Sleep didn't come easily.
Li Yan turned from side to side, her blanket half-tangled around her legs, the chill of the night air brushing her skin. She blinked at the ceiling, trying to focus on anything except the lingering dream — that woman in white, the scent of plum blossoms, and the sword so sharp it hummed in her ears.
Li Xueying.
The name whispered through her like an echo, like something buried deep that had finally stirred.
But why did it feel like it belonged to her?
She sat up at one point, rubbed her tired face, and even considered checking online if there was some story or game with that name. But she knew — deep in her chest — that this wasn't a random dream.
It was something else.
---
By the time morning came, her head ached and her eyes burned. She hadn't slept at all.
"Li Yan!" her mom called from the kitchen. "Come on, you're going to be late!"
Dragging her feet to the table, she stared at the toast her mom placed down. The smell should've been comforting, but her stomach twisted instead.
"You look tired," her mom said, frowning. "Didn't sleep well?"
"I... had a dream. Kind of a nightmare," Li Yan murmured.
"Oh? See? That's what happens when you don't pray before sleeping." Her mom huffed. "Spirits like to mess with people who don't show respect. Especially today."
Li Yan blinked. "What do you mean 'especially today'?"
Her mom gave her a playful flick on the forehead. "Your birthday, silly. Bad dreams on birthdays bring bad luck. So come home early, okay? Auntie Lin is bringing the cake, and your cousins are coming too."
She nodded quietly and stood up, already distracted.
---
At school, nothing felt right.
The world around her moved like it always did — friends chatting, teachers droning, windows rattling slightly with the wind. But Li Yan felt like she was watching it all from behind glass.
In history class, she stared at the board but kept seeing plum blossoms falling, soft and silent.
She absentmindedly wrote Li Xueying in the corner of her notebook, tracing it over and over. The name felt so... heavy. So familiar.
Was she real? A character from some novel?
She didn't know. But something inside her did.
---
By the time evening came, the city streets were bathed in golden light. Li Yan got off the bus, her schoolbag slung over one shoulder, the cool wind brushing her face.
She heard footsteps behind her.
Soft. Measured.
She paused and looked over her shoulder.
No one.
She frowned and kept walking. Her mind was already too full to care — fragments of dreams, names that didn't belong to her, a sense of something ancient coiling in her chest.
Maybe she was just tired. Maybe she really was losing it.
But at least there was a birthday party waiting at home.
Balloons. Cake. Normal.
She climbed the steps to her apartment and opened the door.
"Mom?" she called.
No response.
She stepped inside and closed the door behind her.
The hallway was dim. No music, no chatter. The air felt still, like something was holding its breath.
She walked slowly toward the living room, the weight in her chest growing heavier with every step.
And then—
She stopped.
Her breath caught in her throat.
She was startled—
To be continued...