The sun was setting in the west, brilliant fiery clouds dyeing Jinzhou in shades of orange-red.
"Though we only completed ten tasks today... Zhezhi, you were very obedient."
The Inferno Rider stopped in front of a house. Zhezhi got off, and Noah, like pulling a trick, took out a cake from his bag and held it in his palm.
"This is your reward. You can go back and rest now."
"For me? Thank you!"
Though she was mentally and physically exhausted from the series of social phobia training tasks, seeing the cake still filled Zhezhi with an uncontrollable sense of joy.
It was a sweet cake—her favorite dessert. But because of her debts and meager income, she hadn't eaten cake in a long time.
Usually, when she craved something sweet, she could only sprinkle a bit of white sugar into plain water or onto pot helmet flatbread.
"Mhm, go back."
Handing over the cake, Noah twisted the throttle, and the Inferno Rider beneath him sped away quickly.
Watching Noah's retreating figure, Zhezhi finally breathed a sigh of relief.
There are two types of people in this world: one type gains energy from socializing, the other from solitude—and she was clearly the latter.
A full day of going out and socializing had drained her energy completely. Now, she needed to hole up alone in her little house to recharge.
Just as she entered the door, her terminal received a message.
The Prank-Loving Hero of Jinzhou: "Rest well. I'll come find you tomorrow morning."
The instant she saw this message, Zhezhi felt herself petrify, stiffening in place, mind blank. Her terminal vibrated again.
The Prank-Loving Hero of Jinzhou: "Talk!"
Zhezhi: "Yes!"
After replying, Zhezhi sighed once more. She needed to rest quickly to face tomorrow's "pranks" from Noah.
Bang.
The door was suddenly pushed open rudely. It was the demanding client from the morning—the living hell one. Before the person appeared, the voice came first.
"Zhezhi! My painting needs another revision!"
Just one sentence made Zhezhi's vision go dark; she nearly fainted on the spot.
It seemed her alone time would have to be shortened.
She picked up her brush, instinctively wanting to force her usual polite smile for the visitor, but her terminal suddenly vibrated. She received a message.
The Prank-Loving Hero of Jinzhou: "Tell him to get lost."
Zhezhi: "Yes!"
Putting away the terminal, Zhezhi glared unkindly at the intruder client, slammed the brush heavily on the table, and pointed toward the door with a delicate shout.
"Get lost—"
The client's eyes widened, as if never expecting to be treated this way by the usually timid and easy-to-bully Zhezhi.
He acted as if greatly wronged, roaring loudly.
"Fine, I'm leaving!"
On the other side.
Noah withdrew his perception and leisurely rode the Inferno Rider at high speed toward Jinzhou.
It didn't take long for him to return to his doorstep. There, a moon-white, ethereal figure had been waiting for quite a while.
"Hey! Isn't the Magistrate busy with official duties? How do you have time to come to my place?"
Putting away the Inferno Rider, Noah walked slowly toward the door. The moon-white figure also quickened her steps toward him.
"Sorry, Noah. I'll confess to you."
Jinhsi had been lost in thought in City Hall for a long time, unable to calm down.
Even though she was the Magistrate capable of governing an entire region, in matters of emotion, she was still just a girl experiencing her first crush—inexperienced in expressing herself.
She was ashamed to speak of what she had done, but even more afraid that Noah would distance himself because of it. After much deliberation, she finally decided to face it with sincerity.
"I... used my time ability to rewind your time."
Jinhsi lowered her head, her face growing redder and redder.
"Yesterday, I invited you to release dragon lanterns together, then I performed a dance for you, and then... then..."
Her voice grew smaller and smaller, almost inaudible.
In her heart, a confession was no small matter—it should be said to the one she loved only when timing, location, and harmony were perfect.
But now, why was it like a criminal confessing their crimes?
If she revealed the fact of her confession, she would definitely be rejected again.
The key was what Noah would think—whether he would find her rewinding time after a failed confession despicable and disrespectful.
"Then, I accidentally let slip a highly confidential matter to you, so I used my time ability to rewind and cover the mistake."
At the critical moment, Jinhsi forcibly polished her words.
"This confidential matter is truly extremely important. If you really want to know, I can tell you now, but... could you give me two years?"
"I promise you, no matter what, I will never use my time ability on you again!"
"I'm very sorry. I know my request is rude, and what I did was excessive. You can punish me however you want—please don't hold it against me."
Across from her, after hearing Jinhsi's words, Noah surprisingly patted her shoulder magnanimously.
"Fine, no next time. I've been out all day and just want to shower quickly now. I won't entertain you today—I'll invite you over another day."
Eh?
Jinhsi was stunned.
It... just passed that easily? Was Noah that easy to fool? Shouldn't he press for details until the end?
Before she could react, Noah had already hurried back inside, closing the door. His face visibly flushed red.
He hadn't eaten pork but had seen pigs run, right? He wasn't stupid—he had already pieced together the truth from Jinhsi's behavior and past events.
What girl would inexplicably invite him on a beautiful night to release dragon lanterns together, meticulously arrange a peach grove blooming out of season, and perform a carefully practiced dance.
Though he didn't know the exact events after the dance, he could deduce—
The Magistrate of an entire region liked him and had been rejected by him once, so she rewound time.
He could understand that action—it was like failing a key step in a game and loading a previous save to retry. Human nature.
But—why was he the one being "gamed"!
Help, someone teach him how to handle this situation. He didn't dislike Jinhsi, but... Jinhsi was only sixteen!
His terminal vibrated with a message.
Jinhsi: Noah, please forgive my concealment for now. I promise that in two years, I will show you everything about me without reservation.
Two years later—that would make Jinhsi eighteen, right?
What did she mean by that—hard to guess.
Noah covered his face, figuring out the truth in a second.
So, he had already rejected Jinhsi once citing her age, and Jinhsi planned to confess again when she came of age.
Hurrying to the bathroom, he splashed cold water on his face. Looking at his handsome reflection in the mirror, Noah rubbed his chin in thought.
After the cold water, he finally calmed down and could make a rational analysis.
Though it happened suddenly, fortunately, as Jinhsi said, he had two years to slowly decide.
No—what was he hesitating about?
A flash of insight suddenly struck Noah's mind; he had an epiphany.
Jinhsi had looks, strength, status, and impeccable character—what was he hesitating for?
She didn't even mind waiting two years, and he was hesitating?
Such an amazing wife was throwing herself at him—do you want her or not?
You'd want her even if it killed you!
His thoughts cleared. He decisively pulled out his terminal. By now, Jinhsi had sent him several messages in a row.
Jinhsi: Noah, are you still there?
Jinhsi: I'm really very sorry. I absolutely won't use my time ability on you without permission again.
Jinhsi: How have you been lately? If there's anything you need, definitely tell me. As long as I can do it, I won't refuse.
Jinhsi: (The other party is typing...)
Noah: Okay.
Noah: There's a Probationary Patroller numbered 9527. Good guy, dutiful. Can you help me get him promoted to full status?