A Call Across Time and Space

There was no fire, no smoke, no searing pain.

Xu Youyou raised her head in the main room of the old house.

She seemed to have slept facedown on the table for a long time; there were still marks on her face.

Proof of a good night's sleep.

"Awake?"

Her mother approached with a warm smile.

Xu Youyou couldn't make sense of what was happening.

"How did I get here?"

"Love brought you here... You don't need to worry about what's happening outside for now."

Her brother Xu Tian followed their mother, looking as carefree as ever... Honestly, it was the way he usually acted that made Xu Youyou find it so unbelievable that he'd graduated with honors.

"Youyou."

As Xu Tian appeared, another familiar voice sounded behind Xu Youyou.

She trembled at the sound, then slowly turned her head.

"Dad..."

A weathered, resolute face came into view.

"Love's illusion... can it really feel this real...?"

Though bewildered at first, Xu Youyou was clearheaded, free of mental interference. She soon understood what was going on. But to her surprise, Xu Hao shook his head.

"Love... really is a power that can surpass miracles..."

"But when I made my final wish, I clearly said I wanted to see you one more time. Instead, I got to see you ten years later... Look at those lost eyes of yours... It's my fault you went down the wrong path."

Xu Hao stepped up to Xu Youyou and stroked her head.

His words shook Xu Youyou to her core.

"If the power of love is strong enough, I can even stop time!"

Ranger recalled something Love had once said, which Celestial Star had recorded.

But could Love really do something like that now?

"W-wait!"

Ranger turned to her mother and brother.

"When you called