Courtyard House: Time Traveler Not Yet a Ghost

He Damin also laughed: "Mr. Li is no ordinary person either."

The two men exchanged a glance and smiled. Some things didn't need to be said; they both understood.

It was completely dark when they left the studio. The neon lights on Hollywood Boulevard were on, the colorful signs flashing and turning the sky orange-red. Chen Xueru linked arms with He Damin and they walked slowly forward.

"He'll succeed, won't he?" she asked softly.

"Yes, it will," He Damin nodded, "but it will be very hard work."

Chen Xueru didn't speak, but simply tightened her grip on his arm. A cool evening breeze blew by, and she leaned closer to He Damin. He Damin took off his coat and draped it over her shoulders. The coat still held his body heat, warm and comforting.

"Are you cold?" he asked.

"I'm not cold." She shook her head, looked up at him, and said, "Brother Damin, you're so kind."

He Damin smiled and ruffled her hair: "Silly girl."

Over the next few days, He Damin took Chen Xueru on a tour of Los Angeles. They went to Santa Monica Beach, where people were playing volleyball, walking their dogs, and girls in bikinis were sunbathing. Chen Xueru didn't dare take off her shoes and walked barefoot on the hot sand, jumping up and down in frustration.

"It's so hot! It's so hot!" she exclaimed, stamping her feet like a frightened little rabbit.

He Damin pulled her into the sea. The cool water washed over her ankles, and Chen Xueru sighed contentedly. Waves surged in, wetting her skirt. She laughed and tried to splash in the waves, only to have her hair soaked by a big wave, looking like a drowned rat.

"He Damin! You did that on purpose!" She chased after He Damin, hitting him, while He Damin laughed and ran away. The two of them played around on the beach. Ah Zhong followed from a distance, holding a camera in his hand, and captured the scene—in the sunset, a woman in a red dress chased after a man, the waves crashing at their feet like a cheerful song.

They went to Venice Beach, where there were many street performers. A black man was playing guitar and singing songs he couldn't understand; a white man was performing fire-eating, which frightened Chen Xueru so much that she covered her eyes; and an old man was drawing sketches. He Damin asked him to draw a portrait of Chen Xueru, and it turned out to be incredibly lifelike. Chen Xueru treasured it and put it away.

Griffith Observatory is located on a hilltop, and it's best to visit at night. Standing on the observatory's terrace, you can see the entire Los Angeles cityscape at night. Thousands of lights, like stars scattered on the ground, stretch all the way to the distant sea. Chen Xueru leaned against the railing, gazing at the lights, her eyes sparkling.

"It's so beautiful," she whispered.

"More beautiful than Hong Kong?" He Damin asked.

"A different kind of beauty." She thought for a moment, "Hong Kong is like a bustling market, while this place is like a quiet garden."

He Damin hugged her from behind, resting his chin on the top of her head: "Let's come here once a year from now on, okay?"

"Okay." Chen Xueru nodded. "When we have a child, we'll bring him to see the stars."

They also visited a winery in Napa Valley. The vineyards stretched as far as the eye could see, their green leaves shimmering in the sunlight. The winery owner, an elderly Italian man, warmly invited them to sample the wine. Chen Xueru, who didn't drink, took a small sip of red wine, her face flushed, and she leaned dizzily on He Damin's shoulder.

"Brother Damin, I feel dizzy," she whispered.

"Who told you to drink so much?" He Damin helped her up and said goodbye to the winery owner.

"I only took a tiny sip..." she mumbled, her eyes barely open.

He Damin carried her to the car, and she nestled in his arms, quickly falling asleep. Outside the car window, the setting sun bathed the grapevines in gold, like an oil painting. He Damin looked at Chen Xueru in his arms; her eyelashes were long, her breathing was light, and a smile lingered on her lips. He wondered what she was dreaming about.

He suddenly felt that this was truly wonderful. No need to think about business, no need for all the scheming and backstabbing; he could simply take her around, see the scenery, eat delicious food, like an ordinary tourist. He remembered when he first met Chen Xueru, he was a penniless young man, and she was the owner of a silk shop. Back then, his biggest dream was to make a lot of money so she could live a good life. Now he had achieved it, but he realized that the best life wasn't about living in a luxurious house or driving an expensive car, but about being able to hold her like this, watching her sleep.

They went to SeaWorld San Diego. There were many marine animals there, including dolphins, sea lions, and whales. Chen Xueru liked the dolphins the most; they jumped around in the pool and even interacted with people. The trainer let a dolphin kiss Chen Xueru, and she smiled like a child, her face bearing the wet kiss of the dolphin.

Chen Xueru was standing in the front row when the whale show started. Suddenly, a whale leaped out of the water, splashing her all over. Her hair and dress were soaked, and she looked extremely disheveled, yet she laughed the loudest.

"He Damin! Look at me!" She pointed to her wet hair, laughing until tears streamed down her face.

He Damin took out a towel and helped her dry her hair: "I told you not to stand so close."

"Who knew it would spray water!" she pouted. "But it's so exciting!"

Looking into her bright eyes, He Damin felt happy too. He realized that Chen Xueru was actually very easy to please; the smallest thing could make her happy for half a day. Unlike him, who always wanted more, to earn more money, to buy more properties, as if he could never fill the void in his heart.

After leaving the aquarium, they went to a nearby beach. The sand was covered with seashells, and Chen Xueru squatted down to collect them, like a child on a treasure hunt. She filled a bag to the brim, saying she would take them back for Yushui to play with.

"Rainwater will definitely like it," she said happily.

"When we get back, we'll take her to the beach in Hong Kong to collect seashells," He Damin said.

"Okay, okay!" Chen Xueru nodded. "I'll also take her to Disneyland. She saw it in a magazine last time and said she wanted to go."

"Whatever you say." He Damin smiled and ruffled her hair.

He Damin specially took Chen Xueru to the Grand Canyon. They drove from Los Angeles, a journey that took a whole day. Chen Xueru was initially very excited, but then she fell asleep, leaning on He Damin's shoulder like a docile kitten.

Upon arriving at the Grand Canyon, Chen Xueru was stunned by the sight before her. The enormous canyon appeared as if cleaved open by a god, with layers of reddish-brown rocks stretching all the way to the horizon. Sunlight shone on the rocks, displaying different colors—red, yellow, and orange—like a giant oil painting.

"Oh my god..." She stood on the edge of the cliff, her legs weak. "It's so high..."

He Damin hugged her from behind, afraid she would fall: "Don't look down, look into the distance."

Chen Xueru looked up at the distant sky. The sky was as blue as a jewel, with a few white clouds drifting lazily by. The wind blew up from the valley floor, carrying the scent of earth and pine trees, fresh and crisp.

"It's so beautiful..." she whispered, tears welling in her eyes. "Brother Damin, thank you for bringing me here."

"Silly girl, why are you thanking me?" He Damin kissed her forehead. "We'll go to more places in the future, to see the Eiffel Tower in Paris, to see the pyramids in Egypt, and to see elephants in Africa."

"Okay." Chen Xueru leaned against him, her voice soft. "As long as I'm with you, anywhere is fine."

They spent two days at the Grand Canyon, staying at a hotel overlooking the canyon. At night, they sat on the terrace watching the stars. The stars in the Grand Canyon were exceptionally bright, densely packed, like diamonds scattered on black velvet. Chen Xueru leaned against He Damin, listening to him tell stories about the constellations.

"That's Orion. Look, doesn't it look like a hunter?" He Damin said, pointing to the stars in the sky.

"It doesn't look like it," Chen Xueru shook her head. "It looks like a fork to me."

He Damin laughed: "You girl, you have no sense of romance at all."

"That's true," Chen Xueru pouted. "They're not even as pretty as the Cowherd and the Weaver Girl from Chinese folklore."

"Okay, okay, the Cowherd and the Weaver Girl are beautiful." He Damin went along with her. "When we go back to Hong Kong for Qixi Festival, we'll go see the Milky Way."

"Hmm." Chen Xueru nodded, yawned, and said, "Brother Damin, I'm sleepy."

"Go to sleep." He Damin hugged her and gently patted her back.

Chen Xueru quickly fell asleep, her breathing even. He Damin looked at the stars in the sky, his heart at peace. He thought of his past life, when he was struggling alone in America, his greatest wish then was to make something of himself. Now he had everything, but he felt happiest because he had this woman by his side.

After returning from the Grand Canyon, they went to Las Vegas. This city, built in the desert, shimmered like a diamond. The hotels were increasingly luxurious, with fountains at their entrances shooting dozens of meters high and light shows at night. Chen Xueru stood at the hotel entrance, utterly dumbfounded.

"Don't people here ever sleep?" she asked in surprise, looking at the brightly lit streets in the early hours of the morning.

"Las Vegas is a city that never sleeps," He Damin said with a smile. "Come on, I'll take you to the casino."

The casino was bustling with noise, the slot machines jingling and the roulette wheels spinning rapidly. Chen Xueru watched the gamblers, feeling both fascinated and frightened. He Damin exchanged some $100 in chips and handed them to her: "Go play the slot machines, they're easy."

Chen Xueru, holding her chips, cautiously approached a slot machine. Following the example of others, she inserted the chips and pulled the lever. The machine started spinning, making a "ding-ding-ding" sound. She stared nervously at the screen, her heart pounding.

"Stop! Stop! Stop!" she muttered softly.

The slot machine stopped, and three identical symbols appeared on the screen. "Splash!" The machine spat out a bunch of coins.

"Ah! I won!" Chen Xueru jumped up with joy, like a child.

He Damin walked over with a smile and helped her pick up the coins: "Impressive, Boss Chen."

"I'm so lucky!" Chen Xueru proudly raised her head and placed another chip.

Her luck seemed to be really good; she won several times in a row. In less than an hour, she had won over three thousand dollars. Holding the plate full of coins, she couldn't stop smiling.

"Brother Damin, aren't I amazing?" she said boastfully.

"Impressive." He Damin nodded, secretly chuckling to himself. He had just used a little trick to control the slot machine's program. He didn't want to win money; he just wanted to see Chen Xueru happy.

"We'll come again tomorrow!" Chen Xueru said excitedly.

"Okay," He Damin agreed with a smile.

But the next day, Chen Xueru fell ill. She had eaten a hot dog and drunk an iced cola outside the casino the day before, and started having diarrhea in the middle of the night. He Damin was frantic and quickly called a doctor to the hotel. The doctor said it wasn't anything serious, just food poisoning, and prescribed some medicine.

He Damin stayed with her at the hotel all day. He cooked porridge for her, slowly simmering it in the hotel's small pot until it was very soft. He fed her medicine, like coaxing a child. He told her stories, about his childhood in the countryside, and about the hardships he faced when he first arrived in Hong Kong.

"You were so pitiful back then." Chen Xueru leaned against the headboard, listening to his story, her eyes red.

"I'm not pitiful anymore," He Damin said, holding her hand. "Now I have you."

Chen Xueru smiled, but tears streamed down her face. She reached out and hugged He Damin's neck: "Brother Damin, it's so good to have you."

"Silly girl." He Damin patted her back, feeling a warmth in his heart.

Outside the window, the neon lights of Las Vegas shone all night, like an inextinguishable flame. Looking at Chen Xueru sleeping in his arms, He Damin suddenly felt that no amount of fame or fortune was as important as her smile.

After recovering from their illness, they prepared to return to Hong Kong. Before leaving, He Damin took Chen Xueru to a jewelry store in Beverly Hills. He bought her a diamond necklace with large diamonds that sparkled under the lights.

"It's too expensive." Chen Xueru was startled when she saw the price tag.

"It's not expensive," He Damin said as he put the necklace on her. "My woman deserves the best."

Chen Xueru looked at herself in the mirror; the necklace gleamed around her neck, making her skin appear even whiter. She turned around and hugged He Damin: "Thank you, Brother Damin."

"Why are you being so polite with me?" He Damin smiled and kissed her forehead.

A private jet was parked on the airport's VIP tarmac, its white fuselage gleaming in the sunlight. Chen Xueru stood on the gangway and glanced back at Los Angeles. This city held so many beautiful memories for her—laughter, emotion, and the image of herself running on the beach in a red dress.

"Let's go." He Damin took her hand and led her onto the plane.

"Okay." Chen Xueru nodded, glanced back again, and said, "Come again next time."

"Next time, let's bring Yushui and our baby together," He Damin said with a smile.

Chen Xueru's face flushed instantly, and she lightly punched him: "Who wants to have a baby with you?"

He Damin laughed heartily and pulled her into the plane.

The plane took off, and Los Angeles slowly shrank below, eventually becoming a blurry dot. Chen Xueru leaned on He Damin's shoulder, looking at the clouds outside the window. There were many clouds, soft and fluffy like cotton candy.

"Brother Da Min," she suddenly said, "do you think Bruce Lee would have succeeded?"

He Damin thought for a moment and said, "Yes, he will become a star known all over the world."

"Should we help him?" Chen Xueru asked. She felt that Bruce Lee had a tough time and wanted to help him.

He Damin was silent for a moment: "No need. Everyone has their own path to walk. All we can do is watch over him and wish him well."

Chen Xueru nodded and said nothing more. She knew He Damin was right. Just like her and He Damin, they had walked their own paths step by step; no one could do it for them.

The plane pierced through the clouds, and the sunlight streamed in, warm and pleasant. Chen Xueru yawned and fell asleep leaning on He Damin's shoulder. He Damin looked at her sleeping face, a slight smile playing on his lips. He closed his eyes and began to doze off as well.

In his dream, he returned to his home in Hong Kong. A little girl with pigtails was chasing butterflies in the yard. She ran very fast, her laughter like the tinkling of silver bells. Chen Xueru stood at the door, smiling at him, her belly slightly protruding.

He Damin walked over and hugged Chen Xueru from behind. The girl saw him, stopped, and ran towards him with open arms, crying, "Daddy!"

He Damin squatted down and picked the girl up. The girl kissed him on the cheek and giggled.

"Dad, Mom said my little brother is coming out," the girl said, pointing to Chen Xueru's belly.

"Really?" He Damin smiled and looked at Chen Xueru, who smiled back at him, her eyes full of tenderness.

The sunlight shone on them, warm and comforting. He Damin felt that this was the life he wanted: her, children, and a warm home.

The plane continued eastward, crossing the Pacific Ocean, towards their home.