I'm Actually Panicking Because My Heart Doesn't Beat (GL) - Chapter 11

The compensation from the Special Investigation Bureau came through quickly. The person in charge of the matter was a local policewoman, who was currently helping Guan Xiaoxuan fill out paperwork, guiding her through the steps with her ID and official statements.

Normally, the process on the police side was very complicated. Guan Xiaoxuan had known that from before. She hadn’t expected that in a completely different world, things would be pretty much the same.

She’d been running around from office to office since the morning, and it wasn’t until noon that all the claims and reimbursements were finally sorted out.

After finishing everything, Guan Xiaoxuan let out a sigh of relief and smiled at the policewoman who had been helping her the whole time. “Thank you, officer. I’m all done on my end. I just wanted to ask when I’ll actually receive the compensation.”

Just thinking about the huge hole in her living room made her stressed—thankfully it could be reimbursed.

“We’ll try to get it done as soon as possible. You should have the money in your bank account within the week,” the policewoman said. “As for your home repairs, you’ll need to contact a renovation team or your building management. Work it out together and submit the evaluation report to us. Once our logistics team reviews it, we’ll transfer the money to you.”

Guan Xiaoxuan nodded. “Thanks. I just… have no idea how to handle all that.”

She had only just crossed over to this world, and her home got blown up on her first day. Honestly, she felt really unlucky.

The policewoman seemed to sympathize. She patted Guan Xiaoxuan’s head gently and said, “Don’t worry about that part. Since your case is a special one, someone will be assigned to help you with everything. All you’ll have to do is show up, sign the paperwork, and confirm things.”

Xiaoxuan’s eyes lit up. “Really? That’s great. I was just wondering how to find a team for that.”

“Alright, if there’s nothing else, you should head home. Just make sure your phone stays reachable, and don’t leave Xinglin for the next few months.”

“Okay.”

After leaving the police station, Guan Xiaoxuan pulled out her newly purchased phone from her pocket.

The original Guan Xiaoxuan had actually been fairly well-off. Aside from the apartment her parents had left her, there was also a car accident settlement, various savings accounts, and insurance payouts. Altogether, it added up to 700–800 thousand yuan.

But all of that was in the bank. The girl would withdraw a little interest each month to cover her living expenses. So while she had money, it wasn’t exactly accessible.

The phone in her hand had been bought with some of the original girl’s savings. Thinking about how far away next month’s withdrawal date still was, Xiaoxuan let out a long sigh. She decided she’d have to tighten her belt in the meantime.

Thankfully, she’d always been the type to stock up on supplies. Her kitchen hadn’t taken much damage, the fridge still worked, and she wasn’t short on anything for now. Even the cat food would last her chubby little furball for another three months.

It was only then that Xiaoxuan realized: being a hoarder really could save your life in certain situations.

She confirmed the route home and got on a bus, grabbing a window seat.

The midday sun was already a little hot—late April, and the weather was warming up. As she sat there, Guan Xiaoxuan began seriously thinking about what she was going to do next.

She had woken up in this body, taking over the life of the original Guan Xiaoxuan. Going back to her own world seemed nearly impossible.

In her original world, she had drowned on a lake island during a group tour. In this world, the other Guan Xiaoxuan had been lured underwater by a being she worshipped called the “Red Lady.”

Both incidents involved water, but Xiaoxuan didn’t think it was that simple. It wasn’t like she could just jump into water and magically go home. There had to be some other medium involved.

But for now, she couldn’t figure out the connection.

On top of that, her current identity was as a second-year student at a teachers college. She should’ve been in class, but had already skipped several days. Xiaoxuan figured her credits were probably taking a hit. Even though she had a statement from the police, things weren’t going to be that easy to sort out.

At this point, she needed to keep living the life of the late Guan Xiaoxuan, while also looking for a way to leave this world—and on top of that, make sure she met with Xing Tianqing every day to keep her heart active.

Guan Xiaoxuan sighed again and turned to look out the window.

Just then, the bus passed a stop. While waiting for passengers to board, Xiaoxuan caught a glimpse of someone standing behind the ad board at the station.

The figure was wearing a pair of red high heels. Their pale, slender legs were partially visible, along with the hem of a red dress.

Xiaoxuan wasn’t sure why, but she felt like the person was giving off a strange, damp aura. Even the red dress looked wet, clinging to their body.

When she tried to take another look, the bus had already moved on.

She blinked, curiosity bubbling up, but she resisted the urge to turn and stare. As pale and pretty as those legs were, she decided it was better to be polite.

After a half-hour ride, Xiaoxuan finally arrived at her new apartment complex.

The place had great greenery and even a small pond. She now lived on the 17th floor of Building 2, right next to Xing Tianqing.

The rent here? Six thousand yuan a month.

Every time she thought about it, Guan Xiaoxuan had to suck in a breath. Back when she was scraping by in Shanghai, she’d never dared rent a place this expensive!

Fortunately… it was reimbursable.

Before the hole in her living room got patched up, Guan Xiaoxuan’s rent would be reimbursed. That made her feel a little better.

But just a little.

As soon as she opened the door, Melon Seed came running and leapt into her arms like a tiger pouncing on prey. Clinging to her shoulders, the cat started meowing non-stop, like it had really missed its mom.

But Guan Xiaoxuan knew this cat well. It probably just wanted her to open a can of food.

“How about a can of food, hmm?” Guan Xiaoxuan held the cat’s little butt as she opened the fridge and looked at the cans inside. “How about tuna and beef today?”

Staring at the half-fridge full of canned food, Melon Seed flailed its limbs and tried to dive in, but Guan Xiaoxuan was quick and scooped it out just in time.

Once it got the can it had been dreaming about, the cat finally calmed down. Guan Xiaoxuan made herself a bowl of instant noodles to get through lunch.

Just after she finished cleaning up the dishes, her phone rang. The screen showed two characters: [Zhang Wen].

The SIM card came from her old water-damaged phone. The phone itself was fried, but the card still worked, so she just put it in the new one—contacts and all.

Seeing Zhang Wen’s name instantly made her nervous.

This was probably one of the very few friends Guan Xiaoxuan had. If she was calling now, she was likely checking in—about things like the Red Lady’s interest group, the mixer that night, or the five days she’d mysteriously vanished.

Guan Xiaoxuan stared at the name flashing on the screen, took a deep breath, and finally picked up.

“Hello, Zhang Wen,” she said calmly. “What’s up? Why’re you calling me?”

She used the kind of tone anyone would use with a friend. As far as she could remember, she and Zhang Wen had gotten along pretty well. They often ate together at the cafeteria. Zhang was also a student at the teacher’s college, though she lived in the dorms and only hung out with Guan occasionally.

“Xiaoxuan, you finally answered!” Zhang Wen said on the other end, clearly worried. “What’s been going on? Your phone’s been off for days, and you haven’t been to class.”

Guan Xiaoxuan smiled. “Something came up at home, so I couldn’t make it to class.”

“Something happened? Was it serious?”

“It’s okay now. Everything’s been sorted out.”

Zhang Wen let out a sigh of relief and asked, “Are you coming to school tomorrow? There’s class first thing in the morning.”

Guan Xiaoxuan paused. She couldn’t avoid it forever. If she was stuck being Guan Xiaoxuan, she had to deal with her life too. Besides, if she really couldn’t go back to her original world, earning a degree in this one would still be important.

So she nodded and said, “Yeah, I’ll be there on time tomorrow.”

“Okay. I just wanted to make sure you’re alright. I won’t keep you. Let’s chat on WeChat later,” Zhang Wen said, then quickly hung up.

Looking at the now-dark screen, Guan Xiaoxuan quietly let out a sigh of relief.

No matter what, she was Guan Xiaoxuan now. Whether she liked it or not, she had to live with this identity. So she didn’t resist too much—she had to accept reality.

After resting for a day, Guan Xiaoxuan lay in bed, struggling to fall asleep, already worrying about going to school the next day.

Meanwhile, Xing Tianqing took the elevator upstairs. Her black trench coat was speckled with bl00d—none of it hers, but from the supernatural incident she’d just dealt with.

Unusual and creepy events happened often in this city. Today’s case had been especially gruesome: a violent attack. The vehicle involved was crushed out of shape, and the four people inside had been flattened like meat patties. The scene had been stomach-turning, and even someone like Xing Tianqing had been affected. She hadn’t eaten all day.

As she passed by Guan Xiaoxuan’s door, she noticed a puddle of water. Her eyes flickered slightly. She glanced around the hallway but didn’t see anything strange.

The next morning, Guan Xiaoxuan got up early. After washing up, she grabbed her things and headed out.

She was about to leave with her bag when she paused, quietly tiptoeing over to Xing Tianqing’s door. She pressed her ear against it, trying to hear if she was home.

These little daily encounters had become part of her routine. She felt like her mood had been so much better lately—thanks to having Xing Tianqing nearby.

Just as she was wondering whether Tianqing wasn’t home or was just sleeping in, the heavy British-style security door opened from the inside.

Xing Tianqing stood there in a black silk slip dress, long black hair flowing behind her. She looked at Guan Xiaoxuan with a hint of amusement in her eyes and softly said, “Good morning.”

“…Morning.”

Guan Xiaoxuan straightened up and adjusted the strap on her crossbody bag before saying, “Get some rest, Captain Xing. I’m off to… school.”