Lin Xiao stepped into the house, the familiar creak of the wooden floorboards beneath his feet stirring a sense of nostalgia. Everything was exactly as he remembered it—down to the smallest detail.
The pictures on the wall, the old armchair in the corner, even the slight scent of jasmine that his mother always liked to keep lingering in the air. It was uncanny how nothing had changed, as if time had simply frozen while he had been away.
As Lin Xiao moved through the living room, his fingers brushed over the furniture absentmindedly.
The wooden dining table, the soft fabric of the couch, the glass cabinet with little trinkets and family photos—all these things were the same, and yet they felt different now. Not because they had changed, but because he had changed.
With a small bag of clothes in hand, Lin Xiao made his way upstairs. He paused for a moment on the landing, a brief flash of memory flooding his mind. In this timeline, he had found the system the same way as before—a strange watch in the attic.
It was almost too perfect, how closely this world mirrored the other. His experiences, his abilities, the way he had stumbled upon the system—it all aligned. The differences were subtle, yet they carried a weight he couldn't ignore.
Shaking off the thought, Lin Xiao continued down the hall, each step feeling heavier as he neared his bedroom door. He slowly turned the knob and pushed the door open.
Inside, the sight that greeted him made his heart swell with relief and affection.
Xiao Bai and Lil'Blackie sat comfortably on his bed, their eyes wide with curiosity as they looked up at him.
Xiao Bai's fluffy white fur contrasted sharply against the dark bedsheets, while Lil'Blackie's sleek black form blended in with the shadows, her bright eyes gleaming with intelligence.
"Xiao Bai… Lil'Blackie…" Lin Xiao whispered, feeling a surge of warmth in his chest. They were here. His companions, his loyal cats, who had been with him through so many strange and dangerous encounters—even in this timeline, they were with him.
Xiao Bai tilted his head, his cute little meow breaking the silence. "Meow! You're finally back, Xiao Xiao!" His voice echoed telepathically in Lin Xiao's mind, filled with playful innocence.
Lil'Blackie, as usual, was more composed. She narrowed her eyes slightly, her voice serious. "You've been gone for a while, but we kept watch."
Lin Xiao smiled, his heart easing a bit at their familiar banter. He walked over to them, gently stroking both their heads. Their presence grounded him, reminding him that no matter how much had changed, some things remained the same.
"It's good to see you both," Lin Xiao said quietly, his hand running through Xiao Bai's soft fur and then over Lil'Blackie's sleek coat. He had so many questions, so much confusion, but at least here, in this moment, things felt right.
But as he sat on the edge of his bed, watching his two cats settle in beside him, he couldn't shake the lingering thought: if Xiao Bai and Lil'Blackie were here, then what about everything else?
The system had told him this was the prime timeline, but how prime was it? Did Li Jing exist here? Did the threats from the other worlds exist too? And, perhaps most importantly, was this world truly as peaceful as it seemed?
For now, though, Lin Xiao let himself relax, comforted by the familiar weight of his cats beside him. There would be time for answers later.
Lin Xiao sat down on the edge of his bed, a strange mix of relief and confusion washing over him as Xiao Bai and Lil'Blackie curled up beside him. He reached out, running his fingers through their fur, but a lingering thought gnawed at him.
He had expected things to be different in this timeline—expected the cats to behave like normal animals, or maybe even be gone entirely. But here they were, looking at him with familiar, intelligent eyes. And then, it happened.
"Xiao Xiao, you've been gone for a while," Xiao Bai's voice echoed in his mind, a telepathic connection as clear as ever.
Lin Xiao froze, his hand mid-pet. His eyes widened as he looked at the fluffy white cat. "Did… did you just talk?" he stammered, as if confirming the obvious would make things any clearer.
"Of course, I did," Xiao Bai responded with a playful tilt of his head, his eyes gleaming with mischief. "Did you forget that we can talk?"
Lil'Blackie, ever the serious one, chimed in with a more measured tone. "You seem surprised, Xiao Xiao. Don't tell me you thought we'd lose our memories just because we jumped through another portal."
Lin Xiao blinked, his heart skipping a beat. His mind raced to process what was happening. "You both… remember the other timelines?"
Lil'Blackie gave him a steady look, her voice calm yet firm. "Yes, we remember everything. We were with you the whole time. We jumped into that last portal together, remember?"
And just like that, it all clicked into place. Lin Xiao's mind flashed back to that moment at the cave—the swirling portal, his hesitation, and then the resolute decision he'd made to jump in with his two companions. Of course, he thought.
Xiao Bai and Lil'Blackie had been with him the entire time. How could he have forgotten?
"I… I remember now," Lin Xiao muttered, more to himself than to them. "We went through that portal together. But… why do you both still remember? Why does everything feel the same and yet… completely different?"
Lil'Blackie sat up straight, her sharp eyes fixed on him. "That's the question you need to answer, isn't it? This world might look like the one you left, but we know better. Something is different here, something… off."
Xiao Bai, ever the cheerful one, jumped off the bed and onto Lin Xiao's lap. "But hey! At least we're all together again, right? It's better than being stuck in some creepy timeline with those red moons. This place feels… safer."
Lin Xiao couldn't argue with that. He glanced out the window, taking in the calm, ordinary scene outside—the trees swaying gently in the breeze, the distant hum of cars passing by. It was peaceful, almost too peaceful. But if Xiao Bai and Lil'Blackie still had their memories, then this couldn't just be a random, new start.
He scratched Xiao Bai behind the ears, lost in thought. "So… this really is the prime timeline, huh?" he murmured, more to himself than anyone else.