A Shocking Dream

Lin Wunian walked down the path in a gloomy mood, unconsciously kicking a stone. The stone rolled forward and eventually landed in the grass by the roadside. Lin Wunian paid no attention and continued walking towards the eaves ahead.

Meanwhile, a man crouched in the bushes, lost in his own thoughts. Suddenly, he was struck by a flying stone. He raised his head in pain, his eyes bloodshot and his face grim. His furious gaze fixed on the direction where Lin Wunian had disappeared, as if he wanted to engrave that figure in his mind.

Lin Wunian walked alone in the silent night, her mind racing. All around her was pitch black, with only the faint moonlight barely illuminating the path. Suddenly, she sensed a looming figure in the darkness. Startled, she stopped, and stared warily in that direction.

She gathered her consciousness and took a closer look. This look was not a big deal, but it almost made her angry to death. In the darkness, Qin Rongchen stood quietly in front of her, his posture upright, as if waiting for her.

"Damn, are these uncle and nephew seriously ill in the middle of the night?" Lin Wunian couldn't help but complain. She really couldn't understand why these uncle and nephew would appear in the middle of the night one after another.

Lin Wunian frowned as she slowly walked towards Qin Rongchen. The night breeze ruffled her hair, causing her skirt to flutter slightly. Qin Rongchen stood there, as still as a statue, his face expressionless as he watched her approach.

Lin Wunian stopped a few steps away from Qin Rongchen and looked up at him. Qin Rongchen's gaze was deep and complex, locked tightly on her. The woman before him had bright and determined eyes, yet a hint of doubt; her expression was stubborn yet also a bit confused, a completely unfamiliar look. Yet, for some reason, Qin Rongchen felt a sense of familiarity, as if they had known each other for a long, long time.

"What on earth do you want?" Lin Wunian was the first to break the silence, his tone tinged with impatience. Qin Rongchen was slightly startled, then slowly spoke, "I... I don't know why, but I feel like you look familiar." Hearing this, Lin Wunian smiled sarcastically, "Huh, this way of chatting me up is too old-fashioned."

Qin Rongchen ignored her ridicule and remained immersed in his own thoughts. He tried hard to recall, trying to find any clues related to this woman from the depths of his memory.

Lin Wunian raised his chin slightly, a hint of doubt flashing in his eyes: "You said you felt that I looked familiar? But I'm sure we have never met before. Could it be that you recognized the wrong person?"

Qin Rongchen frowned slightly, his eyes fixed on Lin Wunian: "No, this feeling is very strong, I won't be mistaken. Your demeanor, your aura, both make me feel extremely familiar."

Lin Wunian snorted lightly: "Ridiculous, I don't remember any intersection with you. If you are fine, I will leave." As she said that, she turned around and was about to leave.

Qin Rongchen quickly reached out to stop her: "Wait, even if you think I recognized the wrong person, but since there is such a coincidence, we might as well talk about it, maybe we can solve this mystery."

Lin Wunian stopped and looked at Qin Rongchen hesitantly: "What are you talking about? I don't have that much time to chat with you. My life is ordinary and there's nothing much to say. But you, standing here in the middle of the night, what is your purpose?"

Qin Rongchen sighed softly: "I really don't have any purpose, but the moment I saw you, the familiar feeling in my heart made me stop involuntarily. I also want to know where this feeling comes from."

Lin Wunian stared straight at Qin Rongchen, questioning in his tone: "Did you see an old friend when you saw my white hair? Or do you think I have the appearance of an old friend?"

Qin Rongchen was slightly startled. His gaze lingered on Lin Wunian's white hair for a moment, then returned to her stubborn gaze. "I don't know," Qin Rongchen said slowly, a hint of confusion in his voice. "It's just that the moment I saw you, an indescribable feeling welled up in my heart. It felt both strange and familiar, and I couldn't help but want to get closer to you and figure it all out."

Lin Wunian snorted coldly, "Hmph, that's easy for you to say. You stopped me for no reason just because of this inexplicable feeling? Do you know how much trouble this will cause me?"

Qin Rongchen looked guilty. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to disturb you. It's just that this feeling is too strong for me to ignore."

Lin Wunian frowned, a hint of doubt flashing in his eyes: "Then tell me, who is your old friend? Why did you think of her when you saw me?"

Qin Rongchen was silent for a moment, as if reminiscing about something. "My old friend... she was a very special woman. Brave, kind, and intelligent." Qin Rongchen's eyes softened, as if lost in beautiful memories. As he spoke, his expression dimmed. "Because of an accident... I lost track of her. Over the years, I've been searching for her, but to no avail."

"Then why do you think I am your old friend? Or what is the relationship between me and your old friend?" Lin Wunian continued to ask.

Qin Rongchen shook his head: "I'm not sure. But your white hair and your demeanor make me feel familiar. Maybe it's just my illusion, but I still want to find out."

Lin Wunian stood there, speechless. She stared at Qin Rongchen, her eyes rolling from time to time, and a hint of annoyance. She really didn't understand why Qin Rongchen was so stubborn.

"Didn't you say that you lost track of her and haven't found her in all these years? How can you be sure that she has white hair like me?" Lin Wunian's voice was filled with questioning and dissatisfaction.

Qin Rongchen's eyes were deep and complex. He looked at Lin Wunian quietly for a long time before he slowly spoke: "That white hair is like a unique mark, deeply imprinted in my heart. The moment I saw you in Linzhou, a familiar feeling came over me. That white hair, that figure, made me think of her involuntarily."

Lin Wunian bit her lip and cursed Qin Ruoyu in her heart. He must have told Qin Rongchen about seeing her at Qiuluo Mountain. No wonder Qin Rongchen said she was familiar with him when she first arrived in Linzhou.

Lin Wunian frowned. "Just because of my white hair? That's ridiculous. There are so many people with white hair in the world. How can you conclude that I'm related to her based on just this one thing?"

Qin Rongchen shook his head slightly: "No, it's not just the white hair. Your temperament and your eyes are also similar to hers. Over the years, I have never given up looking for her. I remember every detail in my heart."