Let's start with the conclusion: Gao Yang might finally say goodbye to his single life.
It all started two days ago.
Two days ago, Wang Zikai—Gao Yang's best friend—stole his phone and sent a 300-word "deeply affectionate confession" to Li Weiwei on Instagram, just to prank him.
By the time Gao Yang discovered it, he couldn't retract the message. Though he immediately followed up with an explanation, Li Weiwei never replied. Not only that, she avoided talking to him over the next two days and even deliberately steered clear of him at school.
Li Weiwei and Gao Yang had been childhood friends. Their families lived close; they'd known each other since kindergarten, moved to Licheng at the same time, and ended up in the same high school—fate, some would say.
According to the host's memories before the age of six, he did have a crush on Li Weiwei. When he first saw this little beauty in kindergarten, he secretly vowed to marry her one day. Sadly, before that dream could come true, Gao Yang had already transmigrated into this world.
Over the years, thanks to Li Weiwei, Gao Yang had often been the target of envy among their male classmates.
Gao Yang did have deep feelings for Li Weiwei. Sure, he liked her—who wouldn't like a pretty girl? But he never really thought about her that way. If he had to describe it, maybe it was just missing that spark of "heart-pounding" emotion.
In just two months, their senior year would end, and everyone would go their separate ways after the college entrance exams.
As Gao Yang's bro, Wang Zikai couldn't stand watching anymore—or maybe he was just bored—and decided to "play matchmaker," resulting in that prank.
Now, two days later, Li Weiwei finally replied to Gao Yang on Instagram:
"I accept."
Gao Yang had complicated feelings. Didn't I already explain that it was Zikai messing around? Why are you ignoring that message?
He needed to clarify again…
Another message popped up:
"Wanna meet up today?"
Gao Yang hesitated, then replied: "Sure."
---
2 PM. Shanqing District. Dawan Plaza.
When Gao Yang arrived, Li Weiwei had already been waiting for a while.
It was a rare weekend off. Li Weiwei wore a soft green sweater, and her usually tied-up hair flowed loosely down her shoulders. As the wind blew, her hair and skirt gently fluttered. She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and waved happily, "Over here, Gao Yang!"
Spring breeze, bright sunshine, and the girl's smile bloomed like a flower.
At that moment, Gao Yang finally understood how those simps in class felt. He really hadn't appreciated his blessings.
He smiled as he walked up. "Sorry I'm late."
"It's fine. Qing Ling and I already walked around a bit. We stopped by the bookstore too—I picked up a few study guides and got two for you as well," Li Weiwei said.
Only then did Gao Yang notice a tall girl with a ponytail standing not far behind her. She had one hand in her pocket and was coolly playing on her phone.
The ponytail girl was Qing Ling, 1.67 meters tall, the class sprinter, and Li Weiwei's best friend.
She was also the school's undisputed goddess.
Her face was gorgeous, of course, but what made her almost unfair was that even with daily sun exposure, her skin remained pale and flawless. Her tight sportswear outlined a fit, curvy figure—aesthetic perfection—and those long legs could break any straight guy's resolve.
Oddly enough, though Li Weiwei regularly handed out "nice guy cards," Qing Ling barely had any admirers. She never talked to boys—more precisely, she looked at them like they were flies.
Over time, everyone just assumed she had androphobia and stopped bothering.
But Gao Yang didn't think it was androphobia. She might just be a beautiful... lesbian.
Almost as if sensing Gao Yang's gaze, Qing Ling looked up from her phone and met his eyes. Her aura was intense, her disgust palpable—it made Gao Yang feel like not just a fly, but a fly hovering over poop.
"Qing Ling, wanna join us?" Li Weiwei called.
"No thanks. You two enjoy yourselves." Qing Ling gave Li Weiwei a smile as warm as an angel's.
Double standards! Outrageously so!
---
That afternoon, Gao Yang and Li Weiwei had milk tea, watched a movie, ate BBQ—it was a happy, wholesome day.
Late at night, Gao Yang walked Li Weiwei home. On the quiet, empty street, she walked slightly ahead of him. Suddenly, she turned around.
"Hey... are you regretting it?"
"Huh? Regretting what?" Gao Yang asked.
Li Weiwei blushed. "Regretting confessing to me, of course."
"Actually, Weiwei…"
"I thought you'd be happier when I said yes," Li Weiwei said, tilting her head with a hint of insecurity. "But now I'm not sure. Maybe guys lose interest right after they 'get the girl'? Maybe you realized you never really liked me?"
"No, actually, that message…"
"Gao Yang," Li Weiwei squinted at him, slightly annoyed. "What's wrong with you today? Are you hiding something from me?"
"...Am I?"
"Yes! You've been distracted all day."
It was true—Gao Yang had been on edge. He had hoped the "date" would help take his mind off things, but the harder he tried, the more it lingered.
After hesitating, he asked, "Li Weiwei, can I ask you something?"
"Sure."
"Back in 9th grade... when your grandma passed away from a brain hemorrhage?"
"Yeah."
"Did you see her before she was cremated?"
Li Weiwei blinked, confused. "What do you mean?"
"Like... did you see her body?"
"I was at school. By the time I got home, my parents had already sent her for cremation."
"I see." Gao Yang thought: Just as I suspected.
"What's so strange about that?" Li Weiwei asked.
"Nothing…" Gao Yang hesitated.
Before transmigrating, even though Gao Yang had only been six, he attended the orphanage director's funeral. He had long suspected that this parallel world had some differences from his original one.
For example, in this world, people were cremated almost immediately after death. There were no "viewing ceremonies" or traditional farewells.
It was like they were desperate to destroy the evidence—like his grandfather, and like Li Weiwei's grandmother.
The thought sent a chill through him.
"You look pale…" Li Weiwei noticed.
Gao Yang thought for a second, then said, "Li Weiwei, have you ever considered that the world we live in is full of hidden dangers?"
She tensed up. "What are you trying to say? Don't scare me…"
"Last night I was grabbed by a lunatic—you heard about that, right?"
"Yeah, thank God the police shot him before he hurt you. I was so worried…" she blushed, "Actually, that's why I said yes to your confession."
Gao Yang shook his head. "No, he wasn't trying to hurt me. He was trying to warn me."
"Warn you?" Li Weiwei was puzzled. "Warn you about what?"
Gao Yang recounted the incident—and what happened when he was five and his grandfather died.
Li Weiwei looked increasingly scared. She instinctively moved closer, brushing against Gao Yang's arm.
"Maybe it was a dream? You were so young…"
"No. It wasn't a dream!" Gao Yang was certain.
"You think your grandpa was…?" She didn't dare finish.
Gao Yang shook his head. "Not necessarily. It's just… something felt off."
"You peeked into the room, didn't you?" Li Weiwei asked. "What did you see?"
Gao Yang went silent. In his dreams, he'd seen something, but even he wasn't sure it was real.
"Actually…"
"Ah! Forget it, don't say it…" Li Weiwei lowered her head. "Let's just go home."
"Li Weiwei, you don't believe me?" Gao Yang grabbed her hand.
She paused, then nodded firmly, "I believe you."
"I'm glad… You're the only one I could tell." Gao Yang took a deep breath, then confessed, "I saw a hand."
"A hand?"
"Yeah. Or rather, an arm—about the size of a person's thigh. Covered in grayish-blue scales. The scales looked like squirming little bugs—crawling, flipping. It was disgusting…"
"Oh my god…"
"I don't know what it was, but it wasn't human." Gao Yang frowned.
"Gao Yang," Li Weiwei looked up at him. "Was it… this kind of hand?"
Gao Yang froze.
—Agonizing pain shot through his wrist!
He looked down and saw Li Weiwei's delicate white arm tearing open. Grayish-blue, fleshy scales wriggled out, one by one.
In the moonlight, those scales glowed with a pale, eerie light. They grew longer, creeping up Gao Yang's arm, burrowing into his skin like leeches sucking blood.
"Li Weiwei… you…"
She reached out with her other hand and grabbed his throat, lifting him effortlessly. Her arm morphed—scales became sticky tendrils, slithering into his mouth, nostrils, ears, even the corners of his eyes.
Gao Yang's head felt like it was going to explode—like a watermelon in a microwave.
"Gao Yang, thank you," Li Weiwei said, her voice even more tender than before.
She smiled. "You're the first Awakened I've ever met."
"…"
"I'll never, ever forget you."