Cen Chen opened the chat, full of hope, hoping someone would prove he was normal. Beneath the image was a string of positive reviews wishing for good fortune.
The author said: “While others are watching the Spring Festival Gala, I appear to be watching it, but I’m actually coding~ Even sleeping, I hold the computer~ Secretly competing with others~”
Cen Chen glanced at the newly upgraded silver lock in the Hero Association system, and as expected, he found that in a month it could be upgraded to a golden lock. Although Wan Feng Ye Chou was not in the same scene, he had not left the party and could still hear his soft mumbling.
He was wandering near the Three Lives Tree and couldn’t resist opening the team chat channel.
Yuan Gu Shan Cen: What are you doing?
Ye Qiu, originally occupied with work, caught a glimpse of the chat notification that briefly flashed on the screen, realizing he hadn’t left the voice chat and quickly exited.
Wan Feng Ye Chou: You followed me; let me show you a good place.
While waiting for the map to teleport, Cen Chen looked at the name tag of his character and unintentionally attached [Wan Feng Ye Chou’s Beloved] to it. Ye Qiu controlled his male character to approach Cen Chen’s little loli character, performing a forced dual play action and carrying Cen Chen’s character around the Beibei map.
Seeing Cen Chen’s title, he couldn’t help but chuckle.
Wan Feng Ye Chou: Tsk tsk, so eager to tag me?
Yuan Gu Shan Cen: Aren’t you tagged too!!!
Snowflakes fell from the north, with background music that felt distinctly different, more somber. Appreciating the beautiful scenery of the map, Cen Chen looked at the irritating words on the screen and couldn’t help but grind his teeth; how could this person be so infuriating?
Wan Feng Ye Chou: Darling, let me give you a stamp~
Cen Chen automatically generated a tone for Wan Feng Ye Chou’s annoying speech, and suddenly, the image of the man who had escorted him home yesterday flashed in his mind. No, the two had nothing in common except their youthful energy! But the man who sent him home really matched his expectations for an ideal partner: broad shoulders, long legs…
Shaking his head, Cen Chen felt he was overthinking. Why should he care about the appearance of someone in a game?
Yuan Gu Shan Cen: Why are you giving me a stamp? Aren’t you afraid your apprentice will get angry?
There was no response from the other side, and Cen Chen hesitated, wondering if he was being too forceful.
Yuan Gu Shan Cen: Want to join me for the dungeons we haven’t completed recently?
He never cared about dungeon rewards before, but now… Cen Chen felt a little strange; just a moment ago, he had resolved to maintain his distance, but now he was eager to team up with him for quests.
Wan Feng Ye Chou: Not convenient right now; why are you suddenly interested in dungeons today?
Yuan Gu Shan Cen: I’m off today and have some time.
In fact, he logged into the game every night, but to him, it was merely a way to kill time, and there was no need to spend too much time on it every day; however, he wouldn’t share that with someone in a game.
Cen Chen didn’t really understand Wan Feng Ye Chou, having only led him through a dungeon in their guild before. There were countless people he had led through dungeons, and when the Hero Association system was released, it suddenly private messaged him to team up for quests, later rumors of their ambiguous mentor-disciple relationship surfaced, and then they briefly parted ways only to team up again for clothing farming.
Yuan Gu Shan Cen: Right, you have so many friends and apprentices; it wasn’t like you didn’t know where the fun places were.
The chat screen was filled with jealousy; anyone with eyes could see it. Men like him were just so pretentious and dramatic.
Ye Qiu did not respond but instead opened his inventory. Cen Chen sat before the computer, pursed his lips, and thought again; whenever it came to his apprentice, Ye Qiub didn’t speak.
The screen lit up with dazzling fireworks that illuminated his somewhat gloomy eyes.
[System: “Once in a golden wind and jade dew, it surpasses countless encounters in the mortal world.” Young hero Wan Feng Ye Chou lights up 999 fireworks for you, Yuan Gu Shan Cen.]
[System: Young hero Wan Feng Ye Chou sees your exceptional talent and wishes to take you as a personal disciple.]
Cen Chen instinctively clicked the affirmative button.
Yuan Gu Shan Cen: Where’s your apprentice?
Wan Feng Ye Chou: Isn’t that you?
Cen Chen’s tightly pressed lips couldn’t help but rise a little, and he couldn’t suppress the smile.
Yuan Gu Shan Cen: Don’t think that just because I…
Before Cen Chen could send his message, Ye Qiu’s explanation came right after.
Wan Feng Ye Chou: That previous Yoyo was someone I called over from the mentor interface; I barely knew him, and he treated me like a worker every day~ (sad face)
Wan Feng Ye Chou: Did you misunderstand again?
Yuan Gu Shan Cen: Isn’t it your silly fault? When someone calls you, you just go.
Xiao Yao Hu La Tang applied to join the team. Cen Chen was about to remind him to let the person in when he realized he was the team leader.
[Xiao Yao Hu La Tang has joined the team.]
Xiao Yao Hu La Tang: Two of you are quite romantic; don’t say the fireworks in the snow look nice together.
[Private chat] Wan Feng Ye Chou: Don’t talk about real-life stuff in the game.
Xiao Yao Hu La Tang: Why? Because you haven’t won over the beauty yet? You need to sweet-talk to win someone over!
Realizing Yuan Gu Shan Cen was still there, he wished he could give himself a slap.
Cen Chen: …
What sweet-talking? Was he the kind of person who needed that? From the current situation, it seemed he really was. The originally good atmosphere suddenly turned quite awkward. Cen Chen, who originally felt confident, suddenly lost all interest.
[Xiao Yao Hu La Tang has left the team.]
He didn’t care about others, but he knew full well about Yuan Gu Shan Cen; the incident where he angrily defended his blue-eyed beauty was still a hot topic on the gaming forums. If not for that, Wan Feng Ye Chou wouldn’t have suddenly come to his guild.
Indeed, heroes struggle with women, and Xiao Yao Hu La Tang clucked his tongue, sent a message saying his brother called him for dinner, and simply left the team.
Cen Chen also wanted to leave directly but was worried it would make him seem overly dramatic. Wan Feng Ye Chou hadn’t done anything wrong; it was just that he had too high expectations of the other person. He had no reason to demand anything from him, yet he felt a pent-up frustration inside.