Extra Chapter Two: If Timeline
***
The sound of pencils scratching on paper and pages turning filled her ears.
“—There are fifteen minutes left until the end of the exam. Students, please manage your time wisely.”
Jiang Siyi was woken up by this announcement.
Dazed, she raised her head and looked around. When her eyes met Fu Jing’s, who was sitting at the podium, her first reaction was:
She was dreaming again.
In the past few years, she often “dreamed back to high school,” even though she was already in her twenties, she was still trapped in her dreams, buried under a pile of math problems.
So scary.
So Jiang Siyi immediately lowered her head, chanting in her heart like a self-hypnosis, “Wake up, wake up…”
Half a piece of chalk flew over the heads of countless students and landed accurately on her arm.
Along with Fu Jing’s roar: “Jiang Siyi! How long are you going to sleep?”
She finally snapped back to reality.
Picking up the chalk, her fingertips were covered in white dust. Jiang Siyi stared at it blankly for a few seconds, then slowly raised her head and looked forward.
Fu Jing tapped her ever-present thermos cup on the podium, making a dull and harsh sound.
“Xu Yuan, don’t think you can get away with it. Where are you looking?”
“Ning Lan, cover your answer sheet properly.”
It was strangely real.
No matter how much she pinched herself, it was useless. And she was being stared at by Fu Jing’s sharp eyes. Jiang Siyi had no choice but to pick up her pen and start writing, something she hadn’t done in a long time.
The bell rang, signaling the end of the exam.
The last subject of the final exam was over, and the classroom instantly became noisy. The class representative was handing out summer homework. Amidst the commotion, the desks were soon piled high with various exercises.
“Bao-jie went to the office, quick, let’s run.” Xu Yuan saw the opportunity and rushed over in two or three steps, “A new ice cream shop opened in the business district, buy one get one free today, it’s a great deal…”
When she saw the girl quietly organizing her exam papers, she was surprised: “Are you sick?”
Jiang Siyi, who was acting on instinct, paused. After reacting, she immediately stood up, seeming to have something urgent to do: “No, I have to go home first.”
The situation was too unusual, she had to try to find Shen Shiwu.
Shen Shiwu……
Right.
What’s the date today?
“June 28th,” Xu Yuan saw her expression and muttered, “Oh no, she’s really lost it.”
“Which milk tea shop owes you wages? Let’s go, I’ll help you get justice today.”
Jiang Siyi sat back down.
She clearly remembered that the day she met Shen Shiwu was July 3rd.
In other words.
The “plot” hadn’t reached that point yet.
Under Xu Yuan’s worried gaze, Jiang Siyi let out a long sigh. Finally, she tossed the papers into her desk drawer and stood up: “Let’s go, time to collect some debts.”
***
Time travel had its pros and cons.
Right now, Jiang Siyi, having taken off her school uniform jacket, was here to seek her first “pro”—to settle the score with the shop manager again.
It was a workday, and the shop was unusually empty, with no customers at all. The employees were new and didn’t recognize Jiang Siyi. Seeing the two girls, they assumed they wanted to order:
“Hello, what would you like to drink?”
“Is your manager here today?”
The employee was taken aback, but still replied, “He’ll be here in the evening. What’s the matter?”
Jiang Siyi, with her school bag slung over one shoulder, was back to her old unruly self. She scoffed, “Yes, there’s a matter.”
“What time will he be here?”
“Around four or five… If you have something urgent, should I call him?”
The employee was very polite and didn’t treat them differently because they were students. Jiang Siyi calmed down a bit and nodded, “Please do.”
Ding dong.
Someone entered the shop.
Jiang Siyi turned her head and saw a middle-aged man, covered in fat, with a cigarette in his mouth, shouting into his phone, “Hello, I’m here, who’s looking for me?”
The moment their eyes met, the man said impatiently, “Why are you here again? I told you I’d pay you the month after next, don’t be so pushy.”
“Why don’t you just die and then pay me?” Jiang Siyi threw her school bag on the ground, rushed into the kitchen, and grabbed a fruit knife, “If I don’t see my three thousand five hundred yuan today,”
She sneered, “I suggest you buy some insurance.”
A blatant threat.
The manager was obviously a little flustered.
But he still put on a brave face: “Can’t you wait a few more months? The shop’s finances are tight right now, I can’t help it.”
“Can’t help it? You have money for drinking and smoking, but not for paying wages?” After saying that, Jiang Siyi tested the knife’s weight, felt it was too light, and went back in to get a cleaver.
As they were in a stalemate, someone suddenly stood up from a corner of the shop.
The footsteps were steady and light. Jiang Siyi was busy collecting her debt and didn’t notice at first. When she realized something was off behind her, the knife was easily taken from her hand.
A voice, all too familiar, fell from above. Jiang Siyi turned around abruptly.
“Little friend, it’s best not to play with knives.”
Hearing this term, the now-adult Jiang Siyi finally realized that this was directed at her.
“Shen…”
“You called my name?”
These words fell into Jiang Siyi’s ears, causing her to frown. “You don’t remember me?”
Seeing Shen Shiwu shake her head, Jiang Siyi’s legs went weak, and she almost collapsed—what kind of messed up place was this? Could someone please send her back!
“So, what happened between you two just now?” The woman asked, seeing her pale face.
After all, she was facing a familiar face and aura, and Jiang Siyi’s voice was tinged with grievance. She pointed at the manager: “He owes me wages!”
“I’ll definitely pay you the month after next, really.”
For some reason, Jiang Siyi felt that the man was afraid when facing Shen Shiwu. Hearing his response, she wanted to rush into the kitchen again to get a knife: “If you don’t pay me today, I’ll wreck your shop…”
Xu Yuan, beside her, also chimed in to support her: “No one will have a good time!”
It had been years since she had last been a “rebellious teenager,” but Jiang Siyi slipped back into the role with ease. After saying that, she immediately turned around, but before she could take a step—
Someone tapped her on the head.
Just as she was about to turn around and act out, Shen Shiwu blocked her path completely. As they faced each other, Jiang Siyi thought angrily.
Not only did she not help, but she’s also causing trouble. Even if they were strangers, this wasn’t how you act.
She started to get cold feet. “Get out of the way.”
Seeing that the person didn’t move, Jiang Siyi suddenly understood.
How evil.
They must be in cahoots.
But the next moment, Shen Shiwu suddenly scoffed, “Owes you wages.”
Then she reprimanded the middle-aged man, “As a manager, is this how you treat your employees?”
“N-no, there’s a reason. Business has been bad lately, and we’re having cash flow problems…”
“I see,” Shen Shiwu casually tossed the cleaver onto the table and nodded thoughtfully, “Alright, since there are already problems, let’s make things even worse.”
She smiled slightly, sending shivers down people’s spines.
“I’ll have the termination of investment contract drawn up and sent over by tomorrow afternoon.”
“!”
The manager panicked completely.
He clasped his hands together, begging sincerely, “I’ll pay the wages today, no, not today… right now!”
He quickly took out his phone and transferred the money to Jiang Siyi on the spot.
“The wages are three thousand five, I’ll add another five hundred, four thousand in total.” Then he turned to Shen Shiwu, “I’m sorry, President Shen, I swear this will never happen again. Please, be merciful and let me off this time.”
The man’s groveling was so comical that Jiang Siyi, after confirming she received the money, started to cover her mouth and snicker.
It was only when Shen Shiwu glanced at her that she composed herself a little.
“…Just laugh if you want to.”
Jiang Siyi sniffled, “Oh.”
Seeing that her expression had softened, the manager pleaded again, “President Shen…”
“Quiet,” Shen Shiwu clicked her tongue, “You’re so noisy.”
With the matter resolved, the woman turned to leave, leaving behind a decisive silhouette. But as she took a step, Jiang Siyi saw her chance and, imitating her, quickly blocked her path.
“Aren’t you even a little curious about how I know your name?”
Shen Shiwu said casually, “Many people know my name. Should I ask each of them one by one?”
“……”
Seeing that the other person was about to walk past her and out of the shop, Jiang Siyi, in a moment of desperation, shouted in front of everyone, “Shen Shiwu!”
The woman had no choice but to stop.
Seeing her turn her head in confusion, Jiang Siyi squeezed out a few tears and grabbed two tissues. She delicately dabbed her eyes, as if holding a fine silk handkerchief, and said softly, “You’ve been out playing long enough.”
“Remember… to come home often.”
Under the shocked gazes of everyone.
Shen Shiwu: “?”
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