Lu Ban didn't feel that everything he was experiencing now was real.

He knew very well that the girl in front of him and this world were all fake.

No matter how beautiful it is, no matter how nostalgic it is, it is a false dream.

"I'm fine."

Lu Ban placed the knife on the chopping board and raised his hand slightly.

"Why are you here?"

Although he and the other person live next door to each other, they are not from the same family. Why would he appear here late at night when she has already gone to bed?

Could it be that the self in this illusion had done something beastly, so that every night she would sneak over and do bad things when the adults weren't paying attention?

"I always had a feeling of uneasiness, so I wanted to come and take a look. I happened to see you, Lu Ban..."

She explained.

Oh, it seems that I am worse than beasts, that’s okay.

"I just wanted to try the knife because I wanted to eat something."

Lu Ban comforted.

"But there's nothing in your refrigerator."

She said relentlessly.

"This is what I learned in the hospital. It's called visualization practice. Because many things are restricted in the hospital, I can only use my imagination to simulate. For example, just now, I was hungry, but there was nothing to eat at home, so I imagined that I was cooking to relieve my hunger."

Lu Ban explained seriously.

"Really?"

The girl looked at Lu Ban, her eyes were still a little red and moist, reflecting the moonlight.

"If you want to learn, I can teach you."

"I don't want to!"

She was amused by Lu Ban, and she lightly hit Lu Ban's shoulder with a feeling of anger and amusement, then sniffed and said.

"If you're hungry, I'll cook you some noodles."

"It's not convenient this late."

Lu Ban declined politely.

"It's okay. I'm hungry too. Please eat with me."

She said in a tone that brooked no rejection.

"Oh well."

Lu Ban waited for a while, and the girl took two bags of instant noodles from her house and soon started a fire in Lu Ban's house.

Two pots of instant noodles were quickly served on the table.

Lu Ban took a bite.

He put down his chopsticks quietly.

"Why, it's not delicious?"

The girl asked anxiously.

"Not really."

Lu Ban took another bite.

He finally understood why she suggested going to the school cafeteria without even thinking when she first got home.

This was the first time Lu Ban saw someone who couldn't even swallow the instant noodles he cooked.

He can be said to be a reverse culinary genius.

"Then eat it while it's hot."

The girl started to slurp the noodles, making a slurping sound, without any of the elegance and quietness of other girls.

Maybe it’s because I’m too familiar with Lu Ban.

Lu Ban looked at her trying hard to eat the noodles and could only finish the instant noodles with tears in his eyes.

Everyone has a future of eating noodles.

After soaking the bowl in water and preparing to wash it tomorrow, Lu Ban turned around and saw that the girl had no intention of leaving.

"Go back to bed."

Lu Ban said this, and then added another sentence.

"I promise you, I won't do anything weird."

"I don't quite believe it."

She said, feeling as if she were going to stay here tonight.

"I have to watch you, otherwise I won't be able to sleep well."

"Uh...but there's only one bed here."

Lu Ban looked at her pink and blue cat pajamas and became a little worried about her safety.

"Then we can sleep in the same bed. Isn't that what we always do in the past?"

She said as a matter of course.

Is it still a beast?

"The past you're talking about... is it elementary school?"

Lu Ban asked hesitantly.

"kindergarten!"

She immediately retorted.

"It turns out that you are worse than beasts."

Lu Ban muttered.

"What's worse?"

She didn't hear clearly and asked.

"fine."

Lu Ban thought about it. Although this was an illusion and he could do whatever he wanted, he was an upright man after all, so he pointed to the sofa.

"I'll sleep on the sofa."

“…That’s fine.”

She didn't hesitate, closed the doors on both sides, and lay down on Lu Ban's bed.

The door was not closed, so the girl lying in bed could see Lu Ban lying on the sofa.

Of course Lu Ban could also see that side.

The curtains were drawn, and the cool air from the air conditioner was lingering under the temperature indicator light. Her slender ankles and round toes could be seen in the dim light. As if she noticed Lu Ban's gaze, her toes curled up slightly and hid in the quilt as if shy.

"…Are you asleep?"

Suddenly, the girl asked.

"not yet."

Lu Ban responded.

"Do you still think that everything now is a false appearance and hypocritical?"

She asked, her voice lighter than the moonlight, and before Lu Ban could answer, she continued.

"For the past year, you have refused to admit that this world is real. In your mind, only the world full of dangers and adventures, monsters and super powers is real."

"I heard you say that in that world, both I and Hongye died miserably, as did other people. You were alone forever in that world, facing the departure of everyone."

“But I am real.”

She sniffed, not sure if it was because the air conditioner was too cold or for some other reason.

"I grew up here. When I was in primary school, I was scolded by my parents for watching TV secretly. When I entered junior high school, I was forced to have a bowl-cut haircut and cried for a long time. My favourite dish is the fried skewers made by the grandma at the school gate. They are delicious with hot sauce. I also need to study hard and try to get into Jiangcheng University so that I can be your junior schoolmate..."

“Are these all fake?”

Lu Ban did not answer.

“We are all real people…”

Her voice trembled slightly.

"Originally, I thought the doctor had cured you, but I didn't expect that you were still so far away from us, treating us as people in a dream, as illusions, and not taking your own life seriously."

"Please, wake up, please?"

Lu Ban was silent for a long time.

"good."

He responded, only to hear the other party sniff.

They looked at each other in silence.

Lu Ban lay on the sofa, thinking seriously about the current situation.

What he experienced in the past was definitely not false.

And now the world seems to have its own logic.

At least if he tried to hurt herself again, this girl would definitely stop him.

The most important thing is, what should he do now?

If Lu Ban gave up completely and sunk into this world, what would he lose?

There is no need to think about saving the world, no need to face the dangers of foreign lands, no need to confront those indescribable great existences. Although he has lost his identity as a great director and those extraordinary powers, in this world, all the people Lu Ban has met are living happily.

This seems like a good exchange?

What Lu Ban has always wanted is the life he has now.

The illusion realized it perfectly and even resurrected the dead.

What else do I need to fight?

He took out his cell phone, opened WeChat, and saw the girl's name at the top.

Summer Amber.

Lu Ban closed his eyes, and only the sound of the air conditioner echoed in the room.