My Future Self Is Dead

I suddenly found myself in a world ten years in the future, adrift and disoriented on the streets. Instinctively, I headed for the villa belonging to Garrison Bale, my childhood friend.

The door opened, revealing a cold-faced child who stood there and told me, Go away. Dont even think about pretending to be my mother.

I froze, still trying to grasp what was happening, when I noticed scrolling commentsthe kind you see on online videosfloating in my vision.

One comment read: This Player is too dumb. The kids already been successfully captured by someone else, and she just shows up?

Another mentioned: The other Player perfectly replicated the deceased wife, Natalie Reed, even down to all her memories. Shes probably sipping coffee in the villa right now.

And a warning: The male lead, Garrison Bale, is on a plane heading back. This Player should run; the last person who tried to impersonate his wife? The grass on her grave is already two feet high.

I stared at these comments, slowly piecing things together until I finally understood a few things.

First, Garrison and Natalie had married and had a child.

Second, Natalie had died at the age of thirty.

Third, there were these so-called Players attempting to capture Garrison.

But they all had it wrong.

I wasnt some Player.

I was twenty-one-year-old Natalie Reed.

Of all these revelations, the hardest to accept was this: Why did I die so young, at thirty?

Even if I somehow went back to my own time, I would only have nine years left to live. Definitely not good news.

So I bent down, earnestly addressing the child in front of me: "Um, how did your mother die?"

When he didn't respond, I pressed on: "Accident? Illness? Or murder?"

His brow twitched a few times, his face growing even fouler.

Then, with a CRACK, the door slammed shut.

I paused, a dawning confusion washing over me. Maybe that was a bit too blunt.

A sharp pain suddenly shot through the sole of my foot. I slowly walked to the villas front steps and sat down, examining my foot. There was a cut, bleeding slightly, from a piece of gravel. Having walked three miles barefoot, it was probably unavoidable.

I must have been sleeping in my dorm room when I transitioned. I woke up to find myself on a park bench, dressed in my pajamas, with no money, no phone, not even shoes.

Fortunately, the park was close to the Bale villa. And for many years in the past, I had lived in the Bale villa and visited this park. Thats why I came directly to knock on the door. I just hadnt expected this scenario.

The comments continued to scroll:

[I can't with this Player, she's so funny.]

[Son: Constantly provoking.]

[She showed up in pajamas, looking so disheveled. Sister, put some effort into your job.]

[Out of all the Players, the son only opened the door for the one who perfectly replicated his mother, the one currently inside.]

[Pajama Lady, give up. You cant even get through the Bale door. When the male lead returns, your life will be at stake.]

Actually, I didnt desperately want to go inside. I just wanted to see Garrison. I wanted to know what had happened to us over these ten years.

But the next second, the door behind me opened again. The child still had a cold expression.

"You, come in."

I was puzzled.

The comments were also puzzled.

[What does this mean? Why did he let Pajama Lady in?]

[Maybe he saw her and was reminded of his mother when she was younger? But there have been other Players like that before!]

[Ahhh! She just walked in without wiping her feet! Doesn't the son have mysophobia?]

I glanced at my dirty feet.

Quietly, I retreated to the rug in the foyer.

The child, however, said nothing. He simply took out a pair of grey slippers from the shoe cabinet. As he handed them to me, he noticed the bloodstain by my foot and visibly winched.

"So dirty."

"..."

What have I given birth to? This kid's temper was awful. Not like me, not like Garrison.

I slipped on the slippers and walked into the living room. Immediately, I came face to face with a very familiar countenance.

My own face.

But it looked much more mature, bearing the marks of time. She tilted her head, a soft smile playing on her lips. "Are you a Player? Please leave. Now that Im back, theres no need for your futile efforts."

I didnt reply, simply studying her.

Studying this me from ten years in the future.

The child also remained silent, finding a first-aid kit and handing it to me. He pointed at my foot. "Clean that up."

My heart softened a little. I took the first-aid kit and thanked him. "Thank you. What's your name?"

His eyes dimmed, as if with disappointment. "Adam."

After that, he returned to the sofa, busying himself with his phone, not looking at me again. The Player also seemed to relax, settling comfortably beside Adam, smiling at me. "Next time, maybe do your homework before you come."

She peeled an orange and handed it to Adam, who naturally took it and put it in his mouth. Mother and son, harmonious.

I took the first-aid kit to the bathroom to clean my wound.

The comments were laughing hard.

[LOL, Pajama Lady doesn't even know the kid's name. What kind of people does the system find?]

[The kid must be speechless. Never seen such a useless Player.]

[Pajama Lady, be smart and leave. You can't compare to even a single strand of hair on Replica Sister. When she arrived, the kid almost cried.]

[Just waiting for the male lead. He'll be here in half an hour. He'll definitely choose Replica Sister too when he sees both Players.]

[I bet on Replica Sister.]

[You bet, I bet too. I bet Replica Sister ten coconut lattes.]

[Agree!]

[Also agree with the above.]

...

I couldn't blame them. Even I wasn't very confident. After all, Adam was practically a stranger to me. His personality, his preferencesI knew nothing. I hadn't even imagined I would end up with Garrison. And certainly not that we'd have a child.

He and I were just too different.

To be perfectly clear, Garrison and I were childhood friends. Or perhaps, "young master and bodyguard" would be more accurate. I was naturally strong, developing faster than my peers.

When I was six, Garrison visited our orphanage during a kindergarten charity event. He was almost kidnapped, stuffed into a sack, but I saved his life. Garrisons parents subsequently adopted me.

But not into the Bale family directly. I was adopted under the name of the Bale housekeeper. It saved face and didnt waste too many resources. So I moved into the Bale staff quarters.

On my first night there, Garrison and I officially met. His face was pale and sickly, his features delicate, making him look almost androgynous. Seemingly harmless, his mouth, however, was sharp.

Oh my goodness! I wished for a gentle, cute sister! Why are you here?

I actually wanted to punch him. But being dependent on them, I could only feign obedience, smiling sweetly. No, Im not your sister.

I was just his bodyguard.

Garrison was a premature baby, born with an underdeveloped heart valve. To live a normal, healthy life, he would need a valve replacement as an adult. Until then, he remained very frail and needed protection. And I was the best candidate.

Later, Garrison and I grew up together. Wherever he went, I followed. I was also trained in various martial arts, winning numerous championships along the way.

In Garrisons senior year of high school, he must have been in an early relationship. As rivals, he got into a conflict with another wealthy young man. When I arrived, Garrison had just fallen to the ground. The wealthy young man frantically waved his hands.

He threw the first punch! Really! Everyone saw it! I dodged, he missed, and just fell over!

Though it sounded absurd, for Garrison, it was perfectly normal. I carried Garrison on my back and turned to leave. Behind me, the other boy was still muttering, I just casually asked if theyd gone all the way. Was it really necessary? She was already

I walked further away, not quite catching the rest of his words. On the way to the infirmary, Garrison lay on my shoulder, uncharacteristically silent. Finally, he managed to blurt out: Im sorry, Natalie. Am I a lot of trouble?

It was the first time hed smiled so weakly. Youve always protected me. I feel like Ive never done anything for you.

My footsteps faltered slightly. I wanted to say thats not true. Garrison had also done a lot for Natalie.

He would pretend to have no appetite, bringing his nutritious meals back to the room and feeding them all to me. He would insist, in my early teenage years, that I should have the right to lock my own room. He would cancel pre-arranged dates when I had my period, deliberately staying in so I wouldnt have to endure the pain of going out.

I wanted to say, you really did so much. So much that Ive developed feelings I shouldnt have for you.

But the words that came out were different.

Yeah, you did. If it werent for you, Id still be in the orphanage, and I wouldnt have gotten into such a good school. Besides, arent you having surgery soon? You wont need me after that.

Garrison fell silent again. This time, the silence stretched on for a very long time. It wasnt until the school nurse finished examining him and confirmed nothing serious was wrong that he suddenly spoke.

Natalie, which university are you planning to go to?

A baffling question. Through the white privacy curtain, I couldnt see Garrisons expression, couldnt guess his reason for asking. I ended up lying. I casually mentioned a university up north, but in the end, I went south.

Later, during my university years, Garrison came to find me once. But we parted on bad terms. After that, I heard he went abroad. We lost all contact.

And now, there was Adam.

And I was dead.

What had truly happened in those ten years? What were these "male lead," "system," and "Players" all about? Could they be connected to my death?

I splashed water on my face; a cool rush instantly permeated my skin, waking me up.

No matter what, I had to see Garrison first. If even he didn't recognize me, then I'd make other plans.

With that thought, I exited the bathroom, only to find the living room filled with fierce-looking security guards. They clearly intended to escort me out.

The Player remained seated on the sofa, maintaining the demeanor of a hostess. "Now that everything is handled, please leave."

I didnt agree. "Garrison will be here soon. I need to see him."

She sighed, as if regretting the next step. "Then don't blame us for getting rough."

At her words, the security guards prepared to rush me.

"Wait!"

It was Adam. He stood up, looking at me, his small face serious. "Wait until Dad gets back to decide."

It had to be his own son. I felt a surge of emotion, about to speak, but the Player cut me off.

She knelt, meeting Adams gaze, her expression pained. "Have you forgotten how Mom died?"

Adam froze, a conflicted, hesitant expression appearing on his face for the first time. "I'm sorry"

He didnt finish. But I was curious. "How did I how did you die?" Regardless of whether I'd get an answer, any delay was a win.

As I asked, I saw a fleeting look of disdain in the Players eyes. But quickly, she resumed her facade, patiently coaxing Adam. "See? She doesnt even know how Mom died. How could she be real? Adam, you've always been a smart boy. You can tell the difference this time, right?"

Adam looked at me deeply, the hope in his eyes completely extinguished. A moment later, he murmured, "You should go."

An inexplicable dull ache settled in my heart.

The security guards immediately surrounded me.

The comments were also mocking me.

[She doesn't even know the cause of death. Pajama Lady, stop daydreaming.]

[Replica Sister is so smart. She knows the cause of death is a hurdle the son can't get over, so she used it to stop him.]

[Speaking of the ex-wife's death, it was truly tragic. Otherwise, why would the male lead have become so dark?]

[I don't understand why the son is hesitating. Shouldn't he just kick Pajama Lady out? She's been full of holes for a while.]

[Actually, being dragged out by security is the good outcome. If the male lead arrives, it won't be so simple.]

I really wanted to know my cause of death. Yet, among all those comments, not one clearly explained it; they were all betting on how quickly I'd be thrown out.

Too bad, I was about to disappoint them. I braced myself for the security guards attack. Just as I was about to punch one of them in the jaw, a deep, cold male voice suddenly cut through the air from the doorway.

Whats going on?

The chaos in the room immediately ceased. The security guards all turned to look back, allowing me to see the man as well.

He was dressed in black, dusty from travel, his face a healthy pale, his features much sharper now. His gaze swept over everyone in the room. When he saw the Player who looked exactly like me, he paused slightly.

But finally, his eyes locked firmly on me.

A myriad of emotions swirled in his gaze. Shock, doubt, disbelief, regret, grief

And the wild joy of finding something lost and recovered.

After a brief staredown, Garrison suddenly strode over and grabbed my wrist, his voice hoarse with a trembling intensity.

Natalie? Is that you?