Chapter 262 The Real World (Part 1) What exactly is reality? ...

In this life, Song Ce lived to the age of eighty-two during the Dali Dynasty. The people, grateful for his kindness, spontaneously built a temple to worship him and honored him as "King Ciyou Ansheng".

Legend has it that after becoming a god, King An Sheng continued to protect the Dali Dynasty, and those who sincerely prayed to him often received his blessings. His story was also written into plays and folk tales, and has been passed down through the ages.

Whether in terms of civil administration or military achievements, Song Ce became a legend of that era.

On the night before he left this world, he seemed to have a premonition, so he dismissed all the servants in his house and released them from their contracts, thus fulfilling the bond of loyalty they had shown him over the years.

"702, are you back?"

His answer was a gentle spring breeze.

"Never mind."

Song Ce closed his eyes; beneath his aged exterior remained the same rational and gentle soul.

He didn't know how much time had passed, but he felt as if his body was enveloped by a soft force, without any discomfort. Instead, he felt an indescribable warmth, and even his breathing became much lighter. Song Ce had thought that leaving the Dali Dynasty would cause him to feel dizzy for a moment like before, but this time he felt exceptionally peaceful.

As the warmth gradually faded, he vaguely heard someone calling his name: "Xiao Ce... Xiao Ce..."

Song Ce responded instinctively.

Unexpectedly, the voice calling him stopped abruptly as if startled. After a long while, the person reacted and shouted, "Doctor! Doctor! Come quick! My son is awake!"

Son? Could it be... Mom? What's wrong with me? Have I had another attack?

Before Song Ce could think further, he felt someone pry open his eyelids and shine a flashlight on him. The blinding light made him squint unconsciously.

"There's a response!"

The doctor who was examining him exclaimed in surprise, then leaned close to his ear and said, "Don't be nervous, yes, take your time to get used to it."

Song Ce slowly opened his eyes following the doctor's instructions. What came into view was a familiar ward—since he was diagnosed with congenital heart failure, his condition had been extremely unstable, and this private ward had practically become his second home.

Before he could react, Song Yuanshuang, dressed in a light gray business suit, hugged him tightly with red eyes and choked out, "Xiao Ce, you're finally awake! You really scared your mother to death this time!"

Song Ce was stunned for a while before stiffly hugging Song Yuanshuang back, mumbling, "Mom..."

"Yes!" Song Yuanshuang burst into laughter through her tears and happily agreed.

“Ms. Song, Xiao Ce has just woken up and should not be too emotional. I will take him for a full check-up first. You can come and stay with him when he is feeling better.”

"But I want to wait here for Xiao Ce to come back."

“You can’t do anything by staying here; you’ll only distract Xiao Ce. Didn’t you say a few days ago that you had a very important business deal to discuss today? Listen to me, your workplace is near our hospital anyway. If anything happens to Xiao Ce, I’ll call you immediately! Besides, Xiao Ce’s examination won’t be quick this time; it’ll take at least three or four hours!”

Song Yuanshuang hesitated for a moment, then wiped away the tears from the corners of her eyes. "Alright then... Dr. Li, thank you for your help this time." After saying that, she turned around and patted Song Ce's head. "Xiao Ce, go and get your check-up done with Dr. Li first. I'll come see you after I finish what I'm doing at work, okay?"

"Um……"

Only after Song Yuanshuang had walked away did Dr. Li touch his nose somewhat embarrassedly, carefully help Song Ce into a wheelchair, and push him to get his check-up.

Looking at the people coming and going in the hospital, Song Ce felt his mind was a jumbled mess, impossible to sort out. In a hazy state, he felt as if he had been having a very long dream, fragments of which were sometimes blurry and sometimes shattered, giving him an inexplicable sense of the bizarre.

What's wrong with me?

The examination process was much faster than he had imagined. Several doctors used various instruments on him and drew seven or eight tubes of blood to take to the laboratory for testing.

After the hospital's test results came out, the doctor in charge of the examination held a thick stack of reports in his hand, his tone full of surprise: "This... all the indicators have improved so much overnight!"

At this moment, a doctor wearing glasses walked over, taking down data as he said, "Old Li, isn't it incredible? His cardiopulmonary function had always been very weak before, and we were worried that he wouldn't make it through, but unexpectedly he woke up directly, and his physical condition is so optimistic!"

Dr. Li nodded, took the report and read it several times before saying to Song Ce with a sigh of relief, "Xiao Ce, it's truly a miracle that you woke up this time and recovered so well!"

Song Ce sat obediently in the wheelchair, his fingertips gently clutching the hem of his hospital gown, and asked softly, "Dr. Li, am I... am I really alright?"

"Currently, all your health indicators are improving significantly, much better than before. As long as you rest well, take your medication on time, and come to the hospital for regular check-ups, you will be able to live like a normal person in the future!"

Dr. Li paused, his tone full of relief: "I'll tell your mother about your condition later, she'll be overjoyed!"

Song Ce nodded and let Dr. Li push him back to the ward.

Meanwhile, Song Ce, having lost all his memories of the world, lay down on his hospital bed and fell into a deep sleep. On the other side, Song Yuanshuang, after finishing all her work, rushed to the hospital. Looking at her son sleeping soundly in the ward, she asked Dr. Li, "How is Xiao Ce? Is he alright?"

"Ms. Song, congratulations! Xiao Ce is recovering very well, and all his indicators are almost at the level of an average person!"

Upon hearing this, Song Yuanshuang's eyes instantly reddened. "Really...really? That's wonderful! That's wonderful!! Xiao Ce, Mom knew you would be alright..."

At that moment, sunlight streamed through the hospital room window and fell on Song Ce's face, his eyelashes casting a small, faint shadow beneath his eyelids. His complexion was much better than before; it was no longer a bloodless pale white, but a healthy, porcelain-white.

A week later, Song Ce was discharged from the hospital.

Therefore, Song Yuanshuang took a day off from work, picked up the luggage that Song Ce had packed earlier, and took him home.

Pushing open the door, Song Yuanshuang changed her shoes and put her luggage on the sofa. She smiled and said, "Xiao Ce, sit down and rest for a while. Mom made you some soup this morning according to the recipe prescribed by the hospital nutritionist. It's ready to drink now."

"Yes, thank you, Mom."

"You silly child, why are you thanking your mother? Really..." Song Yuanshuang smiled and patted her son's head before turning and going to the kitchen.

Song Ce stood there, his gaze slowly sweeping over the spacious and cozy home. Even though he had only stayed in the hospital for a little over a month, it felt like an eternity. Vague fragments would occasionally flash through his mind—sometimes a few people in ancient costumes, sometimes vast fields, sometimes a fantastical world of heaven and earth… but whenever he tried to recall them carefully, those images vanished like mist.

Dr. Li told him that this was a normal reaction after recovering from a serious illness and that he shouldn't worry too much. But he still felt uneasy, as if he had forgotten something important.

What exactly... has been forgotten?

A few minutes later, Song Yuanshuang brought over a bowl of soup, carefully placed it on the table, and greeted her with a smile, "Xiao Ce, what are you daydreaming about? Come and try the soup Mom made, is it good?"

Song Ce snapped out of his daze. "They're here."

He slowly walked to the dining table and sat down, picking up a spoon and gently scooping a mouthful of soup into his mouth. In just an instant, the warm medicinal soup, carrying a faint warmth, slid down his throat, gradually relaxing his dazed and tense nerves.

It's a familiar taste from my memory, it's...the taste of my mother.

"How is it? Is it good?" Song Yuanshuang sat opposite her, her eyes full of loving tenderness. "Xiao Ce, drink slowly, be careful not to burn yourself."

"Mom, it's delicious." Song Ce took another sip, and his whole body relaxed a lot.

Song Yuanshuang was relieved. "Xiao Ce, I'm glad you like it. This is what the nutritionist specifically told me. He said that you are too weak to take tonics and can only drink some mild medicinal soups that are good for your recovery. When you are fully recovered, Mom will make your favorite sweet and sour pork ribs, okay?"

"Um."

Song Ce nodded, sipping his soup as he listened to Song Yuanshuang rambling on about trivial daily matters. He listened quietly, occasionally responding with a word. It was these fragmented and unfamiliar scenes of life that made him feel incredibly real and at ease.

That's good.

After he finished drinking the soup, Song Yuanshuang was worried that he was tired from being discharged from the hospital, so she urged him to go back to his room to lie down and rest.

When Song Ce returned to his room, a faint warmth enveloped him. The room's furnishings were exactly as he remembered them. On the desk lay the tomb raiding novels he hadn't finished reading before he fell ill, each book covered in a frosted, non-slip book cover, clearly showing how much he had cherished them.

He walked to the French windows, where six succulents were arranged in a row on the right, their leaves thick and plump. It seemed that Song Yuanshuang had been taking good care of them while he was away.

"This is your home, isn't it beautiful? This is where your heart truly belongs! A healthy body, a loving mother, and a comfortable life—you want to stay, don't you? You want to stay!! You want to stay!!!"

"...You must stay, stay here, stay..."

"Your mother only has you as family. Can you bear to leave her?"

"Stay here! This is your home!"

"Remember this: Mom is the person who loves you most in the world!"

"Listen to me, stay... stay... stay..."

Song Ce swayed, leaned against the headboard, and closed his eyes, trying to clear his confused mind.

here we go again.

That ambiguous feeling has returned.

"Who...are you?" Song Ce murmured to himself.

"I?"

"It's me!"

"It's you!!!"

"It's you!!!!"

The voice tirelessly repeated the phrase, like countless noisy little trumpets echoing in his ears. He pressed hard on his temples, but the voice in his head did not weaken at all; instead, it grew louder and more urgent.

Song Ce gritted his teeth and pinched his forearm hard. Instantly, a clear pain shot through his forearm, clearing his muddled mind.

Even though everything around him felt incredibly real, the shock and eeriness brought by that voice were like a thin mist shrouding this reality, leaving him feeling lost and disoriented.

Song Ce took a deep breath, trying to calm himself down.

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Author's Note: Only a few chapters left until the end! I'll be thinking carefully about Xiao Song's ending from now on, and I'll update every other day. Sending love! [heart emoji]