A peasant girl travels through time with a hospital, rising to become an empress.

Da Bai and Xiao Bai can understand what Tuan Tuan is saying. Although they are not happy, they still lower their little tiger heads, droop their ears, and raise their eyes to look for Nie Qianqian.

They actually enjoy listening to stories, but they can't sit still or stay quiet.

Nie Qianqian walked into the room carrying a stack of drawing paper. To make the story more vivid, she had specially drawn the key plot points.

Despite her less-than-perfect handwriting for this era, her paintings were quite skillful. She depicted Sun Wukong's fiery eyes, Tang Sanzang's kind face, and even the rocks and plants of Flower Fruit Mountain with vivid detail. When Tuantuan saw them, her eyes lit up immediately, and she gripped the edge of the drawing paper with her little hands, enjoying both listening and watching.

She sat on the edge of the bed and gently rubbed Tuan Tuan's little head: "Where did we leave off today?"

Tuantuan immediately straightened her little body and shouted in a bright, clear voice, "The Real and Fake Monkey King!"

Nie Qianqian smiled and nodded. Just as she was about to speak, Gu Xiao pushed the door open and came in, sitting silently beside her. These days, he would come over every evening to keep the two of them company and listen to their stories.

At first, he only wanted to spend more time with her, but he never expected that he would be attracted by these bizarre plots. Such a dramatic story is far superior to the folk tales. Even the great writers in the capital may not be able to write such a charming story. He didn't know where Nie Qianqian got these wonderful stories from.

"Last time, we talked about how Tang Sanzang mistakenly thought that Sun Wukong had hurt mortals, and was so angry that he drove him away." Nie Qianqian spoke slowly, her fingertips lightly touching the drawing of Sun Wukong with his hands on his hips.

"Wukong was filled with grievances. He somersaulted back to Flower Fruit Mountain, while Tang Sanzang, along with Bajie and Sha Wujing, continued their journey westward."

Tuantuan frowned, looking aggrieved for Wukong: "Why won't Tang Sanzang believe Wukong? Wukong would never kill people indiscriminately!"

“Because Tang Sanzang is a mortal,” Nie Qianqian explained softly. “He couldn’t tell that those villagers were monsters in disguise. Most people are willing to believe what they see with their eyes, but many things can only be understood by feeling and analyzing them slowly.”

"And then what? Did Wukong go back?" Tuantuan pressed, her little hands gripping the blanket tightly, even her breathing becoming softer.

"Later, a Monkey King who looked exactly like Sun Wukong appeared." Nie Qianqian turned to the next sheet of paper, where two "Wukong" stood side by side, with even the patterns on the golden cudgel being exactly the same. "Their tone of voice, the way they walked, and even their quick temper were exactly the same."

"Then Tang Sanzang will definitely be able to recognize him!" Tuantuan said anxiously. "Just like Big White and Little White, other people can never tell them apart, but I can tell which one is Big White at a glance!"

Nie Qianqian shook her head: "I can't recognize him. Tang Seng thought it was Wukong who had returned, but it turned out to be a fake. He was even knocked unconscious by the fake Wukong, who stole their luggage and trapped them on the road."

Tuantuan pouted and sniffed, "How could the fake Monkey King be so wicked? Is he Wukong's brother?"

Big White and Little White, who were lying by the bed, seemed to understand, and shook their heads, their little tails gently sweeping the ground.

Nie Qianqian continued with a smile: "Later, the real Wukong arrived, and the two started fighting as soon as they met. Their martial arts moves were exactly the same, and they fought fiercely until the sky darkened. Pigsy and Sandy couldn't tell them apart, and even Guanyin Bodhisattva couldn't tell who was real and who was fake. For a time, it was difficult to determine who was the best."

"What should we do?" Tuantuan was extremely anxious, and even Dabai and Xiaobai perked up their ears and looked up at Nie Qianqian.

"Don't worry," Nie Qianqian patted her head reassuringly. "They fought their way all the way to the Buddha. The Buddha, with his great supernatural powers, saw right through them—the fake Wukong was actually the Six-Eared Macaque in disguise! He used his magic to subdue the Six-Eared Macaque, and Wukong rejoined the pilgrimage team. Through this experience, Tang Sanzang also understood that he shouldn't be deceived by appearances and lose trust in his disciples."

As the story drew to a close, soft snores began to fill the air beside me. The little one was probably exhausted; he lay sprawled on the pillow, his little face rubbing against the pillowcase.

Big White and Little White also came over, nestled on either side of Tuan Tuan's feet, curled up into two little fur balls, and fell asleep together.

Tuantuan, however, was sleeping restlessly, her little hands tightly gripping Nie Qianqian's clothes, her brows slightly furrowed, and she muttering in her sleep:

"Mother...don't go to the provincial capital...take me with you...don't leave me..."

Nie Qianqian's heart melted instantly. She had always known that Tuantuan loved listening to stories, but she hadn't thought about it carefully. The reason this child clung to her every day was simply because he couldn't bear to part with her and wanted to accumulate more time together.

She gently stroked the soft strands of hair, her movements so light as if afraid of disturbing a dream, and coaxed softly, "Mother promises you, in two months, I will definitely send someone to pick you up and take you to the provincial capital for a reunion. You must believe me, I keep my word."

As soon as she finished speaking, her furrowed brows gradually relaxed, and her breathing became steady. Nie Qianqian tucked the blanket around her, then covered Da Bai and Xiao Bai with a small blanket before getting up and quietly leaving with Gu Xiao.

With the child fast asleep, the two had some time alone. They strolled hand in hand in the backyard of Qiyue Tower. The night was quiet, and the moonlight cast a soft glow, shrouding the pavilions in a hazy light.

“Your story is truly interesting,” Gu Xiao said first, his tone tinged with amusement. “But without the Buddha, wouldn’t the mystery of the real and fake Sun Wukong remain unsolved?”

Nie Qianqian shook her head and slowed her pace: "The truth cannot be hidden, and falsehood cannot be made true. Even without Buddha, the truth will eventually come to light."

Gu Xiao was taken aback. "The setting of this story is indeed ingenious, but in reality, how could there be people who look exactly alike and whose words, actions, and martial arts are indistinguishable?"

"Of course, it doesn't exist in reality,"

Nie Qianqian said softly, "This Six-Eared Macaque is actually the manifestation of Sun Wukong's resentment and evil thoughts—because of Tang Sanzang's distrust, he left in a huff, and this resentment became the tribulation on the journey to the West."

She slowly added, "So, the Six-Eared Macaque is a reflection of Wukong's inner self. Only by overcoming his inner demons can he truly pass this test."

After saying this, Gu Xiao fell into deep thought, his brows furrowed slightly, seemingly pondering something. After a long while, he slowly said, "Qianqian, thank you."

Nie Qianqian was taken aback, and asked inexplicably, "What are you thanking me for?"

Gu Xiao smiled slightly: "People always say that I am talented because I passed the county exam with top honors and read some of the Four Books and Five Classics. But I think you are the one with profound inner wisdom. You always inspire and enlighten me unexpectedly."

Nie Qianqian scratched her head, still not understanding what she had "inspired" her. Just as she was about to ask, Gu Xiao took her hand.

“That’s not important,” he said, his fingertips still slightly cool as he gently squeezed her hand. “We’ve been out for a while now, and it’s getting chilly at night, let’s go back.”

Gu Xiao escorted Nie Qianqian back to her room, but didn't step inside again. He simply closed the door gently and left.

During this time, the two kissed, hugged, and lifted each other up high, but they didn't take any further steps.

Nie Qianqian didn't take the initiative, and Gu Xiao also restrained himself.

Nie Qianqian: Could it be that he... is impotent?

But we already have Tuantuan, we can't...