THE BIG QUESTION

One afternoon during his vacation, Tony went for a walk after a frustrating day. To cheer himself up, he bought a vanilla ice cream from a street vendor. He was heading home, slowly enjoying the cold treat, when something terrible happened right in front of him.

A van came speeding down the road. At first, it looked empty, but then he noticed the driver-his eyes were distant, his hands shaky. It was clear he had been drinking. Without warning, the driver turned the van toward the ice cream truck parked nearby.

In just a few seconds, everything went wrong.

The van crashed straight into the ice cream truck. Metal bent, glass flew everywhere, and what had been a happy little spot for kids turned into a mess of broken pieces. Strangely, Tony had just gotten the last ice cream before the crash.

He stood there, watching the scene quietly, the joy of the ice cream now forgotten. After a while, he turned and walked back home, lost in his thoughts.

What if things had been different? he wondered.

What if he could go back in time and move the ice cream parlor to a different spot? Maybe the driver would have hit nothing-or only harmed himself. That might've saved a life.

But then, another thought came.

What if he had invited some kids to hang out at the truck with him? What if they were there when the crash happened? The accident could've hurt or killed many people instead of just one.

It made him realize something important: life is a mix of good and bad, and even small choices can change everything. It felt like magic in a way-how things can turn with just one little decision.

And so, with the taste of vanilla still in his mouth and his mind full of questions, Tony walked on toward home, under the quiet afternoon sky.Tony's mind was full of restless thoughts, swirling around like leaves caught in a breeze. He couldn't stop wondering: What if time travel was possible? What if aging could stop, and people could live forever in different timelines, choosing their future? But then again, maybe the laws of the universe wouldn't allow such a thing. It seemed like something impossible, something beyond his control. Still, the thought lingered-What if it could be done?

At nineteen, Tony was standing at the edge of adulthood, a moment that felt both exciting and strange. His mother had planned a birthday trip to China, a gift that promised adventure. She hoped it would be a chance for him to explore the ancient culture, feel the breeze by the Great Wall, visit temples, and see a new world. Tony packed his things, including his favorite books, and boarded the plane to Beijing, eager for the journey ahead.

But when they arrived, the reality of the place hit him hard. The air felt different, heavier somehow. The sounds, the smells, the sights-it was all so overwhelming. Tony didn't expect to feel this way. The excitement he had imagined was tangled with confusion, leaving him feeling a bit lost. The city, ancient yet modern, seemed so large, so unfamiliar. It was as if he had stepped into another world.

That night, in the hotel room, Tony couldn't sleep. His younger sister, fast asleep beside him, seemed to be in a different world altogether. But for Tony, the questions in his mind wouldn't stop. He couldn't quiet the storm inside. After a while, an idea struck him. He had to see the city. He had to feel it for himself.

He quietly slipped out of bed, careful not to wake his sister, and crept toward the door. The hotel room felt suffocating now. He needed space, air, freedom. Down the stairs and out onto the street, Tony went. The night was alive with movement, but he felt strangely alone. The lights of Beijing glowed, casting long shadows on the pavement. He didn't have a plan, but something urged him forward.

Walking through the streets, Tony felt the weight of the city around him. This new world was calling to him in ways he couldn't explain. And in that moment, he began to wonder: What if the universe wasn't as fixed as it seemed? What if there were ways to change things, ways to break free from the rules that held everything together?

As he walked through the quiet streets of Beijing, Tony knew one thing for sure: this journey was going to lead him somewhere, even if he didn't know where yet.