Chapter 1: Dawning Dream

Deep, vast darkness, a bone-chilling wind, and shifting, hazy shadows loomed all around.

Silent lightning cast a ghastly, pale green glow, illuminating the scene for a fleeting moment before vanishing without a trace.

Chirp!

The crisp sound of a bird’s cry reached Ding Songyan’s ears, giving him a start and sparking a flicker of clarity within his muddled consciousness.

Where is this...

Where am I...

A dream? Ding Songyan suddenly had a moment of realization, and his previous memories came flooding back.

Dammit!

He cursed inwardly, full of resentment and frustration. He began to understand his current state.

How did I run into those idiots?

In his youth, he had been precocious, smart, a good student, and decent at sports. He had always held himself in high regard, looking down on others with an arrogance that bordered on total disdain. Once he left school, however, he was quickly crushed by the weight of reality. His confidence and pride were shattered. Though he loathed to admit it, during that period, he had been both deeply insecure and hypersensitive.

Misfortunes never come singly; his family later fell on hard times. Fortunately, someone had always been there to stay by his side, encouraging and supporting him. This allowed him to slowly seize opportunities while in an unhealthy, irrational state where he constantly hurt himself and those around him. Bit by bit, he regained his confidence, pulled himself out of the slump, and eventually succeeded in his business, amassing a considerable fortune.

He thought everything was going to get better. After a banquet, he had chosen to continue reminiscing about the past and dreaming of the future at a roadside food stall with several investors and key partners. During the meal, an investor got into an argument with a few young men at the next table, and things started to get physical. He had hurried over to mediate, attempting to defuse the conflict. Adhering to the principles that "a man of wealth should not sit under a hanging roof" and "the happy person should yield," he was even prepared to swallow his pride, apologize on the spot, and endure insults to settle the matter. Who would have thought...

Brother, are you insane?

You’re stabbing someone over such a trivial matter?

If you’d said you were crazy earlier, I would’ve stayed far away. Better a dead investor than a dead me!

Why were you so reckless!

"Fortunately, it seems I'm not dead yet... Uh, I probably haven't woken up either..." Ding Songyan’s thoughts were not entirely clear; he was still shrouded in a daze.

He struggled to wake himself from this dream, but his body felt as if it were pinned down by an invisible weight. Every step was agonizingly difficult. His eyes felt as though they were wrapped in curtains made of darkness—unable to see when open, unable to close when shut.

Chirp!

The bird’s cry came again from the distance, sounding hazy as if separated by an entire world.

Ding Songyan instinctively moved toward the sound, stumbling and faltering.

He became increasingly alert, walking faster and with more ease.

The surrounding darkness was like smoke, the figures like dreams; the continuous chirping of the bird seemed to be the only reality in this world.

Suddenly, a ray of light pierced the darkness, followed by another.

Ding Songyan’s eyes snapped open, only to be forced shut again by the stinging glare, which brought tears to his eyes.

"Chirp-chirp-chirp, chirp-chirp-chirp..."

The crisp, pleasant bird calls echoed in Ding Songyan’s ears. They were nearby, seemingly separated only by a wall.

"You're awake?" a voice full of pleasant surprise rang out, sounding even more beautiful than the birdsong.

Ding Songyan finally adjusted to the light and opened his eyes again.

While checking his physical condition for the pain that should have been there, he looked at the person before him.

It was a young girl of only fourteen or fifteen. Her hair was styled in double-coil buns, and she wore a scallion-white, silver-embroidered, straight-collared short coat with parallel-level lapels over a light, pale-yellow gauze skirt. Her features were as delicate as a painting—fresh, clean, and full of spirited beauty.

At that moment, the girl was squatting in front of Ding Songyan, looking at him with a face full of concern.

Ding Songyan was someone who had attended many business banquets; he had eaten, drunk, and seen much, yet he was still momentarily dazed by the girl’s beauty.

However, he was more concerned with other issues.

Which hospital is this?

Isn't it a bit unprofessional for nurses to wear Hanfu on duty? It doesn't exactly inspire confidence in a patient!

"How... is my... condition?" As Ding Songyan spoke, he realized his throat was parched, as if his voice didn't even belong to him.

Simultaneously, he habitually observed his surroundings.

This look left him stunned.

This wasn't a hospital. It was a dilapidated temple with a crumbling statue. Weeds grew from the cracks in the stone floor. Sunlight, carrying the sounds of retreating birds, streamed in through holes and empty windows. He was leaning against a wooden pillar, sitting on the ground.

Mistaken for dead, body dumped in the wilderness, encountered a Hanfu-wearing girl taking photos? Ding Songyan, who had read countless novels in his school days, instinctively had this thought.

He immediately ruled out the possibility. There were many witnesses at the scene, and a police car was right at the intersection. It was unlikely those idiots would have the chance to flee with his "corpse."

The girl joyfully answered Ding Songyan’s question.

"I’ve checked. You’re fine!"

Fine? Ding Songyan looked down at his abdomen.

There was no pain at all... This setting... this outfit...

I haven't... traveled to another world, have I?

Please no, I haven't even started enjoying my life yet!

Ding Songyan slowly lifted his head, looked at the girl, and asked cautiously and tentatively, "And... you are?"

He had just made a concerted effort to search his current body for memories but found not a single fragment. Conversely, his own past memories had become clearer than ever due to his recent ordeal.

Under these circumstances, if he tried to act and hide the fact that he knew nothing, it would be difficult to avoid showing flaws in subsequent daily interactions. No matter how quick-witted he was, it wouldn't help, because one lie requires more lies to cover it up. When every single thing becomes a lie, it’s only a matter of time before it’s exposed.

Therefore, without a concrete understanding of his situation, telling "partial truths" was the better, optimal choice. He wouldn't have to exhaust himself performing later or live in constant fear; the people around him would find their own logical explanations.

The girl in double-coil buns straightened her back slightly. Her eyes brightened instantly, and she replied with a grin, using a tone like one would in a Zaju opera.

"My dear little brother, you don't recognize your sister anymore?"

As she spoke, she watched Ding Songyan’s face, only to find him remain serious, his brow furrowed.

"..." The smile on the girl's face froze. She blurted out with a hint of terror, "Second Brother, you really don't remember me?"

Ding Songyan shook his head slowly and responded with exceptional sincerity.

"I don't remember anything."

The girl squatting before Ding Songyan suddenly stood up.

"Quick! We have to go home and let Mother and Father take you to the clinic to see a doctor... Ow!"

She stopped halfway through standing up, frozen like a figure in a silk painting.

"What's wrong?" Ding Songyan asked instinctively.

The girl made a bitter face and muttered, "My leg went numb."

Ding Songyan tilted his head slightly, looking at the ceiling beams covered in cobwebs.

He followed suit and stood up, confirming he was wearing a moon-white lanshan. He was roughly the same height as before he traveled here, nearly 1.8 meters.

"Okay, okay!" The girl finally recovered. She reached out to grab Ding Songyan’s sleeve, wanting to pull him outside.

Ding Songyan moved back a step imperceptibly, causing her hand to miss.

"Uh..." The girl looked up at Ding Songyan’s face, her clear eyes filled with confusion.

Ding Songyan asked slowly, "How can you prove you are my biological sister?"

"This... I..." The girl was completely stunned, as if she had never expected to be asked such a question in her life.

Her lips twitched, and she opened her mouth several times but couldn't find the words.

Ding Songyan explained with a serious face.

"Young lady, I remember nothing. If you are a bad person and I blindly believe your words and follow you home, wouldn't I suffer something terrible?"

"I... I suppose..." The girl was clearly convinced. Then, her eyes darted around. "I know! I know what to do! I’ll go back first and bring Father and Mother here. They can prove I’m your sister!"

Ding Songyan looked at the girl, who hadn't fully matured yet.

"Then how can you prove the people coming are my father and mother?"

"..." The girl forgot to close her mouth.

After a few breaths, her mouth quirked, and her spirited eyes were veiled by a faint, almost unnoticeable mist.

She cried out aggrievedly, yet with a hint of urgency and breakdown, "I'll get the neighbors to prove it! I'll take you to the Yamen! Father is a Clerk at the Yamen; all his colleagues can prove he's your real father! I am your real sister..."

"Fine, I believe you," Ding Songyan said suddenly.

"Eh..." The girl looked at Ding Songyan in a daze.

He believes me just like that?

Ding Songyan nodded slightly. "I can feel your sincerity, young lady."

Since she had proactively suggested going to the Yamen for verification and mentioned so many supporting witnesses, he could tentatively determine she wasn't lying to deceive him.

I bet you haven't seen The Truman Show!

"Sincerity..." The girl tilted her head slightly and studied Ding Songyan carefully for a moment. She whispered with little confidence, "Maybe we should still go to the Yamen to confirm? You’ve talked me into almost doubting you're my second brother. We need to let others have a look... the clothes... the looks... the height... the birthmark... they all match..."

Ding Songyan checked his physical condition in front of the girl. He found no wounds, and his energy was quite abundant.

He imitated the dramas and novels he'd seen, cupping his hands. "Young lady, I don't know what to call you?"

"What to call me?" The girl was suddenly amused. "You usually call me Little Sister. Second Brother, you really have forgotten everything."

She thought for a moment and explained in detail.

"You are my second brother. There is an eldest brother above you. Both our parents are alive. Currently, we’ve come to Dingjiang Prefecture to seek refuge with Sister Qin at our aunt's house; it's been over half a year.

"My given name is Qingyan. Now, you can call me Little Sister or Sister Qingyan."

Ding Songyan digested these words and intentionally let his attitude soften. "Then what is our surname?"

The girl, Qingyan, let out an "Mm" and tugged at a strand of hair outside her hairpins.

"Second Brother, you don't even remember your own surname? Our surname is Ding."

Ding... Ding Songyan’s gaze narrowed slightly. He suddenly had a premonition.

"Then what is my name?"

Ding Qingyan tilted her head again and looked at Ding Songyan for a while. Then she sighed and said somewhat sadly and dully:

"Your name is Ding Songyan."