104: Chapter 90 Dreaming Back?
104: Chapter 90 Dreaming Back?
The hour had arrived.
————–
The piano’s date-red body was understated yet luxurious, its black-and-white keys emitted a cool, eery glow.
Chuxia, feeling slightly uneasy, stepped forward and gently touched the keys, the clear, pleasant sound wafted past her ears…
She shuddered involuntarily; this ho was so familiar to her, she had been born and raised here, and she could navigate it blindfolded.
Walking out of the piano room, to the left was her grandparents’ bedroom.
The old couple used to say that if they couldn’t hear the tinkling piano sounds, it felt like sothing was missing.
Then one by one, the guest room, the kitchen, the bathroom, up the stairs were her bedroom, her parents’ bedroom, and a large study.
Surveying each room, she was so excited.
She didn’t know how she had returned.
The sight of the black and white keys had indeed startled her.
But this was the ho where she had lived for twenty-one years.
In the blink of an eye, she cald down.
She had even accepted sothing as bizarre as soul travel; what was there that she couldn’t accept?
She took a deep breath, pushed open the door to her bedroom.
Everything was just as she rembered—the sunshine streaming through the gauzy curtains cast the whole room in a dreamy, hazy light.
In dreams, there couldn’t be sunshine, right?
So, had she truly returned?
A rush of covert delight surged in her heart, followed by a faint, rising sourness.
Her dad, her mom, had been so good to her, to never see them again…
Tears slid down her cheeks unbidden.
Dad, Mom, I will miss you.
Many things from that era, I’ve been trying so hard to adapt, but really, adapting is so painful!
I miss my soft, large bed, miss my widescreen laptop, miss my iPhone5, miss my Yamaha C7.
I even miss the bus, sotis even the TV I always complained about…
Or perhaps, I’ve co back, and your daughter has also left.
She must have beco more sensible, right?
Gingerly, she lay down on the bed she had longed for in her dreams, comfortably closing her eyes, her cheek rubbing against the soft quilt…
The house was so quiet!
She suddenly felt an inexplicable panic surge; was this a dream?
Or reality?
She wanted to pinch herself but dared not, fearing her hopeful bubble could not endure the pinch.
Whether it was a dream or not, she wanted to see her dad and mom, see her grandparents, even just a glance would satisfy her.
“Click!”
The sound of the door lock turning.
“Mom, Sister Yanyan was really pretty today, but I feel like her fiancé doesn’t quite match up to her.
He’s so wooden and silly!”
“Silly girl, to find a man who understands warmth and tenderness, to accompany you through life, that is a woman’s happiness.
Why need soone who’s too clever?
If he can charm you, he can charm others too.
n with tricky minds aren’t worth it.
But Chuxia, when will you bring a boyfriend ho for Grandma and Grandpa, and Mom and Dad to sort of check him out?
If he’s suitable, why not settle it soon?
You’re only half a year younger than Yanyan, it’s ti for you to get married as well.”
“Yes, Chuxia, Grandma and Grandpa are still strong, but they could help out now.
In a few years, not only might they not be able to help, but they might even be a burden to you.”
“Chuxia, if you wait for Dad to retire before getting married, we might not be able to ask Uncle Liang to officiate the wedding.”
“How did we get to talking about my marriage all of a sudden?
There’s no need to rush to push out, is there?”
“Child, who’s pushing you out?
We just want soone to love and cherish you.
Besides, you and Jing Zhe have been together for so long, it’s ti we t him, right?”
“Yes, we should et him.
Let’s find a suitable ti to et Jing Zhe’s family and set a date for your wedding.
You can’t date for too long.”
“Grandma, you’re quite trendy, supporting a whirlwind marriage, huh?”
“…”
Listening to the discussions coming from downstairs, Chuxia trembled; she slowly moved to the staircase…
Grandma, your hair has grown a bit whiter…
Grandpa, your back is bent a bit more…
Mom, it seems you’ve acquired a few more fine lines by your eyes…
Dad, the lines on your forehead seem deeper…
And that one, yes, Chuxia saw herself—or rather, her original self, smiling so brightly and getting along so harmoniously with her family.
Had she, in such a short ti, truly managed to blend back into her family?
And in such a short ti, she had even got a boyfriend, ready to marry?
Grandpa, Grandma, Dad, Mom, do you realize that that is no longer ?
Tears, uncontrollably rolling down…
She moved step by step down to her dearly missed family, yet they continued talking and laughing, as if they hadn’t noticed her at all.
“Mom…” she called out with trembling lips.
Mom’s expression paused slightly, as if puzzled, she glanced around, then smiled again at the bright-faced self, “Chuxia, no day but today, while we’re in the festive mood, why not have Jing Zhe co over and et everyone?”
“Alright, alright, you got .”
Watching the familiar self pull out an iPhone5, dial, and giggle, “Jing Zhe, my grandparents and parents can’t wait to et you.
Co over now…
yeah, don’t bother bringing a gift, they want to et you, not a gift…
yes, yes, in their eyes, I’m nothing special, just worried no one else wants .”
After hanging up, she smiled and spread her hands to her family, “Are you satisfied now?
Jing Zhe said he’ll be right over.”
Chuxia’s tears, unstoppable, continued to fall.
She moved step by step to the bathroom mirror—yes, it was her, oh no, it wasn’t her, well, she was confused too.
Reflected in the mirror was Lin Chuxia of the 1970s, thin and frail, dressed in a green military uniform!
Was this a dream?
Or what else could it be?
Couldn’t she have died again?
Had her soul drifted here?
That would be too unjust, dying while running?
Well, that sort of thing does happen frequently.
How heartbroken must Dad and Mom be?
She moved step by step back into the living room, to the group of joyful people before her.
She touched their cheeks one by one; she could feel their warmth, but they seed utterly unaware of her presence.
Finally, she stood in front of herself—her forr self.
She stared directly into her own eyes.
In that instant, that Lin Chuxia clearly hesitated, a trace of confusion flashing through her eyes.
“Chuxia, what’s wrong?
Are you feeling unwell?” It was Mom’s concerned voice.
“No, Mom, I just felt dizzy all of a sudden, and I don’t know why.”
“Really?
I felt dizzy just now too.”
“ too.”
“ too.”
“…”
Grandpa, Grandma, and Dad said in succession, each of them slightly furrowing their brows.
“Probably, it’s the food that’s not so good.
Ah, these days, wedding banquets are expensive, yet the food isn’t great and not even hygienic.
No, I’m going to make a pot of mung bean soup.” Mom said as she walked to the kitchen.
Without thinking, Chuxia followed her mom into the kitchen and watched her expertly rinse the mung beans and rice, and then put them into the rice cooker and pressed the start button.
Uncontrollably, she threw her arms around her.
“Mom…” Whispering, she pressed her cheek against her mom’s cheek.
She knew it wasn’t right, but she couldn’t help herself.
When her mom was standing right in front of her, alive and well, she just couldn’t control herself…
“Mom, Jing Zhe is here.”
Then, her real body appeared at the doorway, her smile suddenly freezing, “Mom, what’s wrong?
Are you feeling unwell?”
She quickly let go of her mom’s arms.
After firmly pinching her throat, Mom smiled at her real body: “It’s so strange, I suddenly felt like I couldn’t move or talk just now.
It was a bit scary…”
“Aunty, hello.”
A tall, handso young man appeared at the door, clearly a bit nervous, his facial muscles twitching slightly as he smiled.
“Jing Zhe, co in, co in.” Mom happily went out to greet him, her real self affectionately clinging to Mom’s arm.
Suddenly, her heart ached—a feeling she knew all too well, called jealousy.
Yes, she was jealous!
Her mom had beco soone else’s mom, that girl who had taken over her body, and taken her mom from her!
She really wanted to pinch herself to confirm whether this was all a dream.
But she couldn’t bring herself to do it; she was afraid that once she woke up, she would never see Grandpa, Grandma, Dad, and Mom again.
Moreover, this dream felt all too real.
She could almost be sure that all of this was really happening in this ti-space, and only she didn’t belong here.
The family sitting together, clearly enjoying each other’s company, made her heart hurt more and more…
“Chuxia, for you, Dad can do anything.”
“Chuxia, with you, Dad and Mom are content.”
“Chuxia, if anyone dares to bully you, Dad will beat them up!”
“Chuxia, Mom is waiting to enjoy good fortune with you.”
“Chuxia…”
“…”
In her ears, resonated the loving words Zhao Yulan and Lin Baohe had once said to her.
Their affection for her, each mory, flashed before her eyes like a movie…
Right, she too had taken over her real self’s place; she also had her dad and mom’s love, not less in any way than what her own parents gave her!
Hadn’t she understood this truth long ago?
Without any hesitation, her fingernails dug into her palm; she needed to go back!
This ti-space was no longer hers; thus, she would return to where she belonged.
Seeing that her Dad, Mom, Grandpa, and Grandma were happy, she could be at peace too…
“Lin Chuxia, if you can feel this, rotate your eyeballs.”
A deep, familiar male voice rang in her ear.
Chuxia tried hard to open her eyes, and then suddenly, her eyes widened in alarm…(To be continued.
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