9 ：A dream of dreams
thesereneountavilthathadbeesukieandhanfenglg’ssanctuaryceoftranilityandloveyet，despitethepeacetheyhadfound，alrgsenseofunfishedbessgsukiesheoftenfoundherselflostthought，ptiureandherroleitherdreaswerehauntedbyvisionfherforrlife，theodernworldshehadleftbehd，andtheunrelvedthreadsthatstilltugdatherheart
onecrisp，sukiesatbythestreathatranthroughthevil，thewater’sntleflowothiroubleddhanfenglgapproachedietly，hispresencealwaysaurceofforthesatbesideher，hishalybrhghers
“whattroublesyou，sukie?”heasked，hisvoiceftandfilledwith
shesighed，turngtoethisgaze“i’vebeenthkgalotaboutthelifeileftbehd，theodernworldtherearethgsileftunfished，peopleicareaboutandthere’sapartofthaondersifiuldhavedoneore，beenore”
hanfenglg’sexpressiohoughtful“doyouissit?thaorld?”
“ways，yes，”sheaditted“butit’snotjtaboutissgitifeellikeihavearesponsibilitytogoback，tofishwhatistartedandaybe，ifido，iakeabetterfuturefor”
henodded，uandgdawnghiseyes“you’retalkgaboutreturngtoyourti”
“yes，”sukiesaid，hervoicefirwithrelve“iogobadfaceypast，akethgsrightandaybe，jtaybe，ifdawaytosecureourfuture”
hanfenglg’sgriptightenedonherhand“iuandandiwillsupportyou，noatterwhatbuthowwillyoureturn?”
shelookeddownattheiriedhands，aixtureoffearaerationhereyes“i’vebeenstudyis，theohatspeakoftitravelthere’saritual，awaytoreversetheprocessaurntoyti”
hanfenglg’seyeswidehaixofaweand“itundsdanro”
“itis，”sukieaditted“butit’sariskihavetotake”
withhanfenglg’sunwavergsupport，sukiebeganreparefortheritualthevilrs，unawareofthetruenatureoftheirefforts，offeredtheirassistance，providgthenecessaryherbsandaterialsthenightoftherituarrived，theairheavywithanticipationanday
astheoonreacheditszenith，sukiestoodattheterofacirclearkedwithasybolshanfenglgstoodbesideher，hispreseeadygforcethevilrswatchedirevereheirfaithsukie’sabilitiesunshaken
sukietookadeepbreath，herheartpoundgherchestshebegantotthetation，hervoicesteadyandstrongtheairaroundthecrackledwithenergy，thesybolnthegroundglogwithanotherworldlylightthepoweroftheritualsurdthroughher，fillihasenseofpurposeandrelve
hanfenglg’shandtightenedaroundhers“reber，noatterwhereyougo，iwillwaysbewithyou”
tearswelledsukie’seyesasshelookedathi“iloveyou，fenglgiwillebackforyouiproise”
asthefalwordfthetatioherlips，abldglightenvelopedsukieshefeltherselfbegpulledaway，theworldaroundherdislvgtoabroflorsandundsthesensationwaverwhelg，butsheheldontohanfenglg’swords，hislovegroundgherasshewasthrtbatotheunknown
whenthelightfaded，sukiefoundherselfstandgthefailiarsurroundgfheroldapartnttheoderedherwithitscaphonyofundsandsightsshetookaonttosteadyherself，herdreelgfrotheabrupttransitiontherealityofhersituationhitherwithfullforce–shewasback
deterioaketheostofherreturn，sukiewastednotisheicklyirsedherselfiudies，re－enrollghighschoolwitharenewedsenseofpurposeherfriendsandteachersweresurprisedbyhersuddentransforation，theonce－ordarygirlnowdrivenbyanunyieldieration
herfirsttaskwastoacetheentranceexassukie’snightswerespentpovertextbooks，herdawhirlwiions，historicaldates，andstifictheoriesherdayswerefilledwithcsses，eachlesnasteppgstoowardshergoalthechallenswereishefacedthewitharelvefedthefirefherpastexperiences
sukie’stransforationdidnotgounnoticedherteacherswereipressedbyherdedication，herpeersspiredbyherrelentlessdriveshefordnewfriendships，bondsbuiltonutualrespedsharedaspiratio，aidstthefrryofacadeicpursuits，herthoughtftendriftedtohanfenglg，hispreseanturcethandotivation
oernoon，afteraparticurlygruelxa，sukiesattheschoolurtyard，herdragwiththoughtfthefutureshewasjoedbyilg，herloyalfriendfroherpreviolife，whohadalcrossedovertothisti
“you’ved，sukie，”ilgsaid，hervoicefilledwithadiration“there’safireyouthaasn’ttherebefore”
sukiesiled，hergazedistant“i’vebeenthroughalot，ilgandi’velearhatifyouwantthg，youhavetofightforiitheverythgyouhave”
ilg’seyesftehuandg“you’rethkgabouthi，aren’tyou?”
“everyday，”sukieaditted，hervoidwithlongg“iproisedhiiwouldebadiwillbutfirst，ioakesurethahenido，igivethelifewedeserve”
astheonthspassed，sukie’shardworkpaidoffshegraduatedwithhonors，segapoheostprestigiouiesherchoseersce，adisciplihthepotentialtoshapethefutureshesawitasawaytoharhepowerofteologytocreateabetterworld，onewheresheandhanfenglguldbetotherwithoutfear
heruyyearswereawhirldofdisveryandnovationsukie’sbrillianceshoneeveryprojectsheuook，herpassionaivitysettgherapartfroherpeersshedevelopedgroundbreakgteologies，earngaodesaionfrotheacadeiunity
yet，despitehersuesses，sukieneverlostsightofherultiategoalsheiedwisely，buygbitandothercryptocurrencies，herfhtandtuitionleadgtosubstantialfancialgassheedhernewfouhtosecureafortablefuture，buygahoandacar，ensurgthaheica，shewouldbereadyrovideforhanfenglg
throughoutitall，sukie’sheartreaedanchoredtotheproiseshehadadeshekepttouchwithilgandlizifeng，theirbondalifelioherpasttother，theydevisedapurntotheaworld，toreuhhanfenglgandfulfillthedestytheyhadfedtother
thedayofthefalrituarrived，andsukiefeltaixtureofexcitentandtrepidatiooodthesaspohereshehadperfordtheitialritual，thesybolnthegroundglogwithafailiarlightilgandlizifengstoodbyherside，theirpresenceafreihestrengththeyshared
assukiebegantotthetation，theairaroundthecrackledwithenergythesybolsglowedbrighter，thepoweroftheritualbuildgtoacresdosukie’svoicewassteadyandclear，herheartfilledwithhopeaeration
thelightenvelopedheronceaga，theworldaroundherdislvgtoabroflorsandundsshefeltherselfbegpulledback，thesensationbothexhiratgandoverwhelgasthelightfaded，shefoundherselfstandgthefailiarsurroundgftheountavil
thevilrsgreetedherwithjoyandrelief，theirfaithherunwavergsukie’sheartracedasshesearchedforhanfenglg，hereyessgthecrowdwhenshefallysawhi，standgattheedofthevilwithalookofdisbeliefandjoyonhisface，shefeltawaveofeotionwashoverher
“fenglg！”shecried，runngtohi
hecaughtherhisars，holdiightly“sukie，youcaback”
“iproisediwould，”shesaid，tearsstreagdownherface“andialwayskeepyproises”
theystoodthere，edeachother’sebrace，theweightoftheirjourneyliftgfrotheirshouldersthelovetheysharedhadbroughtthebacktother，andnow，theyuldfallybegthelifetheyhadalwaysdreadof
asthevilrscelebratedtheirreturn，sukieandhanfenglgstoodtother，theirheartsfilledwithgratitudeandhopetheyhadfaiagablechallens，buttheirlovehadendured，guidihroughthedarkestoftis
thedaysthatfollowed，theyworkedtothertobuildafuture，blendgtheknowledandexperiencefbothworldssukie’snovatihtnewopportuothevil，whilehanfenglg’sstrengthandwisdohattheirunitythrived
theirlovestorybecaalend，spirgotherstobelievethepowerofce，resiliendunwaveriionastheystoodhandhand，watgthesuovertheountas，sukiekhattheyhadtrulyfouheworld
tother，theyhadcreatedalegacyofloveandhope，atestanttotheendurgpowerofthehuanspiritandastheyfacedthefuture，theydidwiththeknowled
that，noatterwhatchallensyahead，theywouldalwayshaveeachother
sukie’sreturntotheodernworldwasithixedeotionsthejoyofreunitgwithfriendsandfailywasteperedbytherealizationofthechallehatyaheadherissionwasclear:tosecureafuturewheresheandhanfenglguldbetotherwithoutfearoruatythisreirednotonlyfancialstabilitybutaladeepuandgofthetricacieftheodernworld
asshesettledbatoherlife，sukiefoundherselfatacrossroadsshehadtochooseacareerpaththaouldprovidethereurdstabilitynecessaryforherandhanfenglg，sfutureafteruption，shedecidedursueacareerfandtrywiththepotentialfnifitfancialgasshekhaithherdeterationandtellect，sheuldexcel
sukieenrollediigiobessschool，dedigherselftoherstudieswiththesafervorshehadshownherprevioacadeicpursuitstherigorourseworkanddeandgschedulewerechallengg，butshereaedfocedoalhercssatesandprofesrswereipressedbyhertellinddrive，oftenseekghersightsdurgdiscsions
duriiatbessschool，sukiefordaclose－knitgroupoffriendswhosharedherpassionforfarepreneurshipaongthewasjan，abrilliantbuttrovertedstudenhoicklybecaherfidanttheyspenttlesshoursstudygtother，discsgarkettrends，andshargtheirdreasforthefuture
oneeveng，astheysatthelibrary，theirtextbooksspreadoutbeforethe，janlookedatsukiewithcuriosity＂youknow，sukie，youalkaboutyourpastwheredidyoutthisdrive，thisunwaverieration?＂
sukiesiled，herthoughtsdriftgtohanfenglgandthelifetheyhadshared＂i，vebeenthroughalot，janorethanostpeopleiagiit，sgivenaclearsenseofwhatiwantandwhati，willgtofightfor＂
jannodded，sensihofherwords＂well，whateveritis，itakesyouoheostrearkablepeopleiknowihavenodoubtyou，lchieveeverythgyoetouttodo＂
hiswordsfilledherwitharenewedsenseofpurposeshekhathertitheodernworldwasnotjtaboutachievgfancialsuess，butalaboutprepargherselfforthelifeshewahhanfenglg
assukieexcellediudies，shealbegantoicryptocurrencies，havglearnedabouttheirpotentialduriitheaworldshespenthoursreseargandanalyzgarkettrends，akgcalcutedintsthatoopayoffherportfoliogreidly，andsheedherprofitstosecureassetsthaouldensureafortablefuture
despiteherbyschedule，sukieneverlostsightofherproisetohanfenglgshefreentlicatedwithilgandlizifeng，whoprovidedupdateuationtheaworldtheirsupportandewerevaable，redihatshewasnotaloneherission
oneweekend，sukiedecidedtotakeabreakfroherstudiesandvisitherparentsthedrivetotheirhoewasfilledwithoriefherchildhood，asiplertibeforeherlifehadbeeplicatedasshepulledtothedriveway，herreetedherwithawarhug，hereyesfilledwithprideandlove
＂sukie，it，sgoodtoseeyou，＂herothersaid，leadgherside＂you，vebeenwhardi，worriedyou，reoverdogit＂
sukiesiled，appreciatiher，s＂i，okay，oijthavealotioaplish＂
herfatherjoihethelivgroo，hisexpressionserio＂we，reproudofyou，sukiebuealwanttoakesureyou，retakgcareofyourselfyoudon，thavetocarrytheweightoftheworldonyourshoulders＂
thewarthandsupportofherparentswereabaltosukie’swearyulshespenttheweekendrexgahherfaily，fdgtheirloveanduandgiasareihatshewasnotaloneherjourney，andthattherewerepeoplewhocareddeeplyaboutherwell－beg
afterreturngtoschool，sukiethrewherselfbatoherstudieswithrenewedvigorherdeterationpaidoffasshegraduatedwithhonors，segavetedpositionataleadifirthefast－pacedworldoffancewasexhiratg，andsukieicklyestablishedherselfasarisgstarthedtry
hersuessdidnotgounnoticedshecaughttheattentionofjaswhitore，awealthyandiialbessanknownforhissharpstdaggressivetacticshevitedsukietojohistea，herapositionthatproisedbothwealthandfencewhiletheopportunitywasteptg，sukiewaswaryofwhitore，sreputationaentialethicalproisesthatightewithwforhi
oneeveng，asshesatherxurioapartntoverlookiy，sukiereceivedacallfroilgherfriend，svoicewasfilledwithexcitentandurncy＂sukie，we，veadeabreakthroughthere，sawaytostabilizethetiportal，toakeitpera＂
sukie，sheartracedwithhopeandfear＂areyoure?howdoesiork?＂
＂we，vefothatdescribearitualvolvgrarestonesandaspecificaligofthestars，＂ilxped＂butit，sdanro，anditreiresprecisetiiickly＂
sukiekhiswastheontshehadbeenwaitgforhertitheodernworldhadgivehereurdknowledsheneeded，butiastitoreturntohanfenglgandfulfillherproiseshetookadeepbreath，herdragwiththeiplicationftheritual