The Secret Realm of Time, His and Her Life Through the Changes

Is there any hidden meaning in the timing of Chapter 114?

The two looked at each other and blurted out in unison, "Holy crap!" before bursting into laughter.

Shang Yibo raised his glass and lightly clinked it against Jian Zheng's, saying, "Stop being so pretentious, drink up."

Jian Zheng picked up his wine glass and downed most of it in one gulp.

Jian Zheng put down his cup and suddenly asked, "You're Wang Jie, did you tell Zhou Yanruo?"

Shang Yibo withdrew his smile and answered in a low voice, "No."

Jian Zheng sighed inwardly and asked, puzzled, "That's strange, wouldn't she recognize you?"

"Maybe, perhaps she just doesn't want to recognize me," Shang Yibo murmured. "For me, two years have passed, but for her, twenty years have passed. Everything should have ended long ago. Besides, what did we do back then?"

Jian Zheng was furious at Shang Yibo's words and retorted, "You're talking nonsense. Zhou Yanruo has been looking for you. You're standing right in front of her now. How could she not want to acknowledge you? Besides, how could you say that there's nothing between you two? If Zhou Yanruo were in front of you, would you dare to say that? She'd probably slap you across the face."

Shang Yibo was taken aback by Jian Zheng's reaction and raised his voice, saying, "What are you doing? Why did you suddenly shout? You scared me."

“I knew you weren’t Wang Jie. I felt something was off about you back then. Wang Jie was as gentle and refined as jade, but you’re a block of ice, cold-hearted and unapproachable.”

Shang Yibo raised an eyebrow and said in a cold voice, "I was never Wang Jie. You should recognize that I am Shang Yibo."

Jian Zheng raised his hands in front of his chest and waved them, his anger mixed with helplessness, and said, "Fine, you say you're not Wang Jie, that's right, you don't deserve to be Wang Jie. My good brother isn't a rich second-generation like you, who only knows how to show off and is cold and heartless."

After saying that, before Shang Yibo could reply, she said angrily, "I'm asking you, no matter who you are, do you dare to deny that you're the one with Zhou Yanruo?"

Shang Yibo thought for a moment, then sighed and said, "It's probably best for her not to bother me. I really don't know how to tell her whether I am the Wang Jie from back then, or whether the Wang Jie she knew back then was actually me, Shang Yibo."

"Stop lying and deceiving people. Your 'not disturbing' means letting her stay by your side and boss her around? And you're not even going to tell her who you are? Have you thought about her feelings? Are all young people these days so selfish?"

Shang Yibo was speechless. Should he tell Jian Zheng how much he longed to reunite with Zhou Yanruo and how much he wanted to ask her how she had managed during the years he was gone?

However, he dared not bother Zhou Yanruo again. What could he give her? Could the love and care he could offer surpass what Zhou Zihang had given? Thinking of Zhou Zihang, such an outstanding man, if he could truly stay by Zhou Yanruo's side, perhaps that would be the best arrangement for her.

Shang Yibo picked up his wine glass, took a big gulp of wine, and looked forlorn. He muttered to himself, "She already has Zhou Zihang by her side. I can tell that the biology PhD is very good at taking care of Zhou Yanruo. It's obvious that they have a good relationship."

Jian Zheng also realized this, and he had to admit that Zhou Zihang was the most suitable person for Zhou Yanruo.

Furthermore, there's another undeniable reality—the age gap. Zhou Yanruo is already thirty-eight years old, while Shang Yibo is only twenty, a full twenty years apart. How can they bear this? How can they face it? Alas… one can only say that fate is cruel.

Jian Zheng said, "I have to say you're right, but have you asked Zhou Yanruo? Just because you and I analyzed it here, you've come to the conclusion that Zhou Zihang is the most suitable for Zhou Yanruo? I have no right to make a decision for Zhou Yanruo, and neither do you."

Jian Zheng hesitated for a moment, but still said, "I want to tell Zhou Yanruo that you are Wang Jie, no, you are Shang Yibo, whom she knew back then."

"Jian Zheng, do you think I've changed a lot? I mean, how has my appearance changed?" Shang Yibo asked.

Jian Zheng was a little confused by the question and replied, "What changes could you possibly have? Wang Jie is the same age as me. We were twenty-three years old that year, the same age as you are now."

He thought for a moment and then said, "If there's any change, it's that you now seem cooler and more aloof than Wang Jie. Come to think of it, apart from looking alike, you two are quite different in other aspects. Tsk tsk, I never expected that you would be the one with the most acting potential. It would be a shame if you weren't an actor."

Wang Jie is sunny, handsome, gentle, and kind, while Shang Yibo in front of him appears cool, arrogant, and haughty. Thinking of this, Jian Zheng couldn't help but make a few sarcastic remarks.

"You said I haven't changed at all, and you recognized me after only meeting me twice. But since I met Zhou Yanruo, quite a few days have passed, and she still doesn't recognize me. It seems my appearance has no effect on her anymore. Sigh..." Shang Yibo said with a hint of disappointment.

“It’s not Zhou Yanruo’s fault. She just didn’t expect you to be Wang Jie,” Jian Zheng said. “If it weren’t for what my grandfather said to me before he died, I wouldn’t have dared to think in this direction either.”

“Grandpa realized a long time ago that I wasn’t Wang Jie; I could sense it. Grandpa and I seem to have some kind of tacit understanding: if neither of us says anything, nothing will change, Wang Jie will come back, and I can go back to where I came from.” Shang Yibo thought of his grandfather, feeling sad. He stared at a dark corner of the bar, frowning. “You just said that Grandpa said something to you. What did the old man say to you?”

“Grandpa told me that Wang Jie was gone, and he could leave in peace without suffering anymore,” Jian Zheng recalled. “At first, I thought Grandpa meant that Wang Jie had gone abroad to study. I thought he was confused because he was seriously ill, so I quickly told him that Wang Jie was still on his way to the hospital and would not leave the country until the end of the year.”

"Grandpa shook his head, looked at the ceiling and smiled with satisfaction. He told me that Wang Jie had come to pick him up. He also said that he would be able to be with Wang Jie soon. The two of them would never be separated again."

"It was just me and my grandfather in the ward. I was very sad at the time, afraid that you wouldn't be able to make it back. I never thought that in the end, you and your grandfather still wouldn't be able to see each other one last time."

“In recent years, I have often thought of that scene, my grandfather’s peaceful expression, and his repeated saying that he was about to see Wang Jie, which clearly meant that Wang Jie had passed away before him. It’s really terrifying to think about. Wang Jie is long gone, so who were you in front of us at that time? No matter how bizarre and unbelievable it is, it seems that only in this way can everything be explained. What I can’t figure out is 'who you are and where you came from?'”

"Another strange thing is the time when I appeared in front of you. It was in 1999, the year I was born. Coincidentally, I was with you for six months before I was born, under the identity of Wang Jie. At the end of that year, Wang Jie went abroad to study and disappeared. And my birthday is December 31st."

Jian Zheng said with a solemn expression, "Could there be some hidden meaning behind this timing?"

Shang Yibo replied seriously, "I don't know. To be precise, I'm a little worried."

“You wouldn’t dare to acknowledge Zhou Yanruo before you’ve figured all this out. If I hadn’t already recognized you, you wouldn’t even have admitted to me that you’re Wang Jie.” Jian Zheng saw right through Shang Yibo’s thoughts.

I couldn't help but think to myself, "This kid is actually quite kind. He's worried that something bad might happen to Zhou Yanruo and me. But he doesn't say it directly, instead making up lame excuses that are infuriating. His inherent kindness is exactly the same as Wang Jie's."

Shang Yibo sighed with relief and said, "You already know, so how can I not admit it? Actually... I'm quite scared. I always feel some kind of force wanting me to see something, while another force is trying its best to prevent me from exploring it."