The mulberry tree was very large. It was laden with mulberries, some red and some purple, making one's mouth water. One could vaguely see red silkworms munching on the mulberry leaves.
Without comparison, the size of a tree in a painting cannot be discerned, so the artist depicted many children beneath it. Seven or eight children, holding hands, barely manage to encircle the tree once. Two daring children climb the tree to pick mulberries, startling a huge Crow from the treetop.
Looking at the painting, Bi Shenghua suddenly remembered the blurry old photograph she had found under the willow tree that day.
Mei Yiqiu didn't say where the set of pictures came from, and Bi Shenghua didn't ask either. She was a straightforward person and didn't like asking questions. If the professor could tell her, he would naturally tell her; if the professor didn't tell her, he must have his reasons.
For Bi Shenghua, this set of drawings was a godsend, rather than an added bonus to the current project. She had been struggling to find out exactly what the Mulberry Garden looked like back then, and she couldn't find any historical information about Mulberry Garden. Apart from a few brief records in the county annals and the ancient willow tree in Liuying Lane, no one could prove that the place had ever existed, let alone tell Bi Shenghua how to restore the Mulberry Garden to its original state.
Bi Shenghua examined the area several more times, and through comparison, she confirmed that the current location of the willow tree was indeed the location of the giant mulberry tree from back then. The Mulberry Garden was divided into two sections, with the mulberry tree in the center of the front garden and the willow tree by the lake in the back garden. This was consistent with the ancient legend she knew.
"Professor, thank you so much." Bi Shenghua expressed her sincere gratitude.
Mei Yiqiu said, "No need to thank me. I came all this way in the rain so late, and I wouldn't give you this for nothing. I'd like to ask you for a favor."
Bi Shenghua was taken aback, then said, "Professor, please tell me, as long as it's within my power."
Mei Yiqiu said, "Don't rush to agree. This matter sounds simple, but it's not easy. Once you agree, you might need to wait and persevere for a lifetime, just like some things you're currently persevering for. And if things really develop into the worst possible situation as I predict, then you'll need to shoulder responsibilities that aren't yours, and you might bear the blame and infamy, spending the rest of your life in self-doubt and self-denial. You'll need incredibly firm faith and fearless courage to face the consequences this will bring to you and the world. Of course, I will always stand in front of you, bearing everything I should bear before you do."
Bi Shenghua didn't quite understand and looked at the professor with a puzzled expression, saying, "Could you explain it in simpler terms? For example, what exactly do you want me to do, and what is the worst possible consequence?"
The professor took a deep drag on his cigarette, then pulled something out of his pocket that looked like a car key with a red button on it.
"All I need you to do is press this button at the appropriate time."
Bi Shenghua took it and looked at it. It did indeed look like a car key, and there was even a car logo on it. It was a triangle with two vertices connected and a thin line running through the middle.
"Just press it down like that?" She made a pressing motion with her thumb.
"Yes, that's it."
What will be the consequences?
"It's still uncertain. The best-case scenario is that nothing happens; the worst-case scenario..." The professor exhaled a thick puff of white smoke, obscuring his wrinkled face, "... the worst-case scenario is that humanity reverts to the 1960s."
Time travel?
Bi Shenghua knew the professor was a renowned scientist, but she still found it hard to believe that the small, key-like object in her hand was a time machine. Even if it were real, what's wrong with being able to travel through time?
"No! It's not time travel." The professor's face was still hidden behind the billowing smoke. "In 1960, the world's population exceeded 3 billion, reaching 4 billion by 1974. The population in the 1960s was roughly half of what it is now. If you press this button, the worst-case scenario is the loss of half the world's population, and human technology and civilization will inevitably regress to the level of the mid-20th century. That's why I say humanity will return to the 1960s."
Bi Shenghua was startled and quickly removed her finger from the red button.
"Don't worry, there's a safety lock on the side," Mei Yiqiu said. "You have to release the safety lock before you can trigger the switch."
"Professor..." Bi Shenghua really wanted to ask what this was, a nuclear bomb? A genetic weapon? But she also felt it was impossible.
The professor seemed to read her mind, chuckled a few times, and said, "Don't worry, it's not what you're thinking. I'm not so heartless as to be anti-human. On the contrary, this is about saving humanity. It may not be successful, but I will do my best."
Whether it was from smoking too much, laughing too loudly, or simply not feeling well, Mei Yiqiu coughed violently, her full head of silver hair trembling.
"Why me?" Bi Shenghua asked.
"Two reasons... cough cough cough cough..." The professor coughed a few more times before slowly calming down. "I have to entrust it to the person I trust most. There was originally a very suitable candidate, but he's not here right now. Like you, I've been waiting for him to return. But I don't have much time left, and I have to find someone else. He's the person I trust most, and you're the person he trusts most, so I thought of you. That's the first reason. Of course, that's not enough for me to decide to entrust something so important to you."
Bi Shenghua nodded to indicate that she understood. "Then, what's the second reason?"
"The second reason, cough cough..." The professor couldn't help coughing, but he still couldn't bear to take the pipe away from his mouth. "The second reason is... cough cough... when I saw you just now, I saw hope in you!"
"Hope?"
"That's right, hope! It's the most important thing. Hope gives courage, provides unwavering faith, and enables us to survive in the harshest environments, no matter the dirt, pain, shame, sorrow, or loneliness... Hope is also the only motivation for us, insignificant beings, to live in the vast and dark universe!"
Bi Shenghua didn't quite understand these things, but she still decided to accept Mei Yiqiu's request. She trusted this old man with a full head of white hair, just as she trusted that piece of wood with a chicken coop.
"I promise you." She looked at the key in her hand and said, "Does this thing have a name?"
"A name?" Mei Yiqiu was taken aback. "Ah, it's time to give it a name. Let's call it ' Key to the Dreamscape '."
" The Key to the Dreamscape..." Bi Shenghua murmured several times, "So, when should I press this button?"
"At the appropriate time," Mei Yiqiu said.
"The right time?" Bi Shenghua, puzzled.
"You'll find out then. This is the sword of Bodhidharma, and as its wielder, when it needs to be struck, your heart will surely give you the necessary guidance. Follow your heart!"
The professor stood up as he spoke, "Today's trip has been worthwhile. It's getting late, I should be going."
Bi Shenghua saw him off.
As the professor passed the bird stand, he sniffed around like a hunting dog that had caught a scent. He picked up a piece of braised pork hock from the birdseed box, smelled it, and then popped it into his mouth, chewing and saying, "Mmm, that tastes really good!"
Then suddenly he asked, "Did you buy a Space Box?"
Bi Shenghua asked in surprise, "Yes, what's wrong?"
The professor picked up another piece of braised pork hock and, as he walked out, said, "Lock it in the cupboard, and remember, never use it."