“Won’t you tell me?” she asked slowly, pain hidden in her gaze.

Yin Feng’s heart ached in response, tinged with a slight hurt. He pressed her head closer, making her face rest against him more tightly, and said hoarsely, “Do you want to know?”

“Of course.”

Yin Feng let her lean against his chest and said, “Some words, once spoken, we can’t take back. Someone will inevitably pay the price. Do you understand?”

You Mingxu was silent for only a few seconds before saying, “If I want to hear it, then naturally I can afford the price.”

Yin Feng spread his fingers and held her face, a position that made her somewhat uncomfortable, but he insisted.

“Do you know what I was thinking that day on the mountaintop with Gu Tiancheng, in my last moments as You Yingjun before losing consciousness?” he asked.

“What?”

“I thought that I would trade anything just to stay with you. I was afraid I would forget you, and afraid that when I woke up, you wouldn’t love me anymore. That was the most frightening I’ve ever been in my life, even more terrifying than those days in Guizhou. That feeling of helplessness, it turns out, was like a knife carved deep into my heart.”

You Mingxu’s heart trembled. She hadn’t known…

“I remember everything now,” Yin Feng said. “I remember how indescribably drawn to you I was from the first moment I saw you. I remember how carefully I tried to please you every day. When you were happy, I was overjoyed; when you were upset, I was anxious. If you showed even the slightest sign of caring about me, I’d be too excited to sleep at night. You kissed me and then pushed me away, telling me it was just a reward. I… heh, even knowing you looked down on me, I still tried everything I could to earn another ‘reward’ from you…”

You Mingxu felt a bittersweetness in her heart and couldn’t quite face him, saying softly, “What, are you bringing up old accounts now?”

“We’ll settle those accounts later,” he said. “I want you to know that there was once someone who wasn’t that foolish, just loving you in the most humble way possible. You Mingxu, do you know how I felt when I remembered everything? It turns out that from so early on, I had already unhesitatingly offered you my whole heart. Whether you trampled it, threw it away, or cherished it, I was somehow content with whatever you chose.”

You Mingxu never expected to hear such words from him. For someone as proud as Yin Feng to admit these things… Her eyes unconsciously reddened… He said he wasn’t bringing up old accounts, but what was this if not that?!

But then he fell silent for a moment before continuing in a mocking tone: “This kind of feeling – I’d heard of it but never believed in it, never seen it. How could I have imagined it would happen to me?”

You Mingxu’s heart felt bitter, yet she also wanted to laugh at his misfortune. Instead, she said, “Such pretty words. Are you trying to sweet-talk me? Who would believe it?”

“You don’t believe me?” Yin Feng said. “Of course you don’t. Because you’ll never love me the way I love you.”

You Mingxu said, “Nonsense. Keep talking nonsense.”

He grabbed her hand and said, “Nonsense? If there’s even half a false word, may the Punishers kill me tomorrow when I step outside.”

You Mingxu: “…”

He continued, “You don’t believe it because you’re not obsessive like me.”

You Mingxu felt her heart tremble slightly.

“Are you?” she asked.

Yin Feng smiled and said, “I’ve been reluctant to tell you these days, reluctant to let you know I’d recovered my memories because I didn’t know how to control such feelings. But fortunately, during this time, I’ve slowly adapted and accepted it. You forced me to say it out loud? You Mingxu, there’s no turning back after this.”

You Mingxu said, “Why can’t I turn back?”

Yin Feng held her gently and said, “Do you know what I’ve been thinking when I look at you these days, when I remember you? I love you so much that when I close my eyes, I can still feel that helpless agony from the mountaintop. So if one day you fall for another man, I’ll kill him. If one day you plan to leave me, I’ll use every means to keep you locked away. And if one day you die before me, what can I do? Suicide doesn’t frighten me. Life is unpredictable, and so are hearts. Only this way can I ensure you’re completely mine.”

You Mingxu was speechless. His words were calm yet mad, but she knew what kind of stubborn, lonely soul lived behind his quiet, steady appearance.

“Don’t be like this,” she said.

“It’s already like this,” he replied. “Xu’er, are you afraid? Do you want to back out? You’ve been hoping for me to remember, but my past self didn’t understand what such feelings meant, just diving right in. Now that I remember, I won’t be like You Yingjun, expecting nothing in return. This is who I am – selfish, obsessive, perhaps even childish. I once said that from now on, you would be my desire. But it’s not just that! When I was in the abyss, you were my only light. You pulled me out of the darkness, and having tasted your warmth and brightness, how could I ever let go? You must stay with me always, and only with me.”

As soon as he finished speaking, his emotions seemed to surge, and he flipped their positions, pressing her beneath him.

But You Mingxu cupped his face with both hands and said, “Why are you going crazy? Calm down. Listen to me – I’m not afraid at all, because I’ve long known exactly what kind of person you are. That You Yingjun was the real you. You’re not selfish or childish. You’re a good person – kind, upright, brave, holding onto your beliefs even through such difficulties. Many people can’t compare to you. You just use many things to shield yourself, to protect yourself.

“Feng, we still have a long life ahead. I have no intention of leaving you. I want to live well with you. Life is what we make of it. I know you’re obsessive, but who doesn’t have some psychological quirks in this world? It’s not such a big deal. No one will leave, no one will betray, no one will die. As long as you’re sincere with me, I’ll use all my strength to stay by your side. Just like… when you were still Yingjun, staying by my side unconditionally, okay?”

Yin Feng kept his head down, not letting You Mingxu see his expression. Perhaps for a man like him, laying bare his heart like this was already a difficult thing.

Looking at him like this, You Mingxu’s heart softened completely, and she said, “What do you want? Whatever you want, I’ll give it to you.” After a pause, she added, “Yin Feng, I’m yours from now on. Whatever you want to do, I’ll do it with you.”

He slowly buried his head in the crook of her neck and said, “So it turns out this isn’t just like, isn’t just dependency, isn’t anything else. It can’t be anyone else, no one else in this world will do. You Mingxu, I only love you, worship you, I would die for you, as long as you love me. As long as you love me forever and ever.”

You Mingxu’s tears fell immediately as she choked out, “Okay.”

You Mingxu felt as if a decadent yet tender atmosphere emanated from him, slowly consuming her. She thought that he was right – with their hearts laid bare like this, there was no turning back. From now on, they could only fall together into that vast abyss, shattering to pieces.

But she was willing. She had always been willing to stay with him.

Later, he said, “Xu’er, stay with me.”

“Can you really… today?”

He said hoarsely, “I can. This obsessive person has been waiting for your comfort for so, so long.”

…

(Fade to black)

…