Chapter 194

School, library.

Qiao Suisui was searching on her computer. She hadn't given up on finding a way to re-enter the game world. She had sent an email to the customer service representative who had invited her to the beta test, waiting for a reply. Afterward, she searched all major platforms and search tools for any clues related to the game, but found nothing.

Just as she was about to close the page in disappointment, a chat box popped up out of thin air.

【Do not look back.】

【Do not search for related keywords again.】

Qiao Suisui thought it was spam and was about to click the 'X' when the chat box dinged repeatedly, popping up several more messages. She scanned them once and froze in her chair.

【Have you sat in the red chair?】

【We are the same.】

【Don't look around, I'm not next to you.】

【I am 001.】

These few short, consecutive messages made Qiao Suisui's heart race.

"001," "red chair"—these were keywords that only players who had entered the game world would understand. She remembered that before she was forced to log out, the system voice had mentioned she was player 002. So, behind this chat box was player 001... Qiao Suisui's fingers flew across the keyboard—

Qiao Suisui: Who are you? What do you know? 【My name is Ye Xi, I am a player just like you. This chat box can only last for five minutes, and it will self-destruct after reading.】

【I am in your city. Tomorrow at two in the afternoon, let's meet at Left Bank Coffee. I will be waiting for you in the red chair.】

Qiao Suisui: What is your purpose? Qiao Suisui: Do you know how to enter the game? Above the chat box, it showed "is typing," but in the end, no message was sent. Qiao Suisui was very cautious; she didn't know the other person, and naturally, she didn't trust them. She asked: How did you find me?

But Ye Xi didn't say more. After a few seconds, there were only three words in the chat box—

【We'll talk when we meet.】

In the blink of an eye, the entire chat box burned away and disappeared from the screen like burning paper.

Qiao Suisui stared at the computer screen, frowning in thought, when suddenly a hand lightly patted her shoulder.

"What are you looking at, so intently?"

She was startled. Turning her head, she saw it was Qiao Jiming.

"Why are you here?"

Hearing her question and that distant tone, Qiao Jiming felt a pang in his heart, but he silently swallowed it. He was quiet for a moment, then lowered his eyes and said: "I came to take you home."

Qiao Suisui wasn't sure how long he had been standing behind her, or if he had seen the chat box just now. She calmly closed the computer screen, shouldered her backpack, and walked out while whispering: "I've already applied to live on campus."

Qiao Jiming followed her step by step. He reached out, took the backpack from her shoulder, and slung it over his own, chasing after her: "It takes time for the application to be approved. Where are you staying these few days?"

"A hotel." "Sister..." He hesitated, then gently hooked her wrist and said: "Come home with me. I'll talk to Mom. I won't let her trouble you again."

Qiao Suisui stopped and turned back, seeing those black-and-white eyes on Qiao Jiming's fair face.

His eyes were deep, yet hidden within them were thoughts one couldn't fathom. Whenever he looked at you, you would always feel that gaze was extremely gentle, giving one a floating, ethereal feeling. His appearance was at a level where he could be spotted in a crowd at a glance; his contours were three-dimensional, his face shape smooth, especially his profile, which was like a finely carved work of art. His jawline was sharp, perfectly neutralizing the sense of youth and the maturity of a man. Since he was a child, neighbors had praised him, saying they had never seen such a good-looking boy.

But Qiao Suisui knew that beneath his obedient and docile exterior, he was actually extremely opinionated, even quite rebellious.

When they were still young, during the New Year, they would visit relatives. The relatives' children would tease her, lift her skirt, and spray her with water guns until she was soaked. In winter, wearing many layers of clothes, she didn't dare to complain because she knew no one would stand up for her, so she just kept wearing the wet clothes without a word. The kindness of adults is kindness after education, while the malice of children is pure malice. Seeing that Qiao Suisui didn't fight back or complain when bullied, those children became even more unscrupulous. When Qiao Jiming saw this, he didn't clash with them on the spot, but instead found an excuse to take the adults' hands and bring them over, just in time for the adults to catch them in the act of bullying Qiao Suisui.

Qiao Suisui had thought the matter would end there. She had been used to swallowing her pride since she was a child, and she was accustomed to reading adults' faces. To hear praise like "sensible" or "obedient," she wouldn't speak up even when wronged. So, she stayed in her wet clothes from the afternoon until Mother Qiao and the relatives finished chatting in the evening.

Just as they were about to leave, suddenly someone outside shouted: "Someone fell into the water!" And several children came running over, wailing.

This was the suburbs, and the residential area was next to a river channel that had fallen into disrepair; the water was smelly and dirty.

Qiao Suisui followed the adults to look and discovered that the one who had fallen in was the very child who had led the teasing. The adults scrambled to fish their "bear child" out. Someone asked what had happened, but the oldest of those children was only six or seven, and they were so confused they couldn't get to the point.

"It was, it was... we were playing rock-paper-scissors. Whoever lost had to take a step back. Then there was a little boy who kept winning, so the cousin kept stepping back, and then he fell in."

Everyone present was a relative. The adults couldn't bring themselves to discipline other people's children, nor was it easy to ask whose child it was, so they just chuckled and smoothed things over, scolding every child involved without distinction. Others didn't know, but Qiao Suisui knew: the one who had suggested playing that game with those children was Qiao Jiming.

Qiao Suisui hid at the very back, her gaze searching for Qiao Jiming, who was standing in the corner. He still had that docile look, very harmless, but his eyes were always very calm. That year, Qiao Suisui was six, and Qiao Jiming was five.

Later, she heard the adults say that although the river channel wasn't fast-flowing, the water was very deep—at least two meters. For a seven or eight-year-old child to fall in, the probability of drowning was very high. Fortunately, the child had grabbed the corner of a flood-prevention sandbag, waiting until the adults fished him out; otherwise, he might have drowned.

It was from that moment on that she developed an instinctive guard against Qiao Jiming.

He was very smart and good at disguising himself. While others were still sucking their fingers, he was already playing mind games, knowing how to retaliate indirectly while keeping himself out of it. Plus, he always took away Mother Qiao's care and affection. Without comparison, there is no harm, so Qiao Suisui's perception of Qiao Jiming was extremely complex.

"Sister?"

The boy's soft, low call brought Qiao Suisui back from her memories. She said: "I've already decided."

Qiao Jiming's expression didn't show the frustration of being rejected; on the contrary, he was as calm as if he had expected it. He smiled slightly and immediately went along with her: "Then have you found a hotel? Let me take you there, I'll help you pack."

She was just about to refuse when she heard him continue: "They are repairing the road in front of your school gate. It won't be easy for you to pull your suitcase alone, right? The weather is so muggy, it's definitely going to rain later, and then the road will be all mud. Hurry up and use me, this servant, while I'm here."

Such a handsome smiling face and low posture made Qiao Suisui open her mouth, and in the instant she was thinking of how to tactfully refuse, Qiao Jiming had already consciously pulled her to walk outside, taken her suitcase, and walked in front with bags in his hands. So, Qiao Suisui had no choice but to remain silent and let him be.

For the next while, Qiao Jiming helped her find a hotel with a nice environment, delivered her luggage to the room, and repeatedly checked the hotel door lock.

"Remember to lock the safety latch before you go to sleep at night. Come here, I'll teach you. Hang a clothes hanger on the door like this; even if someone outside tries to force your door open, they won't be able to get in."

Qiao Jiming demonstrated it for her once.

(End of chapter)