After He Wuning returned to school, he didn’t move back into the dorms. Instead, he rented an apartment near campus.
Yi Luo also returned to the Special Combat Department—a division now dedicated to handling crimes related to the game. The job often required him to dash all over the world through portals to carry out missions.
Still, thanks to those portals, everyone could go home after work.
Yi Luo hardly ever went back to his own place. Instead, he constantly showed up carrying strange foods and bizarre little decorations from who-knows-which corner of the world, shamelessly treating He Wuning’s apartment as his own base of operations.
Like right now.
Wearing glasses, He Wuning sat expressionlessly at his computer, fingers flying across the keyboard as he worked on a final course assignment.
Yi Luo stood behind him, staring intensely. Fortunately, He Wuning had already developed the excellent habit of ignoring him. His eyes stayed fixed on the screen, fully focused on his work.
Unable to hold back any longer, Yi Luo reached out and hooked a finger around the frame of his glasses. While he was at it, he rubbed his cheek against He Wuning’s face and asked with a grin, “Since when did you start wearing glasses? Got nearsighted?”
“No. They’re plain lenses,” He Wuning replied. After a moment, he added, “I used to be nearsighted. Then I had corrective surgery. Wearing glasses just helps me concentrate. Why?”
Meeting his gaze, Yi Luo smiled. “Nothing. I just think you look special in glasses. Makes people want to—”
Thunk. Something crashed into Yi Luo’s foot. Grimacing, he grabbed his foot and looked down. “What the hell is this thing?!”
Installed inside a robotic vacuum cleaner and diligently doing housework, Q-chan said in a serious tone: “Large garbage detected. Unable to clean. Unable to clean.”
“Heh.” Yi Luo let out a cold laugh and lifted the pink robot vacuum by its body. “You suddenly decide to talk like a robot now? Doing this on purpose, aren’t you? Was sending you those flamingo feathers a waste?”
Q-chan spun its wheels rapidly in a threatening display and huffed: “Before, when Sweetie changed into sportswear, you said he looked special. When he wore a suit, you said he looked special too. Every single time you say ‘special,’ you drag him back into the game afterward! Don’t think I don’t know what you’re thinking. Whenever you say someone looks special, it means you want to do something bad!”
Q-chan quickly turned toward He Wuning. “Sweetie, don’t let him fool you!”
He Wuning pressed a hand to his forehead helplessly. “Don’t worry. I’m busy writing a report today. I won’t be fooled.”
Yi Luo’s ears practically perked up. Leaning over the computer, he asked, “Not today? Does that mean I can fool you tomorrow?”
He Wuning’s fingers froze on the keyboard. Frowning, he replied stiffly, “You’re not even guaranteed to make it back tomorrow...”
Taking advantage of the opening, Yi Luo grinned. “Got it. So as long as I make it back, it’s okay!”
Before He Wuning could finally lose his temper and throw him out, Yi Luo rolled up his sleeves and headed for the kitchen. “You keep working. I’ll make you something to eat. Is that fish I hauled up from the ocean trench still in the fridge?”
He Wuning lowered his eyes and resumed typing. “Yeah. I cut off a section and put it in the freezer.”
Yi Luo clicked his tongue. “That thing only has atmosphere if you eat the whole fish.”
“That fish was huge. Did you think my refrigerator could store a corpse?” He Wuning didn’t even look up. His tone was unfriendly, but the corners of his mouth curled slightly.
“Hah. I’ve been away on missions for three days, and the salt shaker’s still exactly where I left it.” Yi Luo’s voice drifted out from the kitchen as he rummaged around. He poked his head out. “Don’t tell me you spent all three days ordering takeout again?”
Pretending to be engrossed in his computer, He Wuning didn’t answer.
Yi Luo snorted. “Hmph. I already told you, takeout—”
He Wuning looked up helplessly. “Are you my mother?”
After a pause, he corrected himself. “Actually, no. My mother wouldn’t say things like that. She’d probably order takeout with me.”
That immediately energized Yi Luo. “When should I show Mom what I can do? She’s never tasted my cooking, right?”
After thinking about it, He Wuning said, “She has mentioned wanting to meet you before.”
A loud clang came from the kitchen—the sound of a basin hitting the floor. It was rare to see Yi Luo lose his composure. He Wuning raised an eyebrow, finding it amusing. “Careful. The neighbors downstairs are going to come up and complain.”
“Ahem.” Carrying the basin awkwardly, with a huge misshapen fish head still inside, Yi Luo appeared at the kitchen doorway. Trying to sound casual, he asked, “S-so let Auntie He meet me. It’s not like I’ve got anything to hide. She’s probably seen what I look like on the news before anyway...”
“My mom and dad have also said they’d like to meet you. I was worried they might scare you off, so I never brought it up. But maybe...” He tested the waters. “Should I arrange for everyone to meet sometime?”
He Wuning wasn’t particularly opposed. He just found it funny. “A minute ago you were shamelessly calling her ‘Mom.’ Now she’s suddenly ‘Auntie He?’”
“Ahem. Different situations.” Clearing his throat, Yi Luo lowered his voice. “So, what kind of style does your mom like? Should I dress casually? Formally? Or maybe wear my combat uniform so I look reliable?”
Amused, He Wuning looked at him. “Why do you care whether she likes it? Why not ask whether I like it?”
Yi Luo instantly regained his confidence. “No need to ask. You definitely like all of them.”
He Wuning’s face darkened. Narrowing his eyes, he slowly scanned the room.
“What are you looking for?” Yi Luo asked curiously.
He Wuning let out a cold laugh. “I’m looking for something suitable to kill someone with and hide the body.”
“Yikes.” Yi Luo shook his head. “Hurry up and finish your homework. I’m making dinner.”
To his credit, Yi Luo did exactly what he said. He honestly behaved himself during dinner and didn’t try anything inappropriate. Compared to his usual self, he was like a completely different person. He Wuning found himself sneaking a few extra glances at him.
After dinner, He Wuning went back to his coursework. With nothing else to do, Yi Luo sat beside him and started writing a self-criticism report.
He was being so unusually well-behaved that He Wuning couldn’t help asking: “Why are you writing another self-criticism? What did you do this time?”
“Haven’t done anything yet. I’m preparing in advance.” Yi Luo chewed on his pen with the air of a seasoned veteran. “I’ll end up needing one sooner or later anyway.”
Speechless, He Wuning looked at him, stood up, and lightly kicked him. “Go to sleep.”
“You’re done already?” Yi Luo sprang to his feet, suddenly energized. He Wuning immediately became wary. But even after Yi Luo obediently lay down on the bed, there was still no sign that he intended to do anything improper.
Yi Luo wrapped him firmly in his arms. The steady rhythm of his breathing brushed against the back of He Wuning’s head. Lying awake with his eyes open, He Wuning thought in confusion: Could it be that he’s actually behaving himself today?
He lightly kicked Yi Luo. “It’s too hot.”
Not only did Yi Luo refuse to let go, he shamelessly pressed even closer. “Then turn on the air conditioner.”
He Wuning: “......!”
He closed his eyes.
His sleep that night was somewhat restless. Half-awake in the middle of the night, he vaguely sensed that the warmth beside him had disappeared. Maybe he had kicked Yi Luo off the bed, or maybe—
He Wuning opened his eyes. Yi Luo was no longer beside him.
Propping himself up, he glanced out the window. Stars hung in the dark sky. It was still the middle of the night.
He parted his lips. “Q, what time is it?”
“4:56 a.m.,” Q-chan replied. “Sweetie, why are you awake?”
The little robot sounded worried. “A car just drove by. Did it wake you up again?”
He Wuning shook his head.
After leaving the game, there had been a period when even the sound of a passing car outside his window would startle him awake. His sleep quality had been terrible. Only recently had he gradually overcome the habit of waking at the slightest disturbance. Yet tonight, Yi Luo had disappeared from his side without him noticing. That probably meant he had relaxed too much.
It wasn’t unusual for Yi Luo to leave in the middle of the night. Criminal incidents didn’t choose convenient times, and whenever there was an urgent mission, Yi Luo would leave without hesitation. But this was the first time He Wuning had failed to notice.
His brows drew together slightly. Lately, his vigilance seemed to have dropped considerably.
Massaging his temples with a headache, He Wuning knew that if he told Yi Luo this, the man would definitely smugly claim it was because his movements were completely silent and that it proved He Wuning felt safe around him. Even so, the thought irritated him for some reason.
He got out of bed, intending to pour himself a glass of water and calm the inexplicable frustration.
After only two steps, he sharply noticed a faint light shining through the crack beneath the tightly closed bathroom door.
He glanced toward the entrance. Yi Luo’s shoes were gone. So the person in the bathroom...
After a brief hesitation, He Wuning slowed his steps and approached the door. He gently turned the handle with enough care not to alert whoever was inside. It wasn’t locked.
He looked back at Q-chan. The pink robot vacuum blinked its lights. Silently, He Wuning mouthed: “Turn off the light.”
Click. The instant the bathroom light went out, He Wuning shoved the door open and charged inside, attacking the silhouette without hesitation.
The figure was clearly startled. He blocked one of He Wuning’s strikes before letting out a muffled grunt.
He Wuning’s movements paused. The next second, his wrist was seized. He was spun around and pinned against a warm chest. One hand held his wrist while the other wrapped tightly around his waist, restricting his movements. A chuckle sounded beside his ear. “Is this really how you welcome me home?”
Facing the mirror, He Wuning finally got a clear look at Yi Luo in the moonlight.
He was dressed in black combat gear. Water droplets still clung to his face. The faucet behind him was running in an extremely thin stream. Apparently, he had only just returned.
After a moment of silence, He Wuning asked, “Just got back from a mission?”
“Mm.” Yi Luo answered without releasing him. Resting against the back of his neck, he smiled helplessly. “I thought you wouldn’t notice. I even came in through the window. Did I wake you up?”
He Wuning lowered his eyes. It wasn’t the noise from the bathroom. It was because the warmth behind him had disappeared. And there was absolutely no way Yi Luo could ever be allowed to know that.
Pressing his lips together, he remained silent.
From outside the bathroom, Q-chan called anxiously, “Sweetie, are you okay?”
“I’m fi—” Before He Wuning could finish speaking, Yi Luo’s hand had already slipped beneath the hem of his pajama top, sliding along his waist.
Lowering his gaze, He Wuning immediately caught his hand. Yi Luo laughed softly and kissed the spot behind his ear before calling toward the door: “It’s fine. I’m back.”
“Oh! You came back so quickly today!” Q-chan sounded pleasantly surprised. “Then—”
Smiling, Yi Luo interrupted: “Yep, I’m back. Oh, right. The tech department needs you to manually authorize something. Could you head back into the game for a bit?”
“Huh?” Q-chan sounded confused. “They’re still working this late?”
“When those people get motivated, they don’t care whether it’s day or night.” As he spoke, his hand continued tracing along He Wuning’s waist. “We can’t very well send your precious Sweetie over there, can we? Sorry to trouble you with it.”
“All right then.” Q-chan sighed. “I hope the researchers take care of themselves too.”
The sounds outside disappeared. The tension in He Wuning’s body eased slightly. Taking advantage of that moment, Yi Luo gently pushed him forward until he was braced against the sink. Without ceremony, he lifted the hem of his pajama top and lowered his head, pressing kisses along his spine.
The line of his back was strikingly beautiful. His spine rose and fell gracefully, while his shoulder blades resembled butterfly wings poised for flight. Holding his lean waist, Yi Luo followed the line of his spine with lingering kisses. The implication could not have been clearer.
Supporting himself against the sink, He Wuning tilted his head back slightly. His gaze flickered, and his voice carried a hint of huskiness. “...I was just about to praise you for behaving yourself.”
“I have been behaving myself.” Yi Luo laughed. “I said I wouldn’t cause trouble yesterday, didn’t I? It’s already past midnight.”
He nuzzled affectionately against the young man in his arms, kissing his earlobe and the side of his face.
He Wuning leaned against the sink. He disliked making sounds during moments like this, and only his breathing grew slightly heavier than usual. What he didn’t realize was that this made him seem even more alluring.
The reflection in the mirror felt too difficult to look at. Turning his gaze away, it landed on Yi Luo’s hand. He paused. “Are you injured?”
There was a fresh wound there.
“Hm?” Yi Luo tightened his arms around him as though only now remembering it. “Oh, that. Just a scrape.”
He Wuning frowned, trying to keep his voice as steady as ever. “Why didn’t you get it treated before leaving the game?”
Yi Luo kissed the back of his neck. “There was a queue. For a minor injury like this, I’d have had to wait forever. I’m tough. By the time it was my turn, it probably would’ve healed on its own.” He paused, then added softly: “I was in a hurry to come home.”
Lowering his eyes, He Wuning felt the heat behind his ears intensify. After a brief hesitation, he asked quietly, “Does it hurt?”
Yi Luo let out a muffled laugh and ruffled his hair. “Shouldn’t I be the one asking that? Are you hurting?”
He Wuning was too busy feeling the heat rising behind his ears. In the darkness, his normally cool-toned skin had taken on a faint blush. He said nothing.
“Ooooh—” Yi Luo deliberately dragged out the syllable. “I forgot. You don’t like admitting when something hurts.”
Lowering his voice, he whispered by He Wuning’s ear in a tone that was practically coaxing: “Then does it feel good?”
Grinding his teeth, He Wuning replied, “You shameless hooligan.”
Yi Luo’s grin only widened. Wrapping both arms around him, he pulled him fully into his embrace. Unable to withstand the force, He Wuning stumbled forward slightly. He accidentally bumped the faucet that hadn’t been fully shut off. Water immediately came rushing out with a loud splash.
………
Half a month later, the long-delayed meeting between the parents was finally put on the schedule. Standing outside a restaurant with an extremely retro décor, He Wuning fell silent for a moment before calling his mother, Madam He.
“Hello? Sweetie, stop rushing me! I’m already in the car. I’ll be there soon, I promise!” Madam He lowered her voice. “I still have to attend a video conference in the car. Half an hour—forty minutes at most! Just chat with everyone first. Ah, I should've brought An'an along. You're terrible at breaking the ice...”
By then, He Wuning had already entered the restaurant. Looking around at the bundles of dried straw, strings of vintage red peppers, hanging onions, and wall slogans proclaiming "The Army and the People Are One Family" and "Serve the People," he took a deep breath and asked: “This is the restaurant you picked?”
“Yep! Isn’t this their whole atmosphere? I thought we should match it a little. Besides, if I chose somewhere too expensive, I was worried my dad might be uncomfortable...”
After a moment’s thought, He Wuning had to admit that the Commander-in-Chief did indeed have the sort of face that looked deeply opposed to extravagance and waste.
No one else had arrived yet, so He Wuning entered the private dining room his mother had reserved. The moment he stepped inside, he was stunned by a giant bright-red slogan on the wall: "Boys and Girls Are Equally Valuable." After a long silence, he asked a nearby server, “Can that be changed?”
The server looked regretful. “It’s painted directly onto the wall. We can’t replace it.”
Then she looked at him suspiciously. “Um... is there something wrong with the slogan?”
“Nothing wrong with it.” He Wuning looked away. It's just not exactly applicable.
From inside his backpack, Q-chan tried to comfort him. “It-it’s okay! It’s actually kind of festive!”
Expressionless, He Wuning surveyed the room. His mother had already pre-ordered the menu. She had taken everyone’s tastes into consideration. Aside from occasionally making bizarre decisions in the details, Madam He was usually reliable.
He took out his phone and sent Yi Luo a message: In position.
The reply came instantly: Roger. Target approaching.
He Wuning laughed. Anyone reading the messages would think they were conducting some kind of operation.
Taking a deep breath, he patted his cheeks with both hands to wake himself up. When interacting with the Commander-in-Chief before, he'd never felt awkward. But now that this was an official meeting between families, he found himself a little nervous.
He placed Q-chan on the seat beside him and glanced over. “Why are you so quiet today?”
“I-I-I...” Q-chan stammered. “I’m nervous too!”
He Wuning laughed helplessly. Footsteps approached from outside. Both he and Q-chan immediately straightened their posture and turned toward the door at the exact same time.
The Commander-in-Chief was dressed casually, but he still radiated the imposing aura of someone not to be trifled with. Beside him stood his wife, wearing a gentle smile and carrying herself with graceful warmth.
Not seeing Yi Luo, He Wuning rose somewhat stiffly to his feet.
Mrs. Yi smiled. “Yi Luo is on his way. He'll be here any minute. We were supposed to leave together, but he suddenly received a mission.” She waved it off. “It’s fine. It's already been resolved, and he's on the way now. Come, come, sit down first.”
Then she lightly elbowed her husband. “Stop looking so stern. You’re going to scare the child.”
The Commander-in-Chief's face stiffened slightly. Only then did he finally pull his gaze away from the wall slogan proclaiming "Boys and Girls Are Equally Valuable."
He Wuning nearly wanted to cover his eyes.
The Commander-in-Chief looked toward him and attempted a smile. Unfortunately, it looked considerably more rigid than his usual expression. Eventually he gave up and simply nodded repeatedly like a malfunctioning machine. “Sit down. Sit down.”
Back in the game world, he had always seemed quite natural and approachable, like a kindly elder.
Now He Wuning realized that perhaps he wasn't the only one feeling nervous.
Relieved, he finally sat down. Just then, the door burst open. A black-clad Yi Luo in full combat gear stormed into the room. “I’m here! I’m here! I’m not too late, am I?”
Sweeping his gaze around the room, he turned to He Wuning. “Your mom—”
“She’s on the way. Her meeting ran late, so she’ll be a little delayed.” Before He Wuning could finish speaking, Yi Luo visibly relaxed. “Perfect.” He immediately shoved a pile of equipment into He Wuning’s arms and started digging through his bag for clothes. “Hold this for me. I’m going to the restroom to change first.”
Mrs. Yi immediately looked horrified. Unable to bear it any longer, she stood up and unfolded the clothes. “Oh dear! Why did you just cram these into a bag like this? They're completely wrinkled! Can you even wear them now?”
Turning toward the server, she asked: “Miss, do you happen to have an iron here?”
Yi Luo laughed helplessly. “This is a restaurant, not a clothing store. How would they possibly have—”
“We do.” The server nodded. Yi Luo stared at her. “You actually do?!”
Before he could protest further, his mother had already grabbed him by the collar and started dragging him outside. Looking back at He Wuning apologetically, she smiled. “Sorry about this. I’m going to tidy him up a little. Old Yi! Expression! Stop looking so serious!”
The Commander-in-Chief instinctively straightened his back. His upright, righteous-looking face somehow became even more intimidating.
Once they left, only He Wuning and the Commander-in-Chief remained. The two stared awkwardly at one another. After a moment, He Wuning raised the sniper rifle Yi Luo had just handed him. “Should I... put this somewhere first?”
“Oh! O-oh!” The Commander-in-Chief nodded frantically.
Q-chan tentatively spoke up. “Um... maybe... maybe I could connect to the internet and play some crosstalk comedy for everyone?”
The two men simultaneously let out long sighs of relief. He Wuning nodded. “Go ahead.”
By the time Yi Luo finally returned, looking every bit the respectable gentleman, he was greeted by the sight of his father and He Wuning sitting at opposite ends of the table. Each held a cup of tea. Meanwhile, Q-chan was playing crosstalk routines for them.
Yi Luo nearly burst out laughing on the spot.
Setting down his teacup, He Wuning said: “My mom said traffic's a little bad. She'll be here in ten minutes at most...”
“It’s fine, it’s fine. Your mother’s busy with her career—we understand that. We see her in the news all the time anyway.” Mrs. Yi smiled kindly. “Back when the game first appeared, your family’s company donated a lot of supplies to the game zones too, didn’t it, Old Yi?”
Once Mrs. Yi sat down, the awkward atmosphere in the room eased considerably.
The Commander-in-Chief seemed to have finally found a topic that wouldn’t feel too forced. He nodded approvingly. “That’s true. Your family donated a tremendous amount of supplies to the game zones in those early days. It’s a company with a strong sense of social responsibility.”
He Wuning wasn’t used to being praised like that. “She only did it because my brother and I were trapped inside the game. It wasn’t that selfless.”
“Oh, you can’t say that.” Mrs. Yi smoothly picked up the conversation. “Starting with your own family and extending that care to everyone else is admirable too.” Yi Luo shot them a sideways glance. “What is this, an awards ceremony? Our Ningning doesn’t handle praise very well. He’ll get embarrassed.”
Under the table, He Wuning expressionlessly stepped on his foot.
Yi Luo acted as though he felt absolutely nothing. The smile on his face didn’t even twitch.
“True. Why are we talking about such serious topics?” Mrs. Yi laughed. “Though I do remember something amusing. When your mother found out you were inside the game zone and ranked second on the leaderboard, she submitted application after application trying to get into the game herself.”
He Wuning rubbed his nose. “I’ve heard about that.”
Back then, Madam He had exhausted every excuse imaginable to get permission to enter the game. She’d claimed things like suffering from hormonal imbalances, breaking out terribly with acne, being on her period, and therefore desperately needing an awakened ability. Thankfully, the Operations Department had remained sane and refused to let her in.
Everyone present had probably heard stories about her before. They all had at least some idea of how unreliable she could be. Meeting her in person probably wouldn’t come as too much of a shock.
His phone lit up. He glanced down. A message from his mother: Get ready. Your mom is about to make her dazzling entrance.
He Wuning instinctively looked toward the door. Madam He swept inside wearing diamond-studded sunglasses, sparkling earrings, and a gray couture coat draped over her shoulders. She wore a pale yellow modernized qipao that accentuated her figure without appearing overly flashy. Even her handbag was a handmade custom piece whose production time was measured in years. She looked as though she had just stepped off the runway of a luxury fashion show.
From the height of her heels and the saturation of her lipstick alone, He Wuning could tell she had actually toned things down today. Unfortunately, nobody else in the room knew that.
Clearing his throat, he began, “Um...”
“Sorry I’m late.” Madam He removed her sunglasses with a smile. “Oh my, why hasn’t the food arrived yet? This child, honestly. He should have told everyone to start eating without waiting for me.”
She casually patted He Wuning on the shoulder and sat down. “Our family’s child isn’t very good with people. Knowing there’s such a dependable young man looking after him really puts my mind at ease.”
Her gaze landed on Yi Luo. “You must be Yi Luo, right? My goodness, you’re even more handsome in person than you are on television. Our Ningning has really been fortunate to have you looking after him!”
When she made the effort, she could actually appear reliable. He Wuning relaxed slightly. As for all the polite nonsense she was saying, it went in one ear and out the other.
“Not at all!” Mrs. Yi covered her mouth as she laughed. “Our Yi Luo is hardly the nurturing type! He’s pretending to be well-behaved in front of Xiao He. He’s even pretending he knows how to cook! Back then, the only reason he ever entered a kitchen was to put sugar on his father’s salted peanuts out of spite...”
“And while he was cooking, he secretly called me from the kitchen and kept saying Xiao He absolutely couldn’t find out...”
“Cough—!” Yi Luo nearly choked on his tea.
He Wuning shot him a meaningful look.
“Haha, our Ningning isn’t much better!” Madam He slapped the table happily. “You have no idea. A while ago he asked me if I knew any brands that made good-looking gun holsters. How would I know something like that? I sent my assistant to look into it, and she thought I’d gotten involved with organized crime! Hahaha!”
Yi Luo smiled and turned to look at He Wuning. He Wuning immediately looked away.
The adults laughed and chatted enthusiastically. He Wuning finally relaxed. From this point onward, it was the adults’ arena. He and Yi Luo only needed to answer a question or two every now and then.
Yi Luo quietly scooted his chair a little closer and lowered his voice. “Your mom just called me handsome. Does that mean she’s pretty satisfied with me?”
Meeting those smiling eyes, He Wuning suddenly felt unwilling to let him become too pleased with himself. He raised an eyebrow. “Or maybe she was just being polite. Don’t get carried away.”
Under the table, Yi Luo poked him. “So heartless.”
The adults got along unexpectedly well. The two women became more and more animated as the conversation went on. Though the Commander-in-Chief rarely found opportunities to speak, the smile on his face gradually became more natural. He looked thoroughly satisfied.
Unfortunately, that satisfaction led to both women drinking a little too much. Mrs. Yi became increasingly excited. Madam He entered full-on giggling mode. Before long, the two women had their arms around each other’s shoulders and were acting like lifelong best friends. When it was finally time to go home, they were so reluctant to part that they nearly broke into tears on the spot.
Looking silently into the back seat of the car, where Madam He lay sprawled across the seats still grinning foolishly, He Wuning rubbed his temples. “Let’s go home,” he told the driver.
Madam He lay flat on her back with her hands folded neatly over her stomach. The peaceful smile on her face was almost serene. Then she spoke. “Ningning.”
The unusually gentle and affectionate tone nearly gave He Wuning goosebumps.
Frowning, he looked back. “What?”
“You little brat. Can’t you be a bit nicer to your mother? Why are you looking at me like I’m about to start causing trouble again?” Madam He huffed and sat up. “I’m just feeling emotional and wanted to say something sweet.”
“Like the sort of thing a normal mother would say.”
Amused, He Wuning looked back out the window. “If you want to be a normal mother, maybe start by breaking your habit of making me write your reports.”
“If the board of directors ever finds out that for the past seven or eight years I’ve written half of them for you, they might think the company’s doomed.”
Madam He fell silent. “Now that you mention it, my assistant did once complain that the quality of my reports fluctuates wildly.”
Clutching her chest dramatically, she wailed: “The worst part is that she thought all the badly written ones were the ones I wrote myself! Boo hoo!”
He Wuning rested his chin on his hand and laughed quietly. Then Madam He suddenly remembered something. “Actually, some of them were written by my boyfriend too.”
“He must be pretty versatile.” Looking out the window, He Wuning added, “I thought you’d bring him this time. If I remember correctly, you two have been on-and-off for... what? Three or four years now?”
“Mm.” Madam He’s response was subdued. “But he’s younger than me, and his Chinese isn’t very good…” Lowering her voice, she continued: “If I brought him along, your future in-laws might get a bad impression. It would make me look irresponsible.”
After a pause, she said quietly, “I don’t care what people think of me. But you’re the one person I never want to cause trouble for.”
The car pulled up in front of the villa. The driver helped He Wuning support Madam He out of the vehicle. Q-chan wanted to help too, but unfortunately he was currently in plush-toy mode and could only worry helplessly from the sidelines.
In the end, He Wuning was the one who hauled the drunken woman—who was walking in a zigzag pattern—into the living room and deposited her onto the sofa.
There was a guide robot in the house, one Madam He had bought specifically for Q-chan. The moment they entered the house, Q-chan urged He Wuning to upload him into it.
The little pink robot, which looked like a mailbox with legs, zoomed across the living room and back again. Then it opened its storage compartment, pulled out a bandage, and offered it to Madam He. “Here!”
“Aww, such a good little thing!” Using the same tone one might use to tease a puppy or kitten, Madam He affectionately patted Q-chan’s smooth metal head. Her alcohol-numbed brain took a moment to process things. “Why are you giving me this?”
As He Wuning tucked a cushion behind her head, he reminded her: “The skin on your heel is rubbed raw. Put it on.”
Only then did Madam He lift her foot and sigh. “Honestly, why is it that no matter how expensive the shoes are, they can still rub your feet raw?”
Making a face, she applied the bandage.
Then, looking down, she suddenly asked: “Ningning, do you like him?”
He Wuning was pouring her a glass of water. Hearing the question, he looked up. Madam He smiled. “All right, you don’t need to answer. One look at your face tells me everything.”
Resting her chin on her hand, she grinned foolishly. “You’re just like me. If you're willing to go through all the trouble of introducing someone to the family, then you definitely like them.”
Closing her eyes, she said seriously for once: “Ningning, Mom hopes you'll be happy.”
He Wuning glanced at her and immediately understood. “You had a fight with your boyfriend?”
“Tsk.” Madam He opened her eyes. “Could you at least act a little more like a child? That makes you very un-cute!”
Handing her the water, He Wuning said: “Let me guess. Since you didn’t bring him today, he got upset.”
Madam He fell silent. Then she gradually looked horrified and hugged Q-chan. “Ningning, did you install surveillance cameras on me?”
He Wuning let out a cold laugh. “Do I need to? Normally that guy messages you every half hour. During the entire dinner you never looked at your phone once. Even now you're sprawled on the couch and still haven't checked it. Which means you probably had a fight.”
“It’s not exactly the first time. Did you think I wouldn’t notice?”
Madam He collapsed dramatically into the sofa. “It’s over. You’re probably this smart because you inherited it from me.” She pointed at him seriously. “When you're with Yi Luo, you absolutely cannot be like this. Sometimes you need to pretend to be stupid too!”
“Otherwise he'll work so hard preparing a surprise for you, and you'll just smugly tell him, ‘Haha, I already knew.’ That would really hurt his feelings!”
Expressionless, He Wuning replied: “That sounds suspiciously like something you've done yourself.”
Madam He choked up and hugged a pillow. “Waaah!”
Shaking his head helplessly, He Wuning said: “You already look unreliable enough as it is. Bringing your boyfriend along wouldn't make much difference.”
He sat down beside her. “If you need it, I can spare some time and meet him.”
After a pause, he added quietly: “I want you to be happy too.”
“Otherwise I keep feeling like you're still hung up on that old man.”
Madam He immediately looked at him as though he were an idiot. “Do I look like I am?”
He Wuning gave her a sideways glance. Sniffling dramatically, she wailed: “Waaah, Sweetie—!”
He pushed her head away in disgust. “Stop talking like Q-chan.” Then he remembered something. “I heard you've been working on some new milk tea project recently. Selling all the drinks from my time in the game?”
“Yep!” The moment a serious topic came up, Madam He perked right up. “But it's actually half charity project, half business. We're focusing on affordable pricing instead of trendy seasonal drinks. We'll clearly list operating costs and sale prices. Part of the profits will go toward helping families who lost loved ones in the game...”
She shrugged. “Anyway, we already make charitable donations every year. I thought it'd be nice to create a long-term project and also commemorate the amazing things my precious Ningning accomplished.”
Resting her chin on her hand, she smiled proudly. “After all, I'm a rich, beautiful, and kind-hearted woman. Money can't solve everything, but it can help a little.”
Leaning on his own hand, He Wuning nodded. “That actually sounds pretty good.”
“Right?!” Madam He immediately brightened. “So maybe you could help me write the proposal—”
“In your dreams.” Before she could finish, He Wuning was already standing up. “I've got too many final assignments lately. Figure it out yourself.”
Still unwilling to give up, Madam He grabbed the back hem of his shirt. “What about your boyfriend—”
He Wuning paused. To his own surprise, he actually considered the possibility seriously. Then he said regretfully: “He probably can't help with a project proposal. But if you need someone to write a self-criticism report, he might be qualified.”
Madam He blinked. “Huh? A self-criticism?”
Thoughtfully rubbing her chin, she said: “You know, that actually makes sense. Compared to arguing or giving each other the cold shoulder, making him write a self-criticism sounds way more effective.”
He Wuning twitched an eyebrow. “You misunderstood. Those self-criticisms aren't being written because of me...”
Madam He gave him a knowing smile. “Oh, I understand. I understand.”
He was fairly certain she understood something entirely different. Shaking his head, he stood. “Go find your boyfriend and make him write it. Now get back to your room and sleep.”
Madam He muttered: “He hasn't even learned Chinese properly yet. How's he supposed to write a proposal...”
“Then tell him to work harder.” He Wuning remained expressionless. “Or you can work harder yourself.”
Stretching his shoulders, he added: “Drunk people should rest instead of causing trouble.”
Madam He suddenly sat bolt upright. He Wuning raised an eyebrow. “What now?”
Pulling out her phone, she announced: “I’m messaging An'an to help me write the proposal...”
Speechless, He Wuning shook his head and returned to his room. Though he only came home occasionally, the room was still spotless.
Falling onto the bed, he took out his phone. Several unread messages from Yi Luo were waiting.
"My mom spent the entire drive home grinning and saying I got the bargain of a lifetime."
"Also, my mom asked me to secretly find out what perfume your mom was wearing. She thought it smelled amazing."
"I got them home safely. Are you staying at your parents' place tonight?"
He Wuning replied to the last question first. "Yeah."
Then: "I'll ask her secretary to send Auntie a bottle of the perfume. If you ask my mom what perfume she wore today, there's a good chance she won't know either."
Yi Luo didn't stand on ceremony. After a brief silence, another message appeared. "The parents have met. Does that mean we're family now?"
He Wuning stared at the words for a while. Lowering his eyes, he unconsciously picked at his phone case. More messages arrived.
"Whether you think so or not, I'm counting it. Every time I come to see you, it feels like I'm coming home." Closing his eyes, He Wuning let out a soft laugh and replied: "Whatever you say."
Yi Luo responded almost immediately. "Why are you always so bad at saying what you mean?"
"But I understood."
The typing indicator appeared again. Recognizing danger, He Wuning immediately sent: "If you say anything cheesy, I'm blocking you."
Yi Luo replied with a string of ellipses.
Then: "I've recently learned some useful new knowledge from Cao Wu." Another message followed. "He said that if saying something directly will get you scolded, you should turn it into a puppy sticker and send that instead."
"Because his boyfriend says cute puppies can get away with anything."
A sticker arrived. It was a fluffy Samoyed with round little black-bean eyes. The caption read: "Give me a kiss and then I'll go to sleep like a good boy."
He Wuning tossed the phone aside and closed his eyes. “Idiot.”
On the other end, Yi Luo rested his chin on his hand and thought carefully. “Interesting. I didn't get yelled at. Maybe this trick actually works.”
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