Sheng Yan: “But why can’t we make phone calls, yet we can send messages? Do you have the internet over there?”
Jiang Hongyan: “I don’t know either. The phone shows a WiFi signal in the top right corner, but I have no idea where it’s coming from.”
Sheng Yan: “Start a video call and let me see what you look like right now. You have no idea how much I’ve suffered these past few days, how desperately I’ve missed you.”
Jiang Hongyan: “I’m sorry, honey. I never expected something like this to happen and make you worry. I’m still alive, so don’t be sad…”
Jiang Hongyan: “But if the video call connects, don’t say anything at first. I’m staying in a farmer’s house right now. It’s not even dawn yet, and they’re still asleep. I don’t want to wake them.”
Sheng Yan: “Okay, I just want to see you and know that you’re safe.”
Sheng Yan immediately tapped the video call button, but it failed to connect. Her phone displayed a message saying that the other party’s network connection was poor.
She tried a voice call as well, but the result was exactly the same.
Sheng Yan: “I tried, but I can’t start a video call. It says your network connection is poor.”
Jiang Hongyan: “I tried too. It gave me the same message.”
Sheng Yan: “Then take a few pictures and send them to me. Let me see how you’re doing, and take some photos of where you’re staying too. Since messages can be sent, pictures should work as well.”
Jiang Hongyan: “Give me a moment, I’ll try…”
In the small mountain village, Jiang Hongyan forced himself to sit up despite the pain coursing through his body.
He took several pictures of the room, then switched to the front camera and snapped a few selfies before sending them to her.
His body was covered in injuries, and the white bandages wrapped around him had already been stained red with blood. He deliberately avoided photographing those wounds, taking only pictures from the neck up.
Although there were scrapes on his face as well, they were not nearly as alarming.
It broke his heart to see her so devastated, and he did not want her worrying even more because of his injuries.
The network was terribly slow, and it took a long time for the few photos to finish uploading.
Sheng Yan waited for what felt like forever before one or two of them finally came through.
The moment she saw his gaunt face, marked with several abrasions, her heart ached unbearably.
A little while later, several more photos arrived, showing the farmer’s home where he was currently staying.
She had just opened one of the pictures and had not even had time to examine it closely when an old teapot, several teacups, and a candleholder suddenly appeared beside her.
Startled, Sheng Yan shot to her feet.
What was going on? Where did those things come from?
She looked back at her phone screen and realized that the objects that had suddenly appeared were exactly the same ones shown in the photograph.
A thought suddenly flashed through her mind.
Could sending a photo actually transport the objects from that time into her world?
She carefully studied the picture. The teapot, teacups, and candleholder had been placed on a wooden table, but the table itself had not been fully captured in the frame. It had not appeared in her house either. Only the objects resting on top of it had been transported.
She immediately opened the other photos. They showed the sparse interior of the house, with shabby walls and not even a single piece of furniture.
Looking at the items that had materialized out of thin air, Sheng Yan was astonished. She quickly sent Jiang Hongyan a message.
Sheng Yan: “Is anything missing on your side?”
Jiang Hongyan: “How did you know? It’s so strange. Right after I sent you the photos, the teapot, teacups, and candleholder on the table disappeared into thin air!”
Sheng Yan: “They’re here with me. When you sent the photo, the objects came with it!”
Jiang Hongyan was stunned.
Jiang Hongyan: “How could that happen? I also took pictures of the inside of the house. Why didn’t the house get sent over too?”
Sheng Yan: “I’m not sure, but judging from these photos, maybe… objects that aren’t fully captured can’t be transported. Look at that table. It wasn’t completely in the picture, so it didn’t come over.”
Jiang Hongyan: “Then I’ll try again.”
Jiang Hongyan temporarily left the chat window, took another picture with the entire table fully in the frame, and sent it over.
The next instant, something miraculous happened.
The table vanished before his very eyes.
At the same time, when Sheng Yan opened the photo, an old wooden table from ancient times had appeared beside her.
Overjoyed, she immediately sent him another message.
Sheng Yan: “The table made it over too! Honey, hurry and take a full body picture of yourself. Let’s see if you can transport yourself back!”
Her heart pounded violently as she eagerly anticipated Jiang Hongyan appearing beside her in the very next moment.
She had been on the verge of breaking down during the past two months. Now that she knew he was still alive, hope had suddenly returned to her life.
Jiang Hongyan was equally hopeful. He had not wanted Sheng Yan to see him so badly injured, but if he could return, none of that would matter. He was still alive, and his wounds would heal sooner or later.
He wanted to see her.
And she must be longing to see him just as desperately.