Chapter 26

Jiang Xiaoyuan locked the store door again in a state of confusion and followed Qilian away.

In terms of calculation, she only knew about someone like Qilian, who seemed to have emerged out of thin air. Jiang Xiaoyuan had no idea what this person did, what their family background was, or how they were related to those who were stuck in the gap between two time and space.

They were like two unrelated signals, but unfortunately, a strange wave collided with each other, forcing them to share the same bizarre plot.

Jiang Xiaoyuan doesn't know the details of Qilian, so of course she can't trust him. But whether she believes it or not, there are some things and secrets that no one else can say except for him.

Qilian drove her to a well decorated restaurant where there were many booths and good privacy. Sitting together and talking didn't have to worry about being heard by others.

If it were in normal times, Jiang Xiaoyuan would definitely not miss this opportunity to have a big meal, but unfortunately she is not in the mood right now.

The two of them casually placed something, and Qilian restarted her phone in front of her: "Can I take a look at that text message

Jiang Xiaoyuan made a casual gesture at him.

Anyway, there is no privacy on her phone, and she has never sent a text message to anyone - Mingguang's sudden disturbance dragged Jiang Xiaoyuan out of her hypocritical numbness. When she examined her life, she realized that her intersection with this time and space was still pitifully small. Her relatives were far away in her hometown, and they had never met before. They only called once every ten and a half days, mostly just for simple greetings, with nothing to say.

As for the others, apart from the colleagues in the store whom she couldn't see looking up or down, she only knew one Qilian and one Zhang family member.

The Zhang family owes her money, and it's too late to avoid her, so they won't proactively contact her.

She owes Qilian money and never disturbs her except for repaying it.

It's not that simple to blend into a strange time and space, no matter how she self hypnotizes herself, she already belongs here.

Qilian finished reading it completely, pondered for a moment, and returned her phone: "What's going on? What did you see in the hair salon? Is it convenient for you to tell me

Jiang Xiaoyuan lowered her head and looked at the lemonade in the restaurant glass. In fact, she didn't want to say a word. She confessed too much in front of strangers and felt ashamed to think about it.

However, her words betrayed her will, and before she could react, she had already revealed everything in detail.

She has been holding back for too long.

Qilian didn't interrupt her and listened silently from beginning to end.

Actually, before coming out in the evening, Qilian was not too worried about the situation here. In his opinion, since Jiang Xiaoyuan already knew the truth about Mingguang, she naturally wouldn't want to go back and seek death. It was only when it was getting dark that she suddenly felt a little uneasy. With a sense of responsibility, she came to confirm if she was safe and sound. Unexpectedly, the virus was even more persistent than he had imagined.

Upon careful consideration, it is indeed true. If the virus in the lighthouse was so easy to deal with, how could so many people have been tricked by him over the years? Xu Jingyang told him that different times and spaces do not overlap - for example, Jiang Xiaoyuan, who has been here for fifty days, may only have one thousandth of a second in the original time and space. Qilian has no way of judging how many years the virus has lived under the identity of different people.

Probably enough for him to become an old fairy.

Qilian: "I think you really have some luck

Jiang Xiaoyuan looked at him in confusion.

Qilian put down her chopsticks and wiped her mouth. "To be honest, if you hadn't figured out what you wanted until you got here, maybe he would have made you color blind, or else you might have gone blind. Who are you going to reason with

Jiang Xiaoyuan thought about the fate of others and shuddered a bit.

Qilian: "I won't say much else, but if you really want to take your own path and plan to learn painting or photography, I can afford it. I think you're a bit stuck in a corner - if you just want to find your old life, you don't necessarily have to go back to your past time

He still holds this view, and Jiang Xiaoyuan doesn't know how much money Qilian owes Xu Jingyang. She said weakly, "I told you

Qilian raised her hand and interrupted her, "You refuse to accept my help because you may have had better conditions and strong self-esteem in the past, and were unwilling to accept favors from others. However, it may be a bit offensive for me to say this, after all, we are not familiar with each other. Don't be angry

Jiang Xiaoyuan said, "It's okay. I don't have the energy to get angry today

Qilian restrained her somewhat cold demeanor and spoke as gently as possible, "But even if you were to return to your own time and space, wouldn't you still rely on your parents and family

Jiang Xiaoyuan: "..."

She was choked up in her chest by Qilian's words, but had no way to refute them - because he was right.

If she were a towering and successful person who could command the wind and rain anywhere, and suddenly encountered such a bizarre experience of time and space transition, she might feel uneasy, but after getting used to it for a few days, she would know that there was nothing special about it. At most, she would just go back to before liberation once, or maybe start over again. Anyway, after getting to know each other again and again, she wouldn't have to die alone in a small barber shop in despair.

Jiang Xiaoyuan let out a sigh of relief, feeling like she was stuck on the soft sofa chair in the restaurant like mud. After a moment of silence, she reluctantly admitted, "Hmm, that's what happened

It's just that over there are her own parents, and she doesn't feel grateful when using it, she just feels more at ease.

Qilian: "The help I promised will be effective in the long run

Jiang Xiaoyuan frowned and looked at the man across from her with a hint of hesitation, "Why are you helping me like this... us

Qilian lifted her head and met her gaze. Jiang Xiaoyuan's gaze was simple and straightforward, perhaps due to her large eyes. Nothing could be hidden inside, and any hint of joy, anger, sadness, or happiness would fall out.

He used to think it was best not to have any relationship with her, as no one knew her background. He helped her settle down, meet her survival needs, and let her live her life steadfastly. But now it seems that it may not be that simple.

He may need to be prepared for a prolonged battle with that virus that has an indomitable spirit.

Qilian took a deep breath, slightly changed his sitting posture, turned his head, as if seriously considering where to start, and finally chose the most straightforward and straightforward entry point to express his feelings: "Xu Jingyang's leg was hit by me

Jiang Xiaoyuan: "..."

There was a moment of silence between the two of them, separated by a delicate dining table. After several long breaths, Jiang Xiaoyuan finally snapped out of shock and said, "... ah

Her bewildered tone seemed to give Qilian a signal, as his crossed fingers changed direction several times, and his restrained emotions were rarely revealed.

Qilian spoke in a low voice, "It was ten years ago. I encountered something that day and drove home in frustration. That road was usually deserted, and it was nighttime. My car was driving very fast... I happened to pass by a sidewalk without traffic lights. By the time I saw someone, it was too late to brake

Jiang Xiaoyuan asked cautiously, "Have you been drinking

Qilian shook his head.

Jiang Xiaoyuan pursed her lips and said, "So... you can't take drugs anymore, can you

Qilian glanced at her and lowered her voice even more softly, as if afraid of scaring her: "I was stabbed in the leg and went numb. I didn't press the brake for a moment

Jiang Xiaoyuan: "..."

I don't know if her expression was a bit frightened, but Qilian quickly explained, "No, no, you don't have to be afraid. I don't bite anymore

Jiang Xiaoyuan took a sip of saliva and struggled to find her voice: 'Then what?'

Qilian's gaze slowly fell on the water cup, as if reminiscing something. After a while, he continued, "I saw someone hit me and quickly got out of the car. I found that the person was still angry, so I didn't dare to touch him. I quickly called someone to take him to the hospital... Later on, I remembered that when I was guarding him in place, I was a little dazed for a few seconds. I thought I was too panicked all along. Later, I found out that Xu Jingyang from another time and space was replaced at that time

Jiang Xiaoyuan instinctively immersed herself in the situation at that time, unconsciously spinning the glass in her hand three times in a row.

Qilian couldn't help but ask, "Don't you have anything to say

Jiang Xiaoyuan regained her senses and blurted out, "When he opened his eyes in this world, not only did he find that his legs were gone, but he also endured a long time of pain

Qilian didn't expect her to think of this. She hesitated for a moment, took a half beat, and then nodded.

Jiang Xiaoyuan: "I've heard people say that when someone has just had an amputation, they have a hallucination that the severed part still grows on their body... Is it true

Qilian remained silent.

Oh, okay, "Jiang Xiaoyuan realized she was a bit off topic and quickly got back to the point." What happened later

Qilian: "Since it was me who bumped into someone, of course we need to compensate. At first, I planned to compensate him, but later I found out that his family was not short of money, so I had to do everything I could. Whenever I had time, I went to see and do what I could. He didn't blame me - maybe he put my account on the virus head in the Lamp Tower together? Later, we got to know each other by chance... My life was quite chaotic during that time, and he influenced me a lot

Jiang Xiaoyuan has basically confirmed Qilian - at least the former Qilian was not a good citizen. She didn't have time to inquire in person, so she had to ask indirectly, "What did it affect you

Qilian gave her a half smile, as if she had seen through her little trick of circling around, but kindly did not expose it.

Qilian: "Didn't Maslow say that people have many levels of needs, the lowest of which is survival? You have to eat and wear warm clothes, otherwise it will be very uncomfortable. After eating and wearing warm clothes, you will also demand your own safety, a sense of belonging, and respect from others. When everything is satisfied, you also need to achieve self actualization

This is all clich é s, quoted all day on TV and in tabloids. Jiang Xiaoyuan is no stranger to it. After being stunned for a moment, she nodded.

Qilian: "We all have no worries about food and clothing

Jiang Xiaoyuan couldn't help but interrupt him, "You have no worries about food and clothing, creditor

Qilian smiled and said, "At that time, I thought I had money and free time, and could just hang out and play around in the world. But Xu Jingyang told me that it's not true. When you satisfy your low-level needs, don't go higher, and think you're spoiling yourself, it's actually against human nature. It's like intentionally not letting yourself eat enough and wear warm clothes... Like how girls sometimes go on a diet to lose weight, it's really uncomfortable when they don't eat, right? They're weak and irritable, and even want to gnaw on the wall when they see it

Jiang Xiaoyuan blinked hard when she heard this kind of argument for the first time.

After a while, she came to her senses and said, "After the expiration of fifty days, he stayed in this world for over three months

Um, "Qilian nodded

It is rare for a car accident victim to give property to the perpetrator.

His intention was for me to take care of him, and if someone like him appeared in the future, he would entrust me to take care of him. Well, you know what happened later. I searched for him for a long time, but there was no clue until I received a text message from an empty number asking me to go see the garbage sorter

Qilian picked up the teapot on the table and refilled half a cup of water for her, saying, "So you don't have to bear any burden, nor do you have to accept my affection. It was all arranged by Xu Jingyang. He didn't do it entirely for you, he did it to kill the virus. In this regard, we are all on the same boat... Hmm, you understand