The place where Chen Youzai worked wasn’t far from home. But since taking the bus was troublesome—and unbearably crowded in the summer heat—he chose to walk instead.
After a full day of work, he was already exhausted. Walking home would push him to the brink of physical collapse.
And he liked that feeling.
At least when he was that tired, he didn’t have the energy to think about anything else.
Passing by a large shopping mall, the crowd thickened noticeably. Moving through the sea of people felt increasingly difficult. It was summer vacation, and the mall often held promotional events outside.
In the past, he would’ve been the first to squeeze in and watch the excitement.
Now, the noise only made him feel lonelier.
“What’s playing on that big screen? So many people watching…”
“Oh, it’s a movie premiere. I heard it’s about time travel.”
“I’ve seen time-travel movies before. A couple were pretty good.”
“Yeah, and the male lead in this one is really handsome—I saw the posters…”
“Let’s go check it out…”
“… ”
By chance, Chen Youzai overheard the conversation of two girls. Without realizing it, he stopped walking and turned his head toward the mall entrance, where a crowd had gathered.
He told himself over and over not to go.
It would definitely remind him of things he didn’t want to think about.
But his feet seemed to have a will of their own, following the flow of people toward the big screen.
It’s just a movie… not real… what does it have to do with me? That’s not me.
It’s been over a month. I hardly think about those things anymore. It’s fine… maybe I’ll just laugh it off.
Comforting himself like that, he found a quieter spot and looked up.
It was a short promotional clip—just over two minutes long. When he started watching, it was already near the end. The screen looped the footage repeatedly, as the production company had rented public displays for advertising.
People came and went. Some stayed for the full clip, others only glanced briefly.
Batch after batch, they rotated.
But Chen Youzai stayed.
He didn’t know how many times he watched it. The theme song echoed again and again in his ears.
As he stared at the splendidly dressed emperors and nobles on the screen, he suddenly thought of the Third Prince.
And once the thought came—
He couldn’t stop it.
By the time his legs started to go numb, he realized his face was already soaked with tears.
He stumbled to a secluded corner, buried his head in his knees, and sobbed uncontrollably. He didn’t dare lift his head, afraid someone would see him, afraid of the disgust in their eyes.
He thought he had forgotten.
At least… he thought he had let go a little.
But when faced with something so familiar, every ounce of pain came flooding back—without leaving even a trace behind.
Only then did he realize—
From beginning to end, he had missed the Third Prince this much.
Missed the man who once said he would dress him for a lifetime.
He wanted to cry it all out quickly. He didn’t want his mother to worry. He wanted to go home.
But the tears were like a dam bursting—impossible to stop.
He hated himself.
For being weak.
For tormenting himself over and over again… for a man who might no longer even exist.
What should I do…?
With reddened eyes, he looked at the darkening surroundings.
He didn’t want to go home. He didn’t want to see his mother cautiously watching his every expression.
He wanted to talk to someone—really talk.
But he didn’t know who.
And even if he found someone… they’d probably think he was insane.
He started running.
The wind roared past his ears as he ran without direction. He didn’t know how long he ran—until he finally collapsed, gasping, not far from his home.
Then—
Something stabbed into his vision.
The tree.
The tree where he had buried the silver coin—
Was gone.
He shot to his feet, breathing heavily.
The tree had disappeared. In its place stood five or six construction workers. The grassy patch around it had been covered in a thick layer of lime.
“Ma’am… excuse me… what are they building there?” he asked someone nearby.
“Oh, the community’s being renovated. They’re putting in a fountain,” the woman replied cheerfully.
The words struck him like lightning.
A fountain.
That meant the ground would be sealed over.
Which meant—
He would never be able to dig up the coin again.
Which meant—
That part of his past would be buried forever.
“No…!”
His mind exploded into chaos. Like a madman, he rushed forward, shoved the workers aside, and dropped to his knees, clawing frantically at the soil.
“What the hell are you doing?!” one worker shouted angrily, gripping a shovel.
Without even looking up, Chen Youzai muttered desperately while digging, “I’m looking for something… please… let me find it…”
The workers froze for a moment. But seeing his appearance—ugly, frantic, almost deranged—they didn’t believe him.
“Looks like a lunatic. Drag him away—he’s slowing us down,” another said, wiping sweat from his brow.
They moved to pull him away.
But Chen Youzai clung fiercely to the exposed roots buried in the earth, refusing to let go.
Finally, one worker lost his temper and swung a shovel at his leg.
“AH—!!”
Chen Youzai screamed, collapsing as he clutched his leg.
“Get lost already!” another kicked him and dragged him aside, tossing him onto a pile of lime.
“If you don’t let me find it now,” Chen Youzai hissed through gritted teeth, “then when you’re done building—I’ll smash this place apart and find it anyway!”
“We just build it. Once it’s done, it’s done. If you want to tear it down, go ahead,” the man in shorts said indifferently, scooping up lime and tossing it onto him.
The others laughed as they worked.
Now covered in lime and dirt, with mud splattered across his face, Chen Youzai looked even more pitiful.
Even if he said he wasn’t crazy—no one would believe him.
“Why are you still here? Don’t get in the way!” another worker snapped.
Taking advantage of a moment when they paused, Chen Youzai crawled back and resumed digging.
He didn’t care about anything anymore.
He clawed at the soil blindly.
Thick roots twisted together beneath the ground, rough and jagged. After only a few attempts, his hands were bleeding, splinters lodged beneath his nails.
The workers tried again to drag him away—
But this time, he broke down completely, crying and begging, promising he would leave as soon as he found it.
They hesitated.
He didn’t seem entirely irrational anymore.
“Let him search,” one finally said. “Once he’s done, he leaves. Otherwise we won’t finish today’s work.”
“Yeah, and if he comes back at night and wrecks it, we’ll have wasted our effort.”
“Fine. Ten minutes. If you don’t find it—get out.”
They sat nearby, chatting, waiting.
Time passed in silence.
Then—
A glimmer.
Something shiny caught his eye.
Chen Youzai froze, his hands trembling violently. He picked it up—only to drop it again, over and over.
Finally, in desperation, he grabbed it with both hands.
“I found it… thank you… thank you…”
Like a beggar, he sat there, clutching the silver coin, staring at it endlessly.
“I told you he’s crazy! There’s nothing in his hands—what’s he even holding?” the man in shorts scoffed, storming toward him.
Startled, Chen Youzai quickly stuffed the coin into his pocket.
The man kicked him several times before finally tossing him aside onto the grass.
But Chen Youzai was smiling.
And crying.
He couldn’t control his emotions—as if retrieving that coin had brought his life back with it.
When he returned home, his mother nearly fainted.
She had just been about to go out to look for him when she found him collapsed at the doorway, covered in blood and mud.
“Please… please stop making me worry…” she cried. “Consider this your mom begging you. I was wrong before—I was too harsh on you. But you can’t punish me like this… From now on, do whatever you want—make trouble, be reckless—I won’t hit you anymore…”
“Mom… it’s not like that…” he murmured weakly from the bed.
“Don’t say anything. I understand. Ever since I beat you after you put that student in the hospital—you’ve held a grudge…”
Watching her collapse beside his bed, sobbing—
Chen Youzai suddenly felt that his very existence was a mistake.
Over there, there was the real Mu Xueshi—so the Third Prince didn’t need him.
Here, there was the “old” Chen Youzai—
Even his own mother couldn’t accept who he had become.
Late into the night, after tucking in his blanket, his mother finally dragged herself back to her room.
The moment she left—
He opened his eyes.
Tonight, he didn’t want to fall asleep in a daze.
No matter how exhausted he was, no matter how painful—
He wanted to stay awake.
To think.
Maybe… I just need a reason to let go completely, he murmured, staring blankly at the white ceiling.
Just once.
I’ll go see him once.
If he’s living well, I’ll come back.
If he’s truly left everything behind… then I’ll have nothing left to cling to.
No matter how many years have passed there…
I just want to see him once.
Call his name.
Let him look at me.
That will be enough.
Futile Devices Scans 
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