Chapter 622

“Fang Qi? You should be home, right?”

Before Fang Qi had a chance to respond, the silver-haired girl beside him had already gotten to her feet.

She stood up, gently straightened the wrinkles in her pale-blue house dress, then smoothed down her slightly disheveled silver hair…

And put on the smile he knew better than any other.

A perfectly docile, almost flawless smile—the standard customer-service smile of an AI companion!

Just like that, she walked toward the door.

Impeccable. Flawless.

Fang Qi leaned against the sofa, staring at her seemingly obedient back, and was momentarily lost in thought.

Although the scarlet glow in those red eyes was still faintly flickering, at least… she was behaving herself!

Ah…

Fang Qi blinked, then let out a small sigh of relief.

…That’s right!

The current Liguang had forgotten everything about the “rewind”!

She didn’t know that he could come back from the dead, much less that they had gone through so many loops!

What did that mean?

It meant that, for the time being, she didn’t dare act recklessly!

She wouldn’t bite him in the neck again just because they disagreed!

Right now, she was simply a little yandere pretending to be an ordinary AI companion!

Even if she got jealous, all she could do was look at him with that terrifyingly gentle smile. As long as he didn’t push her to the point of completely snapping…

Then there shouldn’t be any major problems!

…Cute.

He suddenly felt that the old Liguang had been pretty easy to fool too. How had he managed to do nothing but rewind over and over again before this?

Looks like the old him had been too stupid after all…

“Ugh…!”

Nearby, Miss Genius was curled up in a single-seat sofa, clutching her head with both hands, her round little face scrunched into a ball!

Her two little white legs were folded up on the sofa again. She had absolutely no sense of proper sitting posture!

“Why did she have to come at a time like this…?”

She muttered through clenched teeth.

“And why did she have to show up right when I got dumber…? Is this woman doing it on purpose…?”

Click.

The door opened.

Fang Qi instinctively rose to his feet and looked toward the entrance…

Then he froze for a moment.

Huh?

It was Gu Xi, without a doubt.

But…

Officer Sister wasn’t Officer Sister today.

She wasn’t wearing her dark police uniform.

Today, she was dressed simply in a white T-shirt and a pair of fitted casual jeans!

The taut fabric outlined her long, straight legs!

She was even wearing a pair of casual blue-and-white sneakers.

She looked just like the girl next door dropping by for a visit!

The professional wariness that had previously been written across her spirited face was gone as well.

The moment the door opened, her light-brown eyes went straight to Liguang.

That look…

Fang Qi couldn’t quite put it into words.

…Helplessness? Heartache?

…Huh?

He froze.

And Liguang had also gone momentarily blank the instant she opened the door.

She tilted her head and blinked at Gu Xi’s face, standing there in a daze.

One hand was still resting on the doorknob, leaving her blocking Gu Xi’s way without moving.

Fang Qi: “?”

What was this supposed to mean?

Why were the two of them staring at each other so affectionately…?

…Ah!

Fang Qi’s eyelid twitched violently!

A scene suddenly flashed through his mind—

In the previous loop, before she had lost her memory, Liguang had been sitting sideways in his arms, her mismatched eyes glowing faintly as she whispered to him—

“Liguang seems to have developed… a tiny bit of fondness for Miss Gu Xi…”

Because…

Gu Xi’s “soul” was very similar to his.

Even Liguang herself had been confused and wracked with guilt over it. She had even called herself “shameless,” but…

That fondness had been real!

So…

Fang Qi stared at Liguang’s motionless profile, the corner of his eye twitching.

No…

Crazy Girl, what exactly are you implying?

…Why are you still staring?!

So this was my “love rival” showing up?!

…Damn it! I can’t let these two keep staring at each other!

“Officer Gu, please come in!”

He immediately spoke up, his tone exceptionally enthusiastic!

He emphasized the words “Officer Gu,” making sure Liguang understood—

The woman in front of her was a police officer! Someone who could take her away!

Sure enough, Liguang shuddered slightly at his words!

The amber left eye regained a trace of clarity, while the flashing in the crimson right eye subsided as well.

She quickly lowered her head and bowed slightly, a gentle, proper smile returning to her lips.

“Hello, Officer. May I ask if you’re looking for my master?”

Her voice was soft, and her manner respectful.

And Gu Xi…

Looking at the silver-haired girl before her, a complicated emotion flashed through her light-brown eyes. She let out a soft sigh.

“…I knew it would be like this.”

…Huh?

She gently shook her head and pursed her lips, her expression tinged with helplessness.

“…As expected, you’ve forgotten again.”

The smile Liguang had just raised instantly froze on her face!

Fang Qi’s gaze sharpened as he narrowed his eyes at this supposed love rival.

She knew Liguang would lose her memory?

“Officer Gu, you…!”

He had just begun to ask when Gu Xi waved her hand.

“Don’t call me Officer Gu.”

She interrupted him casually.

“I’m here in a private capacity today.”

“So…”

Her tone was relaxed as her light-brown eyes looked at Fang Qi, though there was something subtle in her gaze.

“This time, you two can rest easy.”

“There’s no one else around here, and…”

She looked at Fang Qi meaningfully.

“…there aren’t any drones surrounding your apartment, either.”

“It’s just us here.”

Fang Qi’s pupils contracted slightly as he stared straight at the policewoman before him.

Drones…

Of course he remembered them.

Gu Xi had suddenly sent him a message telling him to [Run!!!!!].

Later, dense swarms of drones had risen from all directions, surrounding the entire apartment building layer by layer.

And Liguang…

That night, she had transformed their apartment into a miniature world and pulled him inside.

After that…

They had drifted on the sea for an entire six months.

But now, Liguang had forgotten those memories.

So the silver-haired girl still looked utterly bewildered. Her little hand was practically about to crush the doorknob!

Fang Qi drew a deep breath.

Matchmaker Sister, just how much do you know? You…!

“Hey! I’m talking to you!”

Lin Xiaoyou’s voice suddenly exploded through the room, interrupting the silent probing between Fang Qi and Gu Xi!

“Gu Xi, could you stop speaking in riddles all the time?!”

…?

Fang Qi turned his head and glanced at her.

Miss Genius was still sitting in the single-seat sofa without getting up. Her pink jacket was all wrinkled, and her little white legs were crossed over one another…

Her round little face was filled with displeasure!

She even pointed at Gu Xi, wagging her finger at her!

“I’m saying, stop pretending to be so mysterious!”

“Can’t you say something other people can actually understand?!”

Fang Qi: “…”

Seriously? Of all people, the genius riddle-speaker had the least right to say that!

And Gu Xi…

Her expression didn’t change in the slightest. She didn’t even look toward Lin Xiaoyou, merely raising a hand to gently rub her ear!

That gesture was practically dripping with provocation!

“Oh? Fang Qi.”

She frowned at him, her tone full of confusion.

“Why do I hear some idiot talking?”

The corner of her mouth curled up as she glanced at the round-faced girl on the sofa.

“Why has an idiot come to your house?”

Fang Qi: “…”

He looked at Gu Xi’s handsome, defiant face and, for a moment, had no idea what to say.

Officer Sister, that mouth of yours…

“You—!!”

Lin Xiaoyou’s reaction was even more explosive than expected!

She abruptly lowered her leg and sprang up from the sofa, glaring at Gu Xi with her almond-shaped eyes wide open!

Her round little face flushed scarlet, her chest heaving violently!

“Who are you calling an idiot?!”

She even took a step forward, fixing Gu Xi with a death stare. She looked just like a cat that had had its fur raised!

…To be fair, she really was rather stupid.

The downfall of Miss Genius.

At that moment, Liguang was staring blankly at Lin Xiaoyou and Gu Xi as they argued. Her crimson eye flickered faintly…

The stiff smile at the corners of her lips finally relaxed a little. She glanced at Lin Xiaoyou again.

“Guest, roughhousing is prohibited.”

Lin Xiaoyou’s expression immediately froze.

“…Ahem!”

She coughed lightly, then hurriedly sat back down on the sofa, once again sitting ramrod straight!

She placed both hands properly on her knees, then even unconsciously scooted a little farther away from Liguang and covered her rear end!

Fang Qi shook his head helplessly.

All right, all right. Talk about one thing bringing another under control…

He sighed and looked up at Gu Xi, who was still standing by the door.

She was still looking at Liguang.

Her gaze traveled from Liguang’s silvery-white hair all the way down to the tips of her feet, covered in fuzzy slippers…

Fang Qi: “…”

Miss Rival-in-Love, what exactly are you looking at?

“All right, Officer Gu—Miss Gu Xi.”

He immediately extended a hand toward Gu Xi in an inviting gesture.

“Come in and close the door. Don’t just stand there in the doorway.”

He took a deep breath and met Gu Xi’s gaze.

“I have a lot of questions for you. Seriously!”

…

Fang Qi sat in the middle of the long sofa.

Liguang sat right beside him, so close that her thigh was pressed against his.

Fang Qi could feel… her body still trembling faintly.

She was still somewhat unaccustomed to sitting beside him in front of a guest.

After pouring tea for Gu Xi just now, she hadn’t returned to her seat. Instead, she had taken a step back…

She had stood behind Fang Qi’s sofa, both hands hanging at her sides in a standard servant’s pose.

Fang Qi, of course, knew what she was trying to do.

She was using that posture to tell the guest… that she was merely an “AI companion.”

When her master was speaking with a guest, she should kneel at his feet or stand behind him.

She shouldn’t get in the way, make a sound, or look around too much—just like the Liguang from the beginning.

But Fang Qi would never let her do that!

So he had pulled Liguang back to his side, resulting in the slightly trembling Liguang sitting beside him now.

Her little ears had turned red again!

Across from them, Lin Xiaoyou was still sulking.

She had her legs folded up on the seat, her arms crossed over her chest, and her round little face turned away as she stared angrily out at the balcony window!

Even her ponytail looked a little puffed up!

She looked exactly like a child declaring, “I’m not talking to any of you!”

Uh…

Fang Qi pretended not to notice.

Gu Xi sat on another single-seat sofa opposite them. She lifted her teacup, gently blew on it, took a sip, and set it down.

Her movements were composed, but…

Her eyes remained fixed on Liguang the entire time.

Then she raised her head and looked at Fang Qi. Her expression finally became serious, and her light-brown eyes darkened.

“Fang Qi.”

She spoke bluntly.

“I won’t beat around the bush.”

“I’ll get straight to the point—”

Her gaze moved from Fang Qi’s face to the silver-haired girl leaning against his shoulder.

“I know how to restore Liguang’s memories. I can help you restore Liguang’s memories!”

The soft, warm body beside him trembled, and her fingers tightened around his wrist!

Fang Qi’s pupils contracted sharply as he stared straight at Gu Xi’s serious expression!

Matchmaker Sister, you really are amazing…!

“You—!”

Fang Qi had only just begun to speak when Gu Xi cut him off.

“But on one condition: you have to do me a favor!”

Her tone was heavy, and her light-brown eyes stared straight at Fang Qi.

She was so serious that it was almost pleading.

Just like when she had begged Fang Qi to save An Lian.

“I’m asking this in my personal capacity.”

She paused, folded her hands over her knees, and straightened her back slightly.

“I hope…”

“You can return the ‘authority’ you obtained by accident!”

…What?

Fang Qi stared blankly at her, instinctively tightening his grip around Liguang’s little hand.

She had gotten to the point so quickly that he hadn’t even had time to process it.

When she said she could help Liguang “restore her memories,” she meant…

The “dreams” Liguang had lost, right?!

The “dreams” could be restored?!

Huh?

Fang Qi’s pupils trembled!

Come to think of it, hadn’t Lin Xiaoyou said something last time around…

Hadn’t she said that Gu Xi could help Liguang “retain her memories”?

And hadn’t she said something about how, inside Liguang’s little world, Gu Xi couldn’t help them retain their memories from outside?

She had said that, hadn’t she?!

But now she was saying…

He had to return that “authority”?

What authority?

The authority Liguang had taken for him—the authority belonging to the super AI in Dawn’s backend…

That enormous existence in the depths of the sea that had watched him with red eyes. That mysterious voice that had whispered in his ear, “So this is your choice?”

The authority that had caused all of this to begin—the authority belonging to the true culprit behind everything?!

But…!

“No way!!!”

Lin Xiaoyou suddenly sprang up from the sofa!

She rushed two steps over to Fang Qi and Liguang, spread her arms wide, and shielded them with her pink-clad figure!

Her round little face had gone from sulky to completely furious. She glared at Gu Xi through gritted teeth.

“Senior, don’t listen to her!”

“That woman is lying to you! You absolutely cannot return that authority!”

She stomped her foot hard, producing a dull thud.

“Otherwise, you’ll definitely regret it!!!”

Before Fang Qi could respond, the soft warmth beside him moved again.

“Master…”

She instinctively leaned closer to him.

“What are they talking about…? Why doesn’t Liguang understand…?”

Her voice trembled. She lifted her head slightly, her heterochromatic eyes fixed on him.

“Why does Master…”

Confusion filled her amber eye, while the crimson one flickered even faster!

“…have so many things that Liguang doesn’t know about?”

Fang Qi felt as though his wrist was about to be crushed!

But compared to the pain in his wrist, he felt as though his head were about to explode!

What the hell?!

What are all of you doing?!

Just give me a moment to think this through!

Stop…!

“Don’t make things worse.”

Gu Xi’s lazy voice drifted over.

Huh?

Fang Qi’s eyes slowly refocused as he looked at her.

She raised a hand and casually tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear.

It was a careless gesture, yet it carried the crisp efficiency of a police officer.

Her gaze swept lightly over Lin Xiaoyou, and a mocking, teasing smile appeared at the corners of her lips.

“Someone who can’t even solve her own problems should stop making things worse.”

“You!!!!”

Fang Qi: “…”