Chapter 35 is just a dream

  That soft touch seemed to still linger on his lips for a second or two. Chu Li felt a slight fever in his body, and his cheeks were also slightly hot, so he stood on the balcony blowing cool air. He had been standing outside for a long time, so he didn't see Xiao Chuan's frowning face after he left.

  Xiaochan wasn't awakened by his kiss, but rather fell into her own dreamland.

  When Chu Li finally came back, she only saw that her entire forehead and nose were sweating profusely, and she was still muttering something in her mouth, looking very painful. Chu Li hurried over to shake her, trying to wake her up "Xiao Cui, Xiao Cui."

  Then Xiaochan opened her eyes, and at this time she was soaked all over, especially one side of her face, which was wet and soggy due to the melting ice cubes. However, it's worth mentioning that her face had already reduced swelling. She stared at Chuli without blinking, as if she hadn't woken up from her dream yet.

  "What's wrong?" Chu Li dared not ask loudly, afraid of scaring her, and could only ask very softly.

  "I had a nightmare, my parents showed me a 50 yuan note that was torn and taped together, we didn't know if it was real or not, and we looked at it over and over again. Then I wanted to go downstairs, but the elevator door was strange, it kept closing and wouldn't let me in, finally I rushed in but couldn't get to the first floor, I went from the fifth floor to the seventh floor and back to the fifth floor, I just couldn't see the numbers on the elevator clearly, I didn't know which button to press for the first floor... Finally, I don't know how I got out, and looked at that note a few more times, I kept thinking it was fake, I remembered I had a real 50 yuan note in my pocket, but I couldn't take it out to compare, it was gone. All I could do was compare it with a 20 yuan note... Then I went into a big house, and there was a fat man who tried to take advantage of me, I just shouted once and he ran away, I didn't dare to chase him, then followed someone into the house. And then, in the big house, in all the rooms, I saw people... those people were cleaning up things that looked like humans, I knew they were dead bodies, but when I tried to look closely, I couldn't see clearly again. I was very scared and wanted to escape, but I couldn't find a way out, it was like being trapped in a maze, turning around and around but couldn't find the exit, the feeling of fear surrounded me... Finally, somehow I got out, and saw people jumping off a boat, I thought they were the murderers escaping, but no one went to catch them, I didn't dare either... Then I went back, and met many friends, including Lin Ke and Su Miao, but they all ignored me, when I approached them, they walked away. At that time, someone came over and told me the answer, he said last night someone was buried underground, and a group of people were going to rescue him, which led to today's events. He was about to tell me the real reason when I woke up." Xiaoyu said slowly, as if still immersed in her own dream, telling Chu Li about her dream world.

  She looked at Chu Li, her eyes filled with sorrow. "Chu Li, why did I have such a dream? Is it hinting something to me, is it reminding me of something? Why was I so terrified?"

  Xiaochan said as she buried her face in her knees, she still couldn't wake up from the dream, that terrible feeling was still surrounding her, it was too scary.

  She was suddenly enveloped in a warm embrace, and Chu Li's gentle voice came from above her head. "It's not that you have thoughts during the day and dreams at night, perhaps it's your current family situation that makes you feel uneasy, you worry that one day they will abandon you. You're still young, haven't grown up yet, and with a new brother added to the family, it's normal for you to have such unease. But Xiaocheng, don't be afraid, no matter what happens, I'll always be by your side, accompanying you."

  "Is that so?" Xiaocui said softly, unsure whether she was questioning his words, or his explanation, or perhaps even her own dreams which didn't seem to represent what he had said.

  "Uh, you have to believe, you won't be abandoned." Even if the whole world abandons you, I won't. He didn't dare say this out loud, as she was so scared at that moment, saying it would only make her even more afraid.

  Do you believe it? I don't know. But the only thing she knew was that she thanked him for being by her side when she woke up, so she wouldn't be alone in fear. "Chu Li, thank you, thank you for telling me these things, and also thank you for listening."

  Her future will be related to her dreams or not, she doesn't know. Whether she will be abandoned by her family in the future, she also doesn't know. And as for friends... it seems like they have already been lost, didn't Su Miao leave?

  She remembered that in her dream, she yearned for a power that could protect her and allow her to scold the man who pulled her pants without worrying about his background. But she knew it was impossible, not even in her dreams, let alone in real life. She was so weak that she didn't dare to fight back against someone who bullied her, just because she was afraid of the people behind him, more terrifying ones. It seemed that if she slapped that person once, she would never have a good day again. So she didn't dare, and could only live humbly.

  Why is she so afraid just because of a dream? Is it really just a dream? Really?

  "It's just a dream, it doesn't mean anything, don't worry." Chu Li comforted her as if he knew what she was thinking.

  Chu Li was not a big talker, but unexpectedly, he was quite good at comforting people. Xiaochan looked at him and smiled lightly, then suddenly said "Chu Li, help me ask for leave, today... I don't want to go to school."

  It's as if once she steps out of this door, she'll run into the things in her dreams. The current her needs to calm down properly and let the fear in her heart slowly disappear. But she also doesn't dare to stay alone, only pulling Chu Li's hand, anxiously saying "......you won't go either......okay?"

  I really wish there was someone who could accompany her at this moment and get through this difficult time together. Please, Chuli.

  "Good." A reply without any hesitation at all.

  "Thank you." Xiaocui proactively hugged him and buried her face in his neck, "Just let me lean on you for a bit, just for a moment."

  "Good." His hand gently landed on her slender waist upstairs.

  That day, the two of them took a leave from school at the same time and didn't go out of the house for the entire afternoon. The two of them leaned against each other quietly, purely without any impurities. It was as if they were two close friends who could talk about anything, yet it was also as if they had just met a few times but seemed to have known each other for countless years.

  After that day, everything was slowly changing, moving along a certain implied trajectory. No one knew whether the end was a whirlpool or a waterfall, or perhaps a vast ocean. Nobody knew, all they knew was that life was moving forward, people were growing up, and hearts were changing.

  Everything starts with a kiss, or maybe it all begins with a dream.