After surviving the first round of knowledge bombardment, Salena's mind settled for the moment. Though she feared the future, she was not without curiosity.
She pointed toward the front door, mimicking how Zhou Qin had just referred to those unmanned vehicles.
"How do those 'ka' things move?"*
Zhou Qin froze for a moment before realizing what English word she meant. "It's 'car,' not 'ka.' They run on burned oil. Petroleum—it's a kind of fuel. When it burns, it produces energy, which drives the movement of machinery. Yes, just like how you use a steam engine to create steam!"*
Salena then pointed at the light bulb above her head. "So this… it's also powered by burned oil? Not a gas lamp?"*
Ah, the charm of ancient people. Over a hundred years ago, everything felt… off.
Meeting a local time-traveler from the Industrial Revolution era, the modern sense of superiority suddenly seemed low-key humbled.
Zhou Qin cleared his throat and assumed a teacherly tone. "This is an electric bulb, a device powered by electricity. Electricity isn't burned oil. You know coal, right? But power plants that generate electricity are usually far away."*
He pointed at the wires on the ceiling. "Electricity travels through these lines to every home. Once you pay the electricity bill, flipping the switch or circuit breaker lets you use it."*
"Why do you speak English?"*
"I learned it. Plus, foreign shows are way more interesting."*
Hey~ responsible adults, who even watches domestic TV?
Salena furrowed her brows. After some thought, she asked a question she had been holding back: "Why is it so easy for you to accept that I'm from over a hundred years ago?"*
Zhou Qin turned his head, awkwardly chuckling.
How to explain this? Should he tell her that, a hundred years later, time travel was such a common trope in entertainment that he was bored of it?
"Well… time travelers—people like you—are a frequent subject in entertainment works in our era. This genre has existed for many years. The first time I saw time travel was in a movie called Back to the Future, nearly fifty years ago. Locally, there's Xun Qin Ji—an old TV drama from about twenty years back. I can show you sometime."*
Salena's brows furrowed even tighter. Her delicate face twisted in disbelief. "Such things… appear often in entertainment? Does that mean they happen often?"*
Zhou Qin didn't know how to explain. He couldn't lie: "Yes, people travel through time all the time here, some with systems, some being copywriters." That would be cruel.
"It's just fiction. The story gives readers immersion. People with similar social backgrounds and life experiences are transported to an alternate world or a different era, experiencing adventures impossible in reality. That naturally creates empathy and understanding. And for the creators, it's easy—main characters can explore a strange environment, discover new ways people live, or encounter unheard-of events. Trust me, this genre has made a lot of people sick of it by now."*
Seeing this conversation could drag on forever, he quickly changed the topic. "If you have other questions, ask me."*
"So… how do I go back?"*
Zhou Qin immediately went silent. That was a difficult question—he had no answer.
"Alright… I knew it wouldn't be easy."*
Salena forced a smile at him, clearly understanding his difficulty. She walked to the balcony, letting her fingers trace the gaps in the security mesh. That fragile iron net felt like a real cage, trapping her in this unfamiliar era.
For the first time, Zhou Qin saw the emotions reflected in a girl's eyes so clearly. Her pupils seemed to lose their light; colorless eyes were shrouded in despair.
He helplessly gave up on the thought of forcing her away. It seemed he couldn't be that cruel.
"If you can't leave, we'll just settle in… first, let's figure out how to deal with the air wall."*
Salena tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, thinking. "Sorry for disturbing your life."*
She looked around, familiarizing herself with her temporary residence. Her gaze soon fell on the piano placed against the wall. She raised her hand toward it. "Do you mind if I play?"*
Zhou Qin shook his head. Salena walked to the piano, her posture straight and steps graceful, swaying lightly like a model on a stage, exuding natural nobility.
She pulled out the piano bench, lifted the cover, and gently removed slightly damp gloves. Her fair, delicate fingers caressed the long-maintained keys.
Ding! The first note rang under Salena's finger. The slightly strange tone echoed in the room. Those seemingly soft hands pressed with firm strength.
"Poor thing… hasn't been maintained in a while, has it?"*
Salena pressed the keys tenderly. The slightly harsh tone made her feel uncomfortable.
"The previous tenant left it for cheap; probably barely holding up."*
"I see…"*
Salena's touch became gentler, moving over every key.
So, we are both lonely and helpless.
Shared suffering resonated once more under her hands. Her fingers danced like butterflies through a sea of flowers, soaring freely across the staff. The melody was like a quiet murmur in the dead of night: aware of life's harshness, helplessness, yet still harboring hope and expecting miracles.
Her performance was an emotional release. For some, a book might be considered a surrealist enlightenment. But to Zhou Qin, the music being played by the girl before him was true hundred-year solitude.
Salena paused her interlacing hands, belatedly glancing at Zhou Qin. Her voice lowered: "Playing the piano at night… will it disturb others?"*
Zhou Qin smiled. "A little, maybe. But it's relaxing, isn't it?"*
She nodded, smiling. After a solo session, much of her inner suppression had indeed been lifted. She smiled softly. "I didn't expect you to know music too."*
Zhou Qin shrugged, tossing out two new-era terms Salena had never heard. "Just a hobby. I mainly listen to jazz and rock. You probably aren't familiar with either."*
Salena turned from the piano bench, resting her chin on her hands. "What kind of music is that?"*
"Jazz is a lonely cry; rock is a roar of the soul. In your era, classical music was probably mainstream, right?"*
A cry and a roar? Salena's curiosity was piqued. "When there's time, please teach me about it."*
"Of course. But whether you can accept it is another matter."*
Music, as expected, was a language beyond borders.
Finally, Zhou Qin and Salena had found a tiny thread of common ground. Sadly, it was no joyful encounter, but a tragic first meeting.
If her time travel was truly accidental… this might be all there was. Zhou Qin got up from the lazy sofa, walking down the hallway to the far room. He waved at Salena, gesturing for her to come to the bedroom doorway.
Salena walked slowly beside him.
Zhou Qin gestured for her to enter the bedroom and pointed at the lock on the door handle. "See the lock? Turn it like this."*
Salena nodded. Zhou Qin then had her step out. He closed the door and said through it, "Now try opening it!"*
Salena, like a machine following commands, pushed… "Can't open it."*
Zhou Qin unlocked the door, guiding her inside. "Try locking it again."*
After Salena learned to lock the door, Zhou Qin dangled the bedroom key above her hand with his finger. "If you don't mind, you can sleep here first. Remember how I showed you to lock it? And here's the key. I didn't keep a second copy, so don't worry."*
Salena couldn't understand Zhou Qin. She couldn't believe this was mere courtesy between strangers.
"Why?"*
"I can't just watch you cry."*
Salena stared quietly for a moment, then turned. "Thank you."*
"Salena, there are some clothes in my wardrobe. If you don't mind, wear them for now. You might catch a cold otherwise."*
"Okay. Thank you, Zhou Qin."*
Salena half-shielded herself behind the door, only revealing half her face. Watching Zhou Qin leave, she seemed to feel a tiny bit of trust for the first time.
After all, a hundred years' distance was now just a door apart.
"No need to thank me. Good night."
Eastern words? Salena tried to imitate the sound, but her tongue wouldn't obey. "Wān'àn?"
Zhou Qin faced away, stifling laughter. Getting a foreigner to read Chinese—fun times. If he couldn't pay rent, at least he could get some amusement from Salena.
He looked at the sticky note on the suitcase and had an idea. Half an hour later, after stretching, he turned off all the lights in the apartment.
As he prepared to sleep on the lazy sofa for the night, he had another thought. He turned on his phone flashlight, walked to the balcony, and placed the sea fish Salena had brought during her time travel into the water-filled kitchen sink.
Indeed, visiting someone is always better with something edible.