**Chapter 46: Gu Xinian’s Diary**
Half past one in the morning, outskirts of Huacheng.
The bright moon travels through the clouds, with silver-white moonlight spilling like water, revealing the magnificent and elegant silhouette of an ancient mansion hidden in the night.
The night is tranquil; in the courtyard behind the iron gate, blooming hibiscus flowers are dazzling and dripping with sweetness. The central fountain’s water flows gently, and the griffin stone sculptures on either side seem spirited. The air carries a scent of fresh grass, faintly mingled with a hint of osmanthus fragrance.
Under the soft glow of the night lights, a girl in a white dress walks lightly along the pebble-paved path.
She passes through the garden, accompanied by the soft tinkling of wind chimes, and enters the mansion through a side door.
Though the decor inside the mansion differs from her memories, the girl seems particularly familiar with the vast structure, ascending to the top floor along the staircase and entering a bedroom with a large balcony.
“Click!”
With the soft sound of a switch being pressed, the room is illuminated.
Under the bright lights, the house is decorated mainly in pastel pink, warm white, and light gray colors, full of a girlish aura. On the exquisite princess bed is a fluffy velvet blanket; the girl falls onto the bed, her body sinking into it.
With her eyes closed, she breathes in the faint, fragrant air, feeling with her body and soul those details invisible to the n*ked eye, and then her lips unconsciously curve into a slight smile, her face filled with happiness.
“It’s so real!” the girl whispers in a voice only she can hear, “just like it’s really happening…”
As she speaks, she stands up and strolls into the half-open wardrobe in the corner of the room, stopping in front of the full-length mirror.
Under the light, the well-crafted full-length mirror reflects her figure.
In the mirror, the girl has long, glossy black hair casually cascading down, a pure white oval face, like one sculpted from white jade. Her straight and beautiful nose leads to cherry-tinted lips; her snow-white jawline is graceful.
A pair of sea-blue eyes shine like gemstones; her eyes bloom like peach flowers, enchanting and delicate.
Her slender body is dressed in a pure white silk camisole nightgown, rounded shoulders with skin as smooth as milk, and her elegantly contoured collarbone seems to ferment a thousand plum wines, pure and ethereal, yet intoxicating.
Her exquisite legs extend from under the hem of her dress, long and straight, bare feet resting on the ground, with pink toes exuding a hint of cuteness.
“My father is successful in his career and upright, my mother is talented and virtuous, and although I can be stubborn at times, I’m still relatively pure and kind…”
“A harmonious and happy family? Heh!”
Jiang Li looks at herself in the mirror, her appearance unadulterated by various experiments and spirit patterns, scoffing lightly, then letting out a heavy, silent sigh.
If there were no urban legends, no journey to make dreams come true, perhaps she would really have become that way?
But alas, all of it is fake.
Life cannot start over; some things, once they happen, cannot change their endings.
It’s like a clean, tidy white sheet of paper that’s been crumpled, torn to shreds, and drenched in ink. After being completely destroyed, it can still be returned to a clean state by various means.
But it will never be the same as it once was.
Perhaps some people, even most people, when faced with the chance to start life over and traverse the remainder of their days on the most beautiful trajectory, would throw themselves into it recklessly, even knowing it is fake.
But Jiang Li will not.
What is, is. She is very good at restraining her emotions and doesn’t like to deceive herself.
When she awakens from her slumber and carefully explores the Amber Hall, she unhesitatingly chooses to believe that segment of memory from the “dream.”
As if the influx of memories, along with the rules of this special space, had no effect on her whatsoever.
Jiang Li quietly gazes at her reflection in the mirror, as if partaking in a silent farewell.
Then, she closes her eyes.
In the silence, her brain races, processing the vast amounts of information, forcefully stripping away all irrelevant and false data.
It feels as if a horrific wound has been cut into her soul, or like a cold steel nail brutally driven into her brow, stirring fiercely.
The pain is enough to cause someone to faint instantly, engulfing her consciousness, stabbing at her nerves.
Her body slightly convulses, beads of sweat appearing on her forehead.
In a daze, she sees a girl drifting away from her.
That was the Jiang Li with living parents, the Jiang Li who grew up in a greenhouse, the Jiang Li whom people called “Little Queen,” the outwardly strong yet inwardly fragile Jiang Li…
But none of that is the real Jiang Li.
“Though it’s a beautiful dream, it’s time to wake up now…”
Murmuring to herself, Jiang Li suddenly opens her eyes, her formerly enchanting gaze turned icy as steel.
Like an illusion, she hears the sound of something shattering, countless lights and shadows flitting through the depths of her eyes.
Dreams and illusions dissipate entirely.
“Whoosh—!”
With a look of fatigue, Jiang Li slowly exhales a breath of turbid air, calms herself, and then begins to search around the room, soon locating the 【Zhuyan Modification Spell Formula Mask】.
When the sun rises, she’ll go find that guy…
Thinking of Luxianbei, Jiang Li’s delicate fingers unintentionally tighten around the mask, her cold eyes holding both warmth and disdain.
After such a long time, he still hasn’t pierced through the illusion; that guy’s will truly is weak.
She’s quite curious about what kind of beautiful dream could make him so indecisive. Jiang Li thought.
————
“d*mn! Really? That fast?” Wang Meili looked at the resolute photo of Jiang Li in her hand, unable to contain her surprise.
One hour, thirty-one minutes, and seven seconds.
Jiang Li broke the record for the fastest time spent recognizing one’s true self among those who entered the special space.
The second-longest time took a full ten days.
“Is she even human? But can human will truly be this steadfast?”
This girl is capable and assertive, works decisively, and knows very well what she wants and doesn’t want.
Most importantly, her will is so steadfast it’s almost like a heartless machine.
“Being with a girl like this, wouldn’t Luxianbei be completely dominated and bullied? That’s too pitiful,” Wang Meili muttered to herself.
She began to dislike the girl a bit.
Compared to such a fierce girl, she felt that Nanling Yaohua or that silly girl would be more suitable for Luxianbei.
However, disliking her doesn’t mean she would interfere with either Luxianbei or Jiang Li.
Wang Meili’s dislike of Jiang Li has nothing to do with Luxianbei.
“Tsk, forget it, anyway, if they do end up getting married, it’s not me who will suffer,” Wang Meili sneered, tucking the photo into her jacket pocket.
Some say that to achieve complete harmony in a mother-in-law-daughter-in-law relationship, one must be dead.
Coincidentally, she, Wang Meili, is the dead one!
————
At three twenty in the morning, inside the teaching staff’s compound.
“Bang—!”
Luxianbei slammed his phone down, banging a fist on the table. “d*mn it, I was supposed to seriously research Gu Xinian’s diary! How did I accidentally fall back into distraction again?”
But upon careful reflection.
Some bosses can pause time, some can reverse time, and some can erase time…
Given my talent for wasting time, don’t you think I could completely become a boss?
Luxianbei thought, snorting, regaining his focus, turning up the desk lamp, and flipping open the notebook wrapped in rubber.
【September 1
Starting today, I am a fifth-grade student. Dad told me to maintain the good habit of writing in a diary.
What should I write about today?
Hmm, my little sister is so cute!】
“I think your little sister is adorable too…” Luxianbei mused sarcastically, unable to suppress his comments.
“Seriously, what a mess!”
“I risk being caught by the Seek Truth Mutual Aid Society and attacked by monsters, and what do I end up bringing out? A useless diary of a little girl obsessed with her sister?”
Calming himself, he patiently continued flipping through a few more pages.
【September 14
After a weekend, returning to school, my classmates have all become very strange.
They whisper and gossip behind my back.
Wang Xiaobao won’t play with me anymore.】
Wang Xiaobao? Why does that name sound so familiar? Luxianbei frowned and quickly flipped forward a few pages.
【October 1
Vacation, went out to find playmates, but when everyone saw me, they all ran away.
They seem to be scared of me, but their gazes towards me are also fearful.
I’ve seen that kind of gaze before; last time, when a mouse scurried out in class, the teacher looked at the mouse like that.】
【October 12
This evening after school, a few middle school students stopped me and beat me up; they turned me into a panda with black eyes.
One tall middle school student warned me to stay away from his younger brother.
They said my father is a madman, so I’m a little mad too.】
【October 17
For several consecutive days after school, there have been people stopping me and bullying me.
Some, like those middle school students before, call me a little madman; others don’t say anything but directly hit me, and some even throw rotten vegetable leaves at me.
They can bully me, but they can’t bully my sister.
I fought with them, and got…】
【October 18
Dad got me excused from school, saying I shouldn’t go for a while.
These past few days, Dad has been going out early and returning late, seemingly preparing for something big with his work buddies.
I don’t understand much.】
Pausing here, Luxianbei took a sip of water, feeling a bit sympathetic towards Gu Xiliu.
Gu Xiliu was only around eleven or twelve at the time; she probably didn’t understand the workings of the Seek Truth Mutual Aid Society and didn’t know that her classmates discriminated against her because her dad was involved in a cult.
【November 7
Today, Uncle Wang came to visit us, bringing Wang Xiaobao to apologize.
Today I learned that the reason everyone bullied me was because Wang Xiaobao had been badmouthing me and my dad behind my back.
Wang Xiaobao, I F*CK your ancestors! I F*CK your ancestors!】
“Pfft—! Cough cough cough!”
Seeing this, Luxianbei couldn’t swallow the water in his mouth in time, and it sprayed out, triggering a violent coughing fit.
“Goodness, so it’s you! No wonder Wang Xiaobao sounded so familiar!”
【December 12
Today, my father suddenly told me that my sister might be leaving for a while.
He told me to obey and not to worry about my sister.
But where is my sister going?】
【December 13
Something major happened at the lime factory where my mom works; a tall chimney collapsed.
The lime factory caught fire, and my mom was injured and hospitalized.
I originally wanted to bring my sister to see mom in the hospital, but my sister has disappeared.】
【January 5
My sister hasn’t returned; will she never come back?】
……
Luxianbei continued to flip through Gu Xinian’s diary, and for a long while, the content turned into simple daily entries with a hint of loneliness, occasionally mentioning his sister, but only in passing.
Thus, the timeline in the diary passed nearly two years before useful information reemerged.
【February 3
Father suddenly told me he would take me and mom to find my sister.
I was very happy, so happy I couldn’t sleep; at night, I heard strange noises downstairs.
I leaned over to the window and saw many uncles and aunts bustling around in the yard; Dad seemed to be among them.】
【January 7……】
“Hmm? How can it go from February to January, this elementary student wouldn’t… wait!”
Looking at the contents of the diary, Luxianbei’s expression gradually became serious.
If Gu Xinian didn’t make a mistake, then the time showed such a change, which means he paused his diary and resumed writing after a year, or even many years.
Luxianbei thought, flipping back a few pages, and found that several consecutive pages were dated January, with the handwriting looking a bit prettier than before, confirming his suspicion. He flipped back to the entry dated January 7.
【January 7
I finally understand what happened that day!
Our family accidentally caused the d*ath of Gu Qiqi’s parents while coming to this world to find my sister.
What should I do? Just thinking about this, I feel a chill when I see Gu Qiqi.】
“Ah, this… tsk—!” Luxianbei took a deep breath, “Gu Xinian is indeed not as honest as he appears!”
He made her parents d*e and then pretended to be her uncle raising her?
Just thinking about how Gu Qiqi lived alongside the murderer of her parents, seeing them daily and treating them as family made Luxianbei feel a chill run down his spine.
If Gu Qiqi is smart enough to discover her uncle’s family “secret,” what would happen?
Would she be killed to silence her? Luxianbei wondered.
【April 12
When Dad came home, he was drenched in bl**d, soaking his clothes.
He said he was targeted by a group of people who call themselves Siye Association Operatives and that he probably could no longer stay in this world.
I asked him if we could go back.
He told me we could, but it would take time to prepare.
I asked him about Gu Qiqi, and he was silent for a long time, then said, “We can’t take her with us…”】
Luxianbei continued to flip a page, and when he saw a name mentioned on the next page, he suddenly froze in place.
【April 14
A man named Lu Ming came to our house.
He said he could help us…】
