Chapter 1: Who Are You?

In a modern city, at 8 p.m.

Xu Huai’an walked alone along a dimly lit path, his face filled with worry.

Lately, he had been having the same dream over and over again.

An old woman appeared in it.

What troubled him the most was not the dream itself—
but the fact that he had developed strange feelings toward that old woman.

As a normal 25-year-old man, he seriously began to question whether something was wrong with his mind.

Lost in thought, he unknowingly arrived at a park.

Only then did Xu Huai’an snap out of his daze.

Ahead of him, a girl was running toward him.

She was his university classmate—Zhang Xiaoxiao.

Just like her name, she was petite, but extremely cute. Back in university, she had been one of the girls many guys chased after.

They weren’t particularly close—just acquaintances who nodded when they met.

They had only recently graduated and started working.

Yet for some reason, in the past few days, she had begun contacting him frequently.

And today, she even asked him out.

When she saw him, she hurried over.

Her face was flushed—whether from running or shyness, it was hard to tell.

For some reason, Xu Huai’an felt that she was very nervous.

And somehow, that made him nervous too.

Zhang Xiaoxiao fidgeted with her clothes and said softly:

“Um… sorry… did you wait long?”

Xu Huai’an found her both silly and adorable.

“No… I just got here too.”

They walked slowly through the park.

Xu Huai’an asked,

“So… why did you ask me out? You wouldn’t say anything clearly over the phone.
How about we grab something to eat?”

Zhang Xiaoxiao was startled.

Her face instantly turned red, and she avoided his gaze.

Suddenly, as if she had made up her mind, she grabbed the corner of his shirt and said:

“Xu… Xu Huai’an… we’ve known each other for a long time, right?”

She hesitated, then continued:

“What do you think… about me?”

Her voice grew softer and softer.

Xu Huai’an paused.

“What did you say?”

It sounded like a casual question, but his heart had already started racing.

Truthfully, he had sensed something during their recent calls.

This once-distant classmate seemed unusually attentive toward him.

He had even secretly wondered…

Could she like him?

And to be honest, that thought made him a little pleased.

Which only made him more nervous now.

Zhang Xiaoxiao took a deep breath, shut her eyes, and blurted out:

“Xu Huai’an… will you be my boyfriend?”

Boom.

His ears rang.

He hadn’t expected her to be so direct.

He wasn’t ready.

What should he do?

Urgent. Online help needed.

Just as he was about to respond—

the image of that old woman suddenly flashed through his mind again.

He froze.

And somehow, without thinking, he said:

“Um… sorry… I… don’t really want to be in a relationship right now…”

Zhang Xiaoxiao’s eyes reddened instantly.

Her face turned pale.

Xu Huai’an felt terrible.

It wasn’t that he felt nothing for her.

Maybe not love—

but he definitely liked her.

After all, what man could refuse a confession from a girl he liked?

And yet…

after saying those words—

he felt… relieved.

What the hell is wrong with me?

Zhang Xiaoxiao’s voice trembled:

“Why? Why not? Didn’t you say you were single?”

Xu Huai’an was completely lost himself.

“Um… sorry… I have something to deal with at home… I’ll go first… we’ll talk another time…”

Even as he said it, he cursed himself inside.

But still—

he turned and hurried away.

Zhang Xiaoxiao couldn’t hold back her tears.

But suddenly—

she smiled.

A strange smile.

She wiped her tears and whispered:

“You really don’t remember… do you?”

“It’s okay… you will.”

Xu Huai’an walked home.

It wasn’t far.

Along the way, he kept blaming himself.

A beautiful girl confessed to me. I’m single. Why did I reject her?

Finally, the lonely man returned to his “den.”

Standing in front of the mirror—

his earlier frustration suddenly vanished.

In a daze—

the reflection in the mirror slowly changed.

It became…

that old woman.

He murmured:

“Who… are you?”

“Why do I feel like… I should remember you?”

The man who rejected a young girl—

now stood at home, thinking about an old woman.

He fell into deep confusion.

What is happening to me?

Am I still normal?

Countless thoughts flooded his mind.

What he didn’t know was—

in another distant realm—

an old woman was also staring into a mirror.