My Exclusive Dream World Adventures

Chapter 109: 109 Feels like a weight lifted off
 

Over the past few days, Chen Xu had been plagued by a nagging question that refused to leave his mind, and he was desperate for an answer.

Could Luo Xiyun’s unusual behavior be because the one entering the dream wasn’t her clone, but herself, and moreover, she had retained memories from the dream?

However, she hadn’t been coming to the office and he couldn’t reach her.

With each passing day, his restlessness grew, and gradually, he was starting to lose his patience. No matter what, he needed an answer.

The moment he saw Xia Jinse, an uncontrollable thought flashed through his mind.

If Luo Xiyun could retain memories, then she must be able to as well.

He just had to ask her, and with her answer, he could unravel his doubt.

“Xia Jinse.”

Therefore, when he saw her about to walk away, he blurted out her name. In the following moment, everything around him seemed to quiet down, and all he could hear was his own heartbeat.

His heart clenched repeatedly, and he couldn’t clearly say whether he was anticipating or worrying.

One second, two seconds…

She didn’t turn around, nor did she even pause in her steps, but just kept walking forward.

The scenario he had envisioned didn’t occur, and Chen Xu felt somewhat startled inside.

Had he mistaken her for someone else?

Or had she not heard him?

He clenched his fists and chased after her.

No matter what, he had to get an answer today.

“Xia Jinse.”

He ran in front of her and blocked her way, then stared intently into her eyes.

Those eyes held a trace of wariness and confusion. She stepped back and naturally assumed a defensive stance, her face showing neither the shock one might express upon seeing an impossible person, nor the astonishment from being strangely called by name.

She said, “You’ve mistaken me for someone else.”

She didn’t recognize him.

Chen Xu saw her reaction and felt a huge wave of disappointment wash over him. At the same time, he also felt a sense of relief.

So it was all just a misunderstanding.

His heart felt much lighter.

During the last part of the dream, his relationship with Luo Xiyun had indeed been something he couldn’t quite forget. But, if Luo Xiyun had also retained memories from the dream, he truly didn’t know how he would face her.

He very much understood that the relationship in the dream wasn’t love. Even right before his “death,” she had still said she didn’t love him.

Even if she had retained the memories from the dream, what of it?

It would just add to his worries.

“But why did she say I mistook her for someone else?”

Chen Xu suddenly realized, and subconsciously looked towards the left of her eyebrows, where he could see a small, inconspicuous red dot.

It was definitely her.

Then it dawned on him, “That means, she gave me a false name.”

Yes, that was indeed something she could do.

“I’m sorry.”

Having gotten the answer he wanted, Chen Xu didn’t wish to have any further entanglements with her.

He had already made up his mind to keep dreams and reality distinct, regardless of whatever story they had in the dreams. In reality, he and this woman simply weren’t from the same world, and there would be no further intersection.

After speaking, he was ready to turn around and leave.

“Wait.”

The woman then stopped him, looking at him curiously, “You know me, right? Don’t deny it, that look just now was you confirming my identity. Tell me, who are you?”

Chen Xu’s heart tightened slightly, she was too sharp. If they interacted more, she might really see through something. He said, “No, you just look a bit like a friend of mine.”

“Could you introduce me to that friend of yours? I’m really curious what he looks like and how similar he is to me.”

Chen Xu faltered, “That, it’s not very convenient.”

“So you’re lying.”

“Okay.” Chen Xu resignedly said, “Actually, I just wanted to start a conversation with you. Sorry for bothering you.” After saying that, he didn’t wait for her to respond and ran away.

Yang Jinxia watched his retreating figure, a smile gradually appearing on her face as she muttered to herself, “Are you disappointed? Good. You men, the easier something is to obtain, the less you treasure it…”

After Chen Xu’s figure disappeared, she walked into a nearby store.

Chen Xu turned into another alley and let out a long sigh of relief.

After confirming that the virtual dream equipment wasn’t malfunctioning, he felt as if a huge weight had been lifted off his chest, and his whole body relaxed.

Previously, he had copied Luo Xiyun and Xia Jinse into the dream without any burden on him because the device only copied their memories to form a character. It was like imagining a person.

It was only when Luo Xiyun began acting strangely that he started to doubt that maybe it was really her in the dream, and it felt completely different.

Furthermore, her collapsing possibly due to the effects of the dream experience made him feel even more guilty.

Now, having gotten his answer from Xia Jinse, he realized he had been overthinking it and instantly felt relieved.

In hindsight, such doubts seemed somewhat self-indulgent. Luo Xiyun’s abnormal behaviors were probably caused by feeling unwell.

With one less worry on his mind, he lost interest in shopping and also worried about running into Xia Jinse again—no, the woman whose name he didn’t even know.

So, he simply returned to the hotel, where he changed into sportswear. He asked the staff for the gym location; it was a good time to work out, and it was free for guests.

He didn’t touch any other equipment and went straight to the treadmill, warmed up for a while, then began running.

Over an hour later, approaching five o’clock, he left the gym drenched in sweat and headed back to his room to shower.

He took the elevator back to his floor.

“Ding.”

As the elevator doors opened and he was about to step out, he looked up and saw Xia Jinse about to enter the elevator; their eyes met, and both were startled.

Why was he running into her everywhere?

Chen Xu saw a half-smiling expression on her face, and his scalp tingled slightly.

“Are you following me?” she asked, arms crossed in front of her chest.

“I’m not,” Chen Xu pointed outside and said, “I’m staying here.”

“Is that so?”

She extended her hand, “Let me see your room card.”

That moment, the elevator doors began to close slowly. Chen Xu pressed the door-open button and stepped out. Feeling that arguing with her wasn’t worth it, he decisively pulled out his room card and handed it over.

“Indeed.” She took the room card, glanced at it a few times, and handed it back to him.

Chen Xu took it and was about to leave.

“Wait.” She blocked his path, continuously sizing him up without speaking.

Chen Xu, feeling somewhat uneasy under her gaze, asked, “What, what are you looking at?”

She asked doubtfully, “Have we met before?”

Chen Xu’s heart skipped a beat; he shook his head in denial, “No.”

“That’s not right; the way you look at me feels like you know me very well. Who exactly are you?” She stared into his eyes.

The elevator doors closed slowly, and faintly, the sound of the elevator ascending could be heard.

In the hallway bathed in warm light, Chen Xu seemed to see his own reflection in her pupils.

Memories surged in his mind.

He spoke softly, “We really don’t know each other; I don’t even know your name…”

“Yang Jinxia,” she said her name, “Yang as in willow, Jin as in a splendid future, Xia as in summer. And you?”

He swallowed a few times, then said, “Chen Xu.”