The photograph of the silver ring appearing in the corner was like a sharp thorn, piercing deeply into Lin Xiaoxia’s heart. Though reason told her it might just be a coincidence, the fear within her grew like wild weeds, swiftly devouring the last remnants of her trust.
She began deliberately distancing herself from Xu Yuan, using her busy workload as an excuse to reduce their meetings. Xu Yuan noticed the change and anxiously pressed for a reason, but Lin Xiaoxia only gave vague replies, unwilling to reveal even a hint of her true thoughts.
Meanwhile, Lin Xiaoxia and Xiaoya continued their investigation into Li Mingzhe. They discovered that he seemed to be involved in shady dealings behind the scenes, and his social circle was unusually complex, entangled with figures of dubious backgrounds.
Even more unsettling was their finding that shortly before Xu Yuan’s "accident," Li Mingzhe had once met with him in secret. Though they couldn’t uncover what was discussed, this discovery only deepened Lin Xiaoxia’s suspicions of Li Mingzhe.
Could it be that the future car crash wasn’t an accident at all, but a carefully orchestrated scheme by Li Mingzhe? And what role did Xu Yuan play in it—was he the victim… or an accomplice?
Lin Xiaoxia didn’t dare dwell on it. She feared that the truth she was unearthing might completely shatter everything she thought she knew about Xu Yuan. Yet at the same time, to protect him, to change the tragic future, she had no choice but to steel herself and keep digging.
That night, Lin Xiaoxia tossed and turned, unable to sleep. On her phone screen was a photo of her and Xu Yuan, their bright smiles and close embrace making the world seem full of sunlight. Staring at it, an indescribable pain welled up in her heart. Was she really going to destroy their relationship because of a warning from the future?
Just as she hesitated, her phone buzzed again—another message from her future self. This time, it was a voice recording. With trembling fingers, she pressed play. The voice from the future carried exhaustion and resolve.
"Xiaoxia, there’s no time left. The man with the silver ring—his target isn’t just Xu Yuan. It’s you. He’s trying to exploit a time paradox to take something that doesn’t belong to him. Trust me, stop him! The only way is… to find the hidden pocket watch."
A pocket watch? What pocket watch? Lin Xiaoxia’s mind went blank. The recording ended abruptly, leaving her with nothing but endless questions and an even heavier dread.
The man with the silver ring was after her? What did he want to take? And where was this crucial pocket watch hidden?
Lin Xiaoxia felt as though she were trapped in an enormous maze, surrounded by thick fog. She couldn’t see the path ahead, nor find the way out. The only thing she could do was cling to the few clues she had and grope forward, step by step.
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