Zhuang Yan felt like he had slept for a very long time. His body felt like it was submerged in scalding sand. His throat hurt, his chest felt tight, he had no strength, and his eyes felt like they had been dried out by fire. When he opened his eyes, they were dry and painful.

He heard a knock on the door and was about to get up when the door opened and Lu Yan walked in.

The darkness before my eyes was deafening, and I felt completely powerless. This feeling could be described as "sleep paralysis." Even though I had already opened my eyes, the next second I was forced to close them again by a force, and my body was firmly fixed to the bed.

Lu Yan was talking to him.

He couldn't hear what she said, but her presence made him feel much more at ease.

After a while, a comfortable coolness came from my forehead.

When Zhuang Yan woke up again, he felt much better. Lu Yan was writing her test paper next to him and immediately turned around when she heard the noise on the bed.

Are you feeling better?

"Much better."

"I made some porridge. You rest in bed first, and I'll bring it over," Lu Yan said as she ran towards the kitchen.

She ran very fast, and Zhuang Yan was afraid she would fall. In less than three minutes, Lu Yan brought over the porridge.

She made vegetable and lean meat porridge, which didn't need any side dishes.

After quickly washing up, Zhuang Yan started eating. Under Lu Yan's expectant gaze, he praised the porridge: "It's delicious. It's so comforting to have a bowl of hot porridge like this when I'm sick. I'm so glad you were here this time. Thank you."

"No need to thank me. If it weren't for you helping me get used to the environment these past few days, you wouldn't have gotten sick from exhaustion. I couldn't find any medicine at home, so I bought this." Lu Yan poured a glass of water, tested the temperature, and then held it to Zhuang Yan's lips. "Take your medicine first."

Zhuang Yan reached out and took the medicine, swallowing it under Lu Yan's gaze.

"You're going to stay home and rest today, and you're not allowed to go anywhere."

"Okay, I won't go out. Can I look at the computer? I fixed that software last night." Only after getting Lu Yan's permission did Zhuang Yan turn on the computer.

Lu Yan stared curiously at Zhuang Yan's actions: "Is this your account? What's your online name?"

Zhuang Yan clicked on the username, and Lu Yan saw his account name clearly—Zhuang Yan.

A screen name that perfectly matched his real name, Lu Yan blurted out: "If I can go back, I'll add you as a friend."

What screen name would you choose for yourself?

"It might also be related to my name."

The software has not been fully restored yet, and Zhuang Yan can only see his own account at present.

Zhuang Yan closed his laptop. His fever hadn't subsided, and the medication was making him drowsy again.

Lu Yan sat on the edge of the bed: "When do you plan to propose to her?"

"she?"

"That's me as an adult."

"I've already started preparing for this year, do you want to know?"

Lu Yan shook her head: "I don't want to know. I just never thought I would get married, so... I'm a little curious."

"If you're curious, why don't you want to know?"

"Because this is a surprise you prepared. If the memories are shared, wouldn't I, at 27, already know it beforehand? Then there wouldn't be any surprise." Lu Yan lowered her head, looking at her hands. "Tell me about yourself. Where did you live when you were little? Where did you go to school?"

Zhuang Yan, his voice hoarse, slowly recounted his childhood to Lu Yan, omitting the stories of his abuse by his parents and focusing only on the happy ones, from elementary school to high school.

He reminisced about whatever came to mind, and towards the end, Zhuang Yan's voice grew softer and softer. Under the influence of the drugs, he closed his eyes, and in his hazy state, he heard Lu Yan whisper something.

"Thank you for bringing me here and letting me fall in love with you earlier. These four days have felt like a beautiful dream, but dreams always end. Zhuang Yan, thank you for teaching me how to love others and how to love myself."

When Zhuang Yan woke up again, it was already 2 p.m. Sunlight streamed in through the gaps in the curtains. He had slept very soundly this time and did not experience sleep paralysis again.

When he woke up, his fever had subsided, but his muscles were still a little sore. He turned over and instinctively hugged the person next to him. He only woke up with a start when he smelled Lu Yan's hair.

How did Lu Yan end up in his bed? Did he make the first move?

Lu Yan's body is currently 27 years old, but her soul is still that of a minor. This logic cannot be thought about too closely, or one will feel guilty.

Just as he was wondering what to do, Lu Yan opened her eyes. She opened her eyes first, glanced at him through her misty eyes, and saw that he was moving to the side to avoid her. Lu Yan reached out and hooked her arm around his neck.

Why are you avoiding me?

With just one sentence, Zhuang Yan knew that Lu Yan had returned.

"Yanyan?"

Lu Yan leaned in and kissed his lips, then nuzzled against his neck like a kitten: "Ayan, I'm back. Did you miss me?"

Zhuang Yan hugged her back and kissed the top of her head: "I missed you. Can you tell me about your experience?"

...

During her third year of junior high school, fifteen-year-old Lu Yan fell ill with a high fever and remained sickly for four days.

After recovering from her illness, she noticed a new app on her phone – Tree Hole.

At the same time, another man appeared in her memory. She forgot his name and couldn't remember his face. Her head would ache whenever she thought about him.

It's like having a very long dream, but after waking up, you can't grasp the main points or remember them. The shattered dream is like sand scattered by the wind.

She became anxious. She had always been a loner at school and had no friends. She couldn't even find anyone to help her.

The only clue was a new chat app on her phone. When she opened it, she saw a search history below the search bar.

Solemn words. She clicked on the search bar but didn't find the user.

Whether it was a dream or reality, Lu Yan couldn't find the answer.

She should have uninstalled this strange software, being cautious and discreet, but it seemed as if some force was preventing her from doing so.

Looking at the notes and test papers she had made during her four days of illness, she noticed a significant change in her handwriting, leading her to suspect that something had taken over her body.

Filled with various doubts, Lu Yan went to the hospital for a full-body checkup. The results showed nothing unusual. She told the doctor about her condition, and the doctor suggested she go to the mental hospital next door for a checkup.

Her problem did not receive much help. Even the psychologist told her that her hallucinations were caused by too much stress, and that she could not rule out the possibility of multiple personality disorder, and suggested that she seek treatment as soon as possible.

The medical expenses were too high, so Lu Yan didn't continue.

Even though he was a man whose name she didn't know and whose face she couldn't remember, he could stay in her mind forever. She dreamed that he took her to the zoo, helped her with her studies, and made barbecue for her.

She kept the "tree hole" on her phone until she went to high school. When she was 18, she searched for it again in the search bar and found "Zhuangyan".

This time, the bottom is no longer blank; a user has appeared.

Lu Yan sent a friend request.

Hello, I'm Serious Smoke.