Lucid Dream

After chatting with Xiang Kun on WeChat for a while, Xia Libing's eyelids started to droop, and she prepared to go to sleep.

Her aunt prepared a new towel and toothbrush for her. After a quick wash, she tiptoed to the kitchen, took a pair of chopsticks, and returned to her room.

After closing the door, Xia Libing took out the pair of chopsticks Xiang Kun had given Xiang Kun from her backpack, and the pair she had taken from the kitchen, and used them alternately.

My aunt's chopsticks are also pointed wooden chopsticks, but the feel is noticeably different when you pick them up, and the difference is even more pronounced when you try to pick up something with them.

While in practice, there might not be a significant difference in the time taken to clamp objects, the pair that Xiang Kun customized is much more comfortable to use subjectively. A more thorough evaluation over a longer period would likely reveal a substantial difference, whether in terms of increased success rate or reduced finger fatigue.

Xia Libing placed two pairs of chopsticks together on the A-side of the laptop, observed them for a while, and then took a picture with her phone to record the observation.

Then I took the chopsticks from the kitchen, washed them, put them back in their place, and went back to lie down on the bed.

Actually, she was very sleepy now; her eyelids were really about to close, and she was exhausted and wanted to sleep.

But she received so much information tonight that it kept swirling in her mind, and she couldn't help but want to analyze and think about it.

When she first saw the chopsticks Xiang Kun gave her, her initial thought was that these chopsticks were different from the previous lyrics, graffiti, and Coin. They were likely a proper "gift," unlike those items which might have certain characteristics and a special purpose in being given to her. After all, these chopsticks looked more like a "gift," and Xiang Kun had given them to Nana before.

But after picking them up, she became a little unsure, because the chopsticks were a bit too snug. However, this snugness was different from the snugness she felt with the Coin Xiang Kun had given her. At least these chopsticks were different from other chopsticks in terms of details and construction. She could find reasons why they were more comfortable for her to use. As for that Coin... objectively speaking, there was nothing that made it different from other Coin.

Xia Libing lay on the bed with her eyes closed, but her mind was still wandering. Her hand, which was outside the blanket and resting on her stomach, was "subconsciously" flipping a Coin.

She recalled the "fight" Xiang Kun and the two thugs in that alley.

Although it seemed intense, she was certain that Xiang Kun didn't take it seriously at all, just like when he encountered those human traffickers before; it was more of a "performance."

Given Xiang Kun's personality, unless she had absolute certainty and control, she would never have allowed those two to keep holding weapons indefinitely, especially with her present.

Even if it was just a "performance," the athletic ability displayed was already quite breathtaking.

So, what is the true level of Xiang Kun's physical fitness and athletic ability?

Xia Libing couldn't help but wonder, how could she force Xiang Kun full strength?

Moreover, she also noticed that Xiang Kun has significantly improved his control over his emotions. When she first met Xiang Kun, it was easy to guess his thoughts and emotions from his expressions and reactions, but now it's becoming increasingly difficult.

How long has it been?

A few months may seem like a long time for some things, but for an adult, it is difficult to bring about physical and psychological changes.

What caused these continuous physical and mental changes?

As she pondered, Xia Libing's thoughts gradually blurred, and she drifted off to sleep.

After learning that Xia Libing was staying at her third aunt's house that night, Xiang Kun was already "itching to get started," preparing to sense the pair of chopsticks that night and try to trigger Lao Xia's dream.

Because he knew that if Lao Xia went back to his rented room, he might not know where to put those chopsticks.

While it's most likely to be placed in the bedroom, there's still a chance it could end up in a desk drawer, a cabinet, or on the dining table in the living room. As for the kitchen, I noticed it when I visited Lao Xia's rented apartment last time; she doesn't cook, so given her personality, it's unlikely she'd put those chopsticks there.

Therefore, there is still a certain chance that Xia Libing will be outside the range of the chopsticks when she is sleeping.

But if she stays overnight at her aunt's house, it's a different story. She'll definitely bring her bag with her to the room. And the guest room is unlikely to be very big, so her backpack probably won't be too far from the bed. When she's sleeping, it will almost certainly be within her reach.

Around four o'clock, Xiang Kun's senses finally responded, and the scene before him changed, successfully "connecting" into a dream.

Still perceiving from the first-person perspective of the dreamer, Xiang Kun finds himself in a small, enclosed room, head down, eating something on a table. A strong sense of hunger dominates him, driving him to swallow frantically.

He noticed the food in his hand, which seemed to be slices of toast, but he basically ate one slice at a time, stuffing his mouth full, constantly chewing and swallowing, and occasionally picking up the water glass next to him to take a sip.

Driven by hunger, even ordinary toast tasted incredibly delicious. My mouth watered uncontrollably as I ate, and my hands were covered in saliva as I devoured the bread.

Xiang Kun was somewhat taken aback. Was this Lao Xia's dream?

This hunger is too intense... Is Lao Xia a reincarnation of a starving ghost?

However, such a unique dream is unlikely to belong to anyone else.

Suddenly, a small hand reached out and snatched the plate of toast from under Lao Xia's hand. Then, a little girl's voice, deliberately trying to sound mature, rang out. "Okay, you can't eat anymore. You need to control yourself."

Following the hand, Xiang Kun discovered that the person who took the plate was a chubby little girl wearing a white coat. Because she was so small, the white coat was too long, and the hem even dragged on the ground. If it weren't for the collar and buttons, she would look like she was wearing a white sheet.

The little girl is none other than Liu Shiling, the Little Chubby Girl.

Xiang Kun immediately understood that when he was making these chopsticks and "Emotional Injection" into them, although the anticipation and enjoyment of the food had become his own, it was still something he had sensed from Liu Shiling. So when repeating these emotions, he would think of the Little Chubby Girl to some extent.

Thus, the emotional projection of these chopsticks, Emotional Injection, in the dream became Liu Shiling.

But who was this person in the white coat who took Lao Xia's plate? Was it the doctor who treated Lao Xia when she had problems as a child?

Just as he was thinking this, the scene before him changed again in the next instant. The surrounding scenery was blurry, but somewhat familiar, as if it were the house he had bought.

Lao Xia was sitting at the dining table in his living room, holding chopsticks and waiting for food; you could clearly feel her anticipation for the meal.

A small figure was accompanying her at the table; it was the Little Chubby Girl Liu Shiling, though she wasn't wearing a white coat this time.

"Sister Lao Xia, Uncle Baldy's rabbit meat is super delicious!" Liu Shiling's voice rang out.

"Pork knuckle is the best," Lao Xia said.

"Rabbit is delicious!" Liu Shiling tilted her chin up.

"The pork knuckle is delicious." Lao Xia's tone remained unchanged, but he was very certain.

"Rabbit is delicious!!" Liu Shiling raised her voice.

"The pork knuckle is delicious," Lao Xia repeated, not giving an inch.

Just then, a tall, bald man wearing an apron walked over, carrying a plate in each hand. On one side was braised rabbit meat, and on the other was crispy pork knuckle, both emitting a fragrant aroma.

Without a doubt, this bald chef is Xiang Kun, who is acting as a tool in the dream.

Looking at himself through Lao Xia's perspective in the dream, Xiang Kun couldn't help but find it a little funny. His figure and clothes in the dream were not much different from those in reality, but the glasses he wore on his face were always reflecting light, making it impossible to see his eyes. His mouth was wide open, revealing a set of white teeth, a "bright" smile that looked very fake.

Could it be that Lao Xia thinks he's too hypocritical in real life, which is why he has such a projection in his dream? Uh, probably not. It's probably because Lao Xia feels he can't see through him.

As Xiang Kun was perceiving and observing the situation in the dream, the hunger and anticipation for food that originally came from Lao Xia suddenly disappeared, replaced by a rational and clear feeling that was neither emotion nor emotion.

Feeling lucid and rational in a dream? That's a truly bizarre experience.

This wasn't the first time Xiang Kun had this feeling. When he experienced hunger during his Blood-Drinking Period, he had sensed it more than once through the lyrics of the song he sent to Lao Xia. This feeling even helped him suppress the manic energy brought on by hunger during his Blood-Drinking Period.

In the dream's vision, Xiang Kun saw Lao Xia looking down at the back of her hand, and then the next moment, a Coin appeared between her slender, fair fingers. She then quickly flipped Coin, but as she flipped it, it suddenly became suspended in mid-air.

Then, Lao Xia looked up and looked around, surveying the scene in the room.

The somewhat blurry images in her dream—tables, windows, walls, bowls and chopsticks—became clear in many details as her gaze swept over them. Even when she saw "Xiang Kun" walking out of the kitchen again in an apron, his reflective glasses and fake smile were gone, and he looked normal.

Liu Shiling, who was sitting at the table, had changed her clothes and appearance slightly, looking like she did when she still lived in 706.

It seems that Lao Xia is filling in the details of the dream, using his memories to "repair" it?

However, the dream soon changed again. Everything around him disappeared and he was plunged into darkness. Xiang Kun also withdrew from the dream's perception.

Clearly, Lao Xia's dream has come to an end.

Perhaps the dream abruptly ended because Lao Xia suddenly "woke up" in the dream?

Xiang Kun had come across some information about "lucid dreams" when he was researching dreams before. However, these were not from orthodox psychology or neuroscience; they were more like metaphysics, and probably not related to Lao Xia's dream.

Moreover, Xiang Kun had never encountered this situation before when he used "Emotional Injection" objects to perceive other people's dreams on so many occasions.

It's likely that it was Lao Xia's peculiar, seemingly emotional yet not truly emotional, extremely rational and calm nature that allowed her to "wake up" in her dream.

Xiang Kun recalled the intense hunger Lao Xia felt when he first experienced the dream.

Without a doubt, Lao Xia had definitely experienced hunger before, and it was very severe.

But that's a bit strange. Given Lao Xia's family's financial situation and the fact that she's an only child, how could her parents bear to let her go hungry?

Connecting the dots—the cramped room, the person in the white coat— Xiang Kun wondered if Lao Xia had been starved during his childhood treatment for some kind of "illness."

Is this why she is more prone to emotional fluctuations when eating?

Is it only by using "Emotional Injection" items related to the emotions experienced while eating that one can induce Lao Xia's dream?

It's a pity that Lao Xia didn't "wake up" in that cramped room; otherwise, he could have determined her location based on more information about the rooms or the details of the white coat, and thus conducted a further investigation.

Xia Libing sat on the bed, staring blankly at the wall in front of her, and subconsciously raised her hand to wipe the drool from the corner of her mouth.

This is indeed my aunt's "guest room," I was definitely dreaming.

I was dreaming again?

Xia Libing smacked her lips, feeling a tiny bit of regret—she hadn't had a chance to eat the plate of crispy pork knuckle that Xiang Kun had served her in her dream.

In the latter half of the dream, she suddenly "woke up," realizing she was dreaming. She then subconsciously observed her surroundings, filling in various details. Unexpectedly, this caused the dream to "collapse" and end. Had she known this would happen, she should have remained in a semi-conscious state and not paid too much attention to the details.

She really enjoyed the experience in her dreams.

But why would she suddenly dream tonight, when she hadn't dreamed in a long time?

She naturally recalled that morning a few days earlier in Tongshi Town when Xiang Kun suddenly asked her about dreams.

When Xiang Kun asked her if she had ever had a "particularly memorable dream," she replied that she had only ever had "dreams related to food."

So, a few days later, tonight, she had another dream about food.

So, could tonight's dream be related to Xiang Kun?

And why did she dream of Nana, Zhen'er, and her parents, but repeatedly see the little girl who used to live next to Xiang Kun?

Xia Libing first found the Coin she had been playing with before going to sleep on the blanket, then turned to look at the box containing the chopsticks Xiang Kun had given her on the bedside table, picked it up, and opened it to check.

The chopsticks remained quietly "lying" in the box, showing no signs of distress, and held in my hand, they remained unchanged.

But Xia Libing couldn't help but wonder if the chopsticks she used for eating were somehow connected to her dream.

Xia Libing thought for a moment, then simply lay down with the chopsticks in her hand, closed her eyes, and tried to fall asleep again to see if she would dream again.

She will need to maintain a semi-conscious state to try and control her presence within the dream.

But as soon as I lay down, my stomach rumbled twice.

Xia Libing had no choice but to sit up again, clutching her stomach, and get out of bed. She tiptoed to the kitchen in her slippers to see if there was anything she could eat.

It seems that the dream she just had stimulated her appetite, making her hungry earlier than expected.

Opening the refrigerator, Xia Libing saw a small cake. She licked her lips and subconsciously reached for it, but halfway there, she hesitated, clenched her fist, and restrained herself. She took two sausages, made herself a cup of oatmeal, and returned to her guest room.

While eating, Xia Libing suddenly remembered that the last meal she had in Tongshi Town seemed particularly delicious.

Carefully recalling the details of the meal and the specific taste of each dish, she discovered that, apart from a few dishes that she had eaten before and that she already liked, there were a few other dishes that tasted quite different from what she had eaten before, but were noticeably tastier and more to her liking.

She always knew that Xiang Kun would adjust the flavor of the dishes according to their tastes. The same dish would taste different when it was made for her, Nana, Zhen'er.

But that dinner that night, those dishes, seemed to have been prepared specifically for her.

No wonder she thought it tasted especially good that day and ate a lot, while Zhen'er complained that the taste wasn't as good as before, and that some dishes were too sweet because they had added sugar.

Why did Xiang Kun do that?

Xia Libing recalled that it was that morning when she told Xiang Kun that she had only ever had dreams related to eating.

Although there was no direct evidence, she became increasingly certain that her sudden dream tonight was not a random event and was inextricably linked to Xiang Kun.

But how can we specifically verify this?