After Jiang Zhen explained her method, to be safe, they waited a few more days. Xiao Qingfeng still showed no signs of waking. Gu Liancheng then called Xiao Jianzhuo, got his consent, and tried Jiang Zhen’s method as a last resort.
The hospital room was cleared, leaving only Jiang Zhen and Gu Liancheng. Jiang Zhen said: “I’ll take you into his subconscious and try to wake him. The more familiar the person, the higher the chance. You try; I won’t go in.”
When Jiang Zhen first mentioned entering the subconscious of a comatose person, Gu Liancheng thought it unbelievable. Once inside, he realized how astonishing the human subconscious could be.
At first, there was a thick fog—like the ones he had seen in reality only a few times, dense enough to block vision within half a meter.
Through the fog, the scene suddenly cleared. He saw endless farmland, small brick houses scattered in the village. Xiao Qingfeng was planting rice, rolling up his pants. Familiar faces of villagers—who had died before liberation—appeared, imagined in Xiao Qingfeng’s world.
“Brother, why are you here? Did you come to see me? It’s been years!”
Xiao Qingfeng was pleasantly surprised. He stepped onto the ridge, washed mud off his legs in the canal, and a leech that had sucked blood was pulled off. He said: “There are so many leeches in the fields. Brother, I’m still afraid of them.”
Sand got in Gu Liancheng’s eyes. It was uncomfortable; he rubbed them instinctively.
Jiang Zhen had explained that in the subconscious, people often project their deepest fears or desires.
As a child, Xiao Qingfeng had been bitten by leeches and refused to go into the fields, earning a severe scolding from adults. He had said several times that even now, he was still afraid.
“Brother, let’s go home and see your two nephews and nieces. Thinking of them, I’m not afraid of leeches anymore.”
Had Xiao Qingfeng experienced fatherhood in his dream? Years seemed to have passed in that dream world.
…
Before reaching home, the children ran up hand-in-hand: “Daddy, you’re back!”
Xiao Qingfeng hugged them and kissed each in turn, smiling: “Let me introduce you. This is Mr. Gu, my best friend.”
“Hello, Mr. Gu,” said the children, adorably.
Gu Liancheng choked up. How could he wake Xiao Qingfeng from such a beautiful dream?
“Brother is here,” Wan Hongyan came out wearing an apron, smiling. “I just killed a chicken. I’ll cook.”
Wan Hongyan had never treated Gu Liancheng so kindly, nor would she ever live in the countryside. In his dream, Xiao Qingfeng fulfilled all his regrets.
Xiao Qingfeng and Wan Hongyan had married after an arranged meeting, living mostly apart. To Gu Liancheng, the divorce seemed minor—but entering his subconscious revealed the depth of his pain, invisible otherwise.
…
Jiang Zhen said: once inside the subconscious, it had to be swift. Delays made it more complicated. If necessary, one could destroy what Xiao Qingfeng feared or cherished to force him to wake.
Gu Liancheng would not do that.
He sat with Xiao Qingfeng by the small river; the flowing water and fish looked real.
“Qingfeng, you haven’t forgotten, right? You haven’t retired. We still had an important mission. Your divorce was approved quickly. On the way back to Fancheng, the people who injured you haven’t been caught yet. Are you really going to stay in your dream world?”
Cold sweat ran down Xiao Qingfeng’s face: “Brother, I don’t understand what you’re saying.”
“You understand,” Gu Liancheng insisted. “You haven’t forgotten. Wan Hongyan refused to come to Fancheng. How could you live in the countryside? I won’t forcibly drag you out because I understand, but others—your brother-in-law has aged from worrying about you. You consider yourself, but not him?”
…
After about ten minutes, Gu Liancheng woke. Counting the time, he had spent several hours inside—a relatively short period.
Xiao Qingfeng remained asleep. Jiang Zhen asked: “Did you destroy everything inside?”
Gu Liancheng shook his head, exhausted: “No. I spoke with Qingfeng for hours and left the choice to him. If he chooses to stay, I respect his wish.”
Jiang Zhen: … “I shouldn’t have let you go in.”
Still, Gu Liancheng had considered Xiao Qingfeng’s perspective. He grabbed Jiang Zhen’s sleeve: “If I ever reach that state, don’t wake me.”
Jiang Zhen: “I can’t promise. Fake or not, life must go on. Only alive does everything remain possible. If Xiao Qingfeng doesn’t wake by morning, I’ll go in myself.”
Gu Liancheng smiled wryly, worried. If Jiang Zhen entered and destroyed the dream world, Xiao Qingfeng might hate her upon waking.
…
Fortunately, Xiao Qingfeng woke before dawn. After awakening, dream memories gradually faded, and aftereffects lessened with time. Once awake, there was no need for worry.
Gu Liancheng quickly called Xiao Jianzhuo. After learning Xiao Qingfeng had awakened, he discussed Jiang Zhen’s abilities.
“Jiang Zhen gradually trusts us. That’s a good thing,” Xiao Jianzhuo said with relief.
After Xiao Qingfeng awoke, Gu Liancheng considered these matters carefully. He feared disappointing Jiang Zhen: “Should I confess to her?”
“To confess what?” Xiao Jianzhuo countered. “Jiang Zhen already knows everything. Just behave, nurture your relationship—better than unnecessary actions.”
Gu Liancheng adjusted his mindset, hung up, and hurried back to Jiang Zhen.
…
Jiang Zhen was ready to return. Gu Liancheng returned from the hospital and she asked: “Do you have other matters? Are we going together, or do you have something to handle?”
Nothing urgent. Xiao Qingfeng had just woken; Gu Liancheng was uneasy: “I’ll check on Qingfeng. Wait a moment. Then we go home together.”
“Fine. You go ahead. The Sheng girl insists on staying to atone, so no need for a nurse.”
Jiang Zhen, exhausted: “Hurry a bit. I need sleep. If you can’t, I’ll go first.”
“Okay, won’t delay, quick.”
Between staying with Jiang Zhen and attending Xiao Qingfeng, Gu Liancheng chose Jiang Zhen, silently sitting, preparing meals for her. It was a quiet happiness.
Especially after experiencing Xiao Qingfeng’s subconscious illusion, Gu Liancheng cherished the present life even more.
He talked with Xiao Qingfeng a while. Xiao Qingfeng remembered much of the dream, felt sad, but was grateful he had made the right choice: waking up.
“Brother, I saw the gang. They might send people to the hospital to check if I’m alive. Maybe spread news that I died; we can trace them to their lair.”
Gu Liancheng: “It’s arranged. Tomorrow the news of your death will spread. Rest now. I’ll first accompany your sister-in-law home; she’s exhausted too.”
…
At home, two or three hours until lunch. Jiang Zhen needed sleep. Only three children were present; Jiang Zhao was missing.
Whenever something happened, all four children were together, as Jiang Zhen instructed. She immediately sensed something was wrong: “Where’s Jiang Zhao?”
Even the cleverest, Gu Pan, didn’t dare lie: “Auntie, don’t be angry. In the morning we went to buy breakfast. Grand Aunt came and spoke with brother. Brother told us to return first. He’ll be back soon.”
What could have drawn Jiang Zhao and Liu Jinyin away? Jiang Zhen guessed Liu Jinyin must have realized she wasn’t the original Jiang Zhen.
Jiang Zhen had always known that Jiang Zhao was suspicious. Once a child has a stable environment and a calmer mother, anyone in Jiang Zhen’s place would also choose to play ignorant.
She instantly cleared her mind and said to Gu Liancheng: “You stay home, I’ll go find Gao Yunxiu.”
Gu Liancheng couldn’t let her go alone: “We’ll go together.”
If anything unexpected happened, Gu Liancheng could handle it. They instructed the remaining three children to stay home and lock the door, then left.
…
Before Jiang Zhen and Gu Liancheng could find the Shi family, Gao Yunxiu had already arrived with the police, and the two parties met halfway.
Gao Yunxiu pointed at Jiang Zhen: “It’s her son! A child so young committing murder and fleeing! A child only nine years old—how could he be so vicious? Perhaps he was taught by his mother. Police officers, you must interrogate thoroughly.”
She posed confidently, as if she could personally deliver Jiang Zhen to the station.
Jiang Zhen’s heart skipped a beat. Considering Liu Jinyin’s physique versus Jiang Zhao’s, there was no way such a small child could push and kill Liu Jinyin.
Jiang Zhen asked the accompanying officers: “Officers, can you clarify—has Liu Jinyin been confirmed dead? Where is my Jiang Zhao right now?”
The officer impatiently shot a glance at Gao Yunxiu: “We only needed you to guide us, Gao. Please don’t spout nonsense and claim that Jiang Zhen’s child is the murderer.”
…
The police quickly explained the situation of Gao Yunxiu’s report.
“We received a call from Gao Yunxiu saying your son, over some dispute, killed his caretaker. Liu Jinyin is still hospitalized. The child ran into the mountains; we’ve dispatched colleagues to search. Once found, we’ll clarify the situation.”
Jiang Zhen asked anxiously: “So Liu Jinyin isn’t dead?”
“No. Preliminary hospital diagnosis: multiple internal injuries, survival uncertain but not impossible.”
Jiang Zhen breathed slightly easier. Since he wasn’t dead, there was still time to intervene. With the right dose of medicine, he could survive for a month or more. As for what happened afterward, it wasn’t Jiang Zhao’s fault—completely Liu Jinyin’s doing.
Jiang Zhen pointed at Gao Yunxiu and the officers: “She is also a suspect. Please detain her. I’m going to the hospital now. Once Liu Jinyin wakes, the truth will be clear.”
Gao Yunxiu thought Jiang Zhen had gone mad. Once Liu Jinyin awoke, both she and her son would face grave consequences.
She quickly realized: “Officers, you mustn’t let Jiang Zhen near Liu Jinyin. She’ll finish him off!”
Jiang Zhen glared: “Let’s see if you can stop me.”