The flow of time in the main universe and the small universe is entirely different.
A mere ten years in the main universe meant countless years had passed on the planet within the small universe.
At this time, civilization flourished on the planet, with Great Xia being the largest and strongest nation.
The Xuanyuan family, with a thousand-year history and considering themselves the guardian deities of Great Xia, discovered a strange fellow named Qin Yexuan.
Not only could they not trace his origins, but this individual forcefully interfered with the Xuanyuan family's plans, dispersing the reclusive clans who attempted to lead Great Xia.
The Xuanyuan family decided to resolve this problem completely, sending a special invitation for Qin Yexuan to meet them at the family estate.
Qin Yexuan arrived gladly.
At this banquet, filled with murderous intent, Qin Yexuan remained composed, sitting there and defeating the ten strongest experts of the family with one hand.
This battle left the Xuanyuan family members utterly terrified, trembling.
The patriarch at the time, Xuanyuan Huanglong, pulled at his hair and realized he had provoked someone he shouldn't have.
Qin Yexuan leisurely departed the Xuanyuan family headquarters but did not leave, instead wandering and playing in the gardens and forests near the estate.
Meanwhile, the Xuanyuan family held numerous meetings, ultimately choosing a humiliating plan.
Xuanyuan Huanglong's most cherished twin sisters, Xuanyuan Xing and Xuanyuan Yue, were summoned.
"Since ancient times, when the family encountered an insurmountable enemy, the ultimate choice was to have the most beautiful girl of the family marry the enemy, with the condition that the enemy must become a live-in son-in-law."
"In this way, the family's bloodline would grow stronger, and all powerful individuals would eventually yield to the tenderness of the family's women, gradually integrating into our own."
Xuanyuan Xing and Xuanyuan Yue looked almost identical, but their personalities and minds were completely different.
Under normal circumstances, Xuanyuan Yue detested such matters the most. She was more independent and mysterious, often hiding in her self-built forest cabin.
However, this time, after hearing the description of Qin Yexuan, Xuanyuan Yue was unexpectedly intrigued. She even eagerly dressed up upon returning, preparing to meet Qin Yexuan.
The then naive Xuanyuan Xing found it amusing.
She was actually very competitive, having vied with her sister since childhood, not just in cultivation but also in who was more liked by men.
And each time, Xuanyuan Xing lost.
This time, she was determined.
The sisters went out together, finding Qin Yexuan almost simultaneously.
Xuanyuan Xing was displeased: her sister intended to let her younger sister have the advantage.
Xuanyuan Yue smiled, "This time is different. However, I, your sister, will not pester him. I promise you, I will only say one sentence to him. If he is unwilling to come with me, then you win."
Xuanyuan Xing was overjoyed and approached Qin Yexuan first.
She used almost all her tricks, displaying her utmost charm, even offering herself, exploiting a man's desires.
But to Xuanyuan Xing's disappointment, Qin Yexuan was completely indifferent, treating her with extreme coolness.
After her failure, Xuanyuan Xing found her sister, angrily declaring that this man was an unfeeling stone and that her sister couldn't possibly make him follow her with just one sentence.
Xuanyuan Yue, however, was very confident.
At this moment, Qin Yexuan was wandering in the beautiful family forest.
As an independent small world, the place where the Xuanyuan family resided piqued Qin Yexuan's curiosity.
Something deep within his memory was slowly surfacing.
At that time, the Haotian consciousness was dormant, and under various opportune conditions, he first thought of independently existing small universes.
The main universe was a stable world, free from any spatial-temporal fragments.
But this small universe was different; many spatial-temporal fragments were embedded within it, and within those smaller fragments were even more fragments.
Qin Yexuan believed this small universe had a layered cake structure, making it very unstable and more like a universe created by someone.
This was why there was a protective outer shell and strange force fields.
He sat under a large tree, silently contemplating the origin and provenance of the small universe, when Xuanyuan Yue appeared.
"I heard the Xuanyuan family has a pair of the most beautiful sisters, indistinguishable in age. The one just now was Xuanyuan Xing, so you must be Xuanyuan Yue?"
Xuanyuan Yue smiled, "How did you know I was the elder sister?"
"It's simple," Qin Yexuan smiled. "That Xuanyuan Xing was too naive. Her expressions, demeanor, and even her gait were different from yours. You, the elder sister, are somewhat interesting. However, I understand your family's intentions, and I will not be interested in you..."
Xuanyuan Yue burst into laughter, "Look at your pretentious expression, as if you're so amazing. Others see you as unfathomable, but I don't see anything special about you."
Qin Yexuan stroked his chin, "Then there's no need for us to talk further. Please leave."
Xuanyuan Yue waved her hand, "I made a bet with my sister that you would willingly follow me with just one sentence!"
Qin Yexuan was dismissive, "We've already spoken three to five sentences; you've lost."
"That was just small talk; it doesn't count."
Xuanyuan Yue walked over, her eyes twinkling, "Actually, I only need to say four words, and you'll obediently follow me."
Qin Yexuan was indeed curious, "Please say them, but you'll likely be disappointed. I've seen far more than you could in ten lifetimes."
Xuanyuan Yue leaned close to his ear, "Jinhua Apartment!"
Four words, as if possessing some magic, struck Qin Yexuan like lightning.
He stared at Xuanyuan Yue, for the first time revealing a complex expression of anticipation, fear, and unease.
Xuanyuan Yue placed her small hand on his shoulder, "Are you coming or not?"
Qin Yexuan nodded dumbly, "Of course, I'll go with you, but you have to..."
"Don't think about how I'll explain it yet. I'll take you to my cabin later. It's in the northern part of this forest, built by me. You'll understand when you see it."
Xuanyuan Yue took Qin Yexuan's hand and walked towards the cabin.
Not far away, Xuanyuan Xing watched in stunned disbelief, anger flashing in her eyes.
Her sister had succeeded. Although she said more than one sentence, the crucial one that convinced the man was those four words whispered in his ear.
Xuanyuan Xing didn't know what those four words were, she just couldn't understand how her sister had managed it.
Qin Yexuan followed Xuanyuan Yue to the secret cabin.
As he pushed the door open and entered, he sat on the floor in a daze.
This cabin was a one-to-one replica of a rental apartment in Jinhua Apartment from the main universe.
The windowsill, the carved tiles near the bathroom, though renovated, the obvious marks on the walls, and the small universe model molded from clay.
"Don't speak yet!"
Xuanyuan Yue suddenly took out a common paperclip from the main universe and dangled it before Qin Yexuan, "This is something from our world. I brought it in. Tell me, are you being controlled?"
She had clearly researched beforehand.
Qin Yexuan was too overjoyed to speak. After a long while, he said, "It's dormant. After tens of thousands of years, it has lowered its guard. I can still recall some memories, but most are blurry."
Xuanyuan Yue sat beside him, "I arrived in 2012. Does that ring a bell? Your name is Qin Xuan, the first tenant. Then in 2002, you were taken away by ambulance and became a vegetative state. Now you're probably lying in some hospital, perhaps someone unplugged the life support due to unpaid bills, then cremated."
Qin Yexuan's eyes widened, "You came in 2012?"
They sat in the cabin, without eating or drinking, talking for three days and three nights.
Two transmigrators from the same world grew closer.
They had too many things to say, too much information to exchange.
They started by discussing the time flow rates of their respective worlds: ten years in the main universe equated to thousands of years in the small universe.
Xuanyuan Yue then shared the current situation of the main universe.
"I graduated in nursing and just got a temporary job at a Traditional Chinese Medicine hospital. But my hobby is writing, especially suspense and science fiction."
Xuanyuan Yue said proudly, "Before renting the place, I specifically looked up your story. It was quite a big news back then."
Qin Yexuan also had many questions, "I have no relatives or friends. Who paid for me to lie in the hospital? After becoming a vegetative state, no one should have visited me, right?"
"It was your company that paid. Unexpected, isn't it? You were lucky to find a good company."
...
After leaving the cabin, Qin Yexuan held Xuanyuan Yue's hand, reluctant to let go.
When the Xuanyuan family hosted him again, they proposed that he must choose a partner from the family.
Unsurprisingly, Qin Yexuan chose Xuanyuan Yue.
They left the Xuanyuan family, returned to Great Xia, and began their most blissful life...
This was the story Qin Yexuan told.
In the Jinshi Building, the assembled people were stunned, and the stars in the night sky continued to extinguish one by one.