Five years after my wife's death, she came back!

A light rain began to fall in Yuncheng after a long absence. The pattering raindrops pattered against the windows, sounding particularly jarring in the quiet night.

The house was in an old neighborhood and the soundproofing wasn't very good. Shi Ying could vaguely hear the sounds of windows being closed and curtains being drawn upstairs and downstairs.

She sat on the sofa, rubbing her temples, trying to process the contents of her dream.

Two years ago, when this time travel technology was just becoming popular, she was a junior in college and was very busy with her studies.

Moreover, she never plays games. Even though the other three girls in her dorm often play together, she doesn't participate because she's not good at it and has no interest in it.

If the people in her dream really were her and Shang Chenyan, then when did she enter the game? And what prompted her to participate in this game?

Was her sudden disappearance due to the staff's claim during the day that the technology was still unstable? Or did she choose to leave at that time herself?

Thinking of the "ex-wife" that Shang Chenyan had mentioned to her before, they met in college ten years ago, got married after graduation, and had a son named Shang Nian. Not long after Shang Nian was born, his wife left.

If it were her, knowing that she couldn't stay in the game for long, how could she possibly marry Shang Chenyan and have a child?

Shi Ying knew she wasn't a very reliable person, but surely not this unreliable...

"Ah..." Shi Ying's head was like mush. She rolled around on the sofa with her pillow in her arms, wondering why she couldn't remember anything.

Just as she was getting frustrated, her phone on the table vibrated.

Shi Ying reached out and grabbed the phone, seeing that it was Uncle Liu calling.

"Uncle Liu?"

After hearing what was said on the other end of the phone, Shi Ying's expression changed, and she hurriedly got up: "I understand, I'll be right there."

*

hospital.

Shi Ying rushed to the ward and bumped into Liu Shu, who was coming out with a water cup.

"Slow down, slow down." Liu Shu helped her up. "Don't worry, your mother is fine. It suddenly rained tonight, and she fainted when she went to collect the laundry. The doctor checked her just now and said she was too tired and had low blood sugar."

Uncle Liu has an honest appearance and a simple family background. He runs a fruit business, and Xu Xiuling usually helps out at the store, while also taking care of household chores and her son.

Shi Ying looked through the crack in the door at the woman sleeping on the bed, feeling a sense of helplessness and guilt.

"Do I need to be hospitalized?"

Uncle Liu shook his head: "She'll be fine after a night's rest. The doctor said she's not young to begin with, so she'll need to rest properly at home for a while."

"The shop is so busy, there's no time to rest..." Uncle Liu sighed, walked to the water dispenser and filled a cup with hot water. "Go in and keep her company. The child is still at home, I have to go back and watch over him."

"it is good."

Shi Ying placed the water glass on the bedside table, sat on the edge of the bed, and helped Xu Xiuling tidy up the bedding.

The shop was busy because the two of them couldn't bear to spend money to hire help. Shi Ying had signed up for the game before, partly because of their argument, and partly because she didn't want Xu Xiuling to be so tired.

You have to take care of things both at home and outside; even the strongest person can get sick.

After spending the night at the hospital, Shi Ying received a call from the game's staff early the next morning.

"Ms. Shi, we'd like to confirm with you, are you sure you want to quit the game midway?"

The time frame is uncertain.

Because of the dream she had last night, she even had the impulse to go back.

But...

She glanced at Xu Xiuling lying on the bed and didn't say anything for a moment.

The staff member continued, "Ms. Shi, before you entered the game, we signed a contract. You can quit if there are any unforeseen circumstances, but the contract you signed is for one month, which means you have to stay in the game for a full year."

"If you withdraw now, you will not receive your payment."

"The contract stipulates that if you complete the task, the reward is one million. If you do not complete the task, you can receive one hundred thousand as compensation for your labor. Of course, if you have other gains in the game, such as being very familiar with the task object and being able to provide game strategies even if you did not complete the task, we will increase the reward as appropriate."

Shi Ying walked to the window and pushed it open a small crack.

It rained all night, the air smelled of damp earth, and there was no sunshine in the sky, just like Jiangcheng in the game, always so gray and gloomy.

"Miss Shi, are you listening?"

After waiting for a long time without receiving a reply, the staff member said again, "You have three days to consider it. You need to give us a reply by tomorrow afternoon at the latest, otherwise we will consider you to have withdrawn automatically."

"No need," Shi Ying said. "No need for tomorrow..."

"I'll come over tomorrow morning and re-enter the game."

After hanging up the phone, Shi Ying let out a long sigh.

She wanted to find out if she and Shang Chenyan really had a past.

She also had to try her best to complete the task. Even if she couldn't, she could at least try to organize the game strategy. She wanted to earn more money for Xu Xiuling.

When Shi Ying closed the window and returned, she found that Xu Xiuling had already woken up.

"Mom?" Shi Ying walked over and asked, "Are you alright? Are you feeling unwell?"

Xu Xiuling shook her head, sat up and leaned against the headboard: "It's an old problem. I was so busy talking to you last night that I didn't eat much, which is why I have low blood sugar."

Shi Ying poured her a glass of warm water: "No matter how busy you are, don't forget to eat. I was almost scared to death when I heard you fainted."

Xu Xiuling smiled and said, "I'm fine, I just need to rest for a couple of days."

"Mom, let's hire someone else to help out at Uncle Liu's shop. Moving things every day is so tiring, and you also have to take care of your younger brother. You can't handle it."

"You make it sound so easy," Xu Xiuling said, taking a sip of water and coughing a few times. "Hiring people costs a lot of money."

Shi Ying looked down at her hands: "I'll pay for it."

"You're going to go?" Xu Xiuling tapped her head. "Take care of your own affairs first. You didn't like the person I showed you yesterday, so Mom will introduce you to someone you like..."

When this matter was brought up again, Shi Ying let it go in one ear and out the other, not wanting to argue with her at this time.

It can't be said that Xu Xiuling didn't love her. Her father passed away when she was in elementary school, and even after Xu Xiuling remarried, she didn't neglect her. She wanted to keep her by her side, but Shi Ying herself was unwilling.

However, now that Shiying has grown up, the mother and daughter lack communication and have different ideas, so they often have conflicts.

After taking care of Xu Xiuling at the hospital for a day, Shi Ying took her home early the next morning and then went to the game building.

She lay back down in the hibernation pod.