"Ahhh!!!"

With a scream, Fu Qingdai shot up in bed.

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Cold sweat had soaked her light, white nightgown.

She had woken from the dream once again.

Fu Qingdai gasped for breath, her terrified eyes glistening with tears.

Gloomy rain, hunger and cold, madness, cannibalism... The entire world had turned into a living hell.

This nightmare had repeated itself for nearly half a month, each time feeling incredibly real, with mountains of corpses and seas of blood right before her eyes.

Even the smells... were as real as life.

If it were just a simple dream, it would be one thing.

Fu Qingdai's breathing began to tremble. A look of terror on her face, she pulled back the curtains.

Outside, the sky was just beginning to lighten, and she could faintly make out the clouds.

The clouds billowed like ocean waves, spreading out in orderly layers.

In broad daylight, such a magnificent cloudscape would surely have countless people taking pictures.

But at this moment, Fu Qingdai was completely frozen.

The tears that had welled up in her eyes finally began to fall.

The scenes in her dream were identical to reality, starting with peaceful, everyday life before gradually flashing to apocalyptic landscapes.

She had started to notice something was wrong after the third dream.

The real-world weather often coincided with the scenes in her dreams.

This time was no exception. And this time, the cloud formation was very different from usual, making it especially easy to recognize.

Fu Qingdai's slender shoulders trembled. As she sobbed quietly, her right hand, clutching the curtain, had turned deathly pale.

According to her records of the previous dreams... that terrifying day was not far off.

She had told others, told her parents, but no one believed her.

She was just a student. She had done everything she could. What now... what on earth could she do?

Just then, the door was pushed open.

Zhang Wan entered and sat on the edge of the bed, a look of utter helplessness on her face as she watched the softly crying Fu Qingdai.

Fu Qingdai turned and threw herself into Zhang Wan's arms, her sobs growing louder.

Zhang Wan sighed. "Another nightmare?"

"Mom! It's real, everything I've said is real! The world is about to end! The clouds today are exactly the same as in my dream... it all matches up." Fu Qingdai looked up, her eyes blurry with tears. "Mom, just believe me this once. We have to prepare... Or, let's move. Move somewhere with no people."

Zhang Wan said helplessly, "Qingdai... you're only like this because you're under too much stress from school. I've already asked the doctor. Your exams are in a month. Stop thinking about all this other nonsense and focus on your studies. If you just focus, you won't feel so stressed."

"Do some extra homework at school today, go to bed an hour earlier, and you'll be fine in a few days."

"Mom!!!" Fu Qingdai was about to break down. The tears she had just managed to stop began to stream down her face again. "Can you just listen to what I have to say?!"

"Fine, fine, go ahead." Zhang Wan sighed, then added, "Finish what you have to say, then eat quickly and get to school."

Swallowing her pain, Fu Qingdai began to recount her dream.

Zhang Wan shook her head repeatedly as she listened.

Seeing her mother listening distractedly, Fu Qingdai said angrily, "Mom, are you even listening to me?!"

"I'm listening. Isn't it the same as what you've said before?" Zhang Wan replied perfunctorily.

"No!" Fu Qingdai's expression suddenly changed. "I'm not finished. This time was different... I saw a man, and I heard a voice tell me..."

"What!" Zhang Wan's gaze sharpened instantly, like a detective who had just discovered the truth.

Seeing her mother's serious reaction and that she was finally listening intently, Fu Qingdai felt a surge of joy.

Just as she was about to continue, Zhang Wan said sternly, "Qingdai, you're not dating someone, are you? This is not the time for you to be dating! Puppy love will do you no good!"

"Mom!!!" Fu Qingdai completely fell apart. "Do you believe me or not!"

"I believe you, I believe you... Now hurry up and get ready for breakfast."

Zhang Wan had completely lost her patience. She stood up, ready to leave the room.

Fu Qingdai reached out and grabbed her mother's arm, pleading, "Mom... can you give me some money?"

"Don't I usually give you an allowance?"

"I want a little extra. I haven't been eating well at school these past few days, and I want to buy some workbooks."

"Fine. How much?"

"...Five... five hundred."

*Five hundred...* Zhang Wan fumed internally.

*She must be in some kind of trouble at school. Asking for five hundred just like that. How could she possibly spend it all?*

"No! Fifty is the most you'll get. Now hurry up and get ready for school."

With that, Zhang Wan left the room quickly, leaving Fu Qingdai alone to her sorrow.

Fu Qingdai wiped her tears, her heart filled with bitterness and grief.

She had no voice, no trust in this family!

If only she were older. If she were earning her own money, maybe she could convince them.

After grieving for a while, she got up, sat at her desk, and began to write.

The sounds of the news and arguing from outside the door reached her ears.

"Old Fu, aren't you going to do something about your daughter! You just get up and, fing hell, sit here watching TV! Call Teacher Li and ask if Qingdai is dating someone!"

"Alright... I know. I'll call later."

"Later, later, that's all you ever say! You just procrastinate! You don't care about anything, you don't do any chores around the house. How did I end up with a useless man like you!"

.....

In the classroom, the morning reading session had already begun.

Fu Qingdai, her mind elsewhere, put down her schoolbag.

Scenes from the dream kept replaying in her head.

The classroom was filled with incessant chatter.

Her deskmate, seeing her state, asked, "Qingdai... another nightmare?"

"Yeah..." Fu Qingdai nodded hesitantly, then turned to her with a serious expression. "Xiao Ning, everything I've said is true. The world is about to end... If it rains, whatever you do, don't touch the rainwater. There's something wrong with it. You have to stock up on food and seal your doors and windows..."

Xiao Ning nodded with a strange expression, then turned back to face the front, sighing inwardly.

*She's completely lost it!*

The first couple of times, she thought the girl was just joking with her, but this had been going on for more than a day or two. Even her mental state was clearly deteriorating.

Her mom had contacted her a while ago, asking her to keep an eye on Qingdai. From the looks of it, her condition seemed to be getting worse.

Shaking her head, Xiao Ning took out a BL novel and began to "study" diligently.

The student in front turned around, glanced at her desk, and whispered, "Hey, you're still reading that? Qingdai read novels until she went crazy. Aren't you afraid the same will happen to you? Be careful, the school's been cracking down lately."

Xiao Ning shot the student a look and whispered back, "This is BL. If I go crazy from reading it, I'll just be looking for a man. Go back to memorizing your textbook!"

"Oh, lend it to me when you're done."

....

In the blink of an eye, it was noon.

Countless students flooded the cafeteria.

Fu Qingdai was also in the crowd, her gaze sweeping over one student after another.

Until she spotted her target, hurried forward with small steps, and tugged on the corner of his shirt.

Gao Peng was walking when he felt a tug. He turned to see Fu Qingdai standing awkwardly behind him.

Seeing her delicate, pretty face...

He couldn't help but feel nervous.

Fu Qingdai was the famous school beauty... who knows who gave her the title, but she was the school beauty, and that was that.

Many male students had tried to chat her up, only to return in defeat.

Although her recent mental instability had cooled some of the hype, there were still plenty of boys who secretly came to their class to ask about her!

He usually didn't even dare to speak to her. Why was the school beauty seeking him out?

At this thought, Gao Peng asked nervously, "Uh, can I help you?"

Fu Qingdai bit her pink lip, staring at her toes as she fidgeted. "Gao Peng... can I borrow some money? I promise I'll pay you back next month!"

"O~kay... I guess. How much do you need? I've only got a hundred yuan at most," Gao Peng asked, his mind racing.

He didn't have much money himself, but the school beauty was asking... he couldn't refuse without losing face!

Hearing him agree, Fu Qingdai looked up and broke into a smile.

Gao Peng's heart instantly started racing!

*Borrowing money? Borrowing money is a good thing! She smiled at me, she even pulled on my shirt. Does she have feelings for me?*

*This loan and repayment, doesn't that mean we'll have to meet twice?*

"Then I'll borrow a hundred."

...

Not far away, a pair of small eyes were fixed on Fu Qingdai, the owner holding a phone to their ear.

"Auntie Zhang, Qingdai is talking to a boy from our class right now... No, he's a total dork, there's no way they're dating. But her 'illness' is getting really serious. You should take her to see a doctor soon."

---

Proofreader: Peter Pan