It's exactly because life can't be restarted that people tend to play it safe with their choices. Few have the courage to change—because every change is a gamble.
Cynthia gave William the inspiration for his next game.
New Folder: "Life Restart Simulator."
"Life Restart Simulator" is a text-based game, not very interactive, with a stronger focus on storytelling.
The core idea: If you had a chance to start over, what kind of future could you have?
The story needs to stay grounded in reality, but not too close—add a touch of fantasy, mix in some urban legends, make it more fun, and show that this is still a game.
What do people on Blue Star dream of?
Becoming a celebrity on stage, the main character in a novel, the center of attention in dramas, or someone everyone's talking about on variety shows...
Add all those possibilities into the story. The player's choices will decide who they become—or if they become no one at all.
Multiple endings will be a big highlight. You can die at any time in the game—maybe right after birth, maybe right after turning 18, or maybe you'll trigger a secret storyline and gain immortality.
Players can choose carefully after figuring out all the possible storylines, or just do whatever they want and follow their heart. Whatever kind of life they end up with, whether they like it or not, they can always restart and choose again.
If William were to announce this game too early, people's first reaction would probably be negative—because storytelling has always been Earth Games' weakest point. This would only highlight that flaw.
Announcing a story-focused game now is basically like a swimmer switching to diving—it's that much of a leap.
Still, promotion has to be done.
"If you had another shot at life, what would you choose?"
This was William's first teaser for the new game. Under his post on social media, Earth Games fans started commenting:
"Yo, is this a new game?"
"Nope, not a new game. It's another 'learning tool.'"
"Piano Tiles is way too fun!"
"This is my first Weibo post, leaving a mark."
"2048 is the best!"
"Fun fact: This is a game company, not an educational software developer."
"Classical Poetry Crossword: So what am I, then?"
...
In just under a minute, the Earth Games teaser made it to the trending list. Before anyone realized it, Earth Games had already built up a huge fan base.
After William posted on Weibo, he didn't check it again. He went straight back to writing his script.
"You're born into a wealthy family at age 0. Wealth +2."
"You get kidnapped at age 1 and killed. Game over."
...
Every single line was handwritten by William. Just the possible outcomes for age 0 ran into the dozens. And every outcome would shape the future story. Those effects would intersect, making the total word count massive.
When he felt stuck while writing, he'd search for a few novels online, or watch some drama or movie recaps. Mainly, he tried to absorb the essence of them. Because in *Life Restart Simulator*, each year is summed up in one sentence — it had to pack enough punch to make people want to keep going. Otherwise, they'd just quit out of boredom.
"This is the draft electronic contract I made. Take a look first, and if everything looks okay, I'll bring the real one tomorrow. Once we lock this down, I'll go quit my job," Cynthia messaged him on WeChat.
William skimmed the contract and immediately spotted a problem.
"Isn't the 70/30 profit split written the wrong way?"
The contract clearly said 70% of the profits would go to Earth Games, and 30% to Tencent Group.
Cynthia replied with a playful emoji: "Of course I have to fight for my boss to get the best deal!"
William sent her a thumbs-up emoji. Gold Card Cynthia really was a powerhouse.
"No non-compete clause?"
"You don't say it, I don't say it — who's gonna know?"
Gotta admit, Cynthia really lived by the motto: the bolder the person, the greater the gain.
At dinnertime, Uncle Zach was working late at the office. William had originally planned to wait for him to come back before giving out the gifts. But then he thought, Uncle Zach might not be back anytime soon, and Jenny could already be asleep by then — better to just give the mother and daughter their presents now.
"Is this really for me?" Jenny hugged the gift box with the dress inside and jumped with joy. Once William confirmed it, she immediately said, "I love Brother William the most!"
Aunt Lisa smiled warmly at Jenny, still holding on to the spa membership card William had given her.
"Aunt Lisa, thank you and Uncle Zach so much for taking care of me these past few days. If it weren't for you two, I might still be wandering the streets," William said with genuine emotion.
Aunt Lisa acted like she didn't hear him. She called Jenny over.
"Do you like having Brother William live with us?"
"I do!" Jenny answered without hesitation.
"Then what will you do if one day he has to leave?"
Quick as a flash, Jenny looked up, her big eyes full of tears, and stared at William, "Brother William, don't go!"
William forced a small smile. Aunt Lisa really did understand him. But his mind was made up. Besides, they were a real family, and he was just a guest. It wouldn't be right to stay in their home for too long.
"Be good. Want me to teach you how to play Canon?" William didn't want to lie, so he could only change the subject.
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"Promise me you won't leave first," Jenny said stubbornly.
"Okay, I promise." William put his hand on Jenny's head. "I won't leave until you've learned how to play Canon."
"Pinky swear!"
"Pinky swear."
Dun.
Dun.
Dun.
As he started playing Canon in D again, William's mood had completely changed.
Last time, he was just following the sheet music, playing it like a task. But this time, he poured his feelings into it. Even though he'd never been in love, his experiences on Earth felt like those of someone who had loved deeply—and could never go back.
In William's version of Canon, the sadness of parting was stronger than the joy of love. By the time the song ended, Aunt Lisa was already wiping her tears.
To her, William was like her eldest son—obedient, thoughtful, hardworking, and above all, kind. That was why she had been willing to take him in and care for him without hesitation.
Kindness is rare, but kind people are naturally drawn to one another.
"I understand this is your opportunity, and I have no right to stop you." Aunt Lisa sat down beside William. Jenny had already been tucked into bed. "No matter what happens in the future, remember—you'll always be welcome in our home."
"Thank you."
William kept his eyes on the TV. He didn't dare look at Aunt Lisa. He was afraid he'd give in. Afraid he'd want to stay.
Even though he had only stayed with Aunt Lisa for two or three days, in that short time, she had already shown him just how much she cared through her actions.
Taking care of his daily needs, helping him get on TV, giving him advice—everything she did was for his sake.
Not to mention the sacrifices she and her family had made when William first came to Riverdale, just to help him adjust.
Some kindness can never be repaid—especially when it's given without asking for anything in return.
If life gave him a second chance, even if it meant dying in that room again, William would never want to miss meeting Aunt Lisa's family.