So, she never really took it to heart, thinking that she would give it to her before leaving, but who knew that just because of such a moment’s delay, Ruan Jiaojiao ended up in such a serious situation.
It was not known whether it was indeed because of the amulet or because Xiu Xi’s act of biting her tiger’s mouth was effective, but Ruan Jiaojiao finally awoke.
"Oh my goodness, are you trying to scare me to death?" The Ruanlin matriarch felt her entire body go limp, nearly unable to stand, and had not Ruan Jun supported her to sit down, she would have collapsed along with Ruan Jiaojiao.
"Are you alright, Jiaojiao? What dream did you have?" Shu Lang also asked, helping to wipe the cold sweat from her face.
Ruan Jiaojiao looked at the Ruan family’s concerned faces and it took quite a while before she fully recovered from that dream.
Her eyes dimmed as she cast them down, giving no reply.
How could she tell them that in her dream, the original owner of the body resented her for taking her place, her body?
She was merely an impostor, and although she might love the Ruan family dearly, wishing she were their real kin, it could not change the fact that she was not the real Ruan Jiaojiao.
Thinking of this, Ruan Jiaojiao suddenly felt overwhelmed by sorrow.
Could the reason she couldn’t wake up from these dreams be that the original owner was fighting for the body?
Could it be that—one day—she would never wake up again?
"Grandma..." Holding onto the Ruanlin matriarch, Ruan Jiaojiao felt too scared to face reality.
For the first time, she so desperately wished she was the original owner and not an outsider occupying this body.
Having experienced such affection, if she became a cat again, a cat with nothing, surely she would be too anguished to go on, wouldn’t she?
Even now, the mere thought of this possibility made her feel so upset she could hardly breathe.
"Don’t be afraid, grandma is here," the Ruanlin matriarch said consolingly as she held her, her eyes brimming with redness. Ruan Jiaojiao had acted this way more than once; this was already the third time.
She was truly scared. What if one day she really couldn’t be woken up?
Was this what Qian Xiabai referred to as the two calamities?
Because of Ruan Jiaojiao’s distress, the Ruanlin matriarch had no mood to cook, holding Ruan Jiaojiao without daring to let go, and Ruan Jiaojiao stayed silent, only burying her head in her embrace.
But her reaction, even more than her crying, caused the Ruanlin matriarch deep pain, as if her heart were bleeding.
When Ruan Jianguo returned with meat and wine, what he saw was the entire family gathered in the hall, looking at the Ruanlin matriarch holding Ruan Jiaojiao, somewhat confused.
"What happened here?" he asked as he came in, placing the items he was carrying on the table.
"Sister had another nightmare and couldn’t wake up," Ruan Hao replied, his face covered with worry.
Although he still didn’t know what had happened, he could feel that the atmosphere at home had changed. Ever since his sister started having nightmares, the mood at home sometimes became very oppressive.
"Mom, what’s going on? Why does Jiaojiao keep having nightmares? Is she sick? Should we have her seen at the city hospital?" Ruan Jianguo looked toward the Ruanlin matriarch with a face full of urgency, saying as he reached out to take Ruan Jiaojiao from her arms, but Ruan Jiaojiao struggled away.
Ruan Jiaojiao only felt safe in the arms of the Ruanlin matriarch—no one else would do.
"What are you touching her for!" The Ruanlin matriarch, already heartbroken, erupted in anger at Ruan Jianguo’s tug, shouting out loud.