Ji Shiyu knew he had answered wrong again.
He wanted to laugh at Gu Ran's train of thought, but found he couldn't muster a smile.
Looking at Gu Ran's little face, which had just written "Baby is sad" because of their disagreement about publicly announcing their relationship, he suddenly remembered the time she had asked him in his office if they could get married.
The situation seemed not much different from now, only their roles were reversed.
Back then, he had told her he wasn't planning to get married yet.
Said he had never proposed to her.
Now, when it was her turn, fully aware of the impact of going public, she was still somewhat stubbornly insisting.
She was even getting angry because of his lack of cooperation.
Ji Shiyu closed his eyes, then opened them again.
The ache in his chest spread wildly because of those memories; his eyes even suddenly stung, a sharp pain penetrating deep into every limb and bone.
The thing he regretted most in his life was probably that afternoon.
He had lost her once; he was unwilling to let go a second time.
Gu Ran was suddenly hugged.
The man held her tightly against his chest, his embrace growing tighter and tighter, even starting to make it a little hard for her to breathe.
Gu Ran didn't know why Ji Shiyu was suddenly hugging her like this, but he was holding her so tightly she had to move her body, struggling with effort.
"I can't breathe," she said.
Only then did Ji Shiyu realize and slowly loosen his embrace.
He was overjoyed by Gu Ran's complete acceptance, yet he knew this was actually somewhat sudden.
"Can you tell me why?" Ji Shiyu cupped Gu Ran's cheek with his large hand, his fingers threading through her soft hair, asking hoarsely as he looked down at her.
"Why what?" Gu Ran asked with a puzzled expression.
Ji Shiyu kissed her forehead and said, "Yesterday, and... last night."
Talking about yesterday during the day was fine, but mentioning last night, Gu Ran suddenly started blushing, shamefully remembering how she had actively urged him to come in.
Gu Ran immediately turned around, using the back of her hand to cool her burning cheeks, then turned back.
Gu Ran answered seriously, "Because I think you're alright, and... I realized I'd forgotten something all this time."
What happened after getting drunk for the first time.
She hadn't expected to remember a memory blackout from several years ago.
Gu Ran: "But I still think I'm at a bit of a disadvantage. I liked you for four or five more years than you liked me."
Ji Shiyu: "I'm sorry."
"Then how about I live four or five years longer than you?" he asked.
That way, it seemed the gap between them could be filled and balanced.
Gu Ran suddenly looked up, confused.
This man was already three years older than her; if he lived another four or five years longer, wouldn't she be dead for nearly ten years before he was buried?
By the time he was buried, she would have been long gone and cold.
Gu Ran: "I think your calculations are a bit too clever."
She poked Ji Shiyu's chest: "Your words sound nice, but you'll die so many years after me. Are you planning to find some other glamorous little old lady after I die?"
Ji Shiyu: "..."
He felt Gu Ran had miscalculated something about the timing, but facing her lively imagination, he could only sigh softly.
"Actually, there's another way," he said softly, encircling Gu Ran.
Gu Ran, still dissatisfied with the potential existence of glamorous little old ladies, asked huffily, "What way?"
Ji Shiyu kissed Gu Ran's earlobe: "I'll like you more. I'll always like you more than you like me. Is that okay?"
I'm so sorry for missing those five years with you. So please let me use the rest of my life to make up for and surpass those five years.
"Who can say for sure," Gu Ran said, though the corners of her mouth were already uncontrollably turning up.
While Gu Ran was still savoring the sweet words, she belatedly realized there was an extra hand inside her pajamas.
"Hey," Gu Ran pressed down on that hand, suddenly feeling tricked. "Is this your 'liking me more'?"
Ji Shiyu: "Sorry."
Starved for too long, one night alone could hardly make up for it.
...
Ding Ze said Gu Ran had been radiating the cloying stench of love lately. The filters on all the photos in her host updates were adjusted to pink, you could see her grinning foolishly from a mile away, you could see her grinning foolishly during her livestreams, as if she was grinning foolishly nonstop.
"I advise you to wait until this phase passes before going public. During the honeymoon phase, people are prone to be impulsive and unclear-headed. What if after a while you realize you were just lonely for too long and actually don't like him at all?"
"I think you really seem a bit like that right now," Ding Ze said, looking at Gu Ran seriously.
Gu Ran: "..."
"Bye, then," she said, turning around while hugging her Duffy's friend, StellaLou.
Ding Ze could only sigh rather worriedly: "Alright, next month then, after the New Year. There's a lot of news at year-end; don't add to the miscellaneous noise."
Gu Ran: "Oh."
Ding Ze looked at Gu Ran, then suddenly asked seriously: "Actually, you've known each other, plus you were together before for quite a while, right? Have you ever thought about marriage?"
Gu Ran: "Marriage?"
She shook her head decisively: "No."
Ding Ze remembered the photos of Gu Ran trying on wedding dresses that got dug up before, supporting his forehead with a headache.
He couldn't stop her from announcing the relationship, but it was obvious that the public pressure she would face afterwards wouldn't be small.
First of all, you, Gu Ran, had wedding dresses all picked out before but got dumped by this guy. Now, with just a little pursuit, you're back together with him and announcing the relationship. The desperation couldn't be more obvious. Where's your backbone? You're embarrassing all us sisters.
Ding Ze: "Losing some fans after announcing is secondary now. Have you read novels? In the public eye, this is the typical infuriating plot in web novels where the female lead gets her kidney and uterus taken out but still ends up with the scumbag male lead. Those plots aren't popular anymore. Anyone who dares write them should be prepared to be universally condemned."
"Small-time authors writing wish-fulfillment web novels get cursed to the point of abandoning the story and shutting down, let alone you giving everyone a real-life version. Think about the consequences."
Gu Ran: "..."
She pouted after hearing this: "But I was the one who went to try them on."
"He didn't know."
Ding Ze wore a cold expression: "Don't tell me that. Go tell everyone else."
"Provided they believe you."
"And even if they believe it, so what? You're still a spineless woman who didn't learn her lesson and deserves to be treated like trash for being so desperate."
Gu Ran again: "..."
She fell onto the sofa hugging StellaLou: "So troublesome."
"I'm so pitiful."
"Dog man," she cursed.
Ding Ze: "So, are you still going to announce it?"
Gu Ran: "Yes."
Ding Ze: "..."
Hopeless.
He came out of Gu Ran's apartment and ran into Ji Shiyu carrying fruit in the elevator.
Ding Ze greeted, "President Ji." Ji Shiyu nodded in response.
Ding Ze looked at Ji Shiyu, hesitating to speak.
Ji Shiyu could naturally sense Ding Ze had something to say. Standing at the elevator door, he said, "Go ahead."
Ding Ze took a breath: "What I want to say is, Gu Ran, she really likes you a lot."
Mentioning Gu Ran, Ji Shiyu's eyes instantly softened, a faint smile on his lips: "Mm."
Then he looked at Ding Ze, his tone becoming solemn: "I know."
...
Gu Ran was at home waiting for Ji Shiyu to return.
As soon as the door opened, she scampered over.
Ji Shiyu caught Gu Ran as she jumped into his arms.
Gu Ran wrapped her arms around Ji Shiyu's neck, moved, and nuzzled against him. "I leveled up today. I finally reached level 25 in 'Holy Spirit Jianghu,' wuwuwuwu."
Leveling up in 'Holy Spirit Jianghu' became increasingly difficult the higher you went. She had persistently streamed the game every week to practice her skills, and this noob had finally reached level 25 today.
Although she was still pretty bad, at least when she was in a voice chat with Wang Daxia, she wouldn't drag him down into the ditch with her anymore.
Ji Shiyu set down the bag of fruit he was still carrying on the entryway console, looked at Gu Ran, and played along with an admiring tone: "That impressive?"
Gu Ran lifted her chin. "Of course."
"Do you have an account? I'll carry you."
Ji Shiyu registered for an account.
That night, Gu Ran brought him into the game.
Gu Ran leaned back against Ji Shiyu's chest, both of them holding their phones.
Confident that her current skills made carrying a complete newbie like Ji Shiyu a piece of cake, Gu Ran urged him to finish the beginner's tutorial, and then they set off together.
Gu Ran took Ji Shiyu to explore "Flame Mountain," a place she had only dared to glance at recently after reaching level 25.
Flame Mountain had many mid-level monsters beyond just Little Hamsters and Bamboo Armor Bugs. Gu Ran had previously only taken a couple of steps in for a quick thrill before running away. Today, perhaps because she had Ji Shiyu with her and her pride was on the line, she felt she absolutely had to project the aura of a pro.
"See this Striped Lizard? It's a level 3 monster, super tough. You have to be careful."
"Ahhh! Quick, quick, it's coming! You fall back! Get behind that rock, fast!"
Following Gu Ran's instructions, Ji Shiyu retreated into the grass behind the rock, entering stealth mode.
Gu Ran watched the approaching level 3 Striped Lizard, feeling both nervous and thrilled, and gulped.
She had only ever dared to fight this Striped Lizard before when Wang Daxia was with her. Today, without Wang Daxia around and needing to protect Ji Shiyu, she had to face it alone.
Bring it on!
Clad in her full set of top-tier gear, Gu Ran began unleashing her skills and attacking the hissing Striped Lizard.
One minute later.
"Wuwuwu, go away, don't bite me."
"I'm gonna die again, wuwuwu."
Ji Shiyu watched Gu Ran, her health bar down to a sliver, being chased all over the place by the Striped Lizard, and facepalmed.
"I'll handle it," he said, jumping out from the grass.
What Gu Ran saw next was nothing short of a heavenly warrior descending.
Ji Shiyu, who had been playing for less than half an hour, first rescued her from the Striped Lizard's pursuit, then cleanly KO'd the nasty reptile.
"Here, go pick it up," Ji Shiyu indicated the few shiny experience points the dead Striped Lizard had dropped.
Gu Ran: "..."
She was utterly deflated.
Ji Shiyu saw Gu Ran's game avatar wasn't moving. "Why aren't you picking it up?"
"Hmph." Gu Ran sat up from Ji Shiyu's embrace and tossed her phone casually onto the sofa. "I'm not playing anymore."
A noob has her pride; if she picked up that experience today, she'd despise herself.
Ji Shiyu looked at Gu Ran's thoroughly dejected expression.
He couldn't help but smile.
He explained, "It was just luck."
"Thanks to you running around so long and wearing down its stamina, otherwise how could I have killed it so easily?"
Gu Ran shot Ji Shiyu a sidelong glance. "Hah."
Nice try with the sweet talk. Did he think she was a child?
As the game's spokesperson, even she didn't know that running a few laps could supposedly deplete a monster's stamina bar.
Ji Shiyu: "Another round?"
Gu Ran: "No."
"Alright then." Ji Shiyu also quit the game.
He reached over, scooped Gu Ran into his arms, and stood up holding her.
Ji Shiyu found his self-control in certain areas was getting lower and lower when facing her. "How about we play something else?"
Gu Ran knew exactly what he was thinking and replied with a blank expression, "Play what?"
Ji Shiyu smiled, carrying her all the way to the bedroom.
...
The next day was a day off.
As soon as Gu Ran woke up, she grabbed her phone and then tossed Ji Shiyu's phone to him too.
"Hurry up and play," she commanded heartlessly.
The two of them returned to yesterday's spot. Ji Shiyu fought monsters all the way, with Gu Ran following behind the whole time picking up experience. Her experience points soared throughout the morning.
This time, Gu Ran picked up the experience with complete righteousness.
She had been made to cry last night; today, no matter what, she was going to get her payback by exploiting him in the game.
