Chapter 61: Dream within a Dream Chapter 61: Dream within a Dream Shang Hexing had planted fruit trees outside her courtyard, which had always puzzled Wen Zhi. Why did it seem like no one else knew about it?
It shouldn’t have been the case.
After all, it was such a big fuss, the Shang family must have known about it.
This question had always troubled Wen Zhi, but to her surprise, she found the answer today through Shang Jing. He said, “It was Shang Jiangshan. That day, he insisted on planting fruit trees in the backyard. Grandfather naturally wouldn’t allow it, but his older brother doted on him and had someone plant this patch of fruit trees in the backyard right away, with all kinds of varieties.”
As he spoke, Shang Jing raised his hand to point behind Wen Zhi: “The lychee tree outside your courtyard isn’t bad either, you’ll get to enjoy it.”
Wen Zhi was a bit dazed: “So it was because of young Master Shang.”
“Yeah, what else did you think?” Seeing Wen Zhi looked out of sorts, Shang Jing thought she might be tired, that his own chatter had disturbed her rest.
“Go inside and rest early, I’ll be leaving now.” Before leaving, Shang Jing reached out and patted Wen Zhi on the head.
Wen Zhi dodged: “Don’t touch my head.”
Shang Jing said, “Although you’re not much to look at, you’re actually quite cute.”
“…”
Wen Zhi ignored him, embracing the box she turned and entered the house.
Only one table lamp was on in the bedroom.
Wen Zhi sat on the carpet by the bed, holding a strand of Buddha Beads in her hand, looking up carefully in the light.
“It does seem a bit different…” But she wasn’t sure what was different, because overall, it looked the same as before.
Shang Jing wouldn’t have gotten a substitute to fool her, would he?
So well-made that even she herself couldn’t tell it apart.
No, that’s not right!
Shang Jing couldn’t possibly have the ability to find identical beads in just one single day.
Besides, the thread connecting the beads, as well as the ghost face pattern on the beads, were all very rare and unusual.
This was her strand of beads.
Wen Zhi finally felt certain in her heart.
Since the two strands of beads had been separated for too long, Wen Zhi deliberately wore each strand on her left and right hands, which made her feel at ease.
After falling asleep, Wen Zhi had a dream.
She dreamt of the year she learned to swim, how she could never get the hang of it, and her coach even joked that she was his career’s Waterloo.
Latter, she practiced even harder, but still couldn’t overcome the terror of being completely submerged in water.
Until that day when she lay at the edge of the pool resting, and the coach went to take a call. On a whim, she tried to overcome the fear to earn praise, and nearly killed herself in the process. Luckily, a kind soul saved her, but she didn’t know who that kind person was. By the time the coach came back from the call, she was lying by the pool, staring intently in one direction, and in that direction was a figure…
She had repeatedly dreamt about this scene many times, each time fixated on seeing that person’s face, but each time she failed to do so.
In the haziness between sleep and wakefulness, a flash of white light passed before Wen Zhi’s eyes—
When she opened her eyes again, she found herself sinking under the water, close to running out of breath.
The dream overlapped!
The same scene was happening over again!
Wen Zhi was still struggling in the water to no avail, and her energy was quickly spent.
Just when she felt she was about to drown, a strong arm reached out from behind her, wrapped around her waist, and then with a thrust, pushed her upwards.
Wen Zhi surfaced.
Splash, splash—
The sound of flailing water splashed loudly.
Instinctively fighting for survival, Wen Zhi’s hands flailed, striking the water in disarray, she didn’t hear a word said by the person nearby, and it seemed she was about to sink again.
The man supported her, preventing her from sinking, and soothed her in a gentle voice: “Don’t be afraid.”
After speaking, the man turned her around: “Hold on to me.”
Wen Zhi wrapped one arm around his neck and the other onto his shoulder, her faint voice laced with sobs: “I can’t swim… I can’t…”
“It’s okay if you can’t, I’m here,” he said as his voice descended upon her.
Crying, Wen Zhi suddenly came to her senses.
The choking sound ceased, and she slowly looked up at him.
At such close range, his face was magnified several times before her eyes. Wen Zhi stared, fixated for a long time, her gaze shifting from dazed to shocked.
“Shang Hexing?” She nearly lost her voice when she uttered that name.
Shang Hexing looked down at her thoughtfully: “Is that my name?”
Wen Zhi was stunned.
Shang Hexing slowly brought Wen Zhi to the edge of the pool and with effort, lifted her and seated her on the edge. Wen Zhi hadn’t come back to her senses yet, and the sudden lift startled her again. However, this time her shock wasn’t as extreme as in the water, and once she was seated, she immediately calmed down, and then continued with an almost dull gaze to look at Shang Hexing, still in the water.
The water didn’t reach his chest.
His clothes were completely soaked, his muscular outline extra eye-catching. With the surface of the water rippling, the valleys below his chest muscles appeared and disappeared like shadows.
His figure was tall and imposing, even standing in the water seemed grand and unrestrained.
Droplets of water fell down his handsome face, some spreading like a stream down his neck, over the chest, and into the water…
Wen Zhi was dumbstruck, her ears flushing red, unable to utter a single word for a long time.
This seemed to be… Shang Hexing as she had constructed him in her dream.
Only, this wet appearance was too much of a visual shock.
And this time, the dream didn’t start with fervor, it was about swimming, and she could clearly see his face!
“Should I come up now, or stay in the water?” Shang Hexing broke the silence, asking her.
Wen Zhi snapped back to reality and immediately beckoned to him: “Come up first.”
“Alright,” he responded, and then swam to the other side.
There were steps for getting out on that side. Wen Zhi watched as he swam over and then climbed the steps one by one, until he was out of the water, standing by the poolside.
Water poured down from his body like heavy rain.
He grabbed a towel, about to drape it over his shoulders.
At that moment, Wen Zhi stood up and quickly walked towards him: “Wait!”
Shang Hexing paused, his gaze falling on Wen Zhi as she approached him, looking at his body with a bold and passionate intensity, saying, “Don’t cover up, just like this…”