Looking at him now, gentle as ever, he seemed like the most beautiful illusion in a dream. If possible, I wish the past was just a dream. After waking, I would return to that small apartment with cherry blossoms blooming outside the window. We would sleep on lotus-colored sheets, fingers intertwined, with our names engraved on matching couple watches.
Yun Yin and Yin Zhongtian are absent; it’s just he and I, enjoying our world and calculating our tutoring fees.
The past is unchangeable, but the future? I wonder if I want a future with him. The answer is yes. Even if the future brings scars, I’m willing to try again.
He is Ye Zhengchen, my first love and once-shattered dream. With him, I feel truly alive, regardless of whether our experiences are sweet or bitter.
“Go to sleep. Don’t think about anything, rest well,” he said, helping me lie down.
“What about you?”
“I’ll sleep on the sofa…” He raised an eyebrow, with a mischievous smile: “If you insist I sleep on the bed, I won’t mind.”
As he fetched a blanket, I called out, “Winter is coming, and nights are getting cold…”
I knew he couldn’t sleep well on the sofa; just days ago, I heard him tossing and turning all night. “Don’t you have other friends in Nanzhou?”
“I don’t sleep in others’ beds,” he bluntly replied, “except yours.”
I wanted to suggest that if he could guarantee he wouldn’t lose control, I could lend him half the bed, but I thought better of it. I was very tired but still couldn’t fall asleep, knowing he was restless on the sofa. The sofa creaked every time he turned.
I was conflicted about whether to call him in when I suddenly heard soft footsteps. The door was pushed open, and Ye Zhengchen, carrying a blanket and pillow, climbed onto my bed.
Opening my eyes, I laughed. “What are you doing, climbing into my bed?”
“It’s too cold outside…” He placed the pillow next to mine and pushed me to one side. “Your bed is big anyway; one more person won’t matter.”
“Can you guarantee you won’t lose control when I fall asleep?”
He thought for a moment and responded ambiguously, “I’ll try!”
“What if you can’t control yourself…”
