Reality Programming Association

Chapter 36: Chapter 16: An Autumn Date

Time always slips away quietly when you’re lost in thought.

The morning passed in a blur of flipping through papers and looking up information.

The heat was on, making the air a bit dry. Materials were strewn messily across the coffee table, and the scratch paper was covered in dense notes.

The sound of a key turning in the lock pulled Yu Xian from the depths of an obscure paper and back to reality. He glanced at the wall clock—it was already two in the afternoon.

”Xiaoxian? Are you home?”

Yu Zhengze nudged the security door open with his elbow. He held a dripping umbrella in one hand and several plastic bags in the other, their openings fogged with condensation.

”You’re back, cuz.”

Yu Xian casually picked up a few sheets of scratch paper and covered the document stamped with ”Top Secret.” He then closed his laptop.

His cousin changed his shoes, glanced at the half-eaten dumplings and the pile of materials on the coffee table, and frowned, but said nothing.

He placed the two large plastic bags he was carrying on the dining table and untied them, releasing the fragrant aroma of roast duck.

”I was supposed to be back by noon, but something came up.”

Yu Xian went over to help, grabbing an empty plate to dish out the food.

The sliced roast duck had date-red skin and was still steaming.

Next to it was an order of dry-fried green beans and two tightly packed boxes of rice.

”I thought you’d already eaten, so I didn’t rush. I waited in line at Old Zhang’s to get this.”

The two of them sat facing each other at the table. Yu Zhengze had dark circles under his eyes. He ate quickly, his rice nearly gone in just a few mouthfuls.

The duck skin was crispy and the meat was tender. As Yu Xian ate, his thoughts turned to his parents’ paper.

’Based on his research this morning, the ”personality vectorization” theory seemed to explain many things—like Shi Zuozhou, Professor Gao, and the ”doppelgangers.” But this is all just speculation. I still don’t know if these incidents truly share any common characteristics.’

’Shi Zuozhou’s case was straightforward, but the trail has gone cold.’

’As for Professor Gao, his last words suggest there might be more to the story than a simple ”change.”’

’The suicides of the ”doppelgangers” clearly have the most in common. For instance, they all wore that eerie smile, and their families all felt they had ”changed.”’

’If I could find out what ”changed” means in their cases, I might be able to determine if this transformation is related to the ”personality vectors” my parents were researching.’

’If the changes match my parents’ theory, then these smiling suicides could be a clue to uncovering the truth behind my parents’ ”accident” all those years ago.’

Poking the rice in his bowl with his chopsticks, Yu Xian tentatively spoke up:

”Cuz, that case... any progress?”

Yu Zhengze paused, his chopsticks hovering over his bowl.

”That’s not something you should be asking about. We don’t talk about work at the table. Hurry up and eat. The duck will get greasy when it’s cold, and this stuff from Old Zhang’s is really good.”

”I’m not trying to pry into the case details.”

He chose his words carefully, trying to sound as natural as possible.

”A few days ago, I was at Dr. Wen’s, and I heard her mention ’doppelganger syndrome.’ It just got me thinking, why did the families feel like their loved ones had been replaced? Was it because the victims’ memories were jumbled, or their personalities had changed, or something like that?”

Yu Zhengze put down his bowl and looked up.

”Xiaoxian.”

Yu Zhengze’s voice was devoid of emotion.

”Are you up to something again?”

”No, I’m just curious...” Yu Xian felt a pang of guilt.

”This isn’t one of your school’s mystery games.”

”Cuz, I just think there’s something strange about it...”

His chopsticks CLINKED against the side of his plate.

Those eyes, which had scrutinized countless suspects, were now fixed on Yu Xian.

”Do you have any idea how many people have died in this case so far?”

His cousin’s eyes were bloodshot.

Yu Xian’s heart clenched.

His grip on his chopsticks tightened, but he forced a calm expression as he looked at his cousin.

Neither of them spoke. After a long moment, Yu Zhengze picked up his chopsticks again.

”I don’t want anything to happen to you, and I don’t want you getting involved in this.”

Yu Xian was silent for a few seconds.

”I get it, cuz. I won’t ask again.”

’That path is a dead end.’

’This was also why he didn’t want to tell his cousin about the hidden compartment he’d found in the old house.’

’It wasn’t that he didn’t trust his cousin. On the contrary, Yu Zhengze was one of the closest people to him in the world.’

’Yu Xian knew how protective his cousin was.’

’If his parents’ car crash was intentional, then the situation was far deeper than he could imagine.’

’His cousin would definitely do everything in his power to investigate, but he would also definitely forbid him from getting any more involved.’

’But clearly, after all these years, the crash was still officially ruled an accident.’

’The chances of finding more clues through his cousin... were probably slim.’

’The information was likely still hidden within that paper.’

’Since the front door was closed, he’d have to try the side door.’

’Wen Yu.’

’The person who had contact with many of the suicide victims’ families and possessed firsthand medical records.’

’And the level of confidentiality there should be much lower than with his cousin.’

’She might be the only crack in this iron curtain.’

Finishing the last few bites of his rice, Yu Xian cleared the dishes from the table.

His cousin went to his room to catch up on sleep. After working around the clock for days, he had truly reached his limit.

The living room fell quiet again. Yu Xian sat on the sofa, staring blankly out the window.

’Ask Wen Yu for the medical records directly?’

’That wasn’t just unrealistic; it could even backfire. After all, he had no idea what his cousin might have said to her.’

’From their last encounter, Dr. Wen Yu, while seemingly gentle, was almost rigidly scrupulous when it came to matters of principle.’

’She would never show files containing patient-confidential information to a complete stranger.’