Foreseeing the Future: The Scheming Movie Queen Married Me - Chapter 5

The world seemed to have been pressed with a mute button.

Gu Shiqiu rushed to her side and squatted down, her expression frantic. She said something, but Dong Yao couldn’t hear her.

Gu Shiqiu pressed a tissue against the wound on the back of Dong Yao’s hand, attempting to stop the bleeding. It was a deep cut; the blood wouldn’t stop. Gu Shiqiu’s hand was trembling, and her eyes were rimmed with red.

Dong Yao tilted her head, watching her with a sense of bafflement. I’m the one who got cut, and I’m the one in pain. Why does she look like she’s hurting more than the victim?

“Don’t be afraid, it’s okay. We’re going to the hospital,” Gu Shiqiu’s voice shook.

Dong Yao felt a pang of guilt. She shouldn’t have made her so worried. She wanted to say something to comfort her, but the scene before her eyes began to blur, gradually fading into nothingness.

The noise from the television woke the sleeper.

Dong Yao stared blankly at the back of her hand, which was perfectly intact. Just a moment ago, the sensation of the flesh being sliced open had been so intense.

Was it a dream? It only seemed logical to believe it was a dream, but at this moment, Dong Yao wavered. It couldn’t have been a dream. That definitely didn’t feel like one.

If not a dream, then what? Time travel? Transmigration?

Zhong Ximei walked out of the kitchen carrying a bowl. The Braised Chicken and Rice that Dong Yao had been nagging about for days was finally served, but Dong Yao just stared at the back of her hand, having lost all interest in the delicacy she’d craved.

“You clamor to eat this every day, I go through the trouble of making it, and now you don’t want it?” Zhong Ximei’s eyes narrowed. “I put a lot of effort into this. If you dare say you won’t eat it, I’ll pour it down your throat!”

“Mom,” Dong Yao looked up. “No matter how realistic a dream is, it’s impossible to perceive pain this clearly, right?”

Dong Yao had a faint answer in her heart, yet she couldn’t quite confirm it. Or perhaps it wasn’t that she didn’t believe it, but that she dared not believe it. How could something so supernatural be possible?

BOOM.

The bowl on the table vibrated with the sound of a massive explosion. It was followed immediately by frantic shouting.

“Fire! Fire! Come help put out the fire!”

Dong Yao and Zhong Ximei exchanged a bewildered look before racing to the door. Straight ahead, not far away, flames lit up the sky as billowing black smoke spiraled upward.

“Isn’t that the convenience store? Uncle Li’s house!” Dong Yao’s brow furrowed. She immediately grabbed a bucket, filled it with water, and ran toward the source of the fire.

Other residents of the town had also rushed out, some connecting hoses and others carrying buckets. This small town was remote; if a fire broke out, the residents relied entirely on self-rescue.

Dong Yao carried a heavy bucket of water and threw it into the flames. Back and forth she went, filling and splashing, drenched in sweat. But the fire showed no signs of slowing down.

Fortunately, Uncle Li’s house was a standalone building, so it wouldn’t spread to other houses—a small mercy in a bad situation.

At that moment, Auntie Li suddenly tried to rush inside. The crowd combined their strength to hold her back.

“The fire is too big, you can’t go in!”

“My Old Li is still inside! Let go of me, I have to go in and save him!”

“This…”

The neighbors looked at each other. No one dared let go of Auntie Li, yet no one dared to rush into the fire in her place.

As the flames grew higher, Auntie Li’s cries became heart-wrenching, begging the crowd to release her. But if they did and she went in, what if something happened to her?

Dong Yao’s brow was tightly knit as she watched the roaring fire. She gritted her teeth and lifted the bucket in her hand.

Splash. A full bucket of water was poured over her own head.

The water was freezing; Dong Yao shivered. Taking a deep breath, she charged into the fire.

Outside was the blaze; inside was thick smoke. Dong Yao covered her nose and mouth, coughing incessantly as she moved forward with difficulty.

“Uncle Li! Uncle Li! Where are you? Uncle Li!”

She shouted several times but received no response. Seeing the fog grow heavier, Dong Yao didn’t dare go further. She wanted to save him, but the prerequisite for saving someone was her own survival.

After a few more calls with no answer, Dong Yao was about to give up and turn back. Just as she turned, a sound came from the master bedroom.

“I’m here!”

Dong Yao’s eyes lit up. She rushed to the master bedroom and pushed open the door. The smoke inside was even thicker, making her choke. She squinted to see through the haze.

Furniture was scattered everywhere in a mess. Uncle Li was on the ground, seemingly clutching something in his arms. His leg was pinned beneath a fallen solid wood cabinet, and he couldn’t break free.

Dong Yao raced over, gritting her teeth and using every ounce of her strength to lift the cabinet. For a brief second she held it, but then her strength failed, and it crashed back down.

Fortunately, Uncle Li had taken advantage of that split second to pull his leg out, avoiding a second crushing blow.

“Uncle Li, can you walk?” Dong Yao asked.

Uncle Li nodded. “I can.”

Dong Yao led the way out. Just as they stepped through the doorway, the ceiling chandelier came loose.

Crash!

Dong Yao’s pupils dilated as she jolted. The chandelier smashed right at her feet. Shards of glass flew up, slicing the back of the hand she was using to shield her face.

It hurts. Dong Yao hissed in pain.

She stared at the wound on the back of her hand. It was an exact match to the injury in her dream.

“Don’t daze off, let’s get out!” Uncle Li urged.

Dong Yao snapped back to reality and, half-supporting Uncle Li, they struggled to make their way out. Only when the two of them were completely clear of the building did Dong Yao’s heart finally settle.

Auntie Li rushed over immediately, both hitting and kicking Uncle Li. “You old fool! Are you crazy? I told you to run, I told you to get out fast! But look at you—risking your life for a memorial tablet!”

Only then did Dong Yao see what Uncle Li had been clutching: a wooden ancestral tablet.

Uncle Li’s eyes were red. “Back then, we already left our youngest behind once. This time, no matter what, I couldn’t leave him again. We couldn’t leave him behind again.”

At this, Auntie Li stopped her hitting. The two of them held each other and broke down into a sobbing mess.

Watching them, Dong Yao’s own eyes turned red. Those who left years ago… it wasn’t just Uncle Li’s son. Too many people had died in that year.

Dong Yao looked down at the wound on her hand. If it wasn’t a dream, but actual time travel—or rather, a vision…

There were too many regrets from that year. If she could really travel back, was it possible to change the past? Since it was supernatural and inexplicable, why would returning to the past be impossible?

At that thought, Dong Yao’s heart felt like it had been struck.

“You’re quite capable, aren’t you? Real capable.” Zhong Ximei stood there, face full of fury. She left those words and turned to walk away.

Dong Yao snapped out of it and hurriedly chased after her, shouting, “Mom! Mom! Don’t walk so fast, wait for your precious daughter!”

Zhong Ximei whirled around. “I don’t have a daughter like you! Since you love saving people so much, since you love being a hero, go be a hero! Don’t call me Mom!”

Dong Yao grabbed her mother’s hand to comfort her, but was heartlessly shoved away.

“You and your heartless father were truly cast from the same mold. You really are his daughter. He died to save someone—what, are you trying to copy his way of dying too?” Zhong Ximei’s breathing grew ragged.

Dong Yao was all smiles and pleas. “Mom, don’t be angry. I’ll never do it again, I promise.”

“I know I was wrong, really. My wonderful mother shouldn’t lower herself to my level.”

Zhong Ximei had been full of rage, but under this pestering and acting spoiled, her anger mostly dissipated.

“Fine, stop clinging to me. You’re soaked. Go home and change immediately. If you catch a cold, I won’t care if you live or die,” Zhong Ximei said brusquely.

Dong Yao stood at attention and saluted. “Orders received, Ms. Zhong!”

Zhong Ximei raised a hand and gave her head a firm smack. “Still messing around? Go change!”

“Right away!” Dong Yao ran toward home. After a bit, she turned back. “Mom, you aren’t mad anymore, right? Anger causes wrinkles. You’re already an ‘older auntie’; if you get more wrinkles, no old grandpas will like you!”

Zhong Ximei glared at her with a hint of a smile. Dong Yao stuck her tongue out and ran off.

Watching her daughter disappear, Zhong Ximei’s brow furrowed. She really is exactly like her father. She sighed and shook her head. Being this similar… she didn’t know if it was a blessing or a curse.

After showering, drying her hair, and applying medicine to her hand, Dong Yao lay on her bed, exhausted. Between the fire and the rescue, she was mentally and physically spent.

She stared at the bandaged wound on her hand and remembered Gu Shiqiu trying to stop the bleeding—how she was clearly terrified yet managed to comfort her with a trembling voice.

Cutting my hand with that fruit knife… I probably scared her. I shouldn’t have done that.

The next day, the Dong Family Noodle Shop opened as usual. Dong Yao got up early to help with prep. As the sun rose, customers began trickling in. Dong Yao busied herself assisting her mother.

People were discussing the fire from the night before, saying it was caused by a pressure cooker explosion. When they mentioned it, everyone praised Dong Yao. She carefully watched her mother’s expression and quickly changed the subject.

At noon, when the shop was empty, Uncle Li walked in. He was limping, carrying a carton of milk and a fruit basket.

Dong Yao greeted him with a smile. “Uncle Li, here for noodles?”

Uncle Li waved it off. “The house is a burnt shell, I’m in no mood for noodles. I came today to thank you. If it wasn’t for you yesterday, I wouldn’t be standing here today.”

Dong Yao smiled and didn’t stand on ceremony, accepting the milk and fruit. “It was nothing. You usually look out for me, Uncle Li. It’s only right. Besides, I just earned a whole carton of milk!”

Uncle Li sighed. “Your Uncle Li doesn’t know how to thank you…”

Dong Yao cut him off. “What’s there to not know? In the future when you come for noodles, I’ll charge you an extra yuan. Oh, but don’t tell my mom; I’m going to pocket the profit!”

Uncle Li was amused by her. “You child…”

After a few more grateful words, Uncle Li left to handle the aftermath of his ruined house. He got halfway out the door before suddenly turning back.

“What is it? Did you forget something?” Dong Yao asked.

Uncle Li rummaged through his pockets and pulled out two envelope-like items. “This is for you.”

Dong Yao looked closely. They were blue paper envelopes, simple but very elegant in design.

“These are two concert tickets. I originally planned to go with your Auntie Li, but given the situation, we won’t be able to go,” Uncle Li said. “These tickets weren’t cheap; it would be a waste to let them go. If you have time, find someone to go with you…”

Uncle Li had already walked far away. Dong Yao stared blankly at the uniquely packaged tickets in her hand.

She hadn’t opened the packaging, yet it was as if she could see through it. She had a faint inkling of what they were.

She opened one. A ticket, plus a postcard. On the postcard, a elegant hand had written: I hope my voice can help you endure the bitter cold and welcome the early spring.

Her eyes moved from the postcard to the ticket itself.

Gu Shiqiu 2021 “Year of the Hibiscus” World Tour — Tubai Station.

Dong Yao’s grip on the tickets tightened.