Alex opened his eyes, looking at the unfamiliar room before him, his expression clearly confused.
This was a tidy and elegant room, everywhere reflecting the superior lifestyle of its owner. His original residence was just a rented room in a urban village, so this place was clearly not where he lived.
How did he get here? Was he dreaming?
At that moment, a stream of unfamiliar memories flooded his mind. Alex frowned at first, then was taken aback. He pinched himself and felt pain.
This was a different-world version of China. In this world, he was also named Alex, looked exactly the same as before, but his fate was completely different.
In this world, he was an orphan. At the age of seven, he was adopted by a young woman and thus lived a relatively superior life. Now, ten years had passed, and he was just starting high school.
The memories in his mind told Alex that his relationship with the woman who was nominally his guardian was only average. The reason was that he was a rebellious teenager who disliked the woman who had adopted him.
In the hazy memories, within the orphanage that left him with few recollections, there was a small figure.
The little girl's frail, small body followed closely behind him, obedient and well-behaved like a younger sister.
This was one of the few warm memories from his orphanage days. He had sworn to protect that girl for a lifetime. But then that wicked woman appeared, cruelly snatching him away from the little girl's hands.
The memories in his mind seemed to remember that scene vividly: the small child being carried in the woman's arms, walking towards a black car, while behind them, the little girl was firmly held back by adults, helplessly stretching out her small hand towards him as he left, watching him go with tearful eyes.
After a few days of sullenness, the woman who adopted him told little Alex that if he behaved obediently, she might consider bringing his sister over as well.
Little Alex was overjoyed upon hearing this. He began trying to please the woman, even affectionately calling her 'mommy,' and studied diligently.
But after several years, by chance, little Alex learned that the orphanage had actually closed down years earlier due to various reasons. The children from the orphanage were also nowhere to be found. Yet, the woman had kept lying to him, saying she would bring his sister over once he graduated from elementary school.
Little Alex, having grown up in an orphanage, had a somewhat extreme personality. Realizing he would never see his sister again, he took his anger out on the woman, becoming a disobedient child—a rebellious teenager in the eyes of outsiders.
It was unclear what intentions that woman named Freya harbored. Strangely, she didn't get angry at the disobedient little Alex. Instead, she took care of him in every possible way.
Only, in little Alex's eyes, she had already become an irreconcilable enemy, so he never once gave her a friendly look.
And so, he reached seventeen years old, when the soul of Alex from another time and space transmigrated over...
Waking from his various thoughts, Alex felt somewhat complicated, as if experiencing another possible version of his own life.
Having lived two lives with two different experiences left him feeling as if in a dream, his emotions particularly mixed.
After a brief moment of daze, Alex calmed down and began thinking about his current situation.
He wasn't that Alex who had become a rebellious teenager. He even felt that Freya adopting a child with no relatives and taking such good care of him was quite admirable. Therefore, he couldn't possibly intentionally provoke her like the Alex of this world had.
Of course, Alex didn't look down on his other self in this world either. After all, for little Alex, that little girl from the orphanage was the most important person. Yet, because of Freya, he could never see her again. Freya had clearly deceived little Alex, so his rebellion was understandable.
However, Alex wouldn't imitate his other self in this world. Moreover, he felt that improving his relationship with Freya wasn't contradictory to fulfilling little Alex's obsession. The little girl that little Alex valued—wouldn't it be enough to just find her?
And so, Alex decided how he should face his new life.
"Knock knock."
A knocking sound came from the door.
"Alex, dinner's ready. I made your favorite sweet and sour pork ribs today."
A melodious and pleasant female voice sounded from outside the door. Her elegant voice seemed to possess a magical power that could stir people's heartstrings.
According to his memories, this Freya was only twenty-eight this year. He wondered why an eighteen-year-old back then would go and adopt a child. Did she not plan to get married?
A woman with a 'burden' wasn't easy to marry off. And in Alex's memories, he never recalled Freya being close to anyone over the years. Her life was dull and monotonous, like that of an ascetic.
What puzzled Alex even more was why Freya could be so tolerant towards an adopted child.
Little Alex had started rebelling since he was twelve, refusing to even speak to her, sometimes even intentionally damaging valuable items in the house. Yet, Freya never got angry.
"A strange woman,"
Alex thought to himself.
He stood up and walked over to open the door.
Standing outside the door was a charming woman. Her delicate features were perfectly arranged on her soft, enchanting face, leaving no sense of flaw.
Thin lips, a refined nose, curved eyelashes, and a pair of eyes that seemed to speak, shimmering with a moist luster as if possessing a captivating magic.
Her beautiful hair casually cascaded down her back. She wore a silk nightgown, adding a touch of languid charm. The skin exposed was fair with a hint of rosy blush, like congealed fat, looking as if a pinch would turn it bright red.
Even though Alex's memories already contained an image of this woman, seeing her in person still gave his heart a small shock. He wondered how the original Alex could bear to intentionally provoke such a beauty.
Feeling his thoughts were starting to get a bit out of control, Alex took a deep breath to calm down and nodded coolly, pretending to be aloof.
Freya, however, stared at him in a daze, a trace of surprise and joy in her eyes.
Alex was puzzled at first, but quickly realized: "He" would never pay attention to Freya, let alone open the door for her, resolutely subjecting her to the silent treatment. His current action broke the long-standing deadlock, which was why Freya was surprised.
"Alex, you... opened the door for me?"
Freya looked at him somewhat disbelievingly, murmuring to herself, her tone full of delight, her eyes glistening with tears.
Alex hesitated for a moment, then nodded.
Freya was immediately both shocked and overjoyed. She grabbed his hand at once, saying happily, "You've finally forgiven me, haven't you? All these years of effort weren't in vain. That's wonderful!"
She spoke excitedly, but her eyes kept fixed on Alex, as if worried the scene before her was an illusion.
Alex was a bit unaccustomed to her enthusiasm. Moreover, he was very unfamiliar with Freya. Having such a woman hold his hand and feeling the gentleness of her small hand felt strange.
Just as he was about to withdraw his hand, the scene before his eyes rippled, and a line of text appeared.
[Freya longs for your forgiveness. Do you accept her and forgive her? Note: Refusal may lead to a 'Battle Royale' start.]
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