Chapter 14: Reality

Chapter 14: Reality

◎"...Shi Youqing?!"◎

Shi Youqing thought he must be crazy to let him carry him for the ticket check!

"Thank you, my health isn't great," he said through gritted teeth, "but I can still walk... Let's talk about it when I really can't take care of myself."

The man gave him a look and grunted in a muffled voice.

Once on the train, Shi Youqing went to find their seats. He sat by the window, and Bo Huai quickly followed after storing the luggage.

Passengers around them were chatting quietly. It was nearing evening, and Shi Youqing leaned his head to rest. Just as his eyes began to close, a warm hand supported the back of his neck.

Bo Huai placed a U-shaped pillow around his neck and then turned to quietly read a health magazine.

Shi Youqing: "......Thank you."

"You're welcome."

His drowsiness suddenly vanished, but he maintained his reclined position: "Are you a college student?"

The hand flipping through the booklet paused briefly, emitting a hum of acknowledgment.

Shi Youqing found it curious: "Why choose such a part-time job? Most people would opt for tutoring, right?"

"I can't teach."

“……”

He pressed his lips together, not asking further.

Once the National Day holiday ended, Bo Huai would surely return to school. The contract stipulated that outside of summer and winter breaks, he was to visit Shi Youqing weekly for check-ups and necessary care, seemingly in case something happened to Shi Youqing at home without anyone knowing... His mother seemed to have known she would be leaving.

Seeing Shi Youqing fall silent, Bo Huai asked, "Do you need some water?"

Shi Youqing shook his head.

Bo Huai lowered his gaze, continuing to read the health booklet.

Jiang City was just next to Ruocheng, less than an hour away by high-speed rail.

Upon arrival in the evening, Bo Huai checked into a nearby hotel, booking a room with a double bed. Shi Youqing had no objections; they were the same sex, and as long as Bo Huai didn't encroach on his bed, there was no issue.

After dinner, Shi Youqing took a bath and lay on the bed to research the park his mother had mentioned.

About fourteen or fifteen kilometers away, it was called Shuangdie Park, named after the story of Liang Zhu.

As he scrolled through the park's photos on his phone, there was a slight sound from the bathroom. The tall young man emerged, drying his damp hair.

Shi Youqing glanced over, then continued browsing on his phone.

Moments later, a steaming cup of water and a capsule were offered to him.

The transparent glass cup was completely enveloped by that hand, the knuckles distinct.

"It's time for your medicine."

Shi Youqing accepted it, swallowing the pill and drinking half the cup of water: "Thanks."

A few drops of water trickled down his chin and neck, which he casually wiped away. Under the light, a faint trail of moisture remained, running down towards his collar.

The young man averted his gaze, vigorously drying his hair before suddenly turning around and pouncing onto the bed to lie down like a gust of wind.

Startled by his sudden movement, Shi Youqing asked in astonishment, “What’s wrong with you?”

The young man quickly turned his back to him, just shaking his head without a word.

Shi Youqing: "......"

Needing to wake up early the next day, he yawned and lay down to sleep as well.

That night, he slept well, finally free from those nightmares.

When he woke up, Bo Huai had already freshened up, packed everything needed for the day into a backpack, and even bought breakfast when he came out of the bathroom.

A light meal of millet porridge, soup dumplings, and stir-fried vegetables.

During breakfast, Shi Youqing casually inquired about the game.

"Did anything unusual happen before you were bound to the game?"

"A chess game appeared on my phone."

This matched the response of the players he had met in the Chenggu Town level.

“So, you signed the contract before being bound by the game, right?” Normally, encountering such inexplicable and terrifying events would drive anyone mad; how could one think of finding a part-time job?

“Yes.”

…As expected.

After breakfast, they took a taxi straight to Shuangdie Park.

The park was large, with a moderate number of visitors. It was normal to see fewer butterflies in this season.

Despite the absence of butterflies, the park's variety of plants was still captivating, prompting Shi Youqing to take several photos.

In addition, there were many intricate sculptures in the park, most of them depicting large butterflies.

After walking for half an hour, Shi Youqing grew tired and sat on a park bench to rest.

Bo Huai unscrewed the thermos to give him a drink.

After taking a few sips of water, he suddenly heard a little girl laughing behind him. Turning around, he noticed a statue of a black butterfly.

The black butterfly statue was about 1.7 meters tall, with large wings poised as if in flight. Next to it, a little girl was being lifted high by her father, playfully positioned on the butterfly's wings, while her mother took photos from a short distance.

After taking the photo, the family of three walked away, chatting and laughing.

Shi Youqing approached the statue, gazing intently at the black butterfly sculpture before reaching out to touch it.

It was a bronze statue, unusually smooth to the touch… and as his fingertips glided over the butterfly's dark eyes, something fell off!

It was a folded, human eye-sized, round piece of black paper.

Shi Youqing quickly unfolded it.

There were just two words on the paper.

—Red Shoes.

Before he could understand the meaning of this paper, it was suddenly grasped tightly by someone behind him, then released: "It's a clue, don’t take it out carelessly."

He turned around in surprise: "...A clue for the next level?"

"Yes," Bo Huai looked away, "Players who get chess pieces in a level can find clues for the next one in certain places in the real world, based on details from the previous level. But usually, there's only one clue."

"So, if several players get chess pieces in a level, only one of them can find the clue for the next level after coming out?"

"Yes."

Shi Youqing eyed him skeptically: "How do you know this?"

They were both supposed to be novices who had only completed one level.

"After coming out, I looked up some things about the game and luckily contacted an experienced player online…"

Shi Youqing just hummed in response to this explanation.

Regardless, obtaining a clue was a good thing.

Shi Youqing's main purpose here was to look for any last traces his mother might have left before her disappearance. After securing the clue, he continued to explore parts of the park he hadn't visited yet.

Every time a middle-aged woman with long hair passed by, he would turn his head to look.

Not her...

Not her...

None of them...

The sun was fully out now, nearing midday.

Having nearly explored the entire park, Shi Youqing's face was covered in a thin layer of sweat. The person beside him leaned over to wipe it off, revealing skin pale with a hint of redness beneath…

Unaware of Bo Huai's gaze, he was thinking about finding a place to eat when his eyes suddenly fixed on a familiar-looking figure ahead, looking around.

Dark-skinned, with a buzz cut...

Shi Youqing opened his mouth in surprise, intending to call out, but just then, his throat began to feel uncomfortable.

"Cough..." After a cough, he couldn't stop coughing continuously.

Then, feeling light-headed... he was so preoccupied with coughing that by the time he regained his senses, Bo Huai had already carried him to a nearby bench and helped him sit down.

The young man's hands were on his back, helping him breathe, his dark eyes unblinkingly focused on him.

“……”

Elsewhere, hearing the coughing, Feng Bin swayed slightly and slowly turned around.

"...Shi Youqing?!"

[Author's Note]

Thanks to the angels who irrigated with nutrient solution: Late Night No More 19 bottles; Lin Beibei, Please Let It Snow Next 10 bottles; Yulan 5 bottles;

"Thank you all for your support. I will continue to work hard!"