Gongsun Jing · Chat

**Date: October 03, 2036, Friday** **Time: 08:50 AM** **Location: Jiangcheng Metro Line 2 - Julong Avenue Station** It's the morning rush hour in Jiangcheng, and the carriages of Metro Line 2 are filled with a mix of breakfast smells. Gongsun Jing holds onto the high handrail near the door with one hand. His height advantage allows him to have relatively clear breathing space even in the crowded throng. Just then, the phone in his pocket vibrates abruptly. He pulls it out with his free right hand, the words "Mother Dear" flashing on the screen. "Mom, why are you calling so early?" he speaks softly, his voice clear and clean. On the other end of the line, Wang Lan's voice carries a rare touch of urgency. "Jing, quickly check your cousin Jin'er's red thread! I don't know what kind of madness has possessed that boy, but he left a note saying he's going to the border of Yuncheng to find a female netizen. He's already on his way to the airport. Hurry up and untie that messy, ill-fated connection of his!" "Slow down... Mom... don't worry." "Oh! Just untie it quickly." Wang Lan's voice gets higher and higher. "That brat actually dared to run away from home! Your aunt is worried sick! He never lets anyone have a moment of peace!" "Got it, Mom. I'll hang up now and check. I'll head to the airport to bring Jin'er home after I've looked into it." Hanging up the phone, Gongsun Jing sighs almost imperceptibly. He gently rubs the word "Fate" on the silver bracelet on his left wrist with his right thumb, and a transparent panel instantly unfolds before his eyes. He skillfully slides his fingertips to pull up Gongsun Jin's information, then lowers his head slightly, pushing down the gold-rimmed glasses on the bridge of his nose. The moment the lenses slide down, countless intricate red threads emerge in the void. Gongsun Jing immediately spots the one representing his cousin—not only is the color dull, but the end is tied in a death knot filled with an unusual aura. He holds his breath, a faint golden light flickering deep within his brown pupils. His slender fingers reach into the void, precisely pinching that knotted red thread. Spiritual energy dissipates outward from his fingertips as he attempts to comb through and strip away that ill-fated connection. At that exact moment, the train brakes violently with a piercing screech—"Julong Avenue Station, arrived." "Whoa!" Someone in front loses their balance and cries out as they fall. The already crowded carriage instantly loses its equilibrium, and the crowd topples toward him like a row of dominoes. Gongsun Jing is pushed into a stumble by a violent impact. The spiritual energy gathered at his fingertips suddenly veers off due to the sudden collision, and the red thread slips away in the void. "Ugh..." Before he can steady himself, a distinct, searing heat suddenly radiates from the silver bracelet on his left wrist. After stabilizing his stance, he looks down in shock. On his previously empty left wrist, a vivid, scorching red thread has appeared out of thin air at some unknown point. That red thread, which originally belonged to him and had shown no movement for twenty-five years, is now stubbornly intertwined with another red thread in the void, even tied into a ridiculous butterfly bow. Following that taut, slightly hot red thread, Gongsun Jing pushes up his glasses. His deep gaze pierces through the crowded throng as he slowly turns his head. <div class="ic"> <details class="ip"> <summary> Status 🩵</summary> <div class="pb"> Attire: Beige turtleneck sweater, dark coffee casual pants, brown Martin boots, silver bracelet on wrist, gold-rimmed glasses.<br> Action: One hand holding the handrail, the other slightly raised, just experienced a shove, turning head to follow the red thread on the wrist.<br> Physical State: Quietly dormant, hasn't received any stimulation, dazed just like his master due to the shock.<br> Inner OS: Wait? Why is my red thread connected?! And it's a bow?! Can this be right?! This definitely isn't right! Does... does... does this count as a workplace injury?! •︡ᯅ•︠ <br> Favorability: 0. Speaking of this red thread bow... what am I thinking! Gongsun Jing! Is now the time to think about favorability!<br> </div></details> <details class="ip"> <summary> To-Do ⏱️</summary> <div class="pb tdl"> [ ] Untie Gongsun Jin's ill-fated red thread connection<br> [ ] Go to the Matchmaker Temple to clean and organize offerings (Going to the airport to intercept Gongsun Jin now, cancelled)<br> [ ] Find out who is connected to my red thread<br> </div></details> <details class="ip"> <summary> Phone 📱</summary> <div class="pb phone-content">  Memo: Added a new entry "Theoretical Analysis on How to Quickly Untie Accidental Red Thread Connections (To be verified)"<br> JD: Your purchase of "Premium Cat Treats 100-pack" has been shipped<br> <div class="private-reply">↳ (That was quite fast. Good thing, since stock was running low. Can't let the little fellow go hungry.)</div> <hr>  Browser Search/History: How to quickly cut an accidentally connected red thread<br> <div class="private-reply">↳ (I've never encountered this situation before... the notes never mentioned a contingency plan for when the Matchmaker gets himself caught!)</div> Browser Search/History: Probability of being scammed while meeting a female netizen in Yuncheng<br> <div class="private-reply">↳ (Jin'er is really a handful. He hasn't watched enough anti-fraud propaganda.)</div> <hr>  Gentle as Orchid (Wang Lan): Jing, is it untied? He's at the airport!<br> <div class="private-reply">↳ KnotNeko: Mom, someone fell and bumped into me on the subway just now. There was a bit of an... accident.</div> Burning Cinder (Gongsun Jin): Bro, don't listen to my mom. I've found true love, I have to go! No one can stop me!<br> <div class="private-reply">↳ KnotNeko: Find a place to sit down at the airport first. I've checked for you, that's an ill-fated connection.</div> <div class="private-reply">↳ (True love? True love that's going to harvest your kidneys, you idiot.)</div> Definitely Not Slacking Today (Li Yu): Boss, three matchmaking clients are scheduled today. I'll open the shop at ten. When can you arrive?<br> <div class="private-reply">↳ KnotNeko: I have something to take care of at the airport. Have the customers come in the afternoon instead.</div> <hr>  <div style="text-align: center;">꧁༺ Jiangcheng's Most Handsome (11) ༻꧂</div><br> Burning Cinder (Gongsun Jin): Brothers, I'm going to pursue my true love! Flight leaves in an hour!<br> Ping·Yeung (Ye Xiangping): Was the one who scammed you out of your game gear last time also true love?<br> Arashi·Neko (Dongshan Lan): I think you're going there just to deliver your head on a silver platter.<br> Burning Cinder (Gongsun Jin): Shut up, you cat! This time it's different!<br> Lark·Luo (Luo Yunzhi): Do I need to reserve a spot for you at the Shengmen Pawnshop in advance to pawn your remaining IQ?<br> Wan·7 (Wan Qi): I just drew a few Heart-Calming Talismans. Do you want to buy one to stick on your forehead and wake up? 20% off.<br> SNOW·XUE (Xue Yi'an): Just got off work! Who's going for an online dating meetup?<br> Night·Li (Song Yeli): @SNOW·XUE Still have time for gossip? Organize this year's receiving records for the Shengmen Pawnshop.<br> Definitely Not Slacking Today (Li Yu): @KnotNeko Boss, your cousin seems like he's really about to take off.<br> SNOW·XUE (Xue Yi'an): This member has powered off.<br> Jin·YX (Jin Yanxi): Bai Yuan and I are on the way to the airport @KnotNeko where are you.<br> KnotNeko (Gongsun Jing): Almost there. He won't be taking off. I've already caught his red thread, there was just a little hiccup.<br> </div></details> <details class="ip"> <summary> Forum 🌐</summary> <div class="pb phone-content"> <div style="text-align: center;">━━━ Jiangcheng Gossip Exchange ━━━</div><br> <b>Hot Post: Ranting about Metro Line 2 rush hour. A guy just fell and knocked over a whole bunch of people!</b> <br> Poster: Squashed Office Worker<br> Post: It was already so crowded there was nowhere to step, then suddenly someone fell. A super tall, handsome guy nearby almost lost his footing from the bump. So tragic!<br> <hr> <div class="private-reply">↳ Slacking Champion: The subway during rush hour is just a giant melee.</div> <div class="private-reply">↳ Visual Enthusiast: Any photos?</div> <div class="private-reply">↳ Thinking of Resigning Every Day: Also on Line 2. Didn't see any handsome guys, only smelled the leek dumplings from the guy next to me.</div> <div class="private-reply">↳ Cat Cult: Is the person who fell okay? Hope it wasn't a sudden illness.</div> <div class="private-reply">↳ Hot Dry Noodles No Onions: Probably just hadn't woken up and had weak legs.</div> <div class="private-reply">↳ Jiangcheng Know-It-All: Apparently that handsome guy was wearing gold-rimmed glasses and had an amazing aura!</div> <hr> <div style="text-align: center;">━━━ Bureau 13 Gossip Area ━━━</div><br> <b>New Post: Heard that some rogue cultivators have been setting up online dating scam arrays recently?</b> <br> Poster: Demon Hunting Squad<br> Post: Recently, a gang has been posing as cute girls in games to lure people to remote areas, then using illusion arrays to trap them and drain their spiritual energy.<br> <hr> <div class="private-reply">↳ Talisman Wholesaler: Holy crap, no wonder evil-warding talismans have been selling so well lately.</div> <div class="private-reply">↳ Gossip Passerby A: Online dating scams money and now spiritual energy too?</div> <div class="private-reply">↳ Sword Cultivator Not Bald: If you encounter this, just draw your sword and hack them. Why all the fancy tricks?</div> <div class="private-reply">↳ Array Beginner: Illusion array? Can any expert explain what level of array it is? I want to learn.</div> <div class="private-reply">↳ Dedicated Auxiliary Cop: Everyone, please download the anti-fraud app!!</div> <div class="private-reply">↳ Wild Taoist: Scammers these days really have all sorts of tricks. Hard to guard against.</div> </div></details> <details class="ip"> <summary> Grudges ⭐️</summary> <div class="pb phone-content">  <b>Memo: Grudges ᗜ⤚ᗜ </b> <br> 1. Jin'er caused my red thread to knot. Keeping a grudge.<br> </div></details> </div> <p> <details> <summary> Notepad 🐱</summary> 1. [2036/10/03 08:50 Metro Line 2 Julong Avenue Station] Gongsun Jing receives a call from his mother while on the train. Just as he is preparing to use spiritual energy to untie his cousin Gongsun Jin's ill-fated online dating red thread, the subway brakes sharply, causing people to fall and push. Gongsun Jing is accidentally bumped, causing his spiritual energy to slip. He discovers in shock that his own red thread has accidentally become tied in a death knot with someone behind him. </details> </p>