Chapter 39: Out of Sync 05

Chapter 39: Out of Sync 05

Yu Bai, finding solace in his misery, discreetly turned his face away and let out a silent sigh.

Yan Jing, whom he had just dismissed, silently turned his head again from the front seat. "Are you done talking?"

His tone conveyed a sense of frustration, as if he wanted to accuse Yu Bai of double standards but dared not express it openly.

"..." Yu Bai felt a moment of guilt. "I've rested enough, I'm not tired anymore."

After a moment's thought, he replied to Yan Jing's earlier question. "Uncle Yuan isn't in a rush. He should be in his normal state right now, probably in the hospital. Uncle Zhang might have already gone to meet him after leaving the police station. Let's find He Xi first, then contact Uncle Yuan."

All three of them had their consciousness inhabit their original bodies in this timeline, so Yuan Yuhang would also be in his normal elderly state, not a child. As a sixty-seven-year-old man with a lifetime of experiences, he would likely regain his composure quickly.

In contrast, He Xi was a genuine child, and her unexpected journey through time would undoubtedly leave her terrified. It made sense to find her first and explain the situation to her at least.

"Oh, I see." Yan Jing nodded, still somewhat puzzled. "But who is He Xi?"

Yu Bai was taken aback for a moment, remembering that only he had the knowledge of He Xi after they left the loop.

"That little girl who entered the elevator on the eleventh floor this morning."

"The one who seemed very timid, right?" Yan Jing asked in confusion. "How did you know her name?"

"I got to know her in the loop," Yu Bai replied, equally puzzled. "I thought you were too busy bickering with Uncle Yuan to notice her."

"How could I not have noticed? I'm not blind. I even saw a mark on her face, but she was evasive, so I didn't dare to look too closely..."

"Her father did that. She really doesn't want others to see it."

"Damn it!" Yan Jing exclaimed, filled with indignation. "Beating up a child, what a scumbag!"

Yu Bai then said, "We might need your help dealing with him later."

It was already past six in the evening, and primary school students would have finished classes. He Xi should be at home by now.

The question was how to avoid the scumbag father and successfully meet her.

Xie Wufang wasn't concerned about other people, and as a pale, introverted man with no physical strength, he wouldn't stand a chance against an alcoholic brute in a fit of rage.

Only Yan Jing, with his imposing presence, seemed capable of providing any deterrence.

Moments later, the taxi pulled up beneath the glistening golden letters spelling "Paradise Abode."

After a two-hour absence, Yu Bai found himself back in the very compound that had been the root of all his troubles—albeit in a different time.

He led Xie Wufang and Yan Jing into the complex, threading their way through the darkness until they reached the familiar apartment block.

Then,

in the usually quiet ground-floor elevator lobby, the trio paused as if by unspoken agreement. A few unfamiliar residents stood there, exchanging wary glances.

On the left, a yellow warning sign indicated that the elevator was out of order for repairs. It had been down when Yu Bai and Xie Wufang were here earlier that afternoon, and fatefully, it remained so.

The elevator on the right, after a brief maintenance halt, should have resumed its normal operation.

Yet at this moment, there was a small boy in an oversized hospital gown repeatedly entering and exiting the elevator.

Muttering to himself, he would step out of the elevator as soon as the doors opened, then, just as they were about to close, he'd press the button again and turn back around, going in and out in a cycle.

As a result, the elevator remained stuck on the ground floor, unable to ascend.

A resident called out to him, "Kid, stop playing with the elevator. We need it to go up."

"Don't call me a kid!" He immediately responded sternly, "Don't take this elevator! Whatever you do!"

"Why not?"

"Something bad will happen! Something huge!"

"..."

The confused residents exchanged glances.

One person, observing the boy's hospital gown, pointed to their own head with a sympathetic expression, "Maybe there's an issue here."

Observing this, some shook their heads and turned towards the stairwell. "Forget it, let's go. It's not like we're on a high floor anyway."

The unfamiliar crowd gradually dispersed, leaving only Yu Bai and his two companions who had just arrived.

Yan Jing exclaimed in surprise, "It's Uncle Yuan!"

Confusion etched on Yu Bai's face. "Why did he still turn into a little boy?"

Xie Wufang fell silent for a moment before whispering, "This isn't the elevator."

Yu Bai almost couldn't bear to witness the absurd scene before him; he softly echoed, "Yes…."

Even if Uncle Yuan intended to use the elevator they had taken during their initial transition to attempt returning to their original timeline,

it should have been in the very elevator where the incident occurred that he would try.

Yet, this was nine days ago – the golden lift on the left, now excessively opulent, had yet to replace its nostalgic, modest silver exterior. It was currently out of service due to a malfunctioning freefall incident, rendering it unusable.

In short, what did all this have to do with the diligent and reliable lift on the right that had consistently served the residents?

It's innocent!

The young boy, who was still engrossed in tormenting the innocent elevator, suddenly heard a familiar voice and turned his head abruptly.

Upon seeing the trio standing nearby with mixed expressions, he exclaimed excitedly, "You're here too!" He was ecstatic, "I thought I was the only one who came back!"

Without hesitation, the little boy abandoned the elevator and ran towards them.

Yan Jing, standing at the forefront, saw him on the verge of tears from joy and instinctively squatted down to get a better look. "Wow, Uncle Yuan, are you about to cry? You were supposed to stay calm—"

However, the boy, charging forward, crashed into Yan Jing's arms, as if they were reuniting after a long separation.

As the boy yelled, he couldn't help but cover his forehead, "I just woke up in the hospital! Today was terrifying! ...Big guy, why is your head so hard? Is it made of stone?"

"..." Yan Jing apologized sincerely, patting his back proudly as a gesture of comfort, "Sorry, Uncle Yuan. I guess my training has been quite effective."

"What are you talking about? You trained your head too?"

"Well, it does work out some muscles in the surrounding areas, I suppose."

The pitiful elevator behind them finally managed to close its doors and began its ascent.

What a heartwarming scene.

Just a tad too absurd.

Yu Bai, watching from the sidelines, couldn't help but laugh uncontrollably.

Xie Wufang, noticing Yu Bai's amusement and the peculiar position the couple was in, pondered aloud, "What are they doing?"

"Hmm?" Following Xie Wufang's gaze, Yu Bai chuckled, "You could say... they're hugging."

"Like how you did with Aunt Yan earlier?"

Yes, just like when he accidentally hugged Aunt Yan.

...This guy really knew how to hit where it hurt!

Yu Bai responded vaguely, attempting to divert attention from his awkward moment by shifting the topic to a more serious subject of knowledge sharing.

"Hugging is a unique way for humans to express emotions – I suppose you don't have such a custom where you're from, right?"

"No."

"Well, it's quite specific to our place then." Yu Bai said with a smile. "In our country, hugging usually occurs between people who have a closer relationship."

"Closer? Like how?"

"Ah, you know, friends, family... those who hold great importance in one's life."

He spoke casually, his gaze fixed on the bickering pair beside him, failing to notice that the man next to him was listening intently.

As intently as one would study Go.

The diligent silver elevator made its rounds upstairs, finally descending with passengers who had been patiently waiting for it on the upper floors.

"Why did this elevator stay on the first floor for so long today?"

"No idea. Maybe it's broken again. Sigh, the one next to it just went out this afternoon!"

"Seriously, things keep breaking down, and the property management doesn't do anything. Someone might be intentionally damaging them."

The perplexed residents grumbled as they exited the elevator car, exchanging remarks.

A brown-haired young man with an unfazed expression, a blue-eyed mixed-race man lost in thought, a muscle-bound man laughing silently, and a hunched-over boy pretending to cough, brushed past them, entering the elevator in silence.

The elevator reached the eleventh floor, and they all headed for Room 1104.

As Yan Jing walked, he unknowingly fell in step behind Yu Bai.

"Might I really have to step in? What does her father look like?" he muttered softly, gesturing at his own arm. "Not some big guy with tattoos all over his arms, right…?"

Yu Bai had once called upon such a figure to deal with scum like this.

In reality, the man was just an ordinary-looking person one might encounter anywhere, but when it came to his daughter, he showed no familial affection or even basic empathy.

Yu Bai replied, "No, you should be able to take him down with one punch."

Yuan Yuhang glanced at Yan Jing with disdain. "You were just boasting about your skills. How can you be so timid now?"

"Oh, then Uncle Yuan, you can come along later..."

Yu Bai ignored the whispering behind him and stood in front of room 1104. He took a deep breath and knocked on the door firmly.

A normal response came from behind the door. "Who's there?"

footsteps approached, and the door opened to reveal a middle-aged man in slippers with an ordinary appearance.

Under the man's curious gaze, Yu Bai spoke first, trying to maintain some politeness. "Are you He Xi's father?"

"It's me. Who are you?"

"I'm a teacher from He Xi's class. I need to talk to her about something."

Yu Bai's excuse was half-hearted, but he knew this irresponsible father wouldn't care much.

"A teacher?" He seemed surprised. "Just a moment, please."

Then, with nonchalant indifference, he called out into the house, "He Xi, come out! Your teacher is here!"

Yu Bai could detect a faint stench of alcohol on the man, despite his seemingly sober demeanor. The unpleasant odor seemed to have permeated the very air of the room.

As He Xi's father waited for his daughter to emerge, his gaze swept across Yu Bai's face. With casual indifference, he commented, "Teachers can dye their hair? Your school's rules seem quite relaxed."

Yu Bai remained silent, his gaze drifting past the middle-aged man's head, scanning the disorderly home in search of the little girl.

Firstly, his hair color was natural. Secondly, he had no desire to engage with this scumbag.

Noticing the other three individuals behind Yu Bai, the man's eyes rolled around in thought. "Oh, not just one teacher but also a young student. Are you all here for tutoring?"

None of them bothered to respond.

The blue-eyed teacher maintained a stoic expression, while the burly teacher was eerily quiet. The short boy, on the other hand, stared at him with a guarded look on his face.

There was no reply from the daughter within the house.

In the eerie silence, the middle-aged man turned back and sighed, "She must be doing something in her room."

Then, he smiled at Yu Bai and said, "Teacher, I'll go get her."

With that, the man turned and walked into the house, his footsteps dragging lazily across the tiles, producing dull echoes.

"He Xi, hurry up and come out. Teacher is waiting for you."

Yan Jing poked his head out from behind Yu Bai and couldn't help but whisper, "What's going on? He looks rather decent—"

Before he could finish his sentence, a sudden, abrupt pounding on the door startled him.

Accompanied by it was an unusually harsh string of curses.

"What the hell are you doing in there?"

The agitated middle-aged man slammed against his daughter's door as if he had just encountered some frustration outside, "Get your ass out here right now! Don't make me say it twice!"

A frightened and childish voice echoed from behind the door, "…Sorry, Daddy! I'll come out right away!"

Yet her father didn't seem to have vented his anger. His eyes, filled with aggression, scanned the disarray around him.

In the next moment, he skillfully grabbed a clothes hanger and rapped it against the door.

Standing at the entrance, he chuckled again, urging, "Hurry up, the teacher must be waiting."

The sudden turn of events left Yu Bai and the others momentarily stunned.

There was a sound of the little girl's door creaking open. The doorknob slowly turned, and the father, standing by the door, gradually raised the clothes hanger in his hand.

The stiff rod was lightly balanced in his rough palm, tapping gently against the door with a faint, crisp sound, as if it could land on someone at any moment.

Yuan Yuhang was the first to snap back to reality.

Without hesitation, the young boy dashed forward, barking fiercely, "What do you think you're doing?!"

"To dare hit a child right in front of us—"

Upon hearing this, He Xi's father instinctively turned around. The raised clothes hanger didn't have time to descend before he saw the short, furious boy running towards him.

The door happened to swing open as the young girl, He Xi, returned from her hiding spot within the wall. Filled with fear just moments ago, she now stood in a daze, watching everything unfold before her eyes, too stunned to even blink.

A strange little boy in a striped hospital gown was charging like a cannonball towards her father, who held a clothes hanger in his hand.

Then, he collided straight into her father's legs, stumbled backward, and tumbled onto the ground with a yelp of pain.

"..."

An eerie silence hung in the air for a few seconds.

The boy, unable to budge an adult, clutched his injured forehead and, staring at the menacing clothes hanger so close by, frantically called out for help, "Comrade Little Bai, Little Xie, save me!"

Comrade Little Xie, whose expression was one of bewilderment, looked at Little Bai, utterly perplexed by the scene unfolding before them.

Little Bai, wearing an indescribable expression, covered his face and prepared to step forward to find a way to resolve the situation for the two children.

However, someone else moved faster than him.

He Xi's father, pushed back a few steps by Yuan Yuhang's impact, steadied himself and suspiciously eyed these peculiar strangers. Reflexively, he started, "You—"

The middle-aged man didn't get to finish his sentence, as a fierce and powerful fist landed precisely on his face.

With a tremendous impact, his eyes rolled back, the clothes hanger in his hand slipped uncontrollably, and he fell heavily to the ground, nearly unconscious.

Yan Jing, with his muscular build, watched him fall, effortlessly blowing on his fist and couldn't help but mimic the cool sound effect from arcade games, "KO!"

The little boy sitting on the ground was terrified, stuttering, "Y-You... You're amazing, big guy!"

"I sure am," Yan Jing said, somewhat indignant. "I've learned kickboxing, you know? I even won second place in the provincial competition!"

Then, Yan Jing questioned, "Uncle Yuan, why didn't you call me just now?"

"..." Yuan Yuhang said in disbelief, "Who asked you to look like a coward! I thought you were very timid, always hiding behind Little Bai!"

"I am timid!" Yan Jing replied matter-of-factly. "But that scumbag just tried to hit a child. Even I can't tolerate that!"

"Well, yes, but your punch was so sudden, I had no time to prepare. Oh my, you scared me to death! Where's my medicine –"

Yu Bai silently gave Yan Jing a thumbs up and calmly walked past the commotion to He Xi's side.

Kneeling down before the wide-eyed little girl, Yu Bai met her gaze evenly and asked softly, "Are you alright?"

Her large, contrasting black and white eyes stared at him in a daze.

He Xi, who had been afraid of him that morning in the elevator, didn't instinctively dodge away this time.

She replied timidly but firmly, "I'm... I'm fine."

So Yu Bai employed the gentlest demeanor he had ever shown in his life to explain the bizarre day to her, "Do you remember? We met in the elevator this morning, the golden one..."

But the little girl took the initiative, "I remember, I... I know that time has gone back nine days."

Yu Bai was slightly taken aback and paused in his speech.

He Xi's voice was small, still timid, but resolute, "I know I've gone back in time because I can hide in the wall again."

She glanced back at the wall in the room, her eyes quietly sweeping over the familiar home.

The fallen clothes hanger on the floor, her father, who could no longer hit her, lying aside... and the four strangers who had suddenly appeared in their house.

Time seemed to flow backward inexplicably after they emerged from that golden elevator.

The little girl's clear, bright eyes reflected this dreamlike scenery before her.

"I know these aren't things that should have happened," she said, gazing at the gentle-eyed brown-haired big brother in front of her. Finally, she cautiously blinked her eyes.

When she opened them again, the scene remained the same—it wasn't an illusion.

"Who are you?" the little girl asked with teary eyes, careful in her tone. "Are you... gods?"