CHAPTER #02
Xi Yi stepped out of her house, lost in thought as she walked down the street. Suddenly, she bumped into Chen He Yi, who was cruising by on his bike. His face wore a hint of annoyance. "Where are you headed?" he asked.
"To see you," Chen He Yi replied with a smirk. "Aunty said they haven't gotten you a new bike yet, so from now on, we'll go to school together." Xi Yi rolled her eyes. "Who wants to go to school with you, anyway?"
Just then, a guy appeared from behind them. "I do!" Xi Yi and Chen He Yi turned around to see the guy pouting, pretending to cry. "Chen He Yi, you're going to ditch me again for someone new?"
Xi Yi's eyes rolled again, but secretly, she felt a flutter in her chest.
Ke Lin sauntered over to Chen He Yi, flashing a disarming smile. "Hey, bro, let me ride on your bike. I'll keep you company." Chen He Yi's gaze drifted to Xi Yi, his eyes crinkling at the corners. "Sorry, Ke Lin. Xi Yi's riding with me from now on." He clapped Ke Lin on the back, his gesture friendly but firm. "You can walk. Fresh air will do you good."
In the distance, Li Na pedaled furiously on her bike, her ponytail bouncing behind her. "Hey, Xi Yi, hop on!" Chen He Yi called out, his voice warm and inviting. Without hesitation, Xi Yi swung her leg over the bike and settled into the back seat.
Ke Lin took off after Li Na, yelling, "Hey, Li Na, wait up for me!" His footsteps pounded the pavement as he chased after her.
As Xi Yi settled in behind Chen He Yi, their eyes met, and they exchanged a sparkling smile. Xi Yi's cheeks flushed, and she looked away, trying to play it cool. "Let's roll!" she said, her voice laced with a mix of annoyance and amusement. Chen He Yi chuckled and pedaled off, the wind whipping through Xi Yi's hair as they sped away.
----
The classroom was silent, students bent over their desks, textbooks open in front of them. Xi Yi's eyes scanned the pages of her book, her brow furrowed in concentration. Next to her, Li Na's eyes darted back and forth, her fingers discreetly holding a comic book hidden beneath her textbook.
Across the room, Chen He Yi and Ke Lin's thumbs flew across their phone screens, their faces bathed in the glow of the devices as they played a game, their eyes flicking up occasionally to ensure they weren't caught.
Mr. Wang's arrival was like a storm cloud looming over the classroom. His eyes scanned the room, locking onto Chen He Yi and Ke Lin, who were engrossed in their game. He pressed a finger to his lips, signaling for silence.
Xi Yi and Li Na exchanged worried glances, trying to warn their friends, but Chen He Yi and Ke Lin were too caught up in the game to notice.
Mr. Wang's hands descended onto their shoulders, making them jump. "Having fun?" he asked, his eyes fixed on their phone screens. Chen He Yi and Ke Lin turned around, grinning.
"Yeah, I'm on a roll!" Ke Lin exclaimed, chuckling. Chen He Yi joined in, but their laughter trailed off as they took in Mr. Wang's expression – a stern mask hiding a hint of amusement.
The classroom held its breath, struggling to stifle giggles. "Just a sec, I think I heard..." Ke Lin started to say, but his voice died down as he met Mr. Wang's intense gaze.
Mr. Wang's gaze lingered on the two boys, his expression unreadable. "Save your game for lunchtime, gentlemen," he said finally, his voice firm but amused. "Now, let's get back to the lesson."
Chen He Yi and Ke Lin reluctantly tucked their phones away, their faces sheepish. Xi Yi and Li Na exchanged relieved glances, happy to have avoided getting caught themselves.
As Mr. Wang began to write on the blackboard, Ke Lin leaned over to Chen He Yi and whispered, "You think we'll get detention?" Chen He Yi grinned mischievously and whispered back, "Worth it."
The classroom erupted into a flurry of scribbling and murmured conversations as Mr. Wang's lesson began, but Chen He Yi and Ke Lin couldn't help sneaking glances at each other, still buzzing from their interrupted game.
As the class drew to a close, the students busied themselves gathering their belongings, backpacks and textbooks neatly arranged. Xi Yi and Li Na were among the first to finish, their bags slung over their shoulders, ready to head home.
"Xi Yi, let's go to the Whimsical Bookstore!" Li Na exclaimed, grasping Xi Yi's hand.
Xi Yi's eyes widened with curiosity. "Whimsical Bookstore? That's quite an unusual name... is it magical or something?"
Li Na chuckled and playfully rolled her eyes. "What are you talking about? It's just the name of the store!"
Just then, Ke Lin suddenly appeared beside them, a mysterious glint in his eye. "You know, there's actually a story behind that bookstore..."
Li Na's expression turned annoyed. "Oh yeah? Since when does my uncle's bookstore have a story?"
Chen He Yi strolled up, chuckling. "Cut it out, Ke Lin. Let's just go already."
Ke Lin grinned mischievously. "I'm just kidding, guys!"
The group burst out laughing, their banter spilling out into the hallway as they jostled each other, racing to see who could reach the gate first. They filed out of the classroom, still teasing each other.
----
Li Na's voice rang out through the whimsical bookstore, "Uncle." The three of them continued scanning the shelves, their eyes scanning the titles.
"Coming!" a voice shouted from somewhere in the corner. A figure appeared and greeted them warmly. "You're here to study again?" the owner asked with a smile. The four nodded in unison. Xi Yi looked around in wonder, "This place is really beautiful," she said, her eyes fixed on something.
"What's wrong with you? Don't act like you've never been here before," Ke Lin teased. The four sat down and took out their textbooks to work on their homework. Chen He Yi secretly glanced at Xi Yi with a smile.
Xi Yi stood up and walked towards the bookshelf as if something was calling her. She examined the books carefully and noticed something unusual. When she looked closer, she saw that it was the novel "Summer Nights". She was thrilled and hugged the book tightly. "Maybe I can go home now," she thought to herself.
Suddenly, a purple butterfly with a glow fluttered around her and landed on the novel Xi Yi was holding. As it perched on the book, magical glitter started writing on the pages. Xi Yi's eyes widened in amazement as she stared at the novel.
The butterfly suddenly spoke, "Hello, Xi Yi!" Xi Yi was startled and looked around. "There's no one here," she thought, puzzled. "Here, Xi Yi," the butterfly said, and she looked at it. "You're the one talking?"
"Wait, can a butterfly like you talk?" Xi Yi asked, her face and mind filled with wonder.
"Shh... don't be loud. I'm here to tell you that you can only go back to the real world when you finish 'Summer Nights' without any errors. And you need to accept your life here," the butterfly said.
"And what kind of behavior did you show your parents yesterday? You almost affected the plot's flow," the butterfly added in a smooth but angry tone.
"And who are you in this novel?" Xi Yi asked.
"Xi Yi, what are you doing?" Chen He Yi's arrival suddenly interrupted their conversation.
"Uh... nothing," Xi Yi replied hesitantly. Chen He Yi smiled, "What's that you've got there? Let me see." Chen He Yi teased, and the two started playing, with Chen He Yi trying to grab the book from Xi Yi's hands.
----
Time flew by, and night fell as they walked home together. Their footsteps echoed through the chilly evening air, amidst the bustling streets filled with people and lights. Chen He Yi and Li Na carried their bikes as they strolled, while Xi Yi didn't notice they'd already reached her house. Li Na and Ke Lin continued on their way, leaving Xi Yi and Chen He Yi behind. Chen He Yi walked Xi Yi to her doorstep...
"Bye bye!" Xi Yi said with a smile. Chen He Yi smiled back and left.
Xi Yi pushed open the door, scanning the room. She spotted her parents watching a drama on TV. Suddenly, the butterfly's words echoed in her mind: ["And what kind of behavior did you show your parents yesterday? You almost affected the plot's flow."]
She shook her head, resolving to accept her parents' new identities in this world. "I'll finish this story and enjoy it, especially since I got to see Chen He Yi in person," she thought to herself.
Taking a deep breath, Xi Yi called out warmly, "Ma! Pa! I'm back!"
Her father smiled, still focused on the TV. "Oh, Xi Yi's back."
Her mother stood up, asking, "Xi Yi, have you eaten?"
"Yes, I ate with my friends earlier," Xi Yi replied.
She was about to head to her room, but she turned around and went to where her parents were, sitting down between them. "Mom, Dad, I have something to tell you," Xi Yi said with her head bowed.
"What is it, Xi Yi?" Her father paused from watching and looked at her.
"Mom, Dad..." Xi Yi glanced at her parents. "Sorry for my behavior yesterday." Xi Yi's voice was tinged with sadness.
"I thought you were going to say something serious." Her mother smiled.
"I'm serious, Mom and Dad." Xi Yi's voice was firm.
"We're serious too, Xi Yi," her mother replied.
"Yes, Xi Yi, your mother and I know you weren't in the right mood yesterday and needed time to adjust since I wasn't home last year, and now that I'm back, it's not the same because I have a new job here," her father explained.
Xi Yi smiled and hugged them tightly. "In real life, I didn't even meet my father since I was a kid; mom was the only one who raised me, and now here's the moment I've been waiting for, and I'll cherish it," she thought to herself, a tear rolling down her loving eyes. Her parents hugged her back, and she wiped away her tears.
She stood up, "Mom, Dad, I'm going to rest now," she said with a smile.
"Okay, our Xi Yi can rest now," her dad said, smiling back.
She went to her room and immediately lay down on her soft bed, feeling relaxed and happy. A butterfly fluttered into the room. Xi Yi looked at it and smiled, "It's done." She said with a smile, looking at the butterfly.
----
Morning sunlight seeped into Chen He Yi's cozy room, creeping across the floor. His mother's gentle footsteps approached, followed by the soft creak of the window opening. "Chen He Yi, rise and shine! Didn't you say you had plans for this holiday?" Her voice was cheerful, but firm.
The footsteps faded away, leaving behind the soft click of the door. Chen He Yi's eyes fluttered open, and he let out a languid yawn. He stretched, throwing off the covers, and swung his legs over the side of the bed. After a quick tidy of his bedding, he shuffled out of the room, heading straight for the bathroom. The sound of running water filled the air as he showered, and he emerged refreshed.
As he entered his room again, his mom reappeared, a warm smile on her face. "He Yi, come have breakfast first." Chen He Yi's intense gaze softened into a smile. "Okay, Ma."
After breakfast, Chen He Yi stepped out into the vibrant street, lined with stalls wafting the enticing aromas of street food. The scent of sizzling treats mingled with the fresh air, teasing his senses. He made his way to the whimsical bookstore, lost in thought.
Meanwhile, Ke Lin paced back and forth, rubbing her jaw in contemplation. "Where could He Yi be?" she muttered to herself. Li Na looked up from her book, her eyes narrowing slightly. "Notice anything about He Yi?" Ke Lin's eyes sparkled with amusement. "Actually, I've noticed he's gotten pretty good at gaming." Li Na's expression darkened, and she slammed her book shut, her eyes flashing with annoyance. "That's nonsense! You're always spouting rubbish, Ke Lin. You're so annoying!"
"Whatever, that's all I know, sigh..." Ke Lin said with a dramatic sigh, pretending to be on the verge of tears. "He's gotten really good at gaming lately," he added.
Li Na's face turned red with annoyance, and she grasped her book, ready to throw it at Ke Lin. Just as she was about to launch it, the door swung open and Chen He Yi burst in. "Chen He Yi, help! She's going to kill me!" Ke Lin exclaimed, running towards him.
Li Na's anger intensified, and she glared at Chen He Yi. "You... you're going down! I'm going to kill you!" She chased after him, her eyes blazing.
The two of them tore around the room, their antics resembling a cat-and-mouse game. Chen He Yi smiled, enjoying the chaos. Just then, Li Na's uncle intervened, his voice firm but amused. "Hey, you two, knock it off! You're like cat and mouse, worse than Tom and Jerry!"
As Chen He Yi watched the two friends chase each other, the door swung open once more, and the pair skidded to a stop, their eyes fixed on the newcomer.........