Category: My Girlfriend is a Cold and Aloof Sickly Beauty

Chapter 5: Intersection

The young woman in white with the high ponytail carried a black backpack. As she walked, a string of colorful charms hanging from it made a pleasant rustling sound.

Amidst the surrounding cacophony, she was like a secluded island, quietly relaxing her body a moment ago, now walking briskly, humming an unfamiliar tune, striding forward.

…Like a little deer.

By the time Xiao Luohan came to her senses, she was already following the young woman.

Because of her frail health, her feet had never been bound. Unburdened by physical limitations in the dream, she quickly caught up.

The young woman stopped at a food stall, accepting a dark purple object from a busy middle-aged woman. She unwrapped it and took a bite, a look of contentment spreading across her face.

A red light ahead turned green. The young woman, eating her food, joined the crowd crossing the white-striped road to the other side.

Xiao Luohan followed closely, her gaze fixed on the young woman, afraid of losing sight of her if she looked away.

A princess had never tailed anyone before; this was a first.

But she had to understand what this dream meant, and whether something awaited her up ahead.

She crossed the street with the young woman, then quickened her pace, circling around to get in front of her.

—The young woman’s face came into clear view.

Unlike the noblewomen Xiao Luohan usually interacted with, this young woman wore no makeup, her eyebrows unpainted. Her features were delicate. As she ate, her long, dark eyelashes fluttered like the blossoms of a silk tree in the breeze.

Xiao Luohan stared, transfixed. By the time she reacted, the young woman had reached her. In the next second, she passed right through Xiao Luohan, continuing on her way.

…As if passing through a ghost.

They were so close, yet destined to never truly interact.

Even so, Xiao Luohan continued to follow her.

Soon, sharp iron bars came into view.

Inside the fence, close by, the evergreen branches of camphor trees reached outwards. In the distance stood a pale golden building, its walls emblazoned with eight large crimson characters:

【Wisdom and Virtue】

【Truth and Excellence】

Xiao Luohan felt she was close to the answer. But just then, everything before her eyes twisted and distorted, the figure of the young woman in white blurring.

Dawn broke, and she opened her eyes.

---

The next morning, Jiang Xue struggled to turn off her 6:30 alarm. Sitting up, she stared blankly at her nightstand for a moment, then instinctively reached for her diary.

Her hand moved faster than her thoughts. By the time she realized what she was doing, she had already flipped to the last page.

The brushstrokes were still there!

Her trans-temporal pen pal was real!!

This realization jolted her awake. She sped through her morning routine.

Before leaving, she didn’t forget her phone. While waiting at a red light, she even checked her WeChat messages.

Two pinned contacts had sent her new messages. One was from her early-rising family doctor, saying she needed a little time to review the information. The other…

Jiang Xue hesitantly opened the message from the contact with a single plum blossom as their profile picture.

【Sword: Why have I never heard of this friend before?】

【Yu Xue: [Emoji of a cat playing dumb]】

【Sword: [Emoji of a cat looking suspicious]】

【Yu Xue: It’s a long story. I’ll introduce you later!】

【Sword: It’s 6:30, and you’re not out the door yet?】

【Yu Xue: I woke up late! I’m on my way!!】

Replying to her older sister’s message, Jiang Xue felt a cold sweat break out on her back.

Her sister’s intuition was too sharp!

She quickly exited WeChat, afraid of being further questioned about whether she had brought her phone to school. Besides, the doctor wouldn’t have a diagnosis so quickly.

Although she’d always been open with her sister, sharing almost every secret, this situation was simply too bizarre. There was no need to bother her sister while she was on a business trip. It was better to wait until the weekend to explain everything properly.

As soon as she entered the classroom, Jiang Xue rushed to her seat.

She pulled out her morning self-study materials and spread them out on her desk. Then, she grabbed her diary from her backpack and placed it within easy reach.

While waiting for the teacher, she made a schedule of her daily activities for Xiao Luohan, carefully labeling the times using ancient terminology, then slipped the paper into the diary, watching it vanish before her eyes.

Sending things through the diary was easier than she’d thought. Her pen cap had transported itself last night when she’d placed it on the diary. During the evening self-study break, she’d experimented with standing the new dictionary upright on the diary, and that had worked too.

And this function wasn’t limited to the day they’d made contact. From now on, she could show the Third Princess anything she wanted, simply by placing it on the diary when no one was around.

【You are about to begin your studies at this hour?】

The brushstrokes appeared in the diary almost as soon as the schedule vanished.

【Your Highness is up early!】

Jiang Xue was about to ask “Did you get enough sleep?” but thought better of it. The other person was a princess, and a sick one at that. Surely her sleep was well taken care of.

So, she replied to the princess’s previous comment: 【Yes, every day, except for weekends and when I’m sick.】

【Are you certain you have rested sufficiently?】

The question she hadn’t asked was now posed to her.

【Seven hours is enough! And there’s always naptime!】

Just after writing this, Jiang Xue crossed out “seven hours” and changed it to “three and a half shichen (two-hour periods).”

【Anyway, I wouldn’t shortchange myself! I need energy to study, and I can’t do that if I’m sleep-deprived!】

Each teacher had their own review plan, and Jiang Xue had hers.

She’d worked it out with her older sister, based on her academic performance from the first year of high school until now. It was a plan tailored to her own pace and abilities.

All she needed to do was complete her study plan comfortably, within her capabilities, before the college entrance exam.

The school respected students like her, who had clear goals and excelled academically, and didn’t interfere.

【I understand. Then you must attend to your studies. I shall disturb you again later.】

【Wait!!】

This triggered Jiang Xue’s frustration from the previous night. She quickly wrote, afraid the Third Princess would put down her brush and leave: 【I’m actually not that busy! Your Highness, please write whatever you want! I’m happy to chat about anything! I’ll reply as soon as I can!】

The brushstrokes didn’t reappear.

The shrill school bell rang. Several students scrambled into the classroom just as the teacher, her face expressionless, walked in behind them.

Jiang Xue closed her diary and focused on her morning self-study.

Forty minutes felt like an eternity, especially with the strict teacher pacing the classroom, stopping only to answer questions. Jiang Xue didn’t even dare to sneak a peek at her diary.

Finally, the bell rang, and the moment the teacher left the classroom, Jiang Xue opened her diary.

【I had a strange dream. I cannot make sense of it. Let me describe it to you.】

A strange dream?

Jiang Xue recalled the dream she’d had on the way home last night.

She hadn’t thought much of it. After all, she’d seen plenty of historical dramas and documentaries. Perhaps it was simply because of her new pen pal from ancient times that she’d dreamt of such a scene.

However, as she read her pen pal’s detailed account, her eyes widened in disbelief.

Sometimes, when she wanted a sticky rice ball for breakfast, she would ask Sister Cheng to drop her off at the intersection across from the school.

A familiar vendor always set up her stall there, selling sticky rice balls mixed with black rice. Many of her classmates loved them, and she was often asked to pick some up for them.

That could be a coincidence, but the real clincher came next.

A young woman in white, with a high ponytail, no makeup, carrying a black backpack decorated with a string of colorful charms… wasn’t that her?

“Wisdom, Virtue, Truth, Excellence…” wasn’t that her school’s motto? You could see it emblazoned on the wall of the teaching building, large as life, when walking from the side street.

That’s where the name “Siling Foreign Language School” came from!

(T/N: The school’s name “Siling” (思灵) combines:

• 思 (Sī) from 思敏 (Sīmǐn): Wisdom – Thoughtful and Sharp

• 灵 (Líng) from 灵慧 (Línghuì): Virtue – Wise and Perceptive)

Jiang Xue stared at the brushstrokes, stunned. Only when the line to the water dispenser formed behind her, and she heard the sounds of students filling their water bottles, did she snap out of it, covering her diary with a test paper.

Now she couldn’t make sense of it!

How should she reply?

If she told the Third Princess directly, “You dreamt of my school” and “That girl in white was me,” she would probably scare her.

After all, ancient people believed that strange dreams were messages from ghosts and spirits. She didn’t want the Third Princess to think she was a ghost again!

But if she just described modern society in general terms, what if the Third Princess, with her sharp intuition, picked up on the clues and figured out it was her? Wouldn’t that be incredibly awkward?

The bell rang before Jiang Xue could come up with an answer. It was math class, and the teacher spoke so quickly that even a moment’s inattention would make it hard to follow. Catching up later would be a pain.

Not wanting to leave the Third Princess hanging, Jiang Xue hurriedly scribbled “Are there any more details?” before the teacher started the lesson.

When the next break finally arrived, she glanced at her diary. The added details became clearer and clearer, confirming her suspicions.

Thanks to a full period of mathematical “brainwashing,” she had recovered from the shock and knew how to respond.

【Actually, I had a strange dream last night, too.】

Instead of interpreting the dream, she decided to share a similar experience and see how Xiao Luohan reacted.

Jiang Xue had always been a gifted writer, particularly skilled at describing scenes. She could vividly recreate everything she’d seen in her dream.

The break allowed her to use her phone to convert the text, quickly filling half a page.

Finally, she couldn’t resist adding: 【I’ve never dreamt of anything like this before I met you.】

For a long time, the brushstrokes didn’t appear. Just as Jiang Xue began to worry that her last sentence had been too forward, new ink finally flowed onto the page, just as the bell rang:

【The scene you describe is precisely what I saw and experienced on the day I left for my marriage alliance in Daying.】

Chapter 4: A Dream of Another World

Xiao Luohan had learned from the book that the spirit’s world contained many wondrous objects she had never heard of.

But when those objects materialized, held in her own hands, she felt a dreamlike disorientation.

【Thank you for the rainbow. I am very pleased with it.】

Stroking the smooth surface of the sticker, Xiao Luohan carefully placed it back inside the dictionary, then carried the dictionary to the bookshelf.

She pulled out book after book, comparing them to the dictionary. Finally, she selected the thickest volume of Lessons for Women, returned to her desk, and began carefully hollowing it out.

She burned the scraps of paper. Once she’d created a cavity the same size as the dictionary, she placed it inside.

This way, if anyone suddenly entered, she could quickly conceal the dictionary.

---

Jiang Xue soon realized she’d chosen a terrible way to distract herself.

Probably engrossed in the vast contents of the English newspaper and dictionary, the Third Princess hadn’t contacted her again for the remaining three evening self-study periods.

Even just copying another sentence and asking for the translation would have been nice!!

She thought it, but didn’t interrupt her pen pal’s exploration of a new language.

As long as the curiosity was there, as long as the conduit between their worlds remained, they would have plenty to talk about.

Convincing herself of this, she pulled out her supplementary study materials and began working on practice problems, as usual.

Finally, the evening self-study period ended. Jiang Xue organized her homework by subject, stacked it neatly on the empty desk beside her, and picked up her backpack, ready to head home.

After a moment’s hesitation, she tucked the diary into her bag.

Although people in ancient times went to bed early, what if…?

The saying “My friend Huai Min is still awake” had been passed down for generations; it wasn’t baseless.

“How did your chat go?”

Xie Xitong had appeared beside her at some point, glancing at her backpack with a knowing smile.

“Don’t even ask!” Jiang Xue sighed. “I sent her an English newspaper and dictionary, and she hasn’t said a word to me all evening!”

Xie Xitong froze, then burst out laughing, doubling over.

“Stop laughing! I know I dug myself into a hole!” Jiang Xue grabbed Xie Xitong’s low ponytail and ruffled it playfully, causing strands of hair to cling to her sleeve due to static. “But she was interested in English! I just… I wanted to cater to her interests…”

In her view, friendships deepened through small gestures of catering to each other’s interests, even hers and Xie Xitong’s.

“Alright, alright, I understand that even shared interests can’t steal her attention away from you.” Xie Xitong finally stopped laughing, half-joking, half-serious. “That explains why you suddenly ran out and bought a dictionary.”

“Forget about that! By the way, the Third Princess listed a bunch of poetic-sounding dishes, and I still haven’t figured out what they are!”

“Tell me about it~”

Chatting and laughing, they left the teaching building and headed towards the school gate.

Their homes were in the same direction. However, Xie Xitong was actually going home, while Jiang Xue, not wanting to leave so early in the morning, had rented an apartment near the school since her first year of high school. Even ten extra minutes of sleep was precious.

For safety reasons, her mothers had assigned their longtime driver and housekeeper, Sister Cheng, to look after her. As soon as Jiang Xue stepped out of the school gate, she saw Sister Cheng’s imposing figure.

After exchanging “See you tomorrow morning” with her friend, Jiang Xue climbed into the car.

Sister Cheng had always been quiet and a very steady driver. Jiang Xue was prone to carsickness, so a quiet but attentive driver was perfect. She fell asleep clutching her backpack before they even reached her apartment.

In the hazy realm of dreams, she saw a fiery sky and a long procession of carriages below, stretching along the lakeshore westward as far as the eye could see.

The ancient-style carriages were drawn by horses, both adorned with red silk. The carriage in the middle of the procession was especially ornate, its curtains studded with glittering jewels, its body carved with lifelike phoenix reliefs. Even the driver was dressed in exceptionally fine clothes.

—This must be what a grand “ten-mile red makeup” wedding procession looked like.

The scene shifted abruptly, and she watched the procession enter a magnificent city.

Then, it shifted again, and only the most ornate carriage remained, stopped before a quiet palace gate.

—Wangmei Pavilion.

She seemed to hear the driver sigh. Even so, he respectfully stepped forward and opened the carriage door.

A young woman emerged, slowly, hunched over. She clutched a red, fur-trimmed cloak with one hand and a white handkerchief with the other, covering her mouth as she coughed.

But when the young woman raised her head, revealing a trace of blood on her pale lips, her clear eyes sweeping over her surroundings with a detached gaze, her frail frame straight as a pine tree, Jiang Xue felt a sudden jolt in her heart.

“We’re home, Second Miss.”

Sister Cheng’s voice broke through the dream, and Jiang Xue’s eyes snapped open.

A biting cold wind blew in through the open car door. Sister Cheng had already gotten out and was opening her door.

Jiang Xue shook her head, bundled up in her winter uniform, and got out of the car, walking towards her apartment building. The lingering images of the brief dream replayed in her mind.

It was the first time she’d dreamt of such a scene. For some reason, the young woman’s face seemed imprinted in her memory. She could clearly recall her features, especially the indifferent glance just before she’d woken up.

…Would she dream of her again?

Lost in thought, Jiang Xue returned to her apartment, ate the sandwich Sister Cheng had prepared, quickly finished her nightly routine, and padded into her bedroom, already warmed by the heater.

Passing her backpack, she grabbed the diary, settled comfortably on her bed, and pulled her phone from the nightstand.

She opened the diary to the page where Xiao Luohan had mentioned her illness. Once the camera app loaded, she quickly took a picture.

Using an app, she first scanned the traditional characters, then converted them to simplified characters with a single tap, and finally proofread the text.

Once she’d confirmed everything was correct, she opened her family doctor’s WeChat and pasted the description of the illness and the prescriptions into a single document, sending it off.

【Yu Xue: This is about a very dear online friend of mine. I really want to help her!!】

【Yu Xue: Please don’t tell my moms, but you can tell my sister. Pretty please! [Cat bowing emoji]】

【Yu Xue: Just send any medicine to me! My friend is super shy and gets really anxious about receiving packages from strangers.】

At this hour, her health-conscious family doctor was already asleep. Worried that calling her now would result in a tired and potentially inaccurate diagnosis, Jiang Xue turned off her phone after sending the message. She tapped her finger on the diary and flipped through it without much hope.

…Huh?

New English words, written in brushstrokes, were appearing. Half a page was already filled. The Third Princess must have started writing recently.

Perhaps because she was just starting to learn the alphabet, the princess’s writing was a bit shaky. The thick brushstrokes revealed the disconnected parts of the letters.

But further down the page, the strokes became smoother, almost cursive.

Jiang Xue enjoyed watching people learn, so she grabbed a pen from her nightstand.

【Your Highness’s handwriting is getting better and better!!】

【Do you need translations? I mean, do you want me to translate what you’ve copied into characters you can understand?】

【Yes.】

Just as Jiang Xue was about to start translating from the beginning, her phone blared – her “last possible moment to sleep” alarm was going off!

As she turned off the alarm, she suddenly realized something and quickly wrote: 【Why aren’t you asleep yet, Your Highness?】

This was important!

Not only did people in ancient times typically go to bed early, but the Third Princess was also sick!

【Sleepless nights. Just passing the time.】

Jiang Xue: …

Oh no, this was her fault! She shouldn’t have shown someone from ancient times new and exciting things late at night!

She quickly opened the simplified/traditional character converter on her phone, her thumbs flying across the screen. Then, she rapidly copied the converted traditional characters into the diary.

【My family doctor has told me many times that if you’re not well, you should rest even more.】

【I want to be pen pals with Your Highness for many years to come! Even if you just close your eyes and rest, please go to sleep soon!】

---

Due to her congenital weakness and frail health, Xiao Luohan usually retired before the “Dog” hour (7-9 pm).

Even though she’d enjoyed conversing with the spirit, and was intrigued by the English newspaper and dictionary, she wouldn’t easily change her routine.

Seeing the spirit’s earnest words, Xiao Luohan couldn’t help but feel a sense of gentle exasperation.

She had already rested.

As usual, she had taken a sleep-inducing fragrant lozenge, but tonight, she tossed and turned, her mind filled with the contents of the book.

It truly was a… beautiful and illusory world, like a fleeting dream.

Somewhere she had never heard of, perhaps such a “paradise” truly existed, but she feared she would only ever experience it through the spirit’s book, forever out of reach.

Unable to sleep despite the late hour, after two hours of resting with her eyes closed, Xiao Luohan sat up, put on her robe, lit a candle, and opened the dictionary the spirit had given her, reading it word by word.

Copying sentences into the spirit’s book had been a whim. She was indeed curious about the spirit’s reaction, but she hadn’t expected them to be awake so late, let alone urging her to sleep.

【I shall retire now. You should also sleep soon.】

Writing down her promise with a mixture of amusement and exasperation, Xiao Luohan carefully put away the dictionary hidden inside Lessons for Women. She blew out the candle and, clutching the book, tried to coax herself to sleep.

For some reason, this time, she drifted off soon after closing her eyes.

“Vehicles and pedestrians, please pay attention to safety!”

“Hurry up! The light here is really short!”

“One sticky rice ball, please! With a fried cruller and pork tenderloin, no seaweed!”

“…”

Xiao Luohan stood still in the middle of a dark street. Noises assaulted her ears from all directions. Towering dark blue buildings, taller than even Beiliao’s Stargazing Tower, surrounded her on all sides.

Was this… a dream?

But dreams were born from the things one saw and heard in daily life. How could she dream of scenes she had never witnessed before?

Confused, she lowered her gaze. Just then, a flash of silver caught her eye.

Xiao Luohan instinctively raised her hand. Through her fingers, she saw a young woman in white, with a high ponytail, emerge from the silver. The young woman stretched languidly, her hands clasped above her head.

Chapter 3: The Rainbow Sticker

【My dinner is arranged by the Provisions Hall, so I don’t yet know what they’ll send. I’ll tell you when it arrives.】

【However, today’s medicinal broth is exceptionally bitter.】

Jiang Xue had almost finished her noodles when she was finally allowed to retrieve her diary. Upon opening it, she saw these two sentences. The first brought a smile to her face, but the second made it freeze.

“Oh my gosh! My pen pal isn’t well!” She immediately showed the diary to Xie Xitong. “She probably takes medicine before meals, right? Doesn’t this sound a bit like my stomach problems? I wonder if my medicine would work for her?”

“Even if you want to help, you need to know what you’re dealing with!” Xie Xitong took the diary and glanced at it, her eyebrows furrowing in a slightly exasperated but resigned way. “Even if you consult a doctor, you need to ask about her symptoms and how long they’ve lasted. It’s best to ask about her current prescriptions, too.”

“Most importantly, you need to ask her if she can actually receive things sent through the diary.”

“Right, right, right! Look at me, I was so worried I forgot all about that!” Jiang Xue grabbed her pen and quickly wrote down her concerns in order of importance.

This time, however, she wrote very slowly. She’d forgotten the traditional forms of some characters. Writing in simplified characters worried her; Xiao Luohan might not understand them or might misinterpret the meaning. Since it concerned her illness, she spent a long time just thinking about which words to use.

“…I think I’ll need to bring my phone to school.” Jiang Xue lowered her voice, feeling her face flush. Since learning about the strict no-phone rule, she hadn’t brought her phone to school in over two years!

“Bring it. Just keep it on silent and hidden,” Xie Xitong said nonchalantly. “As long as it doesn’t affect your grades, it’s not a big deal.”

By the time Jiang Xue had finally written down all her questions, it was almost time for evening self-study.

Before leaving, they petted the owner’s calico cat as usual, leaving only after they were satisfied with a sleeve full of cat fur.

---

Looking at the food brought to her table, Xiao Luohan truly didn’t know how to respond to the spirit.

Each dish was served in a small plate. While there was no shortage of delicacies, none of them were safe for her to eat.

Food that would cause her skin to break out in hives sat right in front of her, while the dishes specifically listed on her dietary restrictions were nowhere to be seen. She couldn’t bring herself to touch her chopsticks.

“Don’t you like any of it?”

The same palace maid from earlier was at it again, her voice dripping with sarcasm. She even raised her voice slightly, saying: “How delicate you are! These dishes are all gifts from His Highness, the Crown Prince. To show such ingratitude before you’re even married…”

Xiao Luohan found her irritating. She raised her eyes and gave the maid a look.

When her elder sister was still alive, Xiao Luohan, curious about her sister’s commanding presence, had begged her to teach her how to convey meaning with just her eyes.

This single glance, without a word uttered, sent a chill down the maid’s spine. The rest of her sentence died in her throat.

“I have perused the roster of servants assigned to Wangmei Pavilion. Fewer than thirty percent previously served His Highness.”

Since not all the servants were the Crown Prince’s people, word of this incident would spread sooner or later.

“Since you invoke the Crown Prince’s name, you should understand that every word and action implies his tacit approval.”

If the servants lacked virtue, it would reflect poorly on the Crown Prince, suggesting he lacked control over his household.

“To wantonly mock and ridicule a princess sent for a marriage alliance is narrow-minded and base. If anyone cared to pursue the matter, such behavior could be construed as contempt for the royal family. Considering you are merely a servant, and have faithfully served the Daying royal family for years, I will overlook this transgression. However, in the future, refrain from invoking the Crown Prince’s name to shield yourself from such grave offenses.”

Perhaps because she had already been abandoned by her own country, perhaps because she had so little time left to live, or perhaps simply because she’d been moved by the other world described in the spirit’s book, here in this foreign land, Xiao Luohan, contrary to her usual submissiveness, coldly voiced her true feelings.

Her words weren’t without calculation.

Although it was common knowledge that the Daying Crown Prince didn’t care for her, this defeated princess sent for a marriage alliance, she’d overheard her father mention before her departure that the Daying Emperor was quite pleased with the match.

—Beiliao sending a sickly, fragile “porcelain doll” who coughed every three steps, destined to spend her days confined to Wangmei Pavilion, meant she wouldn’t cause any trouble as a seductive beauty. Less worry for them.

Though the reasoning was absurd, it was because of this that the Provisions Hall still supplied her with provisions befitting a secondary consort to the Crown Prince. Even if the servants skimmed a bit off the top, Xiao Luohan had turned a blind eye.

However, tolerating such blatant disrespect would only encourage others to follow suit. There would be no point in asserting her authority later.

After these words, the palace maid’s face paled. The others exchanged glances, silently bowed to Xiao Luohan, and quickly removed the dishes, leaving only a bowl of impeccably fragrant rice.

Under Xiao Luohan’s watchful gaze, the servants withdrew from the chamber. A short while later, they returned with steaming dishes of light, bland food.

Xiao Luohan noticed that the disrespectful maid was gone.

She ate her dinner slowly, and only when she was alone again did she move to the desk and open the spirit’s book.

【Did Your Highness see anything fall out of the diary just now?】

【You take your medicine before meals, correct? Forgive my boldness, but I’m very concerned about your health. We have good medicine here. It’s also bitter, but it comes in pills and capsules, so you don’t have to drink a whole bowl of bitter liquid.】

Several paragraphs followed, filled with thoughtful inquiries and careful speculation about her condition.

Xiao Luohan hadn’t expected her casual mention of the bitter medicine to garner such attention!

Her earlier displeasure vanished. Under the dim lamplight, she read carefully.

---

Perhaps hoping to chat with her pen pal sooner, Jiang Xue was unusually efficient with her homework that evening.

As soon as the first evening self-study period ended, she placed all her assignments on the empty desk beside her and eagerly opened her diary.

【Today’s dinner consisted of the following…】

To make it easier for her to read, Xiao Luohan used modern punctuation.

The Third Princess listed a series of poetic-sounding dish names, but Jiang Xue couldn’t match a single one to an actual dish!

For example, what on earth was “Spring Moon Willow Catkins”?!

She stared at the list of dishes for a long time, puzzled, but decided that asking for an explanation might be rude. She continued reading.

【If you are referring to the small white inkstone at the bottom of the slender tube, it appeared from the book, and I have put it away safely.】

【My mother says this illness has been with me since birth. The old imperial physician, known as a modern-day Hua Tuo, declared that I would not live past eighteen.】

*Hua Tuo: a legendary surgeon at the end of the Han Dynasty*

【The two prescriptions I’ve recently taken are as follows…】

Even though she’d been told she wouldn’t live past eighteen, and was already seventeen, Jiang Xue could sense Xiao Luohan’s will to live.

It was subtle, expressed only through her factual answers to the questions.

But if she’d truly resigned herself to her fate, she wouldn’t have mentioned the medicine at all, or she would have lied when Jiang Xue noticed.

This princess wanted to live. Having glimpsed a flicker of hope, she was calmly reaching out to test it.

Therefore, Jiang Xue decided to reciprocate with the respect the princess deserved.

【Okay! I’ll ask my doctor when I get home! But my family doctor focuses on preventative care and goes to bed very early, so I might not have an answer until tomorrow.】

【There’s no rush.】

【There is a rush! In your time, many illnesses that could have been cured became terminal because they were left untreated!】

Jiang Xue was so worried that, after writing this, she suddenly realized that ancient people were generally more reserved. Talking so bluntly about life and death was incredibly rude!

She quickly drew a line through the word “terminal,” but her pen was too fine. To completely erase the word, she’d have to scribble back and forth.

Flustered, Jiang Xue’s face turned red. Just as she was debating whether to scribble over the word or find some tape to cover it, a blot of ink suddenly appeared, completely obscuring the offending word in a single stroke.

【Is this better?】

The Third Princess, whose impending death had just been mentioned so directly, was asking for her approval.

The brushstrokes were as neat as ever, showing no sign of being affected by the comment.

It was as if she were calmly saying: If you don’t like seeing it, I’ll cover it for you.

Jiang Xue’s mind momentarily short-circuited. When she finally processed what had happened, she immediately apologized:

【I’m so sorry! I said something incredibly rude!】

【Don’t worry, I don’t mind.】

【The chronic illness I suffer from is incurable. Even if we avoid mentioning it, I can feel my body deteriorating day by day. It’s… comforting to be able to talk about it.】

The Third Princess’s attitude was remarkably calm, but the less she seemed to care, the more uneasy Jiang Xue felt.

She shook her head, trying to dispel the unpleasant thoughts.

No! This was too depressing! She needed to change the subject!

Just then, the English class representative returned to the classroom with a stack of newspapers – the weekly practice papers filled with exam questions. They were being passed down the rows, group by group.

When the English paper reached Jiang Xue, it came with an extra copy, as usual.

She automatically tucked it into the empty desk next to her, as always. But a second later, she pulled it back out, quickly folded it, and slipped it into her diary while no one was looking.

---

Xiao Luohan coughed from the pungent smell of ink. When she recovered, she curiously unfolded the small square of paper.

While most of the characters in the spirit’s book merely lacked a few strokes, this large grey sheet was covered in symbols she couldn’t understand at all.

However, the four prominent characters at the top, 《英语周刊》 (English Weekly), provided a clue: this was the common language of the foreign land, also a “required subject” for the spirit.

Had the spirit given her a copy of their exam paper?

Did they want her to learn a little English?

With nothing else to do, Xiao Luohan happily spread the newspaper out on her desk and scanned it from beginning to end.

The symbols were neat and aesthetically pleasing. Even though she couldn’t understand their meaning, she couldn’t resist picking up her brush and copying a random sentence into the book:

【There is a rainbow in the sky.】

【What does this mean?】

The spirit replied quickly:

【“天空中有一道彩虹.” (There is a rainbow in the sky.)】

【Your Highness is interested in English? Hold on a second!】

Soon, a thick, bright red English-Chinese Dictionary appeared on the book, also smelling of ink, looking brand new.

Xiao Luohan reached for the dictionary. Before she could even open it, a thin sheet slipped out and landed on her lap.

It clearly depicted a rainbow! But as Xiao Luohan brought it closer, it was as if she were looking at a real sky and clouds.

The clouds were wispy and stretched across the sky, different from how they appeared from afar in her memory. The rainbow seemed to flow out of the clouds, cascading downwards towards an unknown destination.

She couldn’t tell if it was even a painting at all.

【This is a rainbow I photographed for a photography competition. Here, for you! I put it in the dictionary!】

【This is called a “sticker.” I think I mentioned it in my diary. The principle is hard to explain, but it lets you stick a “picture” you like onto special paper so you can carry it around.】

【If Your Highness wants to stick it somewhere, just peel off the white paper on the back. Be careful, it’s sticky~】

Chapter 2: Times Have Changed!

Whenever “historical issues” like this came up, Jiang Xue’s writing couldn’t help but become emotionally charged.

【Nowadays, all students across the country are equal. Males aren’t some special case when it comes to education. If a girl of school age is prevented from attending school, her family can be imprisoned if reported!】

【The so-called “compulsory courses” are just benchmarks for competitive exams. It’s mainly about what you’re good at, what you like, and what kind of work you want to do in the future. You choose your subjects accordingly.】

【For example, I like history and biology, and I’ve always been pretty good at politics, so I chose those three subjects for the college entrance exam.】

【If you’re good at drawing and singing, you can also take the art school route. As long as you choose the right direction, it’s not difficult to find a job after graduation.】

【As for things like playing instruments, chess, calligraphy, and painting, they’ve become hobbies for personal enrichment. You can learn them if you want. But if you want to excel, you have to pay for professional tutoring.】

After writing half a page, as if answering a long history question, Jiang Xue suddenly realized something.

Her pen pal was an ancient princess who used traditional characters. Could she even understand simplified characters?

Although she often saw claims like “understanding traditional characters is in every Chinese person’s DNA,” people accustomed to simplified characters inevitably read traditional characters more slowly.

Jiang Xue could easily understand traditional characters because both her mothers worked in text-related fields, so she’d been exposed to them since childhood.

But for Xiao Luohan, modern simplified characters would probably look like strange, incomplete symbols.

She quickly wrote a line in traditional characters:

【Would it be easier for you to read if I write like this?】

For the first time in her life, she regretted not learning more traditional characters from her mothers. She needed them now!

After about half a minute, she received a reply: 【Your consideration is appreciated.】

Jiang Xue froze, then awkwardly smacked her lips.

No, it wasn’t consideration! She’d only just realized her pen pal was from ancient times!

Before she could figure out how to respond, new brushstrokes appeared.

Jiang Xue took a look, and wow! They were written horizontally, and even punctuated!

【I have imitated the punctuation marks you use. I wonder how you find them?】

The commas and periods didn’t look casually written; they seemed carefully drawn. However, with an entire diary’s worth of content as a reference, Jiang Xue believed the Third Princess would quickly master the correct usage of punctuation marks.

【Of course! Much easier!】

Jiang Xue thought for a moment, then added: 【Your Highness is considerate as well!】

This Third Princess was rather nice, immediately adapting after learning about her habits.

A princess so thoughtful and kind even to supernatural beings must be deeply loved by her people, right?

However, it would be rude to pry into someone’s background right after meeting them. It was better to stick to the topic of “studies” for now and wait until they were closer before asking.

Just then, the bell rang, signaling the end of class. Jiang Xue told her pen pal that she was going to dinner, unilaterally ending their first exchange.

“What happened just now, A-Xue?”

A gentle female voice came from the front. Jiang Xue looked up and met the gaze of her classmate and friend, Xie Xitong.

“Oh! Something strange happened.” Jiang Xue glanced at her diary and, on a whim, tucked it into her arms as she stood, grabbing her pen. “I’ll tell you on the way. I’m starving!”

Xie Xitong’s eyes curved into a smile. “Okay,” she replied, smoothing her low ponytail over her shoulder.

If there was anyone Jiang Xue could talk to about supernatural events, it would be her friend who believed in metaphysics.

She and Xie Xitong had been classmates since kindergarten, all the way through high school. They knew each other inside and out.

The name “Xie Xitong” had been given to her friend at birth by an elder in the Xie family who understood metaphysics. They’d said the child lacked wood in her five elements, so her name needed two wood characters.

Perhaps because of this, Xie Xitong had always been interested in such things.

The two of them chose a less-crowded, longer route to the cafeteria, walking side by side.

“Look, just now during self-study, traditional Chinese characters written with a brush appeared in my diary!” Jiang Xue opened her diary. “I was just about to write in it, and I saw the characters appear right before my eyes!”

She showed Xie Xitong the ink stain on her fingertip. “Amazing, right? A diary, turned into a communication medium across time and space!”

“It is amazing. I’ve only seen this kind of thing in novels and anime.” Xie Xitong’s gaze shifted between Jiang Xue’s fingertip and the diary. “But you don’t seem scared at all. In fact, you seem excited?”

Her thoughts exposed, Jiang Xue smiled sheepishly. “Actually, I was a little scared at first, but I forgot all about it as we chatted.”

“It’s fine. The old lady in my family understands these things. If you’ve really encountered something unclean, she’ll have a way to deal with it.” Xie Xitong seemed even less concerned. “I see you’re having fun chatting with her. Just relax and chat. If anything happens, I’ve got your back!”

“Are you cursing me?!” Jiang Xue playfully punched her friend, the last of her anxieties fading.

It was dinner time. Even though they’d chosen a less-crowded route, as they neared the cafeteria, they were still swept up in the throng of people.

Jiang Xue quickly tucked her diary into the large inner pocket of her winter uniform, lest it get crushed in the crowd.

Siling’s cafeteria was huge. As soon as they entered, they headed straight for the third floor, which was leased out to independent vendors, and stopped in front of their usual haunt, “Old Cat Noodle Shop.”

The shop owner had a calico cat, supposedly a stray she’d found by a dumpster. It was quite haughty, even reluctant to let people it knew pet it.

When they arrived, the cat was napping in its little bed away from the stove, its eyes half-closed.

“You’re here? The usual?” the owner greeted them warmly, wiping her hands.

“Yep, the usual for both of us,” Jiang Xue nodded. She turned around to see Xie Xitong had already found a seat.

She joined her friend, taking out her diary and pen, twirling the latter between her fingers.

“Say, if I ‘livestream’ my dinner to my pen pal, do you think she’ll find it annoying?”

“Isn’t the difference in food culture also an important part of getting to know each other?” Xie Xitong countered, resting her chin on her hand. “If your pen pal is interested, maybe she’ll share the snacks and drinks she usually has too!”

That was precisely Jiang Xue’s intention. They exchanged a smile, and Jiang Xue stopped twirling her pen, opening her diary:

【Dinner is super delicious onion and beef brisket noodles!】

【The toppings and broth are cooked separately. Onions are a round, purple seasoning, kind of like garlic. After peeling and slicing them, they’re braised with the beef.】

【The broth is made fresh daily from beef bones and chicken carcasses. The owner adds her secret Sichuan spices, making it a bit spicy, but not so much that it’ll cause inflammation.】

【I like to add a handful of cilantro before eating. The cilantro wilts in the hot broth, and it’s so good with the beef brisket!】

She didn’t ask “what about you?” or “what are you having for dinner tonight?” She simply shared her dinner with her new friend, as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

However, in another time and space, upon seeing these words, Xiao Luohan instinctively stood up.

She tightened her fur-trimmed cloak and looked towards the silk-covered, closed wooden window.

The sun was setting, casting a warm orange glow on the window. Outside Wangmei Pavilion, all was silent. In the winter months, even the servants sweeping the courtyard didn’t want to stay outside for long.

She was long accustomed to this silence. Even before her marriage alliance and journey to Daying, when she was still in the Beiliao palace, her days were equally quiet.

After a moment of hesitation, Xiao Luohan pushed the window open a crack and called for a palace maid who, under the guise of attending to her needs, was actually there to monitor her.

“How are the dinner preparations coming?”

Before the maid could answer, the cold air triggered a coughing fit, forcing Xiao Luohan to cover her mouth.

“Oh dear, in your condition, shouldn’t you be more concerned with your pre-dinner medicine?” The maid sneered. “The winters in Daying are the harshest. If you want to make it to your wedding day, you’d best not open that window again!”

Xiao Luohan didn’t even glance at her. She simply closed the window and sat back down.

Even so, she could still hear the maid’s mocking laughter from outside.

There was nothing she could do about it. If she were a princess from an allied nation, or if the Daying Crown Prince she was to marry cared even slightly about her, these servants wouldn’t dare to be so insolent.

But she was nothing more than a discarded pawn sent by a defeated nation seeking peace. The Daying Crown Prince, after meeting her on the day of her arrival and mocking her, had vanished without a trace. She likely wouldn’t see him again until their predetermined wedding day.

Just then, she noticed something new in the book.

Curiously, she leaned closer, picking up the black “tube” that had appeared at some point. She examined it carefully for a long time, blinking in confusion.

…What was this?

---

“Where’s my pen cap?”

Jiang Xue searched the table and underneath it, puzzled.

“Strange…” She scratched her head, unable to recall where she’d put it.

“Maybe your diary ‘ate’ it?” Xie Xitong suggested casually, picking up a piece of beef brisket with her chopsticks.

Jiang Xue: !!

“That’s right! I didn’t even think of that!” Her eyes lit up. She lost all interest in her noodles, staring intently at her diary.

If they could chat across time and space, transporting objects wasn’t so strange, right?

“Eat first. You’ll have to call in sick again if your stomach acts up.” Xie Xitong reached out, snatched the diary, and closed it with a snap.

Meeting Jiang Xue’s pleading gaze, she added calmly, with a smile, “Your sister told me to keep an eye on you.”

“…Oh.”

Jiang Xue had always admired her older sister. Upon hearing this, she stopped complaining, obediently lowering her head and slurping up her noodles.

---

Xiao Luohan fiddled with the thin black tube for a long time, arriving at a single conclusion.

It seemed to be a writing implement, similar to an inkstone. The small white “stone” at the bottom of the tube still held traces of undried ink.

…Was it an inkstone used by spirits? Why had it appeared here?

She couldn’t figure it out. She glanced at the diary, but the spirit hadn’t mentioned it. A selfish thought arose, and she carefully placed the tube into a silk pouch, her gaze lingering on a red tassel inside.

It was a relic of her elder sister, Xiao Linghan – a spear tassel.

Her kind elder sister, Xiao Linghan, had joined the army at the age of twelve, made a name for herself at fifteen, and achieved great military exploits for Beiliao.

Not long ago, her elder sister had turned twenty-six. It was also not long ago that she had tragically died in the decisive battle between Daying and Beiliao.

It was said that, while surrounded and fighting to the death, she had even cut off a lock of the Daying Crown Prince’s hair, nearly shaking the morale of the Daying army.

Yet, even so, whenever her father mentioned Eldest Sister, he would lament, “If only Linghan were a man.”

As if male identity could easily overshadow the achievements her sister had earned with her blood, sweat, and life.

Her elder sister’s death was a constant ache in Xiao Luohan’s heart. She couldn’t bear to speak of it, even to her beloved mother.

Perhaps because of this, seeing the spirit in the book casually refer to their “older sister” had caused a pang in her heart. Before even initiating contact, she had several times wanted to tell the spirit to cherish their older sister.

However, after reading the rest of the book, she gradually let go of her worry.

—That was a world where the flames of war had long been extinguished. Without serious illness or accidents, people didn’t die easily.

Jiang Xue and her “older sister” would surely be alright.

Chapter 1: Pen Pals Across Time and Space

“A girl grows up and eventually marries. Do you intend to stay by your mother’s side forever?! Marrying the Crown Prince of Daying is your good fortune. Your father is doing this for your own good!”

“A marriage alliance offers a chance at a peaceful life, certainly better than being trapped in this cold palace with my mother, waiting for the kingdom to fall and be subjected to humiliation…”

“Ha! Beiliao dares to send a dying, consumptive wretch!”

“Well, she is a true princess with royal blood. A pity. If Beiliao’s eldest princess, Xiao Linghan, hadn’t died in battle, I might have been interested in taking her as a concubine.”

“As for this frail ‘sickly beauty’, just settle her in Wangmei Pavilion and let her live or die as fate dictates.”

…

A winter morning in Daying, Wangmei Pavilion.

A cold wind howled. Even with the doors tightly shut, the biting chill still seeped inside.

“Cough… cough… cough…”

Xiao Luohan awoke from a nightmare with a start. Perhaps because she’d woken so abruptly, she felt a sweet, metallic taste rise in her throat. Covering her mouth, she was seized by a violent coughing fit.

When the coughing subsided and the images of her dream faded, she put away the white handkerchief stained with blood. Lowering her long, thick eyelashes, her gaze fell upon the pale gold book at her bedside.

For the umpteenth time, Xiao Luohan picked up the small, palm-sized book, her fingertips gently stroking its leather-like, brown cover.

The day after she arrived in Daying for the marriage alliance and was settled in Wangmei Pavilion, this book had appeared beside her pillow as if out of thin air. The wear on the cover suggested it had been used for quite some time.

What surprised her most was that only she could see and touch it. She’d witnessed with her own eyes the palace maid assigned to her care reach right through the book while making the bed!

Although her mother had warned her since childhood never to touch objects potentially tainted by ghosts or spirits – lest her illness worsen – Xiao Luohan desperately wanted to understand what this book was.

She resisted for three days. Finally, she resolved to open the book, hoping to glean some information about its original owner.

What she found instead were words and symbols she’d never seen before:

【August 9th. I absolutely do not want to review math during summer vacation! Besides, what do those extra-difficult problems meant for the top 3% of students have to do with me?!】

【But my older sister bribed me with allowance money. 200 for each challenging problem I solve… Fine. Gotta work hard for the cash!!】

【September 30th. My period came and knocked me out. Ibuprofen, my best friend QAQ. Must remember this! Next time, take the medicine before it hits!!】

【November 25th. The last mock exam before finals. Apparently, the questions are from that sadistic school (eye roll) whose tests always manage to drag down the entire grade’s average score.】

【But I think I’m finally starting to figure out the test-maker’s tricks! Gotta say, my sister is amazing!! All hail my sister!!】

…

Xiao Luohan had only wanted to satisfy her curiosity, but the more she read, the more astonished she became.

She couldn’t fathom what kind of kingdom the book’s owner lived in, nor could she understand most of the words and symbols.

Yet she continued reading.

Wangmei Pavilion held a modest collection of books, but most were titles like Lessons for Women and Women’s Precepts, filled with tedious instructions on serving a husband and raising children. She loathed them.

This book, dropped by some unknown ghost or spirit, was far more intriguing. With just a few lines, it captured her interest.

Her curiosity, instead of being satisfied, grew with every new entry in the book.

In the end, Xiao Luohan had to force herself to stop. If she continued, she wouldn’t be able to resist taking up a brush and asking the book’s owner for explanations.

She wanted to know more about this strange and fascinating world.

After pondering for half a day, and carefully reviewing the remaining contents while she considered, Xiao Luohan tucked the book carefully into her robes and called for a servant.

“Prepare offerings for the spirits.”

She would immediately make an offering to the book’s owner and attempt to make contact.

---

“Holy crap?!?”

On a winter afternoon, in the quiet of a self-study period in Class 7, a startled cry suddenly erupted from the back of the classroom. Several students turned their heads in surprise.

The source of the commotion – Jiang Xue, sitting alone by the window in the last row – pretended to be calm, casually smoothing her hair and flipping through her history textbook.

In reality, her mind was blank. She glanced repeatedly at the diary hidden beneath her textbook, her heart thump-thump-thumping double-time.

It was broad daylight, and yet she’d seen a ghost!

Just now, a line of characters written in brushstrokes had appeared on her diary out of nowhere!

Jiang Xue was certain this wasn’t a prank. The brushstrokes were freshly written. She’d accidentally brushed against them, and her fingertip was now smudged with black ink!

Weird… So weird! Was she dreaming?

She quickly wiped off the ink, steadied herself, and pinched herself hard, wincing at the pain. Only then did she summon the courage to carefully examine the brushstrokes.

The characters were traditional Chinese, written vertically in neat columns, but without any punctuation. The scent of ink seemed to carry a faint fragrance of plum blossoms.

Quite elegant. However, the content left her completely baffled:

【What manner of ghost or spirit are you?】

“I’d like to ask you what kind of ghost you are!” she muttered to herself, picking up a pen and pressing it against her cheek as she thought.

When Jiang Xue was very young, she’d fantasized about a day when another person’s writing would suddenly appear in her diary, and she could happily chat with this person, sharing her daily life and worries, becoming pen pals.

She never expected that, years later, this pen pal would actually appear, in this incredibly bizarre, supernatural way.

She took several deep breaths, forcing herself to calm down, staring at the brushstrokes as she began to analyze the situation.

First, she was certain she wasn’t dreaming. This was really happening.

Maybe a real ghost was right beside her, or maybe some unknown force had turned her diary into a conduit across time and space. After all, these unpunctuated, traditional Chinese characters written with a brush looked like something only ancient people would write.

Second, this meant she needed to make a decision quickly – respond, or ignore.

After a minute of deliberation, Jiang Xue made up her mind and uncapped her pen:

【I’m not a ghost or spirit. I’m a living person!】

【How much of my diary have you read?】

Siling Foreign Language School strictly prohibited cell phones. If a teacher caught you with one, it would be confiscated until the end of the semester.

Whenever Jiang Xue had a complaint or something to rant about during class or study time, she would jot it down in her diary. Over time, this had become a habit, and she’d unknowingly kept it up.

The other party seemed to be waiting for her response, as new brushstrokes quickly appeared in the diary:

【If you are referring to the contents of the book, all of it.】

Jiang Xue: !!!

All of it?!

That meant all her random ramblings from her first year of high school until now had been read!

Yet, instead of feeling angry, she was thrilled.

If they were going to be pen pals, it was better that they’d read everything!

As her excitement bubbled, more brushstrokes appeared:

【I apologize for reading your book without permission. It won’t happen again.】

“Why apologize?” Jiang Xue thought. “It’s not like it’s anything I’m ashamed of.”

She thought it, but what she wrote was: 【An apology isn’t enough. You have to compensate me. Tell me your name, age, and whether you’re male or female.】

This was the most basic information. If the other party also wanted to chat, they would answer.

As for whether the answers were true, Jiang Xue didn’t care. Anything to spice up the monotony of her senior year!

---

It was commonly said that ghosts and monsters were experts at deceiving people’s hearts. There were even rumors that if someone called your name on a road late at night, you should never answer.

However, Xiao Luohan wasn’t afraid.

With her frail body and limited time left, she wasn’t concerned about provoking evil spirits.

Since the ghost or spirit could deliver the book to her pillow, it must already know everything about her. This question must be a test of her sincerity.

【My name is Xiao Luohan. I am seventeen years old, the third princess of Beiliao.】

Amidst the lingering scent of sandalwood incense, she answered earnestly, with a sincere heart.

【Whoa?! You’re a princess?!】

【I’m Jiang Xue, also seventeen, and a female student.】

Slender ink characters quickly appeared. Though the spirit had demanded “compensation” from her, it had also offered its own introduction.

【Your Highness, after reading my diary, don’t you have any questions?】

【Anything you’re curious about, about the people or things I care about, I’ll tell you!】

It even addressed her as “Your Highness,” but without a hint of deference in the tone. The feeling she got… was like a little deer leaping playfully.

This put Xiao Luohan at ease, but she didn’t reply immediately. Instead, she set down her brush and carefully recalled what she’d read.

After a long while, she finally responded:

【The subjects you study are vastly different from what I know.】

【Only men are allowed to peruse books freely. Women also have lessons, but they are limited to the “Four Books for Women” and needlework.】

Although Xiao Luohan had lived in her mother, Consort Ning’s cold palace since she could remember, she wasn’t entirely isolated from the outside world.

She knew that ministers with daughters would occasionally send them to private schools or hire tutors to come to their homes. However, no “female student” had ever been like Jiang Xue – besides playing instruments, calligraphy, painting, and chess, everything else they studied was merely touched upon superficially.

She had once asked her mother about this.

Her mother had simply sighed and said those weren’t subjects for women to learn.

Knowing too much would make a woman “restless” and unsatisfied with her domestic role. If she truly ventured “out” into the world, there would be no place for a woman to stand.

“Not even like Eldest Sister Linghan?” she had asked, unwilling to accept this.

“Princess Zhemei came from a military family. Her mother is the Empress, and her maternal clan is His Majesty’s most trusted support. That is why she was allowed to gallop across the battlefield.” Her mother sighed. “But even though she has achieved great merit in war, it is your second brother who is His Majesty’s chosen heir to the Beiliao throne.”

“But Second Brother isn’t as capable as Eldest Sister in any way…”

“That is a woman’s fate.” Her mother had placed her hand on Xiao Luohan’s and shaken her head, refusing to say more on the subject.

【Those women’s lessons you mentioned have long been buried in the river of history!】

The newly appeared words jolted Xiao Luohan back to the present.