Chapitre 2: Home
Like what she said earlier, rare opportunities should be made use of to the fullest.
Since she was already here, Zhang Mei Xing chose not to make a fuss about it. Instead, she instantly thought of who she could meet after school. She thought of her home, or former home to be exact since she moved from her parents' house to an apartment nearer to her workplace when she got accepted into the company.
A strange emotion overwhelmed her as the term, home, arose in her mind.
After indulging in the fresh, carefree feeling that only students could enjoy, her feet dragged her to this part of earth, of this dreamworld. The school was strangely as close to her house as she remembered it to be. A friend of her who lived in the same neighborhood walked with her and chatted along the way.
"Bye bye, Mei. See you tomorrow!" Her friend waved a hand before taking another turn.
"Bye!" Zhang Mei Xing waved back and happily smile.
Then she continued walking.
However, the nervousness in her heart did not go away. It instead turned heavier and heavier the nearer she drew close, the same with her footsteps. She herself was puzzled why she was feeling this way when in fact, before her death, she was still frequently dropping by to see her parents and bring them treats.
Five minutes later, there it was, standing next to an intersection where a river could be vaguely seen from a distance.
It was a simple house not even made of stones, but wood, weaved bamboo, and plywood. It was roofed with reused galvanized iron sheets that had several small holes in it which the rainwater to leak into every rainy season.
She remembered that the walls only turned into hollow blocks and cement on her second year at work, which was a few months ago in the original timeline. For now, it still appeared so humble and, in honest words, ugly.
Zhang Mei Xing chuckled dryly as she looked at the miserable sight.
But not long after, her attention was grabbed away.
"Mom…" The words unconsciously came out of her pale bare lips that had unnoticeably begun to tremble.
"Oh. Mei Xing, you're back."
A middle-aged woman, whose corners of eyes were already with wrinkles and hair with some strands of white hair, spoke with surprise. Then she looked warmly at Zhang Mei Xing the moment she appeared in the gateway. The woman's back was slightly hunched. There was a rake in her hands. A cotton tree was planted next to the house which rained leaves every autumn that her mother would rake into heaps at one spot in the yard.
"I'm… back." The words were spoken out with much difficulty.
The girl unknowingly held her breath. She felt suffocated.
What should a daughter feel after seeing the younger version of her mom standing in front of her?
The other party looked healthier, back was a lot straighter than it was a decade later, and there were fewer wrinkles and white hair…. Her mom really looked a lot more beautiful now. But she saw for herself how time and age gradually eroded that beauty.
It seemed the one who sent her in this beautiful flashback was quite malicious for making her feel like this.
"Mom…" What else could Zhang Mei Xing say?
Mixed feelings rose from her heart. She did not know how to describe it fully. After all, for all this affair, she was not prepared.
Worse, she was how she had yet to compose herself when her father who was holding onto a steel wheel walked out of the wooden door. A man shorter than her mother, with a large built, a large belly which did not shrink in his later years, and a tan complexion. A father who was stupidly humble, conventional, and simple. He worked as a taxi driver to sustain their livelihood.
"Dear, I'll be going now. I need to go to the vulcanizing shop now." He said to his wife before turning to his daughter upon noticing her by the entrance.
"So you're at home now. Mei Xing, why are you standing like an idiot there? Go in and change clothes then help your mother wash the dishes."
"I'm already done with that, actually." The mother laughed before bending over to continue raking the leaves that had piled up high.
"Oh. Perfect! Mei Xing can start cooking then. It's already late afternoon. And I really need to go."
Zhang Mei Xing's mouth fell open, and she flinched, consumed by strong emotions. It was definitely not because her dad was immediately throwing chores at her. But simply because she was still able to meet them and see their faces.
The girl's trembling fingers went to the straps of her backpack. She lowered her head and bit her lower lips.
Her mom and dad… They were standing again in front of her. The nostalgic appearances that were a lot younger than the version of them that had aged a lot in her real timeline.
But then, the reality recognized by her mind floated before her eyes. Sadness welled up from within, so painful that it was like somebody was stabbing her in the heart.
One undisputable thing was that she had already died.
The heaven was only being merciful to her by letting her re-live a point in her past, perhaps to recognize how boringly good and law-abiding she was in her twenty-four years of existence.
In reality, her real parents should be getting the sad news from her colleagues or from the reporters by now. That their daughter got buried in the underground parking area of her company.
This thought flickered in her head as sorrow washed over her.
Zhang Mei Xing looked at her parents and bit her lips.
'I'm sorry.'
'I'm sorry.' She truly wanted to apologize.
'Your unfilial daughter can't continue paying for your senior care insurance anymore. I'm really sorry for passing away first. I'm sorry for I can no longer repay you two for everything you have done for me.'
At this thought, her tears burst like a damn and she jumped towards her mother who was rendered off-guard yet still managed to catch her and pull her into a hug.
"M-Mei...?" It was her dad who was completely shocked and then came over before exchanging puzzled glances with her mother. "What's the matter?"
Cadeaux
-- Cadeau
reçu État de l’alimentation hebdomadaire
-- Classement
Power Stone 
-- Power
stone