You on the other side of time

Si Yang rolled over and sat on the edge of the Nine-Eyed Bridge. The cool night breeze on his face instantly sobered him up. He stared intently at the river below, took a deep breath, and suddenly lifted one foot out.

thump--

The expected feeling of weightlessness didn't materialize as I plunged into the river. Instead, I felt a dull pain as my knees hit the soft mud, and the icy river water instantly soaked through my trousers.

He dragged his muddy trousers, wringing out the water from his clothes as he staggered forward. When he reached the bank, Si Yang plopped down on the dry grass, only then realizing that the river was much colder than he had imagined. He felt completely frozen, his teeth chattering uncontrollably.

It was clear that he had failed.

Last time he fell into the river, he didn't even touch the water; the moment he lost weight, he was transported to another time. But this time, apart from being soaking wet and disheveled, nothing else happened.

The location is correct. In the past two weeks, he has wandered around this bridge countless times in search of the child; he could pinpoint the exact location with his eyes closed.

So where is the problem?

Si Yang lowered his head and silently mocked himself. He had never believed in time travel or such things. But now, he was like a madman who had shattered his own beliefs and was desperately grasping at any straw, so crazy that he had actually pinned his hopes on an unexpected time jump.

He sneezed several times in a row and dragged his heavy clothes home.

As night fell completely, the occasional person hurrying home from get off work passed by the bridge. They caught a glimpse of Si Yang, covered in mud, and whispered among themselves.

"Look at this guy, is he crazy?"

"I heard that the person who lost a child in the river near Jiuyan Bridge a while ago is him..."

"..."

Si Yang ignored him. He had heard this kind of talk far too often lately.

For 23 years, he was the model child, excelling academically, but socially inept. After the incident, he didn't even have the courage to directly refute the rumors, and could only watch helplessly as his family was constantly swayed by public opinion.

When I got home, the wreaths at the door had been swept away, replaced by a pile of dark gray ash, mixed with some unburnt yellow paper money. The four characters "A life for a life" on the door had faded considerably after being washed.

The fact that these people can so blatantly cause damage suggests that the property management is turning a blind eye.

He lightly left his fingerprint, and the door opened instantly. After changing his shoes, Si Yang walked into the living room and immediately saw Xu Qingwan sitting on the sofa.

She was sitting on the sofa, her eyes slightly closed, the redness and swelling around her eyes still lingering, and the silver strands at her temples particularly noticeable under the light. Hearing the noise, she slowly opened her eyes and saw Si Yang, who was soaking wet. A hint of heartache flashed across her face, but she only gently made a shushing gesture: "Shh, Yingying finally fell asleep."

After changing his clothes in his bedroom, Si Yang returned to the living room and sat down on the sofa. He took the rabbit and his student ID card out of his down jacket and gently placed them on the dining table. The rough texture of the fabric against his fingers suddenly made his heart ache.

"Mom, I'm so useless." He lowered his head in frustration, a mix of emotions welling up inside him, whether it was regret or guilt. "I thought I was a hero, but I couldn't even protect you."

Xu Qingwan was silent for a moment, then reached out and patted his back, her tone slightly weary, "The tongue may be soft, but it can kill. Your father and I have discussed it and decided to sell the house. Part of it will be used as compensation, and the other part will be used to move you and Yingying to another place."

"Mom!" Si Yang suddenly looked up. "We didn't do anything wrong, so why should we have to pay compensation? And why did we run away?"

"But if we don't escape, what else can we do now?" Xu Qingwan's voice choked with sobs, she seemed to be trying her best to keep her voice down, "I'm too tired, I can't take it anymore."

After she finished speaking, she slowly stood up and walked step by step towards the bedroom, her back hunched, as if she had aged several years in an instant.

Si Yang sat stiffly on the sofa, feeling a tightness in his chest.

The compensation means they publicly admit they were "wrong," but where did they go wrong? Moving is a complete surrender to the rumors. Clearly, the people who spread the rumors are wrong, so why should they bow down?

Si Yang was unwilling to accept this.

He and his sister were born and raised here. This place holds all their memories. Why should they be forced to leave their homeland because of a group of people who don't know the truth?

He lay back on the sofa, staring at the flickering light strip on the ceiling. People's hearts are too fickle. Just like Si Chuying, who originally had so many friends, but after the incident, those so-called friends turned into sharp swords piercing her. Even some trivial hidden conflicts from the past were constantly brought up and repeatedly whipped.

And only Wen Jinxin remained by his side.

Si Yang raised his wrist and glanced at his phone; the screen showed 11:47.

Recalling the last time I traveled through time, it seemed to be around midnight. Could it be that time travel requires a specific time point? Perhaps midnight is the key to time travel?

Thinking of this, Si Yang suddenly stood up. His soaked hair was still dripping wet, but he didn't care; it seemed to be his only hope at the moment.

After gently closing the door, the motion-activated lights in the hallway turned on with his footsteps and then slowly turned off. He exited the elevator and headed straight for Jiuyan Bridge.

The Jiuyan Bridge was very quiet after the accident, and almost no one crossed it late at night, which created a good opportunity for him to keep trying.

The phone screen showed 00:00. Si Yang took a deep breath, closed his eyes, and without further hesitation, jumped down.

……

……

"bite……"

The crisp sound of a coin hitting the ground startled Si Yang awake from his sleep.

He sat up abruptly, the glaring sunlight streaming in through the gap in the curtains. Si Yang raised his right hand to block the light, but accidentally lifted the thin blanket covering him, revealing his dry short-sleeved shirt and shorts underneath.

The air conditioner was still blowing cold air.

Si Yang froze for a few seconds, then suddenly raised his hand and pinched himself, wincing in pain.

Not a dream.

He really came back.

The pattern has been found! You must fall into the river from a specific location on Jiuyan Bridge at exactly midnight to complete the crossing.

Si Yang's tense nerves suddenly relaxed. If this pattern held true, then the disaster nine months later was nothing to fear; he could return again and again until he changed his fate.

But the next second, a new question arose in his mind: how did he suddenly return to "reality" last time?

"Brother, what are you yelling about?!" Si Chuying's voice interrupted Si Yang's thoughts.

The bedroom door was suddenly twisted open, and Si Yang saw his younger sister leaning against the door frame in her cartoon pajamas, looking at him with a resentful expression: "So noisy so early in the morning!"

Looking at his sister's vibrant appearance, Si Yang's eyes suddenly welled up with tears. He realized that even when she was angry, she was so adorable. But last time she came back, he hadn't even had a chance to say a few serious words before he was forcibly pulled back to reality.

"Seeing you so happy makes me happy too. Yingying, listen to me." His smile faded, his tone serious. "For the next few months, no matter what happens outside, don't do good deeds or stand by and watch. If you encounter danger, call the police immediately and then leave right away. Don't meddle in other people's business..."

"???" Si Chuying looked completely bewildered. "Brother, why are you acting so strangely? Why are you suddenly concerned about me? Are you craving something sweet again? Want me to buy you some pancakes? Let me tell you, we don't serve pancakes on Fridays!"

"Damn it, how come I have a brother who treats me like a free errand boy? Take my brother away from me!"

Seeing his sister's sullen face, Si Yang felt a mix of sadness and warmth in his heart. He knew that his sister probably wouldn't believe him now. But he had to remind her that even if there was only a one in ten thousand chance, he couldn't let the tragedy repeat itself.

"I'm serious." Si Yang grabbed her wrist, his eyes firm. "Promise me you'll remember."