I looked at Rachel Lan. Judging by the scene, it seemed the two of us were on a date. I was dressed casually, wearing sneakers, while Rachel Lan looked stunning in black shorts, her fair thighs exposed, paired with sandals. On top, she wore a white printed shirt, her long hair tied back.
"What are you looking at, Ethan? Is there something on me?"
Rachel Lan asked. I quickly dropped my suspicious look and glanced around, but then I realized—this must be a nightmare. I needed to do as Hu Tianshuo said and go in the opposite direction.
"Rachel, wait here for me a moment. I have something to take care of—I'll be right back."
I said this and walked straight into the crowd without looking back, scanning everywhere for anyone who seemed out of place in this dream world.
As I looked around, I suddenly noticed—a towering mountain right in the middle of this metropolis, wedged between skyscrapers. Its peak pierced the clouds, which curled around it, and I could see crowds of people climbing its slopes.
"Ethan, what are you doing on such a nice date? If you won't go, I will."
It was my cousin. In the crowd, his voice came from the side. I turned my head—Howard Zhang, dressed coolly, grinned at me from behind the wheel of a sports car.
"What are you doing, Howard?"
Howard laughed and said.
"I'll help you with your date, Ethan. You don't want to go, right? I'll do it for you." Howard Zhang said, starting up his sports car.
Howard Zhang drove his sports car away. As I watched, the street warped into a highway, pedestrians drifting along the sidewalks.
"Damn," I muttered under my breath. Howard kept provoking me.
"Ethan, she's a great girl. If you don't want her, I'll go after her. Don't blame me later."
"Go on, hurry up. Right now."
I snapped, irritation rising. Howard Zhang revved his sports car past me, horn blaring, his smug grin lingering as he vanished down the road.
Annoyed, I wanted to yank Howard out and rough him up, but then I remembered that dream—him pinned under a burly man, doing unspeakable things. I couldn't help but laugh; somehow, it made me feel better.
I darted into a pedestrian street.
"What the hell is all this?" I couldn't help but shout. The street was packed with snack stalls, their lights flickering in the night. At one stall, Roger Lee and my old cleaning company colleagues were drinking together—yet, where I stood, it was still daytime.
Strangest of all, at the far end of the street, an amusement park loomed. A roller coaster thundered along its track, the riders' screams slicing through the air.