Chapter 4

I was stunned as well.

What was going on?

Was the code no longer working?

I held onto my mother’s hand without letting go, instead gripping it even tighter.

“Mother, you transmigrated too, didn’t you? You came from the modern world.”

Hearing this, my mother’s expression shifted.

It was a long while before she let out a soft sigh. “Transmigrated-well, that’s a fitting description.”

“But, modern world? What is that?”

Now it was my turn to widen my eyes. “Mother, what year did you come from?”

“1940.” She looked into my eyes and added, “The 29th year of the Republic of China. And you?”

I was silent for a long time.

“I came from 2023. I came from New China.”

A wind rose in the courtyard, as if it swept up a century’s worth of time from a bygone era.

It rustled the wisps of hair at my mother’s temples, and then brushed across my own forehead.

My mother’s almond-shaped eyes widened even further. It took her a long while to process it; her hands were trembling slightly.

Her voice trembled too.

“2023? Th-then…”

I knew what she wanted to ask; my own throat felt tight.

I looked into her eyes seriously and spoke, word by word.

“The mountains and rivers remain, and the country is prosperous and at peace.”

My mother froze for a moment, a complex mix of emotions flashing through her almond-shaped eyes.

She suddenly gripped my arms, her face full of urgency and hope.

“What about the Japanese devils?”

“We drove them out.”

“We won?”

“Yes, we won.”

“Is there still war?”

“No, no more.”

Big teardrops rolled down from her eyes,

falling onto my hand.

They were hot.

I felt a burning sensation in my chest as well.

“Does anyone still bully us?”

“No, no one dares to bully us anymore. Now, they only respect us, and fear us.”