Nights were quiet in the city of Chengdu. I, Lei Wei, a young man in his late twenties, worked as a programmer in a startup company. My life was quite ordinary until dreams began to dominate me. Every night, I saw a faceless girl, yet she possessed a commanding presence. I couldn't forget her, and there was something inside those dreams that made me feel like I had known her for a long time.

One night, my dreams took a different turn. I found myself in a narrow, dark street surrounded by old wooden houses. Suddenly, the faceless girl appeared again. She stood at the end of the street, looking at me—or that's how it felt.

Lei Wei: "Who are you? Why do you appear in my dreams every night?"

My voice echoed in the place, but she didn't answer. Instead, she approached me with slow, measured steps. I felt something strange, a mix of fear and attraction.

Lei Wei: "Do you know me?"

The girl stopped a few steps away from me, her features still obscure. She wore a long white dress, and her long black hair swayed with the night breeze. I felt drawn to her, as if she held a secret I needed to uncover.

I woke suddenly from sleep, sweating. It was a strange feeling overwhelming me. I couldn't get her image out of my head. I thought about her all day, even while working.

The next day, I decided to seek an explanation for these dreams. I headed to an old library in a distant neighborhood, searching for books on dream interpretation. There I met the librarian, an elderly man named Shu Tian. He had extensive knowledge of dreams and myths.

Shu Tian: "Dreams often serve as a gateway to another world. That girl might be a symbol of a past figure, or perhaps a message from the subconscious."

His words didn't provide much help, but I felt I needed to know more. I started visiting the library regularly, reading books on dreams and Chinese myths. Each night, I returned home and immersed myself in deep sleep, hoping to see the girl again.

And one night, I saw her once more. She stood on a wooden bridge connecting the banks of a small river. I approached her slowly.

Lei Wei: "Please, tell me who you are."

This time, the girl lifted her face and looked at me with her dark eyes.

Yu Ling: "My name is Yu Ling. I've been waiting for you."

My heart raced. I didn't know if these dreams were real or imaginary, but I was determined to uncover the truth. Could Yu Ling be the love I had always dreamed of? Could these dreams turn into reality?

I felt that this journey had just begun, and it would take me to places I had never imagined. I had no choice but to follow this path, to its end.

In the following days, my dreams became clearer and more detailed. I saw Yu Ling distinctly, and I felt her presence strongly. This presence began to dominate my daily life, to the point where I started losing focus at work and neglecting my social life.

One day, while strolling through the old market of Chengdu, I felt something strange. I saw a girl who resembled Yu Ling from afar. I hesitated for a moment, then decided to follow her. She walked with confident steps, as if she knew the place well. I felt like I was going mad, but curiosity outweighed logic.

Lei Wei (speaking to himself): "Could it be her? Or have I become obsessed with my dreams?"

I followed her until she reached a small café and went inside. I stood at the door for a moment, hesitant to enter. But a strong desire to uncover the truth pushed me inside. I sat in a corner of the café, ordered a cup of tea, and began observing her from afar.

Lei Wei: "Is she really Yu Ling? Or is my mind playing tricks on me?"

After a few minutes, the girl lifted her gaze, and our eyes met. That moment was enchanting, as if time stood still. I approached her slowly, my heart racing.

Lei Wei: "Hello, may I join you?"

The girl smiled and gestured to the chair opposite her.

The Girl: "Of course, please."

We sat in silence for a few minutes, as I tried to gather my thoughts. I felt like I was living in a dream, unsure how to start the conversation.

Lei Wei: "I'm sorry if I'm bothering you, but... I think I've seen you before."

The girl looked at me with surprise, then smiled a mysterious smile.

The Girl: "I think you must be mistaken. We've never met."

I felt disappointed, but something inside me insisted that this girl was Yu Ling. I tried to talk to her, but she responded with brief and enigmatic answers. After a while, I excused myself and left the café.

I returned home feeling bewildered and confused. I began to doubt myself and the dreams that haunted me. Could this girl be just a figment of my imagination, or was something greater happening here?

That night, I returned to my usual dreams. I stood on a wooden bridge spanning a small river, and Yu Ling appeared again.

Lei Wei: "Please, tell me who you really are. Why do you appear in my dreams?"

Yu Ling looked at me with her sad eyes.

Yu Ling: "I am part of your lost memories, Lei Wei. We are connected in a way you cannot understand yet."

I woke up feeling even more perplexed. I began to wonder if these dreams held a true message and if I should pursue this mysterious path.

I had a feeling that I was on the verge of discovering something significant, and that my life would never be the same again. Would I be able to understand the truth behind these dreams? Would Yu Ling become a part of my reality or remain just a dream? I didn't know, but I was determined to find out.

My dreams had become a recurring nightmare every night. I could no longer distinguish between reality and imagination, and I began to wonder if I was losing my mind. There was a strange feeling that I was living in parallel worlds—one real and the other in dreams.

One day, I decided to visit Shu Tian's bookstore once again. I felt that there was something in that bookstore that might help me understand what was happening. Upon arrival, I found Shu Tian sitting behind his desk, reading an old book.

Lei Wei: "Shu Tian, I need your help again. The dreams are worsening, and I can't tell reality from fantasy anymore."

Shu Tian looked at me sharply, as if he had been expecting my visit.

Shu Tian: "Sometimes dreams are messages from the subconscious mind. Perhaps there's something from your past that you need to confront."

Shu Tian directed me to a shelf full of old books about myths and symbols. I began reading incessantly, trying to find anything that could explain my situation. As I delved into the books, I came across an old text talking about "lost spirits" seeking justice.

Lei Wei (speaking to himself): "Could Yu Ling be one of these lost spirits? Am I here to help her?"

The following night, the dreams recurred but with greater intensity and realism. I found myself walking through a dark forest, with whispers around me calling my name. Suddenly, Yu Ling appeared among the trees, her face covered in tears.

Yu Ling: "Lei Wei, why did you leave me?"

I felt a profound terror and couldn't speak. Her words carried deep pain, reminding me of something I had forgotten.

I woke up from the nightmare trembling, trying to recall the details. I began to wonder if Yu Ling was someone from my past, someone I had forgotten or tried to ignore.

The next day, I decided to return to Shu Tian's bookstore. Upon entering, I found Shu Tian browsing through an old book about myths.

Lei Wei: "Shu Tian, I think I'm starting to understand. Yu Ling might be someone from my past, someone I forgot or ignored."

Shu Tian nodded understandingly and said calmly:

Shu Tian: "Perhaps you need to delve deep into your memory to find the answers. Sometimes, the truth lies in the deepest corners of our minds."

I began to review my old memories, searching for anything that could connect me to Yu Ling. I found an old picture of a young child standing next to a girl in a white dress. The girl had the same enigmatic smile I had seen in my dreams.

Lei Wei (speaking to himself): "Could Yu Ling be that girl? Has she been a part of my life since childhood?"

I felt a strong urge to uncover the truth and decided to revisit the places where I spent my childhood. I visited the old neighborhood where I grew up and spoke to the old neighbors. The answers were vague, but some remembered a little girl named Ling who used to live in the neighboring house.

Old Neighbor: "Ling was a quiet and mysterious child. She disappeared suddenly, and we haven't heard anything about her since then."

My confusion grew, and I felt I was nearing a great secret. Could Yu Ling be the Ling I knew in childhood? And what was the secret she was hiding?

The next night, the dreams repeated once again. I stood in front of an old house, and the door was open. I entered cautiously and found Yu Ling waiting for me inside.

Yu Ling: "Lei Wei, you have been a part of my life, and now you must know the truth."

My heart raced, and I prepared myself to hear the story that could change my life forever.