Little Duckling - Chapter 3

What does it feel like to be hit by a car?

Jian Xin found it difficult to describe the sensation to others, and even harder to recall the exact feeling from that night.

The alcohol had largely numbed her senses. She barely registered any pain before slipping into unconsciousness.

As her awareness gradually returned, yet she remained unable to open her eyes, a serious question began to weigh on her mind:

Am I still alive?

Having been in a car accident at 3 a.m., was this merely a drunken nightmare, or had it actually happened?

Jian Xin felt dizzy, her head throbbing intensely, as heavy as if filled with lead.

The air was stiflingly hot, and she thought she heard someone speaking nearby.

The voice was faint, urgent, and seemed to be on the verge of tears, but she couldn’t make out a single word.

Gradually, the voice faded away, and the surroundings began to cool rapidly.

It wasn’t cold, exactly, just suddenly less hot—a temperature perfectly suited for sleep.

The sound by her ear changed, crackling and popping intermittently.

Accompanied by the soft, slow piano music, it was deeply hypnotic.

Her eyes remained stubbornly shut, drowsiness overwhelming her. Her thoughts drifted aimlessly, fragmented beyond coherence.

Perhaps I’m just too tired, she thought. The car accident was probably just a hallucination brought on by exhaustion.

Since it’s come to this, I might as well sleep. When I wake up, it’ll be another weekend of overtime.

Though she had resigned herself to sleep, something kept pressing against her in her half-dreaming state.

The thing was soft, warm, and not particularly strong, but it kept squirming and wriggling, as if determined to shove her aside.

Jian Xin’s temper flared instantly!

Putting up with workplace frustrations during the day is one thing, but why can’t I even get a peaceful nap?!

Without hesitation or thought, acting purely on instinct—Jian Xin didn’t even open her eyes. She raised her hand and slapped the thing beside her that was crowding her.

The next moment, she jolted awake, startled out of her hazy slumber.

I think I just slapped something beside me… but why did it feel so strange?

Force is reciprocal. When you strike someone, you inevitably feel the impact yourself.

It couldn’t be her imagination. The moment her hand swung out, the area of force she felt seemed… larger than it should have been.

Besides, she lived alone. How could anyone else be there?

Oh my god! I’m seeing ghosts!

After a brief moment of panic, Jian Xin suppressed her fear and forced her eyes open.

Her vision was blurry at first, but the bright white light gradually revealed a figure working at a computer. The person wore a white nightgown, and their hair was long.

As the piano music and keyboard clicks grew clearer in her ears, Jian Xin’s vision slowly sharpened.

She found herself in a completely unfamiliar study. The furniture was all unusually tall and large, giving her an unsettling feeling.

And she seemed to be sleeping on the floor?

Beneath her was a soft cushion. Beside her lay a fluffy, yellow-and-white creature with pointed ears and an enormous body… a Corgi?

The dog was lying on its side, paws stretched forward, clearly encroaching on her “personal space.”

Her pointed ears twitched slightly, and drowsy tears glistened in her hazy eyes, mixed with a hint of confusion.

Holy sh1t, a dog!

A dog bigger than a person!

I’m gonna die! I’m gonna die!

She’d been terrified of dogs her entire life!

Even though the massive dog lay perfectly still, curled up peacefully, Jian Xin was still terrified. She trembled as she shrank back, letting out a high-pitched scream loud enough to shatter the world.

But before her brain could fully process what was happening, a deafening, ear-splitting honk instantly stunned her into silence.

What the hell…?

Jian Xin stared blankly at the enormous Corgi before her, their eyes locked in a tense standoff that seemed to stretch on forever.

Exhausted, the Corgi closed its eyes again.

This dog… it doesn’t seem dangerous.

Jian Xin stared at the sleeping Corgi, struggling to regulate her breathing and heartbeat.

Don’t be scared. Don’t be scared. House dogs usually don’t bite people randomly…

She repeated this mantra to herself over and over, until her breathing finally began to steady.

Despite her efforts to calm herself, she remained paralyzed with fear, too afraid to move.

In a daze, she murmured to herself, “Am I dreaming?”

At that moment, the familiar “quack” sounded in her ear again.

Jian Xin: “……?”

Her eyes widened as she frantically scanned her surroundings.

How awful! There’s only a dog here, no duck!

Though it seemed impossible, the quacking could only be coming from her…

“Am I the one quacking?”

Jian Xin tried speaking again, and sure enough, the quacking echoed once more.

The Corgi beside her, seemingly annoyed by the noise, huffed and kicked her with its short legs.

The kick sent a shiver through her entire body. Instantly terrified, she straightened her plump little body and instinctively flapped her wings.

Wait a minute… flapping… wings?

A million question marks suddenly flooded Jian Xin’s mind.

After a brief moment of confusion, she twisted her head to glance at her own snow-white feathers.

So, I really am a duck now?

Upon realizing this, the little duck’s head tilted to the left, and her mind completely short-circuited—only her plump little body continued to tremble uncontrollably.

Perhaps the commotion had startled the person sitting at the computer.

Jian Xin watched as she stood up from her chair, slipped on white slippers, and walked over to her. Like a giant, she blocked all the light, casting a deep shadow.

The woman crouched down, her long hair trailing on the floor, and gently stroked Yuanyuan’s round head.

“What’s wrong?” she asked softly.

The voice was both unfamiliar and familiar, like a distant memory stirring from the depths of Jian Xin’s heart.

Jian Xin froze for a moment, then quickly tilted her head back, peering through the hand gently stroking her head to get a clear look at the woman’s face.

“Quack?!”

Yan Lu?!

How could she be here?!

No, no, the real question is—why am I here?!

Where is this place? Is it a dream?

Jian Xin admitted that even seven years after their breakup, she still occasionally dreamed of Yan Lu. But whether the dreams showed them getting along harmoniously or arguing fiercely, they were always fragmented memories with illogical twists, both of them wearing youthful, innocent faces.

But the Yan Lu standing before her now was a far cry from the woman in her memories.

Not only did she look much more mature, but her entire demeanor was completely different from the cautious, demure girl who always kept her eyes lowered.

Jian Xin had never dreamed of Yan Lu like this before, and there was no reason she would suddenly start now.

Even if she were dreaming… why would she be a pet duck?

And even if she were a pet duck…

That, that, that couldn’t mean she was being kept by her ex, right?

Jian Xin’s mind was still reeling when a sudden sensation of weightlessness washed over her.

When she came to her senses, she realized Yan Lu had scooped her up from the ground, cradling her against her stomach and gently stroking her.

“Why are you shaking so violently all of a sudden?” Yan Lu asked, her voice filled with concern as she gazed at the trembling duck in her arms. “Are you sick?”

Jian Xin let out a dazed “quack.”

This voice… so gentle, so soft and delicate… I’ve never heard her speak like this before.

“Doesn’t look like it,” Yan Lu murmured, glancing at the Corgi at her feet. “Did Xin Xin bully you again?”

Huh? Who?!

Jian Xin glared at the Corgi sprawled on the floor, her beady eyes widening to their limit.

It’s Xin Xin? Then who am I?!

Yan Lu: “Cauliflower’s upset because Xin Xin tried to steal Little Cauliflower’s nest again, right?”

Huh? Cauliflower?!

Is that… is that the duck’s name?

My ex-girlfriend named a dog after me, and I’m just “Cauliflower”?!

Jian Xin’s mind froze. Overwhelmed by anger, she squawked furiously at the woman before her.

“Yan Lu, you’re calling me a dog, aren’t you?!”

Though her fury was conveyed through frantic quacking, the language barrier between duck and human remained insurmountable. To Yan Lu, the squawks sounded like the duck agreeing with her earlier guess.

“It’s all Xin Xin’s fault, isn’t it? Don’t be upset, don’t be upset! It’s all Xin Xin’s fault!” Yan Lu cooed, stroking the duck in her arms as it quacked incessantly, as if suffering some great injustice. Her voice softened even further as she continued, “It’s okay, it’s okay. I’ll tell it off for you!”

Jian Xin stared, dumbfounded, at these baby-talk words.

The next moment, Yan Lu began scolding the dog.

Though she was scolding, her tone remained as gentle as if she were reasoning with a child, as if afraid of hurting the dog’s feelings.

Watching the Corgi gently roused by Yan Lu’s touch, its sleepy eyes squinting as it yawned widely, silently enduring the scolding with an air of indifference, even flipping onto its back to expose its belly—Jian Xin grew increasingly convinced that the details of this dream were too vivid to be real.

Not only that, but the precise pressure of Yan Lu’s caresses, the warmth of her palm, even the slight sting of the Corgi’s kick—all felt too real to be a dream.

Is there a professional who can tell me if human dreams can truly be this lucid?

Lost in thought, Jian Xin didn’t notice Yan Lu had already finished scolding the stubborn little dog lying in the duck’s nest.

Seeing the creature stubbornly refusing to leave the cramped space, Yan Lu simply stood up and carried Cauliflower to the dog’s own bed on the other side of the room.

“Xin Xin can sleep in Cauliflower’s bed, and Cauliflower can sleep in Xin Xin’s bed,” Yan Lu cooed softly, trying to soothe the dazed little duckling in her arms. “See? Xin Xin’s bed is so big. Cauliflower won’t be missing out at all, right?”

As she finished speaking, she gently placed the duckling into the dog bed.

Jian Xin: “……”

So, the situation was now this: the dog had taken over the duck’s bed?

It seemed the duck’s status in this household wasn’t very high after all…

As Jian Xin pondered this, a sudden realization struck her.

Wait a minute! I’m not even a duck!

It was just a dream. There was no need to get so caught up in it so quickly!

The little duckling stretched its short neck and looked around.

It found itself in a tent-shaped dog bed, green, with curtains, and surprisingly soft.

How bizarre! After experiencing the absurdities of “turning into a duck” and “a dog stealing its nest,” she, who had always joked that her room was a pigsty, had finally slept in an actual dog bed in this lifetime.

This dream was utterly ridiculous. How could she possibly wake up?

And when she did wake up, would she be lying at home or in a hospital bed?

If her real-world self had been in a car accident, could it be possible that she had actually died in the crash, and this situation was a post-mortem soul transfer?

Jian Xin was startled by her own thought.

After a brief moment of panic, she reassured herself, No, that’s impossible. Even if I was in a car accident, the worst-case scenario would be waking up only to die immediately afterward. My consciousness would definitely vanish completely!

Everything in this world follows scientific principles. There’s no way something as absurd as post-mortem soul transfer could actually exist. And even if it did, it certainly wouldn’t happen to me. And even if it did happen to me, there’s no way my soul would end up in a duck’s body!

So, this is just a dream!

All I need to do is wait for it to end!

With this thought, Jian Xin collapsed into the doghouse, her back turned to her ex-girlfriend behind her. She tilted her little head and began to clear her mind, waiting for the dream to end.

“Why do you still seem unhappy?” Yan Lu crouched outside the doghouse, tilting her head to observe the little duck inside. She poked the duck’s back with her finger. “Why won’t you pay attention to me anymore, Little Cauliflower?”

Jian Xin buried her head against her chest, closed her eyes, and didn’t turn around or make a sound.

What was she even talking to her ex about in this dream? It was completely pointless.

Besides, even if she did say something, he wouldn’t understand.

“Are you hungry? You didn’t eat much this afternoon,” Yan Lu murmured softly as she stood up and left the study.

Jian Xin’s eyes snapped open.

She hadn’t even realized it until Yan Lu mentioned it, but she was indeed feeling a little hungry.

So, should she grab a quick snack?

Based on her past experiences dreaming about food, the good stuff usually disappeared before she could even get it into her mouth, and she’d wake up.

Maybe eating was the way to wake up!

Thinking this, Jian Xin stood up, waddled around, and poked her head out of the little green tent.

A moment later, Yan Lu squatted down, placed a small plate in front of her, and ruffled her head with a smile. “So eager, Little Cauliflower! Peeking out like that—you must be really hungry!”

Hungry or not, she’d eat first!

Her ex’s hand ruffling her head was getting in the way of her meal!

The little duck shook her head, waddled over to the plate, and glanced down.

Jian Xin: “……”

This looked quite lavish.

The plate was filled with colorful dried vegetables—red, yellow, and green—along with dried shrimp and… many long, fresh, still-wriggling mealworms.

The duckling, who had been eagerly approaching the plate just moments before, suddenly froze.

“Why aren’t you eating?” Yan Lu asked.

“Quack?!”

The duckling squawked in alarm, shaking its feathers and flapping its wings as it hopped deeper into the doghouse, as if fleeing.

Its new body felt utterly foreign. The left foot accidentally tripped over the right, sending it sprawling onto the soft cushion beneath.

A flicker of surprise crossed Yan Lu’s eyes. “What’s wrong?”

What’s wrong?! Aaaah!

Is this food? You’re serving me this?!

There are worms in it! Worms!

Fresh, wriggling worms! Aaaah!

I’m a human, not a duck! How could I possibly eat live worms? Even if this is just a dream, I absolutely can’t bring myself to take a single bite!

“Quack! Aaaah, quack-quack!”

Take it away! Take it away! I can’t eat this stuff!

The family duck seemed to have gone mad, suddenly squawking wildly at its feed while flapping its wings and stomping its feet in place, clearly dissatisfied with its meal.

Yan Lu watched the scene unfold, her expression growing increasingly bewildered.

She opened her mouth as if to speak, but a default phone ringtone suddenly sounded behind her.

Yan Lu quickly stood up to answer the call.

Jian Xin stared fixedly at the insects on the plate outside, her entire… no, her entire duck body trembled as she huddled in the small doghouse, her tiny, beady eyes brimming with profound despair.

Whether Yan Lu’s phone wasn’t soundproof or she had simply put it on speaker, Jian Xin clearly heard a woman’s voice, tearful and panicked: “Cousin! I hit someone with my car!”

“What happened?”

“I hit someone on the road!”

“Calm down and tell me slowly. Where did it happen? How badly are they hurt?” Yan Lu’s tone immediately turned serious. “Have they been taken to the hospital?”

“I don’t know! It was near Anhe Road… She just walked out and bumped into me—no, I bumped into her!”

“There wasn’t even a crosswalk there. She suddenly appeared, and I couldn’t brake in time. She went flying, bam!”

“Then I got out, ran over, and she reeked of alcohol. She was unconscious and they’re trying to save her…”

The voice on the other end of the line trembled incessantly, the words tumbling out in a jumbled mess, yet still comprehensible.

By the end of the call, she was sobbing: “Cousin, I’m scared…”

“Don’t be afraid. Send me the hospital’s location. I’ll be there right away.”

Yan Lu tucked the phone between her shoulder and ear, turned, and hurried out of the bedroom.

Anhe Road… a car accident?

Is this still a dream?

Can dreams really have such logical and coincidental plots?

Jian Xin huddled in the dog bed for a few seconds, then leaped up as if waking from a dream. She hurriedly hopped around the frightening food tray, awkwardly maneuvering her unfamiliar little body, swaying left and right as she followed Yan Lu into the bedroom.

“Cauliflower, Mom has to go out for an emergency. You and Xin Xin be good while I’m gone!” Yan Lu glanced down at the little duckling straining to look up at her. “If you’re tired of duck feed, don’t starve yourself. Eat a little. I’ll buy you new feed tomorrow, okay?”

Hearing this, the duckling frantically flapped its wings, fluttering back and forth around Yan Lu’s feet.

“Quack?!”

Hey, Yan Lu, don’t rush off!

“Quack-quack-a-roo! Quack-a-ah-quack-a!!!”

Someone’s been in a car accident! Male or female? Can you at least tell me that before you leave?!

“Quack-a-oh-oh-quack?!”

Could the person who got hit… be me?!

Hurry, hurry, hurry! Not being able to speak human language is so frustrating!!!

“Be good.”

Yan Lu stepped around the duckling, took an undergarment and a long dress from the closet, and raised her arms to remove her pajamas.

Jian Xin: “…?!”

Oh my god, this is a spring dream.

The little duckling stared blankly for two seconds before snapping out of it. It quickly tucked in its wings and silently turned its back.

It’s been seven years since the breakup. I should probably look away…

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