Chapter 2: The Sleeping Handsome

She swore she had never seen such a handsome man—not in this life, nor the last. Even with his eyes closed, he radiated a beauty that could make gods and mortals alike seethe with envy.

His thick, dark eyebrows looked meticulously drawn, his high nose bridge was perfectly sculpted, and every feature on his face was flawless. Yet she wondered—what would his eyes look like?

Cheng Yuan sat on the ice-cold bed, admiring the sight. How can a man have skin better than a woman’s? she mused.

Instinctively, she touched her own face. At eighteen, her skin was still plump with collagen, youthful and smooth…

Something felt wrong.

Cheng Yuan touched her face again. The sensation was startlingly real, as if she truly existed in this pitch-black space. Carefully moving her feet, she explored her surroundings. Besides the sleeping man, there was nothing here—only endless darkness.

What kind of strange place is this?

She circled the ice bed once, twice, before finally sitting down beside the sleeping man, feeling increasingly anxious. How am I supposed to get back?

A man, sound asleep, and still dressed in a perfectly pressed suit?

Cheng Yuan muttered to herself, a frightening thought rising in her mind. She trembled as she placed her hand under the man’s nose, checking for breath. Only after feeling a faint, steady exhale did she finally exhale herself.

Patting her chest, she murmured, “Good, he’s not a dead person.”

“Hey.”

Cheng Yuan pushed his shoulder gently. “Wake up!”

“Handsome, wake up already.”

“The sun’s burning your butt!”

Her voice, crisp and sweet, echoed in the strange space. As she spoke, the man’s brows furrowed, disturbed by the noise. Cheng Yuan leaned in closer, eyes wide, staring at him without blinking, eager to see what lay behind those nearly perfect features.

His long eyelashes fluttered.

Cheng Yuan instinctively held her breath, her hands clenching into small fists. He’s waking up!

Could such a flawless face be ruined by ugly eyes?

If they’re squinty, it would be such a pity.

As she muttered to herself, heart pounding with curiosity, the man’s eyelids began to lift—

And in the next instant, everything blurred. The dark space, the ice bed, the sleeping beauty—gone. All that remained were the dim hospital lights, deliberately left on for the night.

In the faint glow, Cheng Yuan saw her father, Cheng Huaien, curled up on the neighboring hospital bed.

Blinking rapidly, she felt a wave of security rush through her. She closed her eyes again, thinking, Was that just a dream?

But why did it feel so real?

Muttering to herself, she slowly drifted back to sleep, exhaustion pulling her under.

That night, she woke several times, only finding peace after confirming that Cheng Huaien was still lying on the bed next to hers, keeping her company.

---

When Cheng Yuan next opened her eyes, the bed beside her was empty.

Instinctively, she called out, “Dad!”

“I’m here!” Cheng Huaien’s voice rang out as he entered the room, carrying a thermos of hot water. “What’s wrong?”

He set the thermos on the table and asked, “What would you like for breakfast?”

“Stuffed buns. Meat-filled ones,” Cheng Yuan said promptly. “Just the ones from downstairs are fine.”

She still remembered how yesterday, her father had driven halfway across town just to find her some meat buns.

“Dad, you’ve been at the hospital for two days now. Won’t the restaurant be upset?” she asked, a sudden thought flashing through her mind. She remembered he worked at Wanjia Restaurant in town.

Cheng Huaien’s lips tightened briefly before he said, “I took time off.”

In truth, when he had asked for leave, his boss had flown into a rage. It was National Day, the restaurant’s busiest season. Furious, the boss had fired him on the spot and even withheld his half-month wages.

Cheng Huaien left without a second thought.

Now, looking at his daughter, guilt gnawed at him. If I had returned just a little sooner, maybe Yuanyuan wouldn’t have been hurt. She wouldn’t have had to go through this…

Yuanyuan’s hospitalization had cost over a hundred yuan, and the attacker still hadn’t been caught. All Cheng Huaien had left was 150 yuan.

In 1996, what could 150 yuan really buy?

But having died once before, hardship no longer scared him. All he wanted now was to give his daughter the best.

---

Cheng Yuan stuffed a big bite of a meat bun into her mouth, her cheeks bulging. She stared at Cheng Huaien suspiciously. “Since when was your boss so generous?” she asked. She clearly remembered that stingy restaurant owner.

It’s been so long since Dad bought me meat buns…

These ones were especially fragrant, filled generously with savory meat. Every bite overflowed with juicy flavor. Cheng Yuan sighed contentedly, saying, “Dad, the buns you used to make tasted even better than these.”

Cheng Huaien chuckled. “If you like them, eat more.”

“Dad, why don’t you quit your job at the restaurant?” Cheng Yuan suggested seriously. That stingy restaurant always found excuses to deduct her father’s wages. After his accident, they didn’t even bother to pay him what he was owed. Leaving that heartless place could only be a good thing. With his skills, he could definitely survive on his own.

In her previous life, after her father was imprisoned, she’d once gone to the restaurant owner, begging for the wages he was owed. The owner had mocked her cruelly. She returned home humiliated and, without money, lived on instant noodles and steamed buns for a month.

Ever since, even the smell of instant noodles made her nauseous.

It had been Aunt Yu—whom she’d always disliked—who eventually helped her, finding her a manual labor job that barely carried her through until she finished her high school exams.

“If your dad doesn’t have a salary, how would I support you?” Cheng Huaien asked, surprise flashing across his face.

He had always believed that running a restaurant meant having a secure income. Why was his daughter so certain he should leave?

In the past, they had been the kind of father and daughter who would argue at the slightest disagreement.

Cheng Yuan blinked, realizing how much calmer their conversation was now. Even more surprising was the warmth she felt from her father.

She smiled brightly, her peach blossom eyes shining with enthusiasm beneath her straight bangs. “Dad, your cooking is amazing! We’ll definitely make money!” she said eagerly.

In the past, her stern temper and sharp tongue had always pushed them apart. Maybe it was time to change that.

Her father had always appeared cold and distant, but those who truly knew him understood the warmth he hid beneath that tough exterior.

“But… what if we don’t have enough money?” Cheng Huaien asked hesitantly, softening his tone.

“If we’re short,” Cheng Yuan said, tilting her head thoughtfully, “we can set up a street stall. We might not be able to run a full restaurant right away, but we can sell tea eggs!”