Chapter 207: Chapter 205: Modern Extra: Your World

Su Tang held his hand as it gradually lost its warmth, silent tears falling onto their clasped palms.

She knew he had heard her and had used the last of his strength to respond.

...

He didn’t know how much time had passed, but in a warm, hazy chaos, Lu Xiao felt a sense of weightlessness, as if he were breaking free from a deep sleep.

He snapped his eyes open. What met his gaze wasn’t the familiar wooden beams of their old house in the Northwest.

Instead, it was a flawless white ceiling that glowed with a soft light. A faint, unfamiliar, fresh scent hung in the air.

He subconsciously turned his head, his heart tightening abruptly.

’Where’s Tangtang?’

"Tangtang!"

He called out urgently, but his voice wasn’t old and hoarse like before. Instead, it was resonant and full of vigor.

He looked down at his hands in astonishment. The skin was smooth and firm; the deep wrinkles and age spots were gone. His arms felt filled with a long-lost sense of power.

He sat up abruptly and looked around.

It was a completely unfamiliar room, its furnishings simple and bright, its walls snow-white.

Outside the enormous glass window stood a forest of tall buildings. Sunlight streamed in through the clean glass, a little dazzling.

The bed beneath him was incredibly soft, and the comforter covering him was light yet exceptionally warm.

’Where is this? A dream?’

Just then, the bedroom door was pushed open gently.

A woman in a comfortable cotton maxi dress, her fluffy black hair pinned up, walked in carrying a glass of water.

When she saw him sitting up, her eyes instantly brightened, her gentle smile seeming to cross countless years.

"You’re awake? How are you feeling? Do you feel uncomfortable anywhere?"

Her voice had changed too. It was no longer slow like in her old age, but clear and pleasant to the ear.

Her face was smooth, her eyes bright. It was as if time had flowed backward, returning them to the prime of their lives.

This was exactly how she looked in the depths of his memory, the way she was when he first fell for her—even more beautiful and vibrant.

Lu Xiao stared at her blankly, his heart pounding. Overwhelming shock and disbelief washed over him, leaving him speechless for a moment.

Su Tang walked to the bedside and handed him the glass of water, a hint of slyness flashing in her eyes. "What, cat got your tongue? Weren’t you the one who said you wanted to come and see my world?"

Lu Xiao took the glass. The feel of the warm ceramic was incredibly real.

He struggled to speak, his voice a bit hoarse from shock. "We... are we... young again? Is this place... really..."

"Mm-hmm."

Su Tang sat down beside him and gently took his hand, which had also regained its youthful strength and warmth.

"Welcome to my era, Comrade Lu Xiao."

She looked at his still bewildered and shocked expression and couldn’t help but chuckle softly.

Su Tang began to explain this weird, wonderful, and yet incredibly convenient world to him, bit by bit.

She taught him how to use the shower, and when he was startled by the sudden spray of hot water, she doubled over with laughter.

She took out modern clothes she had prepared for him, watching with a mischievous look in her eyes as he awkwardly studied the zipper and button on a pair of jeans.

Stepping out of the bedroom, Lu Xiao found everything before him novel and fascinating.

The bright living room, a television as thin as a painting.

A small machine crawling on the floor, which cleaned it in just a moment.

And then there was the smart voice assistant. Su Tang only had to say a word, and the air conditioner, television, and even the curtains would turn on and off by themselves.

All of it was utterly new to him.

Like the most patient tour guide, Su Tang held his hand and introduced him to everything one by one.

She used the coffee machine to make him a cup of rich, aromatic coffee and watched as his brow furrowed when he first tasted its bittersweet flavor.

She took out her smartphone, opened the photo album, and showed him the pictures of them they had retaken in this era, as well as the latest videos sent by Cheng’an, Chenghuan, and their grandchildren.

Lu Xiao watched the videos of his children, who had also become young again, smiling and greeting him, and his eyes couldn’t help but grow warm.

It was all like a dream, yet terrifyingly real.

"Don’t worry."

Su Tang leaned against his chest and said softly.

"Think of it as a long dream, or a strange journey. The children are all doing well, and as long as we know that, it’s enough. Now, it’s our time."

They had to enjoy this rare time alone together, of course.

A few days later, Su Tang led Lu Xiao, who was still curious about everything, out of the house.

The feeling of weightlessness in the elevator made him instinctively tighten his grip on Su Tang’s hand.

When they walked out of the building’s entrance and saw the skyscrapers reaching into the clouds, the endless stream of cars, and the hurried pedestrians in all sorts of attire, Lu Xiao was once again deeply shaken.

Su Tang smiled and put the baseball cap and sunglasses she had prepared on him, partly to conceal his overly sharp, soldier-like gaze.

Then she naturally looped her arm through his. "Come on, I’ll take you to try a food street from this era!"

They were like any ordinary couple, weaving through the bustling crowd.

Su Tang bought him all kinds of snacks, from sweet milk tea to spicy grilled skewers, watching his serious expression as he evaluated each new flavor.

He would frown at the excessively loud music and stop in his tracks to watch the shifting glasses-free 3D images on a giant electronic screen.

Passing by a small neighborhood park, they saw several old men playing chess. Lu Xiao stopped walking, a look of familiarity and warmth in his eyes.

Su Tang led him over, and watched as he quickly struck up a conversation with the old men there.

He even got the hang of it quickly, playing two games against one of the gentlemen, with one win and one loss.

As the sun set, they walked slowly home along the riverside path, carrying bags big and small filled with their spoils—mostly new clothes Su Tang had bought for him and little trinkets he found fascinating.

The evening breeze caressed their faces, carrying the unique scent of the city.

Lu Xiao looked at Su Tang beside him, radiant in her dress with a smile like a blooming flower,

Then he looked at the distant skyscrapers, dyed golden-red by the sunset, and his heart filled with an indescribable sense of peace and happiness.

The monumental changes of the era amazed him, but the person whose hand he held so tightly had never changed.

"Tangtang."

He stopped walking and called her name.

"Hm?"

Su Tang turned back, the sunset reflected in her sparkling eyes.

Lu Xiao looked at her, his gaze deep and gentle, and said seriously in a voice only the two of them could hear.

"This world is wonderful, it’s magical. But the best part is that no matter where, no matter which era, you are by my side."

Su Tang smiled, stood on her tiptoes, and gave him a quick peck on the cheek.

"You silly goose, that’s the whole point of bringing you here. To let you see where I came from, and then to tell you..."

She squeezed his hand, their fingers intertwining, and her voice was sweet.

"Whether it’s in the sand-swept Northwest, in a courtyard house in Beijing, or in this modern world bustling with traffic—as long as I have you, that is my reunion."

Lu Xiao squeezed her hand back and nodded firmly.

No more words were needed. They held each other’s hands and walked toward the home that was theirs in this strange new era.

A new world, a new journey, but their love had never changed, and it would never end.

-

(Bonus Chapter End)