I was a rookie reporter in the 00s

As night fell and the city lights gradually brightened, Zhang Wanqing dragged her exhausted body back home. Her heart was filled with loss and confusion, the failure of her time travel weighing like a heavy stone on her chest. Standing at her doorstep, she took a deep breath, trying to calm herself and prepare to face the concerns of her family and friends.

Zhang Wanqing opened the door to her home, and was greeted by warm lights and the familiar aroma of food. Her father, Professor Zhang, sat on the sofa in the living room, a book in hand, his glasses slipping down his nose. He looked elegant and kind. He looked up at his daughter, and a hint of worry flashed in his eyes.

"Wanqing, you're back." Professor Zhang's voice was gentle and full of concern.

Zhang Wanqing nodded. In this home, she always felt warm and peaceful. She put down her backpack, sat across from her father, and tried to force a smile: "Dad, I'm fine."

Professor Zhang put down the book, his eyes deep. "Wanqing, your eyes tell me that you are not well. What happened?"

Zhang Wanqing hesitated for a moment and did not tell her father about her failed time travel, because no one knew that she had traveled through time.

Professor Zhang was silent for a moment, then slowly said, "Wanqing, no matter what happens, remember that you still have your family. Failure is not terrible; what matters is what we can learn from it."

Zhang Wanqing's eyes flashed with tears, and she was deeply moved: "Dad, thank you, thank you for your understanding."

The next day, Zhang Wanqing met her good friend Li Wei at a cafe. Li Wei was a cheerful girl who always brought positive energy to Zhang Wanqing. She sat across from her, her eyes filled with worry.

"Wanqing, you look very tired. Is it because of too much pressure at work?" Li Wei's voice was full of concern.

Zhang Wanqing sighed.

Li Wei didn't ask any more questions. She just held her hand and said, "Wanqing, no matter what decision you make, I will support you. But you also have to learn to take care of yourself and don't let yourself get too tired."

Zhang Wanqing felt a surge of warmth in her heart, and she said gratefully, "Weiwei, I'm really lucky to have a friend like you."

Zhang Wanqing stood at her doorstep and took a deep breath. She knew what she was about to do wouldn't be easy. She needed to explain to her family that she had traveled from the Tang Dynasty and her failed attempts to return. This was both a spiritual release and a profound self-analysis for her.

Zhang Wanqing gently knocked on her father's study door, and Professor Zhang's voice came from inside: "Come in." She pushed the door open and saw her father sitting at the desk, holding a thick ancient book in his hand, his glasses slipped down his nose, looking both elegant and kind.

Zhang Wanqing walked up to her father and said softly, "Dad, I want to talk to you."

Zhang Wanqing took a deep breath and began to recount her time-travel experience. She began with the first time she was struck by lightning, then described how she consulted ancient books, searched online for ancient and modern Chinese and foreign materials, discovered the mysterious diary, interpreted its clues, prepared for the ritual, activated the mechanism on the altar, and her several failures.

Her voice began to tremble, and tears flashed in her eyes: "Dad, do you believe that I am a time traveler?"

Professor Zhang said nothing, just nodded.

After dinner, Zhang Wanqing sat on the sofa in the living room. Her mother brought her a cup of hot tea, sat down next to her, and asked softly, "Wanqing, you seem to have something on your mind lately. Can you talk to me about it?"

Zhang Wanqing took the teacup, feeling the warmth in her hands. She knew it was time to confess to her mother. She began to recount her journey through time, detailing every detail, from her initial discovery to her ultimate failure. Her voice choked with emotion. Her mother gently stroked her head, her eyes filled with love. A warmth welled up in Zhang Wanqing's heart.

The next day, Zhang Wanqing's brother Zhang Chen came back from school. He noticed that his sister was in a low mood, so he took the initiative to ask, "Sister, what's wrong with you recently? You don't look very happy."

Zhang Wanqing looked at her brother's concerned eyes and decided to share her own experience with him. She took the mysterious diary from the bookshelf and handed it to her brother: "Chenchen, I have something to show you."

Zhang Chen took the diary and flipped through it curiously, while Zhang Wanqing explained the contents of the diary and her own time travel attempt. There was a hint of helplessness in her voice: "Chenchen, I failed. I couldn't realize my dream of time travel."

After listening to this, Zhang Chen's eyes flashed with determination: "Sister, I believe you are a time traveler, and I believe you will definitely find a new way. Besides, no matter what, you are my best sister."

A surge of strength surged in Zhang Wanqing's heart, and her inner monologue was filled with warmth: "Chenchen, I am really happy to have a brother like you."

Late at night, Zhang Wanqing sat alone at her desk, playing with the mysterious jade pendant. She began to reflect on her behavior. Was she really too obsessed with traveling through time?

"This jade pendant carries too many hopes and disappointments for me. Should I give up the idea of ​​time travel and enjoy my current life? This world is strange but full of love. I have parents and a younger brother who love me, friends who care about me, and a decent job waiting for me. What should I choose?" Zhang Wanqing was in a dilemma.

"Perhaps, I should learn to cherish the present instead of always chasing the past. How can time travel be so simple? Perhaps, time travel is a one-way journey, you can only come or go, only once."

A few days later, Zhang Wanqing once again stood in the ancient books section of the library. Her eyes were no longer filled with the confusion and frustration she'd felt before, replaced by a resolute determination. She knew her time travel plan wouldn't end there, but she also needed to learn to balance her dreams and reality. She began to flip through more ancient books, searching for new clues. She knew it would be a long journey, but she was ready.

"Traveling back to the Tang Dynasty is my dream, but I also need to learn to enjoy my present life. Perhaps, when I'm ready, the opportunity will come. Well, I'll live my life while waiting for the day when the rift in time and space opens."

As she left the library, she looked up at the sky, her heart filled with anticipation for the future. She knew that no matter what the road ahead held, she would bravely move forward.