《TRANSMIGRATION OF SOULS》


 DREAM

    Zhang Yi ''s pov


    Q¨ªng Y¨´, forgive me........ I didn''t mean to leave you......" (From a faint fading voice)


    The faint voice echoed in my mind as I jolted awake. My heart pounded in my chest, I sat up, gasping for breath, drenched in sweat, and my sheets tangled around my legs.


    The dream still lingered a jumbled mess of images and emotions in me. The dream had been too real, too vivid.


    I could still smell the incense, freshly cooked street food and fresh produce from the market, the strong earthy fragrance of dried herbs, and that sterile, antiseptic scent of a hospital.


    My mind replayed the images, trying to make sense of them. It was all tangled together in my mind, swirling like memories instead of a simple dream.


    ¡°That same dream again¡­¡± I muttered, rubbing my temples.


    I found myself in the middle of a crowded and busy market, its narrow alleyways lined with wooden stalls covered by colourful silk canopies.


    The scent of incense, roasted duck, freshly cooked food, and fresh produce filled the air, blended with the earthy fragrance of dried herbs and spices stacked in neat piles. Lanterns hung above, swaying gently in the breeze.


    Around me, women in traditional hanfu clothing were bargaining over bolts of embroidered silk, while elders in a traditional changshan sat by the tea stalls, sipping their drinks.


    In the middle of all this, a little girl rushed past me, her traditional handbok flowing as she run. Her laughter ringing like a bell as she chased after brightly colored kites that danced in the air.


    ¡°Slow down, R¨² Yi!¡±


    I heard a voice call out, soft yet firm. I turned to see a woman not far behind, dressed in a traditional kimono, her face kind and warm as she tried to keep up with the girl.


    ¡° Come back here, R¨² Yi! Listen to your mother."


    Another voice called out. The voice turned to the woman.


    ¡°Bao Hu¨¡, you¡¯ll lose her in this crowd!¡±


    I recognized it instantly. The woman¡¯s name was Bao Hu¨¡, and she was the little girl¡¯s mother.


    I knew them, though I had never met them. Their names settled into my mind as though I¡¯d always known it.


    But what marveled me was that the little girl and her mother looked exactly like me and my mother.


    As they walked through the market, Bao Hu¨¡ began to fade away, her body dissolving into thin air. Leaning close to R¨² Yi, she whispered,


    ¡°Be strong, little one¡­ Be strong¡­¡±


    R¨² Yi reached for her mother, but her hand grasped only air. It was too late. Bao Hu¨¡ was gone, leaving R¨² Yi alone and scared.


    The market dissolved into chaos, with people running and screaming. R¨² Yi was left standing alone, calling out for her mother.


    The dream shifted. Suddenly, i found myself in a different life, a different environment, and at a different place.


    This place was far more modernized than the last dream.


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    I was in the hospital room.


    The antiseptic smell hit me first, followed by the sound of machines beeping steadily.


    A young lady sat beside the hospital bed, gently holding the hand of a middle-aged woman, who was lying on the hospital bed, whom I assume was the young lady¡¯s mother.


    The woman¡¯s breath was shallow and uneven, each inhale barely lifting her chest, as if every breath was a struggle to hold onto life.


    Her mother''s eyes, weak and tired, locked onto hers, her lips parted slightly, her voice barely above a whisper.


    "I''m sorry, Q¨ªng Y¨²", ¡°forgive me.... i didn''t mean to leave you..,¡± she whispered, her voice barely audible.


    My heart ached, and tears pricked at the corners of my eyes.


    I felt a tightness in my chest, an ache as though I had experienced this loss myself.


    I wanted to cry, to reach out to them. But the dream dissolved before I could react, leaving me alone with the overwhelming weight of the emotions.


    I sat in bed, staring at the morning light creeping through the curtains.


    I have been having these dreams for weeks now, and they always ended the same way¡ªloss, confusion, and that unbearable sadness.


    I rubbed my eyes, trying to shake off the feeling of unease.


    As i got out of bed and began my morning routine, I still couldn''t shake off the feeling that something was off.


    I felt different, like there was a part of me that i couldn''t quite access.


    It was as if I was watching a reflection of myself and my mother, a life I had never lived but somehow knew.


    I glanced in the mirror, catching my own reflection. But something felt¡­ off. Like I wasn¡¯t looking at myself¡ªlike I was looking at R¨² Yi.


    R¨² Yi¡­ Who are you? The name echoed in my mind as I muttered under my breath, ¡°And Q¨ªng Y¨´¡­


    I have been thinking about the dream I had, since the minute I woke up from bed. It felt mysterious, strange, and so real. Why do I always have this same dream? What¡¯s so special about this dream? Why do i feel that those names sound so familiar? R¨² Yi......Who are you..... ¡°I murmured to myself¡± and Qing Y¨²,


    Gosh, why am I speaking to myself.


    I pressed my hands to the table, grounding myself. My head was spinning again.


    ¡°Zhang Yi, are you okay?¡± My mother¡¯s voice cut through my thoughts.


    I turned to see her approaching from the kitchen, concern etched on her face.


    ¡°You¡¯ve been acting strange this morning. Shouldn¡¯t you be excited for your first day of college? "


    Baby, what''s wrong¡±? My mother asked with concern


    "Q¨ªng Yi ... "I whispered to myself


    Come on, tell me what the matter is


    I hesitated. How could I explain the strange dreams, the weight they carried?


    ¡°It¡¯s just these strange dreams,


    Mom¡­ They feel so real.¡±


    My mother''s expression turned serious.


    "Strange dreams?" ¡°She asked. "I nodded


    "Yeah, I see a woman lying on a hospital bed every time and a woman and her daughter in traditional clothes. They looked exactly like us. "


    "It felt like she was sad to leave her daughter behind, and she encouraged her to be strong. I can still remember their names. R¨² Yi, yes, her name was R¨² Yi, her mother was , Bao Hu¨¡ and¡­¡­¡­ "


    My mother''s eyes widened, and for a moment, I thought I saw a flicker of fear in her eyes. But then, her expression smoothed out, and she smiled.


    ¡°it¡¯s fine, my child¡± She interrupted.¡°It¡¯s just a dream, sweetie. Don''t worry about it¡±. She reassured me.


    ¡°But Mom, I just can''t shake off the feeling that there''s more to this dream.


    "R¨² Yi looked just like me when I was young... isn''t it weird to have the same dreams, seeing people I have never seen, with the same names each time and the same ending every time ...¡±


    ¡°Sweetie, it was just a dream, okay. Don''t worry yourself over this. And get ready for your first day of college, Meiying will be here in no time¡±.


    I had been so lost in my own thoughts, replaying the strange dream over and over in my mind.


    How could I have forgotten, I felt a wave of panic rise as I realized I hadn¡¯t even thought about it once.


    ¡°Oh my God,¡± I mumbled to myself. ¡°I was so caught up in that dream, I completely forgot today¡¯s the day.¡±


    Right on cue, the door swung open, and Meiying bounced in, her usual bright energy filling the room.


    ¡°Morning, Auntie! Morning, Zhang Yi!¡±


    ¡°Morning,¡± I muttered, glancing at her with a half-smile.


    ¡° Gosh, is she spirit or what. Why does she always appear anytime her name is mentioned¡±. I murmured to myself.


    ¡°You¡¯re not even going to say you missed me?¡± Meiying teased, nudging my arm.


    I rolled my eyes. ¡°We talked last night. Don¡¯t get so dramatic.¡±


    ¡°Okay, you both should stop the fight and get going. You¡¯re already late¡±. My mother said while coming from the kitchen.


    I was so engrossed in the quarrel that I didn''t even realize the moment my mom left for the kitchen.


    ¡± Why do I always lose my senses when I''m around this silly girl¡±? I murmured to myself.


    ¡°You couldn''t have breakfast, so I packed some food for you," my mother said while approaching with a lunchbox in her hands.


    "Eat when you get to college, OK ... and, please baby, don''t bother yourself about that dream again, okay¡±. she added.


    ¡°Okay, don''t worry about me, mom. I''ll be fine¡±. I said to my mother with a warm smile.


    Meiying grabbed my arm, practically dragging me toward the door. ¡°Come on! First day, Zhang Yi! Let¡¯s make it count!¡±

 BENEATH THE SURFACE

    ZHANG JINGHUA POV


    As I prepared breakfast in the kitchen, my heart sank when I saw Zhang Yi approaching. Her expression was clouded with worry, far too serious for a young woman on her first day of college.


    My daughter was usually bright and cheerful, but today, she was distant, lost in her own thoughts.


    I couldn¡¯t help but feel a pang of sadness seeing her like this, so I asked her what was troubling her.


    She hesitated at first, but when I gently pressed, she finally told me about the dreams she¡¯d been having.


    As she spoke, my heart pounded with fear and confusion.   The names¡ªR¨² Yi, Bao Hu¨¡¡ªresonated deep within me. These were not mere dreams.


    While listening to my daughter telling me about her dream, my expression changed, and my eyes clouded with a mixture of fear and confusion.


    But at the same time, I had to calm her mind and make her forget about her dream.


    Still, I forced myself to smile, to offer her reassurance.


    ¡°Zhang Yi, it¡¯s just a dream, sweetie,¡±


    I said to her, trying to reassure her, but my voice trembled slightly, which Zhang Yi might have noticed.  I also couldn¡¯t stop myself from thinking about her dream, but I had to act normal at the same time since I didn¡¯t want my daughter to notice me more.


    As I prepared Zhang Yi for college, my mind was in conflict with itself, trying to figure out why Zhang Yi had those dreams.


    I tried to busy myself with household chores after she left, but my thoughts kept circling back to the dream. What had changed?


    Why was Zhang Yi remembering this time? Every other reincarnation had been clean, no memories, no reflections.


    In all her previous reincarnations, Zhang Yi¡¯s soul had always been reborn with a clean slate, free from the memories and burdens of her past lives. But this time, something was different.


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    My worry grew as I pondered Zhang Yi¡¯s memories, which had surfaced so vividly this time, more real than ever before.


    "Was there something fundamentally different about Zhang Yi¡¯s current life, or had we missed something crucial in our long- standing efforts to keep these secrets buried¡±? I thought to myself.


    My mind raced as I pondered my next move, trying desperately to calm myself down. I sat at the edge of her bed.


    I couldn¡¯t stand the thought of Zhang Yi facing the bitter truth of her past.


    Zhang Yi¡¯s father, Zhang Kai, was the only one who could understand the gravity of what was about to happen. But contacting him meant opening doors that had long been sealed shut.


    Could I tell him about Zhang Yi¡¯s dream? No¡­ the thought dawned on me, but I pushed it away.


    Zhang Kai had spent his entire existence shielding Zhang Yi from the horrors of the curse.


    He had sacrificed so much already, and bringing this up would only shatter the fragile peace we had.


    He had spent all his reincarnated years pacing, trying to find a way to break the curse. I took a deep breath.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to add this to his worry¡±


    Reaching out to him now would only add to his burden. He had always been there, close yet distant, watching over her, never able to truly be part of our lives.


    The curse had stolen him from us, keeping him trapped, just as it had stolen so many others.


    As the weight of everything we had lost slowly settled over me¡ªthe lives, the love, the family torn apart¡ªI felt the tears well up until they finally broke free.


    Every life, every reincarnation had followed the same tragic path. But this time, something is different.


    This Zhang Yi is starting to piece together the fragments of her past lives, and this realization can be both a blessing and a curse.


    If Zhang Yi becomes fully aware of the truth, there is a chance ¨Cjust a chance ¨C we could break the curse that had haunted our family for generations.


    But it could also deepen the curse, locking her into a fate of unimaginable danger.


    My thoughts turned to Zhang Kai, her father. He had suffered too ¨C reincarnated in every life, always nearby but still thought to be dead, and has never been a true part of the family.


    The curse had forced him to remain distant, watching over us from the shadows, unable to truly be part of our lives.


    My thoughts drifted to the past, to the mistake which had led us, the Zhang family, to this point. The curse had twisted our lives, forcing us to repeat the same tragedy over and over again.


    The tears I had held back began to escape, trickling down my cheeks.


    The curse that had hunted my family for generations loomed over me, a shadow that had taken so much yet left me with Zhang Yi¡ªa fragile light in the darkness.


    My fear for her grew, and as the weight of the past pressed down, my tears spilled over.


    My body shook with sobs as I wept, not just for the lives I had lived and the loved ones I had lost, but for the future we were all trapped in, and the sacrifices yet to come.

 WEAKNESS

    I blinked awake, the sterile smell of antiseptic hit me before I fully even woke up. I tried to make sense of my surroundings.


    As my vision cleared, I realized it was the same white ceiling again.


    "Damn it. Not again."


    I was in the hospital room again.


    The steady beeping of machines echoed in my ears. "How irritating"


    I hate being here. Anytime I pass out, they drag me back to this place like I''m some fragile thing.


    I clenched my jaw, pushing myself up, feeling the stiffness in my muscles from lying in this damn bed. I hate this place.


    The sterile smell, the constant noise - everything about it reminds me of how weak I''m. How my body betrays me all the time.


    I looked up, already annoyed, and just as I expected, the door opened, and my parents rushed in. I didn''t need to see their faces to know what they looked like. I could already imagine the worry and pity on their faces.


    "How are you feeling?" My mother asked, her voice soft, almost trembling. Damn, I hate it when she sounds like this.


    "I told you. Don''t bring me here. " I snapped, my tone sharper than I intended. "Just leave me in my room next time."


    I could feel my father''s eyes on me, but I didn''t meet his gaze. I don''t need their concern. It suffocated me, made me feel even weaker than I already am.


    I hate that look - like I''m some fragile thing that needs to be protected.


    My father stepped forward, this time trying to reason with me.


    "Son, this keeps happening. You''ve been passing out since you were a child. Aren''t you concerned?"


    "Concern?" I scoffed, swinging my legs over the edge of the bed. The gown feels ridiculous on me, another reminder of how I hate this place.


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    "I have a company to run and people to manage. I don''t have time to sit down and wait for something that might never get better."


    "You need to rest." My mother insisted, taking a step closer, but I could feel the tension in her, the fear she tried to hide.


    "I need to get back to work." I said, pushing myself off the bed and for a moment, the world tilted. I felt my legs wobbling.


    I felt dizzy. It has always been there, but I''m used to it by now. I''ve been dealing with this for too long. I cleaned my fists, steadied myself, not giving them a chance to say anything. No one needs to know. I''m fine, I''m always fine.


    My mother reached out, her hands on my arm. "Li Wei, your condition......"


    "It''s nothing." I cut her off, shaking her hands off me. "If no treatment is working, I''m not wasting my time sitting here."


    "Where are you going?" My dad''s voice this time, low and steady.


    I didn''t answer immediately. I kept my eyes on my shirt, which I was buttoning. Finishing the last button, I slowly raised my head and looked at him. Did he really need to ask that. He should know by now.


    I gave him that look - the answer is obvious, and you know it.


    His face tightened, but I didn''t care. we''d had this conversation too many times.


    "Please, son, you need rest. At least for a day." My mother chimed in, her voice soft but full of that same suffocating worry.


    I laughed a little, though there''s nothing funny about it.


    "Rest? I can''t rest. "


    She doesn''t get it. She just doesn''t.


    I tucked my shirt and fixed the cuffs. With a quick glance at the clock, I grabbed my jacket and headed for the door. They didn''t say anything this time.


    They just watched. I hated that look on their faces- worry mixed with pity. Like I needed someone''s pity.


    "I''m fine. Stop worrying about me. It won''t change anything, " I said over my shoulder. I''m not sure if I''m saying it for them or for myself.


    Without waiting for a response, I yanked the door open and stepped out, leaving them behind, along with their worry and those damn pitying looks.


    They didn¡¯t get it. No one did.


    After leaving the hospital, I headed straight to my office, trying to shake off the frustration from fainting yet again. The driver was quiet, just me and my thoughts.


    My parents think that I don''t care about this condition, that I''m ignoring it. But how could I not be bothered?


    Truth is, it eats at me every single day. It bothers me more than they could ever imagine. It isn''t just the fainting but the reminder that I''m weak, and I refuse to accept that. But I don¡¯t need to be reminded. Not by them. Not by anyone.


    It used to happen once in a while, just something I could brush off. But now, it''s different, more frequent, more troubling.


    I barely remembered how I even ended up in the hospital this time. Did I pass out at home? In the car?


    I didn¡¯t want to think about it. It didn¡¯t matter. The hospital was the last place I wanted to be. I told them, time and again, just leave me in my room.


    I don¡¯t need to be dragged into a bed with wires and machines that beep like some reminder of my weakness.