"A-Qing, why are you crying? What happened, tell Mom," Li Jianfang asked gently, her voice filled with concern as she rushed to embrace her daughter. The moment she saw the tears sliding down Li Ziqing's cheeks, her heart ached. She pulled her into her arms and began soothing her with a motherly tenderness, patting her back gently.
Even Li Zian's expression darkened with distress. He frowned and asked anxiously, "A-Qing, did you have a nightmare again? Didn't I tell you to stop reading those horror comics? But you never listen."
Li Ziqing's eyes shimmered with unshed tears, but as she looked into the familiar faces before her—faces she thought she'd never see again—her turbulent emotions slowly began to settle. She forced a shaky smile, turned to her brother, and nodded. "Yes, you're right, brother. I had a nightmare… it was terrifying."
But in truth, it wasn't just a dream—it was her previous life. A life so full of pain and betrayal that it might as well have been a living nightmare. And now, reborn into this moment, she was determined to bury that past and begin anew—for herself, for her family, and to seek justice against those lurking in the shadows.
With a deep breath, she steadied herself and smiled warmly at her mother. "Don't worry, Mom. I'm fine now." She glanced between them and added lightly, "So… what were you talking about just now?"
Catching on quickly to her daughter's intention to shift the mood, Li Jianfang played along. "It's An-An again," she said with a sigh, using her son's nickname. "He's still insisting on working at the internet café."
Li Zian immediately jumped in with renewed vigor, "Mom, why won't you let me work? It's not like I'm doing anything shady—just helping out part-time with daily operations. I'm good with computers, and that's exactly why this opportunity came to me."
He lifted his chin and added proudly, "And let's not forget, I'll be earning 20 yuan a day. Even if I only work 25 days a month, that's 600 yuan! That's a lot for someone my age."
Li Ziqing's hand slowly curled into a fist as she listened. Here it goes...
She remembered this moment vividly—her brother's enthusiasm, his budding dreams, and the path that would ultimately lead to tragedy.
In her past life, her brother had shown an extraordinary aptitude for computers from the age of twelve. A friend of his, ten years his senior, had taken him under his wing and taught him programming, web design, and basic coding for three years now. That friend owned a small internet café nearby and, now moving away for post graduate studies, wanted to entrust Li Zian with the part-time management of it.
Of course, Zian had leapt at the opportunity. It was his chance to be close to computers—something their modest household could never afford. She remembered how he'd often talk about creating a game inspired by Warcraft III, dreaming of one day developing high-quality games himself. But he never told their mother the full truth—he simply said he wanted to earn some money.
And then… his dream became the root of his death.
According to the man in black, her brother's mysterious and untimely death in her previous life had been intricately tied to that very game.
Li Ziqing's eyes darkened slightly, but she shook the thought away. 'No, I wouldn't stop my brother from pursuing his dream. This time, I will not let history repeat itself. This time, I will protect my brother. We will rise from these rags, and I will shield my family from the people who once destroyed us.'
She smiled and wrapped her arms around her mother affectionately. "Mom, let him do it. You know how passionate he is about computers. Who knows? He might even major in computer science after the college entrance exams."
She continued gently, "With the way our economy is growing and everything becoming digital, learning these skills early is a huge advantage. Right, Brother?"
Li Zian's eyes lit up as if someone had just spoken his deepest thoughts aloud. "Exactly, A-Qing! That's what I've been thinking too! I really want to major in computer science when I go to university!"
On the surface, Li Ziqing smiled, but deep inside, her heart twisted in pain. 'In my previous life, you didn't even get to sit the college entrance exam…' she thought silently. 'But this time, I swear—I'll make sure you do. I'll see you go to university, succeed, and live the life you deserve.'
Li Jianfang, however, still looked uneasy. "But A-Qing… you know the kind of crowd that lingers around these internet cafés. What if An-An ends up mixing with the wrong people? He's still just fourteen, no matter what the ID says."
Indeed, in the early 2000s, internet cafés were often looked down upon, seen as breeding grounds for delinquents, gaming addicts, and shady behavior.
"Mom, I'm sixteen according to our household registration, remember?" Li Zian cut in, trying to sound mature. "Besides, I'll only be working part-time in the evenings for a few hours. And school won't be overwhelming—this is just the first year of high school."
Indeed, her brother had manipulated his age in their household registration and increased it by two years just to work in Internet Cafe legally. In 2006 when China was not highly degitalised, people would often take advantage of the system. If someone had connections in local police station it was possible to forge household registration. And many children in Northern District where poverty was at extreme did this to work early and earn some money.
Li Ziqing looked at her mother and offered her a quiet nod. "Let him try, Mom. Trust him. We all need a little head start in life, and this is his."
Even Li Zian looked at their mother with eager anticipation. Li Jianfang glanced at her two children, both waiting quietly for her response, their eyes full of expectation. With a sigh of resignation, she finally said, "Fine…"
The moment the word left her lips, Li Zian leapt up with excitement and threw his arms around her. "Mom, thank you so much! You're the best!"
Li Ziqing smiled softly at the scene, genuinely happy for her brother. But before the excitement could build too much, Li Jianfang placed her hands on his shoulders and said sternly, "But let me be clear, AnAn—if I notice your grades dropping, if I hear complaints from your teachers, or if I even sense you getting involved with the wrong crowd, I'll make you quit immediately. No excuses."
Though her words carried a warning, her voice remained gentle and full of warmth. She gave him a light pat on the head before turning toward the door.
"Now both of you finish your breakfast," she added. "I made fresh steamed buns. I need to get back to the food stall. Aunt Meihua from the neighboring booth is keeping an eye on things for me."
With that, Li Jianfang walked out of the house, the scent of soy and sesame lingering in her wake.
----
Later that morning, after breakfast, Li Ziqing lay on her bed, staring at the wooden ceiling above her. The room was quiet, but her mind was storming.
She couldn't stop thinking about her past life and the misfortunes that had struck her family—particularly her brother. She longed to find a way to prevent the tragedy, but no matter how many times she turned it over in her head, she couldn't figure out a solution.
For nearly two hours, she lay motionless in thought.
The only straightforward way to stop it… is to prevent him from ever developing the game, she considered. But why should I? Why must we remain at the bottom of society, bowed under pressure? Just because someone felt threatened by our talent, must we live in fear and bury our ambitions?
No. Never again.
Still, she needed a plan—one that could protect her family and allow them to rise.
Suddenly—
Ding.
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5%... 17%... 67%... 100%
Li Ziqing abruptly sat up in bed, her heart skipping a beat. She glanced around the room. The strange voice was crisp, emotionless—yet distinctly real.
"What was that?" she muttered.
She hurried to the window and looked outside. The alley beyond was normal—nothing unusual in sight. She turned back, scanning every corner of her small room.
Strangely, there was no sign of where the sound had come from.
Shrugging off the unease, she sat back on the edge of her bed, brows furrowed. "How do I get rid of the tragedy? There must be a way..."
[Ding... Eliminating tragedy isn't easy—especially when the enemy hides in the shadows. We don't know his face, his goals, or his next move. The best method? Become so successful he has no choice but to come out of his rat hole.]
Li Ziqing instinctively nodded. "You're right, I think—"
Her voice caught.
Wait.
Her expression shifted instantly. She stood up again, alarmed, scanning her room with narrowed eyes. "Who's there?" she called out. "Show yourself!"
Her vigilance had been deeply honed by betrayal and death in her previous life. The memory of enemies lurking, of secrets spying in the dark—it all came flooding back.
She tiptoed toward the window, ready to flee if necessary.
[Ding... I am not a spy. I am not human. I am a system—residing in your consciousness.]
Li Ziqing froze.
A... system?