My arch-nemesis, after losing his memory, insisted that we had dated for four years.

"I like him?!"

"Yes," Wei Laiyi nodded.

"Where did you get the idea that this is such nonsense?!"

"? You sent me candied fruit and a handkerchief... and you're asking me?"

"Shouldn't you give someone something they like when you give them a gift?" Jin He was completely baffled. "He likes candied fruit, so I'll give him some. Besides, aren't handkerchiefs a very common thing?" He couldn't understand his senior's thought process at all.

The latter was so angry she wanted to kill him. "You know you have to give people things they like. So when you gave me either junk or fake red envelopes, why didn't you think about whether I liked them or not? You even deducted a thousand coins from my red envelope! Are you trying to kill me because we're acquaintances?"

"Can those be the same?"

“Of course they’re different,” Wei Laiyi said matter-of-factly. “How can you treat Xiao Wang and me the same way?”

Jinhe didn't want to talk to him anymore.

He tossed and turned all night, unable to sleep, feeling that things couldn't go on like this. Even if Jin He was incredibly charming, even if Xi Wang was hopelessly in love with him, but... Jin He was straight!

Whether from a rational or emotional perspective, Jin He thought about it all night and still felt that he couldn't let Xi Wang continue to misunderstand. He, being the carefree guy he was, could pretend nothing had happened, but he couldn't be sure what Xi Wang's attitude would be after regaining his memory.

It's decided! I'll go and explain things to Xi Wang tomorrow!

"No." Unexpectedly, Zhong Chu forcefully dissuaded Jin He from his idea.

Jin He didn't understand: "Why?"

Zhong Chu said, "The doctor instructed us not to agitate Xiao Wang under any circumstances. This amnesia is quite unusual. If he discovers that the facts do not match his thoughts, it could very likely cause him to have a mental breakdown."

"..." Jin He wished he could slap himself for trying so hard to please Xi Wang in the past, just to disgust him. If he hadn't tried to be clever, he wouldn't be in this situation now.

Zhong Chu straightened Jin He's body so that he was facing her, her tone pleading, "I know this is unfair to you, but Xi Wang is like a younger brother to me. I can't just watch him become a crazy person who can't take care of himself. Ah He, please, please bear with it this time. Once Xiao Wang recovers, I will explain everything to him, and he will definitely not take his anger out on you."

What Jin He feared most in his life was someone "begging" him, especially since that person was Zhong Chu, who was always neither humble nor arrogant.

“…Okay.” He heard himself say that.

Thus began a game of "romantic couples" filled with falsehood and deception.

＊

A group of disciples from the Moshan Sect arrived in Kaifeng. They opened a shop in the bustling city center to showcase the sect's latest research findings and attract locals to experience novelties, thus earning funds to continue their scientific research.

This group of people recently developed a new mechanism called "Lost Illusion," which they claim contains strange and wondrous sights from different regions and can take you on a journey through beautiful landscapes in the blink of an eye.

Is it a designated location or a random location?

“It’s random,” the disciple of Moshan Dao said. “There are twelve attractions in total. Apart from the final destination, ‘Hidden Bone Mountain,’ the starting point could be any of the eleven locations. Each location has its own gameplay. After clearing a location, you can proceed to the next one. Eventually, everyone will exit the illusion at ‘Hidden Bone Mountain.’ We will set off fireworks. If anyone needs to stop midway, they can set off fireworks. Once you see the signal, we will bring you back to reality.”

I don't know what happened, but the Nine Streams Sect and Tianquan Sect have been cracking down on their disciples' interactions lately, leaving Wei Laiyi and Zhong Chu with nowhere to go on their dates. They say "the most dangerous place is the safest place," so I doubt the two leaders would ever imagine a disciple daring to openly associate in the city center. In that case, why not change clothes and go check out the Illusionary Realm?

They had no objections, and neither did the two third wheels that were brought along as usual.

"Alright, there are four of us. Please come in, sir."

The moment their fingers touched the iridescent door, the four were enveloped in a blinding white light. The next second, they vanished from the shop, meaning they had entered the illusion. The shop assistant smiled with satisfaction and went out to attend to other customers.

...

The moment Jinhe opened his eyes, he immediately regretted it.

So dark...so dark!!!

There was no light around him; he felt as if he were encased in a tightly sealed giant egg. And although the four of them had entered together, he couldn't see Xi Wang or his senior brother anywhere.

Fortunately, it was summer, and Jin He always had the leisure to catch fireflies when he went out at night, which came in handy. He took out the bottle containing the fireflies; the light was faint, but better than nothing.

By the light of this spot, Jin He noticed a line of small characters carved on the stone wall beside him: Welcome to Beishan Plain.

What did they do to him? I've never heard of this place before.

But you can't just leave as soon as you come in.

Jin He looked at the fireworks in his hand with a troubled expression, while the little mouse in his pocket squeaked in agreement.

There's no other way, let's just keep moving forward and see what happens.

"Why is it so foggy..." And the further we went, the thicker the fog became, and we couldn't see the road at all with just the light from the fireflies.

Jin He's steps grew smaller and smaller, and his heart beat faster and faster. He wondered if it was just his imagination, but he felt a chill all over his body. His heart was in his throat.

As he approached a fork in the road, he hesitated between taking the left or right path when he heard a child crying coming from the left side of the road.

Could a child have accidentally wandered into the illusion and been frightened? Thinking of this, Jin He didn't care whether he was on the right or not, and turned right. Following the sound, he saw a little girl crying sadly.

"Big brother, I can't find my way home." Seeing someone coming, the little girl raised her tear-streaked face, which was heartbreaking to see.

Jin He crouched down to be at eye level with the little girl. "Do you know how to get out?"

The girl nodded, her voice choked with emotion. "I know. But I'm afraid to go. There's a wolf ahead."

"Wolves?" Jin He pondered to himself: Since it's an illusion, the wolves probably aren't real either, but it would be hard for a child to tell the difference. So he said, "Let's go together. I have a weapon that can drive the wolves away."

"Uh-huh!"

The little girl tugged at Jinhe's sleeve and led him toward the "exit".

As they walked, the sky grew darker and the fog thicker, with a burnt smell in the air. But after walking dozens of meters, Jinhe didn't hear any wolf howls.

"Big brother." Just as he was lost in thought, the little girl suddenly called out to him, "I've heard that many people have come here, but none of them have ever made it out. Do you know why?"

Jin He's Adam's apple bobbed up and down. "Why?"

“Because—” The little girl suddenly stopped, turned her neck around, her eyes looked like they were painted on with a pen, and her mouth split open, revealing a chilling smile, “They all stayed here to play with me.”

Jinhe: "!"

...

Just a second before losing consciousness, Jinhe was still not far from the entrance to Beishanyuan. When he opened his eyes again, he was on the island in the middle of the lake in the forest.

His head was throbbing terribly. That was his strongest feeling upon waking up.

However, before they could even observe their surroundings, their bodies got up first, carrying Jinhe, and cautiously walked slowly along the barely visible path.

Jin He's biggest regret was not bringing the dart rope; otherwise, even if he was terrified, having a weapon in his hand would have made him feel more at ease.

There is someone.

He heard footsteps.

Is he one of those unlucky souls transported to the Northern Mountain Plains like him, or someone living in an illusion like the little girl? If he's the former, maybe he can at least have some company; if he's the latter…

Jin He: If it were the latter situation, I would just lie down here with a "whoosh".

The bottle that held the fireflies had long since disappeared, but the source of the footsteps was glowing red.

The other side had obviously heard the commotion from Jin He's side, and their steps were very firm and cautious.

The firelight drew closer, casting a clear shadow on the ground.

"Who?!" both sides shouted at the same time.

When the beam of red light illuminated a face that was both strong and gentle, Jin He froze, then collapsed to the ground as if utterly exhausted.

"You scared me to death! It's you." The newcomer frowned, his handsome brows furrowed, and a red light danced on his white fur collar. Who else could it be but Xi Wang?

Xi Wang hadn't expected to run into Jin He. After realizing what was happening, he breathed a sigh of relief and was also a little excited. He stuck the tinderbox in the ground and squatted down next to Jin He.

How did you get here?

"I was dragged here by a child." Jin He was a little embarrassed when he said this, after all, he was tricked so easily. He was a disciple of the Ninth Rank Sect. He was used to teasing others. Now, he was the one being teased in the illusion.

He asked Xi Wang, "And you?"

"I opened my eyes and found myself here. I was just thinking of walking around to see if I could find a way out when I heard a noise coming from this side."

"Have you found the way?"

Xi Wang shook his head regretfully and said, "No. Shall we look for it together?"

"Alright."

Logically speaking, it is perfectly normal for two people who are "heroic couples" to work together to overcome difficulties, but Xi Wang vaguely felt that Jin He's agreement to find a way with him was not only due to their status.

He looked down at his forearm hanging by his side, where Jin He was holding the outer sleeve. Since they started walking together, his eyes had been busier than Jin He's legs—turning left and then right, up and then down. Whenever he stepped on a dry branch or leaf, Jin He's shoulders would jerk sharply.

...Xi Wang probably understood.

"Are you afraid of the dark?" Jin He was about to retort when Xi Wang pulled away his sleeve, and then a warm hand was placed in Jin He's palm instead of the cloth. After doing this, Xi Wang turned his head slightly, a blush on his handsome face, whether from the flickering firelight on his cheek or from being moved by emotion, it was hard to tell.

The man was completely stunned; the unusual sensation left him speechless.

"Why does Xi Wang seem like a completely different person after he lost his memory? He used to be so stubborn, I never thought I'd see him treat others so gently." Especially towards Jin He, whom he used to see as a nuisance?

Zhong Chu's response at the time was, "During his growth, Xiao Wang was inevitably influenced by me. Ahe, what kind of person am I in your heart?"

Jin He truthfully replied, "Very cool, very strong, and seemed a bit aloof at first glance." After saying that, he belatedly realized—wasn't that the same impression he had of Xi Wang?

“So he’s been imitating me all along. Growing up like me.” Zhong Chu sighed. “On the surface, we do look a lot alike, but deep down, Xiao Wang is actually a very gentle person and very dependent on the people he trusts. The reason he acts differently in front of you is because he trusts you a lot and is dependent on you.”

Zhong Chu's words echoed in his ears. At this moment, Jin He looked at their clasped hands, his emotions a jumble: just because of a "misunderstanding," Xi Wang treated him like this; what if things had gone on for a while...

Their fingers were interlocked, Jin He's five fingers resting on Xi Wang's hand, sharing the same warmth.

Xi Wang saw Jin He whispering something.

"Fool."

"What?" he asked.

Jin He straightened his back and gave a vague answer, saying, "I'm praising your handsomeness."

Xi Wang: "..."

However, it must be said that this gesture of interlocking fingers actually calmed Jin He down. Perhaps it was because it was the first time he had shaken hands with someone like this, his heart was beating a little fast, or perhaps it was because Xi Wang's hand was too warm, coupled with the eerie and terrifying atmosphere around him, that Jin He felt an urge not to let go.

...

Hand in hand, the two circled the island in the middle of the lake and finally found the little girl in front of a niche.

Jin He was terrified at the sight of the girl. Xi Wang felt a sudden tightness on his shoulder as the person grabbed his shoulder and hid behind him. Even the mouse in his pocket was trembling.

This time, the little girl didn't cry. She just stretched out her hand and said, "Brothers, come with me. Let's go to the next place."

"No, no, no, no, no, no!" Jin He shook his head like a rattle drum. He could not forget the little girl's sudden turn of her head and her inhuman laughter before coming to the island in the middle of the lake. After leaving the illusion, he would probably need to keep an oil lamp lit to fall asleep.

The shoulder beneath the palm trembled repeatedly, and Jin He pouted, accusingly saying, "Don't laugh!"

"I thought, hahahaha..." Looking at the man who was half a head taller than him but was hiding behind him, Xi Wang couldn't stop laughing. "I heard from Brother Wei that you've loved listening to folk tales since you were little, so why are you afraid?"

“Loving to hear and being afraid aren’t mutually exclusive, is it wrong for me to be a noob but have a big addiction?” Jin He ground his back teeth. The other person mumbled “okay,” but was still laughing. He was furious and embarrassed. Ignoring the little girl still in front of him, he grabbed Xi Wang’s cheeks and said fiercely, “Stop laughing. If you laugh again and I can’t sleep, I’ll tie you up and make you sleep with me!”

"..."

Upon hearing this, the three men and the mouse were all stunned.

The smile turned into embarrassment and surprise, freezing on Xi Wang's face. The little girl's previously sinister expression completely shattered; her mouth gaped open wide enough to fit an egg. She thought, "This isn't right, is it? Is it really okay to say this to my face? I'm just an ordinary working person; this isn't something I should hear!"

Jin He closed his eyes in utter despair—what! You speak without thinking!

He removed his hand from Xi Wang's cheek and slapped him on the lips. The latter blushed even more at this gesture.

For a long time, the island remained silent.

“Um…” The girl raised her hand timidly. Despite being overwhelmed by the amount of information, she still had to do her job. “Brothers, come with me. We’re going to the next place.”

Jin He was only embarrassed and awkward at the moment, so why bring up anything about being afraid?

He asked, "The next tourist attraction shouldn't have such a scary place, right?"

"I don't know," the little girl said. "The fantasy world combines elements of horror, warmth, and excitement. I don't know which attraction the brothers will be transported to."

Then... let's go.

Jin He and Xi Wang each grabbed the girl's hand on either side, and were once again enveloped by a huge ball of white light, arriving at the next location in the blink of an eye.

...

"Holy crap, this is the territory of ghost soldiers!"

"biu—"

Upon receiving the signal from the fireworks, the disciples of Moshan Dao outside the door quickly pulled the guests out of the illusion.