When Xiao Yunying opened her eyes, she felt a terrible headache. She sat up, rubbing her temples, and froze when she saw the familiar room.

It took me a long time to come to my senses. I looked down at the flannel pajamas I was wearing and observed the furnishings in the room. Every item felt familiar.

This is indeed the room I've lived in since I was a child.

She picked up the cartoon cat alarm clock from her bedside table and realized it was almost eleven o'clock.

"Is this really my home?"

She got out of bed, put on her slippers, walked to the window, and drew back the curtains. The bright sunlight streamed in, causing Xiao Yunying to close her eyes briefly.

She shielded her eyes from the glaring sunlight for a while, and once she got used to it, she slowly lowered her hand and looked at the familiar city outside the window, which made her feel a moment of disorientation.

This is my home. So what about all those things that happened before? Were they just a dream?

There was a knock on the door, and Xiao Yunying turned around and asked, "Who is it?"

Her father's voice came from outside the door: "Yunyun, are you up yet? Come out for dinner."

Xiao Yunying hesitated for a moment before walking over and opening the door. When she saw that it was indeed her father, she excitedly stepped forward and hugged him.

"Dad, is it really you?"

The middle-aged man gently patted her back: "What's wrong?"

Xiao Yunying released her grip, suppressing her emotions, and said, "I think... I had a very, very long dream, in which I was bullied terribly..."

The middle-aged man feigned anger and said, "Anyone who dares to bully my daughter, I'll beat him to death!"

"Thankfully it was just a dream." Xiao Yunying said with a smile, fighting back tears. "It's so good to see Mom and Dad again."

Mrs. Xiao placed a plate of food on the dining table: "It was just a dream, it's not real. Come and eat."

Xiao Yunying smelled the familiar aroma of the food and walked to the dining table: "It smells so good, it's my mom's cooking. My mom's cooking is really good."

A little embarrassed by the praise, Xiao's mother took off her apron and put it aside: "This child is acting strangely today. Hurry up and sit down to eat."

Xiao Yunying sat at the dining table: "Mom, why did you wake me up so late? It's already lunchtime. I slept for too long."

Xiao's mother put some food on her plate: "You took such a long train ride back yesterday, you must be exhausted. There's nothing much going on at home, so just go to sleep."

Are you coming back by train? From where, from school or the city where you work?

Xiao Yunying rubbed her temples, wondering why she couldn't remember what year it was.

Mr. Xiao, who was pouring wine, put down his glass: "What's wrong? Do you have a headache?"

Not wanting her parents to worry, Xiao Yunying smiled and said, "No, I guess I slept too long and I feel a little dizzy."

Suddenly, Mrs. Xiao remembered something: "I forgot to pour out the freshly squeezed pear and apple juice I made for Yunyun. Lao Xiao, go and pour Yunyun a glass."

Xiao Yunying stood up and said, "I'll go pour it myself, and wash my face and hands while I'm at it."

She went into the kitchen, washed her face with tap water from the sink, and dried it with two tissues.

While pouring the juice, I estimated there was still enough for one cup, and asked loudly, "Mom, can I pour another cup? You can have one too."

After waiting a while and not hearing a reply, I asked again, "Mom, do you want some juice? I can still pour you a glass."

After she put down the juicer, she suddenly felt something was wrong.

It's too quiet at home.

I could just hear my parents talking.

She turned to look at the dining table, only to find it empty except for the freshly cooked food, which was still steaming and smelling delicious.

A wave of panic washed over Xiao Yunying, and the glass slipped from her hand, shattering on the ground.

"Dad! Mom! Where are you?!"

She rushed to the living room, searching for everyone in each room, but there was no one else in the house except herself.

When I passed the dining table again, I realized something was wrong only after I had walked past it.

She turned around abruptly, and the food on the table was gone.

Xiao Yunying felt that her once warm and cozy home had inexplicably become strange and frightening: "Why is this happening... Mom and Dad..."

She heard intermittent sobbing nearby. Mustering her courage, she followed the sound and discovered it was coming from her own room.

Xiao Yunying took a deep breath, mentally prepared herself, and pushed the door open forcefully.

Inside the room were her parents. Her mother was sitting on the bed, holding a photo frame and crying sadly, while her father stood beside her, his face equally sorrowful.

"Mom and Dad, what are you doing in my room? Why are you crying?"

The two seemed not to hear her speak. Xiao Yunying was puzzled and went over to look at the photo frame in her mother's hand.

That was clearly a black and white photo of himself.

She looked at her parents in shock: "My portrait? Why? Am I dead?"

Her vision blurred, and when she regained her senses, she was already outdoors.

When she saw her surroundings clearly, her face turned even paler.

This is a cemetery. Her parents are standing in front of a tombstone, crying sadly. Even though they were mentally prepared, they still couldn't accept it when they saw their own name and photo on the tombstone.

"So... am I really dead? That wasn't a dream, I really did time travel. And now, is this a dream? No, no..."

Mu Lianrong, who was wiping Xiao Yunying's sweat, heard her start talking in her sleep and leaned close to her ear to listen.

All I heard were a few words like, "Impossible, I'm not dead, I don't believe it."

Mu Lianrong didn't know what nightmare her daughter had that would make her say such a thing, so she gently patted her arm to comfort her: "Yunyun, you had a nightmare. Don't be afraid, it's all fake. Mom is here."

Xiao Yunying suddenly opened her eyes, staring blankly at the ceiling.

Mu Lianrong exclaimed in surprise, "Yunyun, you're awake?"

Xiao Yunying turned her head slightly to look at the person in front of her, and after a long while, she spoke in a hoarse voice: "Who are you?"

Mu Lianrong's expression froze: "The child is delirious with fever. I am your mother."

Xiao Yunying frowned: "No, you are not my mother."

She seemed puzzled as to why she was there. She slowly turned her head to look around and then used her strength to sit up.

Mu Lianrong quickly put down the cloth and helped her up: "Why did you get up? Are you hungry? Do you want something to eat?"

Xiao Yunying didn't say anything, but went barefoot to the ground and walked towards the door without putting on shoes.

Mu Lianrong hurriedly stopped her: "Girl, where are you going? You haven't put your shoes on yet."

Xiao Yunying stared blankly at the person in front of her who seemed both familiar and strange, and said softly, "I am not your daughter."

Mu Lianrong was about to bend down to get her shoes when she heard this and froze.

"What...what did you say..."

Xiao Yunying looked straight at her: "I am not your daughter. Your daughter died last early autumn because she fell in the West Mountain and was not discovered for two days. She was too sick and died."