As the timer hit zero once again, Bai Ci entered a new instance.
Her body had already grown accustomed to the sensation of instance teleportation, feeling no discomfort whatsoever.
Sensing the end of the teleportation, Bai Ci slowly opened her eyes. What met her gaze was a simply decorated yet cozy bedroom.
A bedroom. This starting scene momentarily reminded her of her very first instance, stirring a ripple of emotion in her heart.
Bai Ci composed herself, calming her mind, and began to quickly scan the bedroom, searching for clues regarding her identity in this instance.
It was a small bedroom, sparsely but neatly furnished.
A white solid-wood bed stood against the wall. Next to the headboard was a small nightstand, on which sat a lamp casting a warm yellow glow.
Beside the lamp was a small glass vase holding two fresh gardenia flowers.
Opposite the bed was a white wardrobe with sliding doors.
On one side of the bedroom stood a desk. A laptop with a dark screen sat on it, flanked by a few open books—mostly literature and essay collections—as well as a fountain pen and a notebook.
Bai Ci walked over to the desk first, picking up the notebook to flip through it.
The handwriting in the notebook was identical to her own. Most of the entries were scattered fragments of writing—reflections on life, excerpts from other texts, and unfinished drafts.
It seemed that in this instance, her identity was highly likely someone who worked with words.
On the very last page of the notebook, a line of small text was written diagonally: “The last job is wrapped up. Things have settled down for now. Mom always says she wants to see the ocean. I should take her on a trip if I get the chance.”
She put down the notebook, walked over to the wardrobe, and gently slid open the door.
The clothes inside were neatly organized, divided into upper and lower sections. They were all casual styles, exactly the kind she used to wear before her accident.
There were no men's clothes or couple's accessories in the wardrobe, indicating she most likely lived alone.
Bai Ci closed the wardrobe door. Her gaze swept over the other corners of the bedroom before finally landing on the nightstand.
A black smartphone lay there.
She walked over, picked up the phone, and pressed the power button. The screen lit up. On the lock screen, she tentatively entered her own phone's passcode.
It unlocked.
From the looks of it, this was very likely a roleplay-type instance, as the pre-established details were far more extensive than in the previous instances she had experienced.
Moreover, it was highly likely a solo instance.
To help players better adapt to roleplay-type instances and prevent them from giving themselves away due to trivial information discrepancies, Anomalous Infection would adjust the character they played to closely match the player themselves.
This ranged from major aspects like personality and behavior, down to minor details like birthdays and phone passcodes.
After unlocking the phone, she went to the home screen. There weren't many icons—only a few commonly used apps.
Bai Ci first opened the messaging app. There were very few contacts, only about a dozen or so. Most were editors she submitted drafts to, her few friends, and a contact labeled “Mom.”
The chat history consisted mostly of professional communications with editors, discussing writing details, payment settlements, and the like. There were very few private chats, and her conversations with friends were scarce, mostly consisting of occasional greetings.
It was clear that the social circle of the character she was playing was extremely simple, perhaps even bordering on reclusive.
After checking the messaging app, Bai Ci opened the notes app. It mostly contained writing inspiration, deadlines, and a few mundane daily tasks.
She then opened the photo gallery. There weren't many photos—mostly scenery and pictures of books, with absolutely no portraits of people.
The only few photos featuring a person were all of the same middle-aged woman. The woman looked slightly camera-shy, but her smile was incredibly genuine, clearly indicating a close relationship.
Just as Bai Ci finished skimming through the phone, a soft knock suddenly came from outside the bedroom door.
Immediately after, a gentle female voice drifted in, her tone warm and affectionate: “Cici, are you awake? Come out for a moment. Mom wants to discuss something with you.”
Bai Ci slipped the phone into her coat pocket, readied herself, and opened the bedroom door.
Standing outside was a middle-aged woman—the very same one from the photos on the phone.
Mother Bai was around fifty years old. Her hair was slightly graying but neatly combed. Faint wrinkles creased her face, and her eyes were gentle.
Upon seeing Bai Ci step out, Mother Bai immediately smiled, her eyes filled with concern. “You're awake? Did you sleep too long? Your face is still a bit pale.”
Bai Ci didn't speak. She merely gave a slight nod, her eyes carrying a hint of post-sleep daze to mask her unfamiliarity.
She followed the middle-aged woman into the living room.
The living room was larger than the bedroom and was decorated with equal warmth. A light gray sofa sat against the wall, with a wooden coffee table in front of it. The vase on the table was also filled with fresh flowers.
On one side of the living room was a wooden cabinet against the wall, adorned with various small knickknacks and a picture frame. Inside the frame was a photo of the middle-aged woman with a young girl.
The girl had Bai Ci's face, and the middle-aged woman was Mother Bai. The two of them were snuggled together, smiling brightly. It was clear that the mother and daughter had a very close relationship.
Bai Ci quickly withdrew her gaze from the photo frame and cast a cursory glance at the clothes hanging out to dry on the balcony. Combining this with the photos on the phone, a realization dawned on her.
This was highly likely a single-parent family, and she lived alone with Mother Bai.
“Have a seat, Cici.” Mother Bai led Bai Ci to the sofa. She sat down beside her, her smile fading slightly, replaced by a touch of solemnity.
“Mom wanted to talk to you today because there's something very important I'd like to discuss.”
Bai Ci nodded slightly. She still didn't initiate conversation, choosing instead to watch her quietly, waiting for her to continue.
She could sense a hint of urgency in Mother Bai's tone, as well as a trace of worry.
Clearly, this matter was indeed of great importance to Mother Bai.
Mother Bai took a deep breath, pulled a colorful flyer from her pocket, and handed it to Bai Ci. Her tone carried a touch of caution.
“Look at this. This is our local Yuanxin Matchmaking Agency. It has an excellent reputation, and many people have found suitable partners through them.”
“Mom wants to take you there to have a look. We can go over and register in a little bit.”
Bai Ci took the flyer and looked down to read it.
The flyer was beautifully designed, with a pink and white cover. Below were some successful matchmaking testimonials. It certainly looked like a fairly legitimate agency.
To test the waters, Bai Ci didn't immediately agree, nor did she refuse.
She simply held the flyer in silence, her face completely expressionless, showing neither resistance nor willingness.
Rate on N.U.
