Chapter 45: Thunder and Lightning

Bai Zongnan understood that he was about to fall into the dream he had entered before. He wondered if there would be any changes this time.

Indeed, as expected...

The next second...

A torrential downpour, thunder and lightning. On the computer screen, the date read August 14, 2060, 1:00 a.m., Friday.

Sitting in front of the dimly lit computer, Bai Zongnan was locked in a fierce battle with the game’s boss. After a hard-fought struggle, he finally took down the boss. Excited, he clicked open his inventory, eager to see what loot his effort had earned.

A rumble of thunder.

At that moment, a flash of lightning struck, sending a tingling jolt through his body. Everything went black and he fainted.

The alarm rang.

Bai Zongnan woke up at his desk, rubbing his groggy head. Suddenly, he remembered it was the day of his Advanced Mathematics test. Without bothering to eat, he hurriedly gathered his things and rushed toward the exam hall, conjuring in his mind the stern face of his math teacher.

“This is bad, really bad. Blackface Liu won’t let me off this time.”

He hastened to the school, barely making it in time, five minutes before the test was to begin. Breathing a sigh of relief, he pushed open the exam hall door—only to freeze, stunned. The vast room was empty. He checked the time again, puzzled. It was indeed nine o’clock.

Classmate Wang Han passed by, noticing Bai Zongnan’s bewildered expression.

“Bai Zongnan, are you alright?”

“Uh, isn’t there an exam today? Where is everyone?” Bai Zongnan snapped back to reality.

“Hahaha, you got it wrong. Today is Monday. The test is in three days.” Wang Han patted his shoulder, assuming he was still half-asleep.

Monday? How could that be?

Bai Zongnan checked his phone, shocked to see the date displayed as August 9, 2060.

August 9? Was this a joke? Had he gone back three days in time?

He rushed to the bathroom to splash his face with water, trying to clear his mind.

He remembered playing games last night as a rainstorm began, then a loud thunderclap—and then nothing.

Suddenly, a voice echoed in his mind.

“Loading complete.”

A dialogue box appeared before his eyes.

“Congratulations, host ‘Bai Zongnan,’ for activating the Time-Space Police System. Would you like to view the beginner’s tutorial?”

“What system tutorial?” Bai Zongnan, feeling more and more confused, cautiously clicked “Yes.”

A mechanical voice sounded in his ear.

“Hello, host. I am the system. Due to the lightning strike, you have activated the system and traveled back three days. Within these three days, you must complete the tasks assigned by the system to return to your original timeline. Otherwise, your consciousness will be expelled and your body will remain in eternal sleep.”

“Do you understand, host?”

“I understand. But why trap me here? Do you want me to report you for illegally employing minors?”

Bai Zongnan was extremely annoyed. It was just a game—how had he gotten into this mess?

“Bai Zongnan, age twenty, legally an adult—not a minor. Please follow system rules to safely return. Otherwise, you will be expelled immediately.”

“Alright, no use arguing.” Bai Zongnan surrendered, resigned. “So, what’s the mission?”

“Beep. Displaying mission content now.”

A news report about a murder case unfolded before him.

“On the morning of August 14, 2060, a female body was found in the Xia River. According to witnesses, the body was discovered face-down during morning exercise, unbound, suspected to have drowned. Police report the deceased was about twenty years old, 165 cm tall, wearing a white dress, carrying a backpack. The ID in the bag identified her as a sophomore at Z University, Y City. Cause of death remains unknown...”

Bai Zongnan’s heart skipped a beat. “Y City Z University? Isn’t that my school?”

The system prompted, “Bai Zongnan, your task is to protect this young woman and uncover the potential perpetrator.”

A profile and photograph of the girl appeared on the system interface. She wore a long white dress, her hair cascading like clouds over her shoulders, eyes bright as stars, her nose graceful, lips curled in a playful smile.

Bai Zongnan’s pupils widened in shock.

Meng Linwan!?

Meng Linwan was the goddess in the hearts of many male students at Z University. Not only was she talented in singing and dancing, but she excelled academically as well. Despite her many admirers, none had managed to win her heart.

To find the truth, he knew he would need Meng Linwan’s cooperation. But how to approach her?

He scratched his nose, imagining the possible scenarios.

“Hello, Meng Linwan, my name is Bai Zongnan. In three days, someone will try to kill you. I’ve traveled back to stop it.”

No, that would make him look like a lunatic, and she’d call the police.

“Miss, your features are clouded. In three days, a calamity awaits. Allow me to help you avert disaster.”

No, that sounded like a charlatan.

Bai Zongnan pondered, realizing time was short. He decided to first investigate Meng Linwan’s social circle.

He found posts about her on the Z University forum. Nearly half the content revolved around Meng Linwan—her popularity was obvious.

“Every day I see the goddess, it’s a delight.”

“She’s mine. Hands off!”

“She’s not that pretty, just good at makeup.”

“Oh, come on, if you think it’s so easy, try makeup yourself!”

“You...”

Bai Zongnan scrolled through hundreds of heated arguments, amused and exasperated. Suddenly, his gaze landed on a photo.

Title: “Dream Shattered—Meng Linwan Seen in an Old Man’s Car.”

In the photo, Meng Linwan sat in a luxury car beside a middle-aged man who spoke to her enthusiastically, while she looked out the window, expressionless.

“System, system!”

“Yes, host?”

“Can you check the car owner and family relations?”

“No problem, host.”

“Query complete. Owner: Meng Zeming, male, 42, co-founder of Runtai Group, the largest real estate company in Y City. He is Meng Linwan’s father. He has had two wives: first, Su Nian, Meng Linwan’s biological mother, who died when Meng Linwan was young; second, Xia Qing, who brought her daughter Xia Anqi into the family and later had a son, Meng Hongtai.”

“Check the poster’s information.” After a moment’s thought, Bai Zongnan instructed the system.

“Poster: Wang Qian, female, 20, Meng Linwan’s roommate. Outwardly friendly, but jealous, she secretly posts defamatory content online.”

“Friendship among girls is strange. Wang Qian is suspicious, but there’s no real motive for murder.” Bai Zongnan mused about the internet’s recklessness, then clarified a few facts in the thread.

Still, he worried over the identity of the potential killer.

He resolved to observe Meng Linwan more closely, to learn her habits and preferences. He signed up for the same electives, frequented the same dining hall, noted her aversion to cilantro, love of cherries, and allergy to peanuts, recording everything in secret.

As for Wang Qian, she seemed normal, though she sometimes looked disdainful when boys approached Meng Linwan.

Bai Zongnan glanced toward Meng Linwan as he mulled these things over.

Suddenly, she seemed to sense his gaze, looked up, smiled, and met his eyes. Bai Zongnan quickly pulled his hat low and pretended to fiddle with his phone.

“Whew.” Close call. He wiped his brow, amazed at women’s intuition.

After the meal, Bai Zongnan prepared to leave. As he passed Meng Linwan’s table, the system popped up with a mischievous grin. Suddenly, his phone slipped from his hand, landing on the table. Bai Zongnan’s heart sank.

The screen showed his memo page, filled with notes on Meng Linwan’s relationships, preferences, and birthday.

Everyone looked. Meng Linwan’s ears flushed red, and the girls around her cried out in surprise. One, outspoken, shouted:

“You’ve been stalking Linwan? What’s wrong with you?”

Her voice was so loud that the entire cafeteria turned to stare, even the security guard glancing over.

Whispers filled the air.

Bai Zongnan wanted nothing more than to uninstall the wretched system.

“What are you doing, system?”

“Host, by approaching the heroine, you can gain more clues.”

Bai Zongnan scratched his head in embarrassment. Caught stalking, he wished he could dig a hole and hide. Stammering, he said,

“Sorry, I—I can explain.”

But then he realized, he had indeed been following Meng Linwan. If he failed the task, he’d die anyway. If he succeeded, they might forget this incident. Embarrassment wouldn’t follow him to another timeline. With that, he steeled himself and declared loudly,

“The truth is... Meng Linwan, I’ve liked you for a long time. Will you be my girlfriend?”

Reject me, please reject me, Linwan chanted inwardly.

Gasps erupted from the crowd—some praised his boldness, others scoffed at his audacity, others waited for the drama to unfold. Bai Zongnan squeezed his eyes shut, bracing for rejection.

But the expected reply never came. He cautiously opened his eyes to find Meng Linwan’s face even redder, and she gently nodded.

What?

Bai Zongnan was dumbfounded. What just happened? Had he stumbled into incredible luck?

How had Meng Linwan agreed?

The crowd was equally stunned. The male students who saw Meng Linwan as a goddess were left heartbroken, glaring daggers at Bai Zongnan. If looks could kill, he’d have died a thousand times.

Overwhelmed, Bai Zongnan couldn’t recall how he and Meng Linwan, under everyone’s gaze, left the cafeteria and walked to the school’s athletic field.

They sat on a bench. Meng Linwan shyly avoided his gaze as Bai Zongnan wrestled with how to explain himself.

“Meng Linwan, my name is Bai Zongnan.”

“I know—just call me Linwan.”

“Actually, you might find this hard to believe... I don’t belong to this time. I’m here because you’ll be in danger three days from now. My goal is to prevent that from happening...” Bai Zongnan studied her expression, choosing his words carefully.

He watched her blush fade to a pale white and panicked, fearing she’d call him a maniac.

To his surprise, she looked up with determination.

“I believe you. So, what should we do next?”

“In my timeline, you drowned. So, avoid water for now, keep an eye on suspicious people, and stay by my side for the next few days.”

Bai Zongnan rejoiced. With Linwan’s cooperation, things would go much smoother.

“Alright.”

The next morning, Bai Zongnan waited outside her dorm with breakfast. Soon, Linwan appeared, wearing a light blue floral dress that made her look even more radiant. Bai Zongnan was captivated.

Linwan brushed her hair aside, smiled, and took his arm.

Bai Zongnan wiped his brow. With Linwan beside him, he felt like the center of attention. All eyes followed them.

As they sat in class, Bai Zongnan recalled the photo from the forum.

“Linwan, how’s your relationship with your father?” he asked.

“Dad’s usually busy with work. Since Mom passed away early, he’s always afraid of neglecting me and dotes on me. But after my little brother was born, he was overjoyed and focused more on him.”

“Can you tell me about your stepmother?”

Linwan’s face clouded. After a moment’s hesitation, she said, “My mother died long ago. When I was twelve, my stepmother came with her daughter, a year younger than me. My relationship with my stepmother is cordial, nothing more. My stepsister plays sweet in front of others but competes with me behind the scenes. My stepmother pretends not to notice. Eventually, I felt my father’s new family was complete without me, so I moved out.”

“That means we can’t rule out family as suspects. For now, stay at school. Don’t go home.” Bai Zongnan grew more concerned; he didn’t want Linwan to suffer any harm.

Linwan nodded, pale and gripping her dress.

Bai Zongnan knew that the most terrifying thing wasn’t death, but the agony of waiting for it.

He patted her shoulder, comforting her.

“Don’t be afraid. I’m here.”

Linwan’s eyes grew moist as she looked at Bai Zongnan, remembering long ago when he once stood by her side, facing the world with her.

No matter the rumors, she was no longer afraid.

...

That evening, Bai Zongnan escorted Linwan back to her dorm, telling her to contact him if anything happened. Only once she was safely inside did he leave.

Walking home, he mulled over all the information he’d collected. Suddenly, he thought of the photo again.

“System.”

“Yes, host?”

“Help me investigate Linwan’s stepmother and stepsister.”

“Understood. Investigation complete: Xia Qing, female, 39. Her first marriage ended because her ex-husband Ma Chengcai was addicted to gambling and refused to change. She divorced him and later married Meng Zeming, with whom she had a son, Meng Hongtai, age five.

Xia Anqi, female, 19, student at A University, Y City. She likes her classmate Xu Siqi, who secretly has a crush on Meng Linwan. After being rejected, Xia Anqi resented Meng Linwan and targeted her.”

“So, the stepsister Xia Anqi is also a suspect.” Bai Zongnan thought time was running out and decided to take the initiative to find Xia Anqi.

He went to Meng Linwan’s villa in the northern district, but security was tight. Just then, a girl hurried out, flagging down a black car. The system chimed in.

“Host, the girl you just saw is Meng Linwan’s stepsister, Xia Anqi.”

Bai Zongnan’s eyes lit up. He hailed a cab.

“Driver, please follow that car.”

After several turns, the black car stopped at a quiet café. Xia Anqi entered, where a middle-aged man was waiting. Bai Zongnan followed, ordered coffee, and pretended to read while eavesdropping.

He heard Xia Anqi speak in a low, furious voice:

“How many times have I told you? Don’t show up here again.”

“My dear girl, I haven’t seen you in so long. Your dad misses you.” The man, his eyes lingering on her bag, smiled ingratiatingly.

That must be Ma Chengcai, her biological father, Bai Zongnan thought.

“Miss me? You just want my money.” Xia Anqi saw through him instantly, her tone icy.

He didn’t deny it, instead pleading, “You don’t know how much I owe this time. The creditors are at my door. If I get caught, I’ll be beaten half to death—maybe even killed.”

“Just help me one last time? Please?”

“How many times is this now? Every time you lose, you come to me for money. My life in the Meng family isn’t as grand as you think. I’m not like Meng Linwan, who lucked out with a rich dad.” Xia Anqi’s face was filled with disgust.

Seeing that begging didn’t work, Ma Chengcai changed his tone.

“Anqi, I know you’re a good girl. Your mother worked so hard to raise you. Now that you have a good life, you don’t want me to disrupt your mother and Meng Uncle’s life, right?”

“Don’t you dare!” Xia Anqi spat the words out.

“Don’t blame me. I have no choice.” He grinned slyly.

Xia Anqi glared, then threw a wad of cash on the table. “This is all I have. I warn you—this is the last time. Come near my mother again and I’ll make you pay, even if I have to haunt you as a ghost.”

“Don’t worry.” He greedily counted the money, not sparing her another glance.

Having such a gambler for a father was misfortune enough, Bai Zongnan thought. After both left, he went home.

That night, he tossed and turned, unable to sleep. The final day was approaching, and he still had no clue who the culprit was. Then his phone chimed with a message.

It was from Meng Linwan.

Meng Linwan: Are you asleep?

Bai Zongnan: Not yet.

Meng Linwan: I can’t sleep. Can we chat?

Bai Zongnan: Of course, I’m here.

Meng Linwan: There’s something I want to tell you.

Meng Linwan: Do you remember in middle school there was a chubby girl called Meng Wan in our class?

Bai Zongnan: ...Meng Wan.

Bai Zongnan: Oh, I remember. Why bring her up now?

Meng Linwan: Because that girl was me.

Bai Zongnan was stunned, his phone slipping from his hand. He couldn’t reconcile the two.

Meng Linwan: Surprised? I don’t blame you. I used to be withdrawn, loved to binge eat, weighed 140 pounds. I was mocked and ostracized, had no friends, and was deeply insecure. That was my darkest period. Then you appeared. You didn’t mind being my friend; you even praised my eyes and encouraged me. When others bullied me, you stood up for me. All these years, I wanted to find you just to say thank you.

It took Bai Zongnan a while to recover.

Bai Zongnan: Don’t mention it. But what happened? Why did you transfer schools?

Meng Linwan: My weight started causing health issues, so I had to leave school for a while. Dad hired a coach to help me get fit, and I gradually lost weight. I never thought I’d meet you again in college.

Bai Zongnan: You’re remarkable. You’ve changed so much—more confident, more beautiful. What are the odds we’d meet again? Maybe it’s fate.

Meng Linwan: Yes, fate. And... I told you all this today because we never know what tomorrow brings. I’m scared—scared I won’t have time, scared I’ll have regrets if I don’t tell you.

Bai Zongnan could imagine her hands trembling as she typed. For the first time, he desperately wanted to hold on to someone, terrified death would take her away, overwhelmed by helplessness.

He didn’t want Meng Linwan to sense his fear, so he tried to sound light-hearted.

Bai Zongnan: Don’t be silly. You’ll be fine. You’ll live to be old, lose all your teeth, and have wrinkles.

Meng Linwan: You ruin the mood. Now I can’t even be sad.

Bai Zongnan: That’s the spirit. I’m here, don’t worry. Go to sleep. See you tomorrow.

Meng Linwan: Goodnight. See you tomorrow.

Bai Zongnan: Goodnight.

After typing “goodnight,” Bai Zongnan collapsed onto the bed, staring at the ceiling, endlessly asking himself—who was it? Who?

Until sleep finally claimed him.

Time flew by—it was August 13. The sunlight was warm. Bai Zongnan sent Meng Linwan a good morning emoji, but she didn’t reply. He assumed she was still sleeping, but upon arriving at school, he learned from her roommate that Meng Linwan had left early after seeing a message.

Bai Zongnan frantically called her, but her phone was off.

Sensing trouble, he rushed to the location the system had mentioned, but found nothing.

“System, is there any way to locate Meng Linwan?”

“Sorry, host, there is not.”

He went to the police, seeking help, but was told it was too soon to file a missing-persons report.

He went to the Meng residence. Xia Anqi, opening the door, said she didn’t know where Meng Linwan was and discovered her own phone was missing.

“Sorry, I must have left my phone elsewhere last night.”

“If you hear anything, please contact me right away.”

As Bai Zongnan was leaving, he suddenly remembered the black phone left on the café table after Xia Anqi left the night before—and that someone had picked it up.

Realizing this, he turned to Xia Anqi.

“There’s one more thing—I’ll need your help.”

...

Sitting in a cab together, Bai Zongnan explained everything. Xia Anqi was incredulous, her mind spinning. By the time she realized, they were headed to her biological father Ma Chengcai’s home. She eyed Bai Zongnan warily, planning to check the situation herself. If Meng Linwan wasn’t there, she’d have him committed.

But for Meng Linwan’s safety, she’d trust him this once.

At Ma Chengcai’s home, they found the place empty. Relieved, Xia Anqi quietly picked up a bottle, ready to knock Bai Zongnan out.

“Danger, host,” the system warned.

Bai Zongnan dodged just in time, asking angrily, “What are you doing?”

Xia Anqi, disappointed she missed, replied flatly, “Sending you to a mental hospital.”

...

Then, Xia Anqi found her phone in the house. They checked the messages and saw that “Xia Anqi” had sent a text to Meng Linwan at 8:05 a.m.:

“Help me. Bring one hundred thousand yuan. Derelict factory beside 7 Huai’an Road. Come alone.”

They quickly deduced that Ma Chengcai, having lost at gambling, was trying to stage a kidnapping for ransom.

Bai Zongnan’s brow furrowed. They hurried to the address, praying for Meng Linwan’s safety.

The factory was remote, surrounded by overgrown weeds and trees. The two circled around to avoid being seen. Near the factory, they found a single shoe—Meng Linwan’s, left as a clue. There were fresh marks in the grass.

They crept along, soon spotting Meng Linwan, bound and gagged, lying by some rusty barrels. Ma Chengcai’s back was to them. Meng Linwan’s eyes lit up when she saw them, then quickly masked her expression.

Bai Zongnan signaled for Xia Anqi to circle around. She nodded.

As Bai Zongnan approached, he accidentally stepped on something.

Ma Chengcai, alerted, brandished a knife and shouted, “Who’s there? Come out, or I can’t guarantee this girl’s safety.”

Bai Zongnan had no choice but to step forward, hands raised. “Alright, I’m coming out.”

Ma Chengcai, seeing no one else, decided to tie up Bai Zongnan. As Bai Zongnan approached, he seized a chance—kicked the knife away and grappled with Ma Chengcai. The struggle went poorly; Bai Zongnan soon found himself pinned, grabbing a shard of glass and slashing Ma Chengcai’s face. Enraged, Ma Chengcai tightened his grip on Bai Zongnan’s throat. Bai Zongnan’s vision blurred as he fought for breath.

A bottle shattered.

Ma Chengcai’s grip loosened, and he collapsed. Bai Zongnan, gasping, pushed him off and saw Xia Anqi sitting, exhausted and terrified, having struck the blow.

“Is he dead?” she asked.

Bai Zongnan checked for breath and sighed in relief. “He’s alive. Call the police and an ambulance.”

They quickly untied Meng Linwan. After such an ordeal, she was badly shaken. Bai Zongnan hugged her tightly.

“It’s over. You’re safe now,” he whispered.

Once she calmed down, Xia Anqi couldn’t help but scold her.

“How could you be so foolish? You should have called home instead of coming by yourself.”

“You—”

“Alright, alright. Linwan, you don’t know how worried your sister was. Anqi, you too—sharp tongue, soft heart. That’ll get you in trouble.” Seeing them about to argue, Bai Zongnan hurried to mediate.

“I wasn’t worried about her. I just wanted to get rid of that deadbeat dad,” Xia Anqi said, blushing.

She didn’t notice Ma Chengcai, who had crawled to the knife.

“Watch out!” Bai Zongnan lunged, shoving Xia Anqi aside. The blade plunged into his chest, blood soaking the grass. With his last strength, he pinned Ma Chengcai down.

In the distance, sirens wailed.

“Defibrillator.”

“Pacemaker.”

“Stop the bleeding!”

In a daze, Bai Zongnan’s vision blurred; the girls’ cries faded into silence.

Then, only a voice remained:

“Congratulations, host, on successfully completing the rescue mission.”

When Bai Zongnan opened his eyes again, warm sunlight shone on his face.

The computer screen showed August 14, 2060.

He was back in his room, slumped at his desk. On the screen, the game boss lay defeated; his inventory revealed a legendary item.

But now, Bai Zongnan found it all meaningless.

It all felt like a dream—yet so real. The sadness and longing were undeniable.

“Oh no, I have the math test today! I’m doomed!”

Skipping breakfast, he rushed to school, barely making it with five minutes to spare. He took a deep breath before opening the exam room door.

“What are you waiting for? Get to your seat,” Blackface Liu said impatiently, adjusting his glasses.

“Yes, sir.” Bai Zongnan sat down, pulled out his pen, and began the test.

The exam went smoothly—he didn’t recognize the questions, but the questions recognized him.

He laughed at himself.

From a distance, a girl approached, dressed in a flowing white gown, hair cascading like clouds, eyes bright as stars. Bai Zongnan stared.

It was Meng Linwan.

But she passed by as if she didn’t know him, drawing closer and closer.

Finally, they brushed past each other.

Bai Zongnan lowered his head, feeling dejected. It really was just a dream. How could a goddess like her be with an ordinary guy like him?

What he didn’t see was that as she passed, the girl turned and flashed a mischievous smile.

She brushed her hair aside, and under Bai Zongnan’s astonished gaze, she took his arm and said with a bright smile,

“So today is our first day, boyfriend.”

From now on, let’s take care of each other.