Chen Xuan had the same dream again.
A dream he'd been having since he was a child.
In the dream, there's a room that's not big but beautifully decorated, resembling a hotel's front desk or perhaps a shop. On the bar, there's a coffee machine, and he can almost smell the rich aroma of coffee; on either side, wooden racks hold common snacks. In the center of the room stand several glass display cabinets, always containing the items he desires most... In the past, it was four-wheel drive cars and game consoles, now it's money and time.
Yes, even dreams are so realistic.
Having dreamt the same dream often enough, he developed a subconscious awareness of "being in a dream." He could wander around, clearly observe every detail in the corners, and even brew a cup of milky coffee from the machine. Unfortunately, a dream remains a dream; he never tasted the coffee's flavor nor tore open a snack's packaging.
Always just one step away.
He would either wake up or jump into another dream.
The most striking item in the room is a metal box on the bar, engraved with bizarre symbols and patterns, with its keyhole shaped like a lifelike eye. Through that eye, he seemed to see a string of constantly shifting numbers—a countdown, perhaps. Naturally, the box was locked, and maybe it would automatically unlock once the numbers hit zero.
Yet... who cares what treasure is hidden in a dream box?
Even if it's a check for financial freedom, it's still just a dream.
This year he's 26, and the countdown finally reached its end.
"Click."
When the numbers reached zero, Chen Xuan heard the crisp sound of the box's spring mechanism moving.
Great, not only is the dream continuous, but the timing is reliable too. He walked over to the bar and opened the box himself—
He awoke, as always.
Chen Xuan drowsily sat up, intending to go to the bathroom, but found himself not in bed.
The drowsiness instantly vanished; he shivered and opened his eyes wide!
There was no unfamiliar ceiling—because this wooden beam-styled ceiling was something he had seen countless times: in the dream!
The light was hidden in the grooves, soft and warm, neither glaring nor too dim, allowing him to clearly see the surroundings. It seemed he was sleeping right in front of the bar, and every bit of the decor around him confirmed that this was the room from his dream.
Feeling a chill down his spine, he hurriedly ran out to first confirm his location.
This sight eased his mind significantly—the surrounding buildings were familiar, and he hadn't left the district; the building he rented, Building 2, was less than a hundred meters away.
Chen Xuan sprinted back home!
After closing the door, his wildly beating heart finally calmed a bit.
What on earth happened? Was he sleepwalking?
But how could the shop's decor be identical to the room in his dream?
And so conveniently, it's located right in the district he rented!
This blurring of reality and illusion was inexplicable and unsettling to Chen Xuan.
After pondering for a moment, he decided to head back again... to check out what exactly was going on with this room.
However, when he was dressed and retraced his steps, he couldn't find the shop's entrance anymore—this was an old district, with dozens of buildings clustered together with many dead ends. He could only confirm the approximate direction, unable to pinpoint the exact door number. Most shops on the ground floor were opened by landlords themselves, with irregular operating hours, and once they were closed, it was dark, making it impossible to find.
Maybe... he truly was sleepwalking?
Thinking about having to work tomorrow morning, Chen Xuan had no choice but to give up.
He barely dared to close his eyes that night.
The next day, dragging his weary body, he worked at the fast food restaurant until the evening shift change, and when he returned home, his eyelids felt heavy. Nonetheless, before completely collapsing, he glanced at the clock: 6:15.
At the moment of waking up, Chen Xuan knew something was wrong.
This time he hadn't dreamt but was awakened by the urge to pee. But as soon as he opened his eyes, he realized he was back in that eerie place!
The exquisitely crafted room he often dreamt of!
The familiar ceiling, the soft light, the ticking clock, everything felt just like yesterday.
And the clock's hand was passing 8:30.
Chen Xuan instantly noticed the first strange thing: although it seemed like he had slept for over two hours, his body felt full of energy, as if he had slept for more than ten hours!
This was something sleepwalking couldn't explain.
Chen Xuan did a kip-up from the ground and immediately checked his body—no obvious injuries, and his kidneys seemed intact.
Better slip away before anyone notices!
Chen Xuan had just taken two steps before stopping again.
Where was he running to?
If a dream could catch someone from reality, did it matter where he ran to? Even if he slipped back home now, what if they caught him again tomorrow? He couldn't possibly teleport every day, could he?
Moreover... this place was even more familiar than his temporary home.
He had moved to Celestial Ridge District less than two years ago, but this dream had been recurring for dozens of years.
If the same dream was repeated from childhood to adulthood, did it strongly suggest something?
If he didn't figure this out, he might never truly be able to leave this place.
Chen Xuan slowly turned around and looked at the clean and tidy bar behind him—this was definitely not a no-man's land, the counter was almost spotless, as if someone diligently wiped it every day.
He walked to the front of the bar and, as if led by a ghostly hand, pressed the coffee machine button.
"Gurgle, gurgle."
The coffee machine started up, and moments later a stream of brown and white blended liquid flowed into the cup. He had performed this operation countless times in his dreams, to the extent that he even bought the same coffee machine in reality. However, in the dream, he could only smell the aroma of the coffee, never drink it.
Chen Xuan lifted the cup and took a small sip.
The rich coffee flavor... mixed with a hint of milky aroma, was no different from the one brewed at home.
...He was no longer in a dream.
Well then, might as well take a look around.
The first place Chen Xuan checked was the display cabinet—yesterday he had run too hastily and forgot to see what was inside. But these glass cabinets were empty, neither storing money nor time, once again proving the gap between dreams and reality.
However, in attention to detail, reality was much stronger. For example, he noticed many photo frames hanging on the wall, something he rarely paid attention to in dreams. Upon closer inspection, he found houses... landscapes... and some rather post-modern things like a close-up of a ringed planet, a monster from a special effects film, or a spaceship crashed in a primitive jungle.
He had to admit, the CGI was quite exquisite; the store owner had good taste.
There were also things hanging on the wall behind the bar.
First were three certificates: a business license, a food service license, and a fire safety certificate. Having these three certificates indicated that the store was quite legitimate and registered with the commerce bureau.
Beside the certificates was an employee of the month display board.
Beneath the employee section was completely blank, with only the manager's section at the top having a photo attached.
The moment he saw the photo, Chen Xuan was dumbfounded.
Wasn't that his ID photo? The same as the one on his ID card!
Me? As the manager?
He then turned back to carefully examine the three certificates again and was shocked to realize that under the "legal representative" section was his name, Chen Xuan!
This was too absurd!
When did he ever apply for these documents?
Yet amidst this absurdity, he somehow vaguely felt it made sense.
Because in the dream, this store was only ever visited by him alone!
Trying to act calm, Chen Xuan took his phone and made a round inside the store but didn't find any hidden cameras or anything of the sort. He then walked out the store door, finding indeed it was the community building outside, with no streetlamp at the storefront, making it dreary. The sign hanging above was completely mismatched, one was a certain department store stuck on the wall, the other a light box "Spicy Skewers" on a foam board, though not lit up at the moment. The entrance had a wind and rain shield, and the plastic color showed it was quite old, not to mention someone had written "shop for rent" on the curtain with an oil pen.
Which meant there had been a mini-market and spicy skewer shop here before, only to close down. The current store had opened not long ago, only the interior was renovated, not the storefront. If someone rushed out at night without paying attention to the surroundings, it would indeed be hard to find it again.
It wasn't a ghost shop either, since Chen Xuan had never heard of ghosts needing a business license to open a shop.
An incredible yet seemingly only truthful answer gradually surfaced in his mind.
——Whether he accepted it or not, this store was opened specifically for him.
This thought sent a slight electric shock down his spine.
In a way, Chen Xuan longed to own something of his own. After graduation, he worked at major companies and even tried starting up a gaming business with colleagues, but the hyper-competitive work environment drained him, leading him to resign and take odd jobs for a break.
His ideal job wouldn't be too tiring, yet sufficient to maintain a living. Walking through the morning market with a bunch of keys as a landlord was the perfect model, and a small supermarket in a community was also a good choice. They both shared a common trait, not requiring intense competition, with work and rest decided by himself.
Even if the income wasn't high, it was better than working in a fast-food restaurant or delivering food.
Was he truly about to fulfill his dream?
Suppressing his unruly emotions, Chen Xuan understood he needed to solve one critical question first.
If this was truly the store given to him in a dream, then what exactly was it selling?