Rebirth: Slice-of-life Cultivation Chapter 1660 - 904: Convergence of Time and Space (Part 2)

Zhang Ruyun could no longer hold back, so he whipped out his phone: "Auntie, look more carefully and see who actually hurt your dog!"

Mrs. Chen then spotted in the footage the Cayenne backing up, as her Doudou barked right behind the vehicle, almost like it was whining, ’I haven’t climbed in yet!’

The Cayenne kept going in reverse without pausing, crushing the hind legs of Doudou.

Mrs. Chen abruptly understood: "It turns out my husband was the one reversing and running it over!"

A mix of shock, disbelief, fury, pity for her cherished pet, regret over her own foolish antics, and irritation at her spouse’s negligence surged through Mrs. Chen’s mind, prompting her to shriek as she charged forward to claw and pummel Director Han.

Director Han got blindsided, his face raked by her nails everywhere, before he was yanked away, the pair tumbling into a fierce scuffle.

Their younger boy, Han Chen, yelled nervously from nearby: "Dad, Mom!"

Mr. Qian let out a sigh: "This is truly like water flooding the Dragon King Temple—family turning on each other!"

Jiang Ning shot a look at Tongtong: "Go ahead and laugh if you want."

…

Director Han’s family departed, leaving plenty of chuckles along the riverbank.

Post-lunch, Xue Yuantong habitually clasped her hands behind her back, set to slip outside for some sunbathing.

Aunt Gu eyed her girl, thinking: ’Basking daily like this, what if she turns too dark? She’d look ugly all tanned, and nobody would want her.’

Aunt Gu mulled it over briefly, then remarked: "Eat full then sleep, sleep full then eat—you’ll laze yourself to death!"

Xue Yuantong halted her happy stride, firing back: "Hmph, I’ve gotten this big without hearing of laziness killing anyone, just overwork."

Her tiny mouth blabbered on: "I don’t get why folks hate on lazy ones—we haven’t even done anything wrong!"

Aunt Gu creased her brow: "I say one thing, and you hit back with eight?"

Xue Yuantong: "Mom, you don’t get it—lazy folks usually have vibrant inner lives and buzzing thoughts, making us way smarter than average since we ponder a lot, unlike others drifting blankly through days... The thing with lazy people..."

Xue Yuantong heated up in her spiel, eventually pumping her small pink fist and yelling: "We refuse control, we fight authority, we skip what we hate—pure freedom!"

Her tone faded bit by bit, ending with: "Fine, Mom, that’s my eight lines done."

Aunt Gu hefted the rolling pin, softly asking: "Tongtong, mind washing the dishes?"

Xue Yuantong complied sweetly: "Sure, best mom ever."

Xue Yuantong kicked off her hectic afternoon routine.

Aunt Gu stuck to her afternoon nap routine.

Once dishes were cleaned and floors swept, Xue Yuantong tiptoed to her mom’s bed, murmuring mischievously:

"Mom, I’ll keep my eyes on you always."

"Mom, you’re not escaping me."

"Mom, I’ll trail you forever, no matter what."

"Mom, why no reply?"

Feeling triumphant in her mind, Xue Yuantong dashed next door to hang out with Jiang Ning.

On the bed, Aunt Gu cracked open her eyes—she’d stayed awake the whole time—quietly noting the ploy to pull on Tongtong tomorrow.

…

That afternoon, after Chen Siyu beat pro gamer Nie Ze, she earnestly asked Tongtong for a man-machine match.

Tongtong figured, since newbie Siyu toppled a pro, wouldn’t she crush one effortlessly too?

Concealing her scheme, she paired with Chen Siyu, pretending teamwork while gearing up to gauge her skill.

Chen Siyu showed progress, opting for Sword Saint in jungle, while Tongtong took Yasuo mid.

Facing the silly AI, she alt-tabbed, peeking covertly at the clueless Siyu.

Chen Siyu handled the jungle.

Tongtong caught a glitch: "Siyu, why skip the little Stone Beetle?"

Stone Beetles count as canyon wild mobs; junglers must hit them for solid growth.

Chen Siyu’s casual tone crackled through: "Little Stone Beetle’s too tiny—killing it gives barely any EXP."

Xue Yuantong’s small face went rigid.

Jiang Ning: "What’s up, not enjoying the game?"

Xue Yuantong stayed silent, wrapped up the match quietly, then quit.

Jiang Ning skipped gaming with her; like always, he scrolled Class 8’s group chat. School loomed soon, and separation blues sparked livelier banter.

Class monitor Xin Youling gushed, ’Class 8’s vibe is awesome!’

Pang Jiao posted a pic of a half-gnawed apple: "Wow, my stomach’s shrunk lately—one apple fills me up."

Jiang Yanan quizzed: "Pang Jiao, appetite that tiny? I polish off a full one dieting."

Wang Yan Yan: "Jiaojiao’s dieting too lately, even if she’s not plump."

Lu Qiqi: "For real? That little?"

Pang Jiao eyed the svelte classmates praising her via screen; her round cheeks split in a savage smirk, pimples erupting like thriving blooms.

"Aw, you’re embarrassing me with praise, boo hoo." Pang Jiao’s pudgy, hairy-knuckled fingers like trotters thumped the screen noisily.

Liu Chuandao guffawed at his device: "As ex-desk mate to Pang Jiao, gotta set straight—she downed ten corns before that half apple."

Cui Yu: "Ex-desk mate speaks truth (thumbs up)"

Wu Xiaoqi: "Pre-corns, bet a huge braised pork platter vanished."

Cui Yu: "Vouched by the desk mate before last."

Pang Jiao’s beaming mug clouded over as she gripped her phone.

Meng Gui: "Song Sheng next?"

Cui Yu: "Current victim (cry-laugh)"

Song Sheng lurked reading, lip corner jerking—he sat with Pang Jiao now.

He yearned to defend himself, but speaking up would tangle it worse. New semester meant reshuffle; freedom awaited!

Guo Kunnan: "Lol, other Pang Jiao desk mates?"

Meng Gui: "Gangzi traded spots with Wu Xiaoqi back then."

Duan Shigang browsed unaware of his tag, but with standouts like Wu Xiaoqi, Liu Chuandao, Song Sheng, he stayed low-key.

Guo Kunnan: "Gangzi’s rank?"

Cui Yu: "Third wheel."

Duan Shigang: "Damn!"

Yu Wen remembered suddenly, blurting: "Don’t forget Miao Zhe!"

Miao Zhe followed along, flashbacks hitting hard to grim days, but he wasn’t third wheel—just routine desk mate among many.

Predictably, Cui Yu chimed: "Miao Zhe? That’s dream origin, her first crush."

…

Afternoon hit four-thirty, sunset glow.

Days stayed brief; Jiang Ning ditched office drone life of dawn outs and dusk ins.

Right then, perched on a wee stool, he savored the stunning winter dusk like a canvas masterpiece, relishing life’s prime moments.

Next to him, Xue Yuantong clutched her iPad mini 2, glued to a video.

Jiang Ning snagged that tablet two years back. Apple dropped mini 3 last year, but upgrades were meh, so no swap.

Jiang Ning peeked; Tongtong eyed a game trailer, flashy effects galore—a 2.5D ARPG titled ’Jubao.’

Lei Ya Game Studio crafted it, famed for hit mobile ’Deemo.’

Honestly, ’Jubao’ on console? Mediocre at best, nowhere near ’The Last of Us’ or ’Bloodborne.’

Yet mobile roots made it a smash. Past life, Jiang Ning hyped it sans PC/console, stuck with 699-yuan Redmi phone.

Jiang Ning gazed at Tongtong, lashes batting cutely.

He pondered if prior-life Xue Yuantong might’ve gamed it alongside him.

Alas, sans time rewind, answers stayed elusive.

Jiang Ning skipped past queries, stuck to now: "Your take on this game?"

Tongtong opined: "Seems... less standout than ’Deemo.’"

Jiang Ning grinned relaxedly: "Deemo’s top-notch for sure."

Sky clouds dazzled on; they bantered idly.

Minds at ease, time drifted gently forth.