He had been drinking.

Drinking heavily.

So, had he escaped here again?

You Mingxu’s initial shock and disbelief at seeing Yu Yingjun suddenly transformed into a different, more painful emotion spreading through her heart. Looking at his pure, bewildered expression now, she found herself remembering his cold, resentful demeanor from earlier that day. Both images lingered before her eyes.

They were both him, weren’t they? They were truly the same person, right?

But this version of him, the one before her now, was her Yu Yingjun. The man who had accompanied her through countless lonely days and nights, loving her with a simple heart, cherishing her more than life itself. You Mingxu choked up and said, “Why did you take so long to come? Why did it take you so long to return?”

He couldn’t speak, trembling himself. He seemed to understand something, yet appeared completely lost, understanding nothing. Seeing him like this made You Mingxu’s heart ache even more.

She thought: I must have owed him in my past life, I really must have. Someone like him, with a mind like his, yet he had to get involved with me, had to cling to me like a final lifeline. Whether lucid or confused, he wouldn’t let me go.

She sat on the bed, letting him hold her, neither wanting to push him away nor fully embracing the moment through her daze of sadness.

But what followed was his urgent, fierce kiss—so desperate, so painful, yet so joyful—seeking something from her as he pressed her onto the bed and began removing her clothes.

You Mingxu gathered her thoughts.

Her body, long deprived of his touch, now felt both Yu Yingjun’s intimacy and Yin Feng’s dominance. Just his touch on her skin made her tremble.

But.

But.

A voice in her mind kept saying: This isn’t right… it can’t be… when he wakes up, he’ll be Yin Feng again. He’s still himself, this is clearly… cheating…

She pushed him away forcefully, saying, “Yingjun, listen to me, stop!”

He looked up and said, “I don’t want to.”

You Mingxu’s heart softened. She stroked his face and said, “Don’t do this. Let’s wait until you fully remember everything, then we can be together properly, okay?”

He stared at her blankly, unclear whether he understood or even heard her.

But after a while, he stopped his advances and instead lay down, holding her tightly in his arms, saying, “Axu, never leave me. No matter what I become, remember that it’s my soul that loves you, not any external thing. I love you, worship you, I would die for you. You must keep loving me, don’t give up on me, don’t leave me alone to live in darkness.”

You Mingxu suddenly broke into tears, choking with emotion. She covered her face with her hands, lowering her head as she sobbed. Yet he was so gentle now, softly kissing away her tears, stroking her hair, murmuring, “This is my Axu, this is my… dear Axu…”

You Mingxu nodded frantically, saying, “Alright, I promise you… I’ll never leave you… never.”

He smiled through his tears, saying, “Let me hold you while you sleep. I know you like being held as you sleep.”

You Mingxu made a sound of agreement. At that moment, she was like a child, held tightly in his embrace, their limbs intertwined. He truly didn’t try anything more, just held her, held her tight.

But he must have drunk too much; after all this emotional turmoil, it wasn’t long before You Mingxu heard steady breathing behind her. With reddened eyes, she rested her head on his arm, pressing herself closer to him.

—

When Yin Feng woke again, he saw a sliver of light seeping through the curtains—dawn was probably just breaking.

His head throbbed with a hangover pain he hadn’t experienced in a long time. He knew his head injury hadn’t fully healed, knew he shouldn’t have been drinking. But yesterday, he just couldn’t help himself.

As his mind cleared, he realized someone was lying in his arms, and this wasn’t his home.

It was her home.

The home that once belonged to both of them.

Her head rested on his arm, wearing only pajamas, clothing thin, her arms and thighs pressed close against his. She was still asleep.

Yin Feng had completely blacked out and couldn’t remember anything from last night. Then he discovered something clutched in the hand she was using as a pillow.

He opened his palm to find a note. The handwriting was achingly familiar—his own.

It read: “Love You Mingxu forever and ever. Love You Mingxu every day, every hour. Never make her angry or sad again. Never let her leave again.”

He looked at it for a while, then clutched the note tightly again.

His other hand still rested on her waist. Yin Feng tried to carefully move it away, but she stirred, turned over, and opened her eyes.

Their gazes met.

She immediately recognized who he was.

“You should go,” You Mingxu’s voice was hoarse, carrying an indescribable weariness.

Yin Feng stared at her steadily as she turned away, her back to him.

Yin Feng silently got out of bed, picked up his scattered clothes from the floor, dressed properly, tucked the note into his pocket, and then returned to the bedside to place a gentle kiss on the back of her head.

She didn’t move.

Yin Feng walked out and closed the door behind him.

Then he pressed his hands to his face, keeping his eyes closed for a long while.

What made me lose control, what made me escape? Was it because I wanted her too much? Since when had I fallen this deeply?