newborn
"Wake up, it's almost dawn."
Those long-lost words dispelled my thoughts of eternal slumber, pulling me out of that noisy, dusty mundane world. If that person hadn't stopped me and woken me up in time, I probably would have thought I was already dead. "Don't worry, you've left this world." "Left...the world?" "Yes, completely gone."
Realizing I wasn't dead yet, I opened my blurry eyes. A gray night sky greeted me, and the faint, incessant chirping of cicadas echoed in my ears. Everything felt quiet and unfamiliar, as if I were in a dream. As for the person I should be most grateful to—the one who understood my thoughts and led me away from this world—he wasn't as divine as I had imagined. Aside from his sapphire-like eyes and long, clear hair, he looked like an ordinary person, and not much older than me, a teenager on the cusp of adulthood. I tried to answer: "Yes, it's good that you're gone."
He didn't answer, pondered for a moment, and then told me the truth: "This is the dream world. As the name suggests, you are dreaming right now, and time on Earth will stand still the moment you fall asleep. Everything here is largely the same as the rest of the world, but there are also phenomena that deviate from the norm. In short, you have to survive in this unfamiliar environment."
In fact, I had never explored dreams before, so I only listened to his explanation with a vague understanding. What was certain was that he knew this place very well and could communicate with me across time in fluent language. So I naturally asked, "Is there competition and oppression here?" "Not yet, because there is no trade here. Everything we need has its own independent station. There are no so-called demands or order. People live carefree lives according to their own needs."
I nodded symbolically, and he naturally looked me up and down. "Since you're new here, you'll be with me for the next few days, and I'll show you around." And so began a brand new journey with this complete stranger. I wasn't sure if I'd lost my memory; most of my worries from before arriving here had begun to fade as I entered this dream. As for the person before me, determined to show me around, his manner of speaking and his persistence in getting things done revealed him to be a seasoned leader. If it were before, I might still be alone, searching for a way to survive under the boundless sky. Now, I was in a different place, with a new path, free from a busy job, the pressure from family, and the contemptuous faces of various people. Just as he said, in this world called "Dream," everyone is completely free. I followed his footsteps, walking through the empty streets. In an instant, the sun of yesteryear rose above the horizon again, awakening the dark city, and gradually, people began to move about. It's said that some things seen in dreams defy convention, and the same is true in dreams. The black city I was in before sunrise appeared outwardly identical to the various styles I had imagined. Only after the smoke and clouds dissipated did the city reveal its true form—a bizarre blend of medieval urban life and modern technology. For a moment, I felt as if I had traveled back to the 19th century, wandering through old-world streets, interacting with people from the same era. This dreamlike daily life was incredibly exciting. Soon, the two of us were sitting idly in a breakfast shop. During our walk, he had also finished explaining all his questions about the dream. From his conversation, all the seemingly complex questions were easily resolved. Without years of accumulated training, it would be difficult to express such concise sentences so eloquently. All these reasons were sufficient to prove that he had arrived here long ago. Now, it was time to say goodbye to him, to this savior. "I've said everything I needed to say. You can finally relax." As he said this, I could clearly feel his tone become more relaxed. Worried about disturbing his routine, I decided to say goodbye at the breakfast shop. "Thank you for telling me about this place. I think I can probably live on my own now. You must have other things to do, so I'll be leaving now." "Thank you… what do you mean?" "Because you rescued me from endless pain, and besides, you patiently helped me resolve my difficulties even though I was a stranger. I'll probably never forget you."
At that moment, he seemed to be stimulated; his eyes lit up. A moment later, he pulled out a piece of paper and wrote down his phone number. "My surname is Shun, my given name is Wuye. Call me if you need anything; it's my duty." "What is your duty?" "The duty to bring the desperate here to find release." After saying this, he quietly walked away. Perhaps he also had his reasons for staying. In this dreamlike, unfamiliar world, people lived their lives as usual, not feeling disgusted by the new environment. On the contrary, they began to engage in various professions. I think, no matter what setbacks or other reasons they had endured before, at least now they have finally gained freedom. As Wuye said, this world exists to relieve the suffering of the people. The scenery on the street was novel and memorable. Scattered crowds lined both sides of the road, and the occasional sound of retro jazz instruments drifted through the air. The people who lived here... Most of the people there were there to have fun; the art exhibition was buzzing with discussion, and the audience was in high spirits. Perhaps because of the sparse traffic, almost every sound was clearly audible—this wasn't a coincidence, it happened every day. Dreams and reality are inextricably linked, so even in dreams, vehicles rarely appear. At some point, I reached the edge of an intersection. There were no longer people directing traffic; instead, there were new traffic management devices installed on the traffic lights. In reality, the future technology we yearn for is displayed in the core of our dreams. Everyone's small wishes are reflected here, causing this place to change over the years. The world is progressing, and so are our dreams.
Checks are a necessity for survival. Replacing traditional currency, checks offer greater convenience for transactions. Check collection points are ubiquitous, like a bottomless pit, constantly being "plundered" and replenished the next day. Imagine if these points stopped supplying checks; the nights of dreams would never be as lively as the days, likely due to people's habit of staying up late. I strolled along, admiring the scenery, lost in the world I controlled in my dream. Before I knew it, darkness had fallen, and I realized I'd spent most of the day in this boundless world and it was time to find a place to stay. Like the checkpoints, guesthouses were scattered everywhere; unless you were extremely unlucky, you could easily find one after a short walk. After settling into my room, it was nearly 7 PM. I wasn't in a hurry to eat dinner; who knew when the bustling atmosphere on the streets would end? At 11:45 PM, everything came to a close. Exhausted, I returned to my dormitory, lay down on my bed, and fell asleep instantly. Although I was tired, I was in a good mood. Being with so many people, discussing the night view together, without any pretense, made me feel like I was one of them. I finally realized that this seemingly insignificant place called dreams holds so much joy, all sorts of joys coming together to spread beautiful blessings to the world. Perhaps I will never leave this place...
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