

“Qin Weidong.” Lin Wu hesitated, looking at him.

“What is it?” Qin Weidong turned.

“Nothing…” Lin Wu had never really had friends before. Qin Weidong was his first close one. He didn’t know how other friendships worked, but Qin Weidong paid attention to everything in great detail. That level of care sometimes made him wonder, was this really just within the bounds of friendship?

Something about the atmosphere felt off, but when he tried to pinpoint it, it became strangely unclear.

“Rest for a bit. We’ll start the afternoon exercises soon,” Qin Weidong said without suspicion.

“Alright.” Lin Wu pushed aside the odd feeling.

At two in the afternoon, Lin Wu did half an hour of exercises. Perhaps because he had just had his dressing changed, he felt drowsy.

“Want to take a nap?” Qin Weidong leaned against the sofa, planning to play a mobile game.

“Mm.” Lin Wu rarely napped, but he was too tired today. He lay down under the blanket. The sunlight was warm, and he soon drifted off lazily.

Qin Weidong had been playing games on the sofa, but after glancing over at Lin Wu once… then again… he found it hard to look away.

The sofa was parallel to the bed. Originally, he had been lying near the desk side, but after thinking for a moment, he quietly shifted position, moving closer to the head of the bed.

Now his sofa lined up with Lin Wu’s pillow, only sixty centimeters apart. From there, he could see him clearly.

He sat there, watching Lin Wu intently. Lin Wu’s eyelashes were long. In sleep, they cast a faint shadow under his eyes. His skin was pale, his lips lightly red, his nose straight and defined.

As he watched, he unconsciously leaned forward.

He was tall. Leaning forward, he could reach Lin Wu’s face with just a stretch of his hand. He carefully extended his hand, not daring to touch, stopping five centimeters away. From that distance, he traced Lin Wu’s features in the air again and again. With each silent motion, something swelled in his chest, and suddenly, he wanted to lean in and kiss him.

He bent down slightly, stopping just before their faces would meet. He didn’t dare go any further. After imagining what it would be like, he quietly sat back again. The feeling in his chest lingered, a kind of sweetness hidden in a corner, something he didn’t dare share with anyone.

Afternoon sunlight streamed in. In that peaceful stillness, the phone in his pocket suddenly vibrated.

!!!

Qin Weidong quickly silenced it. It was Hu Wei calling. After cutting it off and seeing that Lin Wu hadn’t woken, he let out a breath of relief and quietly stepped outside to take the call.

Three seconds after Qin Weidong left, on the hospital bed, Lin Wu’s eyelashes fluttered slightly, and his eyes opened, fully awake.

He looked toward where Qin Weidong had been sitting.

He had already woken when Qin Weidong moved closer. He had planned to open his eyes, but hadn’t expected Qin Weidong to lean in like that… and then those repeated, silent gestures tracing the air.

Now Lin Wu’s eyes were filled with astonishment.

In that moment, everything that had felt strange these past days suddenly made sense.

✧˖°.──⋆⭒˚.⋆💌⋆⭒˚.⋆──✧˖°.