My wife is a witch princess.

Song Che glanced at Xia Li in the living room and found that she was still sitting there in the same position, motionless, as if frozen. She wasn't looking at magazines or doing any calculations on paper. She would only occasionally touch the scarf, her blue eyes staring blankly into the distance.

Song Che was all too familiar with that expression—it was exactly the same as when he first transmigrated to the Hit Empire: In this strange world, what should I do? Who am I? I'm all alone... I don't belong to anything around me.

Song Che turned around and went back to the bedroom. He took out a book with a worn spine from the bedside table, then walked back to the living room and came to Xia Li.

"Give."

"Hmm?" Xia Li snapped out of her daze and looked up at him.

"Let me show you a book," Song Che explained, handing the book over. "When I was in my senior year of high school... I was under a lot of pressure, and I always felt like I was all alone. I got through it by reading this book. Later, when I was in Hite, I would think about the stories and characters in this book when I couldn't sleep at night or felt particularly lonely. After reading it a lot and thinking about their fates... my mindset gradually calmed down."

Xia Li took the book.

On the dark cover, four large, calmly written characters are printed:

One Hundred Years of Solitude

"Let's watch for a while. When it gets dark, we'll go out for a walk and take you to the night market. It's very lively."

This book didn't originally belong to him; it was a gift from his childhood friend. Song Che remembered that it contained many annotations and comments left by his friend, making it feel like someone was discussing things with him, which made the difficult text easier to understand.

Later, he added some neat notes himself. However, as time passed, he couldn't remember the specifics clearly. But he hoped that this book might provide Xia Li with a temporary refuge when she felt adrift and lost.

Song Che didn't bother her anymore.

For Xia Li, being able to show this kind of bewilderment is actually a rare good thing—it shows that her emotional experience is deepening, and she is becoming more and more like a living, breathing person. If she leaves more traces of her life here in the future, and then finds a way to resolve her identity issue at the orphanage, she might be able to exist more at ease and not always be troubled by why she is here.

……

Song Che returned to the bedroom and began cleaning up the mess caused by the two cats fighting.

Peach Blossom huddled in another corner of the living room, continuing her eye contact with Bruce on the sofa. Xia Li stroked the book cover in her hand, feeling the unease in her heart gradually subside.

Since arriving here, Song Che has always encouraged her to read, and she enjoys reading. There are always different things in books; they can teach her knowledge, express her fragile emotions, and reveal things that are difficult to put into words. As soon as she opens the first page, her gaze is fixed on it.

Those were two completely different handwriting styles: one was flamboyant and unrestrained, almost bursting off the paper; the other was neat and restrained, with each stroke following the rules.

She recognized the latter—it was Song Che's handwriting.

She read aloud softly, word by word: 'You'll be disliked for troubling others, but not for troubling your parents, not for troubling your siblings, not for troubling your best friends, and not for troubling those who like you.'

She understood the first part of the sentence. Because, apart from Song Che, everyone else she had bothered eventually showed signs of annoyance.

But she couldn't understand the second half of the sentence.

Which category does Song Che belong to? And why doesn't he hate himself?

Xia Li noted the sentence down, her fingertips lingering on the ink, before continuing to turn the pages. Regardless of the book's content, its production was exceptionally fine. The paper was thick, with dark gold lines along the edges, exuding a unique scent of age. Almost every page contained annotations of varying lengths.

...Song Che really likes this book.

Xia Li began reading the main text. After reading about five or six pages, she sensed a heavy, somber tone. The word "loneliness" wasn't explicitly used, but its presence was pervasive, seeping from between the words. The story's foreshadowing subtly pointed to the tragedy the characters would ultimately face.

Xia Li was engrossed in watching. Song Che came to the living room several times after tidying up the bedroom, but seeing that Xia Li was still watching, he didn't disturb her. He went back to the bedroom to deal with some trivial matters.

The wind outside the window gradually picked up, not fierce, but persistent. It swept through the branches, carrying away one withered leaf after another that clung precariously to the ground. When the last leaf finally succumbed and twirled to the ground, the streetlights snapped on one by one, casting patches of orange light.

The light dimmed without us even noticing.

The words in front of Xia Li's eyes became blurry, and a small patch of moisture suddenly appeared on the black characters in her vision.

She froze, instinctively raising her hand to touch her cheek—a distinct coolness reached her fingertips.

It is a tear.

It slipped down without warning, landing on the open pages of the book.

She wondered why she was crying. She didn't feel any particularly sharp sadness, nor did her heart clench with pain. She couldn't even cry when she witnessed Song Che die in the other world.

A strange panic gripped her.

Your Highness should not shed tears, nor should you. She wiped her eyes with the back of her hand, trying to erase the evidence.

Snapped--

The living room ceiling light suddenly turned on, dispelling the darkness in the room.

Xia Li quickly sat up straight, placed her hands neatly on her knees, arranged the books, and her face returned to its usual calm.

Song Che stood behind the small sofa, looked out the window and then at her, reminding her, "Xia Li, remember to turn on the light next time you read. If it's too dim, your eyes will be damaged."

"I understand," she replied, her voice steady.

"Let's pack up and go out for a walk. We can eat whatever we want today," Song Che waved his phone, the screen lighting up to show his balance. "The money we got from that gold coin is considered as money we earned ourselves."

"it is good."

Xia Li touched the pages of the book, about to close it, when she suddenly felt something strange in the touch.

She lowered her head.

The living room light was shining on that page of paper.

One Hundred Years of Solitude, page 97.

On the slightly yellowed paper, three small tear stains were clearly visible. One tear stain had long since dried, its edges wrinkled; the other two were almost overlapping, their color slightly darker, making them particularly clear in the light.

Like two pieces of amber that have quietly fallen, though from different times, they reflect the same feeling on the same page of the same book.

Chapter 48 Don't Laugh Challenge, Xia Li Has a Bright Future

On a weekend night, the streets finally showed their true vitality. Crowds thronged, lights mingled, and the noise was much more lively than usual.

Xia Li was carefully wrapped in a scarf and coat by Song Che, and walking in the slightly cool air, she could hardly feel the chill. She didn't yet understand what those gradually settling emotions were, but she knew one thing clearly: Song Che was very good to her.

The witch's memories will not fade; she will always remember.

When they arrived at the internet cafe, Jiang Shuo and Zhang Hanyu were already waiting outside.

"You're here so early, why don't you go inside and wait?" Song Che walked up the steps and came to the two of them.

"We were asked to leave." Jiang Shuo, dressed casually, smiled helplessly. "Xiao Xiao and Zhang Hanyu were recognized by the internet cafe manager. They've been cracking down lately..."

Zhang Hanyu, dressed casually, chimed in, "But we were just discussing moving on to the next venue. We were originally planning to play some games before going to eat, but now we can go straight to the next segment."

"It's a newly opened shop, it just opened yesterday, and they're having an opening promotion right now." Jiang Xiaoxiao walked over from the side, her makeup impeccable, dressed in a pink and white maid outfit, as if she had just stepped out of some themed event. "I heard that couples get a 20% discount, and if you participate in the couples' challenge, the lowest discount you can get is a free meal. How about it, want to give it a try?"

Jiang Shuo hesitated for a moment, then looked at Song Che: "If you and Xia Li team up, we can join your table... can we get a 20% discount?"

“Of course it counts, I already asked.” Jiang Xiaoxiao’s eyes curved into a smile as she added, “Besides, the restaurant doesn’t just offer food, it also has a lot of interactive games. If you complete them all… you can really get a free meal.”

"Free meal? Isn't the boss afraid of losing money?" Zhang Hanyu took a half step closer to Jiang Shuo. "How about we pair up and try it out?"

"Zhang Hanyu, stay away from me, I'm afraid I'll be misunderstood." Jiang Shuo shrank back.

"There's no one else here, what's there to be afraid of? It's free, the money saved is enough to top up several credit cards."

“No, I’m a person who keeps to myself.” Jiang Shuo adjusted his glasses in a mock manner. “Besides… you’re not a woman.”

“Fine.” Zhang Hanyu waved his hand dismissively. “I just wanted to try out the challenge and see if I could get the meal for free… You’re so boring.”

"How about we go take a look first?" Song Che suggested. "These kinds of couple challenges are usually quite tricky, and the boss won't really do business at a loss."

"Hmm." Jiang Xiaoxiao nodded. "The notice says that if you fail the challenge, you can only enjoy the basic 10% discount."

She led the way in her little leather shoes, the heels clicking lightly, and she seemed to be in a good mood. Song Che glanced at the tag above her head:

"Plagued by inner demons" and "Cunning"

...In her little heart, there was indeed something weighing on her mind.

Song Che didn't ask any questions, but silently followed. His gaze habitually swept over the crowd of people around him. Only after confirming that there were no unusual tags did he regain his composure and join the conversation with a smile.

Xia Li quietly followed beside Song Che, her attention mostly focused on eavesdropping on his inner turmoil. She discovered that although he spoke lightly on the surface, he was always secretly worried about others.

As they walked and chatted, a new shop soon appeared on the street corner.

The excitement of the opening hadn't yet faded, and flower baskets were neatly arranged on both sides, but the storefront didn't look like a typical restaurant—it occupied a large area, with a parking lot and railings, a clear distinction between indoor and outdoor areas, and the decor resembled a hybrid of an amusement park and a leisure space. The flow of people coming and going was sparse compared to its size.

"Xiaoxiao, is this really a place to eat?" Jiang Shuo looked around the storefront, somewhat puzzled. "Why does it look like a place for entertainment to me?"

"It should be... right?" Jiang Xiaoxiao wasn't quite sure either, her eyes searching around. "There's a sign at the entrance."

Zhang Hanyu leaned forward and read aloud: "Couple Challenge, singles can participate as well. Couples can have a maximum of one pair, and there's no limit to the number of singles... What does this mean? Is it discrimination against singles?!"

Jiang Shuo continued reading: "Our store focuses on the recreational experience, with dining as a secondary service. First-time customers within the first week of opening can enjoy a discount. As of the second day of opening, 121 couples have failed the challenge, one couple received a 30% discount, and zero couples received a 10% discount. All you little losers, couples who think you have perfect chemistry, come and draw your swords against me! This boss only respects the strong; the weak deserve to be thoroughly humiliated!"

"Provocation?" Jiang Xiaoxiao raised an eyebrow.

"It's a blatant insult!" Zhang Hanyu said angrily.

“I think… it’s necessary to show this boss what real teamwork is like, buddy.” Jiang Shuo patted Zhang Hanyu on the shoulder. “I’ve changed my mind, let’s go.”

"Alright, that suits me perfectly. I, Zhang Hanyu, have never lost a game!"

All three of them turned their gazes toward Song Che and Xia Li.

Song Che was still carefully reading the rules: "There are three challenges listed: 1. Don't laugh challenge; 2. Don't be afraid challenge; 3. Couple's tacit understanding challenge, one person reads the clues and acts them out, the other person guesses..."

"Brother Che, wanna play? We've already teamed up." Jiang Shuo was eager to try.

“Interesting.” Song Che turned around, looking at Jiang Xiaoxiao with a smile. “Xiaoxiao, I suggest you come with us. Jiang Shuo has a low threshold for laughter and is a coward. He loves playing jungle in games; while his teammates are teaming up, he's farming the jungle. He's known as the Miracle Walker…”

"Brother Che, you've gone too far!" Jiang Shuo cried out as he punched Song Che.

"Then ask Xiaoxiao if she'd like to be on your team?"

"I want to be on Song Che's team," Jiang Xiaoxiao answered decisively.

Jiang Shuo clutched his chest, feigning heartache: "Brother Che, to be honest, I don't care at all that Xiao Xiao isn't with me. It's just that I feel a little uneasy, you know? Like choking on water for no reason. I'm not really upset, I just wanted to offer a small suggestion... Just to clarify, this is purely a suggestion and doesn't represent my personal opinion..."

"Alright, Xiaoxiao isn't even talking to you."

"Oh..." Jiang Shuo immediately deflated, lowered his head and muttered, "She doesn't care about her brother at all now... Do you think all younger sisters are like this when they go to high school? Or have I not been paying enough attention to her?"

"I don't know, I don't have a sister."

People come and go around me, mostly in groups, especially young couples.

Some are real couples, some are temporary partners, and the difference is often obvious—temporary pairings are polite and distant when they appear together. Real couples, however, are often quite different: they tease each other but can't help but laugh and joke around.

"Can you please stop hiccuping every time you laugh? It sounds like a goose, isn't that embarrassing!"

"Haha...Does it look like it? Hahaha...This boss is too ruthless, three hundred yuan just disappeared like that, I guess no one can pass the test."

"I'm speechless! We have absolutely no understanding! I said watermelon, and you insisted on saying sesame seeds! From now on, you eat your sesame seeds, and I'll eat my watermelon! I'm so angry! I'm going to sweep the floor when we get back, so don't you dare try to take it from me!"