Skybound Beauty

I have never been certain whether fate truly governs this world. Yet, the connections between people have many wondrous aspects that are indeed inexplicable. The past seems like a string of dreams, and even now, recalling them feels somewhat surreal. However, the hardships and good fortune I've encountered, along with the people who have either passed away or are still alive, have left indelible marks on my life.

I am Yun Nuo, and until I encountered that fateful accident, I was just an average high school student.

I call it an accident because, until that day, I could never have imagined my life taking such a turn.

I call it destiny because, in retrospect, there seems to have been some invisible design at play, where chance always lurks within the inevitable—it's just that I couldn't see through it at the time.

Between people, there are always invisible threads of connection.

You never know where fate might take you... until it begins to unfold.

...

That morning, I left my home as usual and set out for school.

A lazy voice called out from behind me, "Yun Nuo."

The voice was so familiar that I tried to pretend I hadn't heard, but she called out twice more, each time louder than the last. Helplessly, I turned around.

Behind me was a short-haired girl in the same school uniform, holding fried chicken in one hand and a cola in the other, with books tucked under her arm. She was eating as she walked, looking disheveled and as if she had just woken up.

This girl's name was Zhang Lian, and to some extent, she could be considered my "childhood friend." After all, we have known each other since kindergarten and have been in the same class up to now.

Zhang Lian wasn't particularly beautiful, but she was quite easy on the eyes. Her hair wasn't the smoothest but was shiny and black. She had a straight nose and naturally rosy lips, though they were a bit thick. Her uniform hung loosely on her, swinging irregularly with her movements, which seemed a little too casual... but that was in keeping with her usual image.

Her image was, well, "imageless."

She had no sense of propriety in sitting or standing and could sleep from the first class to the last.

No matter when, she always appeared utterly without image.

Usually, having a childhood female friend to grow up with, to go to and from school together, is a dream many boys have.

But I have never felt blessed by this. Maybe because we're too familiar—I'm all too aware of how "uncute" this girl is, who's always late to class, whose eyes light up at the sight of money and whose grades are worse than mine.

"Wow, eating so well this early in the morning, life's good, huh?" I said to Zhang Lian with a hint of a teasing smile.

"What do you want?" she responded, pulling her food away protectively.

"Cough, I was just wondering... about the seventy bucks you borrowed last month, could you pay it back? I’m a little short these days..."

"No money," she cut me off without even blinking.

"Hey, no money and yet you have such a grand breakfast?"

"It's because I ate such a grand breakfast that I don't have any money."

"Could you pay back a little?"

"Not a dime." The unlovable girl walked past me indifferently.

"In these times, debtors seem more dignified than creditors," I muttered to myself.

Watching several students in the same uniform running past me in a hurry, I called out, "Hey, if we keep walking this slow, we're going to be late."

"So what if we're late? Does it matter?"

"I don't want to be late. Shall I go ahead?"

"No!"

"Why?"

"Because..." Zhang Lian tilted her head, thinking hard for a good excuse, then gave up and simply said, "No reason. You just can't."

"Whatever, I'm not dealing with you." I quickened my pace and started to run. She shouted angrily behind me, but I didn't look back.

Being late wasn't a big deal, but being late with an imageless girl like her would make people question my taste.

I had only run a short distance when a car suddenly pulled up beside me, and a girl much cuter than Zhang Lian leaned out, "Uhm, senior, are you heading to school?"

Her question was a bit silly, but I didn't mind at all.

This girl's name was Xie Tingting.

If there were a vote for "the least cute girl in school," I would not hesitate to cast my vote for Zhang Lian.

But for "the cutest girl in school," without a doubt, my vote would go to Xie Tingting. Of course, I'm sure she doesn't need my vote; there are plenty of people ready to crown her the belle of the school.

"Senior, would you like a ride?" she asked, her face blushing slightly.

My heart pounded a few times, and I was about to agree, but I politely declined in the end. Being late with Zhang Lian might be questionable for my taste, but it wouldn't cost me my life. If I accepted a ride from the school's well-known beauty, I might get stabbed by her fans.

"Then," Xie Tingting hesitated before gathering her courage, "I'll walk with you."

She actually got out of the car, told the driver to send the car ahead, and followed me on foot.

Honestly, I was surprised.

But then again, it wasn't that strange. We had known each other since middle school when she wasn't as pretty as she is now, and her father wasn't as rich. Our families lived next door to each other, and we were even classmates, although she took a year off due to illness.

Walking side by side, I stole a glance at her.

She wore the school uniform as if it was tailored for her. The simple collar matched her neat long hair, highlighting her childlike and cute face. The wrinkle-free uniform clung naturally to her figure, making her appear as graceful as a plum blossom amidst winter snow. To be honest, I never knew our school's old-fashioned uniforms could look so perfect on a girl.

Looking back, Zhang Lian was still dawdling along.

The same school uniform, worn by different people, why such a huge difference?

Zhang Lian glared at me fiercely.

They say girls change a lot as they grow up. Xie Tingting had become prettier, while Zhang Lian just became more imageless...

"Let's wait for her," Xie Tingting suggested, apparently misreading my glance back at Zhang Lian.

"No need," I quickly said, "With her pace, we'll definitely be late."

So we continued walking. On the way, Xie Tingting said in a low voice, "Actually, I have something I want to tell you. There will be a dance party at my house tonight, and I... I would like to invite you."

"A dance party?" I thought about it. I didn't mind attending a dance, but the prospect of encountering her snobbish, social-climbing father made me uncomfortable. Ever since he made his fortune in the coal industry, he had become arrogant and disdainful, particularly towards us poor kids, always ready with a snide remark... especially for me.

I really don't know what I did to offend him.

"Today is my birthday," she said with a blush.

Is that so? I thought, looks like I'll have to endure her father's mockery once more.

Just then, a loud bang came from ahead. A black car swerved out of an alley and crashed into the car that was supposed to take Xie Tingting to school.

It wasn't an accident—it was a kidnapping.

"There's no girl!" someone shouted upon discovering that the car contained only the driver, followed by blood spraying as the driver was slashed with a knife.

"Did Xie's old man find out about our plan? He didn't let his daughter go to school?" The gunman among the kidnappers seemed anxious, looking around until his gaze settled on us.

I wanted to shield Xie Tingting with my body, but it was too late.

"Over there," the kidnapper pointed.

I grabbed the still dazed girl and ran back the way we came, the kidnappers in hot pursuit.

"What's going on? What's going on?" Zhang Lian saw us running toward her, followed by a group of men wielding knives, and couldn't understand what was happening. It wasn't until Xie Tingting and I ran past her that she screamed, dropped her cola and chicken, and turned to run with us.

I wanted to ask her why she was running; these people weren't after her.

The black car caught up and blocked our path ahead. Zhang Lian turned into a nearby alley, and I gripped Xie Tingting's hand, following Zhang Lian. Though killing and kidnapping were common in movies, facing it in reality was frightening.

Xie Tingting was pale and gasping for breath.

And Zhang Lian... I still didn't understand why she was fleeing with us.

Lian Zhang had knocked over several trash cans, but it did nothing to stop the pursuit of the kidnappers. I picked up a brick, spun around, and smashed it onto the forehead of the closest pursuer. He staggered back, clutching his bloody head, but the others quickly caught up. Before long, the three of us were cornered at the riverbank, with the rushing river at our backs and the fierce thugs in front.

"We'll see where you can run to now," the thug with the handgun sneered as he closed in on us.

Tingting Xie clutched my arm tightly, and Lian Zhang huddled by my side.

My heart was pounding non-stop. These people had already killed Xie's driver; they wouldn't hesitate to kill me and Lian. And the thought of Xie falling into their hands was unimaginable.

The only way out, it seemed, was to jump into the river. I could swim, but Lian was a total landlubber. Though we sneaked into the shallow river to bathe as kids, she never learned to swim. As for Xie, I wasn't sure about her swimming skills, but I remembered the newly built villa of her family had a swimming pool, so there was a chance she could manage.

I couldn't possibly carry both of them while swimming, but if Xie knew how to swim, then managing with just Lian wouldn't be too big of a problem.

Lian quietly pinched my waist, signaling she was thinking the same.

"I'll take you on!" I roared at the thugs with a surprising ferocity that made them instinctively step back.

I quickly turned around, grabbing Lian and the trembling Xie, and jumped off the embankment into the river.

As soon as the river swallowed our bodies, Lian, knowing she couldn't swim, let go of Xie and clung to my waist. I paddled with my arms while looking over at Xie, who moved gracefully in the water, her posture correct, like a mermaid, which reassured me.

And then, I saw the school beauty sinking down with bubbles.

Seriously?

The river swept the three of us downstream. I dove down, grabbing Xie's arm, but she, having swallowed several mouthfuls of river water, was in such a panic that she clung tightly to me, both arms and chest.

Being the object of envy for carrying two young girls, one of them recognized as the school beauty, would normally be a delightful situation. However, at that moment, I only wanted to scream for help!

Just then, a whirlpool suddenly formed below us, pulling all three of us down together.

I thought we were done for.

When our bodies would be discovered, I wondered what the newspapers would say about us.

A love-triangle boy with two girls, tired of life, deciding on a joint suicide?

I didn't know whether to cry or to laugh…

Where is this place?

I looked around at the trees soaring straight up into the sky, so tall that they couldn't possibly be from Earth.

The sky was a shade of blue, a clear, transparent blue like that of jade, with a few wisps of clouds floating like carvings on glass. There were also strange birds flying between the trees, the likes of which I had never seen before.

Had I gone through a portal?

I was about to drown in the river, but upon waking up, I found myself in this strange place. Other than traveling to another world or time, I couldn't think of any other explanation. But if I did travel to another world, where were Lian Zhang and Tingting Xie? Did they travel with me?

I ran through these unbelievably tall trees, constantly calling their names.

"You won't find them that way!" Suddenly, a voice sounded behind me.

I turned around and saw a slim, small figure draped in a black robe, only as tall as my waist, holdi