Chapter 123: Interrogation

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Inside the infirmary, Xia Luo slowly came to.

“What happened to me? Why does the back of my neck hurt so much? It feels as though someone smashed me with a brick.”

“You still have the nerve to ask? If Gao Ning hadn’t stepped in to stop you, you would have caused a major disaster!”

A familiar voice sounded beside him. Forcing his eyes open and looking to the right, he saw a familiar figure. The outline gradually sharpened from a blur until it fully took shape.

Xia Luo’s eyes flew open. He abruptly sat up and blurted, “Mom, what are you doing here?”

Xia Luo’s mother was dressed like a street tough. Her hair was permed into waves, and a cigarette dangled from her right hand. Her gaze held a complicated mixture of exasperation and concern.

When she heard her son’s question and saw that he seemed to be in no serious condition, she secretly breathed a sigh of relief. Her face immediately hardened, however, and she said coldly, “Why am I here? You actually have the nerve to ask?

“Didn’t you come home and tell me last night? You were caught by Teacher Wang again because you wrote a love letter to a female classmate.

“Writing a love letter is one thing, but how did it escalate into something this serious? Fortunately, one of your classmates stopped you. Otherwise, who knows what kind of disaster you might have caused.

“But don’t worry. While you were unconscious, the principal and the head of student discipline both came here and discussed everything with me in detail. After my earnest and heartfelt persuasion, the principal backed down and abandoned the idea of expelling you. All you have to do is write a self-criticism of more than six hundred words, without repeating the same phrases over and over.

“Luckily, no one caught you in the act. The principal has no evidence and there are no witnesses. The troublesome part is Teacher Wang. You must sincerely apologize to him, or I’ll never forgive you!”

As his mother droned on, Xia Luo suddenly snatched the cigarette from her hand and crushed it out. He put on a stern face and said, “You’re still smoking? Do you have any idea how you’re going to die?”

Xia Luo’s mother froze for a moment, then slammed her palm against the hospital bed and roared, “Xia Luo, do you still dare pretend you don’t understand?”

Xia Luo, however, remained completely unconcerned.

“Relax. This is only a dream. You said the person who hit me was Gao Ning, right? I don’t remember him very well. He must not have been very active. How dare he knock me unconscious? It seems my authority hasn’t been intimidating enough. Wait here. I’ll go teach him a lesson.”

The moment he finished speaking, a voice came from the doorway.

“Why would I trouble you to come looking for me? Naturally, I had to deliver myself right to your door!”

Gao Ning pushed open the infirmary door. His left hand was in his trouser pocket, while his right hung casually at his side. A relaxed smile played at the corner of his mouth. His head tilted slightly to the right as he regarded Xia Luo with a meaningful look.

Xia Luo stared blankly. It was only when Gao Ning came to stand beside him that he finally remembered who the person in front of him was.

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Xia Luo’s mother stood up first.

“You’re Gao Ning, right? Thank you for stepping in to help, but you were a little too rough. The back of my son’s neck is purple. Couldn’t you have knocked him unconscious more gently? You’re all classmates. Wasn’t that just a bit excessive?

“Still, I have to thank you. If you hadn’t stopped him, this brat would have kept acting on impulse and ended up expelled…”

Gao Ning could not be bothered to listen to the rest of her nonsense. He simply raised his right hand.

Two bodyguards in suits immediately entered from outside. They strode forward, seized Xia Luo’s mother on either side, and began escorting her out.

She was startled and had just opened her mouth to cry for help when a white handkerchief was pressed over her nose.

She instinctively inhaled. Her eyes rolled back, and she collapsed unconscious.

The two suited bodyguards carried the unrelated party away. Two more passed them in the doorway and took up positions behind Gao Ning, one on either side.

“Hey! You bastards, what are you going to do to my mother?”

After shouting, Xia Luo’s attention was drawn to the two suited bodyguards. He looked them up and down, his eyes filled with astonishment.

He looked at the two bodyguards, then at Gao Ning. Then he looked at Gao Ning again, and finally back at the two bodyguards. His expression was one of utter disbelief.

Gao Ning did not even lift his eyelids. He simply sat down in a chair, crossed one leg over the other, and pulled a notebook from inside his clothes.

In a calm voice, he said, “Xia Luo, you’re an illegal time traveler, aren’t you? Which era are you from? Do you have an approved permit?”

Xia Luo was startled. His face stiffened as he forced out a puzzled expression.

“What are you talking about? I don’t understand a word.”

Gao Ning nodded.

“An accidental time traveler without an approved permit. That makes you an illegal time traveler.”

As he spoke, he scribbled in the notebook.

The corner of Xia Luo’s eye twitched.

“My friend, could you explain what’s going on? And where did you take my mother?”

“Are you still pretending to be confused? Perhaps you’re still dreaming. Have a little faith in yourself.”

Xia Luo gave a bitter smile.

“Stop messing with me. My head may still be a little foggy, but I have some common sense. You knocked me unconscious just now. How could I possibly still be dreaming?

“I knew it the moment I woke up—the whole thing wasn’t a dream! I really did travel back to my high-school days. This is unbelievable!”

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Xia Luo stared at his hands with shining eyes and said involuntarily, “My high-school years. The new millennium is still three years away. Hong Kong has just returned to China, and Bill Gates should still be the richest man in the world. With knowledge of the future and the direction of social development in my hands, I’m destined to become a tycoon! Hahaha, this is incredible!”

Gao Ning poured cold water over his excitement without mercy.

“I see. You intend to disrupt the timeline.

“Considering your motive and the fact that you entered this era illegally without authorization, you are sentenced to five years in prison. Once your sentence has been completed, you will be returned to your own time period.

“Is there anything else you would like to confess? Tell us everything at once and perhaps we can show you leniency.”

Gao Ning’s words pulled Xia Luo directly out of his fantasies. He shuddered violently.

He was frightened by the two suited bodyguards, yet unwilling to resign himself to his fate. He had finally been given a chance to change his destiny. How could he give up without even trying?

When Xia Luo remained silent, Gao Ning did not mind.

He closed the notebook and slipped it back inside his coat.

In an indifferent tone, he said, “This era is fairly convenient. The school’s chemistry laboratory may not have many supplies, but it does have the ingredients needed to make ether.

“With that stuff, things will be much easier.”

Gao Ning glanced at his watch.

“The time is about right. The reinforcements have arrived.”

As soon as he finished speaking, four more suited bodyguards pushed open the door and entered. They walked straight over to Gao Ning and bowed to him at a precise ninety-degree angle.

The synchronized movement instantly frightened away the last shred of Xia Luo’s resistance.

He hurriedly said, “Brother, I’m innocent! This has nothing to do with me. I only attended a wedding, had a little to drink, and somehow traveled through time! Please make an exception. As long as you let me go, I’ll do anything you ask!”

Gao Ning raised an eyebrow, the corner of his mouth lifting slightly.

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