Chapter 131: Subconscious

"She is indeed very pretty, but it’s a pity; she seems to suffer from hysteria, as the things she says are quite bizarre."

"When we met, she spoke just like a female version of Neo, insisting that this place is a dream and that she wants to take me to the 'real world.'"

"Isn't that just absurd?"

"Does she think she can deceive people just because she has a pretty face? While I wouldn't go so far as to say I'm immune to beauty, I haven't lost my mind over it yet."

"However, I must admit, this person is relentless. She actually tracked down my home. I was coerced and seduced into going out with her—well, to be precise, it was more coercion and temptation."

"It’s strange. Why does her face keep appearing in my mind? We’ve known each other for less than a day; why do I feel so familiar with her? Ugh, Ji Ning, Ji Ning, you’re truly pathetic. You’re actually letting her lies create illusions. You must remember that everything she says is nonsense. There is no other 'real world,' and you are certainly not her lover in that world."

"It makes no sense for her to spend so much time and energy without wanting anything in return. She must be planning something big."

"Since she insists on staying at my place, I might as well play along. Instead of constantly guarding against a thief, it’s better to keep her under my nose. She’s bound to slip up eventually."

"But I still think she’s just talking big. There can’t be a con artist that bold, right?"

"At the end of the day, she’s just a girl who looks to be about my age. She’s probably being ordered by someone else to act as a scammer. Thinking about it, she’s kind of pitiful. Should I just call the police?"

"But if I call the police, what if she has a criminal record? She’d get arrested, and... I’d feel a bit reluctant."

"I have to admit, beauty is a difficult test for someone my age. Just while writing this diary entry, I subconsciously started thinking from her perspective. It seems my discipline is lacking and my resolve is not strong enough."

"I’ll have to find an opportunity to probe her true identity later. If I just rely on my own guesses, I’ll never figure out her true purpose even if I rack my brain."

Through these diary entries, Qin Mo had roughly grasped the state of Ji Ning’s thinking. His thought patterns were restricted by Adonis to the age of seventeen, yet his subconscious remained that of a twenty-year-old boy. So, even though he tried to make judgments appropriate for his current age, his subconscious still guided him.

Subconsciously, he was still attached to her, which is why he refused to let his affections wander here, and why, no matter how irrational his actions were, he still wanted to be near her.

Thinking of this, Qin Mo felt a sense of relief. Coming into this dreamscape, she had at least gained something. Although this guy was unreliable, he truly held her in his heart.

She also discovered something very strange: the dates in the diary were in July, yet he was still attending classes. Shouldn't that be summer vacation?

Qin Mo didn't dwell on it, because a more important problem lay before her: the diary entries were all about trivial matters, and Ji Ning had never expressed a yearning for anything. This meant that Qin Mo still knew nothing about the desires underlying Ji Ning's dream.

It was too ordinary. It was so ordinary that Ji Ning’s life was no different from that of a normal high school boy.

Qin Mo restored the room to its original state, hiding any signs of her searching, and lay on the bed, staring at the ceiling, thinking quietly.

Ji Ning, what exactly are you longing for that led Adonis to construct such a simple and plain dream for you?

What did this place fulfill for you?

The quilt, kissed by the sunlight, lay lazily on the bed, and Qin Mo enjoyed the morning tranquility in the same lazy manner.

A gentle knock sounded at the door, followed by Ji Ning’s casual voice: "Qin Mo, if you don't get up for breakfast, the wontons will get cold."

Qin Mo felt a bit embarrassed, silently blaming herself for staying up too late the night before. While lingering in bed was a wonderful thing, being caught at it was quite shameful.

As Qin Mo blew on a steaming wonton, she asked, "Where did your mom and little brother go?"

"It’s Saturday. The little guy wanted to go to the amusement park." Ji Ning yawned. It wasn't just Qin Mo who hadn't slept well; a dragon that had lost its treasure couldn't sleep soundly either.

The summer breeze drifted through the living room. Qin Mo’s fair skin glowed in the sunlight, and her exquisite features made one wonder if they had fallen in love with the girl before them.

After showering last night, Qin Mo had worn one of Ji Ning’s shirts. Even though she was quite tall, compared to a male frame, the shirt was still a bit large on her. Ji Ning subconsciously glanced at Qin Mo’s chest as she bowed her head to eat her wonton, only to look up and meet her indignant, shy glare.

"Cough, cough. That was an unavoidable factor." Ji Ning turned away, his face heating up.

Qin Mo didn't speak; she just gave him a light kick.

"So, you should go buy some clothes to change into later." Ji Ning remembered the money his mother had left him that morning. He had asked her what it was for, and now, recalling her meaningful look, he realized the true meaning was that she thought he was too stupid.

"Is it your own money?" Qin Mo felt strange, as she could easily deduce his poor financial situation from the diary entries last night.

"Of course not. I don't have any money," Ji Ning waved his hand.

"Do you think your mom figured out about us?" Qin Mo tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, elegantly scooping up a wonton that looked like white jade.

"That sounds weird. We’re perfectly innocent. If you say that, a judge in court would award you half my assets." Ji Ning stood up to pour himself a glass of water. "But you should know, my mom has a deep misunderstanding about you. The excuse I made up yesterday was just a lie we both knew was a lie."

"That's true," Qin Mo blushed slightly and continued to tackle the remaining wontons.

When she finished the last one, she looked up at Ji Ning. "Are you ready?"

Ji Ning was baffled. "Ready for what?"

Qin Mo said it as if it were obvious. "To go buy clothes with me."

"You’re a big kid now. You need to learn how to buy clothes yourself. I’m going to go surf the internet later. Here, take all the money, handle it yourself."

Qin Mo didn't speak. She stared at him for a moment and then held out her hand.

"What does that mean?" Ji Ning felt uneasy under her calm gaze.

"What about the rest?"

"What rest?"

"The money your mom gave me for clothes."

Ji Ning then reluctantly fished another hundred yuan from his pocket, saying in a low voice, "It’s normal to keep a little bit for travel expenses after buying you breakfast, right?"

"Are you still going to surf the internet?"

"Yeah, I am."

Qin Mo held out her hand again.

Ji Ning looked distressed. Finally, under her gaze, he pulled another hundred yuan from his jacket pocket. "That really is all of it."

Qin Mo took it without hesitation and asked again, "Are you still going to surf the internet?"

"I'm going to..." As Qin Mo began to raise her hand, Ji Ning immediately changed his tune. "I'm going to go buy clothes with you. What's so fun about the internet anyway?"

Qin Mo nodded with satisfaction and tucked the stack of money into Ji Ning’s pocket, looking as dashing as a young rich girl who had just bought him for the evening.

A wise man once said that nothing tests one’s willpower more than the thorns on the road, and the woman beside the road asking you to accompany her shopping.

Ji Ning didn't understand why women were so keen on picking out a more colorful piece of clothing from a sea of colorful clothes. To him, any piece of cloth that could be worn counted as clothing; there was no need to spend so much time picking out a few rags.

Although he really wanted to throw the shopping bags and shout that he was done, he only thought about it. He didn't doubt for a second that if he made this currently happy girl unhappy, she would definitely make him unhappy too.

As the shopping bags grew heavier, Ji Ning finally understood why his mother had given him an amount of money that he had been tempted to keep for himself. Take the shirts, for example: for boys, there seemed to be only one style, but for girls, there were lace, cutouts, ruffles...

Bills were taken from his pocket one by one, which was nothing short of torture for Ji Ning, who had had very little disposable income growing up.

When they had finally finished walking through the mall, seeing Qin Mo seemingly wanting to do another round, Ji Ning finally spoke up out of sheer fear: "Are you hungry?"

Qin Mo shook her head, but seeing the plea in Ji Ning’s eyes, she sighed softly. It was the same in reality; she didn't understand why someone wouldn't like shopping. Didn't he realize that every time she took him shopping, it was a process of picking out gifts? "Let's find a place to eat then."

Ji Ning, suddenly full of spirit, hurriedly pointed to the hotpot restaurant nearest to them. Anyone who had spent an entire morning walking while carrying items heavier than dumbbells would be desperate to find a place to sit.

After they sat down and the aroma of ingredients being boiled in the hot soup wafted over, Ji Ning asked Qin Mo if she had any dietary restrictions or preferences while flipping through the menu.

Qin Mo said casually, "About the same as what you like—tripe, omasum, shrimp paste, beef tripe..."

Ji Ning’s hand trembled. It wasn't until he finished ordering and handed the menu to the waiter that he looked at Qin Mo seriously. "How do you know what I like to eat?"

Qin Mo smiled. "I’ve told you many times. But I’m happy to say it again: this is your dream, and I’m here to take you back to the real world."

Ji Ning rubbed his chin. "If you could come up with a less ridiculous explanation, I’d guarantee I’d believe you."

"Believe it or not, it’s up to you. I will take you back." Qin Mo stood up, took two dipping sauce bowls, and headed to the self-service station. She mixed the sauce according to the proportions in her memory without haste, then placed one bowl in front of Ji Ning.

There was actually a second person in the world who knew this mixing method! Shocked, Ji Ning couldn't say a word. He stared intently at Qin Mo’s face, lost in thought, until Qin Mo blushed from his gaze and spoke up.

"In the world you think is real, am I really your girlfriend?"

"Actually, I'm still on probation." Qin Mo’s voice carried a hint of soft shyness. Why did he have to ask such a thing out loud when it should have just been kept in one's heart?

"Since I'm on probation, I think I won't go back."

"Hmm, fine. If you’re willing to leave with me now, I’ll agree to make it official." Qin Mo tried her best to look like she was thinking it over, as if she had reached this decision after careful consideration.

"You’re putting me in a difficult spot, acting like that." Ji Ning looked troubled.

"What’s wrong?"

"I’m actually going to fall for it, big sister."

"Big sister?"

"I’m only seventeen. My height isn't short among my peers, and you’re about the same height as me. Based on the height difference between men and women, I can guess that you’re likely older than me."

When he put it that way, Qin Mo realized that, calculated by the time in the dream, she was indeed a little older than the current Ji Ning.

Being called "big sister" gave her a strange feeling. Ha, when he regained his memories, she would definitely make him call her that a few more times.

Just as Qin Mo was about to tease him, she suddenly felt a chilling gaze, as if some predator had spotted its prey in the dense forest.

Qin Mo turned her head subconsciously and met the cold gaze of a man in the distance.

Professor Christina’s words echoed in her ears: "Qin Mo, you must remember, you must wake them up as quickly as possible. Because once the weaver of the dream adapts, he will certainly perceive your presence. An uncontrolled spirit is like a fire in the night in the eyes of the weaver. He cannot erase you directly, but he can change the dream at any time to create his envoys."

"The first rule of the dreamscape: if you are killed, you die."

Although the flow of time in the dream was different from the outside, Adonis’s speed in adapting to the new state was faster than Qin Mo had expected.

Ji Ning looked in the direction Qin Mo was staring. The man, wearing a black trench coat despite it being summer, was completely out of place, yet no one else looked toward him, as if he didn't exist at all.

"Wait here for me. I’ll be back in a moment." Qin Mo didn't want to involve this seventeen-year-old boy in events that didn't belong to the ordinary world. She had to deal with this "cleaner" sent by Adonis herself.

Even as the weaver of the dream, Adonis had to follow the rules of the dreamscape. Just as one wouldn't see a Gundam in a fantasy world, if he made the person experiencing the dream feel a sense of dissonance, the dream would collapse naturally. Because of this, Qin Mo believed the man in the distance would never pull a lightsaber from his pocket or summon a fireball to finish her off.

In such an ordinary world, the most he could do was pull out a gun.

Wait, a gun?

The man in the trench coat ran quickly toward Qin Mo, his right hand reaching into his coat.

Even if the twenty-year-old Ji Ning were here, he wouldn't believe the guy was reaching for a hotpot coupon.

Qin Mo subconsciously pulled Ji Ning to run out of the hotpot restaurant, heading toward the crowd so they wouldn't be clear targets.

The seventeen-year-old Ji Ning didn't understand, but he soon spotted the man rapidly approaching them.

Ah, the information connected in his mind, and everything became clear.

The runaway rich heiress, at the end of her rope, decided to try her luck. Perhaps she had met him somewhere, like a stray cat without a destination, and to stay in a strange city, she had fabricated a simple, absurd lie. Now, the bodyguards sent by her enemies or her fiancé had found her.

Qin Mo gripped Ji Ning’s wrist, completely unaware of the melodramatic story the guy beside her was constructing in his mind.

They hadn't run far when Ji Ning felt he had the right to ask Qin Mo if the truth was as he suspected, after all, he was currently following her like a docile companion.

"Hey, I said you..." Ji Ning had just started to speak when a loud noise interrupted him. It sounded like the firecrackers set off at the door during the New Year before fireworks were banned.

Ji Ning stared blankly at the hole in the floor tiles just a few steps away. Everything slowed down, and the flying ceramic shards looked like a sudden, localized snowfall.

It’s a gun. That was his first thought.

Before he could think of anything else, the surge of adrenaline in his body caused his pupils to dilate. His heartbeat and blood flow accelerated instantly; he could even hear his own thumping heartbeat, which sounded like thunder. Qin Mo, who was still pulling him along, was yanked forward by him.

Run.

That was his only thought.

He didn't notice that even so, he hadn't let go of the hand he was gripping tightly.