Chapter Ten: A Life Without Her

1. The Weight of an Empty Future

Lin Ge walked away from the train station.

The world looked the same. The city was still alive with movement—cars passing by, neon lights flickering, people laughing in the distance.

But to him, it felt empty.

The past had been rewritten.

The loop had returned.

And Qiu Qian no longer knew him.

He had saved the lost souls. Given them a second chance.

But in doing so, he had erased the one person he loved most.

Lin Ge's steps felt heavier with each passing moment.

What was he supposed to do now?

Start over? Pretend none of it had happened?

Or was he meant to wander through this timeline as a stranger, knowing that the life he once had was now unreachable?

He clenched his fists.

No.

He couldn't just accept this.

There had to be a way—some way—to find her again.

Even if she didn't remember him.

Even if he had to start all over.

Even if it meant breaking the rules of fate once more.

Because he had already lost her once.

And he wasn't sure if he could bear to lose her again.

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2. The First Meeting—Again

The bookstore was small, hidden in the corner of a quiet street.

Lin Ge stood outside, staring through the glass window.

Inside, Qiu Qian sat behind the counter, flipping through a book.

She looked the same—the same girl he had fallen in love with, the same girl he had fought to protect through endless loops of time.

But when he stepped inside, her eyes lifted to his—

And there was no recognition.

Lin Ge's heart ached.

But he forced himself to smile.

"Hi," he said.

Qiu Qian blinked, tilting her head slightly. "Can I help you?"

Her voice.

Familiar, yet foreign.

Lin Ge hesitated. His entire body was screaming at him to say something—anything that would make her remember.

But he knew it wouldn't work.

The past they had shared was gone.

If he wanted her back in his life—he had to start from the beginning.

Lin Ge swallowed hard.

"…I was just passing by," he lied. "This place looked interesting."

Qiu Qian gave him a polite smile. "Feel free to look around."

That was it.

No warmth. No familiarity.

Just a simple conversation between two strangers.

Lin Ge forced himself to turn away, pretending to browse the shelves.

His hands clenched into fists.

This was going to be harder than he thought.

But he wasn't giving up.

Not yet.

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3. The Echoes of the Past

Days passed.

Lin Ge kept coming back. Not too often—just enough to not seem suspicious.

He would buy a book, make small talk, try to see if anything sparked in her memory.

But nothing did.

No matter how many times they spoke, she was still just Qiu Qian, the bookstore owner—nothing more, nothing less.

And yet—

There were moments.

Moments where she would tilt her head in confusion, as if something about him felt familiar.

Moments where she would pause mid-sentence, staring at him with a flicker of something in her eyes—a memory just out of reach.

Lin Ge held onto those moments.

Because they were all he had left.

But deep inside, a question haunted him.

Even if he managed to stay in her life—

Would she ever truly remember?

Or was he chasing a love that no longer existed?

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4. A Truth He Couldn't Ignore

One evening, Lin Ge found himself standing in front of the bookstore long after it had closed.

The street was quiet. The neon sign above the shop flickered softly.

Inside, Qiu Qian was tidying up, humming to herself.

She looked… happy.

At peace.

Lin Ge swallowed hard.

She had moved on.

She didn't need the past.

Didn't need him.

Maybe this was fate's way of telling him to let go.

Maybe she was better off not remembering.

Maybe…

He was the only one who couldn't move on.

The realization hit him like a knife to the chest.

For so long, he had fought against time itself.

Now, for the first time, he had a choice.

To stay. To try and make her love him again.

Or—

To walk away.

To leave her to the future she deserved.

To finally set her free.

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5. The Final Goodbye

The next day, Lin Ge walked into the bookstore one last time.

Qiu Qian looked up and smiled. "You're back."

Lin Ge forced himself to smile. "Yeah."

But this time—

There was something different in his eyes.

Something Qiu Qian couldn't quite place.

She tilted her head. "Are you okay?"

Lin Ge hesitated.

Then, in a quiet voice, he said:

"I just wanted to say thank you."

Qiu Qian blinked. "For what?"

"For everything."

She frowned slightly. "I don't understand."

Lin Ge exhaled.

And for the first time—

He let go of the hope that she would ever remember.

Because it wasn't fair.

Not to her.

Not to him.

It was time to stop chasing the past.

Lin Ge smiled gently. "Take care, Qiu Qian."

And before she could respond—

He turned and walked away.

This time, he didn't look back.

Because for the first time in forever—

He was finally moving forward.

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