In a second - hand grocery store in Paradise Town,Ethan was squatting halfway, gently rubbing a small item in his hand.
It was an hourglass with an old - fashioned air.
On both sides of the hourglass were two colorful semi - transparent glass balls, connected by a rusty iron pipe.
Inside the colorful hourglass were fine grains of sand.
When Ethan turned the hourglass upside down, he saw the grains of sand, like water from the sky, flowing continuously, slowly but steadily onto the other glass ball.
And also onto Ethan's heart!
Ethan couldn't help but feel a fondness for this second - hand hourglass, and a desire to possess it.
In this world, some men like games, some like movies, some like women, etc.
Ethan, on the other hand, had a particular preference for these small items with a mysterious touch.
However, due to his limited financial means, he could only afford these cheap things to satisfy his longing.
Ethan stood up and cast his eyes on the middle - aged, chubby man in a white short - sleeve shirt with a receding hairline in front of him.
He asked calmly, "Boss, how much is this?
" "Little brother, you have a good eye.
You've picked out a precious treasure in my store at a glance.
" The middle - aged, chubby man grinned, revealing teeth blackened by tobacco, alcohol, and tea.
"This thing was bought by me from Europe.
Well, I'll just earn a bit of hard - earned money.
I'll charge you three hundred.
" Ethan couldn't help but laugh.
His eyes swept around the second - hand store and happened to land on a bookshelf against the wall, where there was a copy of "The Complete World Fairy Tales".
The paper of this book was wax - yellow, and there was a large patch of dried black stain on the cover.
Needless to say, it was also a second - hand item.
Ethan pointed at the book and smiled at the boss, "Including that book, boss, one hundred bucks!
" "No way!
No way!
At one hundred, I won't make any profit.
Besides, this book has four or five hundred pages.
A genuine copy would cost over a hundred.
Little brother, you're really good at haggling!
" The middle - aged, chubby man shook his head desperately.
After a pause, he said, "Well, I can see you really want to buy it.
I'll cut the price by fifty.
I'll sell it to you for two hundred and fifty!
That's the rock - bottom price!
" You're the idiot!
Your whole family are idiots!
Ethan cursed the middle - aged, chubby boss in his heart when he heard this price, but still maintained a decent smile on his face.
He took out a not - very - thick wallet from his trouser pocket and took out a brand - new red bill from the dark - brown wallet.
This was a hundred - yuan bill he had just withdrawn from the ATM.
Ethan handed it to the middle - aged, chubby boss, and said sincerely and earnestly, "Boss, one hundred bucks!
If it's okay, I'll buy it.
If not, I'll go to other stores.
" "Really can't do it, little brother.
At one hundred, I won't make a penny.
.
.
" The middle - aged, chubby boss said with a bitter smile.
Without saying a word, Ethan put the hourglass on the table and turned to leave.
One step, two steps, three steps.
.
.
Seeing that Ethan was about to walk out of the store, the middle - aged, chubby man finally shouted, "One hundred is one hundred.
I'll sell it to you.
" A proud smile flashed across Ethan's face as he turned his back to the middle - aged, chubby boss.
It disappeared in a flash, and his face returned to its plain look.
He turned around, walked up to the boss, handed him the hundred - yuan bill, and then picked up the hourglass and "The Complete World Fairy Tales" with one hand each!
The middle - aged, chubby boss looked pained and said with a bitter smile, "Little brother, you're so good at bargaining!
I really won't make any money on this deal.
Come back next time.
" Ethan just smiled and nodded.
He wouldn't believe it if the boss said he didn't make any money on this deal.
In this world, you should just take what bosses say with a grain of salt.
Otherwise, you'll starve to death looking at all those empty promises.
"Okay!
Do you need a bag?
" The middle - aged, chubby boss asked again.
"No, thanks!
" Ethan said politely.
Then, holding these two items, with a bit of excitement, he walked briskly out of the second - hand grocery store.
He couldn't wait to go home and play with this colorful glass hourglass carefully.
As for "The Complete World Fairy Tales", it was just an add - on.
When he reached the zebra - crossing by the road, Ethan looked up and saw that the traffic light had just turned green.
He swept a quick glance left and right and saw no vehicles.
So Ethan lifted his legs and walked.
As he walked, Ethan looked at the glass hourglass in his hand.
The more he looked at it, the more he liked it and the more engrossed he became.
"Ah!
" Suddenly, a woman's scream came to Ethan's ears.
"What's going on?
" Ethan raised his head curiously and then saw a black car approaching him rapidly in his field of vision.
Danger!
Ethan's pupils suddenly constricted.
He was hit straight by the black car and flew seven or eight meters away, landing on the ground.
Blood flowed out from under him.
The black car stopped, and a sweating man in a suit got out.
He stared blankly at the bleeding Ethan, his face as pale as paper, looking at a loss.
"Ah.
.
.
" "Call an ambulance quickly!
" "Call the police!
" Other pedestrians also saw this scene and shouted one after another.
The whole scene was in chaos.
And all this had nothing to do with Ethan anymore.
When the car hit him, he only felt a sharp pain at that moment, and then he felt nothing.
For him, it was as if the whole world had slowed down.
Facing death, he felt no fear at all, as if he were just a passer - by, neither sad nor happy.
The temperature of his body was gradually draining away.
He just stared wide - eyed at the scenes in front of him.
Blood was randomly drawing patterns on the ground, and the hourglass and "The Complete World Fairy Tales" that Ethan had just bought were scattered not far in front of him, being eroded by his blood.
Ethan watched as his blood slowly seeped into the colorful glass ball of the hourglass.
He wasn't sure if it was his illusion, but Ethan felt that the hourglass was glowing.
The light became brighter and brighter, filling all of Ethan's field of vision.
In Ethan's world, there was only light.
The next moment, Ethan completely lost consciousness.
............ Ethan felt like he was falling continuously.
It was pitch - black all around.
Suddenly, a bright light appeared below.
The bright light enveloped Ethan.
In this second, Ethan suddenly found that his consciousness had returned.
A burst of soreness spread throughout his body.
Ethan couldn't help but groan, and his eyes opened naturally.
What came into view was a dark - gray ceiling and walls.
"Is this a hospital?
Aren't hospital ceilings white?
" Ethan murmured.
Then he found that the words he spoke were not the Chinese he was familiar with, nor the English or Japanese he knew, but a strange language.
He turned his head and looked around.
He was in a slightly gloomy room.
There was only a small window on the high wall, and light and wind came in from there.
A brown square high - table, two armchairs, and several gray - yellow candle - like objects were the few daily necessities in this room.
"Where is this?
" Ethan's voice rose a few pitches, and there was a hint of panic in his tone.
"Dong.
.
.
Dong!
" At this time, a knock on the door suddenly came.
"Master William, it's me.
" It was the same strange language, but somehow, Ethan understood what it meant.
With a creak, the door was opened, and a man in black clothes with a somewhat sorrowful face walked in.
He looked to be in his fifties.
"Master William, is your injury getting better?
" The sorrow - faced man glanced at Ethan and asked.
Ethan looked at the sorrow - faced man in confusion, not understanding what he was saying.
He wasn't William; he was Ethan.
The sorrow - faced man looked at Ethan's appearance, and an additional wrinkle appeared on his face.
A flash of heartache passed through his eyes, and then he said, "Master William, Master Andrew is deeply loved by the Grand Duke.
The Grand Duke won't stand up for us.
We'd better endure it.
" The sorrow - faced man babbled on, but Ethan was completely confused.
He shouted at the sorrow - faced man, "Who are you?
Where is this?
" Unexpectedly, in his haste, Ethan mixed Chinese and this strange language, and what he said was a mess, completely incomprehensible.
When the sorrow - faced man heard this, he quickly stepped forward, held Ethan's hand, and asked with concern, "Master William, what's wrong with you?
Master Andrew really hit too hard.
" Ethan was eager to speak clearly now.
The more eager he was, the less he could speak clearly.
The less he could speak clearly, the more anxious he became, and his head started to hurt.
The sorrow - faced man was holding his hand.
As a conditioned reflex, Ethan gently pushed with his hand, and a great force was exerted.
The sorrow - faced man was pushed three or four meters away, to the door of the room, and fell to the ground.
"How could this be?
" Ethan looked at his hand in surprise.
Clearly, in his mind, he had only given the command to "gently wave his hand.
" Why was the sorrow - faced man pushed so far by him?
A pair of hands full of calluses.
But they weren't his hands!
Ethan's eyes widened.
"These aren't my hands!
" He suddenly started groping his body like a madman.
Under the clothes, there was explosive power.
Two pectoral muscles and six abdominal muscles were clearly visible and extremely firm.
And Ethan's original body, due to long - term inactivity, had his six - pack turned into one big lump.
This wasn't his body either.
Having come to this conclusion, Ethan's mind was in chaos.
He suddenly bounced up from the bed and stood on the ground.
His eyes quickly swept around the room and saw a basin of water on the table.
He rushed to the basin in one swift movement.
Leaning his head forward, the surface of the water reflected his current appearance - golden hair, a slender single - stroke eyebrow, green eyes, a tall nose, and thin lips.
The combined features looked somewhat handsome.
But Ethan's eyes became even more panicked.
This wasn't his appearance!
"Who am I?
Aren't I Ethan?
Then who is this?
William?
Where did William go?
" In an instant, a chaotic mass of questions surged up.
Ethan only felt a splitting headache, as if his head was about to explode.
He hugged his head, his face wrinkled into a ball.
After a scream, Ethan fainted.
The sorrow - faced man had been paying attention to Ethan's situation.
Seeing this, he rushed to Ethan's side in a hurry and carried him back to the bed.
"Master William.
.
.
Master William.
.
.
Master William, wake up.
.
.
" The sorrow - faced man gently shook Ethan's body, shouting continuously.
A few minutes passed.
Ethan let out a weak groan, and then his eyes slowly opened.
He said helplessly, "John, I'm okay.
But if you shake me any more, I'll really be in trouble!
" "Master, you're awake!
You finally woke up, ha ha.
.
.
Great!
Master, I'm so happy!
" The sorrow - faced man was stunned for a moment when he heard Ethan's voice, and then he became overjoyed, speaking a bit incoherently.
"Hmm.
" Ethan let out a soft hum, but there was a bit of bitterness in his heart.
In the few minutes of his coma, Ethan's consciousness had absorbed the memories of this boy named William.
He knew the name and identity of the sorrow - faced man beside him, and also knew the environment he was currently in.
Most importantly, he had confirmed one thing.
That was - he had transmigrated!
In his previous life, he had died, and his soul had transmigrated into the body of this boy named William.
"Since Ethan is already dead, then I'll be called William from now on!
" Ethan, or rather William, said to himself in his heart.