A simple sentence appeared as an obvious rhetorical question to the onlookers who were watching the drama, a reminder to Song Fu that she did not have that right, but to Lu Yan Zhi, the person involved, it was truly just a straightforward question.
Winter break was already short to begin with, and it passed in the blink of an eye. The number of times the other side had proactively contacted him could be counted on one hand.
It was clearly he who had wanted to act a bit more aloof, out of the notion that he did not want to cause misunderstandings… Even if they really had to talk, it should be done step by step—start with a video call or meet in person or something.
But the reality was that, let alone any “gradual progress” in their relationship, it was good enough that it had not gone to zero.
Lu Yan Zhi had even suspected at one point that fufu was going to quit the game, deleting his contact info out of the blue.
But now it seemed she had just been too busy. Once she had free time, she came online and acted like she was burning with rage, as if she cared about him that much.
…
Meanwhile, on the other side, Song Fu stared at those simple six characters, her peach-blossom eyes narrowing slightly as she pondered how to reply. The supporting female lead bullied the weak and feared the strong, so when the other side got tough, she had to correspondingly soften up.
Her slender, pale fingers tapped on the screen, typing and deleting a few simple lines over and over, until she finally gritted her teeth and sent them out.
fufu: No.
Fufu: We’re just people who met in the game. We haven’t even met in person, so actually, I’m not that angry. I know what you mean.
fufu: But Brother, you still owe me that wedding. You’re not going back on your word, are you? I’ve been looking forward to it! [throwing tantrum.jpg]
Lu Yan Zhi lowered his gaze to the phone screen, his thin lips pursing lightly, as if he had encountered a tricky problem.
Of course, in fact, it really was.
The second sentence sounded angry, no doubt.
The third sentence seemed like she was just coquettishly throwing a tantrum.
He could never figure her out.
She knew what he meant? By “You went completely offline. If you aren’t in the queue, you get skipped. Reapplying has a cooldown.”
fufu: Okay okay okay, it’s all my fault.
Lu Yan Zhi: “…”
Yan: That’s not what I meant.
fufu: Not talking to you anymore. I still have to pack my luggage. Bye.
Yan: Brush-off.
Yan: Once you’re back in school, it’ll be hard for me to get online.
After waiting a while with no reply from the other side, Lu Yan Zhi set down his phone and lightly tsked. “Doesn’t know to ask why?”
On the other side, Song Fu made the same motion. She let out a breath and evaluated her own performance: “Not bad.”
She had to throw a tantrum, but she could not actually fall out with the male lead, because the supporting female lead was just taking a coquettish stance. Actually falling out came later, in the plot where the male lead’s middle school photos leaked.
Song Fu picked up her phone again and skillfully opened the Game Forum, refreshing a few times until she finally saw the post related to her and the male lead—
That Single-Character Bigshot’s Romance Partner Hasn’t Quit the Game After All, Came Online Today to Throw a Tantrum at the Bigshot, Screenshots Inside#
Song Fu silently gave it a like and quietly awaited further developments.
Meanwhile, on the other side, Lu Yan Zhi’s gaming buddy had also heard the rumors. He scrolled through the post from start to finish, got a rough idea of the situation, and then sent a message: Brother Lu, so your romance partner hasn’t quit the game after all.
Yan: Mm.
Tianxia Wudi: Seriously, her online times don’t match the game’s rhythm at all. If you’re really after the cultivation methods and outfits, I suggest swapping for a stable tool romance partner sooner rather than later.
Yan: She seems jealous.
Friend: “…” Wasn’t that obvious? But more precisely: Worrying about your wallet getting snatched is human nature [distorted yellow face.jpg].
Yan: ?
Tianxia Wudi: ?
The friend did not understand what was so puzzling about that, and then three seconds later, a long message came from the other side—
Yan: No. If she loves money, she should stay online in the game coaxing me all the time, not disappear for seven or eight days at a drop of a hat with no proactive messages, unwilling to say what she’s doing, and then throw a tantrum.
From those lines, the friend read a hint of resentment, as if Brother Lu had been quite looking forward to being coaxed.
He had to admit, that did make some sense, but it could also be explained by another reason: The water from the faucet does not turn cold for no reason. Could it be something she could not say outright? Like having a boyfriend in real life she’s hot and heavy with, too busy for the game?
Tianxia Wudi: And now that she’s free lately, she sees you’ve hooked up with someone else and comes to declare sovereignty?
Yan: No hooking up.
Tianxia Wudi: …That’s not the point.
The friend stuck to his own rhythm.
Tianxia Wudi: Or maybe she’s playing the long game to hook a big fish. Anyway, don’t fall for it.
The friend let out a long breath, gave himself a mental thumbs-up for caring about his bro, thinking that with things said so clearly, Brother Lu should not keep playing the sucker. Then he received the latest message.
Yan: So you mean I’m being treated like a backup?
Tianxia Wudi: No no no.
Just a wallet, not quite to backup level. The friend did not dare say it outright and repeated: Anyway, don’t fall for it.
He exited the chat window.
Lu Yan Zhi’s lips pressed into a straight line, his handsome face as black as the bottom of a pot. If his younger brother saw that expression, he would be scared breathless.
It was actually just a bored guess, but Lu Yan Zhi thought of that person sweetly calling another “Brother” and felt extremely irritated.
That person—he did not even know her real name, only occasionally hearing “fufu” from her dormmate’s mouth.
It seemed like only he cared.
Lu Yan Zhi ground his back molars. This was not right.
School started.
Song Fu moved back into the dorm and spent most of her time in the game every day.
According to the plot, upon discovering a rival, the supporting female lead felt an unprecedented sense of crisis. After calming down, she realized that quarreling was useless and would only push him further away, so she paid even more attention to the male lead—various proactive concerns and making conversation out of nothing… Of course, her efforts only annoyed him as disturbances.
Each time, it wore down what little patience the male lead had left for her.
Given the previous situation, the System had worried at one point that this plot segment would not go smoothly, but reality turned out different from what it expected. The male lead did show the cold indifference called for in the plot.
Specifically, when Song Fu rattled off a bunch of messages, he would pop out with a “Mm,” and in the game, he no longer proactively invited Song Fu to play together—a stark contrast to before. But if one had to tally it up, their exchanges and logins had not decreased, because whenever Song Fu took the initiative, he never refused once.
[‘It should keep going smoothly like this, right?’] The System thought uneasily, unable to be sure.
Song Fu did not like making guarantees, but her mentality was still pretty good. She was completing the daily task of harassing the male lead: first sending a photo of the two little snowmen she had made on the balcony, then a shot of her fingers red from the cold after playing in the snow: Brother, look, I made these by hand~
Fufu: One is Brother, one is me. How are they?
Lu Yan Zhi saw the message.
He saved the photo of the little snowmen, then looked at that slender, pretty hand with its knuckles red from the cold, sent as if deliberately to make him feel sorry for her. This little trick was so obvious anyone could see through it, yet it worked.
Yan: Cute.
Fufu: [kitten looking up.jpg]
Lu Yan Zhi’s mouth curved up slightly, then he quickly flattened it upon realizing.
Was the other side a mind reader in his belly?
Just when he had finally steeled himself with effort to pull away from the game, she suddenly acted like she really wanted to share her real life with him. Before, the pictures she sent were either emoticons or things she wanted to buy, always with the price uncropped—the hint obvious.
Good thing it was through a screen; face-to-face and she would probably empty his pockets…
With his leg injury healed, even Lu Yan Zhi could hardly believe it—he let his sports car gather dust and still sat in front of the computer playing the game.
Lu Yan Zhi tapped the phone screen and, like before, sent a red packet.
The other side claimed it instantly.
Fufu: Brother, actually I didn’t want money, but you’re too good to me! [bixin.jpg]
Fufu: Off to class~
Lu Yan Zhi: “…” If only she had taken it two seconds later.
He sent the red packet entirely to calm himself down, to remind himself that the other side just liked money, nothing more. And she was very “cooperative,” never disappointing—took the money and ran, never starting another topic after thanking him.
With such obvious intent, who else would give her money?
Lu Yan Zhi wordlessly replied with a period.
On the other side, Song Fu had the exact opposite train of thought.
Lately, the male lead had shown coldness, so she figured her messages were unwelcome. Interpreting his red packet on top of annoyance meant he was using it to shut her up.
As a money-loving supporting female lead, of course she had to play along.
“I’m going to pick up a package. Anyone coming?” Her dormmate climbed down from the upper bunk with her phone.
Song Fu was the first to raise her hand. “Me.”
The dormmate asked: “What’d you buy?”
A skirt set, one perfectly suited for photos that made her legs look incredibly long and pretty. Song Fu had discussed it with the System for half the night two days ago before buying it, because the plot was approaching where the supporting female lead ran out of tricks and tried to seduce with beauty.
The sky was overcast gray, and going out offered no sense of refreshing weather. There was still unmelted snow in the roadside flower beds, and a gust of wind on the road brought biting cold.
“I nearly froze to death in PE class.” The boy in school uniform regretted immensely not dressing thicker right now. Forget grace over warmth—he probably looked like a total wimp huddled on the field.
He glanced at Lu Yan Zhi, who had stayed in the classroom, sighing at heaven’s unfairness for the hundred-and-second time. If he had even half that guy’s looks, he would not be failing to chase his goddess.
The boy walked over and struck up a conversation: “Hey, Brother Lu, racing next week? Let me show you how badass my car’s mods are.”
Lu Yan Zhi lifted his thin eyelids lazily. “No time.”
“You’re not telling me you’re staying home to play that game. It’s just that—haven’t you had enough?” The friend could not understand at all.
Lu Yan Zhi shook his head. “Not that.”
“Then what are you doing?” The boy really wanted to show off.
“Going to a birthday party. My brother’s.” Lu Yan Zhi answered expressionlessly.
The boy got it and awkwardly replied, “Oh, like that.” Since they were close, he knew the specifics of Lu Yan Zhi’s family situation—summed up in two words: “favoritism,” and never hidden.
No wonder he had looked in a bad mood earlier. “Actually, you could find an excuse not to go?”
Lu Yan Zhi: “I promised Cheng Yuan.”
He did not intend to break his word.