"It must be because the dream lasted too long that our original memories became blurred." A-Xin continued. She turned back to Chen Meilan and said, "Aunt Chen, she's Yu Xin, right?"
Chen Meilan's expression stiffened somewhat, but she quickly nodded. "This dead girl, daydreaming again, actually dreaming she became Cancan. Really beautiful thinking you've got there." Her palms were full of sweat.
Eighteen years ago, the day Yu Xin was born, Jiang Bailei had found her. Wanted them to join an experiment. As long as she agreed, their whole family could get lots and lots of money. However, for the experiment to succeed, their life had to appear impoverished, or at least Yu Xin's life had to be that way. Sacrificing one daughter in exchange for a family's lifetime of wealth—how cost-effective was that? She also wasn't satisfied that her firstborn was a girl. With so much money, her precious son would have no worries in the future. She'd agreed without even thinking.
"Alright, so I really am Yu Xin." Jiang Cancan angrily threw her pillow to the floor, then covered herself back under the blanket. A muffled voice came from inside: "Ai, if only I were Jiang Cancan."
Hearing Jiang Cancan sighing, those observing her performance exchanged glances. Was something off? What was up with these two girls—so quickly believing they truly were each other?
A-Xin lowered her eyes and patted the blanket. "Want to go play?"
"Yes."
Chen Meilan also knew the experiment's importance. She quickly said, "Today's Saturday—you should go play. Yu Xin, go play with Cancan. Today I won't make you stay home doing chores."
The two agreed to go out and play. Those observing from behind became excited again. Perhaps these were two clever girls. When they were alone together, they'd reveal some clues or possibly discuss what was happening. Speaking of which, wouldn't such an experiment be even more interesting?
Those observing from behind watched the two girls emerge from the Yu house.
Jiang Cancan called to A-Xin, "Cancan, that dream was really so strange."
"Indeed very strange. Today I almost doubted I was you."
Jiang Cancan annoyedly rubbed her head. "If only I were Jiang Cancan. A wealthy young miss—why wasn't that dream real?"
"Stop daydreaming. I don't want to wash and mop floors every day and still get scolded by Aunt Chen."
Jiang Cancan and A-Xin exchanged a glance, then quickly looked away. Both performances showed firm belief in their own identities, with no doubt whatsoever.
Those observing all frowned, utterly perplexed.
"Dr. Jiang, what should we do? They seem to show no abnormality."
Jiang Bailei wearily rubbed his temples. "That's it for today. The experiment has already started, and I don't believe they truly have no doubts. Observe for a period. See what behaviors they'll produce. If it continues like this, we'll directly escalate this experiment to the ultimate level."
"Oh right, I remember their school once had an intern teacher from outside who left after half a semester. She's from outside. You all find a way to bring her here and see their reaction."
A-Xin and Jiang Cancan played all afternoon. They just played, saying nothing.
A-Xin thought—this soul returning with memories made things very simple. No need to say much.
In Jiang Cancan's view, everyone was reborn, all having experienced that dark period. Nothing needed saying. Currently they were both very weak. Besides this, there was temporarily no other way.
After parting, A-Xin returned to the Jiang house, Jiang Cancan to the Yu house.
Just returned, Chen Meilan wanted her to mop floors and do chores. She looked at Chen Meilian utterly bewildered. "Mom, I had that dream last night. I still haven't recovered. Can I not mop today?"
"What?"
"What I mean is, that dream was too real. In the dream I lived luxuriously, was a wealthy young lady, clothes handed to me, meals brought to my mouth." Jiang Cancan smiled. "Then forgot I was a poor girl. This mopping, doing chores—I seem to suddenly not know how anymore."
Chen Meilan's eyes widened as she cursed loudly, "Dead girl, are you trying to slack off?" Just about to hit her, Jiang Cancan quickly grabbed the mop. "Mom, don't hit me! I'll mop, I'll mop!"
Ten minutes later, Chen Meilian looked at the floor covered in water, annoyedly slapping her head and grabbing the mop back. "Dead girl, can't do anything right."
As Chen Meilan mopped, her heart was also very helpless. If not for money, she wouldn't want to do such a broken experiment. The other was a wealthy young lady—not knowing how to mop truly wasn't her fault. Jiang Bailei wanted her to treat Jiang Cancan the same as always, treating her as Yu Xin. She looked at the floor full of water. This wasn't mopping—clearly flooding Jinshan Temple.
Jiang Cancan returned to her room without showing any abnormality. This room had cameras. This was also why in her previous life she couldn't bear it and chose suicide—because from age eighteen on, except toilets and bathing areas, everywhere else was under countless eyes' observation.
If not for the Yu house being "too poor," she highly suspected even toilets and bathing areas would have pinhole cameras installed. The Yu house wasn't large—one master bedroom, one secondary bedroom, one kitchen, one bathroom, one living room. The master bedroom was occupied by Yu Xin's parents, the secondary bedroom by Yu Xin's younger brother. The small room she now lived in was converted from a tiny study.
She was like a little white mouse. Her life's meaning was providing countless observation reports for that group.
Thinking of Yu Xin's previous life's experiences, her heart balanced out considerably. There was someone even more unlucky than her. The Jiang house was wealthy, rooms all had en-suite bathrooms. Yu Xin living there probably had little privacy.
Jiang Cancan first hugged her clothes and went to the bathroom for a shower, then returned to her room in pajamas. Lying on the bed, she pulled out her phone, flipping through the chat list, moments, social accounts... everything was designed for her by that group.
The accounts were still her accounts, even bank accounts—all hers. ID account still the original. The only difference was the name had changed.
Also, the money in her account was all gone.
No need to guess—the money must have run into Yu Xin's account.
The news she saw, the world she saw, everything online, even online shopping—all prepared by that group.
In her previous life, she'd specifically gone to school to steal old test papers and homework. These things were still hers, the handwriting still hers. The only difference was that on test papers, homework, textbooks, even in tiny crevices—wherever Jiang Cancan's name appeared, all changed to Yu Xin.
Had to say, these people truly were painstakingly thorough. Sparing no money, effort, youth, or time.
Thinking of this, mischief flashed in her eyes. From the chat list she found A-Xin's account and sent a message: You there?
A-Xin: Here.
The instant the two began communicating, they were immediately noticed by those monitoring them. The experiment participants who'd originally planned to finish work and go home, leaving only on-duty personnel, immediately stopped, pulling out notebooks and ballpoint pens, preparing to record.
Jiang Cancan sent a message: Lend me some money.
A-Xin: How much?
Jiang Cancan: The more the better. Yesterday's dream—I still haven't recovered. Just now my mom wanted me to mop. I truly forgot how I could mop.
A-Xin: So what will you do with borrowed money?
Jiang Cancan: Buy a robot vacuum, also a dust remover, can't do without a dishwasher either. I think tomorrow my mom will still have me do these. Cancan, I loved that dream so much. I really want to be a wealthy young miss. Clothes handed to me, meals brought to my mouth, no work needed, just shopping shopping shopping every day. Thinking about it is so awesome.
Experiment recording personnel: "..."
A-Xin looked at Jiang Cancan's words, some laughter in her eyes. She replied: Okay, I'll first lend you one hundred thousand yuan. Use it first. We're very good friends—of course I'll help you.
Jiang Cancan was very happy. Originally because both were reborn, she felt close to A-Xin. Reborn but still not knowing how long she could live—might as well have Yu Xin take out money and spend it first. She didn't want to do chores and still get scolded as a lazy girl by Chen Meilan.
Before long, she received the transfer notification. After thanking A-Xin, she opened the shopping app. Under many people's monitoring, she really looked at robot vacuums, dust removers, dishwashers and such.
Picking and choosing, she placed an order.
After she placed the order, those behind sent this information down, having people prepare.
Just after sending this information, unexpectedly Jiang Cancan canceled the order.
They stared intently at the monitoring display, seeing Jiang Cancan frown. "Buying such expensive things, will I get beaten tomorrow?"
Experiment recording personnel: "..." So you just casually canceled the order? And so coincidentally, right after they arranged the information, you canceled?
Jiang Cancan picked and chose again. Under many people's attention, she put a robot vacuum in her shopping cart, then suddenly saw an even better one. Canceled. Added the new one.
Tomorrow was Sunday, no school. She picked until three o'clock before truly placing an order, going to sleep satisfied.
Before sleeping, that group of experiment recording personnel felt only fatigue and boredom, yawning and preparing to finish work when Jiang Cancan pulled out her phone again, scaring them into alertness.
Jiang Cancan messaged A-Xin: Still there?
A-Xin: Here.
Jiang Cancan: I bought the robot vacuum and stuff. Ai, Cancan, I'm so poor. If that dream hadn't woken, I'd still be a wealthy young miss, right?
A-Xin: Mm, but I don't want to be a poor girl. That dream was a nightmare for me.
Jiang Cancan couldn't help laughing inside. This Yu Xin was truly a clever little spirit.
Jiang Cancan: Let's go shopping tomorrow. I want to do something.
A-Xin: What?
Jiang Cancan: Buy lottery tickets.
A-Xin: Why?
Jiang Cancan: What else could it be? Of course wanting to get rich overnight. Best to win several hundred million. If not hundreds of millions, tens of millions work. If not tens of millions, five million—that's my bottom line.
Experiment recording personnel: "..." They also wanted that.
Jiang Cancan: Okay, agreed then. Going to sleep. Shopping made my eyes dizzy. Pretty tired.
Experiment recording personnel indicated they were also especially tired. Though nominally all actors, actually only lab people observed these two test subjects' activities daily. They were also human, also got tired. When tired, also very sleepy. Especially these two days with the experiment starting, they'd been particularly busy—both tired and sleepy. Now the experiment seemed to encounter unpredictable obstacles. Really didn't know what the next step would be.
This time Jiang Cancan truly slept, covering her head with the blanket.
Accepting reality was one thing. Even sleeping she'd still be filmed by cameras—her heart felt uncomfortable. She clenched her fists, curling herself into a ball, forcefully closing her eyes. Before long she fell into deep sleep.
Next morning, when Chen Meilan received the robot vacuum, dishwasher and such delivered by delivery personnel, her face was utterly bewildered.
Jiang Cancan came out and said, "I ordered them."
"Dead girl, where'd you get the money?"
Jiang Cancan said, "Borrowed from Jiang Cancan. Mom," her shoulders slumped, expression utterly dejected, "I still haven't recovered. Last night I dreamed again, dreamed I was Jiang Cancan. The room I slept in was especially large, with pretty dolls inside, beautiful jewelry, clothes, dresses, shoes all unopened.
Jiang Cancan and I are good friends, right? I borrowed some money from her and bought these things."
"You..." Chen Meilan didn't know what to say. Jiang Cancan continued: "Anyway, these chores—either you do them or I do them. Having these things isn't pretty good? This money—I'll repay it when I work later, okay?"
Chen Meilan was a vulgar person. Though Jiang Bailei's compensation was very generous, these eighteen years their family's living standard wasn't high. Should say on the surface they lived very poor. Moreover, to prevent them from ruining things, a large sum of money still hadn't been obtained.
Now Jiang Cancan considered herself Yu Xin. Because of inherent laziness, she actually thought of borrowing money to buy these things. Chen Meilan's eyes shifted. Actually it was also quite good. Making this lazy girl mop—probably like yesterday with water everywhere. Making her wash dishes? Probably would break all the bowls.
Thinking it over, she felt these things could indeed bring convenience to their entire household. With Jiang Cancan's appearance yesterday, she truly didn't trust letting her do chores. Since she'd thought of a way to improve the family's living conditions, why should she refuse?
Chen Meilan's face hardened. "Really wasteful. Yu Xin, you must remember—this money was borrowed by you alone from Jiang Cancan. You'll have to bear it in the future."
"Of course, Mom. Don't worry, I absolutely won't make you spend a cent."
Chen Meilan was secretly delighted. This wasn't bad either. If Jiang Cancan continued getting good things for their house, treating her a bit better was fine. Anyway, didn't she now firmly believe she was Yu Xin? She hadn't exposed anything. In the future, easily obtaining that sum of money, their whole family could move to a high-end complex.
Jiang Cancan told Chen Meilan she was going out to find A-Xin to play. Chen Meilan was in a good mood. Plus now that side had said not to prevent their contact, of course she very happily let Jiang Cancan go out.
After Jiang Cancan left, she quickly opened packages, fiddling with the robot vacuum and these new appliances, her heart so beautiful.
A-Xin and Jiang Cancan met at the old place. Jiang Cancan came up linking arms with her. "Still remember what I told you yesterday?"
"Remember."
"Then let's go. We're buying lottery tickets."
Experiment recording personnel, including Jiang Bailei, watched the two excitedly rush into the lottery ticket place, all with massive headaches.
"Dr. Jiang, can you tell what their reaction means?"
Jiang Bailei stared seriously at the two observing, not seeing any flaws. He didn't believe two eighteen-year-old girls, after eighteen years of peaceful growing environment, could show no flaws in their expressions. Impossible to have such deep scheming.
So there was only one possibility—they truly thought everything before was a dream.
"Perhaps we made everything too perfect," Jiang Bailei said. "Have you heard of Zhuangzi dreaming of being a butterfly? We made everything too perfect, making them unable to distinguish dream from reality. Not a single flaw, causing them to believe everything that happened over eighteen years was just a very long dream in one night."
"This dream's memories were too numerous. They completely think this dream's memories were too deep, making them forget their original selves." A young man beside Jiang Bailei said. This young man was his student, one of the experiment's leaders—Cheng Yiling.
"They both believe their identities. What else can be observed?"
Jiang Bailei was silent for a while before saying, "Isn't there still one card unused?"
"Teacher means that teacher who once interned in their class for one semester?"
Jiang Bailei nodded. "Correct, her. You all find a way to bring her to this city, let them encounter her once. This suddenly different voice will definitely make them doubt again."
Jiang Cancan pulled A-Xin to buy lottery tickets, then felt they couldn't draw immediately, unable to realize her dream of getting rich. Next she went to buy scratch cards, excitedly scratching away. A-Xin accompanied her, gaze toward outside, observing everything about this world.
This world—she felt somewhat strange. As for where exactly, she temporarily hadn't discovered clues.
Jiang Cancan's luck was pretty good. She scratched out quite a bit of money. Though not rich overnight, at least she had some pocket money.
Actually her heart felt somewhat troubled. Clearly knowing everything, but with everything under surveillance, she truly didn't know what to do. She raised her head, looking at the blue sky, some confusion appearing in her eyes. So what was the meaning of her rebirth?
At this moment, her hand was grasped. A warm, soft fingertip traced in her palm. Her expression focused as she carefully discerned the characters in her palm.
Before long, she smiled brilliantly.
Yu Xin had written her two sentences: one was "Don't be afraid," another was "I'll take you out."
She also held Yu Xin's hand, writing only one sentence: "Okay, I trust you."
She didn't know why either, but trusted Yu Xin's words so much. Clearly they were the same—people whose everything had been manipulated since birth. Their lives were arranged from the very beginning. In the previous life, Yu Xin was even more unlucky than her, her ending probably even more pitiful. Yet she actually believed the other would truly take her out.
Whether they could get out or not, her heart no longer panicked so much.
In this world there was still someone called Yu Xin. They'd had the same experiences. They could be together every day. In this world, she was no longer alone. Everything didn't need to be faced alone.
When doubting her own identity, looking at the other, her mind would immediately clear. Looking at the other, she'd never forget her name was Jiang Cancan, not Yu Xin.