Chapter 121 Why Haven’t We Woken Up Yet

Chapter 121: Why Haven’t We Woken Up Yet

Watching Du Yang run into the elevator, Lu Yang’s mood dropped. “Brother, in my past life, I was both stupid and pitiful.”

“Actually, by that time, I already sensed something going on between He Lin and Lu Yu. But back then, I foolishly clung to He Lin like a lifeline, still holding onto fantasies about him.”

Fu Yan took his hand and followed him into the elevator, genuinely regretful. “Back then, I thought you and He Lin were in a normal relationship. I should have thrown caution aside and kept you with me sooner.”

Lu Yang let out a long sigh, unable to force a smile. Now, in front of Fu Yan, he was more open, not hiding his emotions.

He knew that whether he was sad or laughing, Fu Yan would steady his feelings and stay with him patiently.

He treated him like a treasure.

At the roadside, Lu Yang grabbed Fu Yan, not wanting to go back. “Brother, you really don’t want to see what happens next. If I could, I’d slap my past self a few times.”

But things didn’t go the way Lu Yang wanted. The next second, the scene shifted, and they were already inside the apartment Du Yang had rented.

Lu Yang closed his eyes. “Oh my god!”

Du Yang opened the door and looked around the living room. There was no one there.

The apartment had two bedrooms—Du Yang lived in one, and he shared the other with He Lin, though He Lin rarely came back.

Du Yang stopped in front of He Lin’s door. Before opening it, he could already hear Lu Yu’s obscene moans from inside.

Those sounds hit like countless knives stabbing straight into his heart, the pain making even his breathing tremble.

Du Yang withdrew his hand, as if he’d made up his mind, then gripped the doorknob and yanked open the bedroom door.

The sounds became sharp and clear. Lu Yu was straddling He Lin, moving lewdly, his moans growing louder and louder.

“You—you!” Du Yang’s face turned pale. The scene inside was too disgusting. He turned and ran back to the living room, crouched down, hugged his knees, buried his face, and sobbed.

Two minutes later, Lu Yu clung to He Lin’s arm, the flush of passion still on his face, draped over He Lin like he had no bones.

They passed through the living room. Lu Yu paused, standing over the crouched figure like a victor gloating over the loser.

“You pathetic pauper, thinking you can climb the social ladder and turn into a phoenix? Look at how trashy you are!”

“A livestreaming whore selling yourself, and you think you can latch onto a rich family like Brother Lin? You deserve to be locked up with your gambler father. A gutter rat with your head in the clouds—why don’t you just go die!”

“Yangyang, don’t listen to their nonsense.”

Fu Yan’s eyes practically blazed with rage. He couldn’t strike those two disgusting people. He crouched beside Du Yang, extended his arms, and wrapped his arms around him in a ghost of a hug, pulling him against his chest.

“Brother…” Lu Yang’s eyes reddened. He too crouched, behind Du Yang, and wrapped his arms around his past self in an invisible hug.

He wanted to hold the shattered self, to tell Du Yang to go find Fu Yan.

The one he had always thought was the light of his life had become the devil who pushed him into the abyss.

And this was only the beginning.

“Whining and crying—so damn annoying!” He Lin said impatiently, dripping with disdain. “Xiao Yu, let’s go somewhere else.”

“So annoying~” Lu Yu cooed, clinging to He Lin’s arm as they started to leave.

“Brother Lin, don’t go!” Du Yang, still crouching, suddenly stood up and grabbed He Lin’s hand.

His eyes reddened, pleading eyes fixed on He Lin. “Please don’t leave. Tell me where I’ve done wrong. I can change, okay? Please don’t leave.”

He Lin paused for a moment, staring at Du Yang intently. A flicker of pity passed through his eyes, but then he seemed to snap out of it, violently shaking off Du Yang’s hand and spelling it all out.

“What made you think I’d ever want you? If it weren’t for helping Xiao Yu, I wouldn’t even give you a second glance. People like you will never deserve to stand by my side. How could my family ever approve of you?”

“Don’t ever come near me again!” He Lin left with Lu Yu without hesitation.

Bang! The door slammed. The living room was filled only with the sound of Du Yang sobbing, gasping for breath.

The young man staggered to the sofa, sat in the corner, hugged his knees, and curled up into a ball.

Fu Yan sat beside him, his hand gently brushing through the boy’s hair, his eyes full of sorrow.

“Brother, I was so stupid!” Lu Yang crouched in front of the sofa, leaning against Du Yang, trying to find some warmth for himself.

“I thought that since He Lin was gone, no one in the world cared about me, no one loved me. It felt like the sky was falling.”

“Baby, come here.” Fu Yan stretched out his arm and pulled Lu Yang into his embrace, holding him tightly. All he could feel was a deep ache in his heart.

The two sat on the sofa for a long time. Du Yang seemed lifeless, sitting frozen in the corner, not moving, not even blinking.

The sunlight moved westward across the room.

In the afternoon, the living room finally stirred. Du Yang’s phone rang.

He quickly pulled it out of his coat pocket, glanced at the caller ID, and the hope in his eyes vanished, replaced by dejection. He hesitated but answered.

As soon as the call connected, before Du Yang could speak, Lin Haiyin’s urgent voice came through.

“Du Yang, are—are you okay? Have you seen the stuff online?”

“What stuff?” Du Yang’s voice was hoarse.

“A University’s forum and the trending topics are blowing up with your photos. Someone must have secretly filmed you. I know you’re not the person they’re making you out to be.”

Du Yang’s face turned pale. He stopped listening to what Lin Haiyin was saying, hung up, and opened A University’s forum. The top two posts glared at him.

#A University’s Handsome Guy Self-Filmed Indecent Videos for Profit#

#The Ten-Million-Follower Internet Celebrity Baby Yang Who Sells Himself for Big Shot Sugar Daddies#

Du Yang’s hands trembled violently. It took him a few tries to open the posts. The videos and pictures showed him showering in the bathroom or changing clothes in the bedroom.

The angles made it look like he had set up the camera for selfies, but on closer inspection, it was clearly unauthorized hidden-camera footage.

Du Yang rushed to the bathroom. After curling up on the sofa for so long, his legs went numb and gave out as soon as they touched the floor. He stumbled and fell hard.

He got up again, ran to the bathroom, and searched for recording devices. He found nothing in the bathroom, and the bedroom was the same.

Lu Yang followed and watched the other version of himself collapse back onto the bed, dejected. He sighed inwardly.

“That was the moment I finally believed what He Lin said—that he only got close to me to help Lu Yu ruin me. Only He Lin ever came here; only he had the chance to plant cameras.”

“I’m sorry, baby. It’s all my fault,” Fu Yan said, his heart aching deeply. But he didn’t know how to comfort Lu Yang.

Seeing the suffering he had endured in that past life—investigation had never shown him this directly—now witnessing it all without being able to change it was like ten thousand ants gnawing at his heart.

The young man reached up and touched the man’s brow. His tone was gently reproachful. “Fu Yan, don’t you dare apologize again! In that life, I was too starved for love, blind to the bigger picture. And in the end, I made you pay for it…”

Lu Yang's voice grew heavy and he couldn't continue.

The previous life was too much to bear.

He didn't want Fu Yan to witness the pain he had experienced.

"I don't want to be here anymore, brother. I want to go back."

Fu Yan looked at the lifeless Du Yang on the bed, knowing that staying here wouldn't help. Now Lu Yang was more important. Making Lu Yang relive the past experiences once again—wasn't that also a form of cruelty?

Fu Yan took Lu Yang out of the residential complex, hoping that going outside might wake them from the dream.

Outside, the sunset glow painted half the sky red, gilding the evening in a beautiful, soft glow.

Such a beautiful scene, and Du Yang couldn't see it.

Lu Yang knew that in the following twenty-plus days, he had never once gone out. Even crueler things were waiting for him.

The two walked along the road from dusk until dark.

"Brother, why haven't we woken up yet?" Lu Yang was a little worried.

Fu Yan pursed his lips and tightened his grip on Lu Yang's hand. The only possibility he could think of was that sandalwood incense burner.

Did they have to wait until that incense burned out before they could wake up?

Suddenly, the scene before them changed again, and they were back in Du Yang's rental apartment.

The room was no longer as tidy as when they had left.

A thin layer of dust had settled on the table. A spilled cup of instant noodle soup had spread across the floor, and mold had started to grow.

Lu Yang stood still in the living room, his face pale. Fu Yan, as if struck by a thought, rushed into the bedroom.

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