"Ugh... What is this?"
In the pitch-black space, Son Goten struggled to open his eyes. The first thing he saw was his father, Son Goku, being sent flying by a punch from his own fist.
"Dad!"
Son Goten cried out anxiously, but his voice only echoed through the space. He was powerless to do anything.
"Big brother!"
This time, Son Gohan was trying to stop his fist from hitting the powerless Supreme Kai. Son Goten grew even more frantic.
"Trunks!"
He had accidentally injured Trunks. Son Goten wanted to stop himself, but he was powerless. All he could do was watch as he attacked his friends and family, while the reckless Majin Buu tried to absorb Son Goten in his Great Ape Transformation—only to get wrecked instead.
"No!" Son Goten roared, as if he wanted to scream himself hoarse. But his eyelids grew heavier and heavier. Darkness enveloped his vision, and his consciousness gradually faded, leaving only one last, desperate cry from Son Goten: "No..."
"Brother Xiaotian, it's time to get up! The sun's already out!"
Amid the chaos, Son Goten heard a soft, gentle voice. He slowly opened his eyes and saw a playful, adorable little girl.
"X... Xiaotong..."
Son Goten's voice trembled as he looked at the little girl before him. He slowly reached out, hoping to pull her into his arms, but his hands passed right through her body as if they were transparent.
"My body?" Son Goten stared blankly at his hands. He had been standing in front of the girl for a long time, yet she hadn't noticed him.
"Don't, Xiaotong. Let me sleep a little longer!" A lazy voice rang out, making Son Goten freeze. He turned around and saw a little boy he knew all too well.
Son Goten stared at the boy in surprise. "That's... me?"
"Dummy, Brother Xiaotian! Uncle the orphanage director said there won't be any candy for you if you don't get up." Xiaotong puffed out her cheeks in anger, which only made her look even cuter.
Sun Xiaotian sprang to his feet and grabbed Xiaotong's slender hand, hurrying away. "That guy's not getting away with stealing my candy!"
"Hahaha, slow down, Brother Xiaotian!"
The two little figures gradually disappeared from Son Goten's sight. He had more or less figured out what was happening. He must have been dreaming about his past life. Xiaotong really was as adorable as ever...
In his previous life, Son Goten had been called Sun Xiaotian, and the girl called Xiaotong's full name was Xia Yutong. They had both grown up in the same orphanage and had been childhood friends since they were little.
"Ah, those really were carefree days." The sight brought back memories for Son Goten. He had been so happy back then. He had no parents, but at least he had his childhood friend, who had grown up alongside him, so he had never been lonely.
Like a passerby, Son Goten watched Sun Xiaotian and Xia Yutong go from kindergarten to elementary school, then middle school, and finally high school. Memories long buried deep within him surfaced, bit by bit.
Watching the adorable little girl grow into a beautiful young woman, and recalling all the happy, sad, painful, and joyful days she had spent with him, Son Goten's lips curved into a faint smile.
Everyone had thought the two of them would end up together. Then one evening, Sun Xiaotian confessed to Xia Yutong, only to be rejected. A gaunt man put an arm around Xia Yutong.
Xia Yutong said expressionlessly, "Brother Xiaotian, this is my boyfriend, Qian Yunhai—Young Master Qian. We're getting married soon. I hope you'll stop showing up in my life."
"Xiaotong—!" Both Sun Xiaotian and Son Goten cried out, their eyes bloodshot. "Fuck you! Get away from Xiaotong!"
Sun Xiaotian charged at Young Master Qian and swung at his smug face, but one of Qian's bodyguards kicked him to the ground.
Son Goten glared at Young Master Qian, his piercing gaze as if it could bore right through him. He glanced at Xia Yutong from the corner of his eye. Her slight struggle made Son Goten pause. In his previous life, when he'd been beaten to a pulp, he had focused all his hatred on Young Master Qian and hadn't noticed Xia Yutong's movements.
With an arm around Xia Yutong, Young Master Qian looked at Sun Xiaotian, who was lying on the ground like a dead dog, and laughed with satisfaction. Then he walked away, step by step, leaving Sun Xiaotian lying there in despair.
Sensing something was off, Son Goten slowly followed them. As for Sun Xiaotian, he already knew what would happen next, since he had been Sun Xiaotian himself. But today, he had to find out what his past self had never understood.
Not long after they left, Xia Yutong broke free from Young Master Qian's embrace. She was nothing like the demure, lovestruck girl she had seemed moments ago. She clutched her handbag tightly.
Young Master Qian didn't seem to mind. He said casually, "What a shame. If you didn't have leukemia and weren't going to die soon, I'd really want to take you to bed right now."
Son Goten trembled all over. Xia Yutong looked unwilling. "If I didn't have leukemia, I'd be living with Brother Xiaotian forever. Why would I be with a scumbag like you? Besides, your touch disgusts me."
"It doesn't matter. I've already seen Sun Xiaotian trampled under my feet," Young Master Qian said indifferently. "Even though I didn't get to pin you down on a bed and savor you properly, I still feel great."
Son Goten stood there as if he'd lost his mind, because he'd just heard everything he hadn't known in his previous life.
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