Chapter 9 My best friend started to laugh. I was holding my phone, just about to say something, when I suddenly heard her speak with a trace of irritation in her voice. "River, have you had any strange dreams these past few days? Like ... dreams about the Saint Family from that other world?" My friend stammered, leaving me puzzled. Then she blurted out in disgust, "I've dreamed about Sawyer five times in a row these past few days. Each time, he's crying and asking me where I am. He also said he found a way to come to our world and told me to wait for him. Don't you think that's just awful luck? Let's go to the church tomorrow to pray!" Dreaming about the Saint Family? The thought of those eighteen years in another world made my heart tighten and ache uncontrollably. They must be celebrating now that I'm gone, right? Without a "troublemaker" like me, they could finally shower Agnes with unrestrained affection. I didn't let it bother me and drifted off into a deep sleep. Yet, that night, I truly did dream of the Saint Family. In my dream, they wouldn't let go of me, their hands gripping my wrists, trying to pull me away. "River, I know I was wrong. Please forgive me, okay?" Spencer begged. Skyler also pleaded, "River, I will never scold you again. Please come back, okay?" "River, Mommy misses you so much!" Their apologies only made me remember the agony of my heart being stabbed seven times. I struggled desperately until I finally broke free from the nightmare. The next morning, my best friend and I went to the church to pray, but my heart felt restless. As I reached home, I forced a smile before stepping inside, determined not to let my family see. But just as I reached for the doorknob, the door swung open on its own. My mother stood there, tears streaming down her face. Her eyes were full of pain as she pulled me into a tight embrace. "River, my cancer is gone now. Did you ... " "Was it your deal with that system?" "River, we dreamt ... " "How could they do that to you!" "Sis, does it hurt?" "Did it hurt when you died?" My father and brother stood nearby, their eyes red, staring at me helplessly. Those men were so heartbroken that they wished they could die in my place. I smiled through my tears as they rolled down my cheeks. "It didn't hurt at all. The system gave me a pain-free item. I didn't feel anything, so don't worry." Pretending to be okay, I patted my chest to reassure them. "My heart is so strong now. I even stopped a medical dispute and saved seven doctors!" "Seven ... " Before I could finish, my mother held me even tighter. Her tears burned as they trailed down my neck. "River, my poor baby, you've suffered so much." "How dare the Saint Family do that?" "How dare they bully my baby like that!" My mother's voice cracked with fury, fierce like a mother beast. 'If I ever see them, I'll tear them apart!" 'I won't let them off the hook!" The slight irritation and resentment in my heart vanished at that moment. I smiled, tears sliding into my lips. Salty, yet with a hint of sweetness. Over the next few months, I returned to school and took the college entrance exam. In the golden autumn of September, I received an acceptance letter I'd dreamed of from the physics department at Bexford University. That day, my whole family came to drop me off at university. As we were taking photos at the campus' gate, the Saint Family suddenly appeared not far away. Stephen and Addison's hair had turned white; their eyes were deeply lined with wrinkles. Meanwhile, Spencer and Skyler looked pale and exhausted. 'River," they cried out, their eyes bloodshot as they rushed over. 'It really is River! We've finally found her!"