It was all just a fleeting dream.
Hua Xin clutched the quilt tightly, tears silently sliding down her cheeks.
The earlier dreams were false.
But the last one felt so real.
Niu Niu’s dream visitation forced her to face a truth she refused to accept.
That faint hope of changing back had vanished completely.
Hua Xin suppressed the bitterness from that dream within a dream—a lonely farewell scene.
Remembering the bond that had accompanied her for eighteen years, now flown away, fresh tears filled her eyes. Her choked sobs couldn’t hide her deep reluctance.
"Wuwuwu… (sobbing), (hiccup) Then… (sniffling) I also wish you… all the best. (tears streaming)"
Turning her head, Hua Xin reached out with slender fingers for the water cup. But she spotted crumpled tissues on the floor from her nose-blowing.
The girl froze. Memories surged like a tidal wave.
Their little moments.
Their shared past.
…………
(Shall we try again today?)
【The dim streetlight couldn’t brighten this road】
(This one’s burning hot—I can’t resist.)
【No matter how hard I try, I can’t reach your heart】
(Today, the domestic section updated again.)
【The downpour lasted all night】
(Hold on—it’s almost done.)
【We’re so close, yet you can’t see my tears】
(Don’t worry, I have wet wipes.)
【I know I can be replaced anytime】
(I’m sorry for this morning.)
【But I still can’t accept this gap】
(Today… four times?)
【Our love is like a falling meteor…】
Plop. Plop.
Tears hit her hand.
So cruel.
You’re so cruel.
Though Hu Hu was better in some ways, Niu Niu had been with her for eighteen years.
Do you know how she survived those eighteen years?
How would she face the future alone?
If people discovered the supernatural happening to her, would they dissect her like a lab rat? 😨
Imagining herself strapped to an operating table, blindfolded, surrounded by mad scientists debating where to make the first cut…
No!!!! 😭
Hua Xin could no longer pretend to be strong. She buried her face in the pillow and wailed:
"😭 Come back, my Niu Niu! 😭🌟 My proudest faith! 🌟"
"⚡️ Vivid battles flash before me ⚡️😭 Tears flow for no reason 😭"
"💥 I still recall the snaps and zaps 💥👍 And those four intense times 👍"
"⚡️ All the tissues went to Yongmei ⚡️✨ Fighting Korea and Europe together ✨"
Minutes later, Hua Xin calmed down.
What’s there to fear? As long as she stayed indoors, she’d never be exposed. 😋
"Hic."
After crying, she gulped water from a big mug.
It emptied fast. Fever sweat and sobbing had drained her.
"What time is it?"
In the dark room, only her phone or computer could tell.
She touched her forehead—less feverish, her stuffy nose better.
Medicine really worked.
She fumbled on the bedside table but couldn’t find her phone. Dim light forced her to squint slightly.
Should she get glasses? Would online ones fit…
Wait—still no square-shaped device.
Where’s my phone? 😨
(Crawl… crawl…)
Silently, Hua Xin grabbed her phone from the desk. The screen was black. 📲 She double-tapped to wake it. 💡
1:11 AM.
She resisted the urge to type "1" for Hellfire.
Below the time, twenty-four missed calls 📞 and friend requests glared back.
Her already damp white shirt soaked through again. The shock hit harder than fever pills.
T-today…
What date was it?
Hesitantly, she checked.
8/25 😨…
When did school start?
8/27.
The answer jumped into her mind before she could think.
"No no no no no no no no no no no no no—wait, what?!!!!"
"School started? 😨"
So who called…
Unlocking her phone, she opened the missed calls.
159811xxxxx—an unknown number, never seen before.
IP location: Shanghai.
Hua Xin: "🧠🧨💥"
Her brain exploded. She remembered everything! 😭
"It’s… i-it’s… (voice trembling) it’s…"
Her shaking fingers opened WeChat. A profile with pink lotus and green leaves appeared.
Flourishing Blossom: "I’m the counselor for the Class of 2024, School of Management, Shanghai University. Student Hua Xin, please reply ASAP."
"It’s the counselor!!! 😨😰😱🤯"
Hua Xin hurled the phone onto the bed like a monster. Fear filled her eyes. Her rosy cheeks turned deathly pale.
Her small hand pressed against her chest through a slime layer. Gasping, she braced on the desk. Half-eaten chips scattered sadly, as if crying, "If you don’t love me, don’t hurt me."
"S-sc-school…"
Those two words cast a 99.1% shadow over her heart.
Just attending the college entrance exam alone for two days nearly cost her 2.5 lives. How could she face the outside world again…
"Ugh! 💗🥵"
Hua Xin yanked her hand from her left chest. Her pale face flushed pink instantly.
She’d instinctively grabbed like she was still the boy before losing Niu Niu.
The bra delivered by a runner couldn’t handle her size. After failed chats with the seller, she’d tearfully repurposed the white cups as rags.
Meaning now…
It was truly empty… ahem.
Smart Hua Xin wouldn’t repeat that mistake. She had a genius idea. ☝️🤓
Two band-aids 🩹 would work perfectly!
She had plenty in the medicine box. One application lasted till morning.
Silently crawling back to bed, she accepted Flourishing Blossom’s friend request without hesitation.
She opened a photo album—medical reports of her conditions.
She’d gotten these during Lunar New Year in senior year, updating records to stay home.
Deleting the painful memory, she sent all the images.
"Autism, moderate depression, anxiety disorder, cognitive impairment, psychiatric diagnosis…"
Copying text from somewhere, she carefully edited and sent:
Hua Xin: "Respected counselor, these are my conditions. I can’t live in dorms—I own a place in Shanghai. If you force me to attend classes or stay on campus, I think the rooftop wind must be very refreshing."
Hua Xin happily flopped back onto the bed.
Problem solved!! 😉
