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墨書 Inktalez
Suddenly, a remark startled me.
I turned and ran, only to plunge into a warm embrace.
The familiar scent, the familiar warmth, contrasted sharply with the cold words.
"Jiajia, why do you run away when you see me? Or is it that... you can no longer recognize my voice?"
I opened my mouth to say something, but my teeth chattered instead.
He had become increasingly unhinged, especially after coming out of the Mysterious Game.
What used to be merely indifference in his eyes now held a hint of hostility; it was clear—he had tasted blood.
He sighed, his expression softening as he pulled the trembling me into his arms. "It's okay, it's my fault. I shouldn't have scared you."
As he spoke, he wrapped his coat around me, shielding me from the evening chill.
He was usually not one to comfort, but once he did, my tears began to fall uncontrollably.
After a flurry of emotions, I finally managed to stop crying.
It was embarrassing, but it felt oddly useful.
"Next time, even if you peel shrimp for me, it won't matter. Scaring me like this will only make me angry," I said fiercely while glaring at the plate of peeled shrimp beside him in the hot pot restaurant.
He responded good-naturedly and handed the plate over to me.
"Have you been pulled into a game?"
"Yeah," he replied, starting to peel another plate of shrimp.
"Why are you back so soon?" It shouldn't be this quick. Even with the Golden Finger, this is too fast.
"The level was easy, and I was worried about you..." worried that you might get pulled into the game too.
He didn't say it out loud, but I could guess.
The little crayfish in my mouth suddenly lost its flavor.
"Were you looking for me earlier?"
Hearing this, he paused for a moment: "I was planning to find you, but then I got caught up in the game on the way."
After saying that, he smiled slightly.
"I don't believe you." I stared into his dull eyes and repeated, "Zhou Bai, I don't believe you."
"Can you just listen to me? Can you ask me more questions? Can you... trust me a little more?"
He continued to thoughtfully serve me food: "What are you trying to say? That your feelings for me are genuine and that you approached me without any ulterior motives?"
Perhaps feeling that this sounded too harsh, he sighed.
"I'm very ordinary. My grades might be good, but there are others in school who are stronger than me; I look decent enough, but you can definitely find someone better. Besides, you know my family situation, so what does Miss Lu see in me?"
"I—" I wanted to say something but was interrupted by him.
"Did you make a bet with someone? Or did you play a dare before?" He laughed, but his eyes were filled with tears.
"I absolutely did not." I said firmly and then asked, "Where did you hear those rumors?"
"Be good, open your mouth." He fed the shrimp in his hand into my mouth. "It's not really idle chatter; they all say that."
He spoke nonchalantly, but the gloom in his eyes became increasingly evident.
"Then why don't you just ask me directly?"
"I'm afraid that if I ask, the game will end like this."
"Zhou Bai, for me, you've never been a game."
(Male Protagonist's Perspective)
Today, Landlady Aunt said she set up a matchmaking event for me and insisted that I go take a look.
Landlady Aunt has always taken good care of me, and after several attempts to decline, I had no choice but to go.
When I arrived at the venue, it was just me and Landlady Aunt's niece.
Her name is Lu Jia. I've seen her at school; she's quite famous as a wealthy beauty, but her temperament—
Tsk, it's really not good.
I planned to politely refuse her.
But she took my hand and told me we were a perfect match.
That was the funniest joke I had heard all day. I glanced around; none of my classmates had come here for entertainment.
"Miss Lu, my family isn't well-off; I'm just a poor student."
She said she didn't care; she had money.
Seeing that I still disagreed, she took my hand and flashed me a charming smile.
As expected, I blushed.
She was indeed beautiful, like an enchanting spirit.
Unfortunately, she was inexperienced and her tactics were shallow.
I didn’t understand her sudden whim, but as the weaker party, I could only play along in this little game.
"I promised to take care of you, so here—" she said, pushing her Student Card towards me with an expression that seemed to say, "Aren't you going to compliment me?"
She was somewhat adorable, and I began to doubt the truth of the rumors.
"Using your Easy Card to take care of me?"
She looked shocked and hurriedly tried to put the card away.
But I thought the Student Card was better than a bank card: "Then I’ll gladly accept."
She continued to stare at me blankly, as if she didn’t understand why I was doing this.
"We're in the same school."
Indeed, a spoiled girl acting on a whim wouldn’t care about toys; as a toy myself, all I needed to do was be interesting enough to keep things fresh.
I wasn't sure if I qualified as a good boyfriend, but I was definitely a qualified "toy."
Her eyes sparkled brighter each time she ran towards me, lively and affectionate, like a bird returning to its nest.
I held Lu Jia as she leaped into my arms; this kind of life seemed pretty good.
After all, she wouldn’t have any other toys.
Until one day, when I took her to watch me play basketball, I noticed her gaze wasn’t solely focused on me.
Yet this time she still ran toward me, but I didn’t embrace her.
Even toys deserve a break sometimes, so I wanted to hear her say it herself: that I was different from the others.
"You said you were coming to watch me play."
"I did go."
"But you weren’t just watching me." I knew this question was a bit intrusive, but I wanted to understand her boundaries; I wanted to know if she would indulge me.
"I was watching you the whole time, baby." It felt good; she wasn’t angry.
"Then what number am I?"
She paused for a moment, looking embarrassed.
Even though it was my question that crossed the line, I still felt displeased.
Why couldn’t she just focus on me?
With that thought in mind, my words came out laced with doubt and dissatisfaction: "You weren’t watching me at all."
As soon as I said it, I started to regret it. Would she be upset and decide to leave me?
But she wrapped her arms around my waist and gently told me that next time, she would only look at me.
It turned out she was lying.
But it didn't matter; as long as you still favored me, everything was fine.
The rumors at school were growing louder.
They didn't believe it; they thought Lu Jia was just trying to test Plain Congee and Side Dishes.
But I believed it.
She had me in her eyes.
Those repeated concessions were all because of me.
When she came to pick me up after class, it should have been a joyful moment, but instead, she saw me at my most vulnerable.
"What's wrong? Aren't you happy to see me? I just finished class and happened to come by to find you," she emphasized the 'happened to.'
But Jiajia, you don't have class today.
7 (Male Protagonist's Perspective)
In my pocket was a gift for her; I thought she would like it.
But then I saw someone else...
How many times had I seen her tugging at someone else like this?
"Jiajia, someone like Zhou Bai isn't worthy of you."
Sure enough, everyone thought the same way.
I took out the gift from my pocket, the exquisite gift bag and the neatly written card...
But unfortunately, I couldn't give it anymore.
Thinking this, I casually tossed the gift into the trash can.
Indeed, gifts that aren't anticipated get thrown away, just like people.
Suddenly, a mechanical female voice echoed in my ear.
"The Mysterious Game is starting. Please prepare yourself, players."
"The countdown has begun: 10, 9, 8... 3, 2, 1."
"Wishing you an enjoyable game."
The fleeing crowd, the monsters chasing and slaughtering, the elusive clues...
All of this felt strangely familiar to me, even somewhat effortless.
I wiped the blood off my face.
I needed to hurry, faster. Someone was waiting for me.
Someone... needs me.
I finally cleared the level.
As a novice Level, the first stage wasn't too difficult, and the rewards were quite generous.
Most importantly, there was a team card inside.
I want to see her.
I followed closely behind her as she rubbed her face and sighed, "I need to think of the right words quickly."
Is she finally going to confront me?
I couldn't help but interject, "What words?"
To my surprise, she took off running at my response, and I teleported in front of her.
"Jiajia, why do you run away when you see me? Or is it that... you can no longer recognize my voice?"
Why is she still silent?
I felt a surge of frustration.
The person in my arms trembled more violently, and I could hear her teeth chattering.
My heart suddenly softened.
"Hey, it's my fault. I shouldn't have scared you."
She was so timid; what would happen to her without me?
But perhaps she didn’t need me at all.
I sighed and wrapped her in my coat, shielding her from the chilly night breeze.
Had she… cried?
After multiple assurances, reflections, and bribing her with a meal, she finally stopped crying.
Sitting there with her cheeks puffed out as she ate, she resembled a well-fed hamster.
While munching away, she threatened me, “Next time, if you peel shrimp for me like this, it won’t help. Scaring me like that will make me angry.”
After delivering her stern warning, she stuffed a few more into her mouth.
“Did you get pulled into the game?”
“Yeah.”
I replied while continuing to peel shrimp. I felt like she could still manage two more plates.
“Why are you back so soon?”
She seemed to know a lot about this game.
“Level is easy, and besides, I was really worried about you…”
Worried that if I returned late, you would belong to someone else.
"Did you come looking for me before?"
I recalled the scene I had witnessed. Was she ready to lay her cards on the table?
Was it true that as long as I didn't see it, this charade of being a couple could last a little longer?
Holding onto that thought, I answered her question.
She told me to trust her.
Trust her with what? That she approached me without any ulterior motives? That she genuinely liked me?
Or perhaps, just as they said, I was merely a game to her.
"Why don't you just ask me directly?" she said, puffing up in frustration, her eyes filled with innocence.
Foolish girl, because I'm afraid. If I ask, will this relationship come to an end?
"Zhou Bai, I've never treated you like a game."
I smiled and remained silent; even if it were a game, it wouldn't matter.
This day was about to change.
You can't live without me.
Those consumed by desire are like holding a torch against the wind; they are bound to get burned.
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