It Seems I’m Not The Only One Who Reincarnated (Patreon)

Chapter 89: Memories

Upon hearing this, Shi Hai immediately covered his forehead with one hand while holding the other out in front of him defensively.

"Wait, wait, wait, Senior, don’t joke around. I won this round, right? So please answer my question seriously. How are we supposed to continue playing happily like this?"

Tian Shui squinted her eyes and, with a serious expression, shot back.

"Do I look like I’m joking?"

"...Huh?"

Shi Hai was even more bewildered.

But judging from Tian Shui’s earnest expression, it really didn’t seem like she was joking...

Pointing to his own nose, Shi Hai tilted his head and asked,

"So... in the future, I really... get struck by lightning and die?"

"In the future that I know, yes, you die from being struck by lightning."

"Ah, this..."

That’s got to be one of the most bizarre ways to die...

It’s as absurd as being scared to death by a tractor—both funny and tragic at the same time.

But what’s more, was this supposed to be lucky or unlucky?

What were the odds of encountering something so improbable?

Or... was it not a matter of probability at all?

As he pondered, Tian Shui continued,

"I understand it sounds utterly ridiculous. Even I, who witnessed the whole thing firsthand, found it hard to believe. So you can imagine how others might feel..."

That scene was so surreal that when Tian Shui thought back to it, it evoked a sense of absurdity rather than sadness.

There was another reason for this: she had already known in advance that something tragic would happen.

She just hadn’t expected this kind of tragedy.

"Still, I was mentally prepared for it."

"What do you mean? Senior, you knew I was going to die?"

"Yes, and you told me yourself."

"Me?"

I told her myself?

Tian Shui stared straight at Shi Hai and said,

"The future you... seemed to know long ago that you’d die in such a bizarre way."

"..."

So all the information Senior Tian Shui knows comes from the future me...

Then who did the future me learn it from?

It couldn’t possibly have been something I figured out on my own, right?

Feeling that he needed more details, Shi Hai asked,

"Um... could you explain more specifically how I died?"

Strictly speaking, this was beyond the scope of his original question.

Tian Shui could have refused to answer, saying it was beyond what he had asked and that if he wanted to know, he’d have to win another round.

That way, they would have to play the game again.

But this time, Tian Shui didn’t nitpick.

Instead, she generously shared everything she knew.

"At first, I didn’t take it seriously. You often talked about your 'time being up' and treated your life like it was a joke, doing risky, tightrope-walking kinds of things."

"That doesn’t sound like me at all..."

Shi Hai felt that he cherished his life.

Having been raised by a mother who constantly emphasized ‘health is the most important thing,’ Shi Hai was very mindful of safety—especially his own.

Whenever he encountered danger, his first thought was always ‘emergency escape’ rather than ‘take the risk.’

But based on Tian Shui's description, it seemed like the future version of himself was a "reckless thrill-seeker."

This conflicted deeply with his current personality.

There had to have been some kind of turning point that led his future self down this path of recklessness...

Tian Shui continued recounting the events of that day.

"That day, for some unknown reason, you went up to the rooftop and started laughing hysterically at the sky, shouting, 'Hahaha! You lousy heavens! Let’s see how you plan to kill me this time!' Then, out of nowhere, a lightning bolt struck you, and you turned into charcoal."

It really was a case of showing off and getting struck by lightning.

Shi Hai frowned as he listened, feeling a little embarrassed.

He couldn’t help but feel that Tian Shui was describing someone else entirely.

That dialogue and manner of death? Utterly ridiculous.

Suppressing his urge to complain, Shi Hai raised his hand and analytically asked,

"Senior, I have a question. Was I standing on a very tall building at the time?"

"Mm... yes, it was the tallest building around..."

As she spoke, Tian Shui fell into a moment of reflection.

The incident had occurred on the rooftop garden of the Tianshi Group Central Tower, which was a landmark building in the future.

Tian Shui, fond of high places and sweeping views, had arranged for her office to be on the top floor, with a rooftop garden above it.

When she felt exhausted, she would take walks up there, gazing at the sky and the distant horizon to dispel her frustrations.

However, this private sanctuary of hers eventually became his territory.

Shi Hai would frequently use excuses like, "Take me up there to familiarize myself with the place," to drag her up for walks...

At first, it really was just walks.

But as the visits grew more frequent, it somehow turned into him walking his pet—her.

Not unlike how one would walk their dog.

Yet back then, she had been completely oblivious!

Now, in hindsight, with her rational mind intact, Tian Shui wanted nothing more than to strangle her naive past self.

She continued recalling the events that followed...

Her heartbeat quickened.

Her whole body felt hot...

No, no, no!

She couldn’t let her mind wander there!

Else, It would be the end of her humanity!

With gritted teeth, Tian Shui bit down hard on her tongue.

She bit so forcefully it felt like she might draw blood, and the pain caused her to cry out in anguish.

"Ahhhhhh!"

Shi Hai looked at Tian Shui in confusion as she clutched her head and curled into a ball, crying out.

What was going on all of a sudden?

Shi Hai guessed she must have been recalling the scene of him being struck by lightning.

After all, witnessing someone being struck down by a bolt of lightning must have been terrifyingly surreal.

What he didn’t notice, however, was that Tian Shui’s ears, hidden behind her hair, were bright red.

At this moment, Tian Shui was overwhelmed with shame.

Her body trembled, and even her toes curled up.

Never before had she shown such a disgraceful side of herself to anyone.

Not even in front of her most respected mother...

But this man...!

In front of this man alone...!

Her dignity seemed as fragile as a cookie, crumbling at the slightest touch!

After a while, Tian Shui finally recovered, raising her tear-streaked face.

Though she had managed to banish the unspeakable thoughts from her mind, she still stuck out her tongue and began breathing heavily.

Because it really hurt.

"Ha... ha... I accidentally bit my tongue really hard... Could you take a look... is it bleeding?"

Shi Hai carefully examined her small, rosy tongue before replying.

"Mm... I don’t think it’s bleeding. Let me pour you a cup of tea—you can hold it in your mouth for a bit and spit it out to see if there’s any blood."

He took out a thermos from his backpack and poured her a cup of barley tea he had brewed himself.

Tian Shui accepted the cup, cautiously inspecting it before shooting Shi Hai a suspicious look.

"You didn’t put anything weird in this, did you?"

"Of course not! What kind of person do you think I am?"

Ha! What kind of person are you?

You’re a scumbag, a pervert, a human piece of trash, a sadist!

Putting something strange in my drink is exactly the sort of thing you’d do!