"Brother Chen, are you awake?"
The sun had just risen, and a young, timid voice echoed nearby. Shen Jie was once again at Zhang Chenâs door.
Her words had barely faded when a gentle, aged voice spoke up."Little Jie, you're here again. Are you here for young Chen?"
As soon as she heard the voice behind her, Shen Jie froze slightly. Without turning around, she replied,"Yes, Senior Ma Ling. Supervisor Lin asked me to check if Brother Chen could continueâ¦"She stopped herself, but her intentions were already clear.
When Ma Ling heard the name of the supervisor, his brows furrowed deeply.Anyone living in these dilapidated shacks had heard of the city's supervisors.
Deep thoughts ran rapidly through his mind.That brat knows Supervisor Lin? This⦠this just got complicated. Could it be⦠Hmph, as if a supervisor would care about some nobody from this place.
At some point, the confusion in his eyes was buried deep in his heart, and his face showed no more hesitation.
"Hoho, I see, I see. What a shameâI came by yesterday as well, and young friend Chen didnât seem well," he said with a broad smile.
Using the supervisorâs name wasn't a spur-of-the-moment decision; Shen Jie had planned it the night before.
Many people had seen Brother Chen and Supervisor Lin talking on multiple occasions, and for someone like Linâwhose eyes usually held nothing but disdainâa friendly conversation was a big deal.
Shen Jie could only hope that this plan would scare off the vultures circling around Brother Chen.
However, a calm chuckle sounded out, making her frown. The words that followed made her uneasy, but before she could think further, a noise came from the door.
Crack!! ~ Creeeaak ~
The creaking of the door drew two pairs of eyes instantly.
Out stepped a young man, just under [1.7 meters] tall, with jet-black hair that hung down to his neck. His worn-out robe had a few patches, and although his face was slightly dry, it couldnât hide a faint hint of handsomeness.
As he walked out, he straightened his backâan innate pride seemingly embedded in his very bones.
"Brother Chenâ¦!!"The moment Zhang Chen stepped outside, Shen Jieâs eyes lit up with joy, and she let out a soft gasp.
Hearing her, Zhang Chen turned toward her. The instant he saw Shen Jie's face, his movements froze. Without another thought, he stepped forward and reached out to touch her face.
"Jieâerâ¦"
It all happened too fast. Shen Jie saw Brother Chen emerge, and in the next instant, his hand was on her face. It was as if her mind shut down.
Hearing her name spoken so intimately by someone of the opposite sex made her cheeks flush like a tomato. A second later, it felt like she'd been electrocuted.
"B-Brother Chenâ¦"Shen Jie used her small hands to push him away and quickly stepped back, eyes fixed on the ground. All she could hear was the pounding of her heart.
Zhang Chen, now distanced, watched her scamper away like a startled kitten. Her voice, barely louder than a whisper, reached his ears. He knew he'd gone too far, but he couldnât be blamedâthey were just so alike!
Because of the suddenness of the situation, neither of them noticed how ugly Ma Jingâs expression had become. Realizing Zhang Chen was looking his way, Ma Jing quickly masked his face with his usual gentle demeanor.
Just as he was about to speak, he noticed Zhang Chen looking elsewhereâhis eyes now holding a chilling glint.
"Jieâer⦠Sister Jie, Iâm sorry for being so abrupt. I wasnât thinking clearly," Zhang Chen said, now looking straight into her eyes. Memories of her had surfaced in his mind⦠the more he looked, the more familiar she seemed.
The memories tied to Shen Jie werenât particularly remarkable. When Zhang Chen first arrived, she was already around. She was the one who had helped him adjust.
Since they were close in age, they quickly became acquaintances. However, Shen Jie was very reserved and didnât have many friendsâaside from a few older women she occasionally spoke to. Zhang Chen, being her age, was someone she could talk to with relative ease, though her cautiousness was understandable, given her youth.
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"Itâs okay, Brother Chenâ¦"She replied with her head still down, but as she continued speaking, she looked upâand what she saw made her blush even harder.
Zhang Chen had taken a small step forward and was now gazing straight into her face, causing her cheeks to burn again.
Seeing her flush once more, Zhang Chen gave a dry cough and looked away with slight reluctance. His eyes turned to Old Jing. Zhang Chen noticed the man had been caught off guardâhis smile was clearly stiff.
"Beautiful day, isnât it, Mister Jing?"Zhang Chen suddenly asked with a smile, greeting him with clenched fists.
Ma Jing was a bit surprised by the sudden question, but that surprise only lasted a second before his usual kind expression returned. He then replied,"It is indeed a fine day. But are you sure young Chen has fully recovered? Working while still weak is a poor decision. A hidden injury could hinder your pursuit of immortality, after all."
Immortality? That word came out of this old manâs mouth too? The more commonplace that term becomes, the better.Many thoughts passed through Zhang Chenâs mind.
From the predecessorâs memories, he had heard about such things, but he knew this body's identity didnât seem simple. Things like âimmortalityâ might not be within everyone's reach. Hearing someone speak of it so casually showed that the term was widely known across different classes of people.
Ma Jing saw that Zhang Chen seemed to be lost in thought, and a bad premonition was already stirring in his heart. His eyes became deep and filled with thoughtsâMa Jing didnât even notice that a pair of bright eyes was watching him closely at that moment.
âHahaha, no need to worry about my condition, Mister Jing. I'm well enough to work now.â
Zhang Chen snapped out of his stupor and replied without going into detail. Not all memories were sorted out yet, but one thing he knew for sure: his predecessor had been very hardworking. So it was best to speak little and make fewer mistakes.
Even the night before, when Ma Jing had come to his cabin, a particular memory had made him question several things.
Upon hearing this answer, not only Ma Jing, but even Shen Jie had an odd expression on her face. Zhang Chen, on the other hand, pretended not to notice.
Where did I go wrong? was the only thought racing through his mind.
âHoho, Iâm glad to hear that. I wonât keep you any longerâI'll take my leave here,â said Ma Jing, not bothered by Zhang Chenâs ânewâ way of speaking.
He turned and walked toward the city, ascending the hill where it lay.
As he left, the two who remained watched his back. As if by tacit understanding, they looked at each other at the same time.
When Zhang Chen looked at her, he saw those dark, shining eyes. The more he looked, the more captivated he became. In the end, he looked away, a little embarrassed.
I canât believe Iâm feeling shy at my âageâ⦠he thought, noticing his own discomfort, but at the end of the thought, he remembered his situation and was left at a loss for a few seconds.
Still, it had to be saidâeven though Shen Jie tried to conceal her beauty, she was truly stunning.
Zhang Chen suddenly remembered something and snapped out of his thoughts, only to realize that even Shen Jie had a flushed face, trying to look away.
From her side, when their eyes met, she had turned away almost at the same time. Her thoughts had been a mess ever since Zhang Chenâs earlier âaction,â but the strangest part was that she didnât feel repulsed by it.
âHas Sister Jie had breakfast yet?â
âAh!? Yes, I have!â
Still a bit lost in thought, Shen Jie heard Zhang Chenâs question and responded with a slight panic in her voice.
Zhang Chen noticed and an almost imperceptible smile crept into the corner of his lips, but he held it back and said, âThen, if thereâs nothing else, shall we go? Sister Jie?â
Zhang Chen had no trouble understanding why she had comeâthis memory had already surfaced the previous night while he slept.
Since they worked in the same place, Zhang Chen used to go to Shen Jieâs home to walk with her, but that changed when he fell ill.
She always came to check if he was okay. In the beginning, he could still talk to her, but as time went on, even standing up became a luxury.
Shen Jie nodded. Without further delay, the two set off, and in that moment, she cast a glance in the direction Ma Jing had gone, a cold glint flashing briefly in her clear eyes.
The two walked in silence, each lost in their own thoughts. With time, Zhang Chen began to be drawn to this ânewâ world.
Countless homes were stacked atop one another, in conditions barely suitable for living, and the stench emanating from them made him nauseous. From time to time, someone would throw a bucket of waste onto the street.
The many homes formed a chaotic web of pathways, and many werenât even level with the ground. Zhang Chen had not been wealthy in his past lifeâin fact, he had lived in poverty during his childhood and for some time afterwardâbut this was worse.
It amazed him, especially because, according to his predecessorâs memories, many people had come here of their own free will.
They kept walking down that chaotic road. There, even light felt like a luxury, though it was merely an illusion caused by the tightly packed homes. Looking ahead, Zhang Chen noticed sunlight at the end of the row of shacks.
At that moment, his heart gave a small leap of emotion. The closer they got, the more intense the light became.
Without hesitation, they stepped past the last row of houses, and just as expected, the sunlight was so radiant it made them squint. Zhang Chen looked to the side, just in time to see Shen Jie struggling to open her eyes â she looked adorable!
Reluctantly looking away, Zhang Chen turned to face the new world that, although familiar, now seemed completely different, and what he saw left him in awe.
Upon stepping out from the chaotic cluster of dilapidated homes, he saw in the distance a wide road. The sun was just beginning to rise on the horizon, light vapors rising toward the sky, and trees with trunks the size of houses stood tall.
From time to time, a bird larger than any hawk heâd known in his past life would fly by and land on one of those great trees. All of it fascinated Zhang Chen.
Looking up, he could see the silhouette of a monstrous wall, with the road leading straight toward it.
Looking in the opposite direction, he spotted a forest far in the distance, separated by a small, clear stream that shimmered even from this far away.
Their destination lay close to that stream.
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[1, 7 Meters = 5 feet 6 inches (5â6)]