Is it the thoughts during the day or a shared connection of the hearts?
Zhenxi did not know either, but just the appearance of Miss Huaizhi in her dream made her inexplicably happy.
The Miss Huaizhi in the dream was just like she usually was.
Cold and aloof, making her seem unattainable.
But when you muster the courage to sit beside her, it's as if you could feel the warmth. Gather more courage to shorten the distance, you'd feel like you're snuggled up together.
Hands intertwined.
Joyful.
Unfortunately, this Miss Huaizhi seemed unable to speak, showing no reaction at all.
Was it because my imagination was too lacking?
At this moment, I should muster my willpower, and then start imagining the domineering Miss Huaizhi pushing me against the wall, and raising my chin with one hand...
Thinking about it, Zhenxi started giggling foolishly, drool dribbling from her mouth.
Unfortunately, such a situation did not occur.
Sometimes dreams are just like this, right?
Even though I know it's a dream, many things are hard to change, like the warm Miss Huaizhi. Although it's a pity, just this alone made me feel very content.
"Does Miss Huaizhi want tea? Oh, drinking tea in a dream seems rather strange... Too bad there are no books or anything else here. It's rare for you to visit my home, how about we go inside and have a look?"
Zhenxi muttered to herself, summoning the courage to tug on Miss Huaizhi's hand.
Then, Miss Huaizhi stood up, standing to the side, as if waiting for her tour. Zhenxi, on the other hand, suddenly blushed.
Bringing Miss Huaizhi home... how to say, it's really exciting.
Unfortunately, this place was no longer as cozy as it once was.
"Sorry, I didn't know a guest would come... even in a dream, it's such a mess, enough already."
Upon pushing open the wooden door, she saw the floor covered with dust.
"Indeed, it hasn't been lived in for a long time, right? After grandma passed away, it was abandoned here, but back in the day, it was carefully tended to."
"I still remember how, in spring, flowers from the garden would be placed in a vase by the entrance every day."
Zhenxi sighed.
Now, in the shattered and toppled vase at the entrance, only withered branches remain, devoid of the fragrance of days gone by.
The living room still holds sun marks on the floor, hidden by furniture, yet it is empty now... only a broken chair standing lonely in the moonlight.
"Guess it's best not to look."
Zhenxi shook her head and turned around: "Let's go to a different place."
"Isn't this your home?"
For the first time, she heard Miss Huaizhi in the dream speak. That figure passed by her, walking into the living room, looking around curiously.
"Tell me about it," she suddenly said, "about the stories that happened here."
"..."
Zhenxi was stunned in place, nodding vigorously after a long silence.
"This chair was grandma's favorite when she was alive. She loved sitting here, watching outside the window. When she saw me, she'd wave to me."
"This nick here, it's where I chipped my tooth as a kid."
"... Most times, mom would sit here doing some crafts, and sometimes she'd make dolls for me. Dad would come back very late every day, but sometimes when falling half asleep, I'd hear the sound of the door at the entrance. Sometimes Dad would ask if Zhenxi was asleep, sometimes Mom would tell him to hush... "
"There used to be photos of grandma when she was young hanging here, and grandpa, and mom when she was little, then it got replaced by ones of me and grandma... and later it wasn't hung up anymore."
Just like showing off her treasures.
Zhenxi walked through her dream, carefully dusting off those memories, narrating the past to her only visitor.
Until the end, in a barren bedroom, she blew away the dust on a canvas, seeing the graffiti of the past from the mottled, peeling paint.
"This is still here?"
She held the picture frame, sighing softly before chuckling lightly: "If only this weren't a dream, I'd really want to take it back."
"Is it something very precious?" Miss Huaizhi asked.
"I would say so."
The teenage girl sighed with emotion, recognizing the now faded markings on it.
"This was drawn for me by Father... When I was being unreasonable, I often pestered to go to the big city as mentioned on TV, but I actually didn't know what a big city was like. Just knew that people there wore beautiful skirts, with lots of cute dolls and toys, and endless candy to eat.
But what Dad and Mom said was different from what I imagined. Later, one day Dad drew me a picture. But it turned out so ugly that you couldn't make out anything, and it was this."
She displayed the picture frame in her hands, which was only covered with indistinguishable blotches of color, impossible to discern the original form.
"This is the sun, this is a tall building, this is probably a car? I forget what this was, seems like even Dad forgot."
Zhenxi shook her head, softly murmuring: "Mom told me that Edo was like this. At dusk, white tall buildings were tinged pink, and windows gave off a golden glow.