You Should Worry About Yourself

Welcome to Trapped in the Same Day for a Thousand Years, exclusively produced by Feilu Novel Network, written by Sang Ze and performed by Wang Xiaomo and Lao He.

Wu Chen had actually been standing at the turn of the fourth-floor stairs for a while. He had trained himself to walk silently for investigations and infiltrations. If he moved slowly enough, he could climb the stairs without making a sound.

He had heard enough of Mu Qianqian and Wan Li's conversation to understand what was going on. He made his footsteps heavy on purpose to let them know he was back.

Wu Chen continued upstairs. At the turn halfway between the fourth and fifth floors, he stopped again and looked up at Mu Qianqian and Wan Li, who had just risen to their feet at the top of the stairs. He smiled at them. "You're both here."

It sounded a little strange, as though Wu Chen knew not only Mu Qianqian but Wan Li too. And he did know Wan Li, though only from the Millennium Reincarnation. He knew less about her than he did about Mu Qianqian.

In Wu Chen's many investigations, Wan Li had usually been a minor figure. She was average-looking; by his standards, even with makeup, she would score no higher than 6.5 out of ten.

Still, her father was a billionaire, she was Mu Qianqian's best friend, and she had a great many ex-boyfriends. Wu Chen had gathered some information about her.

His impression of her was not bad. Her private life was messy, even more so than Mu Qianqian's, but that had nothing to do with him. He had no interest in sleeping with her.

In other respects, Wan Li was a good person. She was a true friend to Mu Qianqian.

"So that's him?"

Wan Li tilted her head and asked Mu Qianqian quietly.

"Yes."

Mu Qianqian looked distinctly uncomfortable. Wan Li turned back to Wu Chen. "Look at you, all slicked up. You're obviously no good. And that fancy suit—where did you buy the knockoff? Which poor girl are you trying to fool now, you bastard?"

"Liar!" Wan Li's voice rose as she launched straight into cursing him.

Wu Chen glanced at the small stun baton in her hand and smiled as he climbed the stairs, taking one step at a time. "If you think I'm a liar, why did two young girls like you come barging over here? Aren't you afraid I might grab you and do something to you?"

"I'm an adult man, after all. Bigger and stronger than either of you." "D-don't try to scare us! Do you know who my dad is?"

"If you dare—" Wan Li faltered mid-threat. She realized she had not thought this through.

Wu Chen had clearly seen the stun baton, yet he kept coming up the stairs without a hint of fear. That only made her more nervous.

When trouble came, confidence mattered.

And Wu Chen looked completely at ease as he climbed.

Wan Li might be a billionaire's daughter, but she was still young. Her family would hardly have involved her in its harsher dealings.

Whatever her family background, right now she was just a rebellious high school girl.

"I know who your father is. Wan Jianmin. You don't need to tell me."

Wu Chen cut her off with a faint smile.

"I know your family has money. But no amount of money will bring help here in time. Is someone going to fly over and save you?"

"What do you think?"

Wu Chen flashed a grin, showing his neat white teeth.

Under the stairwell's dim yellow light, that smile made every hair on Wan Li's body stand on end.

"W-what are you going to do?"

"I'm warning you. Stay away from us!"

Wan Li pulled Mu Qianqian back, brandishing the stun baton with her other hand.

"I didn't ask you to come looking for me. You showed up at my door yourselves."

Still grinning, Wu Chen reached the fifth floor. Wan Li had already dragged Mu Qianqian onto the stairs leading upward, as though he really were forcing them to retreat.

"D-don't come any closer! I'll call for help!"

"I'm warning you, I've trained before! One zap from this baton and you'll be out cold!"

Wan Li pulled Mu Qianqian behind her and stood in front, waving the baton.

She stopped short when she saw Wu Chen take out his door key.

"Are you fighting a battle with your own imagination?"

"I'm just going home. Look how scared you are."

Wu Chen spoke as he unlocked the door, his back to Wan Li, who stood several steps above him.

"If I were you, I'd worry less about whether I'm a liar and more about myself."

He kept talking as he opened the door.

"Do you honestly think you're Hu Xiaowei's only girlfriend?"

"Li Li!"

Mu Qianqian cried out. Wan Li had rushed up behind Wu Chen, raising the baton toward the back of his neck. But she froze at the name. Hu Xiaowei was her current boyfriend, the one who had come back yesterday.

Wu Chen opened the door partway, then turned to look at Wan Li, who had stopped a meter away.

Startled, Wan Li backed up two steps and nearly tripped on the stairs. Mu Qianqian caught her.

"No need to panic, is there?"

Wu Chen smiled. "W-what did you just say about Hu Xiaowei? How do you know him?" Wan Li demanded.

"One question and anyone could tell you how often the Wan family's young lady changes boyfriends. You change them faster than clothes, and none lasts three months. So if you weren't young, pretty, and rich, why do you think he'd date you?"

Wan Li nearly cursed at him for speaking so harshly. Hu Xiaowei had returned to East Sea four days ago.

Before she could get a word out, Wu Chen continued with a faint, mocking smile. "He went to see his girlfriend at Unit 3, Apartment 201, Number 19 Fuyuan Road first. Then he spent two days enjoying himself at KTV lounges and bathhouses with his good-for-nothing friends."

"He only came to find you late last night because he'd run out of money."

"Bullshit!"

"You—"

"Why don't you call him? How long have you and Qianqian been here?"

"Do you think he's at home right now?"

"Want to bet he went off to see another girlfriend as soon as you left?"

"He asked you for money again before you parted this time, didn't he?"

The barrage of questions cut straight to the heart of it.

Wu Chen did not actually know whether Hu Xiaowei had gone out after Wan Li left today. It was likely, though. He had done so before.

Hu Xiaowei had no proper job. He was a pretty boy who lied through his teeth and specialized in chasing rich girls.

"Just you wait! You dare badmouth Xiaowei?"

"Qianqian, watch this. I'll expose his lies right now and show you he's nothing but a liar who makes things up!"

Wan Li shoved the stun baton into Mu Qianqian's hand, dug her phone out of her bag, and called Hu Xiaowei. She put him on speaker.

"Hey, Xiaowei. Are you at home?"

Wan Li waited for his answer.

By "home," she meant the upscale apartment where he lived alone.

"I am, baby. Are you coming back?"

"What would you like to eat? I'll go downstairs and buy it for you now."

A gentle, doting male voice came through the phone.

"You're so sweet, Xiaowei. I'm not coming back. I'm with Qianqian."

Wan Li shot Wu Chen a challenging look, then spoke softly into the phone. "Xiaowei, go into the bedroom and check the dressing table. There's ten thousand yuan in the drawer. Read me the serial number on the first bill, okay?"

"Ten thousand yuan?"

"Uh... in the drawer?" Hu Xiaowei's voice changed at once.

"Yes. Go and check."

"Hurry. Qianqian and I have a bet."

Wan Li waited.

"Uh, well, I'm in the bathroom. Give me a moment."

Wan Li's expression changed at his answer. She was not stupid.

"Hu Xiaowei, you're not home! You lied to me! Which little vixen are you fooling around with?"

Wan Li launched into furious questions, but he hung up. She stared at the phone, eyes wide, gripping it as though she might crush it.

"He probably won't contact you again," Wu Chen said.

Wan Li seemed not to hear him. Gritting her teeth and muttering curses, she called Hu Xiaowei again.

"Sorry, the number you have dialed cannot be reached at this time."

The call would not connect. He had blocked her.

Hu Xiaowei was a professional when it came to living off women. He knew Wan Li's temper. Once she caught on, he had to cut and run, and get as far away as possible. Her retaliation could be severe.

The sweet recorded voice left Wan Li livid. She almost threw her phone.

She knew now that Wu Chen had told the truth. Hu Xiaowei was not home. He must have taken her money to see another girlfriend.

"Bastard!"

Wan Li ground her teeth and slashed both hands through the air in frustration. Then she stormed down the stairs, taking two steps at a time, almost at a run. She was going to settle accounts with Hu Xiaowei.

She seemed to have forgotten that she had come to confront Wu Chen and stand up for her best friend. All she could think about was tearing Hu Xiaowei to pieces. She even left Mu Qianqian outside Wu Chen's door.

If it had been nothing more than cheating, Wan Li would not have been this angry. She would simply have broken up with him.

But Wu Chen had made her realize that Hu Xiaowei had not fallen out of love with her. He had wanted her money from the start, treating her like a cash machine to fund his outings with his worthless friends and support other women.

Wan Li's hurried footsteps quickly faded. Mu Qianqian looked awkward. She had not wanted to come and cause trouble today; Wan Li had dragged her along. Now, alone with Wu Chen, she did not know what to say.

"I should go."

Mu Qianqian pointed downstairs and hesitated. She seemed to want to explain, but she also needed to catch up with her friend before anything happened.

"Go on. I understand."

Wu Chen smiled before she could finish.

A strange feeling stirred in Mu Qianqian's heart. He had said he understood without making her explain, giving her the uncanny feeling that he truly got her.

Mu Qianqian always took responsibility for her own choices. She was not the sort of girl who would demand something from Wu Chen just because she had given him her first time.

She had never believed his claim about reliving the same day. She had only mistaken his identity, assuming Wan Li had arranged for him to meet her. But that had been her own conclusion; Wu Chen had never said anyone had sent him.

What happened last night had been mutual. Mu Qianqian had never intended to give Wu Chen trouble. She only wanted to spend more time with him because being with him was so interesting.

"Then I'm off."

Mu Qianqian smiled, stepped forward, rose onto her toes, and kissed Wu Chen on the cheek. Then she turned and ran downstairs after Wan Li.

Just then, hurried footsteps sounded from below.

Mu Qianqian had only reached the halfway landing when Wan Li came running back up.

The moment she saw Wu Chen, Wan Li called out, "What was that vixen's address?"

"Tell me again!"

Wu Chen had told her once, but she had forgotten.

"Unit 3, Apartment 201, Number 19 Fuyuan Road."

Wu Chen answered readily. Wan Li had cursed him earlier, but he enjoyed helping people—or perhaps he just enjoyed watching the trouble unfold.

"Fine, Hu Xiaowei. You've got some nerve!"

Still cursing, Wan Li spun around and charged back downstairs, looking as fierce as ever.

This time, she remembered Mu Qianqian and pulled her along.

Wu Chen stood at his fifth-floor door and listened until their footsteps faded away.

"Kids."

He smiled and sighed. Then he went inside and shut the door. He turned on the light, changed into slippers, tossed his suit jacket over the arm of a chair, and sat down on the sofa. Sinking back into it, he let out a long breath.

The first day of his New Life had been eventful and satisfying.

Wu Chen leaned his head back and thought for a moment, then took out his phone and typed rapidly with one hand. Downstairs, Wan Li dragged Mu Qianqian out of the building so fast that Mu Qianqian nearly lost a shoe.

"You little menace, slow down!"

Mu Qianqian called after her.

"Hurry up, Qianqian! Come catch him in the act with me. Oh, and give me the stun baton."

They reached the street outside the alley just as a taxi passed. Wan Li waved it down.

They got in. Wan Li gave the driver the address, then took out her phone to call for backup.

Given her temperament, Wan Li would have charged in alone without hesitation. But Wu Chen's earlier warning had stuck with her, so she decided to bring a group.

Mu Qianqian watched her friend making calls, worry in her eyes. She was not afraid of the confrontation itself. She was afraid that if Wan Li caught Hu Xiaowei, her temper might lead to someone getting killed.

Mu Qianqian suddenly remembered something and looked out the rear window. The alley was already far behind them. She had forgotten to ask Wu Chen for his contact information again.

Her phone vibrated. She checked it and saw a text from an Unknown Number. It contained just five words: This is my number.

Mu Qianqian blinked, stunned for a moment. Then she understood and smiled. She saved the Unknown Number under the name Wu Chen.

Half an hour after Mu Qianqian and Wan Li left, Wu Chen went downstairs again. He had changed into the sportswear he had worn in college and was heading out to exercise.

Wu Chen was already in good shape. He looked slim but was healthy, and ordinarily he could maintain his build and feel good every day without any special training.

But he did not want his abilities to go to waste.

He meant his physical abilities: combat skills, for example. He had trained in fighting and now possessed a comprehensive range of techniques, along with frighteningly sharp reflexes.

In his current condition, even eight or ten people attacking him together might not beat him.

With agile footwork and body movement, he could evade attacks like a professional boxer. Against an ordinary person, a professional boxer could stand with his feet planted and dodge every blow simply by moving his head and torso. An ordinary person could not hope to do the same.

Wu Chen could do that too. And when he struck, his opponent had almost no chance of dodging.

Even against a crowd, as long as they did not completely surround him and he kept moving and evading, he could take them down one by one for as long as his stamina held out.

But however skilled he was, his fighting ability was ultimately limited by his physical condition.

During the Millennium Reincarnation, only his thoughts, memories, knowledge, and awareness had carried over. His body had been completely reset each time.

So Wu Chen decided to start training his body today, simply to become stronger.

A little over two hours later, past ten at night, Wu Chen ran back into the alley drenched in sweat. He gradually slowed to a walk.

His clothes were soaked through and clung to his body, but he felt good.

He had no idea whether his legs would ache when he woke tomorrow. It did not matter, as long as he could still walk.

Just before entering the building, Wu Chen slowed and frowned slightly. Then he went inside.

He could tell someone was still watching him. They had been following him all day, and it was getting annoying.

He knew who had sent them, so he was not worried they would threaten him. They were after something else.

He had thought they would stop once they found out where he lived, but now they seemed unwilling to let it go.

Back home, Wu Chen took a shower. He came out of the bathroom in a bathrobe, picked up his phone, and walked to the window. After glancing down the alley outside, he dialed a number. The call connected almost immediately.

"Your people have been following me all day," he said coldly. "When are you going to stop?"

Wu Chen's voice was calm.