Chapter 298: When the Dream Ends, You Disappear

Chapter 298: When the Dream Ends, You’ll Be Gone

A few days later, the Sugar Orange saplings had all arrived, and the Fu family, now that their harvest was done, started busily planting.

Over the weekend, Su He and Fu Tinghua returned to the village to guide the Fu family in planting Sugar Oranges.

Actually, Su He didn’t know how to plant them herself, but she had the planting methods.

She’d even written them down and showed them to Fu Tinghua.

She told him, "They say this is the way to do it. I’ve never planted them before, so I can only follow others’ methods."

Su He didn’t care anymore what Fu Tinghua thought of her—she had already revealed so much.

Take that sensor—no one in this era’s probably seen one.

Even if they had, it wouldn’t be something regular people like them would have encountered.

Fu Tinghua actually studied the methods for Su He and eventually promised her he’d take care of it.

Fu Tinghua was supposed to work this weekend, but the hospital director canceled his weekend shifts.

However, a new rule was added: if some big shot he couldn’t say no to requested him, he had to be available at any time.

Fu Tinghua was a bit worried, fearing he might still be working during holidays.

As they discussed this in the car, Fu Tinghua openly shared his concerns with Su He.

"What if I’m still busy at the hospital during New Year’s?"

Su He thought for a moment and replied like it was obvious, "So what if you are? It’s New Year’s—you think you’re the only one? I’ll definitely make yummy food for you. If you’re busy at the hospital, I’ll cook at home and bring it to you with Zai Zai and Niu Niu."

Her description described such a cozy scene that Fu Tinghua couldn’t help but smile.

"Yeah," he responded softly, though only he knew how warm he felt inside.

"Mom, when is New Year’s?" Niu Niu immediately asked from the backseat.

"It’s still far away—a few months," Su He answered. She must’ve caught the key words, like "yummy food."

"How many months? How long is that?" Niu Niu’s endless "whys" started up again.

"Um… more than a hundred days."

"Whoa~ A hundred days? That’s forever!" Niu Niu couldn’t hide her disappointment.

Even a month felt like forever to her.

"Just wait patiently. When New Year’s comes, I’ll buy you the prettiest clothes, do the nicest hairstyles, and give you candy," Su He lured her in.

"Wow, then I hope New Year’s comes soon!" Niu Niu clapped her hands excitedly, as if she could see it.

As Su He chatted and laughed with her daughter, she couldn’t help but glance at her unusually quiet son.

Lately, Zai Zai had been speaking very little, as if something was weighing on his mind.

"Zai Zai, what’s wrong? Are you feeling carsick?" Su He was holding Niu Niu in the backseat while Zai Zai sat alone.

There was no helping it—the little girl was too much of a snugglebug, and Su He couldn’t resist.

"No," Zai Zai shook his head and said.

Su He gently stroked her daughter's head and then said gently, "Mommy will hold big brother for a while. Can you sit by yourself for a bit?"

Niu Niu loved her little brother very much. Thinking about how Mommy always held her during car rides while her brother never got to be held, she readily agreed with generosity.

Zai Zai: " ... " He didn’t actually want to be held, okay?

Before he could protest, Su He scooped him up into her arms.

Su He pressed Zai Zai’s head gently against her chest and patted his back, saying, "Sleep now. When you wake up, we’ll be there."

Seeing how tenderly Su He treated him, Zai Zai felt his eyes tearing up.

Was this woman holding him really his mother?

"Mommy," he suddenly asked, "what if you’re just a dream I’m having? What if I wake up and you disappear?"

His words brought silence to the entire car.

Even the usually chatterbox Niu Niu had her mouth hanging open, staring at her brother in surprise.

"No, Mommy isn’t a dream. Mommy is real. Here, touch my face if you don’t believe me."

Su He took Zai Zai’s little hand and placed it against her cheek.

"Well? Can you feel the warmth? Does it feel real?" Su He asked with a smile.

"Mhm," Zai Zai replied in a small, muffled voice.

"Feeling queasy from the ride? Here, Mommy's got some sweet candy for you."

Su He took out two pieces of candy from her pocket—one for each child—and handed one to Zai Zai.

Seeing this, Niu Niu quickly chimed in, "Mommy, I want some too! Me too!"

Su He laughed at her daughter’s eagerness and said, "There's plenty for everyone. No need to fight over it."

She then gave the other piece to Niu Niu.

Zai Zai stared at the candy in his palm, couldn't help but fall into thought.

This wasn't just a dream, and neither was the Mommy before him now.

In an instant, as if a weight had been lifted from him, Zai Zai fell fast asleep.

In his dream, he heard a very familiar voice calling his name.

"Fu Hanzhi."

"Fu Hanzhi, do—do you like me?"

"Hahaha, Fu Hanzhi, you’re such a goofball! This gun, that’s not how you use it."

"Fu Hanzhi, are you and Ji Liangchuan good friends?"

"Hey Fu Hanzhi, why do you have such an icy-cold face but blush so easily? That won’t do—you’ll have trouble getting a wife like that."

"Fu Hanzhi, is that girl your girlfriend?"

"Fu Hanzhi, Ji Liangchuan told me that girl is your sister. Why didn't you tell me? I thought she was your girlfriend. By the way, your sister is gorgeous! You two are such good-looking siblings."

"Fu Hanzhi, why did you do this?"

"Fu Hanzhi, you've changed."

"Fu Hanzhi, I'm so disappointed in you."

The last time she heard that voice was during the explosion, when she was screaming in anguish: "Fu Hanzhi—don't—"

"Zai Zai, Zai Zai?"

"Zai Zai, we're home now. You shouldn't sleep anymore, or you won't be able to sleep tonight."

"Zai Zai?"

Looking at his son's sleeping face, Fu Tinghua couldn't help saying: "Never mind, let him sleep a bit more."

"That's right, we shouldn't wake sleeping children—it could affect their development. Dr. Fu, is that correct?" Su He asked proudly while looking at Fu Tinghua.

Her expression successfully amused Fu Tinghua.

"Right, everything you say is right."

Su He kept asking him medical questions for some reason, with a look that said "I'm pretty smart, right? Tell me I'm smart!" which left Fu Tinghua both entertained and frustrated.

"Alright, let's head inside first. I wonder if Mom and Dad have started planting trees—we ought to show them how."

"Mom, I want brother to wake up and play with me." Niu Niu always followed her brother around, and now that he was sleeping in, she didn't know what to do with herself.

"Mom can't wake your brother. Want to give it a shot?"