C11 (2/2)

In my dream, Lina and I seemed to have a child.

I sat in the rocking chair, while Lina and our children played by the window.

I don't seem to be wearing glasses. I can't see what they're playing with, I can only hear them talking in a low voice, and suddenly I'm having a good laugh.

I tried to squint, trying to see our child, but the sun was so bright.

When I opened my eyes, it was already noon. Lina was busy cooking in the kitchen.

”It's almost time for lunch,” Lina turned her head to look at me, her face flushed red from excitement. ”Lei, I need to tell you something.

”About what?”

”About us, I dreamed we left the city and had a big house in another city.”

Lina spread open her hands in an exaggerated manner: ”My Dreamhouse! The garden has all kinds of flowers, the living room is spacious, with my favorite bohemian rug and your big bookcase, the sun is shining through the glass floor, ”he said.

”I was sitting in front of the window playing games with our kids. You were in the rocking chair watching me laugh.” Lina stuck to my chest.

”Heavens, I too …”

I broke out in a cold sweat.

What was the probability of having two people having the same dream at the same time?

Was this a coincidence, or was it … A sign?

I thought of the strange babies born out of wedlock, and the lineages that couldn't be explained by science.

Lina once told me that her mother died of cervical cancer when she was very young. Cervical cancer is one of the easiest cancers to cure. But the price is never to give birth again.

Under this anxiety, Lina's desire for his child became more and more urgent. In the past year, she had mentioned her child more and more often.

”What's wrong with you?” Lina asked me.

”I also... and I've always wanted to buy you a house like this in the future. ” I said quickly.

”Lei, I want to turn the secondary bedroom into a nursery for our children.” Lina suddenly said to me very seriously.

That strong feeling of unease rushed up once again.

I tried not to think about it. I tried to force a smile on my face, but my face would be ugly.

”What do you think?” Lina asked me.

”... Isn't it a little too early to do that? ” I said slowly.

”Pregnant? ”How could that be? As long as you cooperate with me, I'll definitely be able to conceive something [I've read up to here, I seem to have learned something great. It's so embarrassing].” Lina's face reddened. ”You've now found a stable job, so I'll peacefully prepare for pregnancy at home. After he's older, I'll still be able to work later.”

”We haven't discussed this before.” I looked down at her face. ”It's not that I don't want to raise a family, but I feel that we don't have any money right now. If we can't even feed ourselves, how can we raise a child?”

”We all went through the worst days of the sixties and seventies, and we grew up without milk bread. Can you not be a happy person because you were a child without a toy car and doll? ” Lina spread her hands.

”I'm reading about early childhood education. Women give birth before the age of 30 to the best for the development of the fetal brain -- I think my dream last night was a sign...”

”Most of the time the dream is the opposite.” I interrupted her impatiently.

In the empty apartment, Lina suddenly went silent.

For the first time, I felt Lina's back was facing me, so far away.

”Lei, do you not want children?”

I turned my face away. ”I'm not ready …” Do we have to argue about this? ”

”Don't you like children?”

”…”

”Duk Duk Duk!” A sharp knock on the door interrupted our argument.

”Who is it?” Lina turned her body and ignored me, turning to open the door.

”Wait, don't move first.” I also followed along, grabbing Lina with one hand and looked out from the peephole.

Outside was a pale, wrinkled face.

His face was expressionless.

My first thought was that this man, whoever he was, didn't look alive.

I picked up the gun that had been on the desk yesterday and stuck it in my belt. I opened the door a crack.

”May I know who you're looking for?”

There was an old lady at the door. Her face was so dry that it didn't have the slightest bit of fat on it. She looked to be at least 80 to 90 years old. Perhaps to hide the bloodless face, her cheeks were covered with a thick layer of rouge, but she looked like a little person who had been wrapped in paper during a Chinese funeral.

California is not as cold as the North in January, which is about a dozen degrees. But the old lady was still wearing a gold-embroidered velvet long-sleeved jacket, a long dress with a high collar, the cuffs of which were tied to the wrists, and a pair of lace gloves.

She was holding a cardboard box in her hand.

For nearly thirty seconds, her expressionless face slowly squeezed out a smile.

”Excuse me, I'm your neighbor.”