Propped up on pillows in her bedroom, Huang Xiu was half-reclining, covered by a blanket.
Noticing Yun Ning’s presence, a flicker of panic crossed her eyes, quickly followed by a deeply suppressed joy.
A faint blush, almost imperceptible to the naked eye, bloomed from the base of her fair, tender cheeks all the way to her earlobes.
Feeling suddenly flustered, she instinctively pulled the blanket higher, obscuring the lower half of her face.
It was as if this simple act could diminish her presence, concealing her awkwardness.
“Senior Male Student… you, you’re here,” the girl murmured shyly, only half her face visible.
Gone was the spirited, unrestrained, and vibrant aura Yun Ning had first observed in her; she now appeared delicate and fragile.
He was suddenly lost in a daze.
Yet, the next moment, his powerful willpower forcefully reined him in, pulling him back to reality.
“Junior Female Student Huang, I told you I’d come, did you expect it?”
Yun Ning smiled gently, taking a seat beside Huang Xiu. His deep black eyes mirrored the girl’s form, reflecting only tenderness and sincere concern.
With her three friends’ company, Huang Xiu’s spirits had lifted considerably, and her appearance had been somewhat tidied.
The tear stains on her face had been wiped away, and her messy hair and pajamas were now neatly arranged, no longer as disheveled as before.
“I didn’t expect it…” The girl’s sparkling eyes darted away.
“Because you’ve been so busy lately… but then I heard your voice, and I knew you were here.”
Yun Ning had been on another mission this weekend, so busy that he hadn’t even had time to log on and play games with her.
“I was indeed busy, still busy just now,” Yun Ning chatted casually.
“Is it very important? If it’s important, then you, then…”
Huang Xiu wanted Yun Ning to return to his duties, but the words caught in her throat, refusing to come out. Her face flushed even redder with urgency.
“Don’t worry, I won’t leave.” Yun Ning gently pressed his right hand on the edge of the blanket, conveying his resolve.
“Is that so?” Huang Xiu let out a sigh of relief.
“Are you feeling better now?” Yun Ning asked softly.
“Mm-hmm.” Huang Xiu nodded.
“Well, if you’re feeling better, why are you still hiding your face? Are you shy even with me?”
Huang Xiu’s voice involuntarily grew a little louder, though it still lacked confidence.
Her current fragile state was being witnessed by the Senior Male Student she admired and looked up to as a goal…
She was indeed shy, and a wave of shame, so intense it made her body tingle, washed over her.
“If not, then pull it down a little.”
Yun Ning didn’t expose Huang Xiu’s shyness. He reached out and gently tugged the blanket, looking at her face as he softly asked, “Is that alright?”
“Mm-hmm.” Huang Xiu’s voice was tiny, and muffled by the blanket, it became even more indistinct. Fearing Yun Ning hadn’t heard, she repeated it softly, “Mm-hmm.”
Yun Ning smiled, gently pulled back Huang Xiu’s blanket, and then immediately withdrew his hand.
“Seeing you in good spirits puts my mind at ease. By the way, does your stomach still hurt?”
“It still hurts a little, but if I wait a bit longer, it should stop.” Huang Xiu frowned slightly, a hint of distress on her face.
Her stomach pain came in waves; it wasn’t intensely sharp, but its constant presence was unsettling.
“Still hurting a bit, huh… That’s a shame! I was hoping to play something fun with you to cheer you up!” Yun Ning spread his hands and sighed.
“What is it?” Huang Xiu’s curiosity was piqued.
“It’s something that just came out, not long ago. This is the first time he’s seen the gray laptop bag always slung over their shoulder.”
A thought surged into her mind, and the girl’s beautiful eyes widened slightly. “Could it be?” she asked in disbelief.
“That’s right!”
Yun Ning presented the laptop bag like a treasured offering, bringing it to the front of his body, while mimicking Doraemon’s sound for revealing a new gadget.
“Ding ding ding ding ding! A laptop!”
“Junior Female Student Huang.”
He unzipped the laptop bag, revealing a sleek black gaming laptop, and with a slight smile, extended an invitation to Huang Xiu.
“Since we’ve been cooped up in the dorm all morning, how about we take a thrilling and exciting stroll through the Rift?”
Huang Xiu swallowed, then nodded vigorously. “Okay!”
Last weekend, Yun Ning had been busy, and she, finding it boring and lonely to play alone, hadn’t touched any games.
Adding last week to this week, it had been ten days since she last played.
While the game could become tedious after a long time, not playing for an extended period truly left her with a longing for it.
“Can you get out of bed? If not, we can play in bed.” Yun Ning took the laptop out of its bag.
Huang Xiu assessed her physical state.
Perhaps it was the infection of her mood, or the joy temporarily suppressing the pain, but her stomach no longer hurt as much as before.
“Yes, let’s play on the desk. My desk is quite large; two computers won’t be a problem.”
Huang Xiu’s desk was very tidy. She had only been at university for just over a month and hadn’t had time to accumulate too many杂物.
The two quickly cleared the desk and placed their computers upon it.
*Whoosh!*
Yun Ning placed the wooden armchair he’d brought from the living room down. Then, from somewhere, he produced two bottles of room-temperature Coca-Cola, placing them between their computers.
Now, everything was truly complete.
Meeting Huang Xiu’s astonished gaze, he smiled faintly. “Today, my goal is to ensure you have fun in the Rift with me. Preparations must be perfect.”
“Okay!” Huang Xiu giggled, her smile as radiant as a blooming flower.
****
“What do you think those two are doing now?”
In the dining hall, Fang Miaoging poked at the braised pork on her tray, her mind entirely focused on the bedroom, with no appetite for food.
“I can’t imagine,” Jia Qianrou shook her head.
“Hmm, I bet Xiu Xiu is too shy to speak up.”
Ying Zhiyu crunched on the crispy cartilage of her spare ribs, her words slightly muffled.
“Senior Male Student, step up! We’ve created the perfect opportunity for you,” Fang Miaoging said, a knowing, aunt-like smile on her face.
To ensure their ‘Xiu Xiu-jie’ was in a better state, she had even specifically tidied up her appearance.
Ying Zhiyu swallowed her mouthful. “So, are you two really going to help Senior Male Student Yun Ning? Didn’t he already clarify that matter on the forum himself?”
“What if he clarified it? Did he clarify that he doesn’t like Xiu Xiu?” Fang Miaoging said nonchalantly. “Besides, the fact that he dared to stand up and clarify shows that he at least has some sense of responsibility.”
“Alright,” Ying Zhiyu nodded.
Jia Qianrou glanced at the time. “We’ve been out for almost an hour. Let’s head back now.”
“Okay, we really can’t let them be alone together for too long.”
Fang Miaoging nodded.
She and Jia Qianrou had only intended to let the two of them have some private time as a test run.
They certainly wouldn’t dare to leave them alone for an entire afternoon.
What if Yun Ning turned out to be a wolf in sheep’s clothing? That would be a huge problem.
Tiandu University’s cafeteria served meals twenty-four hours a day.
After clearing their trays, they packed two portions of food and rushed back to Huang Xiu’s dorm without delay.
The moment they opened the door, they heard intense, continuous dialogue emanating from the innermost room.
“No, I’m out of health, I’m going to die!”
“Don’t worry, I’m holding my ultimate! Quick, get bigger! Senior Male Student, you’re empowered, rush in!”
“Dead, the enemy team is all dead! Junior Female Student, you’re amazing!”
“Senior Male Student, what a kill!”
“This…”
Fang Miaoging turned to look at Jia Qianrou, her eyes filled with helplessness.
She had never, in her wildest dreams, imagined that these two, left alone, would be like this.
‘We went through all that trouble to create alone time for you, and you’re playing board games!’
A torrent of unspoken complaints welled up in Fang Miaoging’s heart.
Yet, she had to admit, the conversations were so harmonious that she inexplicably felt a sense of a husband and wife singing in harmony.
Jia Qianrou returned a similarly helpless look; she clearly hadn’t anticipated this turn of events either.
However, after a moment’s thought, she immediately whispered, “Since they share a common hobby in gaming, the chances of them getting together might actually be quite high.”
“If that’s the case, then where are we now?”
Fang Miaoging spoke as she grabbed Ying Zhiyu, who was about to rush into the bedroom, her right hand naturally covering Ying Zhiyu’s mouth.
“Wuwuwu.” Ying Zhiyu wanted to say, ‘Let me in.’
“Let them play a bit longer.” Jia Qianrou placed the packed food on the floor and quietly retreated. Fang Miaoging followed suit, pulling the gesticulating Ying Zhiyu out as well.
“This is my dorm! Let me go back and rest!” Ying Zhiyu complained in a low voice.
“This is about your ‘Mama-jie’s’ lifelong happiness; bear with it for a while. Come to my dorm,” Fang Miaoging coaxed Ying Zhiyu until she calmed down.
Meanwhile, in the bedroom, Huang Xiu took off her headphones and looked suspiciously towards the dorm door.
She thought she had heard something.
“Your roommates are here with food. Do you want to eat now, or after this game?”
Yun Ning said, simultaneously controlling his game character to wreak havoc.
Although she was wearing headphones and the others had lowered their voices, for Huang Xiu, whose five senses were far more acute, it was no challenge.
“Let’s finish this game. I’m not hungry right now.” Huang Xiu shook her head. She hadn’t eaten breakfast and had been genuinely hungry before, but after a while, it was as if she had passed a certain threshold, and now she felt no hunger at all.
The two continued their battle in the Rift, quickly securing victory.
Watching the enemy’s crystal explode in animation, Huang Xiu expertly pressed the shortcut key to exit the game.
After a brief wait, the results screen popped up, and just like the last game, this one also belonged to Yun Ning.
Shadow Hunter, [S+ rating].
This record was undoubtedly impressive, akin to a small prodigy in the Platinum tier.
Huang Xiu stroked her mouse, smiling as she said, “Senior Male Student Yun’s skill has improved so quickly…”
From his first contact with the game until now, in just three weeks, Yun Ning had transformed from a complete novice to someone who could command lightning in the Platinum tier.
Even when duo queuing with Yun Ning, she could feel his strength increasing. While her own support, far exceeding their rank, and his Awakened individual’s powerful hand-eye coordination played a part, it was undeniable that Yun Ning had put in a great deal of effort into the game.
“Junior Female Student, I also have you to thank. Without you constantly playing with me and teaching me various techniques, I wouldn’t have grown so quickly,” Yun Ning said softly and humbly.
“You’ve been practicing hard yourself.”
Despite her words, Huang Xiu couldn’t help but feel a little happy being praised by Yun Ning.
How could she not be happy when such an exquisite Senior Male Student complimented her?
And indeed, it was Yun Ning. His emotions were always so humble and gentle.
“Come on, let’s eat first. Don’t let your stomach get too hungry.”
Yun Ning brought the food from the doorway into the dorm, and he and Huang Xiu began to eat, chatting about various interesting things as they did.
Of course, it was mainly Yun Ning talking and Huang Xiu listening.
After eating, they resumed their conquest of the Rift.
They played until six in the evening before finally stopping to rest.
Huang Xiu took a sip of Coke, secretly observing Yun Ning out of the corner of her eye as he looked down at his phone, replying to messages.
But even so, he noticed her. He put down his phone, smiled, and looked up at Huang Xiu, saying, “What’s wrong? Is there something on my face?”
“Nothing,” Huang Xiu whispered. She averted her gaze, looking out through the partially open curtains.
In the distance, the setting sun was a fiery red, with a sky full of burning fish-scale clouds. The orange-red sunlight spilled onto the green leaves, dyeing them golden.
She checked the time again; it was already six o’clock.
The sun was about to set, night was on its way, and today would end after nightfall. Then, tomorrow’s sun would rise as usual, and everything in the world would continue to operate.
But what about herself? What about her future?
Huang Xiu suddenly felt a surge of unease. How long could her close friends stay with her?
Ying Zhiyu said she was going to get married…
Jia Qianrou and Fang Miaoging would likely do the same, but at least they could accompany her until the end of university. Their contact shouldn’t break off after that…
But what about the Senior Male Student?
Huang Xiu looked at Yun Ning again, this time not with a sidelong glance, but directly.
Would he marry? Would he find a girlfriend?
All of it was unknown.
Even though he had explicitly said he didn’t want to date in university, people change.
It was often said that even a resolute woman feared a persistent suitor, and even the coldest man feared a woman’s relentless pursuit.
If Senior Female Student Wen Erya persisted…
There might come a day when she succeeded. And at that time, to avoid suspicion, would he distance himself from her?
“If it ends up being Senior Female Student Wen Erya, she would probably ask that of Senior Male Student…” Huang Xiu suddenly whispered.
Senior Female Student Wen Erya loved Yun Ning too much.
Although she didn’t know the reason, she could tell.
“What?” Yun Ning didn’t understand Huang Xiu’s meaning, a hint of confusion on his face.
“I said…” Huang Xiu looked up, her face earnest.
“Senior Male Student, even if you find a girlfriend… please, please don’t distance yourself from us.”
The setting sun dipped lower.
Just then, the evening light streamed through a gap in the curtains, falling upon the girl’s face, making the fine downy hairs glow. Her pair of moist eyes seemed to speak with lively intelligence.
“I want to always go on outings in the Rift with you, Senior Male Student,” she said.
Yun Ning could see seriousness and determination in Huang Xiu’s eyes. He knew this wasn’t Huang Xiu’s confession, nor a declaration of romantic affection.
It was simply Huang Xiu… she couldn’t bear to lose her relationship with him. She was merely expressing his importance in her heart in a slightly awkward way.
Yun Ning was completely stunned. ‘So… I’m already that important to her?’