Zhang Shikou left after venting, leaving only the damp marks of tears on his chest to remind Alex of what had just happened. The girl's words seemed to still be ringing in his ears.
Alex stood dazed for a moment before finally collecting his thoughts and remembering he needed to head to school.
After taking just a few steps, he suddenly felt a surge of throbbing sensation.
Alex stopped in his tracks and looked at the Third Party Wish Crystal Ball floating in front of him. He was momentarily stunned, not understanding what was happening.
Suddenly, a stream of information flooded into his mind. Alex was first startled, then hesitant; he stood there in silence with a somewhat conflicted expression.
[The Crystal Ball has detected Kiara's wish: "The Self I Long For." Please fulfill it. Simply chant your agreement to the Crystal Ball in your mind.]
Kiara had just left this place, and the Crystal Ball detected her wish immediately. Alex couldn't figure out why, feeling it was a bit too coincidental.
He had possessed this Wish Crystal Ball for some time now, yet it was only now that it picked up on Kiara's obsession. Clearly, Kiara didn't have that wish before, or at least it wasn't strong enough. Now that this obsession had suddenly intensified, he wondered if it was related to Zhang Shikou's appearance just now.
Judging by the name of the wish, it didn't seem to have anything to do with Zhang Shikou. "The Self I Long For" referred to what kind of person she hoped to become; it should be a positive wish.
A good girl like Kiara probably hoped to become increasingly excellent, following the teachings of her elders step-by-step to become an outstanding person.
Alex felt such a wish was quite good. Since she was his childhood friend, it was necessary to give her a hand.
Thinking of this, Alex no longer hesitated and silently chanted his agreement in his mind.
The Crystal Ball turned into a beam of light, flying into the sky and disappearing into the distance. It was likely heading toward Kiara.
Feeling a bit uneasy and curious, Alex also hurried toward the school.
...
The word "outsider" felt a bit piercing. Kiara walked down the road feeling lost and dejected. Recalling the scene she saw before leaving, she felt even more like the redundant one.
She knew, and she could see, that Alex and the girl both had much to say to each other. Perhaps she should have stayed to listen to what they were discussing, but she had recoiled, afraid of hearing words she couldn't accept.
Clearly, the words she wanted to say weren't those; she was just too cowardly.
Saying things like "he cares about you a lot" or "the fate between you two doesn't end here" made Kiara's heart throb with pain.
She was very unwilling to admit she was jealous. In that instant, she even wished Zhang Shikou had never appeared, that Alex only had her as a childhood friend, and that it wouldn't matter if Zhang Shikou died or whatever.
She felt afraid of this version of herself—a self that felt like a stranger even to her. What would she be to Alex? Would she scare him?
What was she like in his heart?
Well-behaved, gentle, obedient, kind, confident, high-achieving, excellent, graceful, never getting angry...
But sometimes she wanted to be willful too. That time she went shopping and played with Alex, she had a lot of fun. Every time she saw him getting close to other girls, she actually wished to take their place. This definitely wasn't the version of herself in Alex's mind, right?
Running away was also to preserve that image in the heart of the person she cared about. But just thinking about them hugging intimately after she left—maybe even kissing or touching...
Kiara felt very irritable. She even began to hate this side of herself, and for the first time, she clearly recognized the emotion deep in her heart for Alex that was different from friendship.
If she had stayed then, no longer hesitated, and chosen not to comfort that girl, what would the ending have been?
I really hate myself—timid, cowardly, and lacking courage.
She couldn't help but think this way.
In the darkness, Kiara seemed to perceive a certain great existence. Her head was spinning, and she piously made her wish to this great existence.
"I wish I were..."
By the time she snapped out of it, Kiara realized she had entered a dark alley. She looked up in surprise to find another version of herself, identical in every way, standing ahead and watching her.
That version of herself smiled elegantly: "I am another you, possessing qualities different from yours. Anything you cannot do can be left to me."
Only then did Kiara realize what had happened. That great existence just now was actually real! The wish she made had come true!
Repressing the inexplicable fear rising in her heart, Kiara asked that other self, "You are me?"
"Yes, I am no different from you. I am the perfect version from your imagination."
The Perfect Xu Jingfu said.
Looking at her poise, Kiara couldn't help but feel a bit envious, but she shook her head and said, "But I don't have anything for you to do."
The Perfect Xu Jingfu said, "You do. I am you; I know all your thoughts, even more clearly than you do."
Kiara was silent for a moment, then suddenly said, "Actually, since I was a child, I've envied those who don't study hard. I envy their ease, living as they please, not having to do homework all day or care about the opinions of teachers and my mother. I remember when Xiao Ke became a 'bad kid' back then, I even thought about running off with him. But my mother placed high hopes on me, and I couldn't disappoint her. In truth, I've always lived as the person others expect me to be."
The Perfect Xu Jingfu listened quietly without interrupting.
"So, if you are another me, then you should be able to replace me, right? Replace me in doing homework, replace me in going to school, replace me in being an excellent student. That way, I can do whatever I want to do freely."
Finally, Kiara looked at herself and said.
The Perfect Xu Jingfu nodded: "As you wish."
Kiara handed her the schoolbag. The two turned their backs to each other and walked down different paths.
-------------------------------
Hope you enjoy this fanfiction if you do and would like to read the next 50 chapters in advance, pls do check out my Patreon:
patreon.com/MariaLight
Also don't forget to give me a Power Stone if you do like this fiction. Your support really motivates me to continue doing my best in translating, Thanks!!