Aimless life? Having no purpose? Maybe those were the right words to describe the life Liu Xinyu had been living. All the paths she chose to walk on were chosen randomly and without a real goal in mind.
"Then I guess I'll have to spend an even longer time trying to figure out what I really want because right now, I can't think of anything," Liu Xinyu replied to Yi Qin. Her current goal was only how to go back to 2023 but what was she supposed to do after going back was still not clear. She'd still be as lost as she was before coming here. Or maybe, after seeing a different version of her parents, she'd only be feeling even more lost in the future.
"It's okay," said Yi Qin. "You can take your time and look for answers slowly. Life is not a multiple-choice question with just one right answer and even if it is one, the answer could still be 'all of the above'. You just have to put some extra effort into looking for an answer that you need."
"I need to look for the right answer."
"No," replied Yi Qin. "You need to look for the answer that brings you happiness. There is often a difference between the answer that is right and the one that makes you feel right."
"I did not expect this wisdom from this guy..." Liu Xinyu chose to ignore Yiyi's surprise as she was feeling really happy just listening to Yi Qin right now. This was her father; one who didn't look the smartest but he always had the right words to comfort her.
"Thank you!" said Liu Xinyu to him sincerely. "I think I needed this motivation."
Yi Qin shook his head at her and joked, "Just because I don't often use my head, does not mean it's empty up there." He watched her eat and provided his attentive service too as he poured her water, picked up the dishes, brought a wet towel for her to clean her hands, and things like that. Only after he was done did he sit beside her again and ask, "So, what's the plan now?"
"For starters, I need to get out of the hospital. I don't think I'd be finding my way being stuck here," said Liu Xinyu looking really tired of this place already.
"And after that?"
Liu Xinyu pursed her lips thoughtfully before replying, "Then I'd look for a place to stay first. If anything, I do need a place to settle down first in this unfamiliar city."
Yi Qin nodded his head at her words and rubbed his fingers on his chin as he contemplated something in silence. After thinking long and hard, he made up his mind as he said to her, "Okay. This is all very easy." Liu Xinyu arched her brows at him as he continued to explain, "I have a place that is empty most of the time, you can stay there. You are not familiar with the city and don't even know anyone here apart from me. And you're also injured. Although Yuchen city is quite safe after the crackdown on criminals a few years back, however, we can never know for sure."
"You are gonna help me?" asked Liu Xinyu in a surprised tone. "I mean, you don't have to do this much."
Yi Qin waved his hand at her, "No, I think I do. You wouldn't have been injured if not for me. I feel responsible. Besides, I am only doing what's within my means. I won't overestimate my own capabilities. But this is within my capabilities and I feel like doing it." Although he was a kind person, he really wasn't someone to go out of his way to help others either. With Liu Xinyu, it was strange but he couldn't bring himself to just ignore her. Just knowing that such a young and beautiful girl would be wandering in this unfamiliar city when she was mentally feeling so lost too, he felt like someone pierced his heart with a sharp blade.
Yi Qin just knew that his heart was telling him to help Liu Xinyu and he was gonna do exactly that now. Listening to your heart could never go wrong.
Although there was a possibility of him being deceived again, he didn't care either. When he thought that what if she also got deceived by someone in this big city, he just knew he had to do something. Who asked Liu Xinyu's eyes to make him feel so soft? She didn't look like she was that much younger than him but for some reason, he had a feeling like he was looking at a child.
"I'll ask the doctor to see if you can get discharged today," said Yi Qin as he went out to look for the doctor.
Yiyi came to Liu Xinyu's side and stared at her intently, "What's your plan?"
Liu Xinyu covered her mouth with her hand as she whispered, "Why should I tell you?"
Yiyi snickered at her, "You really know how to play. You changed your amnesia story and even told him the truth. He knew he was being deceived yet he was willing to help you. Rather than asking him for help, you made him offer his help willingly. You are a good player."
"I haven't started playing yet," was Liu Xinyu's answer. "Besides, everything I told him is the truth. I do come from Qinghua City. I am Liu Xinyu. I am lost too. Where is the lie in any of that? Besides, I know my father. If I played the victim and kept hounding him to help me just because he was responsible for injuring me, that would backfire on me. But if I change the play and become a strong person who is all alone in this unfamiliar city, he'd find it difficult to let me do everything on my own. His conscience won't allow him to be so heartless and indifferent to a helpless girl in an unfamiliar city with unfamiliar people."
Yi Qin brought the doctor with him who checked on Liu Xinyu's injuries and just told her to come to the hospital if she felt nauseous or her head hurt. After giving some other instructions, he left. Yi Qin pulled out a bag and placed it on the bed, "These are the clothes you were wearing when we met. Your other things are also here. I had someone wash the clothes, so you can change into them now."
Liu Xinyu nodded and took the bag inside the bathroom with her. She opened the bag and looked at the things inside. Her clothes were there, and her necklace, bracelet, and watch were there too. But what about her phone? She looked through the bag once again but could not find her phone no matter what.
"I didn't bring my bag, since I was traveling with Mama and Baba, I didn't even carry my wallet with me. So, my ID card and bank cards definitely are at home. What else did I bring with me? I took my iPad and Airpods but left them in the car before entering the temple. There was only my phone in my pocket. Where did it go?" She certainly remembered holding it in her hand as she tried to call her parents but now it wasn't there. Did she drop it? If she dropped it, she dropped it.
There was no need to fuss about the phone. The problem was, did she drop it in 2023 or 1998? Because if it's the latter, then that could be a problem.
"I'll go look for it another day. Anyway, no one would go to that remote place. And even if someone found it, what can they possibly do with it? They definitely can't unlock it. So, we are safe!"
After convincing herself this way, she put on the clothes and walked out to meet Yi Qin who was waiting outside for her. Looking at her dressed up properly, he mentally patted himself for not letting her go out on her own. With her beautiful looks, she would really get in trouble.
"Your watch is pretty," commented Yi Qin as he took her out.
Liu Xinyu looked at the watch she was wearing and was glad that she didn't choose the smartwatch. She was wearing a classic from her mother's watch collection. The watch was elegant and very pretty. But most of all, it was still available in this era too as it was a classic and it was pretty expensive because of the small diamonds studded in the dial.
"Thanks," she replied to him in a small voice.