The Impossible Girl

“Hey, hey, little sister, you’re not joking, are you? What’s wrong with you?”

I quickly clutched my phone, asking anxiously.

– “S-sob… Brother… s-sob…”

Only the girl’s continuous sobbing came from the other end, making me realize that Li Qingcheng wasn’t joking this time.

‘What on earth happened? She was perfectly fine when she left this morning, so how could something suddenly go wrong? This girl has even reverted to calling me ‘Brother,’ a term she only used years ago. This means the situation is truly dire!’

‘What has happened to my sister?’

“No, I have to go back quickly.”

I shot up from the steps, abandoning all thoughts of continuing to monitor Lin Shujing.

‘All I want now is to quickly confirm my sister’s condition.’

– “Hey, little sister, where are you right now?”

I asked, my voice laced with urgency.

– “I-I’m at home.”

– “Alright, just wait at home. Brother will be right back!”

With those words, I hung up the phone, tucked it into my pocket, and sprinted towards the street, hoping to hail a taxi.

Suddenly, my vision blurred.

All I heard was an ‘ouch’ as I collided with someone, and both of us tumbled to the ground.

I sat on the ground, bracing myself with my hands, and shook my head.

Quickly regaining my senses, I stood up and extended a hand to the other person.

“I’m so sorry, I was walking too fast just now. Are you hurt?”

I offered an apologetic smile, looking at them.

It was a long-haired girl wearing a white short-sleeved top and ultra-short hot pants.

She had on a wide-brimmed hat, and a pair of black sunglasses, large enough to cover half her face, rested on the bridge of her nose.

‘For some reason, this girl gave me a strong sense of déjà vu.’

The girl didn’t take my hand, nor did she spare me a second glance.

She simply stood up on her own, glancing left and right as if evading someone, before dashing off towards the other end of the street.

‘What kind of person is that?’

Awkwardly, I retracted my hand and stood rooted to the spot, watching the girl’s retreating figure.

Suddenly, I froze.

‘This girl… even her back looks so familiar. It’s as if I’ve definitely seen her somewhere before. But where could it have been?’

‘Unfortunately, her face was completely obscured by sunglasses, preventing me from clearly seeing her features. Otherwise, I surely would have remembered…’

‘Wait! That person!’

Something clicked in my mind, and my pupils abruptly constricted.

‘That’s right, it’s me from another world! The girl named Airi William Barth James!’

‘Though her face was hidden, preventing immediate recognition, I’ve recalled it now. The two images gradually merged in my mind; aside from the different hair color, it must be the same person!’

‘But why would Airi be here? It makes no sense at all! Is Queen Lan hiding something else from me?’

‘No, I have to chase after her and confirm this properly!’

I pursed my lips, just about to give chase in the girl’s direction.

“Huh? Li Qingchen?”

Just my luck, someone called out to me from behind, and the voice was one I couldn’t be more familiar with.

I stiffened, then reluctantly turned my head, offering a dry laugh as I greeted the person: “Haha, hello there, Class Monitor. What a coincidence, huh?”

‘Damn it, my shadowing plan is completely ruined.’

“Coincidence, my foot.”

Lin Shujing exposed me without hesitation, raising an eyebrow and looking at me with disapproval. “Your way home should be the opposite direction from mine, so there’s no way you’d be here.”

“Eh? I…”

I was instantly speechless, stammering and unsure what to say.

The Class Monitor eyed me suspiciously, then suddenly realized something, letting out an “Ah!”

Her face flushed, and she immediately clutched her chest, taking a few steps back. “You didn’t, by any chance, see where I went just now, did you?”

I froze, understanding what she was referring to.

Though I had indeed seen her, I absolutely couldn’t admit it.

So I quickly waved my hand, denying, “No, no, I didn’t see anything.”

Lin Shujing, however, clearly didn’t believe me. She bit her lower lip, looking at me. “Li Qingchen, you weren’t, by any chance, following me just now, were you?”

‘Holy crap, this woman is so smart! She truly lives up to her future as a policewoman!’

“N-no, it’s not…”

I waved my hand, about to continue denying, but then I suddenly remembered my sister waiting at home.

Instantly, everything else became secondary, and I was about to bolt.

“Sorry, Class Monitor, I’ll explain this whole thing to you tomorrow. I have an urgent matter right now, so I’m leaving first.”

“Wait a minute!”

The Class Monitor, however, grabbed me firmly. “Explain what’s going on clearly, or don’t even think about leaving!”

“Class Monitor, please let go!”

I urged, my voice strained.

“My sister’s life is in danger right now!”

“What?!”

The Class Monitor gasped in alarm, quickly releasing her grip and asking, “What happened?”

“There’s no time to explain now. In short, I’m in a hurry.”

Having said that, I ignored Lin Shujing and ran towards the side of the street to hail a taxi.

“Wait, Li Qingchen, I’m coming too.”

With those words, Lin Shujing also ran over, telling me, “I know where it’s easier to get a taxi. Follow me.”

“Eh, ah.”

I nodded blankly, following Lin Shujing.

Twenty minutes later, an orange taxi slowly pulled up to my doorstep.

The Class Monitor and I exited the car, one after the other.

As the car slowly drove away, I led the Class Monitor towards the front door of my house.

We both stopped outside the door.

I fumbled for my keys in my backpack, simultaneously looking at the Class Monitor with a helpless expression. “By the way, Class Monitor, you didn’t really need to come along, did you?”

Lin Shujing puffed out her chest, stating matter-of-factly, “Li Qingchen, you are a member of our class. As the Class Monitor, your family is naturally my family. Now that a family member is in trouble, of course I must come.”

‘Her words were quite touching, but they could easily be misinterpreted! And Class Monitor, I suspect at least part of your reason for coming is that you don’t trust what I said earlier, right?!’

‘I told you I’d explain it tomorrow!’

I sighed.

However, I couldn’t refuse the Class Monitor’s good intentions and send her back now.

I could only retrieve the key and open the main door.

‘My sister’s situation is the most important thing right now!’

I forcefully pushed open the main door and stepped inside.

“Sister! Are you alright?!”