Chapter 036: “Not running away with the money” (08/10)
Xie Chenyang arrived outside Ding He’s apartment and knocked on the door.
“Who is it?”
Ding He’s questioning voice came from inside.
Xie Chenyang pinched his voice. “Brother Ding, it’s me.”
Although Ding He was unable to recognize his voice, since they knew him, he continued to play the game with his head down and opened the door.
Xie Chenyang entered the room, then closed and locked the door behind him.
Ding He looked up and was stunned at the sight of him before smiling. “Ah-Yao ah, you remembered me?”
– DOUBLE KILL! -[mfn]SFX from the game[/mfn]
“Ding He.” Xie Chenyang lifted his foot and kicked him down, stomping on his chest in disgust. ”In the game, you cheated me out of my data, and in reality, you also deceived my parents, indirectly causing their deaths, and now you want to mess with me and my lover through public opinion!? Do you really think that you’ve done it seamlessly?”
Ding He grunted in pain. “We haven’t even broken up yet, but you’re together with someone else–isn’t that cheating? Why am I not allowed to retaliate?”
Xie Chenyang didn’t want to discuss with him and crouched down while stepping on his heart. He placed a palm over Ding He’s head. Ding He was trying to struggle when there was a sudden pain in his brain, as if something was pulling at his soul.
You Huang: “Yes, you pull his soul out and stuff it inside his cell phone. I’ll use the metadata to funnel his soul back into the game.”
When Xie Chenyang left Ding He’s house, it was pouring outside. It was a fair distance from the mall where he parked his car.
You Huang: “Use some points to exchange for an umbrella?”
[No need; this rain is rather refreshing.]
Perhaps because of the rain, the pedestrians on the road had become fewer, with only the occasional vehicle passing by.
Xie Chenyang walked alone in the wind and rain, appearing like an unknown individual who seemingly had a lonely and solitary vibe. However, in reality, Xie Chenyang, with one hand inserted in his pocket, was walking leisurely, with great delight: [Ah Huang, sing a song in honor of the occasion.]
You Huang: “OK.”
— The cold, icy rain on my face carelessly slapped[mfn]Song ‘ Ice Rain | Andy Lau, link at bottom of page[/mfn]
You Huang was curious to see his strides so unhurried, then asked, “Why do you want to get wet in the rain?”
It felt foolish in general.
[Lowering the fire.] As he walked to the bustling street, Xie Chenyang accelerated his pace and entered the parking lot of the mall.
While approaching a car, Xie Chenyang stopped in his tracks. The actual car owner was leaning against the door and smoking a cigarette with a chilly look on his face.
Xie Chenyang dodged behind a nearby pillar: [How did he get here?]
You Huang: “Do you need me to monitor him in real time from now on? That way you’ll be able to know his first movements.”
[No, don’t monitor him.]
Wei Xiu took a deep drag on his cigarette and said in a frigid voice, “I can see you.” Wei Xiu walked over to a trash can and extinguished his cigarette. “Come here.”
Xie Chenyang slowly walked over to him. “Ah-Xiu ……”
Wei Xiu raised his gaze, looked at his soaked appearance and reddened eyes, then coldly stretched out his hand. “Keys.”
Xie Chenyang was self-conscious. He obediently pulled the keys out of his pocket and handed them to him.
Wei Xiu opened the car door and reached out to push him into the back seat. “Take off your clothes, not a piece left.”
Xie Chenyang didn’t dare to sit directly on the backseat for fear of soaking it. While taking off his clothes and throwing them to the side, he rejoiced with some concealed delight: [Does he want to have a car scene with me?]
Xie Chenyang knocked on the car window and quietly said, “Ah-Xiu, I’m done.”
Wei Xiu opened the door and stepped in, pulling Xie Chenyang over with one hand to make him sit down and kneeling in front of him to reach for the blanket in the back. Xie Chenyang reached out and hugged Wei Xiu. Wei Xiu’s body tensed, yanking the blanket over his head and scrubbing his wet hair.
Xie Chenyang’s hand slipped into his shirt. Wei Xiu violently discarded the blanket and pressed him against the back of the seat, lowering his head and biting on his lips.
Xie Chenyang hugged his waist and pressed into his arms, tilting his head back and kissing him. Only when coming into contact with Wei Xiu’s tears did he open his eyes. Wei Xiu reached out to cover his eyes and continued to kiss.
How could Xie Chenyang still be in the mood? Tilting his head to avoid him, Wei Xu pushed his hand away and wiped away the tears that were sliding from the corners of his eyes, a little nervous. “What’s wrong? What happened?”
Wei Xiu avoided his gaze and buried his face in the crook of Xie Chenyang’s neck and shoulder, not wanting him to see his sorry state.
“Ah-Xiu, what exactly happened?”
Wei Xiu was silent for a long time before he said, “Nothing. I thought you ran away with the money.”
Xie Chenyang reached out and slapped his hip. “What are you talking about? Am I that kind of person? I just wanted to step out and enjoy the rain; that’s why I borrowed your car for a bit.”
Wei Xiu: “Getting soaked in the rain is relaxing?”
Xie Chenyang: “I didn’t expect it to suddenly rain . I hadn’t brought an umbrella.”
Wei Xiu closed his eyes. After he was woken up by a phone call, he originally wanted to go and see if Xie Chenyang had been asleep, but he didn’t see him, and only realized that his car had disappeared when he arrived at the garage.
He had been worried about Xie Chenyang, and in that moment, his worry cumulated to the limit. He had many unfavorable speculations. Xie Chenyang hadn’t shown any sadness about his parents’ departure all this time, and it was obvious that he was trying to escape from reality, only to then be blasted by so many people online for being unfilial.
When he spoke to those reporters, he was calm and managed to taunt them.
He was also calm when he got home.
He acted so normal that it felt abnormal to Wei Xiu.
Xie Chenyang’s unannounced departure had left him shocked and anxious. He even thought that if he failed to find him ……
It was good that his car had a location tracker, so he looked for it.
Xie Chenyang saw him go silent and coughed lightly. “So, uh, I’m a bit cold, ah. Let’s go home first. Why don’t we turn on the heat in the car?”
Wei Xiu gathered all his emotions and pulled away from his embrace. After taking off his trench coat and throwing it onto Xie Chenyang, he got out of the car and went to the driver’s seat.
Xie Chenyang wrapped the trench coat around him, his thoughts somewhat confused.
Wei Xiu started the car and drove without looking at him.
You Huang: “I say, host, you don’t really believe that he cried because he is worried about you fleeing with the money, right?”
[I certainly don’t believe it. I’m trying hard to think about it].
You Huang: “Do you have a conclusion?”
[He is afraid that I ran away, I think.]
You Huang: “How did you come to this conclusion?”
[Look, ah, he woke up and found that I was not in the villa, then rushed to find me. The first thing he did when he found me was kiss me–kissing and then crying ……]
“So?”
[So he was afraid that I ran away and didn’t want him, so he chased me all night, and the first thing that happened was that I was kissed, and then he cried in relief]
[Do you think my guess is right?]
You Huang: “No.”
[Then I’ll think about it again]
Until they returned home, Xie Chenyang was not able to come up with a reason that You Huang also supported. Xie Chenyang looked at Wei Xiu, who had regained his composure, and prepared to ask directly.
Wei Xiu: “You just got soaked in the rain; go take a warm shower.”
Xie Chenyang pulled his hand. “Together.”
He thought he would refuse. After all, this world’s lover was more reserved and always resisted the fact that they were developing so fast.
Wei Xiu didn’t refuse. They entered the master bedroom’s bathroom together.
The heat of the hot water clouded the bathroom with a layer of mist.
Xie Chenyang asked while rubbing the bubbles on his head, “Why did you cry earlier?”
You Huang: “That’s too direct!”
[Lovers should be honest with each other.]
“……” Forget it. Since they are in the shower, what he sees is a mosaic, it’s better to withdraw.
Wei Xiu stood under the shower, his eyes closed as he rinsed, unable to see Xie Chenyang’s expression. “A momentary loss of control.”
From memory, he almost never lost control. He was always calm and self-controlled. But this all changed when he met Xie Chenyang.
Repeatedly, he had cracked for him.
Xie Chenyang moved over to rinse the bubbles off his head.
Wei Xiu retreated to the side and reached for his bathrobe.
Xie Chenyang watched as he draped his bathrobe and went out, looking anxious as he finished his shower and hurried outside.
Wei Xiu stood to the side while blow drying his hair.
Xie Chenyang walked over and unplugged it, then picked Wei Xu up and pressed him onto the bed, his eyes burning as he forced himself to look at him. “Ah Xiu, I’m not good at guessing, just tell me what you’re thinking. Why were you crying?”
“Didn’t control my emotions ……”
“What emotions?”
“…… I’m worried about you.”
Xie Chenyang was puzzled. “Worried about what?”
Wei Xiu took a deep breath. “You’ve been acting too calm since you woke up. I’ve been worrying that you’re suppressing yourself, and when I woke up and couldn’t find you, I was worried that you wouldn’t be thinking clearly …… or that you’d be licking your wounds alone.”
Xie Chenyang was dumbfounded.
Wei Xiu was a person who had a hard time making friends with people.
But since he had already opened his mouth, he didn’t want to hide it anymore.
He reached out and touched Xie Chenyang’s face. “I’ll take you to pay homage to your parents tomorrow, okay?”
So, don’t run away anymore.
Xie Chenyang had a bit of a headache.
He reached out to cover Wei Xiu’s hand that was touching his face and said seriously, “I’m not repressing myself. I understand that the deceased has passed away, and it won’t be any benefit for me to mourn; moreover, they wouldn’t want to see me sad.”
Wei Xiu was in a daze.
So, in fact, his lover had a strong tolerance, and he was the one who was over-thinking?
Xie Chenyang suddenly snorted a laugh. He drew back his hand expressionlessly.
Xie Chenyang stifled his laughter. “So, in the future, if there’s anything, speak up and ask directly. Don’t guess blindly, got it?”
Wei Xiu: “…… Uh-huh.”
Xie Chenyang lowered his head and kissed his lips, whispering, “I love you.”
Wei Xiu’s eyes became hot.
Xie Chenyang’s voice was hoarse. “Is it okay?”
Wei Xiu reached out and wrapped his arms around his neck, taking the initiative to meet his lips and closed his eyes.
I love you, too.
Even though the time we’ve known each other is incredibly short.
But for some reason, my heart tells me that I love you.
…… While the two were extremely entwined in reality, Ding He nearly collapsed in the game.
He had returned to the game, and once again, became the same boss that he’d once been.
When a player entered his copy, his body automatically responded as programmed to fight the battle.
The players could hear the lines he uttered, but the players were completely unaware when he tried to communicate with them.
Once again, he was in a situation where he was alone.
The earlier loophole he had taken was gone.
He could spend ages looking for another loophole, but where would …… there be another person for him to assimilate into the data to escape?
Even if he found a hole, he wouldn’t be able to travel through the data stream alone.
It would collapse.
Thinking of Xie Chenyang’s appearance when he extracted his soul, Ding He roared, “He’s not Xie Yunyao!”
He was definitely not Xie Yunyao.
Yes, he didn’t look like Xie Yunyao at all.
He also knew this kind of unthinkable means to put him in the game.
Ding He gritted his teeth.
Pulling himself together, he tried to think of a solution, a way to escape, or a way to communicate with the players and pierce through Xie Yunyao’s deception.
He was a fraud!!!
Song >> Ice Rain | Andy Lau <<
Edit: Krone
Proofread: Choux_choux
