Winter Returns

Chapter 247 A Fleeting Dream of the Past (Part 5)
He stood in the cold wind on the deserted platform.

Logically, one should be looking down at their phone while waiting for a bus, or at least playing a song in their headphones. But Zhang Shutong didn't. He simply placed his hands on his knees and gazed at the black smoke in the distance.

His interference in this world was becoming increasingly profound—the fact that he could sit and wait for the bus was the best proof of that. Zhang Shutong stroked the cold seat and looked at his hands, but he still didn't know what the "deepest secret" meant.

The death of Lu's mother?

All Zhang Shutong could do was follow her to see, but women's whereabouts were often unpredictable. Once, when he opened his eyes in the temple, he wanted to follow her down the mountain as he had done before, but she was just reading a book in a side hall.

Another time, he woke up at school and rushed up the mountain. He arrived at the temple, breathless, only to find the hall empty.

Even the time when women return home at night is becoming increasingly unpredictable.

He had a definite sense of what was about to happen, like a concealed gun. The trigger was pulled, ready to fire. But you didn't know when it would fire, only who it was pointed at.

Is this a dream, or fragments of past memories?

He should have understood when he saw Lu Qinglian cover her eyes and her vision go black on the ship. If she hadn't personally experienced that scene, how could he have "followed" Lu's mother onto the ship?

This has already happened.

Even though it had already happened, Zhang Shutong still prayed for a miracle. Since it was a dream and not a cold reality, there should be a miracle, right? Maybe her father, whom she had been waiting for, would arrive by train at the last minute. Even if he couldn't change anything, at least he could be there to listen to her sing a song.

Zhang Shutong looked up and saw that the train was indeed getting closer.

Now his life revolves around three points: school, the train platform, and the temple. The scale of time has become blurred; sometimes he opens his eyes to dawn, sometimes to dusk, and he can no longer distinguish whether a day has not yet passed or a new day has begun.

But his route was always the same. If he woke up in the temple, he would accompany Lu Qinglian to school. If he woke up at school, he would walk to the station alone, sit quietly on the platform for a while, and then walk back.

He had almost finished his tasks for the day, so he dusted himself off and got up from the bench.

When the sun sets and sinks into the lake, it's time for Lu Qinglian to get out of school.

Zhang Shutong walked towards the school gate. He passed a supermarket where there were jars of bubble gum on the counter. He tried to grab a few pieces, but the owner was looking at the newspaper and seemed not to notice.

Zhang Shutong actually wanted to pay, but no one could hear him speak, let alone notice his presence.

He walked slowly down the street, chewing bubble gum. The wrapper said it was watermelon flavored, but it tasted like nothing at all.

He looked at the city at sunset, children laughing and running through the streets. Eight or nine years ago, it was gray and dilapidated. At first, Zhang Shutong did not understand the meaning in those laughs, but later he realized that it was because the future was getting better little by little.

Life will get better and better, the world will get better and better—this is something every child naturally believes. Because it was getting better in the past, it will definitely get better in the future.

Will it really get better?

If he were outside of a dream, perhaps he would say:
"Lu Qinglian, the situation is getting worse and worse. Let's think of a solution together..."

But now he is all alone. Strangely enough, even though he has been traveling with Lu Qinglian all this time and has walked the same paths she has walked, they both feel that they are alone.

Lost in thought, Zhang Shutong was startled when, with a snap, the bubble on her lip popped.

He was in a deserted alley, the route they took every day to and from school. The road was clean, without branches or pebbles. Zhang Shutong, quite rudely, spat his red chewing gum on the ground, put his hands in his pockets, and continued walking.

Besides the Bible, Lu's mother also had a copy of the Doctrine of the Mean in her collection of books. It said, "A gentleman is cautious even when he is alone." The gist of it is that one should pay attention to one's character and behavior even when alone. Zhang Shutong was destined not to be a gentleman. This was just a dream. Besides, he was in a bad mood, so it didn't matter if he was a little dirty.

Soon after, he arrived at the school. After Lu Qinglian left the school gate, the two returned to the temple as usual. When they opened their eyes again, it was already morning.

What came into view were two figures, one large and one small, practicing together.

Lu Qinglian has always been very smart; she learns everything extremely quickly, even fighting.

These past few days, Zhang Shutong has been watching her do her morning exercises. At first, she was easily tripped and knocked to the ground by Lu's mother, then she managed to defend herself a few times, and now she is struggling to hold on. Although she has been in a sorry state, Lu's mother's actions have become increasingly ruthless.

Today she seems to be more than just playing defense:

Lu Qinglian tilted her head, dodging an oncoming punch, her high ponytail swaying slightly.
She immediately ducked, dodging the woman's second punch. Lu Qinglian twisted her slender waist, sweeping her leg horizontally, raising dust and her shoe arcing across the ground, but the woman easily dodged it—

But this was just a feint. Amidst the rising dust, Lu Qinglian could be seen supporting herself with one hand, while her other leg was already poised to strike. At this moment, it shot out like an arrow. Even Lu's mother was taken aback for a moment. But when the leg slammed into front of her, there was no shoe, only a small foot wearing a sock.

Lu Qinglian fell flat on her backside.

Looking down, she realized that her shoes hadn't kept up with her movements and were still in place.

The woman's scolding followed:

"You're too impatient. It's only been a short time, and you're already thinking of attacking?"

Lu Qinglian merely frowned slightly, as if something was amiss.

She tiptoed to pick up her shoe, taking a few steps until the sole was turned inside out, then said with annoyance:
"There is something."

Zhang Shutong stood there, stunned.

He stared in disbelief at the red "mud" stuck to the sole of his shoe. He checked and checked again, and it was the chewing gum he had spat out yesterday!
A piece of bubble gum that she accidentally popped was spat into the alleyway she had to take to get home, and she accidentally stepped on it, causing her shoes to stick to the ground during her morning exercise.

Such a simple thing, yet it stirred a ripple in this dream that was as still as stagnant water.

Without that annoying candy, she should have unleashed a fierce kick that would have momentarily stunned even her powerful mother, but instead, she has now slipped and fallen to the ground.

Things have taken a completely different turn!

It's all because of that piece of candy I spat out.

It's all up to me!

But isn't this something that already happened?
Zhang Shutong touched his mouth in astonishment, a sudden, unbelievable thought forming in his mind. Yes, events in dreams usually follow a fixed trajectory, and as an outsider, he shouldn't be able to change anything. But as his interference in this world deepened, he actually changed something very small. Did that mean—

Own……

Can this dream be changed?

Change the already predetermined outcome!

He leaped up from the steps, pacing excitedly. Perhaps this was the greatest secret of the dream created by the fox statue—

If you truly treat it as an unchangeable past, you will forever be trapped in your dreams. But if you change the course of a certain point... Zhang Shutong didn't know what would happen in reality. He just remembered the sad fox and thought about giving it a try.

He tried various things at school that day. First, he tried to write a message on a piece of paper, but the writing disappeared as soon as he put it on.

While Lu Qinglian was taking a nap, he tried to open the window a crack. The cold wind ruffled her hair, but she lay on the table with her eyes half-closed.

When the ink in her fountain pen ran out, Zhang Shutong pushed the cap off the table. The cap rolled off the table with a clatter, but Lu Qinglian reached out without looking up, grabbed it, and slammed the window shut beside her.

Zhang Shutong even went to great lengths to pull out a chair when she got up, thinking that she would be aware if she fell, but Lu Qinglian didn't sit down at all. She leaned against the window in the corridor, holding the sheet music for New Year's Day, and hummed the song she had been rehearsing.

Not enough, far from enough. Zhang Shutong's heart grew more and more anxious. The change he could bring about was still too small, so small that it was regarded as an insignificant accident, just like who would think that a window that was not closed properly was opened by someone.
He suddenly realized that his goal all along had been wrong. He always wanted to do something to awaken Lu Qinglian, but what he needed to do was not to investigate but to stop her. Clearly, Lu's mother was the key.

The next morning, Zhang Shutong waited outside the main hall. A woman dressed in white was standing in front of the statue with her hands clasped together, whispering something. He tried to shake the old wooden door, and it creaked as if the wind had suddenly picked up.

The woman inside the hall ignored him. He increased the pressure on his hands; before, even pushing the door open a crack had taken all his strength, but now he could swing it back and forth. Zhang Shutong even fanned himself, causing the woman's clothes to flutter. Finally, she looked up. Madam Lu turned and walked towards the wooden door. Zhang Shutong didn't expect her to notice anything amiss, so he quickly ran to the statue and blew out the candles. The hall suddenly darkened, as if someone had encountered a ghost in broad daylight. The woman indeed stopped. Just as Zhang Shutong was about to counter his move, Madam Lu lifted a small figure from behind the wooden door—

Lu Qinglian didn't go to school again.

Sure enough, it happened again. He was instantly disappointed; it seemed as if the world was working against him.

The woman put Lu Qinglian down on the ground and whispered a few words before Lu Qinglian reluctantly turned around and walked away.

Zhang Shutong sighed and watched her figure disappear outside the temple gate. As expected, everything went black again, but he waited for a second, two seconds... half a minute passed, but his vision remained unchanged.

I'm still standing inside the hall!
Just as Zhang Shutong was feeling a sense of disbelief, Lu Mu had already returned to the statue and lit the candles. By the candlelight, the snake's left eye became even dimmer, as if it would soon turn completely black.

Zhang Shutong couldn't hear what Lu's mother was whispering. He didn't believe in God, so it was difficult for him to guess what she was saying.

Is it a prayer? Faith seems to be like this: when you're at your wit's end, the only thing you can do is believe that your God will not abandon you.

Zhang Shutong didn't even know what the Green Snake Temple's doctrines were. This wasn't a church, and there was no pastor preaching about love and hope, so he didn't know if the Green Snake God had responded. But no matter what response the snake gave, he had to stop it.

Zhang Shutong blew out the candles again, and the hall became dark once more. This time, the woman did not light them. In the darkness, she silently stared at the statue, lost in thought for a long time. After thinking of something, she put on her outer robe and walked down the mountain.

Zhang Shutong recognized the direction the fishing boat was moored. Along the way, the mother seemed preoccupied and didn't walk very fast, so he ran forward with all his might. When Zhang Shutong reached the side of the boat, he quickly untied the rope tied to the bow and pushed the fishing boat hard.

When Lu Mu arrived, all she saw was an empty surface of water.

She then looked at the rope, which had clearly been deliberately untied, and sighed with a slight headache.

Zhang Shutong, panting, thought that perhaps the woman felt that Lu Qinglian had done all of this in secret, but it didn't matter what she thought, as long as she could slow down the other party.

Yes, it's about slowing her down. Zhang Shutong desperately needs time, lots and lots of time, until the world sees him. That's the opportunity he's been waiting for.

Lu's mother didn't rush to find the boat. She turned and left, heading towards the city. Zhang Shutong was about to follow when the familiar darkness came into view.

He stood in the empty corridor, listening to the singing coming from the classroom of Class 2-1.

Lu Qinglian stood in the front row of the choir. Today was a formal rehearsal. The girls were not playing around like before. Instead, they were all very nervous and serious. They had also put on light makeup. Zhang Shutong noticed a blush on Lu Qinglian's fair cheeks, as if she was shy.

As I walked out of the teaching building, a figure with long hair reaching her shoulders was standing there waiting.

Lu's mother was carrying a large plastic bag. No one expected her to be here. Lu Qinglian was startled, and Zhang Shutong was also surprised. He saw that the plastic bag contained meat and vegetables, and the woman's trouser legs were stained with mud, as if she had just come from the market.

Why did Mom come?

Lu Qinglian asked, puzzled, and subconsciously covered her face. The classroom was heated during rehearsals, and as she sang earnestly, sweat beaded on her forehead. If she were a cat, she would be a tabby cat now.

"What do you think?" the woman said helplessly. "It's all because of you."

Lu Qinglian tilted her head in confusion.

“You’re worried about me, and your mother is worried about you too.” Lu’s mother tapped her head. “What’s the use of pretending to be stupid now?”

Lu Qinglian was genuinely confused. She didn't know that she had just taken the blame for someone this morning. Zhang Shutong chuckled to himself, then felt a surge of joy, because the scene before him proved his deduction was correct. He had undoubtedly changed the past slightly again, albeit only a little.

Without that untied boat, her mother wouldn't have picked her up from school, and there wouldn't have been fresh meat and vegetables in the plastic bag.

Instead of rushing back to the mountain, they held hands and went to the lakeside.

The lake water was tinged orange, and soon a long night would follow. They paused before this disappearing landscape.

The woman asked after a long pause:

Do you remember the fight you got into before?

Lu Qinglian turned her face away.

“I heard from my classmates that you’ve been standing up for people lately and have received a lot of snacks in return.”

Lu Qinglian stiffened, her eyes lowered as she pondered a reason.

“You did the right thing,” the woman said. “It was right not to take action, but it’s okay to eat some snacks. Why can’t you make yourself happy? Being a temple keeper is something that requires perseverance, so you need to find more things that make you happy, otherwise you’ll eventually give up. Remember that saying? Be more tolerant, more patient, more…”

She paused here, then winked at Lu Qinglian like a young girl:
"A little more hope."

Her tone was extremely lively, but Lu Qinglian was unmoved by her words. After listening, she thought for a moment and then started staring at the plastic bag again.

—I'm hungry.

Zhang Shutong translated for her.

“I’ve already bought it, how could I not make it for you?” Mrs. Lu smiled, then understood what she meant. “You’re even more eager for it than I was when I was a child.”

"Mmm." Lu Qinglian nodded her chin.

Zhang Shutong translated again: "Mom, you understand perfectly, and you can always understand it this way."

The sun had set. Zhang Shutong glanced at the black smoke behind him. It seemed that no one in this world could perceive the train's presence, yet it was indeed getting closer.

They returned to the mountain in high spirits. Lu's mother cooked for him, but Zhang Shutong didn't get to enjoy the meal. It was as if he was being punished for spitting out bubble gum; he still couldn't eat a real meal.

A lamp was lit outside the side hall, and steam rose from the freshly cooked food in the darkness. The mother and daughter sat facing each other at a small square dining table. Although they couldn't eat, Zhang Shutong could smell the aroma of the food.

Lu Qinglian was gnawing on a piece of braised pork ribs when an even stronger aroma wafted into her nostrils. Zhang Shutong thought to himself, "It's fine if you don't thank me, the hero, but why are you deliberately tempting me?"
In protest, he pulled back the door of the side hall, hoping the breeze would dissipate the aroma of the ribs, but to no avail. The door was indeed quite thick, and it exhausted him.

That evening, they struck a sparring stance again. The woman had never allowed Lu Qinglian to use her fists at night before, but perhaps because she had just eaten a big meal, her educational approach was to give her a carrot and then a stick. Of course, this time the movements were much gentler. What an interesting mother.

After a brief exchange, both mother and daughter were slightly sweaty.

"That's all for today." The woman exhaled. "Go back to your room, take a shower, and change your clothes."

In fact, Lu Qinglian would have done the same thing without being told; she has been a germaphobe since she was a child.

She obediently went inside. The door was ajar, and she asked softly:
Will Mom come to the performance on New Year's Day?

The woman hesitated for a moment, then simply closed the door. Zhang Shutong shook his head, thinking, "It seems I haven't done enough. I'll only be considered successful when Mother Lu agrees immediately. There's still a long way to go."

In the end, Lu's mother did not speak, but gently picked up the door latch and considerately locked the door of the side hall.

The door latch was at least an inch thick, and he definitely couldn't lift it now. Zhang Shutong really wanted to complain. Hey, that's a bit hurtful. He's not a pervert who peeks at people taking a bath. Is it necessary to be so guarded?

But no one can see you at all.

Zhang Shutong stared blankly at the woman's face, where two tear tracks slowly rolled down her cheeks.

The gun fired.

(End of this chapter)