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The moment Su Ning opened his eyes, the blinding sunlight streamed in through the floor-to-ceiling window. He instinctively raised his hand to shield his eyes, but instead touched a soft down comforter.

This is neither the mahogany bed he slept in "Love Between Mountains and Seas" nor the luxurious modern bed in "America".

He sat up abruptly and looked around...

Beige walls, minimalist Scandinavian-style furniture, and a latest-model Apple iPhone on the bedside table.

"Am I back?" Su Ning murmured to herself, her voice sounding particularly hollow in the spacious bedroom.

He walked barefoot on the soft carpet toward the French windows.

Outside the window is the familiar city skyline, and the swimming pool and small garden of the luxury villa shimmer in the sunlight.

Suning's fingers touched the cold glass, and a sense of unreality arose spontaneously.

Just yesterday, he was enjoying his retirement with Li Shuihua in the TV series "Love Between Mountains and Seas," dreaming of becoming husband and wife again in the next life.

But today, he is standing in his own mansion in the real world, wearing a silk nightgown.

"Sigh! It really feels like a time warp..." Su Ning rubbed his temples as memories flooded back.

He did indeed return, back to his real world.

The phone screen on the bedside table lit up, displaying the date: May 15, 2023.

Su Ning remembers that he traveled through time on March 10th, which means that he had been "missing" for more than two months in the real world.

My phone is overflowing with missed calls and text messages.

His most frequent female companions were his confidante Chen Xiaojun, followed by his legal wife Hu Yue, and then his parents and bank colleagues.

There are now rumors circulating in the bank that he has been taken into custody by relevant authorities, which shows that his departure as bank manager has had a negative impact.

Su Ning took a deep breath and sent Chen Xiaojun a text message: "Honey, I'm back. I'm at home."

Less than three seconds later, the phone rang.

"Su Ning? Is it really you?" Chen Xiaojun's voice trembled noticeably. "You...when did you get back?"

"I just woke up, I'm at home." Su Ning's throat tightened when he heard his wife's familiar voice. "Xiaojun, I missed you."

"I'll be right back," Chen Xiaojun interrupted him. "No, wait, I have an important rehearsal with the theater troupe today, I can't get away..."

Her voice was filled with contradiction, "Are you...are you alright?"

"I'm fine," Su Ning forced a smile. "You go ahead with your work, we'll talk again tonight."

Okay! I love you.

After hanging up the phone, Suning walked towards the bathroom.

The man in the mirror was almost unrecognizable to him...

His beard was disheveled, and he had heavy dark circles under his eyes, as if he had gone through a long and tiring journey.

Hot water gushed from the showerhead, washing over his body, but it couldn't wash away the people and feelings from his memories.

After changing into her pajamas, Suning began checking the condition of her home.

The refrigerator was well-stocked, clearly replenished regularly; several children's picture books sat on the coffee table in the living room, a reminder that he had a five-year-old daughter, Su Nian; the computer in the study was covered in a thin layer of dust, but company documents were neatly stacked on the corner of the table, indicating that someone was handling his work.

Around noon, Suning casually cooked himself a bowl of instant noodles and sat at the island counter in the open kitchen, eating slowly.

The taste of real food felt both strange and familiar to him; the seasonings were too strong, making him miss the light and simple food in "Love Between Mountains and Seas".

I don't know if I can take Li Shuihua with me when I leave this time, the woman who has devoted her whole life to me.

Thinking of Jiang Si, Chai Jing, and Zhuang Hanyan in the spatial world, a smile involuntarily appeared on his lips again.

In fact, these close female friends are the reward I value most, far more valuable than inexhaustible wealth.

Just as he was lost in thought, the sound of the door lock turning startled him awake.

Then came the children's cheerful laughter and the voices of several adults.

"Niannian, slow down, be careful not to fall!" That was Hu Yue's voice.

"I want to show my grandparents my new shoes and clothes!" Su Nian, the daughter, shouted happily.

Suning stood frozen in place, the chopsticks in his hand falling onto the table with a crisp sound.

The next second, a small figure rushed into the kitchen and then suddenly stopped.

"Dad... Dad?" Su Nian's eyes widened, her little face filled with disbelief.

Hu Yue and Su Ning's parents followed closely behind, carrying shopping bags. The moment they saw Su Ning, the bags fell to the ground with a thud.

"Su Ning?!" she screamed, her eyes immediately welling up with tears. "When did you get back? Why didn't you tell us?!"

The parents rushed over upon hearing the commotion. The mother immediately burst into tears, while the father tried to remain calm, but his trembling hands betrayed his agitation.

“I just got back not long ago,” Su Ning stood up and forced a smile. “My business trip is over, so I went straight home.”

"Hmph! A business trip?" Hu Yue frowned. "What kind of business trip can last for two months without any news? Your colleagues at the bank all suspect something has happened to you. Xiaojun only said that you have an important project and can't be reached. We're all going crazy with worry!"

Su Ning went over and hugged his parents, then hugged his wife Hu Yue, and then squatted down to be at eye level with his daughter.

Su Nian took a step back and hid behind her mother, Hu Yue, only revealing her big eyes as she watched him warily.

"Niannian, don't you recognize your father?" Su Ning asked softly, her heart feeling as if it were being gripped by an invisible hand.

The little girl shook her head, then nodded, and finally whispered, "Daddy hasn't been home in a long time."

These words pierced Su Ning's heart like a knife.

During his time travel, he often missed his family, especially his daughter, but he had no control over the time and duration of his travels.

Every time I come back, I have to face the reality that my child has grown up a bit more and has become more distant from me.

“I’m sorry, baby,” Su Ning said, extending her hand, “Daddy brought you a gift this time.”

"Really?" Su Nian's eyes lit up, but she still didn't step forward.

Seeing this, Hu Yue gently nudged her beloved daughter: "Go on, don't you miss your dad? You ask him every night when he'll be back."

Taking the opportunity, Suning pulled out an exquisite wooden bird carving from his pocket...

He carved this by hand in a certain instance world, originally intending to give it to Nian Nian as a talisman.

Seeing the delicate little bird, Su Nian finally slowly walked over.

“Daddy made this by hand,” Su Ning said, placing the little bird in his daughter’s palm. “It will bless Niannian with peace and happiness.”

The little girl carefully held the wooden carving and finally smiled, saying, "Thank you, Daddy."

The mother wiped away her tears and said, "It's good that you're back, it's good that you're back. Look at you, you've lost so much weight. This business trip must have been tough for you."

"Um, a little," Su Ning replied slurredly, avoiding her parents' concerned gaze.

Only he knows what he went through in the past two months...

Life-or-death battles on the battlefield, open and covert struggles in the imperial court, and the parting with his confidante, Li Shuihua...

Hu Yue noticed her husband's absent-minded expression and changed the subject: "Su Ning, you should rest first. We just got back from shopping and bought a lot of things. Niannian, do you want to show Daddy the gifts you picked out for Grandpa and Grandma?"

……

Chen Xiaojun rushed back for dinner.

As soon as she entered the room, her eyes met Su Ning's, and there was a tacit understanding between them that needed no words.

Only she knew Su Ning's secret—his ability to travel to ancient times.

Suning's parents were naturally aware of their son's multiple women, but since the young man didn't care, they, as the elders, could only pretend not to know.

“Xiaojun,” Hu Yue said cheerfully, “Look who’s back!” Chen Xiaojun put down her bag, walked to Su Ning’s side, and gave him a gentle hug: “Welcome home.”

These four simple words contain a profound meaning that only the two of them understand.

After dinner, Su Ning's parents took Su Nian to the living room to watch TV, giving the three of them, who had been separated for a long time, some space.

In the kitchen, Chen Xiaojun was washing the dishes, Su Ning was wiping them down, while Hu Yue was massaging Su Ning's shoulders.

"Where did you go this time?" Chen Xiaojun asked in a low voice, her eyes fixed on the flowing water.

“A bond between mountains and seas,” Su Ning also lowered his voice, “I’ve dedicated my life to poverty alleviation work.”

Chen Xiaojun paused for a moment: "Are you injured?"

"How could I possibly get hurt? At most, it's just emotional intelligence." Su Ning couldn't help but show a wry smile.

"Li Shuihua?"

"Hmm, you've seen 'Love Between Mountains and Seas'?"

"Of course! I just didn't expect..."

The two fell into silence.

This kind of dialogue has happened between them many times, but every time Suning returns from his time travel, Chen Xiaojun needs time to readjust.

She was the only person he told the truth to, and the person he trusted most in the world.

"Su Ning, Xiao Jun, what are you two talking about?"

"Uh? Hu Yue, you really want to know?"

"Hmph! Nonsense! I've known about the secret between you and Xiaojun for a long time."

"Hehe, I'll tell you everything tonight."

"..."

“Niannian has grown up again,” Su Ning then broke the silence again, “She seems… not to recognize me anymore.”

Chen Xiaojun turned off the tap and turned to face her man: "Hmph! Don't you know why?"

At this moment, Hu Yue, who was hugging Su Ning from behind, explained, "You missed her fifth birthday. That day she kept asking, 'Why didn't Daddy come back to celebrate my birthday?'"

Hu Yue's voice contained no blame, only the calm statement of facts.

That's just her personality. Perhaps it's because Su Ning compromised too much, even knowing that Su Ning and Chen Xiaojun had real feelings for each other, she still endured it.

Su Ning closed his eyes, looking unusually embarrassed: "I'm sorry."

“You don’t need to apologize to me,” Hu Yue sighed, “but you need to find a way to mend your relationship with your daughter. She needs a father, not just a ‘gift dad’ who appears and disappears occasionally.”

Su Nian's cheerful laughter came from the living room. Su Ning looked in the direction of the sound, her eyes filled with complex emotions: "I will. This time... I think I'll stay home a little longer."

Chen Xiaojun, standing to the side, gave him a meaningful look: "Can you control it?"

Su Ning shook his head: "No. But there is usually a gap of several months between two time travels. And the next time travel may be completely different from the previous one."

"Oh?"

That evening, Su Ning stood at the door of her daughter's bedroom, watching her fall asleep holding the newly acquired wooden bird carving.

He gently went inside, tucked her in, and placed a kiss on her forehead.

"Goodnight, my little princess," he whispered.

Back in the master bedroom, Chen Xiaojun and Hu Yue had already changed into their pajamas and were making the bed.

Su Ning suddenly felt a sense of unreality...

The stark contrast between the wind-swept northwest and the cozy bedroom left him feeling disoriented.

"What's wrong?" Chen Xiaojun noticed his unusual behavior.

Su Ning shook her head and sat on the edge of the bed: "It's just... I need time to get used to it. It's always like this every time I come back."

Chen Xiaojun sat down next to him and gently took his hand: "Is there anything different this time?"

Su Ning thought for a moment: "It's even stronger now. I've been through a lot over there. Sometimes I feel like I've been torn in two, one half in the instance and the other half in the real world."

Hu Yue, who was standing to the side, was silent for a moment, and then said, "President Zhao called yesterday to ask about your situation. The bank has several important decisions that require your approval."

"I'll go to the bank tomorrow. If it really doesn't work out, I'll quit my job," he said.

Chen Xiaojun nodded, then hesitated for a moment: "Also... I might have to take on a tour project in another city, which will last for a month."

Su Ning suddenly looked up: "Now?"

“We’ve discussed this before,” Chen Xiaojun reminded softly, “before you… leave. My career is also important, Su Ning.”

Su Ning took a deep breath, suppressing her unease: "Of course, I just... came back and hope to spend more time together."

"Isn't Hu Yue here?"

"Hey! Okay!"

Chen Xiaojun comforted her, "Don't overthink it! You need to readjust to your family, and I need to work. We both have our own lives to live."

These words stung Suning.

Yes! Time was truly passing for his family when he traveled through time.

Daughters will grow up, parents will grow old, and wives and confidantes will have their own careers.

He always disappears and reappears suddenly, like an unstable variable disrupting everyone's lives.

Then Su Ning thoroughly satisfied Chen Xiaojun and Hu Yue, and Hu Yue also learned of her husband's secret.

Hu Yue was shocked and found it incredibly unbelievable. "Su Ning, so every time you go on a business trip, you're actually traveling through a dungeon world?"

"almost."

"That...that..."

"The next world we'll be traveling to is 'Post-Apocalyptic Wasteland.' Would you two like to join me on this adventure?"

"Huh? A post-apocalyptic wasteland?" Chen Xiaojun, standing to the side, stared wide-eyed in shock.

"Yes, it's fraught with unpredictable dangers: zombies, extreme heat, acid rain, extreme cold, floods..."

"How exciting! But can Hu Yue handle it?"

"I can! You can do it! So can I."

"Okay! Let's go on an adventure together this time."

"Hehe, that's great! Just thinking about it is exciting." Hu Yue hugged Su Ning with delight and giggled. She was finally going to be able to uncover Su Ning's deepest secret.

In the stillness of the night, Su Ning lay in bed, listening to the even breathing of his wife and confidante beside him.

The city lights outside the window were bright, a stark contrast to the dungeon world he had just left.

He didn't know when he would time travel again, nor how long he would be able to stay in the real world this time.

But there was one thing he was very clear about...

He must cherish every moment and do his best to make up for what he has failed his family.

Especially for that little girl who had already begun to forget his voice.

...(End of chapter)