Chapter 19 – Nightmare

Perhaps it was because things had been too pleasant lately, but today’s dream pulled him back to a familiar scene.

The countryside was picturesque, the rice fields dotted with green, the sky an impossibly clear blue, and the lake by the roadside reflecting the white clouds. A bamboo raft floated on the water, as if sailing into the clouds.

Xiang Ning lay listlessly in the back seat, while his mother, sitting in the front passenger seat, turned around with a slight frown. “Good Ning Ning, we’ll be there soon.”

They were going to visit his grandmother. Xiang Ning had just won an award, and his parents had taken a day off to celebrate, driving him to his grandmother’s house. They planned to have a family gathering and try to persuade her to move to the city.

The elderly always have a stubborn attachment to their hometown. Grandma Xiang always found excuses to avoid moving. This time, Dad Xiang was determined to convince her. The old house had been neglected, and a recent heavy rain had damaged a wall. If not for a neighbor mentioning it, Dad Xiang might still be in the dark.

He kept his eyes on the road, not looking back. “Ning Ning, when we get there, you should talk to Grandma. Mom and Dad can’t persuade her, but she listens to you.”

“Okay,” Xiang Ning nodded, peeling an orange and putting it in his mouth to suppress the rising nausea.

At the village entrance, Grandma Xiang was indeed standing under a large poplar tree, her back bent with age. She refused to use a cane, looking like a dried shrimp, her skin cracked and wrinkled.

“Mom, we told you to wait at home. Why did you come out?” Mom Xiang greeted her, taking her hand.

“I’m waiting for my grandson. Who’s waiting for you?” Grandma Xiang took Xiang Ning’s hand, examining him from head to toe before saying with satisfaction, “Ning Ning has grown taller.”

“Let’s go inside,” Dad Xiang said, parking the car and leading the family into the village.

“Isn’t this Little Xiang? You’re here to take your mom away?” A villager greeted them, carrying a hoe.

“Yes, she should come. Grandma Xiang refuses to age, and she even tried to work the fields a few days ago,” a few middle-aged men chimed in.

Dad Xiang responded, glancing at Grandma Xiang. She pouted and ignored him, shouting, “I’m here to see my grandson! Our Ning Ning is amazing, he won an award in the city!”

“Ning Ning has grown so much. When I last saw you, you couldn’t even run. How time flies…”

Grandma Xiang led Xiang Ning around the village, and almost everyone knew about his award. By evening, Mom Xiang had prepared a meal, setting the table under the jujube tree in the yard, calling out, “Dinner is ready!”

Unfortunately, they couldn’t persuade Grandma Xiang to move. As the group dispersed, it was late by the time they reached the city, and Xiang Ning was so tired that he closed his eyes, his consciousness still lingering, faintly hearing the sound of traffic outside.

Screech!

Xiang Ning felt his consciousness being thrown up and down, his already hazy mind swept into a torrent, his brain a chaotic mess. He struggled to open his eyes, his ears filled with a maddening screech, the sound of a car malfunction mixed with screams, and the red light blinding his vision, all of which his brain couldn’t process, the neural pathways sluggish.

His back hurt… Xiang Ning tried to turn his head but couldn’t move, the pain spreading through his brain, gradually numbing him.

Dad… Mom… Xiang Ning opened his mouth, but no sound came out.

He stared wide-eyed as the motionless figures of his parents blurred, black spots growing denser until he finally passed out.

This time, Grandma Xiang moved to the city without persuasion. Xiang Ning hadn’t spoken since he woke up, his body numb, showing no signs of life.

Grandma Xiang now used a cane, and with the proceeds from selling the old house and land, she handled the funeral arrangements. The once-vibrant but now rapidly aging woman held Xiang Ning’s hand, staring out the window.

Xiang Ning followed her gaze, seeing dark clouds overhead, not a single star in sight.

“Ning Ning… Ning Ning?” The old woman’s voice grew distant, her calls changing pitch. Xiang Ning opened his eyes to find He Rong frowning, holding him and gently wiping away his tears.

“Did you have a nightmare?” He Rong’s hand rested on his back, patting him rhythmically. The warmth of his palm seemed to seep into his heart, warming him from the inside out.

He shook his head and straightened up.

“You’re still so young to be drinking,” He Rong patted his head, standing up. He was still in his pajamas, apparently not going to work.

“Go wash up, and we’ll have breakfast soon.”

Xiang Ning nodded dazedly, and as He Rong left, the events of the previous night slowly came back to him. His face flushed as he processed it all.

I… He…

Xiang Ning dressed, but after a few steps, he felt uncomfortable, his ears turning red as he looked down. The skin at the root of his thighs was swollen and red, even touching his sweatpants was unbearable.

He pushed the images from his mind and took a pair of cotton pajama pants from the closet.

He was still uncomfortable, unable to distinguish whether it was psychological or physical. He dragged himself through his morning routine, pretending nothing was wrong as he went downstairs, sitting at the table with his head down.

He Rong remained composed, but when he spoke, it was unexpected. “I’ll help you move your things this afternoon.”

Xiang Ning was taken aback. He Rong smiled, “Didn’t you say you’d move to the master bedroom today?”

Xiang Ning remembered and, unable to back out, nodded with a tight mouth.

He Rong’s lips curved into a smile, and he took a sip of porridge.

After breakfast, Xiang Ning realized it was already noon. He hesitated and asked He Rong, “You didn’t go to work this morning?”

“Yeah. I was worried about you,” He Rong said, rummaging through the closet. “I skipped work.”

Xiang Ning was pushed onto the bed as He Rong busied himself. Half the clothes in the closet were taken out, and after a while, He Rong stopped and turned to Xiang Ning. “In a few days, we’ll go shopping and get you some new clothes.”

Xiang Ning shook his head quickly.

“It’s settled,” He Rong said, ignoring his reaction, picking out more clothes. “These are old and uncomfortable.”

“You don’t have to go through so much trouble,” Xiang Ning wrote on a piece of paper.

“How is this trouble?” He Rong stopped, sitting next to him and holding his hand. “I’m new to this too, and I want to give you the best.”

He smiled and added, “Besides, my little teacher is so handsome, I can’t help but want to match him with beautiful things.”

Xiang Ning avoided his gaze, his ears red. “I’m just ordinary-looking, not that special…”

He Rong turned his face and said, “Even though I’ve never been in a relationship, I’ve never seen a couple as distant as us.” Seeing Xiang Ning’s resistance soften, he opened his hand and intertwined their fingers.

Xiang Ning couldn’t help but grip his hand tighter, looking up at him, then back down, thinking for a moment before leaning in to kiss him.

He Rong pinched his red earlobe, taking control.

Xiang Ning couldn’t help but open his eyes. The curtains were still open, and outside, the sky was clear. Clouds drifted lazily, their edges gilded by the sun, a beautiful sight.

Author’s Note: Earning some fishy money, hahaha.