Chapter 87

The pain in her wrist and the lingering burning sensation on her lips reminded Shi Ye of how bizarre and real everything that had just happened was. She followed Qi Jin out of the treatment room, her mind still racing: "Engaged? Just like that? Verbal? Isn't that a bit hasty? Wait, getting engaged to Qi Jin is hardly a conventional thing to do… Where do we go now? How do we tell Xiao Yu and my dad? 'Hi, I'm back with a new look, and I also got engaged to your idol'? They'll think I'm crazy, right? Or they'll just call the police?"

Qi Jin seemed completely unconcerned about these "worldly" matters. She walked ahead, her back straight, her steps much steadyer than before, though her fingers gripping the car keys were still so tight they turned white at the knuckles. Reaching the clinic entrance, she stopped, turned to look at Shi Ye, her gaze lingering for a moment on Shi Ye's slightly swollen lips before quickly shifting away. Her voice, though lacking its usual calm, held a newfound, undeniable decisiveness:

"Let's go to the Shi family first."

Shi Ye was taken aback: "Now? I look like this..." She looked down at her loose-fitting Su Xiao shirt and her bandaged "bun-shaped" hand, "And how do I explain it? That I've 'come back to life'? What about Xiao Yu..."

"Together." Qi Jin interrupted her, opening the car door. "Lin Xiaoyu should be here too."

Shi Ye: "..." Fine, President Qi is as decisive as ever, adept at simplifying complex problems (solving them through brute force). She resignedly got into the car, already mentally rehearsing the chaos that might ensue.

---

(Shi Family Villa)

Shi Zhenghong, the father, sat on the living room sofa, several documents spread out in front of him, but he couldn't concentrate on reading a single word. His brow was furrowed, and he kept glancing towards the door. Since the last "art therapy" project, his daughter's state seemed even more erratic. This morning, she hadn't even come downstairs for breakfast; the nanny said she was just spacing out in her studio. He was worried, but dared not push her too hard. There was no new news from Qi Jin either; the shadow of Qin Ming hadn't dissipated, and everything felt like a Damocles' sword hanging over their heads.

Lin Xiaoyu came running over full of energy, carrying her "collection box of beautiful memories" in her arms. She wanted to see Sister Shi again to look at those little stones and also find out when the next "art class" would be—she was really looking forward to coloring those two clay snow mountains.

"Uncle Shi, is Sister Shi still not up?" Lin Xiaoyu asked softly, leaning close to Shi's father.

Father Shi shook his head and sighed.

Just then, the doorbell rang. The aunt went to open the door, and soon, footsteps could be heard; there was more than one person.

Shi's father and Lin Xiaoyu looked up at the same time.

Then, both of them froze.

It was Qi Jin who walked in. This was not unexpected.

But beside Qi Jin was a man wearing an ill-fitting light blue shirt and jeans, with a glaring white bandage wrapped around his left wrist, slightly disheveled hair, and slightly swollen lips… yet he had a face they were all too familiar with, a face they had faced in despair after being certain of “death”—

When is the time to pay respects?

Alive! Moving! Its eyes weren't blank and empty, but rather carried a hint of helplessness, embarrassment, and a trace of... utter despair (?)!

"Thud!" The plastic collection box in Lin Xiaoyu's hand fell to the ground, and a small mountain of clay rolled out, tumbling twice on the smooth floor before stopping. Her eyes widened like saucers, her mouth gaped open wide enough to fit an egg, and her finger trembled as she pointed at Shi Ye: "Shi Shi Shi Shi... Sister Shi Ye?! You you you... You weren't upstairs... Ah, no! You are... Su Xiao? No! This face... This..." She was incoherent, her brain practically overheating.

Shi's father abruptly stood up from the sofa, scattering the documents in his hands across the floor. He stared intently at Shi Ye's face, then glanced at Qi Jin beside her, whose expression remained calm (if one ignored the faint tension in his eyes), and then at Shi Ye's bandaged wrist. His expression first shifted to one of unbelievable elation, then was replaced by immense confusion and worry: "Xiao Ye? You... what happened to your hand? And what about your clothes... Qi Jin, what's going on?"

Qi Jin took a half step forward, slightly turning his body to block Shi Ye in a protective posture (although Shi Ye felt it was completely unnecessary), and spoke in a clear and steady voice: "Uncle Shi, Xiao Yu. Shi Ye is back. It really is Shi Ye."

Her words were concise, yet they were like two bombshells dropped.

"Really? Really?" Lin Xiaoyu's voice trembled, tears welling up instantly. She wanted to rush over but didn't dare, stamping her feet on the spot. "Then what about... what about Sister Shi Ye? What about Su Xiao? What exactly happened, Senior?!" She looked at Qi Jin, then at Shi Ye, desperately needing an explanation that made sense to her.

Shi's father also stared intently at Qi Jin, waiting for what he would say next. As an entrepreneur who had weathered the storms of the business world and whose daughter had "died and come back to life" and was in a strange state, his resilience was stronger than Lin Xiaoyu's, but the current situation was still beyond his comprehension.

Shi Ye felt a chill run down her spine under their intense gazes, especially Lin Xiaoyu's teary eyes, as if she were watching a sci-fi movie. She cleared her throat, trying to explain herself, "Um... Dad, Xiaoyu, things are a bit complicated..."

“She experienced some special circumstances before, which caused a disruption in her memory and identity recognition.” Qi Jin continued, her tone still calm, as if presenting a rigorously researched business report. “The previous ‘Shi Ye’ and ‘Su Xiao’ were different stages of this disordered state. After… some intervention and a catalyst,” she paused, her gaze quickly sweeping over Shi Ye, “the true Shi Ye consciousness was restored and returned. Her wrist was accidentally injured during the restoration process, but it’s nothing serious.”

This explanation is half true and half false, avoiding the supernatural (or rather, supernovel logic) parts such as systems, time travel, and missions, and packaging it with relatively acceptable psychological/medical terms such as "disordered memory and identity cognition" and "intervention opportunity." As for Su Xiao's disappearance, it is cleverly attributed to the end of "different manifestation stages."

Shi Ye, listening nearby, secretly clicked his tongue in amazement: "Impressive, President Qi. This lie is so convincing, he doesn't even flinch. Did he pass his psychologist certification exam? But it doesn't seem wrong either? From a certain perspective, a system malfunction does indeed qualify as a 'special circumstance' and 'intervention opportunity'... It's just that the description of 'accidental injury' is a bit too understated!"

Lin Xiaoyu was confused, but she grasped the key words: "Restore? Return? So... is this Shi Ye the real, original Shi Ye? Does she remember us? Does she remember the past?" She looked at Shi Ye with hope.

Shi Ye felt a little guilty facing her bright, sparkling eyes. She remembered the memories of "Shi Ye," but they were also mixed with her experiences after transmigrating and as Su Xiao, as well as the plot knowledge instilled by the system... Could this be considered "remembering"? It seemed a bit complicated.

"I remember most of it," she mumbled, deciding to first calm the little rabbit in front of her who was almost fainting from excitement. "Xiaoyu, your clay snow mountain... seems to have fallen off." She pointed to the lonely "snow mountain" on the ground.

Lin Xiaoyu exclaimed "Ah!" and quickly bent down to pick it up, carefully holding it in her hands, crying and laughing at the same time: "It's good that you remember! It's good that you remember! Sister Shiye, you really came back! Then... then what about Su Xiao? Is she also you? She... isn't she coming back?" Thinking of Su Xiao, who had a bright smile, helped Sister Shiye clean the stones, and discussed art with her, Lin Xiaoyu felt a little empty inside.

Qi Jin replied on her behalf, "Su Xiao was a temporary identity during the treatment process, and she has already fulfilled her role." His words were cold and official, effectively silencing Lin Xiaoyu's sadness.

The father's focus, however, was on something else entirely. He carefully observed his daughter. Although her clothes were strange and her wrist was injured, her eyes were no longer empty and blank. Instead, they were focused, filled with emotion, and even held a hint of the restrained sharpness and... helplessness that he recognized and that was unique to his daughter. This was indeed his little visit.

A surge of joy welled up inside him, but as an elder, he had more to consider: "Will the recovery process be painful? Is your wrist really alright? Also, will this 'disorder' recur in the future? Will you need more systematic treatment?" He looked at Qi Jin, his eyes filled with gratitude and a deeper sense of entrustment—clearly, he believed that his daughter's "recovery" was inseparable from Qi Jin's "intervention."

Qi Jin met his gaze and solemnly said, "The most difficult stage is over. I will arrange the best medical and psychological support to ensure her full recovery and prevent recurrence." These words were resolute, both a promise and a declaration of ownership.

Mr. Shi nodded, his eyes also a little moist. He stepped forward, wanting to pat his daughter's shoulder, but was afraid of hurting her. In the end, he just choked up with tears in his eyes and said, "It's good that you're back... It's good that you're back... Dad... I'm sorry..." A wave of guilt surged up again.

Shi Ye looked at her father's face, which had aged considerably in an instant, and his reddened eyes, and felt a pang of sadness. She shook her head and gently patted her father's arm with her uninjured right hand: "Dad, it's all over. I'm fine."

The heartwarming (and slightly melodramatic) family reunion lasted for a while. Lin Xiaoyu finally recovered from the overwhelming information overload, her mind starting to shift. She looked at Sister Shi Ye, then at Senior Qi Jin, who had been standing beside her, expressionless but with her gaze never leaving her side. Combined with Senior Qi Jin's protective and declarative speech earlier, and Sister Shi Ye's slightly swollen lips (she wasn't blind!)...

A bolder, more exciting conjecture suddenly popped into her head!

She covered her mouth, her eyes widening even more, her voice rising with excitement: "Wait! Senior! Sister Shi Ye! You...you...have you already...done that?!" She bent her thumbs together in a classic gesture, her face beaming with the ecstatic joy of "My ship not only got a happy ending but also went on a fast track to the highway."

Shi Ye: "..." His face flushed instantly. How could this girl have such sharp eyes! And what on earth is that gesture?!

Qi Jin remained expressionless, merely glancing at Lin Xiaoyu without confirming or denying. But in Lin Xiaoyu's eyes, this was practically an admission! It was an official announcement! It was the sweetest thing ever!

"Ahhhhhh—!" Lin Xiaoyu screamed even more excitedly than before, jumping up and down on the spot. "I knew it! I knew it! Jin Yuan CP is real! Locked in! I'll swallow the key!" She completely forgot her previous confusion and sadness, immersed in the immense happiness of the CP becoming a reality, and even began to imagine a million-word sweet romance drama of "the iceberg president searching desperately and finally finding his amnesiac lover and forcefully getting engaged."

Father Shi was taken aback by Lin Xiaoyu's exclamation and gesture. He then looked at his daughter's flushed cheeks and Qi Jin's silent yet resolute profile. As someone who had been through it all, he instantly understood. He felt a mix of emotions: the relief that his daughter had "returned" and seemed to have found someone to rely on, a bittersweet feeling that "his own cabbage had ultimately been taken," but above all, gratitude and trust for Qi Jin's sacrifices over the years. He sighed, finally uttering, "You young people... it's good that you understand."

The scene was chaotic for a moment, yet strangely harmonious.

Shi Ye looked at Lin Xiaoyu, who was so excited she was almost fainting, her old father helplessly rubbing his forehead, and Qi Jin beside her, who, although still expressionless, had clearly calmed down...

The slight grumbling in her heart finally overcame the embarrassment: "Fine. At least I don't have to bother explaining 'Where did Su Xiao go?' and 'How did I come back to life?' President Qi handled everything, his efficiency is top-notch. It's just that the aftermath... it seems I'll have to get used to Lin Xiaoyu's close-up, fervent, and sugar-coated moments as the 'number one fan of the Jinyuan CP,' as well as my father's meaningful gaze."

There was no notification for the survival mission update, and the future remains unknown.

But at least for this moment, chaos and turmoil are real.

It seems she... really came back.