Yesterday, Lin Yi had Xiao Zhu give her a crash course on visiting etiquette, going over the rules for formal calls and polite greetings in detail. Now, facing the female relatives of the Court of the Imperial Stud, she behaved appropriately and spoke fittingly, revealing no flaw. After a brief exchange of pleasantries, she skillfully steered the conversation to the point, gently stating her wish to visit her cousin He Jing.
When the wife of the Court of the Imperial Stud Minister, Relaxing Pill, heard this, a trace of worry crossed her face. She sighed softly and said to Lin Yi, "Xiaoyi, you have a kind heart. But you don't know—since A Jing recovered from that serious illness at the start of the year, her temperament has changed greatly, and she can't recall many old things. If you go to see her now, she may not even recognize you."
Personality change? Amnesia? That's exactly what I wanted, hahaha! Lin Yi almost burst out laughing!
This was practically the hallmark of a suspected time-traveler! Xiao Zhu hadn't mentioned amnesia in her earlier inquiries—it seemed the He family had kept it tightly under wraps. Had she not come in person, she might never have found out.
Lin Yi's confidence grew even more, but her expression became more earnest, tinged with just the right amount of concern and insistence: "Aunt Shu, A Jing and I hit it off as children and have a special bond. I refuse to believe she could forget me entirely. Besides, I've heard that some people who lose their memory might recover fragments of the past when they meet old friends or familiar faces—it can trigger something. Please, Aunt Shu, allow me to see her. Even if she truly has forgotten, just seeing her and knowing she's well will put my mind at ease."
These words were so sincere, especially the notion that meeting an old friend might restore memory, that it clearly swayed the worried Relaxing Pill. She pondered for a moment and finally relented. "Sigh, you're such a thoughtful child. Very well, go and see her. I hope it works as you say." She then called her personal maid: "Chunhua, take Lady Gu to Miss Jing's courtyard."
"Yes, Madam," Chunhua replied.
Lin Yi rose gracefully, curtsied to Relaxing Pill, and said warmly, "Thank you for your understanding, Aunt Shu. I'll go see A Jing now."
Lin Yi followed Chunhua to Jingya Courtyard, where He Jing lived. Along the way, pavilions dotted the landscape, flowers and trees were lush, and she marveled inwardly: well-to-do families really pay attention to details—each child gets an independent courtyard with an elegant name. He Jing's was "Jingya Courtyard," her elder brother He Feng's was "Spring Wind Courtyard," and her second sister He Xiang's was "Quiet Fragrance Courtyard." In contrast, the General's Mansion used plain names: wing rooms, dining hall, storeroom, study—straightforward to the point of bluntness.
He Jing's residence was not far from the main compound. They arrived shortly. Chunhua announced their arrival, and surprisingly, there was no obstruction. Lin Yi had expected that the drastically changed He Jing might refuse visitors, but it seemed the He family's restrictions weren't strict enough to isolate her from outsiders.
Under Chunhua's guidance, Lin Yi entered Jingya Courtyard. The courtyard was quiet and elegant, tastefully arranged, with a certain refined charm. They headed straight to the waterside pavilion, where He Jing sat alone by the railing, gazing absently at the fish in the pond.
Chunhua stepped forward, bowed, reported softly, then quietly withdrew. Xiao Zhu, discerning as ever, stayed outside the moon gate, not entering.
For a moment, only Lin Yi and her "cousin" He Jing, sitting alone in silence, remained in the pavilion.
"A Jing, it's me, Lin Yi. Do you remember me? We used to play together when we were little," Lin Yi began lightly, breaking the silence.
He Jing's expression was indifferent, with a distant politeness. "Sorry, I don't remember anything. Did Mother send you to keep me company?"
"No, no," Lin Yi quickly waved her hands. "It seems you really have forgotten. Before, when I was stuck in the Minister's Mansion, I couldn't come see you. But now that I'm married to the General's Mansion, I have more freedom, so I came as soon as I could."
"Sorry. I changed too much after my illness, and it frightened Mother. She tried many ways to help me recover," He Jing said, a hint of weariness and helplessness in her voice.
"I understand, I understand," Lin Yi empathized, joking half-seriously, "I even learned a few exorcist chants just for this. Would A Jing give me a chance to show them?"
He Jing seemed used to this, nodding nonchalantly. "Alright, go ahead."
Lin Yi took a deep breath, her gaze turning resolute and solemn. In a low, clear voice that seemed to pierce through time, she intoned word by word:
"Arise! You who refuse to be slaves! With our flesh and blood, let us build our new Great Wall!"
This was the ultimate recognition signal she had racked her brain all night to devise. It had suddenly occurred to her that not every compatriot had memorized the periodic table, but the melody echoing on campus during the weekly flag-raising ceremony was a shared memory etched into the bones of every child of the nation.
Sure enough!
He Jing's originally calm eyes trembled violently at the familiar lyrics, suddenly blazing with disbelief. She could no longer restrain herself, instinctively picking up where Lin Yi left off, her voice trembling with excitement:
"The Chinese nation faces its most perilous moment! Each person is forced to let out their final roar!"
Lin Yi's eyes blazed as she clenched her fist: "Arise!"
He Jing's eyes brimmed with tears as she clutched her own fists: "Arise!"
Their gazes locked, as if crossing infinite time and space and the boundaries of life and death, and they shouted with all their might in unison: "Arise!"
"Fellow townsman!!!" The next second, they both exclaimed simultaneously, tightly gripping each other's hands. All pretense and disguise fell away, leaving only immense joy and relief at finding a kindred spirit in a foreign land.
Once the excitement subsided a little, Lin Yi spoke first, her voice still tinged with exhilaration: "May I ask how to address you, fellow townsman? Do you still go by He Jing?"
"Yes, Earth Consciousness said this body has the highest compatibility with me. You said 'still'?" He Jing caught the key word, her eyes widening. "You mean you also—?"
"Yes, I'm also Lin Yi, 25 years old," Lin Yi said wryly. "I was hit and killed by a crazy driver who wanted revenge on society. Pretty unlucky, huh?"
"Oh my god, that's really tragic." He Jing sighed in sympathy, and the floodgates opened. "I'm He Jing, 27. I also had bad luck—I went to a remote mountain area with my childhood friend to volunteer as teachers, and we got caught in a mudslide. Neither of us made it." Her voice dropped, heavy with regret. "My friend was even more unlucky. He was 28, a medical major in a prestigious 985 university, eight-year combined bachelor's and MD program—he was about to finish. When we stared at each other in Earth Consciousness's space, we were speechless, questioning the heavens."
Medical major?! Eight-year combined MD?!
These keywords exploded like thunder in Lin Yi's mind. She became instantly excited, firing off questions: "Your friend is a medical student? He also came? Where is he now?!"
"Sigh, he's nearby, but I haven't managed to see him in person yet," He Jing replied with a gloomy sigh. "At that time, Earth Consciousness said that this era had two bodies suitable for us, but they weren't in the same place. So we agreed he would come to me. His side went smoothly; the problem is on my end. He's a man, and from out of town. My family absolutely refuses to let me meet any strange man, saying it's improper. Later, when they discovered we were secretly exchanging letters, they tightened security even more. Now I receive his letters but can't see him—I'm so frustrated."
This unexpected turn of events dashed Lin Yi's hopes a little but also ignited new ones. A top-tier modern medical PhD traversing here—this was the brightest light in the darkness! Although she couldn't meet him yet, at least hope was close.
Concerned about Gu Fang, Lin Yi was even more anxious than He Jing. She immediately pressed: "What's your friend's name? Where is he? I'll find a way to see him."
"His name is Huang Xining. In this life, he's 18 years old, and he's staying at the Ping'an Inn, not far from here," He Jing said, then sighed again. "Alas, I'm under tight watch and can't go out at all."
Huang Xining?!
This name struck a chord with Lin Yi. Isn't this the Huang Xining that Xiao Zhu had investigated—the 'maternal grandson of the Jiangnan Prefect, who suddenly left home two years ago'? She had dismissed him as a rebellious youth, almost crossing him off the list! It turned out he was the unlucky guy who traveled thousands of miles to find his friend—she nearly missed him!
"Now that I know the location, I'll go to the inn soon," Lin Yi said, feeling a weight lift. But then she hesitated, a little embarrassed. "But before that, could you tell me what kind of person your friend is? My husband has a tricky health issue. I wonder if I could ask your friend to take a look?"
"He's very reliable—a bit scholarly and rigid, but with a kind heart," He Jing said frankly. "If you sincerely ask for his help and it's within his ability, he generally won't refuse."
"Great, thank you, He Jing!" Lin Yi felt a huge burden lift, then thoughtfully asked, "Do you have any message you want me to pass on to him?"
Upon hearing this, He Jing's face showed deep guilt, and her voice dropped: "Tell him I'm sorry. It seems I always bring him bad luck—dragged him to teach in the mountains and got hit by a mudslide, and now that we're finally here, we can't even meet. The ancient conditions are so harsh; he must have suffered a lot, and now he can't even see me. I'm so sorry to him."
Lin Yi listened, not knowing how to comfort her. Thinking about it, Huang Xining's situation was truly pitiful—a textbook case of 'heartbreaking to hear, tear-jerking to see.'
Lin Yi cleared her throat and steered the conversation back on track: "Speaking of which, since we've traveled to ancient times, we need a plausible explanation for all this advanced knowledge in our heads. I told my husband that when I was little, I was taught by a wandering sage who took many apprentices. I want to include you as disciples of that sage, so our connection and your skills all have a source. What do you think?"
"I have no problem with that," He Jing agreed readily. "As for Xining, you can ask him yourself. I don't think he'll object either."
They chatted a little longer. Seeing it was getting late, Lin Yi took her leave and made an appointment to meet again.