This night, I didn't sleep well. I dreamed of the past few days again, back on the boat. I watched as the boat continued to sink, being rolled into the whirlpool in the center of the lake, and even saw Wu Miao constantly drowning, struggling painfully. This made me feel like I was bound by something in my dream, desperately trying to break free, wanting to save her, but unable to. I sank into the water, feeling wet all over.

  Something is wrapping around me, getting tighter and tighter, making it hard for me to breathe.

  ……

  I suddenly opened my eyes to see the empty ceiling, and the night wind blew in from the window. I realized that I had a nightmare. It took a long time to fall asleep again.

  The two months after the accident, I slept even worse, with insomnia all night long. Sitting on my bed, that empty and clear feeling was like being in a dream, as if a poisonous snake was wrapped around me, eating away at my soul and willpower.

  I don't know when I can leave that place.

  The next morning, I went out of the room to wash up and happened to see Tan Jiao coming out of the public toilet. I was stunned for a moment. Because we were all wearing clothes bought from the town's small shop, which were mostly thick cotton jackets, wool sweaters, and simple shirts. The workmanship and materials were ordinary, just warm enough. She had just washed her hair that morning, with her long hair falling down, and didn't tie it up in a ponytail like usual, making her face look even more radiant. But today she obviously made an effort to dress up, wearing a light-colored sweater, but putting the shirt inside, revealing the collar, and still wearing jeans on the bottom, but suddenly looking more elegant and charming than usual.

  I watched her walk closer.

  She also saw me.

  After what happened last night, there was a bit of awkwardness between us. As she walked up to me, she suddenly smiled and said, "Good morning, Yu."

  I said: "Good morning."

  She supported herself on the stairs and went downstairs with slow and elegant movements. I glanced at her figure with my spare vision, only to feel that she seemed a bit different from usual, but couldn't tell what was different about her.

  After I finished washing up and went downstairs, I saw Tan Jiao and Feng Yan in the dining room, surprisingly wrapping dumplings. Didn't see anyone else's shadow.

  Feng Yan smiled and greeted me: "Did you sleep well?"

  I said: "Not bad." My gaze fell on Tan Jiao, who was stretching out her hand, with a piece of dumpling skin in the palm of her hand, and not very skillfully using chopsticks to put meat filling inside.

  Feng Yan said: "Ru Yi wasn't feeling well this morning and didn't come down. The others all had things to do, so let's make some dumplings and call them over to eat."

  I had no objection, went to wash my hands, and sat down beside Tan Jiao. Feng Yan went to put the first batch of dumplings that were packed into the refrigerator, and only the two of us were left at the dinner table. Tan Jiao seemed to have completely ignored me, her clear eyes staring only at the dumplings, with a look of concentration. I looked at the few "dumplings" she had wrapped up, but couldn't help laughing.

  It's all crooked and misshapen, what a weird shape. Where can you even call it a dumpling, at most it's just a skin wrapped around meat.

  "Who is this bun for?" I picked up a piece of dumpling wrapper.

  She didn't even lift her head and replied: "You."

  It made me stutter. I picked up the filling, pinched it into dumplings and also put them on the plate. She looked up: "Wow, wrapped so beautifully? Are you a man?"

  "What nonsense are you talking about?"

  She smiled and stopped her actions, watching me wrap the dumplings, then started talking nonsense again: "You're wrapping dumplings so well, honestly tell me, how many girls have you wrapped dumplings for before?"

  I said: "In the past, my mother used to sell dumplings and wontons at a stall, I would go help as soon as school was over."

  She didn't say anything anymore.