You on the other side of time

This was really strange. Si Yang's eyes widened. He knew that newspapers could make serious mistakes and retract articles, but the probability of this was too small. He shook his head, somewhat helpless, but not too concerned. Anyway, they already knew which class Song Wanxi was in during her freshman year, so if she really needed information, they could just go to her directly; it wouldn't be too much trouble.

Si Yang froze for several seconds before his gaze returned to the black screen of his phone. The dark screen acted as a reassurance. No calls or messages, just silence, which meant that Si Chuying was temporarily safe in this timeline. But he dared not ask. He was utterly terrified of Murphy's Law; the more you worry about something, the more likely it is to happen. He couldn't afford to gamble, and he couldn't afford to lose.

Even though the dreaded phone call didn't ring, he still felt uneasy, as if something was lurking in the shadows. He hesitated for a moment, then finally put down the folder in his hand and hurried home. He had to go back and check on his family, at least to make sure they were all alright.

The early March wind was still biting, and he couldn't help but shrink his neck into his turtleneck sweater. His shoulders slumped instantly, and a self-deprecating smile appeared on his lips. He looked just like a turtle hiding in its shell. He wanted to protect everyone, but he couldn't even protect himself. He could only rely on the cycle of time and try his luck again and again.

He stopped in his tracks as soon as he reached his front door. Three people were standing there: a strange couple and Mr. Wu, the landlord who had been looking for a place to live. Mr. Wu seemed to be explaining the details of Si Yang's house, rambling on and on, but the strange couple looked impatient.

The woman was wearing a bulky down jacket. She would occasionally glance sideways into the room and whisper something to the man. The man would also look into the room, his eyes showing obvious disdain.

"We won't consider haunted houses like this." The man finally waved his hand and pulled the woman away.

Mr. Wu quickly stepped forward, blocking the two of them with a beaming smile. "Brother, sister, it's not a haunted house. There have never been any cases of unusual deaths in the house, and an elderly person who lived to a ripe old age used to live here. The landlord is honest, the price is very reasonable, and it's mainly for urgent sale. If you miss this opportunity, you won't get another one..."

"What do you mean it's not a haunted house?" The woman pointed to the house number, then tapped her phone screen and leaned closer to Boss Wu. "Look, this house number is posted on this forum. 'A life for a life,' it's clearly stated. Even though no one died inside, a murderer lived there. What's the difference between that and a haunted house?"

The woman paused, then touched her slightly protruding belly. "I wouldn't dare live in a place like this; it's bad luck."

"One million, minimum one million, the landlord can sell." Boss Wu knew that there was no point in arguing like this; for customers buying and selling houses, price was the real temptation.

"This..." Upon hearing the price, the man hesitated for a few seconds. The house was worth at least 1.5 million on the market. He understood the value of 500,000 all too well. Even if he worked for ten more years, he might not be able to earn back the price difference. This was definitely a steal.

Seeing the man beside her hesitate, the woman beside her also fell silent.

Si Yang stood at a distance, seeing everything clearly. The haunted house, the bad luck—it was all a lie. This couple was simply profiting from his fame, deliberately driving down the price.

This is where he grew up. His childhood certificates are still on the wall, and there's a photo of him and Si Chuying on the coffee table in the living room. This place is filled with all his childhood memories. How could it be bought away in such a despicable way?

A surge of anger welled up inside him. He stepped forward, waved his hand, and said, "I'm not selling the house anymore. Let's go."

The man paused for a moment, then his face darkened. He glared at Si Yang, his words filled with anger, "If you're not going to sell, fine, but you've wasted half my day. Do you really think I care? I bet besides us, who else would dare buy this house?"

After saying that, he glared fiercely at Si Yang, then pulled the woman and turned to leave.

Boss Wu glanced at Si Yang, sighed heavily, and left with the couple without saying anything more.

Si Yang pushed open the door and entered the house, only to find Xu Qingwan sitting on the sofa in the living room, head down, seemingly lost in thought. Her temples, once black, were now completely white. From the moment this incident occurred until now, no matter how much others cursed or slandered them, no matter how much pressure they endured, their mother had always stood by their side, never uttering a single word of complaint.

"Mom, where's Dad?" Si Yang's gaze swept across the doorway, but Si Xingbin's slippers weren't there. He should have been home. In Si Yang's memory, since this incident, Si Xingbin had almost never left his mother's side. How could he possibly leave her alone in the living room, listening to the harsh words outside and bearing all this grievance alone?

"Your dad is resting in his room. He fell yesterday morning. He already has high blood pressure, and that fall almost killed him. If he had suffered a stroke, he would have been paralyzed for life, if not killed..." Xu Qingwan's eyes suddenly reddened as she said this. She sighed and didn't continue.

Si Yang then realized that his stubborn father had tripped and fallen while arguing with someone.

Things were indeed getting worse. He walked to Si Xingbin's bedroom door, knocked gently, and after receiving a positive response from inside, he slowly pushed the door open.

Si Xingbin leaned against the soft pillows at the head of the bed, staring blankly out the window. He heard a creak and turned around to smile at Si Yang.

His hair was completely white, and he looked incredibly old. On the bedside table sat a bowl of untouched rice and a full glass of water. Si Yang froze. This was his father, a man who had been ambitious and hardworking his entire life, an expert who enjoyed special treatment in his field in Jinchuan. He worked diligently and conscientiously for the city's power infrastructure, but this identity had brought him nothing; in fact, it had become the source of attacks against him after his family's misfortune.

They say big shots have powerful backers, that no one dares to mess with them, and that they distort the truth. Si Yang doesn't understand what's wrong with this world; why is it so different from what he learned in textbooks?!

"Yangyang, you're back. When you have some free time, you can tidy up the room. Who knows, we might move someday," Si Xingbin said calmly.

"We're not moving. I really don't believe anyone in this world can force white to be black. Dad, take care of yourself, don't punish yourself for our... or other people's mistakes."

Si Yang paused, his voice choked with emotion. Every time he faced an even worse situation, he would repeatedly ask himself if his timely intervention was truly worthwhile. In return, he received silent violence from the other party's family and indiscriminate attacks online.

If he could do it all over again, would he still choose to lend a helping hand?

"Accept what cannot be changed. Your parents have never blamed you; they only regret not being able to protect you better." Si Xingbin sighed. He had tried every possible method. He had even considered those unacceptable approaches, but if he did, wouldn't he become just as "inhuman" as that single mother?

She wanted compensation, she wanted money, and he gave it to her. Giving money, offering an apology as needed, and moving out and starting over were the best solutions Si Xingbin could think of at the moment.

"Dad, believe me, your Yangyang has grown up. I can definitely protect you." Si Yang said this with unwavering conviction on the surface, but deep down he was very guilty. He wanted to protect them, but he lacked the ability and evidence, and had to rely on the changing timeline. But since fate had given him a chance, and the timeline was changing, he was certain he would win.

"Sigh..." Si Xingbin knew he probably couldn't win an argument with Si Yang, so he let out a deep sigh and then fell silent.

"Dad, I'm leaving now." Si Yang left the room, his steps unusually heavy.