I'm caught in the cycle of endless competition, you're waiting for me in the apocalypse.

The awkwardness was palpable both on and off screen...

An Xin quickly turned off the camera, leaving only the audio, her toes already scratching at "Disney": "Um... Dr. Qi, is there something you need?"

"Um... I just wanted to tell you that I'll be coming to see you tomorrow at noon..." Qi Mingxuan's ears turned slightly red as he looked into his phone.

"Ah? Oh, okay, I understand, Dr. Qi. Actually, I'm almost fully recovered, you don't need to come see me every day." As she spoke, An Xin took off her bath towel and changed into a cotton camisole nightgown, making a rustling sound for a while.

"It's alright. I'm seeing Uncle An tomorrow, so I came to see you on the way." As Qi Mingxuan listened to the voice in the voice message, his ears grew hotter and hotter, and the redness spread all the way to his neck.

"Okay~ Is there anything else?"

"That's all. Get some rest now, goodnight..."

"Mmm! Dr. Qi, good night, sweet dreams!"

Qi Mingxuan held his phone, motionless for a long time, seemingly lost in thought, or perhaps silent. After a moment, he chuckled softly, put down his phone, went to bed, and drifted off to sleep.

......................................................

next morning

Dark clouds gathered in the sky, creating a gloomy and oppressive atmosphere.

Although rainy days are good for sleeping, Anxin's grumpiness in the morning was defeated once again by her darn biological clock.

An Xin wrapped herself completely in the blankets. Like a lazy kitten, she curled up, thinking: Just five more minutes, just five more minutes and I'll get out of bed…

"Xinxin, good morning~" Diting sat upright at the head of the bed, tilting his head and sticking out his tongue like a dragon.

"Good morning, Xiao Jiu~" The mischievous girl peeked out from under the covers, giving the dog a good pat on the head. "It's another energetic day~ Let's cheer each other on with Xiao Jiu today too~"

Listen: The girl is becoming more and more cheerful; it seems nothing can affect her happiness... I really hope it stays this way...

"There's no sun today, so I'll wear a warm yellow outfit." An Xin browsed through the wardrobe, marveling at the luxurious lifestyle of the wealthy. The clothes and accessories in this room were either top-tier luxury brands or haute couture, giving this fledgling designer a taste of extravagance.

Suddenly, I felt that the apocalypse was far away from me. I had loving family here, plenty of love and a luxurious life. It seemed like I could just laze around here.

An Xin picked up a light yellow, fluffy sweater, held it up to her body, and smiled slightly at herself in the mirror. She had made up her mind that no matter what, she would return to her original world; her mother was waiting for her, and her friends in the superpowered team were waiting for her.

As if she had made up her mind, An Xin's eyes shone with a fervent and determined light, and her entire aura surged in an instant. Even Di Ting noticed her change, wagging its tail and circling around her.

After washing up and changing into new clothes, An Xin felt refreshed and even skipped downstairs, just like a child going on a spring outing.

"Xinxin, good morning! Did something good happen today? You seem so happy!" Wen Lan noticed An Xin coming downstairs first. Watching her daughter smiling and skipping around, she couldn't help but smile too, feeling relaxed and joyful, and suddenly looking several years younger.

"Mmm, I'm so happy to see Mommy~" An Xin said without hesitation, making Wen Lan giggle repeatedly.

Anxin was even happier when she didn't see Anna at the dinner table today. She quickly pulled her adoptive parents to sit down and eat with her. "Dad, Mom! I... I did lose my memory, but I've seen all the care and love you've given me during this time. I feel like we were a very loving family before. Whether you're my biological parents or not, I love you both. So, I've figured it out. Losing my memory is an opportunity, a chance to start over. I want to live happily with you, okay?"

As Wen Lan listened to An Xin speak, she wiped away her tears and nodded, "Xin Xin, my good child..."

An Zongping hugged Wen Lan, who was crying uncontrollably: "Alright, alright, we're so happy that Xinxin thinks this way. Just don't make your mother cry, come and comfort her."

An Xin: In the end, it was all for naught...

............................................................

In the morning, taking advantage of the fact that it wasn't raining, An Xin went to consult the family gardener about plants and cultivation. She simply wanted to learn another skill; it would be wonderful if it could be used in the apocalypse.

And so, Anxin spent the morning in the garden, learning about plants from the gardener, recording their habits and cultivation characteristics, and occasionally planting some flowers and grasses under his guidance. Later, she simply waved her little hand and asked the gardener to set aside a corner of the garden furthest from the villa for planting vegetables.

While she was enjoying herself, Qi Mingxuan had already knocked on the door of the An family home and entered the reception room under the guidance of Butler Wang.

"Dad, look, the flowers I cut in the garden." An Xin held a large bouquet of flowers, each a different color and shape, but all as vibrant and lovely as the girl holding them. It was impossible to look away.

"Xinxin, Dr. Qi is here. Come over here and let him take a look." An Zongping slowly sipped his fragrant tea, then turned to look at An Xin. "Oh dear, little kitten, go wash up first. Look at all this mud on your hands and face!"

"Okay, Dr. Qi, just a moment, I'll be right there."

Watching An Xin walk into the restroom, Qi Mingxuan tentatively said, "An Xin seems very different today, much more cheerful."

“Yes, Mingxuan, Xinxin said she’s figured it out and just wants to live happily with us. Perhaps she’s resolved her inner conflict and let go of the so-called blood ties. It’s good now, really good…” As he spoke, the middle-aged man, as steadfast as a pine tree, had tears welling up in his eyes. Perhaps this past year had carried too much burden of helplessness and reluctance on his shoulders. Now, he had finally found redemption in the clarity of his wife and daughter’s lives.

Seeing An Zongping like this, Qi Mingxuan suddenly hesitated...

"Dr. Qi, look, the wound on my forehead is almost healed. The bruising and swelling have subsided, and the wound has scabbed over. It should be completely healed in about 10 days. By the way, do you have any good scar removal cream?" An Xin sat naturally next to An Zongping, then turned and leaned on the armrest of the sofa to talk to Qi Mingxuan, who was sitting on the corner armchair.

"Yes, the latest effective scar removal cream is at the hospital. I'll bring it to you tomorrow."

"Thank you, but you don't need to come all the way here. You can give it to me whenever you have time."

"Um……"

"Oh, right, Dad, I asked Dr. Qi to introduce me to a powerful Taoist master. I'd like to learn more about him!"

Why is Xinxin suddenly interested in this?

"I just feel like everything's going wrong lately. Oh, Dad, I'm just looking into this. If I could learn a trick or two from you, that would be even better, and you and Mom wouldn't have to worry about me so much!" An Xin clung to her cheapskate father's arm, blinking her eyes.

"Alright, but your Uncle Wei also knows people in the Xuanmen sect. He was a great help in this investigation. You can ask him for help too."

"Hey, who's talking about me behind my back?" A cheerful male voice rang out, his voice arriving before he did.

"Hey, isn't this just like saying 'speak of the devil'? Old Wei, come quick, come quick." An Zongping stood up and greeted the tall figure who was strolling in from the gate.

“I haven’t been able to visit my niece since she was injured.” Wei Jiacheng patted his old friend on the back, then turned to look at the graceful young woman who had stood up. “Xinxin, it’s been several years since I last saw you. You’ve grown more and more beautiful.”

"Thank you, Uncle Wei, please have a seat." An Xin greeted him politely with a sweet smile.

“Mingxuan is here today too, what a coincidence! Oh, where are Alan and Anna?” Wei Jiacheng sat casually on the other sofa, poured himself a cup of tea, and drank it all in one gulp.

“Mingxuan came to visit Xinxin. Alan took Anna to the mall and should be back soon.”

"Alright, alright. I'm free today, so I brought Wei Ran over. He's usually busy and I rarely see him. Since I have some free time today, I brought him out to meet people his own age."

Just then, Steward Wang led another person to the door.

The person approaching against the light was tall and slender, with a confident stride. As they drew closer, their appearance became clear: a sunny smile and striking features that perfectly matched An Xin's aesthetic preferences, which were driven by a love of good looks.

"Ahhh!! Xiao Jiu, Xiao Jiu, such a sunny little wolf, he looks like a male college sports student, what should I do, I like his beauty too." An Xin frantically pounded on the wall in her mind, while maintaining a proper smile on her face.

"You scumbag woman, just a few days ago you said Qi Mingxuan was perfect in every way you liked, and now you've switched sides?" Di Ting said with great disdain.

“You don’t understand. Beauty comes in many forms. We art students have a very loving heart in the face of all things beautiful.” An Xin said with a gesture of admiration, “Xiao Jiu, quick, I need all the information about this man within three minutes.”

Di Ting: "..." Speechlessness is my mother tongue.

"Hello, my name is An Xin." An Xin extended her hand gracefully.

"Hello, I'm Wei Ran." Wei Ran gently shook the hand of the person in front of him. "Nice to meet you. This small gift is nothing."

"Ah! Thank you." An Xin smiled shyly, accepted the gift, and held it in her hands.

"Open it and take a look. I've never given a gift to a girl before, so I don't know if it suits your taste."

"Okay, good." Unpacking revealed a small, rustic wooden box. Upon opening it, a rich, mellow fragrance of agarwood wafted out. A dark brown bracelet was paired with a top-quality red agate. "Ah, thank you, I like it very much."

An Xin put on the bracelet, raised her hand and shook it in front of her chest to show her joy.

"No need to be polite. This bracelet has already been blessed. Remember to always wear it with you." Wei Ran had typical European-style double eyelids, deep eyebrows and eyes, and a gaze that looked at even a dog with deep affection. He looked at An Xin with such sincerity and passion: "Also, you can call me A Ran."

An Xin blushed without realizing it...

At the same time, both pairs of eyes turned towards An Xin...