Mysteries:Lord Of The Dream Realm

Chapter 10:Happy Birthday Zhou Mingrui

As the calendar flipped to March, the days quietly slipped by, and Zhou Mingrui found himself settling into his new home with Meng Xian. It had been nearly two weeks since his move, and while he was slowly adjusting to the new living arrangement, the transition was not without its challenges.

Meng Xian proved to be an ideal roommate, a stark contrast to the eccentricity of his previous living situation. Her neatness and organization created a pleasant environment, and her easy-going nature made daily interactions smooth and enjoyable. She had a way of making their shared space feel warm and welcoming, a welcome change from the chaos Zhou Mingrui had endured before.

Yet, the path to harmony wasn't without its bumps.

Meng Xian was dedicated to her Russian studies, immersing herself in the language with a regularity that Zhou Mingrui found both admirable and somewhat mysterious. Every two days, she would review her lessons, diligently working through her textbooks and practicing aloud. Zhou Mingrui, intrigued by her dedication, once found himself watching her with curiosity.

One evening, as Meng Xian was in the midst of her Russian review, Zhou Mingrui, driven by a mixture of curiosity and naivety, asked her about her progress. "So, how far have you come with your Russian?" he inquired.

Meng Xian looked up from her notes, a playful glint in her eyes. "Well, I've made some progress, but I must admit, I'm quite terrible at singing. Are you sure you want to hear it?" Her tone was light, as if she were teasing him.

Zhou Mingrui, dismissing her warning as mere modesty or a jest, responded with unwarranted enthusiasm. "I want to hear your voice. Come on, show me what you've got."

Little did he know, he was about to dive into a realm of regret.

he wished he could travel back in time and slap the stubborn part of himself that had ignored Meng Xian's warning. What he had hoped would be a light-hearted moment quickly turned into a traumatic experience.

That evening, Meng Xian had enthusiastically performed "Katyusha," her rendition of the classic Russian song filled with earnest effort and good intentions. However, to Zhou Mingrui's horror, her performance bore no resemblance to the melodious original. Her voice, though not out of tune, was so painfully discordant that it left a deep scar on his auditory senses.

How is Meng Xian bad at singing???

Zhou Mingrui's nightmares that night were a cruel replay of Meng Xian's rendition, the dissonant notes echoing relentlessly in his mind. It was as if his subconscious had conspired to make him relive the trauma in an endless loop. The next morning, desperate for some semblance of normalcy, he sought out the original version of "Katyusha," hoping to compare it with Meng Xian's version.

The result was even more bewildering. Meng Xian's performance was, perhaps, technically correct. She had not strayed from the melody. Yet the dissonance was so jarring that it defied any explanation. Zhou Mingrui found himself in a state of despair, grappling with the inexplicable reality that Meng Xian's singing, despite being in tune, was somehow worse than he could have imagined.

If faced with a choice between listening to Meng Xian's singing on repeat and enduring the incessant brainwashing of marketing accounts, Zhou Mingrui would have gladly chosen the latter. At least the marketing accounts didn't leave him with a lingering sense of dread.

The experience left him grappling with an intense mixture of regret and sympathy.

Another Friday rolled around, bringing with it the familiar sense of routine and the subtle anticipation of the weekend.

Zhou Mingrui, having just put down the tablet he'd been using, stretched his arms above his head. His gaze wandered to the workstation across from him, now glaringly empty. Meng Xian had been absent for five consecutive days, taking half-days off with almost surgical precision. Despite knowing that she likely had her reasons, Zhou Mingrui couldn't shake the growing sense of unease that had accompanied her absence.