Chapter 354: Chapter 354: She Saved Herself
As for why he knew such a specific time, it’s because after he returned, he found out that a month before her college entrance exams, she applied to switch to the science class.
This change didn’t match what happened in the previous lifetime.
So at that time, he knew that Ashley Shaw’s experiment had also succeeded.
But he kept it from his superiors, saying he wasn’t sure.
The superiors then ordered him to confirm with Ashley Shaw.
Ashley Shaw took a deep breath and said, "Leo, I’m sorry, I was too afraid to tell you the truth just now. Actually... I do remember what’s happening now, up to seven years in the future."
Xavier Quincy’s expression didn’t change much, he just gave a slight nod.
"I know. Being cautious is the right thing to do, you really shouldn’t tell anyone this secret. You’ve done well."
The words "you’ve done well" inexplicably touched Ashley Shaw’s tearful chord.
Her eyes misted up, and she could only reach out to press the corners of her eyes, trying to hold back the tears.
Hiding a secret from everyone is truly tiring.
It’s like wearing a mask, not daring to let anyone see even a hint of what’s beneath it.
Initially, she thought it wasn’t a big deal and had told herself that she was lucky among millions to have experienced it.
But as soon as Xavier Quincy said "you’ve done well," she couldn’t control her urge to cry.
For the past, and for the present.
The tears finally couldn’t be held back, and transparent droplets fell continuously.
At some point, Xavier Quincy came to her side and handed out a handkerchief.
"If you want to cry, just cry. In front of me, you don’t have to pretend to be strong."
Finally, Ashley Shaw couldn’t hold it in anymore and pressed the handkerchief to her eyes.
The sound of her crying grew from nothing to soft, then loud, and finally, she was sobbing uncontrollably on the table.
She admitted she was sentimental, but at this moment, she just wanted to release all the emotions she had been suppressing.
Xavier Quincy said nothing, he just gently placed a hand on her shoulder.
Nobody knows how long she cried before she finally raised her swollen, reddened eyes.
"I’m sorry, Leo, for letting you witness this. I must look terrible now, don’t I?"
Xavier Quincy showed his trademark sunny smile.
"You look good to me, no matter what."
"You’re lying... I’m obviously so ugly..."
Xavier Quincy pulled out a chair and sat in the seat next to her, saying, "If you can care about your appearance, it means you’ve calmed down."
"Yes." Ashley Shaw said in a hoarse voice, "Leo, so you and I won’t be dissected as experimental specimens, right?"
Xavier Quincy burst into laughter.
"What are you thinking? With me here, who would dare to dissect you?"
"Really not?"
"Of course not, what use is there in dissecting you? It’s not this body that returned."
Xavier Quincy paused, then added, "However, there’s bound to be some unnecessary trouble. You know everything that will happen in the next seven years. If someone finds out, it’s hard to say you won’t be targeted by some interested parties."
"So I’ve already been targeted?" Ashley Shaw asked, her heart filled with fear.
"Sort of..."
"What do you mean by sort of?"
Xavier Quincy briefly explained to her about Landon Joyce.
"He and I are the leading figures of this experiment."
"It was also him who sensed something was off about me, so I had no choice but to tell the truth."
"But he found you through me."
Ashley Shaw’s complexion turned a bit pale.
"Is he a good person? What would he do to us?"
Xavier Quincy shook his head, "There is no clear distinction between good and bad people. It depends on where each person’s bottom line is. According to what I know about him, he’s not considered bad. But he’s dedicated his whole life to researching black holes; he won’t do anything to harm you, but there’s no guarantee he wouldn’t use you to prove his success."
The reason it’s not him, but Ashley Shaw.
It’s simple, because Landon Joyce is not the so-called "transmigrator," many techniques are mastered by him, not by the current Landon Joyce.
Even if Landon Joyce wanted to recreate a "transmigration," he would need to strive for another seven years.
And, it would depend on whether he’s willing to help.
So Landon Joyce can only keep his eyes on Ashley Shaw.
Xavier Quincy looked at a nervous Ashley Shaw and said, "However, with my intentional guidance, he now can’t be sure you’re like me, who participated in the experiment."
"So what you need to do is act as if you know nothing. I will also, after ’observing’ you for a while, report to him and confirm you’re not a ’transmigrator’."
"But the premise is, you can’t tell our secret to anyone besides me."
Ashley Shaw nodded repeatedly, "I know, I haven’t told anyone."
"Yes."
Ashley suddenly remembered Xavier Quincy saying he would soon leave Westcroft.
She asked, "You’re leaving, would someone else come to ’observe’ me then?"
"I’m not sure. Orders have been given from above; both he and I must rush to a research base. He probably can’t spare so much attention."
"But just to be safe, you need to pretend everything is normal, live your life as usual, and don’t show you’re too different from others."
"Veridia is a country that values human rights. As long as there’s no substantial evidence, they definitely wouldn’t dare do anything to you as a lawful citizen."
Ashley Shaw felt a little relieved.
She half-jokingly said, "I used to feel very lonely when I thought I was alone. Now with you, it’s like having a partner in crime, but I don’t know why, having you as a reliable partner, instead makes me start feeling afraid."
Xavier Quincy reached out and ruffled her hair.
"Don’t be afraid. Even if the sky falls, I’ll hold it up for you."
Ashley Shaw felt a hint of warmth in her heart.
"Thank you, Leo. You gave me the opportunity to live my life all over again. Such an opportunity occurs once in a million years. It’s like you’re my life-saving benefactor."
"Why are you thanking me? If you really want to thank someone, you should thank yourself."
"Thank myself?"
"Yes."
In the past, he wandered through life, never taking anything seriously, changing girlfriends one after another.
Until the Quincy Family had an incident, and he fell from heaven to rock bottom.
From being adored by everyone, to being stepped on by anyone.
It was Ashley Shaw who awakened him.
That day he drank himself into a stupor, collapsed on the side of an unknown street.
All friends and family set out to find him.
It was Ashley Shaw who found him first.
And the first thing she did when she found him was to help him up, then give him a harsh slap.
She said—
"No one can look down on you unless you look down on yourself."
"Get up now. I want you to work hard and show those who look down on you that even without the Quincy Family, they still have to look up to you and watch you!"
"If the family falls, then let it fall. You, Xavier Quincy, can make it on your own."
"I believe in you."
That slap, those words, supported him all along.
If it weren’t for that day’s Ashley Shaw, there would be no him later, nor the subsequent experiment.
So, it’s like Ashley Shaw saved herself.