Lin Xian turned around.

He looked at Zhao Yingjun's pitch-black personal exhibition hall behind him.

Her exhibition hall was located at the highest point of the Rhine Museum, a separate building, just like her high position in Rhine Sky City.

Yes.

This was Lin Xian's main purpose for entering the dream tonight.

Huang Que had told him to look in the mirror more often, that he could find what he wanted in the mirror.

He believed that the answer to this riddle was most likely in Zhao Yingjun's personal exhibition hall.

Perhaps the gift that no one could guess was hidden in a mirror inside.

So, Lin Xian didn't care whether his own traces existed in Zhao Yingjun's life trajectory.

It was an insignificant matter.

He was just lamenting the passage of time, the departure of old friends, and the heaviness that came with it, not caring about these trivial things.

Lin Xian turned around and walked into Zhao Yingjun's personal exhibition hall.

"Why is it dark?"

Where were the lights?

In front of him, the door of the exhibition hall was wide open, but apart from a faint light in the middle shining on the red carpet, there were no lights on either side or inside, and nothing could be seen.

How could they exhibit anything without turning on the lights?

"Zhao Yingjun's personal exhibition hall uses projections for exhibitions."

The garbage can robot VV turned its tracks below, drove up to Lin Xian, and looked up at him, saying:

"It's like a movie, playing her life in the form of slideshows with narration; because Zhao Yingjun loved watching movies during her lifetime, this exhibition hall was built in this way to act out her life, as she wished."

"Zhao Yingjun liked watching movies?"

Lin Xian was amused:

"She didn't like watching movies at all. She didn't have the leisure for that."

He knew her too well.

Zhao Yingjun was a workaholic who wished she could devote every minute to work. Asking her to calm down and watch a movie would be torture for her.

The one who liked watching movies wasn't her, it was him!

Thinking of this.

Lin Xian stopped in his tracks, as if choked, speechless.

The garbage can robot VV's eyes flickered with green light, watching Lin Xian blinkingly:

"Aren't you coming in? I can help you turn on the projector. It's rarely open to the public usually, and even the limited open days require advance reservations, but since it's you... it's only natural to make some exceptions."

"Turn it on then."

Lin Xian said softly:

"I want to see."

...

Following the robot VV forward.

Click.

The wall on the right lit up, projecting a photo of a young couple holding a baby in swaddling clothes, a happy family of three.

At the same time, a voice of narration came from somewhere:

"On January 15, 1999, Ms. Zhao Yingjun was born in the imperial capital of Long Country, into a happy and fulfilling family. Her father was a highly respected figure at the time, and her mother was a respected teacher."

Continuing forward, there were photos of Zhao Yingjun in elementary school, middle school, and studying abroad.

From middle school onwards, Zhao Yingjun's heroic spirit was already showing. Even though she was still young, her aura was already extraordinary. She still had the air of a CEO.

Looking at these photos that he had never seen before, Lin Xian inexplicably showed an uncle-like smile.

The narration continued:

"Ms. Zhao Yingjun has been outstanding in character and academics since she was a child. Not only did she rank among the best in her studies, but she also showed remarkable business talent early on. Therefore, after junior high school, she was sent abroad for further studies by her father, and later entered IESE Business School in Spain... graduating with excellent grades in all subjects."

Further on, the photos turned into videos.

Lin Xian recognized them as early images of the establishment of MX Company.

He saw many familiar faces on it: the vice president, Brother Wang... a group of faces he often dealt with on weekdays.

"After graduating and returning to the country, Ms. Zhao Yingjun established MX Company in Donghai City, specializing in the field of new cosmetics. In less than two years, it had already become nationally famous. But what really made MX Company a world-class cosmetics giant... was a world-shocking Rhine Moisturizing Cream."

Lin Xian's footsteps moved forward, and on the wall to the left, a product image of Rhine Moisturizing Cream was projected.

Naturally, there was also a cartoon image of Rhine Cat on it.

"Thanks to the mascot Rhine Cat's hype, the Rhine brand quickly became popular around the world. Even today, even though Rhine Company has gone bankrupt and people no longer need Rhine Moisturizing Cream to protect their skin, Rhine Cat is still the most popular doll image among children, selling well in this world for more than 600 years."

Seeing this, Lin Xian had a premonition.

Indeed...

The garbage can robot was right, his existence, his history, and his experiences had all been erased.

Including the MX Company celebration banquets, group photos, and interviews played on the road he had just walked... he was clearly present at those occasions, and he even clearly remembered where he was standing.

However.

In the projected images and photos in front of him, there was no sign of his existence.

The creator of Rhine Cat had also become Zhao Yingjun.

The hero of Rhine Moisturizing Cream wasn't even mentioned.

Lin Xian turned his head and continued forward.

"...Later, due to company business adjustments, MX Company was renamed Rhine Group, officially opening the prelude to this great legend."

The projected picture was a photo of the ribbon-cutting ceremony on the day of Rhine Group's establishment.

Zhao Yingjun was standing in the middle, flanked by Brother Wang and Chu Shanhe.

There was no sign of him.

History had indeed been tampered with.

No wonder VV said earlier that knowing the history here was meaningless.

What was there to refer to in a false history?

It would only mislead him.

No recorded history was as reliable as his own eyes. What's more... Lin Xian lived in the historical era of 600 years ago. His existence itself was the most authentic history.

Continuing forward...

Soon, he arrived at the part he was most interested in.

"In 2026, the first-generation hibernation pods were put into use. Even though the side effects of memory loss were irreversible, a large number of people around the world still rushed to enter the hibernation pods, hoping to spend a long time in sleep and reach the beautiful future hundreds of years later. Zhao Yingjun herself also became one of the members who entered the first-generation hibernation pods..."

"However, Zhao Yingjun cherished her memories very much. She was unwilling to lose her memories in the long hibernation. Therefore, she formulated an extremely physically damaging hibernation plan for herself—every ten years of hibernation, she would wake up once, stabilize the memories that were about to be lost for half a year, and then enter the hibernation pod again to go to the next decade."

...

At this section of the video, Lin Xian slowed down.

He saw Zhao Yingjun taking her first step into the hibernation pod.

She was very young.

Just like the Zhao Yingjun he had seen at the company during the day, she was still so heroic and飒爽(sa shuang - valiant and spirited), wearing a black coat, with swaying black gem earrings, and came to the hibernation center.

Before entering the changing room, she squatted down and hugged a small white dog for the last time.

It was a cute little dog, probably a Pomeranian. Its smooth and fluffy fur was like a huge dandelion.

"This is a Pomeranian that Zhao Yingjun has raised for a long time, named VV. At this time, VV is already 10 years old, which is already considered old in a dog's life. In any case, it is impossible for it to live until Zhao Yingjun wakes up from hibernation 10 years later. So... this is the last time the two of them meet, a farewell for life."

Lin Xian stopped under this photo of Zhao Yingjun hugging the dog.

So, Zhao Yingjun really did raise a puppy!

He had never heard her mention it.

But... come to think of it, the two of them didn't really have any common topics about pets, and there was no need for Zhao Yingjun to mention it specifically.

Eh, no!

Lin Xian suddenly became unsure himself.

So many historical photos in front of him had been confirmed to be fabricated and tampered with... then whether this photo of hugging the dog and the existence of this Pomeranian named VV were real was actually hard to say.

Alas.

At this moment, Lin Xian truly realized how terrifying it was to tamper with history.

This behavior would make all history untrustworthy.

Even if it was true, it would be suspected of being false.

Once history lost its weight... perhaps human civilization would truly have no foundation, and people's hearts would have no faith.

Lin Xian continued forward.

The next projected video was the moment when Zhao Yingjun put on her hibernation suit and lay down in the hibernation pod.

Perhaps it was an illusion...

In her last closed eyes, she seemed to be filled with reluctance, but also full of determination and persistence.

As she closed her eyes.

The video also came to an abrupt end.

After that.

Time flew by.

Every step Lin Xian took on the red carpet under his feet was ten years of Zhao Yingjun's life.

He saw the hibernation pod technology developing better and better, and the size becoming smaller and smaller.

At the same time...

Zhao Yingjun, who was constantly thawing, waking up, hibernating, thawing, and waking up... also began to visibly mature and age.

The last time he could see Zhao Yingjun's appearance was when she was wearing a hard hat, standing on a high mountain top, and watching the empty land in the distance with a group of engineers.

Beside his ear, the narration sounded again:

"Entering the 24th century, Rhine Group began to build Rhine Sky City. After hundreds of years of construction, the city project, 6712 cold fusion engines, and the first-generation intelligent central brain VV were finally completed. Rhine Sky City successfully rose into the sky! Becoming the first sky city in human history to fly into the sky!"

This narration was very long, and Lin Xian also walked a long way.

But in these later videos and photos, there were no positive images of Zhao Yingjun at all.

Not a back view, just a distant view.

Even in the images after Sky City took off... Zhao Yingjun's figure never appeared again.

But she was still alive.

Lin Xian was sure of this, because this projection corridor had not reached the end, indicating that there were more stories to come.

Continuing forward, the video showed a familiar garbage can robot.

"Trash! Trash! Found trash!"

It shouted in a clear electronic voice, and its mechanical clamp clamped the apple core on the ground. Then, with a bang, its heavenly spirit cover opened, and it threw the apple core in. The tracks turned and drove towards the next piece of paper:

"Trash! Trash! Found trash!"

Lin Xian was amused by this scene.

He looked down at the garbage can robot leading the way in front... wasn't this the same model?

The only difference was that this one in the picture was brand new, and the paint and iron sheet were very shiny; while the old object that had been exposed to wind and sun for hundreds of years in front of him had already become garbage itself.

The narration explained:

"The miniature garbage disposal robot VV is a household cleaning robot personally designed by Zhao Yingjun, but because of its outdated functions and clumsy logic, it did not become a best-selling product and was quickly eliminated by more advanced products."

"Historians believe that the reason why Zhao Yingjun designed such a garbage can robot that was obviously behind the times was actually to commemorate her former puppy VV; we can see from many details that Zhao Yingjun really liked this puppy VV that accompanied her to grow up."

"She not only named the intelligent central brain of Rhine Sky City VV, but also named her designed garbage can robot VV. This is enough to show how much she loved and missed the Pomeranian back then. Therefore... even though this miniature garbage disposal robot VV has long been eliminated, Zhao Yingjun still kept it at home, accompanying her through her old age until she passed away."

"According to Zhao Yingjun's last wish, after her death, her ashes were scattered in the wind, flying across the four seas. And this miniature garbage disposal robot VV, which is equipped with a small nuclear-powered battery and will never run out of power, is permanently placed on the high platform of Zhao Yingjun's statue in the memorial square, always accompanying her, always guarding her, always cleaning up the surrounding garbage for her, and always surrounding her."

"This time, Zhao Yingjun and VV will never be separated."

...

The magnetic narration came to an abrupt end here.

The last photo at the end of the corridor was taken under Zhao Yingjun's white jade statue.

The round and short garbage can robot VV stood under the white jade statue, watching the builder of this Sky City.

The tens of meters high statue was huge and majestic. It was unclear who was guarding whom.

The entire square prohibited flying.

The high platform where the statue was located was also isolated from the outside world by a steel electronic door.

On this high platform, there were always only Zhao Yingjun's statue and the garbage can robot VV.

Just like Zhao Yingjun's old age spent in Sky City...

In the clean room, she smiled and sat alone in the living room, throwing a crumpled tissue towards the ground.

"Trash! Trash! Found trash!"

The clumsy and silly garbage can robot VV's eyes glowed green, and the mechanical clamp snapped up the tissue. In Zhao Yingjun's laughter, it opened its heavenly spirit cover and stuffed the garbage into its head.

Then...

She threw out the next tissue.

In this way, Zhao Yingjun and the garbage can robot VV spent the last time of their lives, and no one disturbed them.

Hundreds of years later.

It was still the same.

On the high platform of that white jade statue.

Zhao Yingjun and VV looked at each other, waiting for each other.

Waiting for the arrival of an old friend.

Waiting for...

A reunion across 600 years.

...

...

The projection corridor of the exhibition hall ended like this.

Lin Xian walked to the end, and finally there was a notice board like a warm reminder:

Zhao Yingjun did not leave any photos or video data in her later years. She said a meaningful sentence—

I don't want the world to see me when I'm old.

Historians and critics analyzed this and said that Ms. Zhao Yingjun said this to express her memory and reluctance of the passing time, to express the emotion of the changing times and the disappearance of youth, to create a sad but handshake-and-make-peace-with-the-years atmosphere, so that people feel a kind of beauty of white clothes as first and black hair as always; Ms. Zhao Yingjun wants to leave her most beautiful side and her best years to the world, and encourage young people to cherish the present, work hard, and let youth radiate the light of burning life.

Da.

As Lin Xian took another step forward.

The red carpet came to an end.

He came to an unlit exhibition hall.

The garbage can robot VV in front turned its head:

"You see, I didn't lie to you! There is no trace of you in Zhao Yingjun's life trajectory at all. I didn't deliberately make you sad."

"No, no."

Lin Xian turned his head:

"You're overthinking it."

"Then since you've finished watching the corridor projection, I'll turn on the lights."

The garbage can robot raised its mechanical clamp and snapped its fingers like a human. With a snap, the lights in the exhibition hall suddenly lit up, and the white light was like daylight.

Lin Xian squinted his eyes.

He was not used to such strong light for a while.

He walked forward while looking around.

This place displays some of the things that appeared in the projection corridor just now. There is even the prototype of the first-generation hibernation pod, which is really big, about the size of a truck.

With the development of technology, the hibernation pod volume displayed in the projection corridor is also getting smaller and smaller, and finally it is really the size of a bed.

It's just... it seems that the side effect of memory loss has not been overcome even after 600 years.

Other exhibits include some of Zhao Yingjun's collections, daily necessities, etc., which are really not of much significance.

Lin Xian paid special attention to whether there were any mirrors.

The result was disappointing. There wasn't a single mirror.

"Huh?"

Walking to the middle of the exhibition hall, Lin Xian looked up at the exhibition stand in the middle.

On top of this!

There was actually a car on display!

A blue convertible Bentley sports car!

Continental GT!

It was the one he drove to fly over the overpass and directly crashed!

But...

That car had already been scrapped. The axles were broken, so it definitely couldn't be repaired.

"This is Zhao Yingjun's favorite collection."

The garbage can robot VV rolled over:

"It is a 600-year-old antique car. It can't be driven anymore. The things inside are a mess. There is no practical value other than commemoration."

"Don't look at the interior and the outer shell of the car being new. In fact, they have been replaced countless times. Basically, they will rust and become old in a few decades and then be renewed again. So... rather than saying that this is a 600-year-old antique, it is better to say that it is a replica. After so many years of replacement, there is not a single part inside that is from 600 years ago."

Lin Xian didn't listen to VV's words. He directly supported the high platform with his arms and flipped himself up.

There was an electronic introduction plate on it, which read:

This is the car that Ms. Zhao Yingjun liked the most during her lifetime, and it has remained the same for 600 years.

She never drove this vehicle, which could no longer be driven on the road, but often, she would sit in the passenger seat, leaning against the back of the chair, and close her eyes to rest.

She even fell asleep in the passenger seat of this car several times. Perhaps, for Ms. Zhao Yingjun, this car felt more comfortable and safer than a bed.

"She also likes to put this garbage can robot in the driver's seat."

Under his feet.

The garbage can robot VV also went around and ran up from the normal tour route, looking at Lin Xian and adding:

"You walked too fast in the projection corridor just now. You should not have seen that photo. You were only staring at the right side... In the photo projected on the left side at that time, Zhao Yingjun put this garbage disposal robot in the driver's seat and leaned back in the passenger seat herself. It's just a pity... this is also a picture taken from behind the car, so you still can't see her old face."

Lin Xian walked around this familiar blue convertible car.

On the front windshield, there was a handwritten line of delicate fonts, like Zhao Yingjun's description of this car:

This is the first car in human history to fly in the sky. I hope it can also fly through time.

This was also true.

Anyway, the flying principle is different from the flying cars all over the city outside now.

It was quite funny.

But Lin Xian couldn't laugh at all.

He brushed the door frame with his palm and went around, coming to the rear right of the vehicle.

He found...

In the narrow back seat, there was actually a bunch of fake flowers!

He widened his eyes and took a deep breath...

It was a bunch of red roses, roses wrapped in tin foil.

The only uncoordinated part was.

Although this was a plastic-made fake flower that would never wither.

But the tin foil wrapping the flower branches was obviously flawed, wrinkled, tattered, and out of tune with the brand new car and the eternally red roses.

"VV, you're wrong."

Lin Xian lowered his head and said softly:

"There is not... no trace of me here at all."

The garbage can robot tilted its head, its eyes shining:

"What did you say?"

However...

Lin Xian chuckled and did not answer its question:

"Bullshit critics and historians, they really have zero reading comprehension... They said it's a memory and reluctance of the passing time, to create a sad atmosphere... It's not that at all."

He stretched out his hand.

He picked up the bunch of wrinkled roses.

At this moment.

It was as if the 600-year-old bridge of time collapsed with a bang.

Lin Xian's vision became blurred...

In the reflection of the hazy light, he felt a night breeze blowing.

Under the bright moonlight.

The night wind blew across the East China Sea at dawn, across the overpass, blowing Zhao Yingjun's evening dress, blowing the broken hair by her ears:

"I don't want the world to see me when I'm old."

She was proud and beautiful.

She stretched out her index finger and tucked the broken hair behind her ear. In the reflection of the Oriental Pearl Tower on the distant riverbank, she turned her head.

Her pupils reflected colorful neon lights, looking towards this side across the 600-year-old divide, smiling:

"And my world is your dream."