Chapter 1944: Chapter 1944: Mirror World (21)
After arguing noisily for an hour or so, they eventually decided to let them move after the New Year, given it’s almost New Year’s.
All the illegal constructions in this area will have to be torn down at that time; some people are dissatisfied, but there’s nothing they can do.
After Chuzheng and Father Yuk bought a gold-trimmed bowl for the house, Mother Yuk didn’t let them leave home again, and managed to buy everything needed within a few days.
Every day, Chuzheng just lies around at home without doing anything.
These past two days, even the Good Person Card hasn’t been around often; maybe he’s busy with that lottery thing.
Although it’s almost New Year, with a ten-year gap, every Chinese New Year doesn’t fall on the same day.
Cheng Mu’s side has theirs many days in advance.
——Aren’t you going out to hang out with your classmates?
Chuzheng knows Father Cheng and his stepmother aren’t home; only Cheng Mu is at home right now.
"Not interested." Cheng Mu huddles in the chair, eating ice cream with crossed legs.
——It’s so cold, and you’re still eating ice cream?
"...I just want to eat!" It’s none of your business!
Chuzheng can hear the sounds of fireworks on Cheng Mu’s side, as the youth sits alone in the chair, with dim lighting falling on him, inexplicably feeling somewhat lonely.
He grips the spoon, occasionally digging in, his expression slightly low.
The phone on the table rings and stops, stops and rings again, until it finally falls silent.
Chuzheng also feels down, pacing back and forth in the room, her gaze at the mirror becoming increasingly off.
[Hey, steady yourself, if this mirror breaks, it’s really over.]
Chuzheng: "..."
Chuzheng pulls out the chair and sits down.
——Cheng Mu.
"Hm?" The youth slightly raises an eyebrow, not knowing why Chuzheng suddenly called him.
——You have me.
The youth is taken aback.
The writing on the mirror is neat and beautiful.
Cheng Mu couldn’t recognize those three words at the moment.
What does she mean?
Cheng Mu feels inexplicably aware of his heartbeat, his hand involuntarily tightening around the ice cream cup.
A few seconds later, the youth relaxes, scoops a bit of ice cream and stuffs it into his mouth: "Hey, you’re ten years older than me, don’t target me just because I look handsome, okay?"
——In ten years, you’ll be one year older than me.
"..." The ice cream melts on the tongue, spreading cold from the throat to the chest, turning all limbs into icy shards: "Have you found the me in ten years?"
Initially, Cheng Mu showed no big reaction upon hearing this news.
But does he really not care?
Where has he gone in ten years?
Why is there not a single trace?
——Cheng Mu, I am waiting for you in ten years.
Dong——
The clock strikes twelve as Chuzheng finishes writing the last word, a cluster of fireworks bursts outside the window, the fluctuating brightness enveloping the youth.
He gawks at the words on the mirror, not reacting for a long time.
How did he end up going to bed? Cheng Mu can’t quite remember.
The next day, Cheng Mu is woken up by knocking on the door, Father Cheng’s voice penetrates through the door panel, telling him to change clothes and come down quickly.
Every year it’s the same routine, Cheng Mu has no expectations and doesn’t want to get out of bed, sprawling on the bed for quite a while.
Eventually, he gets up and finds a box on the table, with a note under it.
Cheng Mu suddenly recalls last night’s events, hesitantly pulling out the note from under the box.
——Happy New Year.
Cheng Mu holds the note and stares at it for a long time, finally putting it down, opening the box.
Inside the box are ordinary bear-shaped cookies; they’re common, many people even make them.
Yet, the moment Cheng Mu sees the cookies, his eyes sting slightly.
This bear cookie is different from the others, Cheng Mu can recognize it at a glance.
He picks one up and bites into it, crispy, sweet, exactly like those from his memory.
Cheng Mu hugs the box and sits down, looking at the mirror, the depths of his dark pupils flickering with tiny lights.
His dry lips part slightly, his voice hoarse: "How did you find this?" In his world, this has been out of production; it can’t be found anymore.
He didn’t ask if the person on the other side was there, intuition told him that she must be there.
She is following him.
Waiting for him.
Sure enough, words soon appeared on the mirror.
——Asked your friend. Do you like it?
"..." Friend... Li Huan, perhaps? Only he would know. "It’s been discontinued; will it still be there in ten years?"
——No.
"Then how did you..."
——The factory may be gone, but the people and the recipe still exist; recreating it isn’t difficult.
——It’s good as long as you like it.
"...Thank you."
——You’re welcome.
Cheng Mu hugged the box and smiled suddenly, just for a second, then quickly pressed the cover back on the box and tucked it into the drawer, "My dad called, I better go downstairs first."
Without waiting for Chuzheng’s reply, Cheng Mu left the room directly.
The door closed, Cheng Mu leaned against the wall, exhaling.
He didn’t particularly like those cookies, but his mother did. Whether happy or not, she always bought those cookies.
So, after his mother disappeared without a trace, he always went to buy this kind of cookie.
Later...
He couldn’t find them anymore.
Just like his mother, she vanished one day suddenly.
"What are you standing there for? Why are you like this today, not even changing clothes? Are you trying to challenge me during New Year?"
Father Cheng somehow appears at the staircase, looking at him with displeasure.
Cheng Mu snaps back to reality, realizing he rushed out too quickly and is still wearing his pajamas.
Cheng Mu glances at Father Cheng, doesn’t talk back, letting the servant fetch clothes for him.
Father Cheng originally intended to scold him a bit, but seeing Cheng Mu unusually not talking back, he kept silent with a stern face and went downstairs.
-
Cheng Mu is compelled to participate in family activities, entirely absent-minded, dismissively retorting when greeted by people.
Cheng Mu hates these hypocritical occasions; these people likely don’t want sincerely to talk with him, but are forced by status to socialize.
The next few days, Cheng Mu is quite busy.
Occasionally when he returns, he seems to avoid Chuzheng, either sealing the mirror or staying out of its view.
This made Chuzheng quite annoyed.
It’s one thing she can’t touch, now she can’t even look.
Is there anyone more pitiful than her?
This isn’t okay for someone as formidable as her!
But there’s no choice, so frustrating.
Wanting to do things that socialism successors wouldn’t to cleanse the soul.
Chuzheng finally catches the Good Person Card one day.
——Why are you avoiding me?
"I’m not." The youth answers quickly, "Just really busy lately."
He isn’t lying, he’s indeed incredibly busy.
Busy meeting relatives through unknown family connections, meeting Father Cheng’s business acquaintances.
——Oh.
This word of Chuzheng was too cold, making Cheng Mu feel a bit uneasy, the room suddenly falling into silence.
Cheng Mu paces around, outside the view of the mirror, irritably ruffling his hair.
He glances at the mirror, only seeing his own room in it, but he seems to be able to see the person on the other side through the mirror.
In ten years, what will she be like?
