Chapter 57 Returns (End of Main Text)
Was she sent back?
Qiao Xi rubbed her forehead, closed her eyes, feeling so tired. The sense of separation between the two worlds made her curl up on the bed after only a short while. She was used to life at Tianheng Mountain, she liked the people there, and she couldn't bear to leave. But at the same time, she couldn't bear to leave her mother and Chen Niannian.
How did she end up back in her original world, yet feel like she was in Teyvat for the first time? This feeling was terrible, so helpless. She felt cold all over and wondered why all this was happening.
She promised Grandma Qiao that she would change things, but why didn't she even tell her whether things actually changed in the end?
As for Grandma Bridge, she said that as a bridge, even if its energy is exhausted, its life will continue. According to this, Grandma Bridge will not die. So where did Grandma Bridge go after that day?
Qiao Xi felt a strange tightness in her chest. She checked the time and found it was the time she had traveled to; time hadn't changed in her original world.
Just then, the bedroom door opened, and Mom, dressed in a suit, with her hair neatly styled and looking capable, came in carrying a cup of donkey-hide gelatin milk.
The moment Qiao Xi saw her mother, all the bitterness, resentment, and grievances she had felt over the past few days, as well as the feeling of being deceived, burst forth in tears. Qiao Xi's mother, seeing this, didn't even bother to change her high heels. She went in, put the milk on the table, and squatted down in front of the bed, asking Qiao Xi, "What's wrong, baby? Did you not do well on the college entrance exam?"
Qiao Xi hugged her mother, unable to speak, only shaking her head.
Qiao Xi's mother gently patted her back, "It's not a big deal that you didn't do well on the test, don't be so sad, baby. How about Mom takes you to see a movie tonight?"
Qiao Xi looked up at her mother, and after a while, she said, "Mom, I miss you so much."
After hearing this, Qiao Xi's mother hugged her daughter tightly. She didn't know why her daughter cried so much after the exam, but she knew that her daughter needed her now and she had to stay with her.
Qiao Xi took a long time to fall asleep, until she was awakened by the aroma of roasted prawns. She mumbled sleepily, "Master, what are we having for dinner today?"
“There’s no master,” Qiao Xi’s mother pinched her daughter’s cheek. “Time to eat.”
Qiao Xi opened her eyes, and the surrounding environment made her feel disoriented for a moment. She took a deep breath and remembered that she was back.
Just like when she first transmigrated to Teyvat, she would always feel disoriented by the Bamboo Garden environment after waking up, and now she is starting to feel disoriented in her home where she has lived for more than ten years.
Everyone says that it takes time to adapt, but no one says exactly how long that time is.
After dinner, her mother took her downstairs for a walk. The plane trees on both sides of the street were in full bloom, and the low-rise street shops sold flowers or pastries.
As people came and went, Qiao Xi couldn't help but think of the time she took a walk with Morax at the lantern festival that year.
Seeing her daughter lost in thought, the mother took her hand and, on the somewhat old sidewalk, asked Qiao Xi, "Baby, what are you thinking about?"
Qiao Xi hugged her mother's arm and pressed her face against it. After a while, she said, "Mom, I'll protect you from now on."
Qiao Xi's mother smiled: "Okay, Mom will be waiting for you to protect me from now on."
Qiao Xi looked up and smiled, "Then, Ms. Qiao Fang, could you please treat your daughter to a cup of milk tea?"
Qiao Fang nodded at Qiao Xi's head: "I'll treat you to a hundred cups."
Qiao Xi: "Forget about the hundred cups, just buy me one, and I'll pay for the remaining ninety-nine cups in cash."
Ms. Qiao Fang laughed and said, "You silly girl."
Back in her bedroom, Qiao Xi took out her phone. She hadn't used it in a long time and was a little rusty, but when she opened the chat app, the message from Jiujiujia made her freeze for a moment. She hadn't replied to Chen Niannian's messages since the afternoon.
Qiao Xi quickly made a video call. As the phone rang a few times with the music she had carefully chosen, Chen Niannian's face appeared on the screen. Qiao Xi couldn't help but smile when she saw her.
Chen Niannian: "Let me tell you, after I finished my exam today, as soon as I got home, I saw my aunt and her child at my house. It was obvious they came just to ask me how the exam went. My sister has been hiding in a bubble tea shop all day and has already had four cups of milk tea. And guess what happened?"
Qiao Xi: "You have insomnia?"
Chen Niannian was on the verge of tears: "Then my mom messaged me saying that my aunt is staying at my house tonight."
Qiao Xi knew how talkative Chen Niannian's aunt was, so she invited her, "Why don't you come stay at my house tonight?"
"Will Aunt Qiao Fang have any objections?" Chen Niannian asked.
Qiao Xi smiled and said, "No, I'll just tell her. You can come without worry."
After hanging up the phone, Qiao Xi went to the bathroom to take a shower. Passing by her mother's bedroom, she poked her head in and grinned foolishly at Ms. Qiao Fang.
Qiao Fang was working on a spreadsheet at her computer when she saw Qiao Xi arrive. She turned around and asked, "What's wrong, honey?"
Qiao Xi: "Chen Niannian is coming to stay at my house today."
"There's milk and sandwiches in the fridge. Heat them up beforehand, and you two can eat them together later."
“Okay,” Qiao Xi blew Qiao Fang a kiss, “I love you.”
Not long after, the doorbell rang. Qiao Xi went to open the door, and the moment the door opened, Chen Niannian hugged her tightly. This time, she thought of Morax again, but the current situation and what she would face seemed to be unknown.
Chen Niannian immediately noticed something was wrong. She looked at Qiao Xi and said, "You seem very sad."
Qiao Xi: "Huh?"
Chen Niannian took Qiao Xi's hand, greeted Qiao Fang first, and then led Qiao Xi towards the bedroom.
Qiao Xi: "Are you eating anything?"
Chen Niannian turned around and gave her a bitter smile: "Sister, you drank four cups of milk tea and you're almost bursting."
Qiao Xi smiled.
The two lay on the bed, chatting idly. Suddenly, Chen Niannian asked Qiao Xi, "When did you buy this bracelet? It's quite pretty."
Qiao Xi paused, then raised her wrist.
The amber bracelet that Morax gave her is still there.
Because she was so used to it, Qiao Xi would have almost subconsciously ignored it if Chen Niannian hadn't suddenly brought it up.
She thought for a moment, then pressed the bracelet to her face, suddenly pausing, because she could still sense the amber as before.
Seeing that she didn't speak, Chen Niannian curiously leaned closer and pressed her face against hers.
Qiao Xi blinked, and Chen Niannian blinked back at her.
Qiao Xi pulled away: "What are you doing?"
Chen Niannian: "Your face suddenly changed just now, and then you pressed it against me. I want to try it too."
Qiao Xi laughed and rubbed the amber against Chen Niannian's face.
That night, Qiao Xi couldn't sleep. She got out of bed, walked to the window, and drew back the curtains.
The gray-blue light slanted along the windowsill. Qiao Xi turned around and glanced back; Chen Niannian was sleeping soundly.
A slight smile crept onto her lips.
The summer night breeze ruffled Qiao Xi's hair. She took out the amber and, just like before at Tianheng Mountain, used a little magic on it. Suddenly, the amber lit up.
Qiao Xi hurriedly went to check on Chen Niannian. Seeing that Chen Niannian was still asleep, she breathed a sigh of relief. She tried to use a little ice elemental power, and when the ice crystals appeared, Qiao Xi could hardly suppress her excitement.
She quickly used the method she had previously used to find Morax to cast a spell on the amber, and a beam of light shot out from the amber, but it pointed towards the sky.
Qiao Xi sighed. If only she knew wind elemental power, she might even be able to fly.
Qiao Xi held the amber in her hand, wondering how she could ever see Morax again.
It was an afternoon, the day the college entrance exam results came out, the day Ms. Qiao Fang was overjoyed to see Qiao Xi's better-than-expected score, when Qiao Xi vaguely saw a bridge in front of her.
The bridge was dimly lit, but as long as she focused her mind, the bridge became clear.
Qiao Xi guessed that this meant she had taken over Qiao's position.
But she doesn't want to go there right now.
She wasn't sure if she would never be able to come back if she went, and whether the timeline of the bridge would be the same as the timeline she had traveled through before.
If time cannot be stopped, will the flow rate be the same on both sides?
If I go up there, will I be able to come back?
These are all issues that need to be considered.
That evening, Qiao Xi began her experiment with the bridge.
She took the clothesline pole, placed one section on the other side of the bridge, and left the other section on her side. After about an hour, she brought the pole back.
The pole can be retrieved, but it's not part of her body. What if she can't get it back?
Qiao Xi paused slightly, then let her hair down, found a pair of scissors and placed them beside her. She then lay down on the ground and placed a strand of her hair on the scissors, thinking that if she couldn't pull it back, she would cut it off.
This time she lay on the ground for two hours, and then easily pulled her hair back.
It's possible to cross the bridge, but how long will it take?
Qiao Xi bought two fresh cream cakes, one for the house and one for the bridge. After two days, she compared the changes between the two cakes and found they were almost identical.
Not entirely convinced, Qiao Xi conducted the same experiment with bananas and apples, and the results showed that the time on the bridge was consistent with the real time.
But what if once you cross the bridge, you won't be able to come back?
Qiao Xi decided to stand up herself, but before that, she hugged her mother.
Standing on the bridge, Qiao Xi didn't feel anything special. She lingered there for a while before walking back. When her feet touched the ground, she realized she could walk back and forth on the bridge. Qiao Xi checked the time again, and it was normal.
Qiao Xi was finally relieved.
Wearing an amber bracelet, she walked on the bridge. As the surrounding scenery began to fade into nothingness, she soon reached the end of the bridge.
Standing at the end of the bridge, she didn't see the familiar scene she once knew. Instead, she saw a wooden bridge under red maple leaves, and a gentleman standing on it. This young man stood upright, and his every move exuded the composure that comes with age. Qiao Xi stared blankly for a moment, then blurted out, "Morax?"
But the people on the bridge did not respond to her.
Qiao Xi quietly looked at the world across the bridge: red walls and flying tiles, towering buildings, and bustling streets with people.
At that moment, she saw several familiar figures in the distance, who seemed to be Master Liuyun, Master Yixiao, Guizhong, and Aping.
Immediately afterwards, a green figure appeared out of nowhere and handed Morax a jar that looked like a bottle of liquor.
How many years have passed exactly?
Qiao Xi didn't dare to go down directly, so she tentatively held up her hair.
At that moment, in Liyue Harbor, Venti jumped up like a cat, and Zhongli took half a step back, frowning as he looked at him.
"Grandpa, did you see that strand of hair just drifting across the sky?"
Zhongli looked up and saw a clear sky with white clouds and bright sunshine. He felt that the bard in front of him had drunk too much.
At the same time, Qiao Xi was certain that if her hair could be pulled back, then she could come back too.
Now, Qiao Xi ran back, went out onto the bridge, glanced at the time in the bedroom, and saw that the time was normal. She then ran to the mirror, and her hair length was normal.
With a meticulous attitude, Qiao Xi then brought out apples, bananas, and cream cakes, placing them one by one on the other side of the bridge to test them.
Venti in Liyue Harbor was really puzzled. He asked Zhongli, "Did you see any apples or something floating by just now?"
Zhongli looked up but saw nothing. A premonition began to form in his heart, and he couldn't help but slightly raise the corners of his mouth. Wendy: "Grandpa, are you smiling?"
Zhongli: "It's acceptable."
After confirming that the apples and bananas were fine, Qiao Xi summoned the bridge several more times and even spent several days training herself to control the appearance and placement of the bridge.
Once everything was ready, she filled out her college application and received her admission confirmation. Qiao Xi, carrying her schoolbag, embarked on her journey to Teyvat.
*
On a sunny afternoon, Zhong Li had just come out of the antique shop when someone bumped into him from behind. He turned around, lowered his eyes, and when he saw who it was, his pupils flickered slightly.
The streets were bustling with people, and the air was filled with the aroma of food.
Zhongli handed the vase in his hand to the girl in front of him with a slight smile.
——
End of text
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Author's note: There are two more side stories, and I should be able to finish writing them today.
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