Shen Jingqi suddenly opened his eyes, the scene before him a blur, only feeling a rush of unfamiliarity coming at him. He blinked hard, as his vision gradually cleared, discovering he was lying inside some unknown residence.
The room was simply furnished, with a wooden bed, a desk, a wardrobe, and a half-open window that let in a few weak rays of light. Shen Jingqi rubbed his temples with force, feeling dizzy and disoriented, and his mind was completely blank, unable to recall why he was here.
Sitting up, he looked around, trying to find a clue. The walls were adorned with a few landscape paintings, the scenes tranquil and beautiful, yet they filled him with a sense of unfamiliarity. Scattered on the desk were some magazines and an open diary, but the pages of the diary were blank, devoid of any writing.
Panic gripped Shen Jingqi's heart. He didn't know who he was, where he came from, or even why he had lost his memory. He tried hard to recall, but his mind was nothing but chaos, as if a massive invisible stone weighed upon him.
He calmed himself and took ten deep breaths.
The view before him gradually became clearer.
It was a room, familiar for its homely warmth, yet unfamiliar in layout and decor, clearly not the home he remembered. He looked around, his heart filled with puzzlement and surprise.
"Where is this? How did I end up here?" Shen Jingqi whispered to himself, trying to clear his thoughts. He recalled his experiences in high-dimensional space and the moment he fused with the force of 'Thunder'. But those memories seemed shrouded in a thin mist, becoming unclear and distant.
He got up and walked to the window, peeking through the curtain's gap. Outside was a quiet alley, with a familiar small shop at the alley's entrance, displaying a faded sign. A flicker of recognition struck Shen Jingqi; he remembered this place, a nearby alley to Shen University, through which he'd passed countless times.
"I'm back!… Is this near Shen University?"
An indescribable excitement surged within Shen Jingqi's heart. He hurriedly took out his phone, opened the map app, and input the address from his memory for comparison. The location on the map matched perfectly with where he stood, confirming without a doubt that it was indeed a residence near Shen University.
"Great, I've finally come back!" Shen Jingqi couldn't help but whisper joyfully. Yet, shortly after, his face fell again. He remembered everything before losing his memory, but that empty stretch of time and the experiences in high-dimensional space resembled a vast black hole, devouring a part of his life.
He took a deep breath, striving to calm himself down.
A thought crossed his mind, deciding to leave here first and search outside for clues.
Shen Jingqi walked out of the residence, heading outward along the alley. The alley air was filled with a sense of familiarity tinged with strangeness, as if he had lived here before, yet couldn't recall any details. He reached the alley entrance and went into the small shop intending to buy something and ask about the area.
The shopkeeper was a kindly old lady, her eyes flashing with curiosity as she looked at Shen Jingqi. He inquired about the area and the location of Shen University. The old lady told him it was indeed an alley near Shen University, a top-notch renowned university in the country, not far from there.
A thought struck Shen Jingqi, deciding to visit Shen University. Perhaps there he could find some clues about his past. After thanking the old lady, he left the small shop, walking towards the alley's exit.
Along the way, he carefully observed the surrounding scenery and the crowd, trying to find anyone familiar.
Soon, he arrived at the gates of Shen University. Gazing at the solemn gate, an inexplicable emotion welled up in his heart. He felt as though he had a special connection to the place, yet couldn't recall any details.
After a facial scan, he smoothly entered the school.
In the campus, he walked forward along the tree-shaded path. The campus teemed with youthful vitality, students walking in groups, voices of laughter unceasing.
Above their heads flickered various information bars, releasing all sorts of psychological signals.
"Thankfully, the previous information bar feature still works, a vital ability which has helped here,"
Shen Jingqi patted his chest.
Beneath the information bars, the crowd was bustling and lively, seemingly unaware of being observed or, even if they knew, they could do nothing.
As Shen Jingqi passed them, he stopped near a bulletin board by the podium, closely examining it. The walls of the academic building were plastered with various posters and notices, which he looked at one by one, attempting to find some clues. Regrettably, the posters and notices were about academic events and club recruitment, unrelated to his lost memories.
As he despondently stared at the bulletin board, one notice caught his attention—[Haotian's Psychology Studio Opening].
Shen Jingqi quickly wanted to call Yang Haotian.
But after rummaging in his pocket for a long time, he couldn't feel the familiar phone shape. His heart suddenly sank, wondering how the phone he just used had vanished.
He recalled the scene when leaving the residence earlier, with every detail rapidly flashing through his mind. Suddenly, as if realizing something, he quickly turned around and ran towards the alley.
The alley air still carried that familiar yet unfamiliar scent as Shen Jingqi darted through the narrow space, his heart filled with anxiety and unease. He didn't dare imagine if the phone was truly lost, then the clue he'd painstakingly found might break again.
At last, breathless, he returned to that residence. The door was still slightly ajar, seemingly waiting for his return. He pushed it open, scanning around, his gaze quickly locking onto the sofa. The familiar phone lay quietly there, the screen flickering faintly.
He hurried over, grabbing the phone, and only after confirming it wasn't damaged did he heave a long sigh of relief. ʀᴇᴀᴅ ʟᴀᴛᴇsᴛ ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀs ᴀᴛ ɴovᴇl(ꜰ)ir(e).nᴇt
Shen Jingqi was just about to leave when suddenly the sound of a key inserting into a lock echoed. Startled, he quickly darted back into the room, pressing against the wall.
The door opened, and a figure walked in. Shen Jingqi held his breath, secretly observing through a gap. It was a woman's back; she was wearing a simple white dress, with long hair over her shoulders, appearing gentle and elegant. The woman placed the shopping bag from her hand on the table, then turned to draw back the curtain.
At that moment, Shen Jingqi clearly saw her face. It was a face he could never forget — beautiful and familiar, yet carrying a hint of strangeness.