Echoes of the Past (End): For the Tomorrow

"Oh? So we've arrived in Dreamland this time?" Xiao Ling looked at the bustling crowd before her and couldn't help but sigh.

He remembered clearly that the Zhaoming Chamber of Commerce of Commerce was headquartered in Dreamland, which meant that this time it might be more closely related to Suisui?

But he didn't seem to see any sign of that girl...

"Never mind, let's just get moving first."

Xiao Ling could sense that Sonoro was becoming extremely unstable. If he wasn't mistaken, the lifespan of this threshold space would end after this trial.

"Hey, did you hear? That new young director of the Zhaoming Chamber of Commerce got a real shock right after taking office!"

"Yes, I've heard rumors that before this, she was a pampered young lady from the Mingting who never lifted a finger. Upon taking office, she was first pressured by other merchant guilds and then persuaded to resign by acquaintances..."

"Not only that, I also heard that the girl has been locking herself in her study for some time now. Perhaps she's already planning how to make a clean getaway?"

This doesn't sound like a good omen...

Listening to the gossip of the neighbors, Xiao Ling roughly figured out what was going on.

As the leading enterprise in Huanglong, Zhaoming Chamber of Commerce is naturally the preferred partner for other merchants. However, precisely because of this, it is at its weakest when its leadership undergoes a major reshuffle.

Therefore, the choice of the rival merchant guild is quite obvious: either wait for this new leader to mature and continue to be suppressed, or take advantage of this moment to open its bloodthirsty maw and bite off a large piece of succulent dragon meat.

"This is business warfare," Xiao Ling couldn't help but sigh. "It's either you die or I die."

But now is not the time for idle talk; he is genuinely worried about Suisui's condition.

But Dreamland is so big, where is he supposed to find Suisui?

Just as Xiao Ling was pondering a solution, a familiar chirping sound came from afar.

"Um?"

Xiao Ling looked up and saw a beautiful bird with golden feathers and a colorful tail flying straight towards him. He tentatively reached out his hand, and the bird landed precisely on his fingertips.

This bird... is it Dumpling?

He remembered it clearly: Suisui's beloved Dumpling, looked just like that, like the golden crow from mythology.

However... since it suddenly appeared here, that means...

"Take me to find Suisui."

Seemingly understanding Xiao Ling's words, Dumpling let out a cry and then flapped its wings and flew away, leading Xiao Ling towards where Suisui was.

Inside the study.

Facing the document that could be described as a surrender agreement, Suisui let out another long sigh.

She picked up the pen, hovered it over the signature area, then put it down, then picked it up again, and put it down again.

This document is indeed very tempting. Giving up some business opportunities and rights in exchange for the stability of the chamber of commerce is a very worthwhile deal for the young directors who have just taken office and are facing obstacles at every turn.

The Zhaoming Chamber of Commerce has shown signs of decline under the combined attack of its competitors. Everyone in the chamber is in a state of panic, fearing that they will lose their jobs. As the newly appointed director, she has locked herself in her study and refused to come out. It may seem like a delaying tactic, but in reality, she has no other choice.

But just then, a clear, melodious cry broke her thoughts.

"Oh dear, Dumpling." Suisui's slightly tired face showed a reproachful smile. "Where did you go to play again? I was worried sick about you."

Dumpling couldn't speak, but after tidying its glossy feathers, it gently rubbed its head against its master's fingertips, trying to soothe her.

"Okay, okay, stop fooling around, I'm busy," Suisui said with a light laugh. "I'll take you out for some delicious Dumpling when I'm done."

Just then, she immediately heard the sound of someone brewing tea, thanks to her always sharp ears.

She looked in the direction of the sound and saw Xiao Ling enthusiastically brewing himself a pot of tea.

"Brother Ling? How could you...?"

"Dumpling brought me here. She probably saw her master getting increasingly haggard and wanted to find a way to cheer you up," Xiao Ling explained with a smile. "Did you run into trouble?"

"Hmm... there is a bit of a problem." Suisui only reported the good news, "But it's okay, I can handle it!"

"As long as you can handle it." Xiao Ling could tell the other party was lying, but he didn't intend to ask any more questions. "Then I won't disturb your work. By the way, do you mind if I use the tea set or something?"

Seeing the other person's reaction, Suisui suddenly felt a little disappointed for some reason.

"Hmm, it's alright, Brother Ling, please feel free to do as you please."

Thus, two strange atmospheres were created in the study: Xiao Ling was leisurely sipping tea on the sofa, while Suisui was struggling with the contract.

In fact, Xiao Ling had been focusing his attention on Suisui all along. Now, not only did she look much more haggard, but she also had dark circles under her eyes, making her look like she hadn't slept well.

This is not surprising, after all, the Chamber of Commerce has reached a critical juncture, and as a new director, she has encountered such a tough nut to crack as soon as she took office, so it is natural that she is having trouble sleeping and eating.

So, just when Suisui was about to be overwhelmed by the burden on her shoulders, a dish of tea suddenly appeared beside her.

"Hmm?" Suisui turned to look at Xiao Ling was serving her tea.

"Have some tea and take a break; your mind will be clearer that way," Xiao Ling said with a smile.

Suisui remained silent for a long time, but in the end, she couldn't bear to refuse this kind offer.

"Yes, thank you for your trouble, Brother Ling."

Suisui took the cup of tea and drank it all in one gulp, while Xiao Ling calmly sat back down and began tapping the armrest of the sofa with his knuckles.

One... two... three...

On the twentieth tap, Suisui's head fell onto the table precisely on time, her even breathing softly echoing in the study.

"Um..."

Suisui had a long-awaited good night's sleep. She slowly opened her eyes and saw that it was already the next morning outside the study.

"Are you awake?" Xiao Ling asked softly.

"Hmm...? You're awake..."

Suisui noticed that Xiao Ling was giving her a lap pillow. She wanted to get up immediately, but then she thought about it and felt a little reluctant, so she let herself rest her head on his lap.

"You've worked hard, enduring so much pressure from all sides for so long."

"... All talk and no action..."

"Are you blaming me for not helping you solve the problem?"

"No way! This is such a small matter, it's not worth your trouble."

"Your body is soft, but your mouth is quite stubborn." Xiao Ling chuckled and pinched her delicate cheek.

Suisui grumbled twice in dissatisfaction, then began to enjoy the hard-won peace and quiet.

"Hey, Ling-ge, do you think I can survive this siege?" Suisui's tone unusually carried a hint of uncertainty.

Why do you ask that?

"The chamber of commerce is currently in disarray, and as its leader, I've neither stepped forward to take charge nor have I been able to manage things; if I don't make it through..."

"Suisui, do you still remember what made you persevere until now when you first entered this industry?"

"Um..."

Suisui seemed to be deep in thought, then got up and took out an old fan from her desk. The four characters "Peace and Prosperity" were clearly engraved on the fan.

"Look, this is the fan I bought with my first paycheck when I entered the industry. Back then, I thought that one day I would definitely hold this beautiful land in my hands, and I would also infuse my own Resonance Power into the fan surface, watching the water ripples flow..."

"In that case, do as you wish," Xiao Ling said with a smile, his golden eyes revealing undisguised trust in her.

"Brother Ling, are you so sure I can get through this?" Suisui felt his gaze and a smile, which she hadn't shown in a long time, finally appeared on her face.

Who knows?

Xiao Ling walked to the study window and gently pushed it open. Fresh air, carrying the lively atmosphere of the streets and alleys, rushed in.

"I'm not a god who can foresee the future, so of course I can't always have the upper hand," he chuckled softly. "But I'm certain of one thing: the efforts you're putting in now will not be in vain."

"It's getting late, I should get going."

Xiao Ling sensed that the space was about to collapse, so he prepared to turn around and leave.

"Brother Ling!" Suisui suddenly called out to him.

"Um?"

Will you come back?

"Hmm..." Xiao Ling pretended to ponder for a moment, then smiled brightly and said, "I'm going to a very, very far place, and I guess I'll never be able to come back."

Where are you going?

Xiao Ling chuckled twice, turned around and walked towards the study door, raising her right hand and waving it behind her.

Go and witness your future.

Yangyang and Suisui arrived at the final segment of Xiao Ling's story.

It was still an apartment, still room 609, but this time, the environment looked much cleaner and brighter.

"Sister, it's your turn to knock on the door this time," Yangyang said with a smile.

"Let me do it."

Suisui didn't refuse. After the two crisp sounds of her high heels on the floor, there was a knocking sound on the door.

"Here I am!"

A cheerful male voice came from inside the room, followed by a click as the door opened, revealing a figure that Yangyang and Suisui both recognized.

"Brother Ling has grown so tall!" Suisui casually patted Xiao Ling's head.

"Not very tall, maybe a little over 1.7 meters." Xiao Ling scratched the back of her head sheepishly. "Alright, you and Sister Yangyang come in first. It's not easy to see each other again, we can't leave you two standing outside."

Xiao Ling's hospitality was impeccable; she served tea and water with great care, and her smile was much brighter, indicating that she was in very good spirits.

"Xiao Yu, do you live alone now?" Yangyang looked around for a long time but couldn't see Xiao Yue, so she asked in confusion.

"I live alone," Xiao Ling nodded with a smile. "My mother isn't feeling well right now, so she went back to her hometown to recuperate. I also have my studies here, so I live here by myself."

"It's strange, but a few days after you left, my uncle came to find my mother and me. It turns out I only found out now that I was actually a young master."

Suisui wore a relieved smile; it seemed that her decision in the previous timeline had indeed helped her and her son a great deal.

"Since Young Master Xiao is so generous, how about treating us sisters to a meal as a token of our appreciation?" Suisui teased with a smile.

"Sister!" Yangyang pouted, sounding a little angry.

"Haha, I should definitely treat you to this meal, it's just a pity my mom isn't here," Xiao Ling laughed heartily. "But I probably won't be free today, I have other things to do."

What do you want to do?

"Hmm... I made plans with my friends to draw cards tonight."

"You can actually arrange to smoke this kind of thing together?" Suisui found this activity quite novel.

"Why not? Gathering together to see who's the lucky one and who's the unlucky one, it's so much fun!" Xiao Ling became enthusiastic as she spoke. "Let me tell you, I'm trying to earn extra money by writing novels. I initially thought nobody would care, but unexpectedly, more and more people are coming to support me. Look, this is my fan group, there are quite a few people in it..."

Xiao Ling shared his achievements with Suisui and Yangyang like a child showing off his accomplishment. Seeing how happy he was, the two sisters felt very gratified.

Just then, a call came directly to Xiao Ling's cell phone.

"Excuse me, I need to take this call."

Xiao Ling answered the phone and began communicating with the other person. The two of them chattered on and on in a bunch of game slang that left the Yang Sui sisters completely bewildered. In short, after hanging up, he looked at the two sisters apologetically.

"Excuse me?" Suisui asked.

"That's how it is..."

"It's alright, go keep them company." Suisui smiled gently. "We should probably go too."

Yangyang had just sensed that this space was on the verge of collapse; in other words, they were about to leave Sonoro.

"Then I'll treat you to dinner next time we meet?"

I'm afraid there won't be that chance...

"Okay!" Suisui said with a smile, her eyes crinkling. "When we meet again, you, the great writer, have to treat us to a nice meal!"

"Of course!" Xiao Ling said with a grin, "Shall I see you to the door?"

Thank you for your help.

Xiao Ling escorted the Yang Sui sisters to the door and then said goodbye to them again.

"See you next time?"

See you next time.

With a click, the door closed again. Yangyang and Suisui looked at each other, then simultaneously smiled with delight.

"What kind of stories do you think Brother Ling will write?" Suisui asked with a light laugh.

"I'm not quite sure. Could it be the story of how we met?"

"Who knows?" Suisui shrugged. "But I think we should leave."

Yangyang, sensing that Sonoro was beginning to crumble, naturally understood and smiled at her older sister:

"Okay, let's go."

"Hmm..."

Yangyang awoke from her deep sleep and found that they had returned to where they had been.

In the distance, the rising sun gradually illuminates the shimmering sea, bathing it in a golden glow that looks beautiful and full of vitality.

"Awake?" Xiao Ling asked with a light laugh.

"Hmm? Xiao Yu, you're awake so early..." Yangyang yawned, "I'm still a little sleepy..."

"It's okay, you can sleep a little longer. Your sister hasn't woken up yet anyway."

Yangyang looked at Xiao Ling's other shoulder with a confused expression, and saw that Suisui's head was resting on it, and her even breathing indicated that she was sleeping soundly.

"We haven't gone back yet, aren't you all worried?"

"It's okay, I'll explain it to them properly when I get back."

"Oh, okay... then I'll go back to sleep?"

"Okay, goodnight."

"Now it's time to say good morning..."

After muttering that, Yangyang immediately fell back asleep.

"Good morning, have a good sleep, little Black-Feathered Bird," Xiao Ling said with a light laugh.

The three of them leaned on each other, welcoming the new day under the rising sun.