Clothes, blankets, and pillows lay scattered along the edge of the bed and on the floor. The air was still humid with lingering heat, and though it was unclear how much time had passed, their heavy breaths continued rhythmically, never quite pausing.

Outside the curtains, the stars slowly shifted, and the soft glow of the streetlamp was gradually replaced by the first rays of the morning sun.

Bai Fanlu lay weakly, his body surrendered to the moment, muttering, “You… enough already…”

Yun Zhan held his hand, intertwining their fingers. “Seven times… it’s not enough…”

Exhausted and drowsy, Bai Fanlu could hardly catch his breath. “You really… why not just… let me die already…”

Yun Zhan chuckled softly. “Oh, my dear brother, you shouldn’t say things like that in bed—it could be dangerous…”

“You… you rogue!”

“Well, who told you to seduce me? Talking about… ‘moderation’ and ‘restraint’…”

His movements matched the tempo of those words, and Bai Fanlu whimpered softly, his tear-filled eyes glaring at the one responsible.

But that glare had no real intimidation, and it only encouraged Yun Zhan further. With relentless energy, he drove forward until reaching the peak, unwilling to stop.

The result? After their first taste of indulgence, the two didn’t leave the bed for an entire day and night. To be more precise, one of them had to be carried out of bed.

Bai Fanlu’s throat was hoarse—he couldn’t even muster the strength to curse.

Sensing the situation, Yun Zhan attentively fed him, gave him water, bathed him, and even rubbed his back with great care. He played the role of a devoted caretaker, tending to every need until Bai Fanlu was lying comfortably in bed again.

Of course, the bedsheets had been changed—the previous ones were beyond salvage.

Still, Yun Zhan washed the old sheets and hung them to dry. As Bai Fanlu watched him on the balcony, the flush on his face was both shy and charming.

“Feeling embarrassed? You were so bold last night.”

Yun Zhan slipped under the blanket and snuggled against the warm body next to him, thinking how his brother was even more seductive when tipsy. He made a mental note to keep more alcohol stocked in the house for future occasions.

Bai Fanlu, still weak in all his limbs, responded with silence as a form of protest.

Yun Zhan smiled and kissed his forehead. “Brother, it’s so good that you finally trust me. I know there are still things that trouble you, but now I can be honest with you. I didn’t mean to deceive you. It was all so we could be together in the future.”

Bai Fanlu looked up at him.

Yun Zhan gently caressed the corner of his eye. “Someone told me that I couldn’t reveal my true identity to you; you had to recognize me first, and only after you admitted you liked me would we break the curse that kept us apart lifetime after lifetime.”

“Someone?”

“Yes, that someone is another version of you, the Creator God.”

Yun Zhan took Bai Fanlu’s hand, kissing each finger gently with a reverence that made it seem as though he was worshipping his most cherished deity.

Bai Fanlu had already faintly suspected it. The cryptic words spoken by the white figure in the final epic quest began to make sense.

The other half of the Creator God’s soul and power…

He recalled the familiar feeling he’d had with Jiu Laoxian, and their handshake at the end. Meeting another version of himself from millennia ago was truly a wonder.

“It was that version of you who orchestrated your entry into the world of my novel. But strictly speaking, you didn’t enter the novel at all. I actually arrived here before you did… it’s a long story, so let me explain from the beginning.”

“Alright.”

Bai Fanlu adjusted his position slightly, and Yun Zhan propped up some pillows for support. They nestled together.

“Does your back still hurt?”

“It’s okay.”

Yun Zhan smiled and kissed Bai Fanlu’s cheek. “Alright, I’ll start then. I began recovering memories of my past life after the year you had your accident.”

“Our past life was exactly as I wrote in the first novel. As for why things happened that way, you should understand from reading the second part. I had to be cruel to you; if I hadn’t been, it would have cost you your life.”

“In the second part, I wrote that we were reborn, but in reality, we weren’t. I’m not as powerful as you; I don’t know how to reverse time. Besides, rebirth wouldn’t have made a difference for us. Even if we had another chance, I would still have to hurt you to save you.”

Bai Fanlu asked, “So then, what was the second part about?”

“I wrote it after we returned to this world, based on what we went through. But all of that was actually part of a layered chess game between the Creator God and Darkness. That’s why, despite all the time that passed there, only a day had passed here.”

“A layered chess game?”

Bai Fanlu was surprised. No wonder… it was like a game within a game—a vast and complex one!

“I had wanted to write our story as a novel for a long time, but I never had the right opportunity. Back in school, I was focused on making a name for myself and earning money. When I finally got into university, I made extra cash by ghostwriting. One day, an editor approached me and suggested I try writing my own novel. I gave it a shot, and unexpectedly, I gained a small following.”

“As for why I didn’t publish the first part of ‘Immortal and Demon’ until recently, it’s actually because of you.”

“Because of me?”

Yun Zhan pinched Bai Fanlu’s cheek. “Of course, because of you.”

“I heard from my second sister that you were working in audio post-production. Later, by chance, I saw the name ‘Bai Xiaolu’ on the production list of a drama adaptation of one of my novels. My first instinct was that it was you. When I heard your voice, I was certain.”

“You hadn’t even spoken to me.”

Bai Fanlu rarely spoke in the group chats, and it was only recently that he had been coaxed into sending a voice message. They were separated when they were still young, so Yun Zhan recognizing him couldn’t have been based on that group voice chat.

“I heard your voice at the bubble tea shop you frequent.”

“Bubble tea shop? You mean… you’ve been…”

Bai Fanlu sat up in excitement, only to wince in pain, sucking in a breath. Yun Zhan quickly started massaging his waist. “Don’t move so quickly. Just think of me as a creepy stalker. What can I say? I’m shameless.”

Yun Zhan put on a pitiful expression. “It’s just a shame you always came and went so quickly. You never noticed me… But to be honest, I was also afraid you’d see me.”

“Afraid it would harm me?”

“Of course not… I was afraid that if you saw how handsome I am, you’d fall for me at first sight.”

Bai Fanlu made a move to hit him, but Yun Zhan caught his fist.

After some playful banter, Yun Zhan continued, “Later, I started secretly following you online. I noticed you had a preference for a certain type of voice, so I mimicked that tone and began voice acting. I didn’t expect to reel you in so easily.”

“Reel…” Bai Fanlu realized he had been Yun Zhan’s ‘big catch’ from the beginning. He replied dryly, “Your voice really is versatile.”

“Of course! Oh, by the way, you mentioned on Weibo that you had trouble sleeping, so I recorded a bedtime story for you.”

“That was you…? You recorded it just for me?”

“Of course. Who else?” Yun Zhan playfully tapped Bai Fanlu’s nose. “I would’ve loved to tell you in person, but since I couldn’t, I spread the love a little and made it public.”

Bai Fanlu’s face turned a little red. “And then? What made you decide to publish the novel?”

“The real reason is that I wanted to make it into a radio drama, so I could use my idol persona to attract you. If everything went well, I could even trick you into voicing a CP.”

“Why did you want me to do the voice acting?”

“Isn’t it obvious? Even if we couldn’t be together in real life, at least we could have a romance in the second dimension. Plus, there was the H scene. I saved the audio for, you know, those lonely nights…”

“Stop… I get it! That part in the novel with my inner demons—that wasn’t even real, was it? You wrote that on purpose!”

“Of course not… I was just giving voice to your innermost desires…”

As Yun Zhan spoke, his hands started wandering again, catching Bai Fanlu off guard. Bai Fanlu tried to resist, gasping, “Stop it… My waist still hurts…”

Yun Zhan pulled back, kissed him on the lips, and said, “Don’t worry, I’m not that much of a brute. I’ll give you two days to rest.”

“Thanks… I guess.”

Seeing Bai Fanlu’s pained expression, Yun Zhan laughed. “Alright, I’ll stop teasing. Let me continue. After I published the first part of ‘Immortal and Demon,’ you know how badly I got criticized. Even you scolded me.”

Bai Fanlu felt guilty. It seemed his anonymous account had been discovered.

“Of course, I deliberately didn’t redeem myself in the first part. I planned to write the second part where I’d chase after you for redemption, leading to a happy ending. But I didn’t expect the readers to hold such a deep grudge, especially you…”

Yun Zhan poked Bai Fanlu’s forehead. “After I replied to your comment, that’s when I got transported into the novel.”

“What?” Bai Fanlu was surprised. So Yun Zhan had arrived before him.

“When I entered, I first encountered the Creator God. I didn’t know who he was at the time, nor did I realize he was another version of you. Although I had memories of our first life, I didn’t know your true identity. All I knew was that you were a demon god with dark energy inside you.”

“But in reality, you’re the mirrored reflection of the Creator God, possessing half of his soul and power. You once used time-reversing magic to alter history. I only learned the full truth during the final epic quest.”

“Now you’ve probably guessed, right? When we split up, I went left, and you went right. It was me who was voice acting with you, and the Creator God recorded it all using the system.”

“When I first arrived, the Creator God made three rules. First, I had to follow the tasks and complete the plot. Second, I couldn’t reveal that I was from another world. Third, I had to protect you and ensure you survived. That’s when I realized this wasn’t just a story but part of a chess match between the Creator God and Darkness.”

“The layered chess match… He told you about that?”

“Yes. The Creator God said he knew our story and that he could use the Heavenly Tribulation to help us break the curse. But I had to cooperate with him. Although I didn’t know him, I sensed a familiar connection to you, so I agreed.”

“Later, when he pulled you into the world, I noticed the change in your attitude toward me and realized you had crossed over too. But because of the three rules, I couldn’t say anything.”

“Oh, and there’s one more thing you should know…” Yun Zhan grinned mischievously. “The Creator God told me he gave Darkness a three-move advantage at the start.”

“Three moves ahead?” Bai Fanlu asked, puzzled. “What does that mean?”

Yun Zhan held back his laughter. “Remember how you kept getting inexplicably injured at the beginning? And your weapon broke…”

“What? So it was because of that!” Bai Fanlu was speechless. He’d wondered why he’d been so unlucky.

“And not just that. The way I had to act toward you at first—getting physical and making you misunderstand me—that was all part of Darkness’s plan. The Creator God let it happen to give him the advantage.”

Bai Fanlu finally understood why Yun Zhan had been so unbearable at the beginning. The root of the issue lay in this chess match!

And if Yun Zhan had been following the Creator God’s instructions, then it wasn’t hard to guess that Bai Fanlu’s “system” had also been orchestrated by the Creator God. That’s why every side quest and hidden task had been interconnected.

As for the so-called “reader’s imagination,” which the system initially said was energy scattered throughout the book’s world—well, it was probably based on comments left by the original book’s readers, inspiring the Creator God’s moves. For instance, the recurring theme of cross-dressing… Bai Fanlu remembered it appearing countless times in the comment section of the original novel.

And as for the “author’s obsession,” that was clearly Yun Zhan’s influence. The meaning behind it was now perfectly clear.

Bai Fanlu couldn’t help but laugh, “It’s because of your behavior at the start. When you later said you were Xiao Liu, my first thought was that you must be crazy—how could someone with such a different personality be the same person?”

“I’m sorry, brother. It was all my fault,” Yun Zhan hugged Bai Fanlu. “But now you know, I had my reasons.”

“Compared to you knowing nothing, I knew everything but couldn’t say a word or show any expression. I had to keep getting misunderstood, disliked, and even abandoned by you… I definitely had it worse, didn’t I? Don’t you agree?”

As Yun Zhan spoke, he nuzzled into Bai Fanlu’s shoulder, pulling that puppy-eyed, pleading expression that made it impossible to resist. Bai Fanlu surrendered, laughing.

“Yes, yes, you had it worse.”

“How will you make it up to me, then?” Yun Zhan took the opportunity to press further.

“…Didn’t I just make it up to you last night?” Bai Fanlu muttered softly in complaint.

Yun Zhan grinned mischievously, “Brother, you’ve got a dirty mind. What are you thinking?”

Bai Fanlu’s face flushed bright red. “You…”

Yun Zhan kissed him, “I want you to move in with me.”

“What?” Move in together? Wasn’t that a bit too fast? But then again, considering everything, they were practically an old married couple already.

“Come on, brother. If you move in, it’ll be easier for us to work on the voice acting together.”

“I… let me think about it.”

“It’s almost the end of the month, right? Time to pay rent again? Renting is an expense, but my place has no rent, no mortgage. If you move in, you could save that money and send it to your second sister’s family. Wouldn’t that be better? A few thousand yuan could cover a month’s worth of baby formula.”

Yun Zhan’s eyes gleamed with a hint of scheming.

“That… does make sense…” Bai Fanlu hesitated.

Yun Zhan threw off the blanket and jumped out of bed. “It’s decided then! I’ll help you pack right now!”

“Wait!” Bai Fanlu tried to stop him but then realized something was off. “How did he know I pay rent at the end of the month…? Yun Zhan! Come back here!”

Though the process was a bit chaotic, the sweet, domestic life of the two husbands officially began.

One day, Bai Fanlu sat in front of his computer, rubbing his sore waist while opening QQ. He found the list of active users oddly quiet.

Bai Xiaolu: “Why haven’t you been nagging me about the dry recordings? I’m not used to this.”

Planner – Jian Ling: “You already submitted them.”

Bai Xiaolu: “Submitted?”

That can’t be right, Bai Fanlu thought. He was stuck on a difficult H scene. And besides, Yun Zhan had just returned from an author’s event out of town and had kept him exhausted for two nights straight. How would he have found the time or energy to record anything?

Planner – Jian Ling: “You sent it last night at midnight. Are you telling me you were sleepwalking?”

Bai Xiaolu: “Midnight?”

Planner – Jian Ling: “You seriously don’t remember? Here, do you want to listen to it yourself? You didn’t even check it after you recorded it? Tsk tsk… That moaning, the background sounds… I swear, I almost—wait a minute!”

Bai Xiaolu: “?”

Planner – Jian Ling: “Hold on! I just realized something. The file you sent me is a combined recording of you two… Wait, wait… Don’t tell me it wasn’t a recording, but an actual live performance?!”

Bai Fanlu’s mind went blank. He hurriedly opened his email to check the sent folder and, sure enough, there was a file sent at 2 a.m. last night.

He had been fast asleep at that time! So…

“Brother!” Yun Zhan approached, his hand naturally resting on Bai Fanlu’s waist. “I made porridge. Do you want to eat here or in the dining room? If you want to eat in the dining room, I’ll bring out the cushion for you.”

Bai Fanlu turned around, pointing at the computer screen. “What’s the meaning of this?”

Yun Zhan glanced at the screen and, without missing a beat, replied calmly, “Oh, that. The planner kept bugging you for the recording, so I just submitted it to save her the hassle.”

“You… How did you record that?”

“That’s easy.” Yun Zhan pulled out a small voice recorder from under the pillow. “This. It’s a top-quality local brand, only 999 yuan.”

Bai Fanlu’s eye twitched uncontrollably.

Yun Zhan continued, “Did you listen to it? The sound quality is amazing, capturing every detail perfectly. No need for post-editing. Just add a little background music, and it’s good to go. This way, you don’t even have to do extra work.”

Now it wasn’t just Bai Fanlu’s eyelid twitching—his hands were itching too.

Feigning surprise, Yun Zhan said, “Brother, what’s with that expression? If you’re not satisfied, we can always record it again. How about now?”

“Yun Zhan, go to hell!”

Unfortunately, Yun Zhan didn’t end up in hell. Instead, he pinned Bai Fanlu back in the chair, whispering in his ear with that sultry, spine-tingling breath.

“Brother… I already died several times last night… But if you want to go again, I don’t mind…”

“Be honest… During moments like this, which voice do you like the most? My boyish voice? My imperial voice? Or… maybe this natural, unfiltered one…”

“I… I don’t like any of them…”

I’m going to die. My ears can’t take this! Bai Fanlu’s mind helplessly teetered between drowning in ecstasy and despair.

Yun Zhan’s breath brushed against his earlobe. “Oh, you like them all? Well then, I’ll just have to try each one and see which one drives you crazy the most.”

“Hey… stop it… it’s morning… I haven’t even had breakfast yet, you beast!”

Their playful banter turned into the sound of clothes being torn off and passionate kisses.

Meanwhile, the computer screen showed that the planner’s QQ icon was still flashing persistently, ding ding ding ding.

Planner – Jian Ling: “Hey, Xiao Bai, why aren’t you responding?”

Planner – Jian Ling: “Hmm… I sense something steamy going on…”

Planner – Jian Ling: “No way… You guys aren’t seriously fooling around in broad daylight, right? Knock it off!”

Planner – Jian Ling: “But honestly, why is there no video? Just listening to the audio isn’t enough!”

Planner – Jian Ling: “Ugh, seriously? Is it so hard to get a front-row seat to the drama these days? Do I need to crawl through the screen for my daily dose of romance?”

“Ugh, so annoying…”

With a sigh, someone’s hand nudged the mouse, clicking to close QQ, revealing a webpage.

It was a locked diary entry on QQ Space, the light blue background resembling stationery. Two lines of handwritten text were displayed:

“Why do I stay invisible to everyone but you?

Because I promised you: if I’m here, I’ll always be here.”

(The End)