Chapter 29: The Rabbit Pocket Watch

"If it's for the autumn field trip, you must pack this."

Wen Yu’s face was stern. After speaking, he placed a small medical kit into Wen Xiao’s backpack and explained, "It contains gauze and adhesive bandages. They can handle simple scrapes and scratches..."

Wen Xiao sat on the sofa, hugging a pillow, watching Wen Yu squat on the floor and bustle about. He whispered, "But isn't the field trip still two days away?"

Wen Yu continued stuffing items into the backpack without looking back. "There are only two days left. If we don't prepare in advance, it will be troublesome if we forget something."

Wen Xiao suspected that Wen Yu actually wanted to go on the field trip with him, but the field trips for the middle school and elementary school divisions were held separately. The elementary school’s trip was confined to the city, while the middle school might travel to a neighboring city. As for the high school division, it wasn't a mere field trip; some students would embark on a half-month study abroad program, staying with local host families.

While talking, Wen Yu hung a keychain onto Wen Xiao's backpack. Wen Xiao noticed it had a name tag with a name and phone number written on it. Noticing Wen Xiao’s curious gaze, Wen Yu sulkily explained, "I wrote our home and Dad’s phone numbers on it. If you lose your bag and someone finds it, they might contact us."

Wen Yu then stuffed in a few packs of tissues, just in case his younger brother needed them during the trip. What if the restrooms there didn't have paper, or they ran out? And if those other little brats didn't bring any, his brother would surely be left in a miserable spot.

Wen Xiao, unaware of what Wen Yu was thinking, suddenly hopped off the sofa, put the pillow aside, and crouched down obediently next to Wen Yu with his hands on his knees.

"These are wet wipes. Remember to clean your hands before eating."

Every time Wen Yu said something, Wen Xiao would nod obediently.

Zhang Yin walked in carrying several bags. The nanny took them from his hands and placed them on the table. "Young Master, I’ve bought everything you asked for." He rubbed his nose as he spoke. "Isn't this a bit too much?"

"It’s not much." Wen Yu glanced at Zhang Yin, stood up, and began rummaging through the bags, saying, "How is it too much?"

Wen Yu pulled out a dozen sun hats, holding them up one by one against Wen Xiao to see which one looked best. The first was yellow with little rubber ducks and came with adorable baby sunglasses. The second was a Mickey Mouse hat with mouse ears. The third was a bucket hat printed with various cartoon cars. The fourth was a pink shell hat with large lace frills, resembling a princess hat. The fifth was a hat with a small fan; as soon as Wen Yu flipped the switch, the fan buzzed and blew air directly into Wen Xiao's face.

Wen Xiao: "..."

Finally, with a blank expression, he pulled a flat-topped, dark blue denim hat from the pile of colorful cartoon hats in the bag. It had simple white letter prints and a white chalk-drawn owl on it.

"I want this one..." After digging through the dozen hats for a long time, Wen Xiao finally found one that was presentable.

Wen Yu looked at the simple hat in Wen Xiao’s hand and frowned, feeling it didn't suit his brother at all; his brother should be wearing those cute children's hats. Besides, the one with the fan was quite good—that way, his brother wouldn't get heatstroke while playing outside.

Wen Xiao immediately put the hat on his head to show his determination to keep it. He pulled it down so low it covered his eyes, only for Wen Yu to reach over and take it off. Wen Xiao thought Wen Yu wasn't going to let him wear it, but then he saw Wen Yu adjust the denim hat and place it back on his head. This time, it sat perfectly without covering his eyes.

Wen Yu said somewhat stiffly, "Fine, this one then... as long as you like it."

In the end, Wen Xiao and Wen Yu packed many small snacks into the white backpack. Wen Yu wanted to add more but was afraid it would be too heavy for his brother to carry, so he finally stopped and zipped the bag shut. Half the space remained, leaving room for the nanny to pack a bento and fruit salad for his brother to take on the day of the trip.

Suddenly, Zhang Yin looked through the living room window and saw a car parked at the gate. He told the two brothers to stay inside while he went to check. When he returned, he was holding a package.

"What is this?" Wen Yu asked.

Zhang Yin checked the label on the package. "It seems to be something your mother sent for the young master."

Wen Yu took the box, carefully unwrapped the outer packaging to reveal an exquisite inner case, and handed it to Wen Xiao. Wen Xiao held the box and opened it, his mind blank even as he took out the gift. Because it was a gift from his mother, and in the two weeks since his rebirth, he had yet to see her. He had only heard them mention in passing that she was away filming a program and wouldn't be back for some time. In his previous life, he only knew his mother as a brilliant actress who had retired ten years ago. Was it possible that ten years ago... was right now?

Wen Xiao finished unwrapping it, holding a delicate silver pocket watch in his hand. The watch had a heavy metallic feel and a pale gold color. It was small enough for him to hold in his palm. The lid of the watch featured an engraved rabbit, with the rabbit's clothing and the card suits—diamonds, hearts, clubs, and spades—in the background painted in blue and white. The back was covered in intricate patterns surrounding a large clock face.

Beside it lay a pale blue card with beautiful, elegant handwriting.

"Xiao-Xiao, congratulations on getting first place in your midterms. Mom thought for a long time about what to get you, and in the end, I bought you this pocket watch music box. The spring is already wound; just open it, and my treasure can listen to beautiful music every night."

Seeing this, Wen Xiao instinctively flicked the metal latch at the top, and the watch clicked open. The sound of a piano, clear as a spring, echoed in his ears. It was Debussy's *Clair de Lune*. The music flowed like a quiet and mysterious dream.

He continued reading the card.

"Although the theme of this music box is *Alice in Wonderland*, I hope the music brings you peace and sweet dreams every night. In my heart, you are not Alice, but my Peter Pan."

Peter Pan was an adorable little boy who never grew up, a symbol of endless joy, eternal childhood, and everlasting youth. His mother hoped he would never grow up, that he would always remain happy and joyful.

***

Wen Xiao returned to his room, put away the gift box, and placed the pale blue card inside along with a letter his father had written to him during the parent-teacher meeting earlier that day.

He held the rabbit pocket watch. It was a double-layered piece: the inner layer was the music box, and the outer layer was the clock. Looking at the rabbit on the watch, he naturally knew the story of *Alice in Wonderland*. In the story, Alice chases a rabbit with a pocket watch, falls down a rabbit hole, and stumbles into an underground world. After experiencing all sorts of absurd things in that world, she suddenly wakes up, realizing it was all just a dream.

He pressed the pocket watch to his chest, let his mind go blank, and fell back onto his soft bed, blinking as he stared at the ceiling.

Was everything he was experiencing just a dream? Was his previous life the dream, or was this the dream?

Wen Xiao patted his face, deciding not to dwell on such things. He had been reborn for two weeks now, yet he still hadn't seen his mother. Even if she couldn't come home, he had his own ways to see her.

Wen Xiao snuck out of his room and slipped into the small study on the second floor. This room wasn't used by his father; it was usually where the two brothers did their homework and read, and it contained a computer.

He skillfully turned it on, connected to the internet, navigated to the web version of Weibo, and began searching for his mother's name. He remembered that Weibo had launched last year, and this year was its inaugural year. Many celebrities, singers, and entrepreneurs had joined, attracting a massive wave of fans to become the first generation of Weibo users.

As the search results appeared, his brow furrowed, and he clicked the mouse to scroll down faster and faster.

"Who is Luo Anlan anyway? How did she snatch the second lead role from Sister Lin?"

"Luo Anlan didn't snatch it. Didn't the production team announce that she was cast as the second female lead from the very beginning?"

"If you're so talented, why don't you go fight for the lead role?"

Luo Anlan was his mother's name. Wen Xiao saw the official promotional poster for the TV drama. The leads had been announced six months ago, and many of the comments below were directed at his mother.

"Isn't Luo Anlan just a plant from the investors? She's already married, yet she’s still out here showing her face. She should leave the opportunities for the young and beautiful actresses. She has no talent, but she's fast at getting negative trending topics scrubbed... who knows how many sugar daddies she's latched onto."

"Maybe she married some pot-bellied, greasy middle-aged man. Someone leaked that she was married a long time ago, maybe she even has a kid."

"Everyone says she married into a wealthy family. If she really did, why does she need to keep taking acting roles? If it were truly a wealthy family, why hide it?"

"She must have had plastic surgery, too. Her photos from years ago don't look like this."

"If she has a kid, she should just show them off openly! Why be so secretive? It’s suspicious! Could she be someone's mistress?"

Wen Xiao stared at the screen, clutching the pocket watch, when the study door was suddenly pushed open.

Wen Yu walked in, not surprised to see Wen Xiao at the computer, as basic computer operations were taught in school. He asked, "Why aren't you asleep? Why are you sneaking in here?"

Sensing his own tone might have been a bit harsh, he wondered if he should say something to comfort his brother, only to see Wen Xiao shut down the computer.

"Were you just on the computer?" Wen Yu asked. Seeing the pocket watch in Wen Xiao’s hand, he thought to himself that his brother really liked it, and he should make sure to give him an equally great gift for his own birthday.