Feng Ze knew that if he asked Tao Zhiyan to stay, he would.
And that was precisely why he couldn't say it, or even let it show.
If Tao Zhiyan stayed, if he died in the real world, if his three roommates took their own lives out of guilt...
This would haunt Tao Zhiyan for the rest of his life.
Feng Ze couldn't bear to see Tao Zhiyan end up like that.
So the only solution he could think of that spared everyone was to let Tao Zhiyan go back.
Once Tao Zhiyan returned to reality, he would forget everything that had happened here. His life would get back on track, and he wouldn't have to worry about anything.
As for himself...
He truly didn't matter.
"If I leave, will you hate me?" Tao Zhiyan asked with his eyes closed and his head resting on Feng Ze's shoulder. Just asking the question made him feel like he was suffocating.
He tightened his arms around Feng Ze's neck.
"Will you regret meeting me?"
"Will you regret being with me?"
Tao Zhiyan was afraid of hearing him say yes, but he was afraid of hearing him say no, too.
What am I supposed to do?
He had never felt so lost.
What do I do?
Tao Zhiyan's eyes stung again. He lifted his head to look at Feng Ze.
They were very close. The car was parked beneath a streetlight, and orange-red light spilled in from the side.
In the dim car, Feng Ze's eyes held only him.
"Feng Ze..." Tao Zhiyan called his name, then asked softly, "Will you forget me?"
For a moment, even the air seemed to move more slowly.
Feng Ze raised a hand to wipe away Tao Zhiyan's tears. His voice was impossibly gentle, and he didn't