Chapter 29: No Going Back

The frost-covered giant dragon let out a miserable roar at the sky.

Its enormous body crashed to the ground, sending snow mist flying everywhere.

The controller in Jiang Yueming’s hands vibrated with feedback, as if the chaos inside the game world had somehow traveled through the screen and a single data cable.

He had to admit the console reviewers had been right.

The PS5 really was an incredible machine.

Paired with the massive screen and sound system in Xia He’s house, it gave him a genuine sense of being inside the game.

The boss he had failed to beat a few days ago even with a pile of items went down in one try tonight.

Of course, a big part of that was thanks to Xia He.

On the huge screen, beside the character he controlled, a priestess in a white robe raised her hand to heal him.

A soft green glow lit up around her palm, and Jiang Yueming’s health bar began to climb steadily.

“We won!”

Jiang Yueming tossed the controller aside and collapsed onto the sofa.

Xia He sat right beside him, another controller resting on her knees.

She wasn’t looking at the screen.

From the moment the fight ended she had been turned toward him, her gaze fixed on the side of his face.

The overhead lights poured down, sharpening every line of his profile—the small shadow beneath his brow bone, the clean sweep from cheekbone to jaw, the slight part of his lips still flushed with excitement.

She watched that face and the corners of her mouth slowly curved upward.

“We won?” she asked, already knowing the answer.

“We won, we won. I finally cleared it…” Jiang Yueming let out a long breath. “That boss held me up for so long. I actually beat it today.”

Xia He smiled. “Was it really that hard?”

“Wow, you have no idea how annoying that boss is,” Jiang Yueming sat up straight and gestured animatedly. 

“I used a ton of items before, chugged like a dozen potions, and every time I’d get swept by its tail in the third phase…”

Jiang Yueming spoke with sparkling eyes, completely caught up in a rare burst of excitement.

Xia He listened quietly while he described how difficult the fight had been.

Her gaze never left him, her eyes curved into two gentle crescents.

In truth she had already cleared this game many times over.

Because she knew how much Jiang Yueming loved it, she had fallen in love with it too.

Late at night she had secretly gripped the controller and battled one ferocious beast after another.

Those beasts had probably never faced an opponent like her before—not a knight or an assassin, but a soft-looking priestess whose only light healed wounds.

They didn’t know that this priestess could swing her staff just as hard, and that she had stubbornly stuck with the class because one day there would be a knight standing in front of her who needed healing.

So the seemingly gentle priestess had fought her way all the way to the Demon King’s castle with sheer willpower.

Watching Jiang Yueming’s happy face, Xia He felt every late-night grind had been worth it.

“…Good thing you were there healing me in the final phase, or I really don’t know if I could’ve done it.”

On the screen his knight still stood in place, the battered armor slowly mending under the priestess’s hands.

“Of course,” Xia He tilted her head. 

“As long as I’m here, you won’t die.”

“Hah, you played really well too,” Jiang Yueming sighed. 

“I never would’ve guessed the top student in our grade is this good at games. Seriously, some people just make you want to give up.”

Xia He lifted her chin, looking as proud as a cat that had just been stroked the right way.

She glanced at the game screen and suddenly remembered a little Easter egg.

Her fingers moved.

On screen the priestess put away her staff and gently stroked the warrior’s armor.

A faint glow spread across the metal.

Jiang Yueming’s controller vibrated once.

He turned to look.

A line of text slowly rose from the bottom of the screen.

You have been granted eternal protection.

Jiang Yueming stared at the words and muttered, “What the heck is this corny line?”

He nudged the joystick, trying to make the text disappear.

Xia He hid a small smile and asked innocently, “What’s wrong?”

“Don’t you think it’s cheesy?” Jiang Yueming turned to look at her.

“But you really are protected by me,” Xia He said as if it were obvious. 

“If I hadn’t been healing you, that dragon tail would’ve killed you ages ago.”

Jiang Yueming opened his mouth, realized she had a point, and gave up arguing.

Just as he was about to keep playing, the clock on the wall ticked once.

He looked up and realized it was already ten o’clock.

He had played for a full two hours.

A wave of guilt washed over him.

When he left school he had sworn he would review when he got home.

Now not only had he not touched a single book, he hadn’t even opened his bag.

“It’s already this late.” 

Jiang Yueming reluctantly set the controller down. 

“I should head home.”

Xia He followed his gaze to the clock on the wall but said nothing.

Jiang Yueming stood up from the sofa and bent to grab his phone from the table.

The moment his fingertips touched the screen, Xia He’s hand pressed down on his arm.

“Play a little longer,” she said.

“I really can’t,” he replied, sliding his arm out from under her hand just enough for her fingers to slip away.

“Just a little longer.”

Xia He’s voice turned soft and coaxing, almost spoiled.

Jiang Yueming hadn’t expected her to seem even more addicted to gaming than he was.

“We have school tomorrow.”

“When did you become such a model student?”

“I’ve always liked going to class.”

“You slept through all four periods this morning.”

Jiang Yueming was momentarily speechless and gave a dry cough.

“That’s different,” he said, picking up his phone and slipping it into his pocket. 

“After sleeping all day I need to get back early to fix my sleep schedule, or my body clock will be completely messed up.”

“But it’s still raining outside.”

Jiang Yueming walked to the window, pulled back the curtain, and saw that the rain had only gotten heavier.

He stared at the downpour for a few seconds, about to ask her family driver to give him a ride, when he suddenly remembered that the driver and the housekeeper still hadn’t returned.

It had already been two hours.

How long did it take to buy a few bottles of water?

Had they gone all the way to Wuyi Mountain to pick fresh tea leaves or something?

He turned around and asked in confusion, “When is your driver coming back?”

Xia He curled up on the sofa and looked at him.

“I don’t know,” she answered carelessly. “Maybe soon. Maybe it’ll take a while.”

“How long is ‘a while’?”

“Just… a while.” 

Xia He thought for a moment. 

“Maybe they can’t find the exact brand you like and have to check several supermarkets.”

Jiang Yueming wanted to say that any brand of oolong tea was basically the same, but the words died in his throat.

He had just realized something.

The driver hadn’t gone out to buy any random oolong tea.

He had gone to buy the specific brand that “he liked.”

When had he ever told her which brand of oolong tea he preferred?

He hadn’t.

At least he didn’t remember saying anything.

The thought flashed through his mind and was quickly buried by a more immediate one.

No matter when the driver came back, he probably wouldn’t be able to leave tonight.

“What are you worried about?”

Xia He stood up from the sofa and walked toward him barefoot.

Her slender, fair feet made no sound at all on the carpet.

“Nothing,” Jiang Yueming’s gaze lingered on those feet for a second. “I just feel like I’m imposing too much.”

“You’re not imposing at all.”

Xia He stopped in front of him and looked up.

“I live alone in this huge house. Most days there isn’t even anyone to talk to. You’re here keeping me company—I’m happy about it.”

Jiang Yueming looked at her and felt she was telling the truth.

The villa really was ridiculously large.

Standing inside it made him feel how empty it was; even their voices had echoes.

Living here by herself must be lonely.

Xia He took his hand and swung it gently, like pushing a swing.

“We have plenty of guest rooms. Just stay one night and keep me company, okay?”

As she spoke her pink lips pouted slightly.

Jiang Yueming’s hand swayed back and forth in hers, making his heart itch.

“Well… all right then.”

He gave in with difficulty.

While Xia He threw both arms straight up and cheered “Yay!” he quietly turned his head and swallowed.

Just one night. It should be fine, right?

He stared at the rainy curtain outside the window and thought to himself.