Chapter 197: Chapter 195: Is It Really You?

In the days that followed, Su Tang seemed possessed.

Every night, she would sit in the dark at the same time, her hands clutching the tuft of camel thorn.

The edges of the dry blades were a bit prickly, but they had become her most tangible connection to the other world.

She followed the old Taoist priest’s instructions, clearing her mind of all distracting thoughts and replaying every little detail of her time in the small Northwest courtyard over and over.

At first, the visions were still fleeting and blurry.

Sometimes she would see poplar leaves falling in the small courtyard; other times she would hear Cheng’an’s faint laughter. Each time, it was like a meteor streaking across the night sky—gone in an instant.

But Su Tang didn’t give up. Even if she could only see for a few seconds each time, it gave her immense hope.

She adjusted her state of mind, trying to focus more intensely and extend the duration of her connection to that world.

’As long as the connection doesn’t break, I’ll definitely be able to touch that world.’

That night, as Su Tang once again immersed herself in her visualization, the scene before her suddenly became much clearer.

She not only saw the familiar room but also saw Lu Xiao sitting by the side of the bed, carefully wiping the face of her own body lying there.

His movements were as gentle as if he were tending to a priceless treasure.

The red veins in his eyes were even more pronounced than the last time she’d seen him, and the stubble on his chin had grown longer.

His entire being exuded an unconcealable exhaustion and haggardness.

"Lu Xiao..."

Su Tang choked up, her voice echoing softly in the dark apartment. 𝒻𝘳𝘦𝘦𝘸ℯ𝒷𝘯𝘰𝑣ℯ𝑙.𝘤𝑜𝘮

As if her heartfelt cry had reached the other side, Lu Xiao’s wiping motion suddenly paused.

He lifted his head, his gaze sweeping blankly across the room. A flicker of hope appeared in his eyes, only to be quickly replaced by disappointment.

He reached out, gently stroking Su Tang’s hair, and murmured in a low voice.

"Tangtang, when are you going to wake up? Cheng’an can talk now. He calls for his mama every day."

Su Tang’s heart ached as if pierced by needles, and tears streamed down her cheeks.

She wanted to respond, to tell Lu Xiao she was right there, but no matter how hard she tried, her voice couldn’t cross over, and her body remained immobile.

Just as she was on the verge of breaking down from desperation, the vision began to shake and gradually blur.

"No! Lu Xiao!"

Su Tang shouted frantically.

But in the end, her vision returned to darkness.

Su Tang slumped to the floor, gasping for breath. She clenched the camel thorn in her hand even tighter, and bits of the dried blades fell through her fingers.

But she wasn’t discouraged. This clear vision made her even more certain that the old Taoist priest’s method was working.

’If I just keep at it, one day I’ll be able to truly return to that world.’

Meanwhile, in the world of the book, Lu Xiao stared at the empty room, and his heart began to pound uncontrollably once more.

For a moment there, he felt as if he had truly sensed Su Tang’s presence, even feeling that she was right beside him, watching.

He stood up and paced around the room, carefully checking every corner, but he found nothing.

"Lu Xiao, what are you looking for?"

Mrs. Lu, who was outside the door, saw Lu Xiao get up and came over to ask.

Lu Xiao stopped, took a deep breath to suppress the turmoil in his heart, and said slowly, "It’s nothing."

He didn’t know if this strange palpitation was just his imagination or if there was truly some mysterious connection drawing them together.

But one belief was firm in his heart.

He would wait for the day Su Tang woke up.

In her modern apartment, Su Tang tightened her grip on the camel thorn.

That night, Su Tang sat as usual in the center of her dark apartment, her hands tightly clutching the tuft of camel thorn.

She closed her eyes. Suddenly, an unusual warmth spread from the camel thorn in her hands.

Immediately after, a powerful force spread from her fingertips throughout her body, and the darkness before her was instantly replaced by a blinding light.

Su Tang felt the world spin around her. Her body felt as if it were being sucked into a giant vortex, and the sound of howling wind filled her ears.

She instinctively tightened her grip on the camel thorn, a single thought in her mind.

’Am I... going back?’

She didn’t know how long it had been, but when she felt solid ground beneath her feet again, the howling wind was gone.

In its place was the familiar evening breeze of the Northwest, carrying a hint of sand and the sound of distant dogs barking.

She slowly opened her eyes. The sight that greeted her was not her cold, modern apartment, but a familiar adobe wall.

"I... I’m back?"

Su Tang murmured in disbelief. She reached out and touched a nearby tree, the sensation so real it brought tears to her eyes.

Just then, a slight noise came from inside the house.

Su Tang’s heart leaped. She looked toward the sound and saw the door being pushed open gently as a familiar figure stepped out.

It was Lu Xiao.

Lu Xiao had heard a noise in the courtyard and came out with an oil lamp, worried it might be a wild animal.

When he saw Su Tang standing under the old locust tree, the oil lamp in his hand fell to the ground with a CLANG. Oil spilled everywhere, and the flame flickered on the ground a few times before going out.

"Tangtang?"

Lu Xiao’s voice trembled, his eyes wide with disbelief.

He walked toward Su Tang step by step, each one feeling as if he were treading on cotton, terrified that the scene before him was just a hallucination.

Looking at Lu Xiao, Su Tang could no longer hold back her tears; they gushed down her cheeks.

She ran forward and threw herself into Lu Xiao’s arms, hugging him tightly.

The familiar embrace, the familiar scent, instantly confirmed it for her—this was not a dream. She was really back.

"Lu Xiao, I’m back... I missed you so much, and I missed Cheng’an so much..."

Su Tang sobbed, her voice filled with grievance and longing.

Lu Xiao’s stiff body finally relaxed as he felt the warmth in his arms, and he snapped back to reality.

He hugged Su Tang back with all his might, as if trying to merge her into his very bones.

All the pent-up worry, anxiety, and longing erupted in that moment.

His shoulders trembled slightly as silent tears rolled down his face.

"As long as you’re back, as long as you’re back..."

Lu Xiao repeated this phrase over and over, his voice hoarse but filled with the ecstatic joy of having found what was lost.

"Tangtang, how... how did you appear in the courtyard?"

’Just a moment ago, I was still in the room watching over her.’

Su Tang shook her head. "I don’t know either. I went back to my world. I tried so many ways but couldn’t come back, until I met an old Taoist priest."

As she spoke, Su Tang felt her palm grow hot.

She opened her hand and looked down. The camel thorn had turned to dust from the Northwest and fallen to the ground.

"What’s this?"

Lu Xiao stared at it, stunned for a moment. Su Tang immediately said, "This is why I was able to come back."

It was the only thing she had taken from this place, and it was because of this very thing that she was able to return.

Lu Xiao didn’t speak. He just gripped her hand tighter and held her very, very tightly.

He was afraid that if he let go, she would leave, that she would disappear again.