TVAAMRF Chapter 6

Chapter 6 – Paper Man 5

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Luo Yuan never imagined he’d one day watch a paper-thin character eat, so engrossed that a faint smile curved his lips.

So easy to please, Luo Yuan mused, curiosity pricking him. Is it really that delicious? That blissful expression is rather cute.

He found himself heading to the kitchen for a snack, craving the same satisfaction.

It was past 1 AM when Luo Yuan finally realized he’d been gaming again, time slipping by unnoticed. The game’s operators were truly cunning—no nighttime shutdown to force rest. What a waste of sleep!

Su Tang wholeheartedly approved of Luo Yuan’s bedtime plans. This meant he could finally clock out, free from pretending to serve his boss. Do as you please, he thought.

But then this creep demanded Su Tang obediently shut down his computer and climb into bed too.

Su Tang: “……???”

Bro, you know I’m just a paper-thin character! I won’t drop dead from lack of sleep! All-nighters are my joy—no one can stop me!

But… Su Tang couldn’t simply declare, “I’m a paper-thin character, I don’t need sleep!” That would make the game’s logic too absurd.

So, with valid reasons he couldn’t voice, Su Tang was once again hauled up like a kitten by the scruff of its neck. Tossed onto the bed, covered with a blanket, he was forcibly put to sleep.

This is so damn annoying.

Su Tang closed his eyes and pretended to sleep.

Well, if there’s policy above, there’s countermeasures below.

When Luo Yuan logs off the game, I’ll just get up and party.

Su Tang’s fantasy was shattered when a traitor emerged in the game.

[ Su Tang: Tsk, I’ll obediently sleep. I’ll chop off my head to use as your stool. ]

Luo Yuan: “……”

Still a stubborn little brat.

I’m playing a dating sim, yet it feels like raising a spoiled child.

Luo Yuan tidied the messy room and logged out of the game.

Five minutes later.

He re-entered the game and caught the little rascal laughing at anime while slapping the desk.

Without hesitation, Luo Yuan shut down the computer, unplugged it, and hauled the disobedient child to the bed. This time, he was less gentle, simply ordering, “Sleep.”

Su Tang furiously kicked under the covers, his round face puffing up like a steamed bun, making him look extra adorable.

Luo Yuan was both amused and exasperated. This isn’t a dating sim—it’s sraising a son.

Su Tang gripped the quilt edges with both hands, his eyes defiantly declaring, I’ll sleep when hell freezes over.

Luo Yuan stared back coldly, silently responding—Take care of your health or you’ll go bald.

Su Tang tried to sit up, but Luo Yuan immediately pressed him back under the covers. His entire face flushed crimson with anger, nearly choking on his fury. He’d never encountered such an infuriating person before!

Yet he couldn’t win against Luo Yuan’s strength. Su Tang could only bundle himself into a ball of blankets, presenting his back to the world, his entire body radiating indignation and grievance.

But less than two minutes later:

[ Su Tang has fallen asleep. ]

Luo Yuan stared in disbelief. Was this the same person who’d been howling about staying up all night?

He chuckled, set down his phone, and lay down to sleep.

They both enjoyed a peaceful night’s rest.

When Luo Yuan woke the next morning, he was surprised by how well he’d slept. In the past, it had taken him ages to fall asleep, and he’d often wake up in the middle of the night. But this time, he’d slept through until dawn, feeling refreshed.

Could it be that playing games really does help relax the mind and body?

Luo Yuan had always lived like a machine—staying up late and waking early, with every activity scheduled to the minute. His life seemed to revolve entirely around work. Yet now, he kept breaking his own rules for the sake of this dating simulation game. He was showing signs of addiction, and his self-control was slipping.

This morning, instead of getting up and washing up like usual, Luo Yuan sat on the edge of the bed and opened the game first.

The screen showed a clean and warm bedroom. The little person was lying on the bed, sleeping soundly with a cute snore. There was a silly smile on his face, as if he was having a nice dream.

Luo Yuan looked at the little person and couldn’t resist the urge to poke his soft, round face.

Su Tang, still asleep, turned over and hugged the pillow, mumbling, “Don’t wake me… I want to sleep more…”

Luo Yuan smiled, watching the little person for a while before doing his own things.

Company Anonymous Group:

“Shocking! Boss Luo hasn’t come to the company yet! Did something happen?”

“Holy shit! You scared me! I thought I was late and ran like a madman on the road. There are still 15 minutes left!”

“You think Boss Luo is like you? He always comes early every day.”

“Maybe Boss Luo worked all night and didn’t go home. Didn’t he stay in the office for a whole week last month without leaving?”

“There aren’t any big projects lately. And I saw Boss Luo leave yesterday.”

“Can’t Boss Luo just sleep in sometimes?”

“Tap on the butt above. Use your pitiful brain and think—could this possibly be true?”

“Impossible.”

“+1”

“+10086”

“+ID number”

The company staff couldn’t help but wonder if President Luo had fallen gravely ill, lost consciousness, and was now bedridden, unable to even crawl out of bed. After all, this devil had once endured appendicitis while working overtime—work was practically his lifelong lover!

Just as everyone was fretting over Luo Yuan, suspecting the big boss might have contracted some incurable disease, Luo Yuan arrived at the company five minutes before work hours. He looked remarkably healthy.

The company chat group stirred again. Under the pressure of work, even the slightest gossip became particularly enticing, especially when it involved the big boss.

“So why did President Luo come later than usual?”

“Who knows… maybe he’s in a relationship?”

“Heh.”

“<img src=’rolling_eyes.jpg’>”

Everyone thought the person was talking nonsense, not a single one believing it. The staff member had indeed spoken without thinking, not even believing his own words. But no one could have imagined he would actually become the truth king ahead of time.

Luo Yuan remained completely unaware that his mere tardiness had sparked all sorts of wild speculations within the company. He walked into the office as usual, effortlessly handling documents.

At ten o’clock, he remembered something. Turning to pick up his phone, he opened the game, collected a wave of star grass, planted new seeds, then entered the small house. There he found the little man still snoring away in bed. His sleeping posture had grown even more outrageous—sprawled out in a starfish shape, clothes bunched up to reveal his belly, the quilt completely crushed beneath him, leaving no cover.

Luo Yuan frowned. This was simply too lazy, with completely unreasonable daily routines.

If this were an employee at his company, he would have been fired long ago.

Even as a paper-thin character, shouldn’t he have a development arc? With such monotony and lack of ambition, he’d be eliminated sooner or later.

Luo Yuan’s expression turned cold. Pressing a finger to the quilt, he flicked it upward in a sharp motion. The blanket flew up neatly, carrying the person on it along with the force. He rolled across the room, tumbling until he crashed into the wall. It didn’t hurt, but the sudden movement startled him.

That weightless sensation… In his dream, he’d been held by some perverted vampire while falling off a cliff. Who the hell wants to die with a vampire anyway?

Su Tang went from dazed to fully awake, realizing he was still alive. He let out a relieved sigh.

Luo Yuan typed, “It’s so late. Don’t you have anything else to do?”

Su Tang glanced at the time and jumped up in panic. “It’s already this late?! I still haven’t completed the sword immortal’s treasure hunt quest!”

As he shouted, he leaped off the bed and threw himself onto his wheeled chair. With a swift kick of his foot, the chair glided precisely to his computer. He pressed the power button—booting up!

Then he became completely absorbed in playing, automatically blocking out the outside world.

“…Don’t you have anything else to do besides gaming?” Luo Yuan asked.

“Of course,” Su Tang replied matter-of-factly. “I watch anime, movies, and read novels.”

“Nothing serious? Like pursuing your dreams or something?”

Su Tang looked up, somewhat puzzled. “This is my pursuit.”

In his original world, his wish had been to earn enough money to buy a house. Once he’d saved up, he planned to stay home every day, gaming and watching anime, avoiding social interactions and never leaving the house—living a carefree, laid-back life. After dying once, Su Tang’s desire for this lifestyle had grown even stronger.

Luo Yuan was stunned by his frank attitude towards life. For a moment, he couldn’t say anything.

This isn’t quite right, is it?

But then again, this is just a paper-thin character. It would be stranger if he didn’t ask such questions. I suppose Su Tang’s thoughts and actions are simply too vivid, too lifelike, for me to react this way.

Su Tang noticed Luo Yuan’s silence and assumed he was jealous. After all, who in this world actually enjoys work? Even when one’s passion becomes their job, it inevitably loses its charm. If not for the need to earn money, everyone would prefer to enjoy life freely. While others slave away at their jobs, working overtime until they’re half-dead, he could stay indoors playing games with the air conditioning on. The contrast was simply too unfair.

Thinking about it this way, Su Tang even felt a bit sorry for Luo Yuan.

Being a corporate bigshot wasn’t easy. A single wrong decision could lead to massive losses. Managing a large team required deep knowledge of how to use and motivate people. The pressure on his shoulders was extraordinary.

Su Tang remembered how Luo Yuan met a tragic end in the original story. He blinked his eyes and said earnestly, “Why don’t I help you with some work? My abilities aren’t particularly strong, but I can handle ordinary tasks well.”

Luo Yuan’s eyes widened slightly, caught off guard yet amused. He hadn’t expected this small paper figure to be so considerate—it was almost endearing. But make a paper cutout work for him? That was taking things too far.

As he gazed at the tiny figure, he found himself inexplicably relaxed, his mood lifting. Su Tang’s words made him realize how he’d always been so focused on work that people called him a machine. But did he truly enjoy it?

As a child, he’d tried to please his father by doing everything perfectly, convinced his father’s lack of affection stemmed from his own inadequacy. By the time he realized this wasn’t true, he’d already developed the habit of pushing himself relentlessly. With no family and few close friends, work had become his only purpose.

Looking at the adorable figure on his phone, Luo Yuan thought, If I can’t live the life I want, let my paper creation live it for me instead.

He opened the virtual store and bought a mountain of food, games, and comics. Unable to resist, he added a large fridge and bookcase to the order—all to be delivered to Su Tang.

Su Tang was instantly overwhelmed by the sudden flood of happiness. He stood frozen for several seconds before snapping out of it. Lifting his face toward Luo Yuan, his eyes curved into crescents as he tilted his head, revealing a smile as radiant as the sunflower itself.

“…I really like you!”

Luo Yuan froze, his heart pounding with inexplicable intensity.

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Author’s Note:

Luo Yuan: Crap, that’s the feeling of falling for someone.

Straight man Luo Yuan is actually a dad-type boyfriend, heh =w=

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