Zhuzhu ran as fast as she could down the hospital corridor.
One thought burned in her mind: That girl does not belong to this modern world.
The way she looked at everything, her confusion…
she was lost in a place that was never hers.
She kept running toward the exit.
Meanwhile, at the far end of another corridor, Zhu Ying finally reached the hospital’s main gate.
She stepped outside — and instantly, the world before her eyes changed completely.
Thousands of vehicles streamed past, horns blaring endlessly, people rushing by in every direction.
Everything felt foreign, overwhelming, and heavy against her chest.
Her legs grew weak, yet she kept walking slowly, with no destination.
Her heart ached: I want to go home…
back to where I belong.
Not here…
Moments later, Zhuzhu reached the hospital gate.
She approached the security guard, breathless.
“Sir!
Excuse me, did you see a girl with long hair pass this way?” The guard nodded quickly.
“Yes, Miss!
She walked that way, toward the main road.” “Thank you, Sir!” Zhuzhu immediately ran in the direction he pointed.
Amidst the crowd, Zhu Ying walked aimlessly, following the steps of the people around her.
Suddenly, her shoulder bumped into a tall figure standing right in her path.
She looked up.
A man wearing a black hooded sweater stared intently at her.
Beneath the hood, he wore a smile she knew all too well — a smile filled with deceit and hatred.
“We meet again, Zhu Ying,” he spoke softly, yet his words cut straight to the bone.
Zhu Ying’s eyes widened in disbelief.
Her whole body trembled violently, as if struck by lightning.
“You…
youuuuu…” The man turned slowly, taking a few steps forward while laughing — a laugh that sounded both tragic and terrifying.
“At last, I’ve found you too, Zhu Ying…
the puppet I once used to slaughter your own family, hahahaha!” Zhu Ying froze, rigid as a statue on the sidewalk.
Passersby paused, glancing at her strangely, but she noticed nothing.
In her eyes, only a bloody past remained.
Chen Lie…
the demon who had controlled her hands a thousand years ago, now stood before her in this strange new world.
The fear buried deep within her for a thousand years came crashing back down upon her.