Nighttime – In Jian Mo's Dream
Darkness.
Silence pierced like a blade. No stars, no moon—only a chilling void.
Jian Mo stood in the middle of... an ocean. But the water wasn't blue. It was red. Blood.
The sea of blood moved, slow and deep, like the breath of an ancient beast. The stench was so foul it stabbed into his brain.
> "What is this...?" Jian Mo whispered, his body trembling.
Suddenly, the surface of the blood churned violently.
CROAKKK...!!
From below, hands emerged. Not human hands. They were frail, bony, their flesh torn and dried with blackened blood.
The hands reached out, crawling, squirming—then dragged Jian Mo down.
> "AARRRGHHHH!!" Jian Mo screamed.
He struggled, but the more he moved, the more hands grabbed him. Whispers echoed in his ears, like a thousand wailing spirits.
> "Demon..."
"Bearer of the curse..."
"You killed my daughter... bring her back..."
The sea of blood boiled. Eyeless faces surfaced, staring blankly.
Then...
Light descended from the sky.
A beam of white light pierced the darkness, and from within it... Su Daji appeared.
She glowed like an angel. Her hair floated gently, her eyes calm and bright.
> "Father..."
Her hand reached out.
> "Father... wake up."
Jian Mo looked at her, but before he could grasp her hand—
WUSHHH!!
He woke up.
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Jian Mo's Bedroom – Midnight
Jian Mo jolted upright, gasping for air. His face drenched in sweat, eyes wild. He clutched his blanket as if trying to keep something from escaping his body.
> "ARGH!! AARGHH!! HAAH... HAAH...!!"
Su Daji was already beside him, gently shaking his body.
> "Father! Father! Wake up! It's me... What's wrong?!"
Tang Wu appeared at the doorway, hair disheveled. Leon followed behind, rubbing his eyes.
> "What's wrong with Uncle?" asked Leon.
> "Shhh! Be quiet!" Daji snapped, panicked.
Jian Mo looked at his daughter. Slowly, his eyes calmed.
> "I... I had a dream..." he murmured. But the words hung in the air.
> "What dream, Father? You were screaming..." Su Daji asked softly.
Jian Mo gave a weak smile. He stroked her head with trembling hands.
> "It's nothing... just a dream about being chased by a thief. You came just in time, my little angel."
Tang Wu squinted and whispered to Leon:
> "I bet this is all because of that chicken from the market... cursed chicken."
Leon replied innocently:
> "Or... maybe Uncle's stomach still isn't okay."
Jian Mo closed his eyes, steadying his breath. He looked at Su Daji with deep gratitude.
> "Thank you, Daji. I'm okay now."
They returned to sleep.
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The Next Morning – Jian Mo's House
Sunlight slipped through the curtains. The warm aroma of porridge filled the house.
In the kitchen, Tang Wu stood proudly in an apron with a dragon print—worn backwards.
> "I'm cooking today! Special anti-nightmare porridge: chicken porridge with garlic chili and soft-boiled egg!"
Leon eyed the porridge suspiciously.
> "Are you sure that's chili? Why does it look like demon seal ink?"
> "It's a family recipe! The redder it is, the stronger it repels evil spirits!" Tang Wu declared proudly.
Jian Mo sat at the table, still looking tired, but calmer. Su Daji sat beside him, inspecting the porridge as if evaluating for a national exam.
Leon took one spoonful of Tang Wu's porridge—and immediately twitched.
> "T-Tang... this isn't garlic chili... this is hell sauce."
Tang Wu beamed, lifting his tiny pan like a trophy.
> "That means it's working!"
Su Daji leaned closer to her father and whispered:
> "Are you really not going to tell me about last night's dream?"
Jian Mo looked at her, smiling faintly.
> "If I told you, you wouldn't be able to sleep."
> "But I'm not scared," Daji whispered.
> "I know," Jian Mo replied. "Because you're the strongest girl in the world."
From the kitchen, Tang Wu shouted:
> "Leon! Don't throw the porridge into the flower pot! That's not an offering altar!"
Leon replied innocently:
> "Plants deserve to suffer too."
They all laughed. Though the night had been dark, the morning brought warmth.
And Jian Mo knew one thing for sure:
> As long as Su Daji was by his side, the darkness in his dreams could never truly win.
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