Chapter 4, The Thief of Time

Lü Weimin gripped my arm tightly, his palm slick with sweat, and said with immense tension: "The Starbucks on the tree-lined avenue"

Lü Weimin initially kept his eyes tightly closed as I had instructed, but after a while, he realized that he could adapt fairly well, so he opened his eyes and looked around in amazement. I smiled at him and said, "Your adaptability is quite good"

I sighed and walked slowly forward: "Congratulations, you have finally recognized each other as father and daughter"

To them, both Lu Weimin and I are people from the future; a single sentence from us could disrupt their lives for the next 3 days, and getting them back on their previous track would similarly drain my energy

Old Lu held the turkey, his gaze reflecting the vast changes of time, beyond description. After a long while, he finally spoke in a hoarse voice: "I don't know what to say, thank you so much."

Xiao Hui angrily said: "How do you expect that store manager to explain to the police if you leave it in the store? Besides, how can you go out and face people with one arm missing? Do you want the police to follow the clues and then be astonished to find out that you are Superman?"

I know, I understand... you are not ordinary people

Lü Weimin hesitated for a moment and said, "It's probably less than 1 billion; I can't really be considered a very wealthy person"

Xiao Hui is still polite; a smart child is indeed different

In the past, I thought he was quite cold-blooded; the other party was a young girl. Even if she was trying to deceive you for money, you shouldn't resort to violence. However, I still have no intention of forgiving him; I believe he should be held accountable.

I chuckled and said, "Those robbers would be truly unfortunate to encounter you—how many of them are there?"

I smirked slightly, finding it amusing in my heart

I glanced at the clock: "Hmm, there are still 45 minutes left until 72 hours, which is quite ample." I suddenly found it a bit difficult to speak and said, "Now, let us discuss the matter of money."

... ...

This guy is named Chen Ke Po, and he is my true childhood friend. We grew up together in an orphanage since infancy

A crisp voice behind him said unhappily: "So I asked you to wait a moment! Yet you still didn't listen"

"Then don't be late, they will arrive at 2:00." After saying this, he left

I was astonished: "What I mean is ... ... "

Although Lv Weimin had been sitting across from me, he seemed to be in a daze. When he finally realized that the person sitting in front of him truly had the ability to save his daughter, he first became particularly agitated, and soon thereafter, he began to heed my words. When I asked him a question, he smiled foolishly for a moment before hurriedly placing a photograph in front of me

She also grew up with me and A Po, and her name is Long Jiahui. Since she is the youngest among us, we usually call her Xiao Hui

I am speechless

I glared at A Po: "Look at Xiao Hui, her work is flawless, and then look at you, you're simply a fool."

Lü Weimin pressed his lips tightly together and after a long while said: "Thinking about seeing her again makes me nervous"

Apo said: "I told you I didn't want it, yet you insisted on pursuing it. Do you think I care about an arm?"

Lü Weimin gave me a slight nod, filled with comfort and happiness

Lv Weimin also felt very ashamed and said, "Why are you asking this?"

I expressed my relief: "Xiao Hui knows how to care for others—rest assured, this is not the first time."

This is deserved, it is a punishment. Rather than saying that I have erased their memories, it is more accurate to say that I am a thief of time. I have stolen a small segment of time from their lives, a small fragment of their memories

At this moment, Aunt Meng leaned in and said: "Xiao He, the people from the television station will come this afternoon to distribute set-top boxes, and they need our neighborhood committee's assistance. Who do you think we should ask for help?"

Why can't I love money? Apart from being an ordinary person who can only let time stand still to indulge in my thoughts, when I go to buy a soda, no one will sell me cola as if it were mineral water. Of course, if I were to take it and run, I wouldn't have to pay a cent; no one could catch me. There are plenty of people who can run fast. If everyone were to do this, wouldn't the world be in chaos? What kind of quality is that?

Apo glanced at Lv Weimin again with a different expression and cautiously asked me: "Are you out of your mind? Have you lost your way home or misplaced your keys?"

I initially had no intention of meddling, but those scoundrels were unscrupulous, taking the young daughter of the female manager as a hostage to force her to hand over the safe key. Unable to stand by and watch, I took action.

The driver started the engine and began to chatter incessantly. He said, "What bad luck, the fuel prices went up the day before yesterday. If I had known, I should have stored two barrels in advance"

"Should we go back?" asked Old Lu, holding onto the turkey tightly.

Lü Weimin suddenly raised his head and realized that the person at the bus stop had completely changed. The newspaper stand behind us had also switched from the previous elderly woman to an elderly man. In an instant, we had synchronized with the world.

Lv Weimin: "That one is not of high enough quality; Dad will buy you the most premium Ferrari."

What? Why do I love money so much

Who else was present at that time

I had barely taken two steps when I heard the turkey's voice shouting: "Dad, who is that? Is it your little brother?"

I pulled on Lü Weimin and said: "Are you ready? If you start to feel nauseous, just close your eyes; it won't be long. Where was the last place you met your daughter?"

I approached a newsstand and asked: "Do you have today's evening newspaper from 3 days ago...?"

Xiao Hui quickly said: "I would like you to help me bring a copy of the evening newspaper from 3 days ago. I remember there was an article about hypnosis in the supplement, but unfortunately, I lost the newspaper."

No, but that little girl has already been scared silly, so I had no choice but to use hypnosis to help her forget about today's events

It is already half past one, which is quite critical

I am a very persistent person. Since I believe that 10 million is enough, I simply extend a finger and say: "I want ... ... "

Lü Weimin smiled slightly and said, "No, let's make it 100 million. Money is not an issue."

Please keep confidential the matters you have just seen and heard

I was struck by lightning and waved at the father and daughter, saying, "I'm leaving, you two enjoy your reunion." Then I whispered in Old Lu's ear, "Your precious daughter must think she is still living three days ago. As for how to explain it, you can figure that out yourself. Alright, I need to go back and distribute the set-top boxes." I believe this issue should not be difficult for Old Lu to resolve; a rebellious girl would never care about time, and she might not even know what day of the week it is today.

Xiao Hui frowned and said, "I am really annoyed by you. Why don’t you think things through? Wherever you go, it ends up in chaos, and in the end, I have to help you search everywhere for your arms"

I lost my arm, and I also severely injured all four of my grandsons. When we left, they were lying there waiting for the police to rescue them. A Po spoke as casually as if he had found a penny by the roadside

Earning one hundred million easily was something I never anticipated. Ultimately, I am not an ordinary person in the conventional sense. Regarding life, I do not possess sufficient understanding. If I cared about the length of life, I could certainly shamelessly stretch ten years to feel like two centuries. Perhaps I also fail to recognize the significance of family, as I am an orphan.

Isn't that so? You wonder how one can be so unfortunate; it seems that in this place, such occurrences happen on average once every few years, and I happened to encounter it.

To be honest, so far, the story of Lü Weimin is somewhat tragic and beautiful: a lonely successful businessman in his old age, a past that cannot be revisited, a hurt illegitimate daughter, and of course, that one in a million chance of success, which is truly a myriad of misfortunes

Apoheyran: "So what do you want me to do, just stand by and watch?"

The accounts of these individuals have all been attributed to me, and I feel my strength being rapidly drained. Fortunately, the number of people is not too large, and I soon experienced some relief. However, I still feel so weak that I have no strength left at all

What specifically?

I used to grab his arm and that of the * picture * book and said, "Just hold on tight."

Where to return?

Apo, in confusion: "Did you just give me a signal?"

Lü Weimin, who wanted to speak, finally fell silent under my gaze

Apo turned to Xiaohui and asked, "Four?"

Xiao Hui said: "I didn't mean for you to ignore it; I wanted you to find an opportunity to take action again. Several times, you clearly had the chance to subdue that leader, why did you not respond when I signaled you?"

Lü Weimin listened in a daze and after a long while cautiously asked, "Are you... joking?"

Lü Weimin glanced at his watch and said anxiously, "It will be one thirty soon"

"What happened next?" I asked with interest

I said: "This is a strict rule; the person I need to find must be someone I have never seen before."

The police told me that she had an accident at around 1:30 PM

I am fortunate to say: "Is that so? This is quite lucky for both her and me—As for the second question, do many people know about her death?"

What is the result? I asked A Po with a smile.

Later, I finally managed to hail a taxi. I weakly told the driver "Wangfu Street" and then closed my eyes in silence

Leaving them, I feel an overwhelming sense of fatigue and weakness. As Old Lu would say, the time has come to settle the bill—within the 72 hours from three days ago until now, the memories of all those who have come into contact with the turkey will be erased. This includes: the police who took her to the hospital, the doctors, certain onlookers (those who forget at a glance do not count), civil affairs personnel, and of course, the driver who hit her.

I let out a long sigh; Old Lu has encountered such a problem with a materialistic woman. He will have a lot to deal with in the future. Isn't he hoping for a child who will need to be rescued from the police station every day? Let's wish him success.

I am happy

Lü Weimin smiled unnaturally and said, "I have mentioned before that my total assets are actually less than 1 billion."

I suddenly noticed that Lv Weimin's face was terrifyingly pale, and I hurriedly asked, "Are you feeling unwell?"

Lü Weimin cast a gloomy glance at me, his eyes filled with inquiry

Before Lu Weimin's turkey daughter recognized him as her father, she was worth nothing, and no one cared about her well-being. The other two conditions were also met, so I agreed to help him

His perceptiveness is truly remarkable, as he knows I am looking for him to sign the contract. I gave him a strong pat on the back, and it felt as if the heavens had flashed for a moment

Therefore, I always thought that Old Lu's daughter, if not a pure and ethereal fairy-like girl, at least had to be a simple and innocent rural girl with two braids and eyes full of sorrow. She stood in front of Lv Weimin, timidly and cautiously asking: "Mr. Lv, do you still remember Xia Yuhua from the east unit of No. 53, Xiahewan North Lane?"

I covered the photo and held it to my heart, saying: "I don't know if anyone has seen me, but surely no one has seen someone dressed like this."

The newspaper vendor handed me a copy, and as I opened the supplement, I saw a column titled: "Hypnosis: Science or Superstition?"

I did not conceal anything either: "Wait a moment, I will take him back three days ago."

In 3 days!

As A Po entered the room, the woman speaking behind him came into view. She was tall, with a voluptuous figure and a slender waist. A pair of deep black-framed glasses perched on her prominent nose, further accentuating her snow-white skin, giving her a fashionable and intellectual appearance: voluptuous, slender waist, glasses, fashionable, a comprehensive evaluation would label her as an office lady with glasses, a mature woman. Excluding the lewd connotations in Japanese, in our Chinese terms, it simply means—sexy, mature! ... Uh, it seems that Chinese is indeed more concise ... Excluding the lewd connotations in Japanese, in our Chinese terms, it simply means—sexy, mature! ... Uh, it seems that Chinese is indeed more concise ...

I smiled and said, "My task is complete"

Lü Weimin assured, "I am certain there are only five or six."

At that moment, the door opened, and two individuals walked in from outside. As the first person entered, he instinctively lowered his head. Although he was quite tall, he did not exceed the height of the door frame. However, this individual certainly exuded an impressive presence, with a large nose, big eyes, and thick eyebrows, and a physique that was remarkably robust, radiating an aura of someone who dared to confront anything, as if nothing in the world could withstand his punches or kicks. Yet, this individual indeed appeared to possess an astonishing presence, with a large nose, big eyes, and thick eyebrows, and a physique that was remarkably robust, radiating an aura of someone who dared to confront anything, as if nothing in the world could withstand his punches or kicks.

Lü Weimin ran forward with all his might, embracing the turkey tightly in his arms amidst the astonished gazes of passersby. The turkey seemed a bit dazed and instinctively began to struggle.

However, he no longer recognizes me

I wiped my sweat and said: "You are too kind. I would be satisfied if I had even one-tenth of what you have in the future." I used to think that having 10 million would allow me to flaunt it everywhere.

I was astonished and said: "Hypnosis? When did you learn that?"

Lü Weimin quickly reacted and said, "Money is not an issue; feel free to name your price."

Lü Weimin gazed into the distance with a blank expression as I gestured with my hand. I gave him a gentle push on the shoulder and said, "Go on, no matter what, keep an eye on her. If she dies again, I will be powerless to help."

Finally, it has come to a stop, the location is still the neighborhood committee, and the surroundings are quiet. Looking outside, there are hardly any people on the street—because this is 3 days ago, the people I had seen before could not possibly appear here. Aunt Meng and the others are probably preparing to install the set-top boxes 3 days later.

Lv Weimin felt a sense of solidity, gently cradling the turkey's head as he said: "Dad will never let you leave me again"

Xiao Hui nodded

We are all not human

I hailed a taxi and instructed the driver: "Linyindao, Starbucks Coffee"

Before he finished speaking, Liu Lao Liu suddenly burst in from outside, shouting: "You are too greedy, starting with 100 million?"

Liu Laoliu pressed my finger back and casually said, "You can give a little, instead of 100 million, let's make it 90 million." Then he patted Lv Weimin on the shoulder and comforted him, "90 million is actually not much, after all, there are lives involved here"

I picked it up and took a glance, feeling a bit apprehensive

Old Lu smiled humbly and said, "Name your price."

There are three major considerations when bringing someone back to the past: First, the person must be someone I have never met before; Second, the movements of this person three days prior must not be known by too many people; Third, the maximum duration of time is 3 days, or 72 hours. This is not a rule I set, but rather three taboos; if any one of them is not met, even if I want to bring him back, it would be impossible. This is perhaps a kind of balance in the universe. It is especially important to pay attention to the second point, as it is a factor that can be flexibly controlled, and it is also the most dangerous one. Going back and then returning to relive once again is equivalent to modifying someone else's life record. The more people who know about that record three days prior, the greater my workload will be—modifying the memories of those people will automatically consume my energy, and if the number of people exceeds a certain threshold, I will not be able to bear it. Last year, a celebrity named Chen was involved in a scandal regarding explicit photos. In fact, he later, by some strange twist of fate, sought me out to help him go back, but wasn't that asking for my life?—At that time, the number of people who had seen his photos had already exceeded ten million.

Fortunately, there have not been any issues, as I rarely utilize this power. In fact, there is a fourth limiting factor: with my current strength, I can return at most once a month.

Lü Weimin wondered, "Money?"

Lü Weimin apologetically said: "And all of this is for you to pay for?"

I tapped the table and said, "Apo, you should listen to Xiaohui more in the future"

Not much

Lü Weimin's eyes lit up as he said: "She has always been out of town; you probably haven't seen her before."

Liu Laoliu hurriedly said to Lv Weimin: "Old Lv, don't take it to heart. He's just like that, but this is also his strict rule; helping others requires a return of one-tenth of their wealth." As the old fellow spoke, he kept winking at me. I awkwardly extended a finger and cautiously glanced at Lv Weimin. Liu Laoliu was too cunning; he opened his mouth and mentioned one hundred million!

It doesn't matter, anyway, when we return to three days later, he will also return to his original trajectory and will forget us

Hehe, it may be due to the frequent flying of *illustrated* books.

I hummed and said, "Your daughter is fine; as long as she washes her face clean, no one will recognize her."

Xiao Hui took out a book titled "An Analysis of Hypnosis" from her bag and threw it on the table: "I learned this while they were fighting"

I laughed and said, "It is true, it will rise tomorrow"

The two individuals have just returned from the street, and it seems they have had a disagreement. A Po appears quite dissatisfied, while Xiao Hui walks behind him with her arms crossed, her expression showing a hint of annoyance.

About five or six

Three days ago

The driver said while driving: "Actually, I want to go fast too; going faster saves fuel. By the way, I heard that fuel prices are going to rise in the next few days, but I don't know if it's true."

I understand that A Po must have deliberately ignored Xiao Hui's gaze. He is an incredibly sociable person, and he would never miss the opportunity to engage in a confrontation with four people at the same time.

Xiao Hui let out a hum and fell silent.

I laughed and said, "Alright, no need to hide anything, we are all on the same side." I asked A Po, "What happened between you and Xiao Hui?"

"How do I get there..." Lü Weimin asked nervously.

People find the idea of time reversing to be mysterious because they cannot control it. In fact, turning back time is not difficult; it is akin to walking backward. The only adjustment needed is that walking too quickly can cause dizziness; I vomited the first time I tried it

I said: "This will be easy. We need to go back and bring her back to life, so the memories of those who witnessed her death must be erased. This is a laborious task."

The driver glanced at him in the rearview mirror and asked, "In a hurry?"

We arrived in front of Starbucks. I asked Lü Weimin to get out of the car first. I paid the driver and then got out as well. Lü Weimin quietly asked me, "Where is he going now?"

Go! I pulled him hard, shouted loudly, and used all my "strength" to make time stop, then rewind. The people and objects around us instantly produced double images. A Po, Xiao Hui, and Liu Lao Liu disappeared one after another. The light on the floor and walls of the room, as well as the tables and chairs, changed rapidly at an incredible speed, repeatedly restoring their states over the past three days.

I chuckled softly and said, "It is now 3 days later."

Since ancient times, beautiful stories have always featured enchanting characters. Consider "The Butterfly Lovers," "Romeo and Juliet," "Dream of the Red Chamber," and "Jin Ping Mei." ... Well, as for the last one, I am not sure how everyone views it, but I personally find it quite tragic.

I cautiously asked, "By the way... how much money do you actually have?"

As we exited Wangfu Street, the number of people suddenly increased. I advised Lv Weimin: "Try not to speak to anyone."

Lü Weimin inquired with concern: "Have you seen it?"

Xiao Hui glanced at A Po and said, "I will never go out on the street with him again."

To mask my awkwardness, I said: "We will leave shortly, but I must remind you of one thing..."

Approximately how many are there

Apo saw that there was another person in the room and asked me, "Are you looking for someone?"

Old Lu nodded and said, "I will have someone deliver the money to you."

I smiled slightly and said, "It's alright, I am in the business of selling regret medicine; the efficacy is yours, and I will bear the side effects—Is that your daughter?" I saw a dirty turkey standing under the bustling street sign, looking around anxiously. It seemed that it had been some time since Lü Weimin and his daughter had parted ways. The turkey appeared restless, wanting to cross the road quickly. If we ignored it, it would once again fall victim to a car.

However, the person in the photo left me astounded. It was a girl with messy, disheveled hair and an eccentric appearance. Her ears, nose, and lips were adorned with various metal rings in every exposed area, making it likely that she wouldn't pass airport security. Although she had single eyelids, she insisted on using stickers to create double eyelids, but her technique was lacking, leaving her eyelids with unsightly edges. Her face was smeared with various colors of makeup, dirtier than Captain Jack Sparrow.

How long has she been dead for the last question

Xiao Hui smiled slightly and said, "You have arrived"

Have I seen your daughter before

Old Lu hurriedly said: "Don't talk nonsense!"

Xiao Hui said: "There was another staff member who was knocked unconscious at the beginning. When we left, the young girl was asleep, and only the female store manager was left. I told her that I took A Po to the hospital"

The driver started the engine and began to chatter incessantly. In response to some of his questions, I smiled without answering. Several times, Lao Lü attempted to interject out of politeness, but I shot him a glare that silenced him.

Before I could speak, Lv Weimin immediately responded, "I will never mention this matter to anyone, including her"

They saw Liu Laoliu with me, and A Po greeted him, saying: "Old Liu—"

I couldn't help but laugh: "Really?"

I was at a loss for words and said, "Stop messing around, we should be leaving now." In fact, I understood that A Po was trying to exert pressure and intimidation on Old Lu. Such matters are too precarious; once exposed, we would never find peace again

At the street corner, Lü Weimin and his turkey daughter have been embracing for a while. Lü Weimin rests the turkey's head on his shoulder, then lifts it up to examine it for a moment, repeating the process. He speaks rapidly, overwhelmed with emotion and unable to hold back his tears. Suddenly, the turkey lets out a sharp cry: "Damn it, you finally acknowledge me!"

... ...

Liu Laoliu emphasized, "Call me Liu Lao!" A Po did not hear it at all

Time continues to regress, and the community committee's office is sometimes bathed in sunlight and at other times shrouded in darkness

I laughed and said, "That won't do. Besides you, he doesn't have anyone to be afraid of, right? When A Po was taking his arm, he didn't let anyone else see, did he?"

I nodded and looked at the watch, saying, "It is still early; let us sit for a while longer"

Apo walked up to him with a serious expression and said, "Since you already know about us, let me give you a demonstration." As he spoke, he suddenly twisted his left forearm with his right hand, and with a loud crack, the back of his left hand pressed against his elbow joint. Apo waved his arm, which had been broken into several pieces, in front of Lv Weimin, causing the old man to scream in fright and sit down on the ground. Apo burst into laughter, then quickly reattached his severed arm and bounced back to his original position.

Chen Kepo walked in, constantly waving his hands and shrugging his shoulders to express his helplessness: "In that situation, what do you expect me to do? You couldn't think of a solution either."

You need not worry; it is sufficient for us few young men to be here

Aponado said: "You are always right." He was somewhat afraid of Xiaohui, so he no longer argued loudly.

The turkey squinted its eyes, unsure of what it was looking at. Suddenly, it pointed at a sports car that sped by on the road and exclaimed loudly, "Dad, I want that."

Xiao Hui expressed her concern: "Did it happen 3 days ago? Is there any danger?"

I opened my eyes and laughed: Isn't this the guy who just sent me and Lv Weimin?

This is why I am very cautious when it comes to the second taboo. If there were a few more people, I might have already been finished

I said with some embarrassment: "You see, you have to pay someone to clean the windows, right? Although I am the director of the neighborhood committee and should have a sense of duty, I cannot completely work for you for free—besides, you are not even from our area..."

Just now, with that clap, I have brought us back to the present three days later

Lü Weimin has fallen silent again

Apo sat on the stool, spread his arms and legs, and sighed, saying: "Don't mention it, I casually walked into a jewelry store, and I actually encountered a robbery."

I admit that the reason I am so invested in the matter concerning Lü Weimin is indeed to obtain a certain reward from him, and I have already determined the amount, which is 10 million. I have also prepared a backup plan... If he wants to cut the price in half, I can at most offer him 8 million.

I took one last glance at my watch and said to Lv Weimin, "Let's go, I'll drop you off and then return to pick up the set-top box."

In short, seeing her inevitably evokes associations with a chameleon that has reverted to its ancestral form, an advanced evolutionary ape, and a Libyan turkey that has fallen into a cesspit—this is a typical problem girl