Chapter 194: About the Daughter.

Chapter 194: About the Daughter.

Jian Mo is an animator, to be precise, he specializes in 3D animation scene modeling.

Working in the animation industry, Jian Mo adhered to the prevailing culture: to work tirelessly unless absolutely incapacitated. As someone who attended extracurricular tutoring since primary school, Jian Mo, in addition to his animation work, often took side gigs, sacrificing his sleep.

With the Lunar New Year approaching, he calculated the red envelopes he needed to hand out and gifts he'd have to present. He wondered why so many peers rushed to get married right before the festivities—perhaps to celebrate anniversaries during the holidays? In the end, he realized his salary was stretched thin. To prevent his savings from dwindling too much, he decided to take on a side job.

Coincidentally, his former colleague, Ma Caijin, mentioned a friend needing a city model. Asked if Jian Mo knew someone available, he immediately accepted. Although Ma later expressed concern for Jian Mo's well-being and reminded him to prioritize health, Jian Mo brushed it off.

The side gig was surprisingly smooth. The client had few demands, even providing real architectural designs as references. Jian Mo delicately voiced concerns about potential copyright infringements from replicating real buildings. But the client assured it was for private use. Relieved, Jian Mo proceeded.

Upon completing the city model, Jian Mo sent it over, expecting numerous revisions. To his surprise, the client promptly paid and praised his work.

Earning the money made him uneasy, but the imminence of the Lunar New Year allowed him to quickly set it aside.

During the festivities, Jian Mo looked forward to some leisure time. He wanted to reconnect with old friends, get some exercise, and delve into the single-player games he had amassed. His days were spent playing sports with friends, and nights were consumed by gaming.

As the holiday neared its end, Jian Mo felt unwell after an all-nighter. He tried to rest, but soon experienced intense chest pain. Trembling, he reached for his phone to dial emergency services, but it was just out of grasp.

Clutching his chest, he closed his eyes.

When he opened them again, he found himself facing the United Nations building. He recognized it not from his interest in international news but from a recent project where he modeled it. Rushing the job then, he overlooked details, like making the glass facade reflective.

Looking up, he was startled to see this building lacked reflections too.

Glancing to the side, he spotted a familiar Suzhou-style garden, where he had used identical trees throughout due to time constraints.

As Jian Mo was taking this in, a man approached and asked, "Here for retirement procedures?"

"Retirement?" Jian Mo was baffled, "I'm not of retirement age. Why would I be retiring?"

"Life's retirement isn't age-specific," the man explained. "Some retire before birth. Look there." Jian Mo followed his gaze to see formless embryos playing around.

This surreal scene was entirely new to Jian Mo. He wished to faint but found himself oddly alert.

"Wait," he grabbed the man's arm, "Am I... dead?"

The man chuckled, "Isn't retirement from life the same as death? I must go; they've called my number."

Jian Mo stood still for a moment, recalling the agonizing chest pain before everything went black. Had he suddenly died? Was this the afterlife people spoke of?

As doubt clouded his mind, another man approached and introduced himself, "Hello, I'm Chi Shen. I heard you're skilled in modeling?"

Still in shock, Jian Mo nodded instinctively, unable to formulate a response.

"Great! I'm having some issues with the amusement park here. The Ferris wheel seems stuck. Could you help?"

"Sure, let me take a look." Driven by habit, Jian Mo followed and began adjusting the Ferris wheel's model.

"Could you add a sun as well?" Chi Shen asked from the side.

The request, reminiscent of his clients' voices, elicited another instinctive nod from Jian Mo, and he began making the necessary alterations.

Upon finishing, he noticed the sun rising in the sky.

"Thank you," Chi Shen expressed his gratitude. "You'll be sent back shortly. Rest here for a moment."

Jian Mo nodded again. As long as clients' requests weren't unreasonable, there was no need for refusal. Changes were inevitable.

"Let's go to the amusement park." Chi Shen motioned to a little girl who came running over.

The girl held onto Chi Shen's hand and extended her other hand to another man. Only now did Jian Mo notice Chi Shen's striking features. The other man was also quite handsome, albeit more reserved.

"Mommy," the girl addressed Chi Shen and then turned to the other man, "Daddy."

Chi Shen raised an eyebrow, "Why am I 'Mommy' and he's 'Daddy'?"

The little girl pointed at Chi Shen, "The one who smiles is Mommy!"

Then she pointed at the other man, "The serious one is Daddy! That's how it's always shown on TV."

Chi Shen responded with a resigned smile, "Alright, alright."

What on earth is going on? Jian Mo watched as they walked towards the bright sunlight, feeling the rays a tad too blinding. Rubbing his eyes, he was suddenly inundated with a cacophony of sounds.

"He's awake! He's coming around!" It was the familiar voice of his mother.

"The patient has been severely overworked; he needs plenty of rest..."

Blinking, he realized he was in a hospital room, yet he could still feel the warmth of the sun on his skin.

"I'm never pulling an all-nighter again," he murmured, "I'm not ready for early retirement from life."

*

Author's Note:

And that concludes the story! Thanks to all who stuck around till the end! Bows in gratitude!