Ch 61: Text Messages Across Time

Maybe it was because of what he had seen in the purchase history, but during his midday nap, Lin Wu had a strange dream—

In the dream, in a pitch-dark room, he was tangled on the bed with a man. The man had his back to him, the muscles along his back smooth and defined, a fine sheen of sweat on his skin. They moved together intensely, and after a long while, it was like fireworks going off. Exhausted, they lay there for a moment, then got up together to shower and sleep.

Through the hazy blur, he saw their faces—

Himself, and Qin Weidong.

They lay under the same blanket, like two vines intertwined. At the bedside was a black electronic watch.

Then the dream ended.

…

Haa—

Lin Wu woke up.

“Mr. Lin, for dinner tonight, would you like stir-fried pork or shrimp with cucumber?” The caregiver was tidying the room and asked when she saw he was awake. Those were two dishes he had mentioned the night before.

“Stir-fried pork,” Lin Wu answered casually, then checked the time. 5:20.

“Alright, Mr. Lin.”

After the caregiver left, Lin Wu thought back to the dream—

It had felt like watching a very real adult film. Before sleeping, he had been thinking about who was on top and who was on the bottom. He hadn’t expected to dream something like that… and in it, he had been the one pressing Qin Weidong down.

A little embarrassed, he calmed himself, then went back to scrolling through the purchase history.

And then—

In the shopping cart, he saw a black electronic watch.

Exactly the same as the one in the dream.

That hadn’t been a dream. It was something that had actually happened in this life.

…

“The hospital parking lot entrance is frozen over. A lot of cars can’t get in, and there’s already a line of more than thirty outside.”

At seven that evening, Qin Weidong arrived early at the hospital, holding an umbrella. It was cold, a thin layer of frost settling on his shoulders.

“Where did you park?” Lin Wu asked.

“At a mall nearby.” Qin Weidong hung his coat on the rack, then asked, “How are you feeling today?”

“Nothing serious. I can be discharged tomorrow.”

There were medical records by the bedside. After hearing that, Qin Weidong looked through them carefully, more seriously than if he were reviewing a classified file.

Lin Wu watched his profile. From any angle, Qin Weidong looked handsome. But with only his high school memories and past timelines, facing this version of Qin Weidong in a new ending made him strangely nervous.

…

“Why did you come out in weather like this?”

At the same time in 2004, seventeen-year-old Lin Wu stepped out of the police station and saw Qin Weidong waiting.

After Sun Xiaotao was arrested the night before, Lin Wu had been at the station from then until now, cooperating with the investigation. He had only just been released.

“I didn’t have anything else to do, so I came to check on you,” Qin Weidong said. Snow was falling lightly. He wore a white down jacket and carried a bag. Inside were a scarf and hat he had just bought. He took them out and helped Lin Wu put them on.

“How’s my mom?” Lin Wu asked, letting him fuss.

“She was just frightened. When I left, she was fine. Aunt Hao is with her at your place,” Qin Weidong replied.

Lin Wu let out a breath. “That’s good.”

Just then, an officer came out. “I was just looking for you. Didn’t expect you to already be out. Come on, I’ll drive you back.”

“It’s okay, I can go by myself,” Lin Wu said.

“I’ve got to head to the steel plant anyway. And you’ve been here all day, we can’t just leave you to figure it out yourself.” The officer smiled, then looked at Qin Weidong. “You’re his classmate, right? I saw you waiting earlier. Come on, get in.”

“When did you get here?” Lin Wu asked.

“Not long ago.”

“Almost two hours. He was waiting in the lobby at first, then came over here when it took too long,” the officer explained.

“…Thank you,” Lin Wu said softly.

“I had nothing better to do anyway,” Qin Weidong replied lightly. He wanted to ruffle Lin Wu’s hair, but with the officer there, he held back.

Twenty minutes later, they were back at the residential complex.

“Here. The message from 2024 yesterday. I was with Uncle Wang at the time, so I didn’t get a chance to reply.” Qin Weidong handed him the phone.

Lin Wu looked at it. The message confirmed that Sun Xiaotao was indeed the killer of Luo Xiaorong. After his arrest, Wang Manshan’s family, Li Jing, Lin Wu, and Qin Weidong all went on to live smooth, successful lives.

“It’s finally over…” Lin Wu exhaled.

The case of Luo Xiaorong’s attempted murder had involved three perpetrators: Guo Chengchun, Zhao Fangli, and Sun Xiaotao. Now everything had settled. Their profiles all matched what he had seen in the fifteenth timeline. The case was completely resolved.

“You’re not mad anymore, right?” As they walked, Qin Weidong looked ahead, but quietly reached over with his right hand, hooking Lin Wu’s hand and lightly scratching his palm. He meant the earlier incident of sending messages without telling him.

“I’m not mad anymore. But don’t let it happen again,” Lin Wu said. He had already calmed down, but still felt it had been too risky.

“I promise it won’t!” Qin Weidong grinned.

At 8:30, the two of them arrived home.

“Your mom had some porridge and buns tonight. She’s fine now. After a night’s sleep, she’ll be completely better.” Hao Shuqin had been staying with Luo Xiaorong the whole time. When she saw Lin Wu return, she stood up and said this.

“Thank you, Aunt Hao. I’ve really troubled you and Uncle Wang!” Ever since calling the police yesterday, everything had been chaotic. Without Hao Shuqin’s family helping out, he wouldn’t have been able to focus on cooperating with the investigation.

“It’s no trouble. Everyone in the compound has been talking about this. Who would’ve thought something like this could happen…” Hao Shuqin had seen Sun Xiaotao at the steel plant before and thought he was quite friendly. She never imagined he was a potential murderer. After saying that, she looked at Qin Weidong. “Xiao Qin, are you staying here tonight?”

“Yes, Auntie. It’s not easy to get a taxi back now,” Qin Weidong replied.

“Something this big just happened, you should stay and keep Lin Wu company these next few days.” Hao Shuqin had a good impression of him. She checked the time. “Your Uncle Wang is still waiting for me at home, so I’ll head back first.”

“Alright, Aunt Hao. Take care on the way,” Lin Wu said, seeing her out. Then he went to Luo Xiaorong’s room to check on her. She was already asleep, her brows relaxed, looking fine.

He returned to his room. Qin Weidong had already made the bed.

“Still going to read tonight?” Qin Weidong asked.

“No, I need to rest,” Lin Wu said with a small laugh. So much had happened these past two days, he couldn’t focus on reading at all.

They took their things and went to the bathhouse. After everything that had happened, they went straight to bed when they got back. They turned off the lights and pulled the blackout curtains aside, leaving only a sheer layer. Dim moonlight filtered in, so the room wasn’t completely dark.

Lin Wu lay there, staring at the ceiling.

“Now that Sun Xiaotao’s been caught, everything will be fine from now on,” Qin Weidong said, turning onto his side to reassure him.

“Mm.” Lin Wu wasn’t worried about Luo Xiaorong anymore. He was just processing everything that had happened over the past two days. There was a strange sense of relief, as if a heavy weight on his chest had finally lifted.

Seeing him still lost in thought, Qin Weidong scooted closer. “I’m wearing my pajamas tonight.”

“Hm?” Lin Wu didn’t understand.

“They’re freshly washed too. Pretty clean.” As he spoke, Qin Weidong pushed aside his own blanket, pulled his pillow closer, lifted Lin Wu’s blanket, and squeezed inside.

Lin Wu: …

“You can lean on me.” After squeezing in, Qin Weidong turned sideways and gently pressed Lin Wu’s head toward his shoulder. He wasn’t thinking anything suggestive. The day had been meaningful, and he felt Lin Wu needed some comfort, maybe a kind of quiet celebration.

Lin Wu stiffened at the contact.

They had done other things before, brushed hands, held waists, touched, but they had never hugged like this. He had never leaned on someone’s shoulder.

“What’s wrong?” Qin Weidong noticed how tense he was.

“I’m not used to this…” Lin Wu said.

“Try it. My pajamas are really warm.” Qin Weidong gestured at his fluffy sleeve. The fabric looked soft and comfortable.

Lin Wu tried, just a little.

It felt broad, steady, reassuring.

“…Sorry. I’m still not used to it.” After three seconds, he pulled away.

He could accept Qin Weidong’s other gestures, but not this. Leaning on someone’s shoulder felt too vulnerable, too easy to grow dependent on. It made him want to stop immediately.

“Not used to it?” Qin Weidong was a bit puzzled. No one had leaned on his shoulder before, but classmates had joked that his build looked comfortable. He hadn’t expected Lin Wu to dislike it.

He thought for a moment, then shifted down slightly. One arm slipped behind Lin Wu’s lower back, the other rested at his waist, pulling him closer. Then he leaned his head against Lin Wu’s shoulder. “What about this?”

There was a warm, sweet feeling in his chest. He just wanted to be close.

Lin Wu felt awkward, but after a moment said, “Fine…” Maybe it was because it was cold. Having a warm human presence under the blanket wasn’t so bad.

At 10:12, the time channel opened.

After finishing his conversation with 2024, Lin Wu pulled the curtains shut and returned to bed.

Getting in and out of bed had let in a bit of cold air, but Qin Weidong quickly wrapped an arm around him, and the chill disappeared.

Lin Wu looked at the head resting on his shoulder. After hesitating, he gently patted it, then went to sleep.

He didn’t ask why Qin Weidong had insisted on getting into his blanket, and Qin Weidong didn’t explain why he wanted to hold him.

They simply fell asleep quietly, deeply, and peacefully.

…

“This is where we live now. Your bedroom is the one on the left. It has its own bathroom, walk-in closet, and workspace. It’s about 2.7 kilometers from your school, and you usually leave around 7:30 in the morning…”

On December 19, 2024, Qin Weidong and the caregiver helped Lin Wu back into the apartment. It was a 270-square-meter high-rise flat they had bought together, with five bedrooms and three living areas. The style was modern and minimalist, but the furnishings and decor felt warm and lived-in.

“Mm…” Lin Wu leaned on his crutches, looking around with curiosity. His leg had a minor fracture. Once healed, it wouldn’t affect his walking, and he should recover in about a month.

“Mr. Lin, Mr. Qin, here are the braces and topical medications. I’ll leave them here. If you need anything, feel free to contact me anytime,” the caregiver said as she set things down.

“Thank you.”

“You’re welcome!” The caregiver left, and in the blink of an eye, only Lin Wu and Qin Weidong remained in the apartment.

“Sit on the sofa and rest. I’ll cook,” Qin Weidong said, helping Lin Wu onto a beige couch that was soft and comfortable.

He went to change clothes. When he came back out, he was wearing warm-toned loungewear and an apron, already busy in the kitchen. It was an open kitchen, so Lin Wu could clearly see his movements. He looked very practiced.

“Did you cook for me often before?” Lin Wu asked, a little curious.

“Sometimes I cooked, sometimes you did. We’re both pretty good,” Qin Weidong replied with a smile.

Lin Wu nodded. Then he noticed a photo frame on a cabinet in the distance. Supporting himself with his crutches, he went over to take a closer look.

It was a photo of him and Qin Weidong, both around thirty years old, standing on a grassy lawn in a park. They were smiling brightly. In their arms was a large golden retriever, with a little pink flower tucked behind its ear, looking just as adorable.

Looking at the photo, Lin Wu couldn’t help but smile.

Ten minutes later, the food was ready.

“We used to have a golden retriever?” Lin Wu had seen pictures of it while scrolling through the album the day before.

“That was Maomao. We got him in 2016.” At the time, both of them had stable jobs. Lin Wu suddenly said he wanted a dog, so they went to a pet shop together and picked him out.

“What about Maomao?” Lin Wu asked.

“He got lost.” Qin Weidong paused.

Maomao had gone missing five years ago. By then, he had learned how to open the house lock. One day, when neither of them was home, he slipped out and was never found again.

They checked nearby surveillance footage. Maomao had been drugged and taken away. They eventually found the suspect, someone who had stolen and sold dogs for the first time. He had sold Maomao at a dog market, and then Maomao was bought by someone else and never traced again.

They had been devastated. Lin Wu had been so distraught during that time that he lost five pounds in a short period. In the end, they could only comfort themselves with the thought that Maomao was good-looking and likely hadn’t been sold for meat. It took them years to move past it.

Besides Maomao, they had also taken in a stray cat named Big Orange. Big Orange had passed away peacefully three years ago.

“…He got lost.” Even without the memories of this timeline, Lin Wu felt a quiet sadness.

Qin Weidong didn’t go to work that afternoon. Instead, he told Lin Wu about their life in this timeline. Mostly, Qin Weidong spoke while Lin Wu listened. It felt like he was sitting in on someone else’s story.

“Don’t worry about the memory loss for now. The most important thing is to recover from your injury first. You can slowly remember the rest later,” Qin Weidong said at ten that night, handing him a glass of milk.

“Okay.” Lin Wu lay down under the covers.

Aside from the forehead kiss on the first day, they hadn’t had any further intimate contact.

Lin Wu still had his high school memories, but they were both thirty-seven now. He hadn’t completely lost his adult reasoning, and to him, the current Qin Weidong still felt somewhat like a stranger. So they remained in an awkward space, both familiar and unfamiliar at once.

After Qin Weidong left, Lin Wu fell asleep. Memories from this timeline began to surface again—

…

From December 18 to 23, 2004, aside from going to the police station to assist with the investigation, Lin Wu spent the rest of his time going to and from school with Qin Weidong, and sleeping at home.

On the evening of the 23rd, things at the police station were mostly settled. The two of them rode their bicycles home after school. As they passed that familiar path, Qin Weidong naturally wrapped an arm around Lin Wu’s waist.

“Our school is holding an all-student assembly the day after tomorrow. No one’s allowed to skip. We won’t be able to go to the amusement park anymore. Why would they pick Christmas of all days to do this…”

He had been looking forward to the amusement park for days, and now it all felt ruined.

“We still have classes that day. Even if your school didn’t have the assembly, we couldn’t go anyway,” Lin Wu said with a smile as he pedaled.

“I’ve wanted to go for a long time.” Qin Weidong pressed his face against Lin Wu’s back, sounding a little down.

“We should have three days off for New Year’s. Want to go then?” Lin Wu suggested after thinking for a moment. The school hadn’t officially announced it yet, but rumors were circulating. For senior year, three days counted as a long break.

“Okay!” Qin Weidong immediately brightened.

A week later, both schools announced the three-day break. Qin Weidong wanted to go to the amusement park on the first, but Qin Jianzhang had just returned from a business trip and wanted to take him back to their hometown to visit his grandparents.

“I’ll probably be back on the afternoon of the second…” Qin Weidong texted Lin Wu, reluctant.

“It’s fine. I’ll be home these few days. Just let me know when you’re back,” Lin Wu replied seriously.

Qin Weidong went back to his hometown. Lin Wu stayed in his room and suddenly felt it was a little empty.

Qin Weidong had left on the afternoon of the 31st. Lin Wu waited for him, but there were many family obligations back home. When they finally met again, it was six in the morning on the third.

“I was going to come back yesterday afternoon, but my dad kept dragging me to visit relatives. This morning, Zhao-ge was heading into the city, so I hitched a ride back with him.”

At six in the morning, outside Lin Wu’s door, Qin Weidong stood there in a yellow down jacket and a beige scarf. He hadn’t told Lin Wu in advance, so Lin Wu, still groggy from sleep, was completely stunned when he saw him.

✧˖°.──⋆⭒˚.⋆💌⋆⭒˚.⋆──✧˖°.