Hangzhou City was where Autumn Ease would bid farewell to his maternal uncle. It was a small city—just like Small City itself. That sentence sounded a bit awkward, though.
In truth, the city where Autumn Ease’s parents had bought their house was actually named Small City.
It was noon on the third day.
Yet it felt as chilly as morning.
Dark clouds blanketed the sky. A light rain pitter-pattered, crisp and clear.
Though it was only early autumn, a winter-like cold had already seeped in.
He shivered slightly as he threw off the quilt. Pulling on a long-sleeved shirt and long pants, he still felt cold. He grabbed his windbreaker and slipped it on.
Glancing at the weather app, the temperature read barely over ten degrees.
This was practically winter!
Autumn Ease’s head throbbed. Maybe the sudden cold snap was getting to him.
The day before—and the night before that—he’d scoured the internet for clues about what had happened to him.
But most results were just weird legends and ghost stories, utterly useless.
Some seemed plausible at first glance, but closer inspection revealed glaring holes. None offered real solutions.
Even when they did, it was always “find a Taoist priest” or some pseudo-scientific explanation that felt forced and unbelievable.
Science could explain strange events, sure—but these just rang hollow. Pointless.
So Autumn Ease finally gave up.
Humans forget easily.
Last night, he hadn’t searched anymore. He’d just played games until nearly midnight, then crawled into bed, exhausted.
Waking up today, his head ached, but his body felt lighter.
Besides, two days had passed. That other “him” hadn’t shown up. Maybe he could finally relax?
Autumn Ease squinted as he got up, eyeing the clothes hanging on the balcony.
The bloodstains on that shirt and pants refused to wash out, no matter how many times he tried. He’d planned to dry them and wear them anyway, but even dried, the stains stood out. He took them down, stuffed them into a trash bag, and decided to toss them later.
They were just old, cheap market goods anyway.
Even if Autumn Ease was broke, he wasn’t *that* desperate to keep them.
“Huh…” He took a deep breath, checking his train ticket.
The departure was at 2 p.m.—no rush.
His real uncle lived in Jiangshan City, not far from Hangzhou. He could buy a last-minute ticket if needed.
He grabbed his phone and messaged him.
“Uncle, what time’s your ticket for the funeral?”
“The funeral’s tomorrow. Just get here today. What time’s yours?”
“Mine’s at two. I’ll arrive around five.”
“Got it. I’ll book one around then.”
“Okay.”
A funeral…
Autumn Ease gazed at the gloomy sky outside. Was this rain also bidding farewell to the departed?
The last funeral he’d attended was in elementary school—second grade. His grandfather’s passing hadn’t meant much to him then. Standing there, watching others weep, seeing his mother collapse from grief, he’d felt nothing.
As a child, he hadn’t understood why people cried or mourned.
So much time had passed; those memories were hazy now.
This would be his first funeral as an adult.
They weren’t close, but still… family.
“Ugh… time to eat. Don’t wanna miss the train.” He muttered to himself, unzipping his pre-packed backpack for a final check. He switched off the circuit breaker, tightened the faucets, locked the door, and left.
Attending a funeral alone felt lonely.
He wished someone could accompany him—but you couldn’t just bring random friends to a funeral.
A girlfriend could go with him, but at twenty-six, Autumn Ease had never dated anyone. Not outside his dreams, anyway.
It sounded like a joke, but it was true.
Just a little sad, that’s all.
Small City had no high-speed rail station. Autumn Ease took a bus to the nearest major city first, then headed to the station.
By the time he arrived, it was already 1:30 p.m.
No time for lunch. He grabbed a cup of instant noodles and a few sausages from a convenience store outside the station, then rushed through security.
Autumn Ease disliked rainy days.
Well, any rainy day outside of summer.
They made him feel damp and chilled. Walking was bearable, but sitting down made it worse.
His seat was by the window. He set his umbrella on the floor beside his feet and sank into the chair with a small sigh.
“My shoes are soaked…” he grumbled, hoping the train’s heater would dry them.
But the AC wasn’t on…
Or maybe it was, but it felt like nothing.
Still, sitting here, watching the rain patter against the window, he felt safe—a shelter from the storm.
Autumn Ease decided to let go of that “other him” who’d killed him. No point chasing a resurrection. Better to pretend it never happened.
Maybe it *hadn’t* happened. Maybe he’d just gotten drunk, fought someone, and walked away unscathed while the other guy got hurt…
But then… what about the long hair by his bed?
No. Some things couldn’t be explained.
Best to ignore it.
As the train prepared to depart, a girl with a blank expression entered the carriage at the last minute, urged by staff.
Her eyes swept the seats, then landed on the one beside Autumn Ease. Hers.
She was a delicate-looking girl—more like a mature doll than a child. Around twelve or thirteen. Her eyes held no spark, like still water in an ancient well.
If this were a manga, her eyes would have no highlights.
Like a lifeless puppet.
Yet undeniably beautiful. The kind of girl Autumn Ease would never cross paths with.
She felt familiar, but he was sure she wasn’t the girl from his dreams.
Both were stunning, but differently. The dream girl radiated pure, clear beauty. This one beside him felt ethereal, almost divine.
Not cruel—just utterly emotionless.
Maybe he’d stared too long. She turned her head slightly, her black hair swaying. Her gaze settled on him.
Strangely, she felt even more familiar now.
Like she’d appeared in his dreams too.
But he couldn’t recall.
He’d forgotten so much after coming back to life.
He looked away, pretending to watch the scenery outside. Really, he was stealing glances at her reflection in the window.
A gorgeous twelve-year-old traveling alone on a train? Didn’t her parents worry?
As an otaku, he had a soft spot for cute girls. He couldn’t help sneaking looks.
Beautiful things draw people in.
Not just him—even other passengers kept glancing her way. Men and women alike.
It seemed all of China was raining. The high-speed train sped on, passing city after city under gray skies.
Everything was damp. Even through the window, the chill seeped in.
A lonely journey felt less lonely with a pretty girl beside him.
Otaku were good at finding joy in small things. A tiny happiness could feel huge.
Easy to satisfy, really.
Autumn Ease breathed in the faint minty scent from the doll-like girl beside him, watching her reflection in the glass. He forgot to eat his noodles. Three hours slipped by unnoticed.
He almost wished the trip were longer. More time would’ve been… happier.
“Excuse me…” Autumn Ease started to say as the train slowed. But the girl stood up, grabbing her luggage—a tiny cat-shaped backpack that contrasted adorably with her expressionless face. She headed for the door.
He sighed wryly. Not a single word exchanged.
Well, he was used to that.
He retrieved his backpack from the overhead rack and joined the queue by the exit.
The blank-faced girl stood nearby.
“Passengers, the next stop is Hangzhou Station…”
The train slowed smoothly, stopping minutes later. Staff waited by the doors, managing the flow of disembarking and boarding passengers.
Autumn Ease stepped off the train. Suddenly, he heard the girl’s voice—mostly because he saw her small mouth move.
Her tone was airy and soft, but her words confused him.
“You really don’t remember me.”
“Huh?” Autumn Ease was certain she’d said it to him.
But what did it mean?
Before he could ask, she vanished into the crowd exiting the station.
“What… what did she mean?” He stood frozen, alone on the platform.
