Responses
Based on my understanding, the present is the REAL WORLD.
The book or novel is their FIRST LIFE. And the memory that Huimin has and believed to be real is actually a FAKE WORLD built from Huimin's drawing. Hope that helps,, my English sucks.
Its a bit confusing because he said they were from a book and that this world is built by Huimin, by his drawings. THEN WHERE IS THE REAL WORLD?? Did he break the 4th wall or something