Duncan Apartments.
Adam had just finished comforting Tatiana and spent some time playing with her alongside Heather before putting her to bed. đ
Tatiana was only 4 years old.
Kids, no matter how full of energy they are during the day, always crash into a deep sleep at night. And the wilder they play, the faster and sounder they sleep. Add in Tatiana's special condition, and it made sense. Usually, she slept alone anyway, so Adam and Heather's little reunion didn't really shake things up.
They watched as Tatiana closed her eyes, her breathing settling into sleep, a faint smile tugging at her lips.Â
"She won't have nightmares this time, I'm sure of it," Heather said, her eyes misty as she looked at Adam. Overflowing with maternal love, she was deeply touched that Adam had stepped in to help.
"I hope she soars tonightâover mountains, rivers, the vast universe, free and unbound," Adam said with a grin. "No longer tied down by this body."
Though Tatiana had been adopted by Heather and became her only daughter, cherished by Adam, Juno, and everyone else, no amount of external love could fully erase the regret of being trapped in such a body. Despite all the affection, Adam and Juno had to remind everyone to keep a certain distance and take precautions. She was only four, but she'd already started noticing how different she was. Sweet and adorable as she was, she followed the rules without needing remindersâshe took them to heart and lived by them. That quiet obedience, paired with her looks, just melted your heart. đ
But modern medicine couldn't cure Tatiana's condition. Even with Adam's wealth backing the best treatments, the most they could do was stretch her life to the peak expectancy for someone with her illnessâstill, an early death in her teens was almost certain. Adam, who also faced a shortened life, felt this deeply.
That's why he'd donated a hefty sum to AIDS research. Partly to push for a breakthrough in treatment so patients could one day be cured completely, and partly to ensure Tatiana could access cutting-edge care as soon as it existed, extending her life and improving its quality. It was a race against time, one where hope grew the longer you held on. The only difference between him and Tatiana was the limits and controlâher future was uncertain, with a hard ceiling.
Today, though, something clicked for Adam. "My life has its limits, but knowledge is boundless," he thought, recalling Zhuangzi's Dream of the Butterfly and Wandering in Freedom. Didn't that open up a whole new path?
In short: Dreams have it all. đ
It sounds like a sarcastic quip, but for Tatiana, it wasn't. What's Zhuangzi's butterfly dream? Reimagined through a certain lens, it's like an infinite multiverse adventure! If she dared to dream and wanted to, she could live a thousand different lives. And if she could grasp Zhuangzi's carefree spiritâreaching the optimism of singing while beating a basinâher body wouldn't hold her back anymore. Even getting close to that mindset would be enough.
In his past life, Adam knew countless people who lived vibrant lives alone with just a phone and Wi-Fi. Wasn't that the mind triumphing over the body? Since medical science couldn't leap forward yet, nurturing Tatiana's spirit with this butterfly dream philosophy could maximize her quality of life.
Excited, Adam shared the idea with Heather. Her face lit upâshe thought it was absolutely brilliant! đ
"Alright then, let's let Tatiana dream and roam free like a butterfly," Adam teased. "As the grown-ups, we should get familiar with this worldview and approach first, so we can guide her laterâŠ"
"Like being her wings~" Heather added, her eyes sparkling flirtatiously.
"Exactly! Her pair of wings," Adam replied with a warm smile.
As Lu Xun once said, "A short parting beats a honeymoon!" With the butterfly dream vibe in the air, that night was full of love and closeness.
As a master of time management, Adam scheduling Heather for Wednesday and Thursday wasn't random. Weekends were for studying math with Paige, starting Friday night. Paige was like an icy snow maiden stepping into the mortal world. Even after a year of Adam's tailored training, boosting her physical stats, her cool, untouchable vibe still made him hold back a little. Heather, though? No such worries there! đ
Among Adam's close friends, Heather topped the charts in looks and figure and had the most chemistry with him. Naturally durable and honed by four years of Adam's relentless "training," her "combat power" was off the charts. If Paige was a 1, Heather could take on 10 Paiges now. Emmm⊠MAX, the sharp-tongued jokester, held a solid second place at 5 Paiges. Kate, the pro cop, clocked in at 4. Poor Paige, stuck as the unit of measureâAdam made sure to slot Heather's overwhelming "power" before her to shield her a bit.
It was like how robotics genius Howard separated his robot girlfriend from his robot reporter in his designsâsome things just didn't mix. Not that Adam was a creep like Howard! He and Heather had real feelings. Still, with her top-tier looks, figure, "combat strength," and unmatched closeness with Adam, Heather was a gift from above. đ
"The great bird rises with the wind, soaring ninety thousand miles!" Adam worked hard to teach Heather the essence of Wandering in Freedom. Though Eastern culture was famously tough to grasp, years of Adam's guidance had given her a solid foundation. This time, it paid off bigâthey soared together, free as the clouds.
"Got plans tomorrow?" Adam asked casually.
"I'm meeting Megan's mom," Heather murmured, hugging his arm with her eyes closed. "We're taking Tatiana and Megan on a cruise to see the sea. What do you think?"
"Sounds good," Adam said, opening his eyes and thinking it over. "Just be careful."
"Don't worry," Heather laughed. "We're just cruising around New York's watersâthere and back in a day, nothing far."
"Cool," Adam nodded. "Still, bring a satellite phone, just in case."
"Got it," Heather said, feeling his care and squeezing his arm tighter.
"Easy there," Adam chuckled.
"I'm not doing anything~" Heather giggled.
"Heh," Adam grinned, meeting her teary, bright blue eyes. Inspiration struck, and he recited:
"The zither's fifty strings hum without cause, each note a memory of fleeting years.Â
Zhuangzi dreams of butterflies in dawn's light, the emperor's spring heart rides a cuckoo's call.Â
The moon gleams over the sea, pearls weep; the sun warms Lantian, jade smokes rise.Â
This feeling lingers for memory's sakeâback then, it was already lost in a haze."
(End of Chapter)