62. Meeting you again
As evening fell, the orange-red sunset slanted through the curtains and onto the bed, where the figure stirred. In the instant consciousness returned, she sprang from the bed, looked at the familiar furnishings, and pinched her arm hard.
The sharp pain brought tears to her eyes. It wasn't a dream; she had really come back!
Outside the window, I could hear the sounds of children playing, adults chatting, and supermarket announcements in the distance. These sounds, once so familiar, now sounded incredibly touching.
Fu Yunong sighed with melancholy, feeling as if she had been through another world.
She picked up her phone from the bedside table; the date clearly showed that it was the day she had traveled through time, and the time was 6:30 PM.
In my unread messages, my mom sent me a message asking if I was coming home for dinner tomorrow, saying she had bought a free-range chicken that was especially nutritious!
Fu Yunong, fighting back tears, quickly typed out a reply, "Reply!"
A soft, meowing sound rang out.
Fu Yunong picked it up and buried her face in its furry belly, sucking on it until it kicked its paws in dissatisfaction. Afterward, she even opened a can for it.
Watching Xiaomi eat while making satisfied "woof woof" sounds, Fu Yunong squatted down beside her and stroked her, unable to get enough of looking at her.
Half an hour later, Fu Yunong grabbed her bag and left the house. She needed to go home immediately; she couldn't wait a moment longer!
Her home was on the other side of the city, requiring two subway transfers. The subway was incredibly crowded during rush hour, and all sorts of smells filled the air, but Fu Yunong felt a long-lost sense of warmth and life—a warmth unique to peaceful times.
As the subway descended to the surface, she gazed out the window at the bustling streets and colorful streetlights, not wanting to blink once.
Standing at her front door, she took a deep breath and inserted the key.
The door opened.
In the living room, Grandma was sitting on the sofa watching TV, while Mom and Dad were busy in the kitchen. Hearing the noise, they both peeked out and their faces instantly lit up with smiles.
"Why are you back now? You usually can't be called back." Her mother teased her.
Grandma patted the sofa next to her with a smile, "Come and sit down."
At this moment, Fu Yunong could no longer hold back and stood at the door, tears streaming down her face.
The elders panicked and rushed over. Grandma helped her sit down, asking, "Why are you crying? Did something happen to you?"
"Are you having trouble at work?" Dad asked as well.
Fu Yunong sat down, wiping away her tears, too choked to speak.
She doesn't have a close relationship with her family. She was often scolded when she was young, and she also has a younger brother who is studying in another city.
Even though it's not perfect, it's still the place where she was born and raised, the place she longed for countless times during the apocalypse.
During the meal, the three men looked at her, seemingly wanting to say something but holding back.
Fu Yunong smiled sheepishly, "I'm fine. By the way, I've decided to resign."
Upon hearing this, the three people's attention was immediately diverted. The mother frowned, "Haven't you been doing a good job all along? You even said you were getting a raise."
Dad took a sip of his drink. "The current situation is not good, and it's not easy to find a job. If things are still okay, then keep working for now."
Grandma put food on her plate and asked, "Are you crying because you had a bad day at work?"
Fu Yunong shook her head, "I just don't want to do it anymore."
"So what do you want to do next?" Mom pressed.
"Write something and give it a try."
After a moment of silence, Dad said, "You've always been decisive. Make your own decision. Do you still have some money on you?"
Fu Yunong nodded quickly, "Yes! I've saved some."
"Of course I have it." Lying in bed that night, Fu Yunong repeatedly looked at the eight-figure balance in her bank card, her heart filled with joy.
The system directly converted her remaining points into real currency, enough for her to live comfortably for the rest of her life. As for writing, it wasn't just talk; she had loved reading novels since childhood, but had had to give up several attempts at writing due to financial constraints. Now, she could finally fulfill her wish.
The next day, Fu Yunong accompanied her grandmother and mother to the mall and bought them a lot of things. Her mother kept telling her to "spend money wisely."
On Monday, Fu Yunong went to the company to resign.
She accepted her boss's offer to stay without hesitation. She realized she had no attachment to the company or her colleagues. Indeed, going to work was an anti-human experience; even if she were to travel to the apocalypse, she still wouldn't like the workplace.
As she walked out of the building, she hummed a tune and headed straight to the sales center, where she reserved a large, single-level apartment that was both quiet and conveniently located in the bustling city.
While looking at apartments, she suddenly drifted off into thought: "This house is so big, I wish I could live with Shi Dong and the others." She shook her head, dismissing this wishful thought.
After that, she went to the amusement park.
There weren't many people on a weekday. Seeing the gambling stall, Fu Yunong paid her money. Except for the first two shots which were slightly off, she hit the bullseye every time. The owner, eyes wide, handed her a prize, but she waved it away and walked off.
Holding an ice cream cone, she wandered aimlessly, but as she walked, she felt a void in her heart. In such a leisurely and beautiful moment, she was all alone.
She messaged her two best friends, and unsurprisingly, they both said they didn't have time. They had to work on weekdays and take care of their kids on holidays, and they said they would arrange another time. They also expressed their envy of her being single.
Fu Yunong smiled bitterly. She hadn't realized it before, but now she discovered that they had already gone down different paths.
Back home, Fu Yunong began writing her novel. She wrote entirely from the heart, and since she had no financial pressure, she wrote very slowly. While writing, her experiences in the other world would flash through her mind, and occasionally, she would unconsciously stop, lost in thought.
While writing, she also examined herself and realized that she was indeed just an ordinary person who hadn't saved the world or sacrificed herself for others. Yet, this ordinary person unexpectedly had a wonderful experience.
In the third month, Fu Yunong started sending money home, saying that she had made some progress in her writing. Her family was very happy and told her not to overwork herself. She had already made up her mind not to reveal that she had money, so as not to cause unnecessary trouble.
Soon after, Fu Yunong moved into the new house and even built a special room for Xiaomi, where it could run around freely.
New Year's Eve arrived in the blink of an eye.
This year, it was Fu Yunong's family's turn to host the Spring Festival. His uncles and aunts all came, and the living room was filled with New Year's goods. The sounds of chopping vegetables and laughter came from the kitchen.
Just then, a loud bang suddenly rang out from outside the window, and the plate in Fu Yunong's hand crashed to the ground with a clatter.
"Oh dear! You're such a grown-up, and you still get scared by fireworks. Hurry up and tidy yourself up." Her mother gave her a reproachful look.
"It's alright, it's alright, may you have peace and safety every year."
Fu Yunong smiled and bent over, but her fingertips were trembling slightly.
During the red envelope giving session, Fu Yunong gave red envelopes to the younger generation. The elders then asked about her work. When they learned from her parents that she was writing and had achieved some results, the elders quickly told the children to learn from her.
After her uncles and aunts left, Fu Yunong gave her younger brother an extra New Year's money, telling him to study hard and be a good person. He readily agreed.
In the past, Fu Yunong would try to avoid visiting relatives, but this year she went along to pay New Year's visits. Although she inevitably heard things like "you're getting old" and "you should get married," she didn't feel angry.
The novel, which took more than a year to complete, was finally finished. Fu Yunong looked at the computer screen and suddenly thought, "I should go for a walk and see the world."
She packed her bags and began her journey, traveling from China to abroad, taking photos wherever she went, always feeling that she might be able to share them with someone.
That day, she received a call from the property manager at her hotel in Switzerland. "Hello, Ms. Fu, several people claiming to be your friends are looking for you. We'd like to confirm this with you privately. Rest assured, if they aren't, we will not disclose any information whatsoever."
Fu Yunong felt a pang of anxiety, thinking she was being watched, until she saw the photos sent by the housekeeper.
Her heart was pounding. Without even packing her luggage, she booked the earliest flight back to China. After landing, she went straight to the apartment complex's property management office. Just as she was about to ask where everyone was, she saw four familiar figures on the sofa.
They saw her too, and excitedly stood up; the taller one of them was holding a cat in her arms.
Fu Yunong strode over, stood in front of them, and said, choking back tears, "I missed you all so much."
Sunlight streamed through the glass and fell around the five people's feet. Hua Hua meowed.
At this moment, everything is just right.
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