When I woke up, it was already past 8 pm. My head was pounding, and I had no strength in my body. Qian Mi was no longer around, and I was alone in the room with the door tightly closed. I noticed a glass of water on the table, and I picked it up to drink. It was sweet and turns out it was honey water. I felt very warm, she was really thoughtful.

I walked out the door carrying my handbag and shopping bag, which contained a pair of pretty children’s shoes that I couldn’t forget.

“You’re awake!” The driver, Mr. Ma, stood at the door and quickly greeted me as I came out.

“Uh, she’s already gone?”

“Boss left more than an hour ago. She told me to tell you that she had something to do and had to leave first and that we’ll meet again next time. If you woke up later, she told me to book a room at a nearby hotel. If you wake up before ten o’clock and want to go back, I must take you home.”

I nodded and said, “I have to get up early for work tomorrow. Thank you very much.”

Front desk manager Tang saw us off to the door, and I could still see her waving as the car drove away. She had a smile on her face and welcomed me to come back again next time.

Mr.Ma is a handsome young man who knows that I am a married woman and never crosses the line. He has driven me home many times before, and each time he would turn on the music and drive silently, occasionally complaining about his own family troubles to me.

This time was no different. I told him the new address, and he nodded to indicate he understood, then didn’t say anything else. However, when he found out where I was going, a surprised expression unconsciously appeared on his face.

He drove very steadily, with soothing and pleasant music in my ears, and I felt drowsy. I felt like I was traveling through a dark tunnel with no one else around. I turned right, turned left, straight ahead. Houses, lights, streets, and pedestrians, flashed by quickly in front of me and then disappeared quickly when I didn’t notice. An idea came to me on its own: before I step into the house, it doesn’t exist there, it was just another part of the picture. Perhaps I am no longer Wei Zhou, perhaps…I never was Wei Zhou.

The car stopped in front of an old apartment building, and  Mr.Ma quickly got out to open the car door for me. The surroundings were dim, and the sound-controlled lights in the hallway flickered weakly, then quickly went out.

“Thank you, Mr. Ma. It’s so late and you’ve taken me back. Please go back early and rest well. Take care on the way, and have a good dream!” I smiled and thanked him.

Mr.Ma hesitated for a moment, then took out a business card from his pocket. “Zhou…Sister Zhou, this is my phone number. If you need any help, just call me anytime. I’ll be there for you no matter what.” He stuttered slightly, and his face turned a little red.

I took the card, looked at it, and then waved at him. “I got it. Thank you, you’re such a warm-hearted kid.” He stared at me, his eyes full of tenderness and pity.

I smiled at him and walked towards the unit. When I was about to enter the hallway, Ma’s determined voice came from behind: “I know everything about you. Everything. I’m not a kid anymore, and I will definitely protect you!”

This was a small apartment of less than 30 square meters, with one living room and one bedroom, but no kitchen. The bathroom was small, with a water heater and a spray head that served as my bathroom. The house was not renovated, and the walls around it were a bit dark and cracked, giving a heavy feeling. Fortunately, I liked the cleanliness, and the things were arranged in an orderly manner. Therefore, it didn’t look shabby but rather had a sense of tranquility and comfort.

I liked being alone because at this moment there was only me. If you cannot be free in the ordinary, you can never be free. Names, families, jobs, friends, achievements, credit cards…the existence of these identities are fragile and short-lived. When they become unfamiliar and disappear, will we question ourselves about who we really are? Can we dare to face our inner anxieties?

In fact, people chase after careers, achievements, and love, and constantly engage in various activities, just to escape from the one person they don’t want to face. Because a person will always have to deal with only themselves!

I turned on the light, walked into the bedroom, and saw a bed that was neither big nor small. Opposite the bed was a desk with several tools, practical dictionaries, and a laptop on it relating to humanities and geography. This laptop was my most valuable asset, given to me voluntarily by my ex-husband, for which I am grateful.

Above the desk hangs a pair of words, “The Way of heaven is to benefit others and not injure.” From a pure calligraphic point of view, these seven characters are written in a mediocre manner and are not beautiful. But it is the only relic left to me by my grandfather, so I have always treasured it. My ex-husband didn’t like these characters and thought it was shameful to hang them at home. So it wasn’t until last month when I moved here that these words saw the light of day again.

I sat on the bed for a while, then turned on the bedside lamp. Standing under the light was an exquisite picture frame with a photo of me and my daughter. She was holding me tightly, her round little face rosy, her eyes seemingly able to speak, shining with smart, lively, and happy light.

I love her very much, and so does my ex-husband. When he proposed to take all the property when his daughter prefers to live with him, I agreed without thinking. After all, raising a child requires money, and it won’t be a small amount.

Above the desk hangs a pair of words, “The Way of heaven is to benefit others and not injure.” From a pure calligraphic point of view, these seven characters are written in a mediocre manner and are not beautiful. But it is the only relic left to me by my grandfather, so I have always treasured it. My ex-husband didn’t like these characters and thought it was shameful to hang them at home. So it wasn’t until last month when I moved here that these words saw the light of day again.

I sat on the bed for a while, then turned on the bedside lamp. Standing under the light was an exquisite picture frame with a photo of me and my daughter. She was holding me tightly, her round little face rosy, her eyes seemingly able to speak, shining with smart, lively, and happy light.

I love her very much, and so does my ex-husband. When he proposed to take all the property when his daughter prefers to live with him, I agreed without thinking. After all, raising a child requires money, and it won’t be a small amount.

I asked her what the talisman was, and she said it was given to her by a Taoist priest in the village. The Taoist priest is supposedly an “immortal being,” and when she sees him, tears always fall down her cheeks.

I stared at her in disbelief, and she quickly told the story of the Taoist priest to convince me. She said he had been meditating in a cave since he was a child, and during one meditation, he had died. But he came back to save sentient beings because he thought all the people on Earth were trapped in the “sea of suffering.” He was so compassionate that if I heard his voice, even my heart would melt.

I was quite surprised because I thought if someone believed that the world was a “sea of suffering,” the suffering must come from his own heart. He had to save himself before he could save others.

My mother-in-law was a bit excited and exuded a holy light. I nodded understandingly and agreed to her request.

Why does my mother-in-law cry when she sees that person? She should cry because she cries, and that’s the reason. There’s never been any problem in my mind.