June 8, 2024.

As the bell rang, this year’s college entrance exam finally came to an end.

Nina Mason barely had enough strength left to hand her test paper to the teacher before collapsing onto the desk.

Outside, the glaring sunlight flickered blindingly, and the sharp panic of the invigilator’s screams buzzed in her ears before everything faded to black.

At the First Hospital in Jing City.

By the time Absalom Reed, director of the Welfare Institute, rushed to the emergency room, he didn’t even get to see Nina before being pulled aside by a doctor.

“Director Reed.”

Chester Price, the head of the ER, was familiar with Absalom Reed. When there was a health issue with one of the children from the orphanage, they were always sent to his hospital.

“Dr. Price, how’s Nina?”

Absalom grabbed Chester’s white coat tightly, his voice shaking with urgency.

“Director Reed, you know Nina’s condition as well as anyone. The fact that she made it this far was already a miracle. Her body… it’s like a cracked water bottle—it just can’t hold on anymore.”

Absalom’s face went pale. He had prepared himself for this, yet hearing the words out loud still twisted his heart in immeasurable pain. "This girl is only eighteen, and she just finished the college entrance exams this year. Dr. Price, please, is there anything else you can do to save her?"

"Mr. Reed," Chester Price sighed heavily. As an emergency doctor, he’d seen plenty of life and death, but watching a young life fade away at such a bright age was always heartbreaking.

"We’ve done everything we can. Nina has been on medication since she was little. Without her incredible resilience, she wouldn’t have made it this far. She gave it her all, old Reed," Chester's tone softened as he switched to a more personal address.

"Let her go. Let the child rest peacefully," Chester said, patting Absalom Reed on the shoulder before leaving him alone.

Absalom wiped his face, trying to smile despite the stiffness in his features, and walked into the emergency room.

Nina Mason had regained consciousness. She had a serene smile on her face, and even the faintly dim sunlight streaming through the windows seemed more pleasant to her now.

"Nina, you're awake? Are you feeling uncomfortable anywhere?" Absalom sat by her bedside, his eyes betraying the pain he tried to hide.

"No," Nina replied softly, her voice delicate yet steady. "Dad Reed, I just saw my mom, dad, and Alexander."

Hearing those words, Absalom felt a lump in his throat and a sting behind his eyes, his voice catching as if his throat were stuffed with cotton. Nina Mason had been abandoned as a baby, left without any parents or Alexander Harper, the brother she always talked about. Since she was five, she insisted she had a mom and dad and a brother named Alexander—always saying they were far away, just waiting to find her.

"Yeah," Absalom Reed tilted his head slightly, wiping away the tear at the corner of his eye.

"Do you think your mom and dad loved you a lot?" he asked.

"Of course," Nina's face lit up, her smile radiant. "They loved me so much. Whatever I wanted, they'd give me. And Alexander was the best brother—he never thought I was annoying, always let me tag along when he played."

Absalom kept the ache in his chest buried deep and let Nina keep talking, her words slicing through him with every sentence.

"Dad Reed, am I... am I going to die?" she asked softly.

Nina had known all along. Over the past month leading up to her exams, her health had been steadily slipping away. She was sleeping more, spending most of her days in bed, barely managing to eat anything aside from porridge or noodles. She wasn’t oblivious; she understood perfectly well what was happening.

"Don’t talk nonsense!" Absalom quickly brushed her bangs away from her face, his tone firm but his heart breaking. The sight of her delicate face nearly undid him.

"Our Nina’s doing fine. It’s just the exams—way too much stress. I told you to take it easy, didn’t I? But no, you wouldn’t listen to me!"

Nina’s bright eyes flickered with a trace of guilt."Who said I'm not smart? Burt always says stuff like that, but I'm the smartest! Even though I didn't go to school properly, I learned everything Burt taught me. Just wait till my test scores are out—he won't dare call me a little dummy again."

"That's right, you're definitely not a little dummy. Burt's the real dummy!"

Absalom's heart ached, like someone was twisting a knife inside. "When Burt gets back, I'll give him a piece of my mind."

Nina's lips were pale, but her face remained calm.

"Dad, don't get mad at Burt. I still need him to burn my test scores for me once they come out. The little ones are too young to go to the cemetery."

"Nina!"

Absalom's voice was thick with emotion. He stared at the girl who understood everything too well and couldn't find the right words to say.

"I'm not scared at all, Dad."

Nina reached out and held his hand. Her skin was pale, and you could see the bluish veins under it.

"I'm going to find Mom, Dad, and Alexander. They're probably still waiting for me."

Absalom could only hope, more than ever, that those names Nina mentioned—Mom, Dad, and Alexander—were real people waiting somewhere.

"And what about me, huh? You're just going to run off to find them, forget all about Dad and Burt?"

There was a faint bitterness in his voice.

"Heh," Nina chuckled weakly, her laughter barely audible."Nina, we've been together for eighteen years. It's time for me to let you go so you can be with them."

"Alright,"

Absalom tightened his grip on her small, frail hand. "Our little Nina has done enough. It's time to rest, to be with them."

Nina's lips curled into a peaceful smile. She glanced at the fading sunlight outside the window before slowly closing her eyes.

The heart monitor flatlined, the sharp alarm pierced the air, followed by hurried footsteps.

Chester rushed into the ER, his eyes turning red at the sight of the lifeless girl.

Eighteen years ago, she'd been just a bundle of blankets when she arrived. Back then, Chester was only a junior doctor—the one who had taken her in. Now, he was here again, saying goodbye to her.

"Chief?"

A nurse cautiously called out, glancing at the unmoving Chester.

"Absalom, should we keep trying?"

Chester knew it was over; she couldn't be saved. But still, he asked, his voice heavy as he looked at Absalom.

"Let her go,"

Absalom replied, shaking his head. "She's suffered enough. Let her leave quietly." Chester Price waved his hand, signaling the nurse to leave. He stood quietly behind Absalom Reed, both of them silently watching the faint smile on the young girl's face.

June 8, 1974, Hushi Textile Factory Residential Compound.

Nina Mason woke up from a daze, taking in the room that felt both unfamiliar and familiar.

There was a pair of mismatched cabinets, a wardrobe, and a wooden desk near it. On the desk were a stack of comic books, neatly arranged.

She sat up on the bed, feeling the energy in her body. Her eyes sparkled with excitement.

Without bothering to put on shoes, she dashed over in her white socks to the desk, where a mirror stood. It clearly reflected her healthy, rosy face.

"Dad, Mom," she murmured softly, unable to hold back the words.

She flung the door open and ran into the living room.

The people sitting there were startled when a girl suddenly burst out.

"Nina, sweetie, why don’t you go back to your room and rest?" Margaret Walker, wife of Aidin Lewis, dabbed her red, swollen eyes and coaxed as though speaking to a child.

"Dad, Mom!" Nina clutched Margaret’s arm, her eyes darting all around.

Not seeing anyone in the living room, she turned to head for her parents' bedroom.

"Nina!" Margaret quickly wrapped her arms around Nina’s waist, stopping her in her tracks."Listen to Aunt Margaret, okay? Go back to your room first. Your parents will be back tonight," Margaret Walker said with a gentle tone.

Nina Mason felt something was off. In her dreams, whenever she wanted to find her parents, Aunt Margaret always took her there immediately. Why was she being told to wait now?

"No, I’m not waiting. I want to find my parents," Nina said stubbornly, her eyes locked on Margaret.

She wanted to tell them that Nina wasn’t dumb anymore—she was back.

"Be good, Nina," Margaret coaxed her softly, the way you’d comfort a small child. "Can you wait a bit? Let Aunt finish her work, and then I’ll take you to see your mom and dad."

But the uneasy feeling in Nina’s chest grew, spreading like wildfire. It was worse than the fear she’d felt when she knew she was about to die.