Chapter 63

Chapter 63

The next morning, Long Jianlu woke up early, clad only in underwear, an apron, and slippers. As he tidied Yaoguang's room, his partially concealed body made Yaoguang's heart race the moment he opened his eyes.

"Awake?" Long Jianlu glanced at Yaoguang, undid his apron, and came over for some affectionate gestures.

Though Yaoguang was still getting used to it, Long Jianlu's skin, warm embrace, and gentle kisses were the most anticipated part of his daily awakening.

After an hour of intimacy, Yaoguang got up to take a shower. Long Jianlu tidied the room, drew back the curtains, and let the late summer sunshine stream in.

Yaoguang noticed that his medicine box had been put away in a drawer. Clearly, Long Jianlu had seen it, but he didn't inquire further.

On his phone, the café replied, seemingly aware that Yaoguang would soon quit since he now had a boyfriend. The owner, it seemed, wasn't fond of homosexuals – all the better.

The boss deducted half a month's salary, sending him the other half. Yaoguang calculated that he had around seven thousand yuan left. With frugality and cooking meals at home, it should last them a month. If need be, he could resort to mobile loans, but Yaoguang was wary of interest accumulating and landing in debt; he wouldn't borrow online unless it was an absolute necessity.

Long Jianlu had neatly stacked Yaoguang's instant noodles in a cardboard box, along with clean utensils.

"I'll clean the bathroom when we get back," Long Jianlu said, changing into clothes. "Let's go out for a meal."

It was a workday, and Yaoguang hadn't felt this relaxed stepping out in a long time. Every day, he was overwhelmed by the pressures of life. But as he shifted his gaze, he noticed surprisingly that there were still quite a number of people strolling about on the streets during weekdays. Did they not have jobs? Or did they have enough wealth that they didn't need to work?

On a Thursday morning, taking the subway to go shopping made Yaoguang feel incredibly guilty, as if everyone else was attending classes while he was skipping them.

Long Jianlu said, "We'll get off at this station and transfer to another subway line."

Yaoguang replied, "I'll get you a subway card."

Long Jianlu responded, "It's fine, I'll buy a car soon."

Yaoguang: "…"

Upon reaching the book city, Long Jianlu remarked, "Information exchange in this world is also quite backward."

"You could actually read books online," Yaoguang suggested.

"Many technical books can't be found," Long Jianlu explained. "They're patented."

"Alright then," Yaoguang thought to himself. Are you planning to make a living in our era?

After that, they wandered around the bookstore. Yaoguang thought of something and asked, "How did you know where the book center was?"

Long Jianlu replied, "I spent yesterday researching the city you live in and absorbing online information."

Yaoguang had a sudden premonition that he might have underestimated Long Jianlu. After all, he had once been the youngest and smartest scholar! With a brain development rate of 97%, Yaoguang had only set it randomly, but Long Jianlu's emotions seemed perfectly normal, not at all displaying the eccentric behaviors often portrayed in movies for characters with such high brain development.

Long Jianlu started flipping through books on C++ programming and H5 creation. Yaoguang chuckled and asked, "Are you planning to become a programmer?"

"I'm going to check them all out," Long Jianlu said, also picking up books on Java and some interior design titles. Yaoguang was curious about his learning process. Seeing Long Jianlu fall silent, he himself grabbed a book on Story Creation Theory and began studying.

It had been a long time since he had studied like this after leaving university.

Long Jianlu read incredibly fast, scanning pages almost at a glance. His fingers continuously flipped the pages, creating a rustling sound.

"You read so quickly?" Yaoguang asked.

"Much of the content is similar to what I did with the U System," Long Jianlu answered. "It's just more basic. A quick glance is enough to understand."

At that moment, someone else approached Long Jianlu asking for his WeChat, but he politely declined without revealing any emotion. Turning to Yaoguang, he said, "Let's move to another spot."

Yaoguang spent the entire morning engrossed in creative theory, while Long Jianlu swiftly flipped through more than ten books before swapping them out. This time, he switched to texts on computational science.

Yaoguang: "…"

This was the subject that gave Yaoguang the most headache. Long Jianlu explained, "I just want to see how different the mathematical principles are between our two worlds."

"I used to frequently fail advanced math in college," Yaoguang shared.

"Can tell," Long Jianlu chuckled. "But there's one advantage to designing your own world—when you don't understand something, you don't force a twisted interpretation onto it. That's why we haven't found any major discrepancies so far."

Yaoguang playfully smacked Long Jianlu's head with the book, but Long Jianlu caught his hand and interlaced their fingers.

"Wait," Yaoguang remembered something else. "What about the Starry World? Will there be any issues after the Gate's explosion?"

"No," Long Jianlu replied. "That world is now completely static to us due to the difference in dimensions. But once you retrieve the Origin Crystal, you can modify it again."

Long Jianlu managed to read and talk to Yaoguang simultaneously without any hindrance. Considering he could lead the Starry Federation's joint forces while sneaking into the Pillar of Creation with his wife, multitasking was nothing for him.

Where was Shan Rong? Would he suddenly appear?

Yaoguang inquired further, "Did you retain the abilities you acquired from the book?"

"A portion of them," Long Jianlu replied. "The innate ones remain, but not those gained afterward. For instance, the Time Control of the Knight and the spells of the Demon King vanished, but the memories of the Emperor and the Scholar persist, along with the Scholar's learning prowess."

"So, the same applies to Shan Rong?"

"I'm not certain," Long Jianlu said. "He possesses an Origin Crystal. Within it lies the authorization you granted when entering the Interstellar Realm, enabling control over all mechanical lifeforms, correct? Hence, I speculate that he might have acquired this ability."

"Can he manipulate things with chips?" Yaoguang suddenly felt a sense of danger. If Shan Rong controlled all the world's computers, World War III could erupt.

"Nevertheless, I assure you, there's no need to worry," Long Jianlu reassured. "I have means to deal with him. The reason he hasn't dared to show himself is precisely out of fear of me."

Yaoguang commented, "We just don't know where he's hiding."

For a brief moment, Long Jianlu lifted his gaze from the book, looking at Yaoguang before pondering for a while.

"He needs energy," Long Jianlu said. "Like the mechanical empire that constructed the Pillar of Creation, he must possess energy to activate the Origin Crystal. While energy is abundant in this era, harnessing the power of the Origin Crystal isn't as simple as plugging it into a socket at home."

"In our region, there's only one nuclear power plant," Yaoguang mentioned. "It supplies energy to the nearby cities."

"Indeed, I've noticed," Long Jianlu replied. "There's no danger for the time being, so you can relax. If he dares to show up, I promise I'll deal with him immediately."

This was one of the rare instances where the protagonist held the upper hand against the antagonist. In other novels, such an effortless plot progression might have been bland and unappetizing for readers. But for Yaoguang, Long Jianlu was an incredibly reassuring presence.

In truth, Shan Rong had never gained any advantage over Long Jianlu; he'd even been killed by him multiple times. This made Shan Rong greatly fear Long Jianlu, so much so that he dared not reveal himself even with the Origin Crystal in his possession.

However, Yaoguang didn't doubt that Shan Rong was plotting something significant behind the scenes.

After Long Jianlu finished another book, Yaoguang commented, "Piglet Care After Sow Giving Birth. Are you planning on raising pigs?"

"I'm just curious," Long Jianlu said. "I read everything. Do you want to raise them?"

Yaoguang: "…"

During lunch, Yaoguang bought sandwiches and a cola for both of them. Long Jianlu had a high sugar requirement due to his constant mental activity, downing four or five large cups of cola. Throughout the afternoon, he leaned on Yaoguang's shoulder as they browsed through various technical books in the reading area of the bookstore, from programming to interior design, architectural codes, and even cooking tips for connoisseurs...

It wasn't until evening when Long Jianlu finally stood up and said, "Let's go."

"I think we should take you to the library. They have more books there. Aren't you buying any?" Yaoguang suggested.

Long Jianlu compared the prices of several books and said, "This one book is enough."

In the end, he purchased a book on H5 creation. Yaoguang initially assumed it was a reference book for him, but Long Jianlu didn't seem to read it much after bringing it home.

That evening, Yaoguang redeemed coupons to buy a McDonald's family meal. Long Jianlu had an enormous appetite, and Yaoguang thought to himself, You'd better earn some money, or I'll have to go back to work next week. Otherwise, we won't be able to afford this kind of eating.

Back at home, Long Jianlu was affectionate with Yaoguang in their small old house. Yaoguang thought it was late, but when he checked the time, it was only just past eight.

"Let's sleep... Oh, wait, is it really that early?"

With Yaoguang's laptop in his arms, Long Jianlu sat on the bed leaning against the headboard. "If you're tired, you can sleep first. I'll be done with my work in a few days."

Fascinated, Yaoguang watched as Long Jianlu began searching for part-time work on a design website, sending emails, and browsing the internet. He admired Long Jianlu's profile, finding it endlessly captivating. He was incredibly handsome and possessed an unparalleled stability in emotions, free from any typical relationship squabbles. With the wisdom of a scholar and the experience of thousands of years, he seemed to regard life's troubles as insignificant.

Seeing Long Jianlu so motivated, Yaoguang pretended to study as well, opening the creative theory book he had bought that day. After a while, unable to continue, he turned to reading online updates of his own fantasy novel.

"What's that?" Long Jianlu, having landed his first part-time job, quickly read through the email and added the client's contact information. Simultaneously, he opened another window to start working on the program.

Yaoguang, not understanding what Long Jianlu was doing, replied, "It's the xianxia novel I wrote."

"I'll take a look?" Long Jianlu offered.

"No, no! Absolutely not!" Yaoguang was too embarrassed; there was only this novel he didn't want Long Jianlu to read at the moment.

The room was quiet. For several hours, Long Jianlu was absorbed in programming, simultaneously juggling other tasks—a video editing job and a special effects project.

"I need to purchase this software," Long Jianlu announced.

Yaoguang got up to teach him how to pay using his phone. In the process, he noticed that Long Jianlu's H5 page was almost complete! While grumbling about the world's backward communication methods that couldn't allow for a simple tap with the back of his hand to settle payments, he swiftly attended to his part-time work.

"You could actually do live streaming," Yaoguang suggested, now convinced that Long Jianlu's side jobs were manageable. "You'd become popular in no time."

Long Jianlu sent over the finished page and replied, "I don't want to rely on my looks to make a living. Besides, it would waste time, and you might get jealous."

Yaoguang chuckled. "What is this?"

"Post-production work." Long Jianlu launched the paid software he had downloaded and imported the video. As he edited, he added special effects, saying, "Starting next week, I'll change my working hours to the morning when you're asleep. That way, I won't disturb you. Have you been waiting long?"

Yaoguang was astonished. "Do you have inspiration?"

The most torturous part of his writing was the lack of inspiration, yet Long Jianlu simply glanced at it and casually began working.

"Doing this kind of part-time job that pays a few thousand," Long Jianlu commented, "you need inspiration? You're overestimating it."

At this point, Long Jianlu's tone was entirely that of a practical person from the real world.

But then he reconsidered and revised his statement, "Well, yes, inspiration is needed. Do you know how a husband can find inspiration?"

Yaoguang: "..."

"Woah," Long Jianlu murmured, still tirelessly editing the video with one hand, "Darling, I adore you so much."

"Is this good enough?"

With a smile, Long Jianlu approached Yaoguang, embracing him and laying atop him.

"Still have work to do?"

"Finished now." Glancing at the clock, it was midnight. Long Jianlu switched off the light and held Yaoguang close before drifting off to sleep.

One morning, Yaoguang opened his eyes to the sound of familiarity, startled enough to immediately sit up.

"Y-you…" Liang Jue was quite astonished.

Yaoguang was covered with a blanket, while Long Jianlu, clad only in thin pajama bottoms, sat at the desk nearby, engrossed in his computer. Clearly, he hadn't expected Liang Jue's sudden intrusion.

Liang Jue: "…"

Yaoguang: "…"

Long Jianlu: "Hey."

Assuming that Liang Jue was the owner of the house and a close friend of Yaoguang's, Long Jianlu put down his laptop, stood up, and extended his hand for a handshake.

"Who are you?" Still in disbelief, Liang Jue's gaze was somewhat peculiar.

"I didn't get the chance to introduce him," Yaoguang pondered, then continued, "This is my boyfriend. Liang Jue, please don't be angry, let me explain…"

Liang Jue's expression was a fascinating mix of emotions. The small, dilapidated apartment now felt cramped with the three boys inside. He instinctively suggested, "I'll step out for a bit."

"No, no!" Yaoguang hastily pulled on his pants and said, "Sit down!"

Long Jianlu slipped on a T-shirt and met Yaoguang's gaze. Yaoguang nodded first, then slightly shook his head. It was a subtle way of saying it was fine – Liang Jue was his friend – but also warning: don't tell him you came out of a book.

"I'll take a shower," Long Jianlu got up and entered the bathroom, leaving the two of them to chat.

"When did you two meet?" Liang Jue asked, furrowing his brow.

"Well... a few months ago?" Yaoguang replied, "I can't quite remember."

Yaoguang felt a pang of guilt as if he had been caught in an affair. He should have introduced Liang Jue sooner, but Long Jianlu had only been in this world for a few days, all of them workdays...

"I went to your shop, and the boss told me you quit," Liang Jue said, "I thought maybe you were sick, so I came to check on you."

"Oh... what time is it?" Yaoguang glanced at his phone, realizing it was already eleven o'clock! And Long Jianlu hadn't even woken him up!

"How did you two meet?" Liang Jue pressed on.

Yaoguang: "!!!"

Yaoguang saw four consecutive transaction records on his phone, showing over two thousand yuan had been deposited into his bank account!

"I...," Yaoguang replied to Liang Jue while still staring at the screen, clearly distracted. "We... met by chance at a park."

"A park?!" Liang Jue exclaimed. "That kind of place?"

"No, no! Not at all!" Yaoguang knew Liang Jue must have misunderstood, but he was too absorbed in the joy of receiving such a large sum. Was this from Long Jianlu's freelance work? It had arrived so quickly? He'd earned two thousand yuan in one night?

"Well, it's like this... um," Yaoguang continued. "No, what I mean is, we were introduced through a volunteer program. A rehabilitation salon, yeah."

"So he...?"

"He wasn't a patient," Yaoguang said, forcing himself to make up a story. Fortunately, he was skilled in this area. "He just happened to be there for a walk and joined us, and then we kept in touch."

Yaoguang tried his best to maintain eye contact with Liang Jue, appearing as if he weren't lying.

"Is that so?" Liang Jue probed further, determined to get to the bottom of things. He wanted to ensure that Yaoguang wouldn't be taken advantage of, even though it was unlikely given his financial status. In the context of the gay community, and considering they had engaged in a sexual relationship, Liang Jue couldn't help but think of news stories he'd seen about intentional HIV transmission...

"What's his name?"

Yaoguang smiled and replied, "Long Jianlu."

Liang Jue: "............"

Realizing his mistake, Yaoguang quickly understood that the name was that of the protagonist in his book! He had completely forgotten that Liang Jue had read it!

"So the main character in your novel is named...?"

"Yes," Yaoguang admitted, reluctantly going along with the misunderstanding, "inspired by him."

"You two have known each other for a while, I assume?" Liang Jue observed.

The sound of running water from the bathroom ceased, and Long Jianlu emerged, toweling off his damp hair. With a raised eyebrow, he gestured to Yaoguang, asking if it was his turn to shower.

Taking a deep breath, Yaoguang gave in. "How about we grab lunch together? I'll take a quick shower and change first."

At noon, they dined at a Cantonese restaurant. Yaoguang ordered some dim sum, while Long Jianlu attentively poured tea for Liang Jue.

It was clear that Liang Jue was highly displeased, but he tried his best to restrain himself, maintaining a semblance of composure. After all, he and Yaoguang were the best of friends, and for Yaoguang to be in a relationship with this mysterious man for nearly half a year without mentioning a word to him – anyone would be upset.

Long Jianlu could tell how much Yaoguang cared about Liang Jue's opinion, which made him feel slightly jealous, though he didn't show it too obviously.

"Yaoguang has mentioned to me before that he has a wonderful family," Long Jianlu said, "but he's rather insecure. He always feels that we won't end up together, so he's reluctant to introduce me to them."

Upon hearing the word "family," Liang Jue's demeanor softened marginally, yet an undercurrent of hostility remained.

"We were drinking together the night before last," Liang Jue said. "Regardless, Yaoguang, you've really gone too far."

"I'm sorry," Yaoguang apologized. "I… I really didn't think that… that we would… be together."

Long Jianlu smiled, saying nothing.

Liang Jue asked, "Where do you work?"

"I'm a freelancer," Long Jianlu replied. "I do some programming outsourcing work for internet companies."

Yaoguang glanced at Long Jianlu, understanding that he was also giving an explanation for the sake of convenience, mentioning that his freelance payment had arrived.

"You're not from around here, are you?" Liang Jue sized up Long Jianlu once more.

"Yes," Long Jianlu replied. "I came out to my family, and to avoid any conflict, I moved here to live on my own."

"He doesn't have much of a social life," Yaoguang added, lying to cover for Long Jianlu. After all, if the truth were revealed, Liang Jue would surely take him to see a psychiatrist. "He doesn't have many friends and tends to be quite introverted... Not truly so, but it's just a way to describe him."

"Oh," Liang Jue acknowledged.

Noticing that Liang Jue's initial hostility had subsided, Yaoguang sighed in relief. Although he was smitten, he wasn't so infatuated that he would neglect Liang Jue for Long Jianlu.

"Why did you suddenly quit your job?" Liang Jue asked, acknowledging Long Jianlu's refill of tea with a gentle tap on the table.

"I thought... I felt... I want to learn something new. Working at a café was too exhausting; there was no time for myself," Yaoguang answered. "I had to wake up at six or seven in the morning and didn't finish work until eight at night, often with overtime."

Liang Jue hummed in response, and Yaoguang quickly added, "I'll definitely be able to support myself."

Long Jianlu looked at Yaoguang but said nothing.

Liang Jue said, "I trust you."

"I still need to head to the company," Long Jianlu said. "Their boss wants to meet me."

"Hmm…" Yaoguang inquired, "An outsourcing firm?"

"Yes," Long Jianlu replied. "I'll message you later."

Though Long Jianlu usually seemed carefree, he was well-versed in social dynamics and understood that Yaoguang needed alone time with Liang Jue. Thus, he willingly gave them space.

After settling the bill, he said, "Take your time." He then leaned over to kiss Yaoguang's cheek before leaving the restaurant.

Liang Jue merely gazed at Yaoguang without a word.

"Alright, don't be upset anymore," Yaoguang felt as if he were coaxing Liang Jue.

"Do you really like him?" Liang Jue asked.

"I love him," Yaoguang said. "I truly do. We've been through a lot together… It's hard to explain… But I trust him, and he trusts me too."

Liang Jue didn't speak, only nodding with a hint of loneliness in his gaze.

"I'm just worried that you might be deceived," Liang Jue replied.

"What do I have to be deceived about?" Yaoguang chuckled.

It seemed as if Liang Jue wanted to say "a pig-killing scam," but he held back, knowing it would be disrespectful. However, Yaoguang knew what was on his mind and said with self-deprecating humor, "Yeah, it does sound like one, doesn't it?"

"You're an excellent person," Liang Jue said, "I'm just reminding you to take care of yourself."

Yaoguang nodded, and Liang Jue continued, "I saw in the room... you didn't buy any condoms, did you?"

"He's a first-timer too," Yaoguang assured him, "There won't be any problems. Don't worry."

Liang Jue: "Are you joking? With someone like him, it's obvious he's..."

"I'm a guy too, wouldn't I notice if he's not a virgin?" Yaoguang smiled.

Long Jianlu maintained the image of a knight, still carrying a touch of the rogue vibe that Yaoguang initially designed for him. His behavior and mannerisms suggested he had been in multiple relationships before. Liang Jue found it hard to believe that this man could actually be a virgin.

"I assure you, it definitely is." Yaoguang had complete trust in Long Jianlu; he was both somewhat wayward yet utterly devoted – two contradictory traits that coexisted harmoniously within him, a rarity in reality.

"Alright then," Liang Jue said. "When you have the chance, invite him out for drinks. Is his job steady?"

"It's quite stable," Yaoguang replied. "Should we change locations to chat more?"

Liang Jue had to return to work in the afternoon. After having coffee at a mall with Yaoguang, he suddenly sighed and said, "To be honest, I'm really jealous. Seriously."

"No way!" Yaoguang tried his best to convince Liang Jue otherwise, assuring him that he wasn't someone who would abandon friends for romance. He continued, "You'll become great friends with Long Jianlu. He's knowledgeable, patient, and mature."

Looking at Yaoguang, Liang Jue's eyes reddened slightly.

"It's my issue," Liang Jue admitted. "I used to believe that apart from me, there was no one else you could rely on. You've always been mine, but now you have him..."

Hearing this, Yaoguang almost cried. He quickly responded, "Don't say that, Liang Jue."

Liang Jue sighed, a hint of guilt in his eyes.

In the end, it turned out that Liang Jue was the one left alone.

"But it's good this way," Liang Jue regained his composure and said. "I'm genuinely happy for you, Yaoguang. In the past six months, you've really changed for the better."

Yaoguang hummed in response, his thoughts drifting to Little Ya.

"I need some time to process this," Liang Jue admitted, still affected by the fact that his best friend had started a relationship without informing him. He finished his coffee quickly and added, "See you later."

"I'll send you a message," Yaoguang hurriedly offered.

Liang Jue waved goodbye and left.

Yaoguang was in a complicated state of mind. He had experienced such emotions before – on the day when Liang Jue brought Little Ya to meet him, revealing their relationship.

But he had managed to recover then. He believed that Liang Jue would fall in love again.

He sent a message to Long Jianlu, who promptly called back, asking for the café's address before instructing Yaoguang to wait there.

Suddenly, Yaoguang got the sensation that someone was watching him nearby, an eerie feeling of being under surveillance.

"Is it you?" he muttered to himself. "Shan Rong?"

He lifted his head abruptly, scanning the area, but found nothing out of the ordinary. The sensation vanished almost instantly.

Long Jianlu sat down beside him and said, "Done chatting with your big bro so soon?"

Yaoguang frowned, about to protest, but Long Jianlu chuckled, ruffling his hair. Yaoguang instinctively wanted to share his intuition, but Long Jianlu silenced him with a finger to his lips, winking mysteriously as if he already understood.

"What were you up to?"

"Yesterday, a company offering contracts asked if I'd be interested in working for them," Long Jianlu replied. "So, I went to check it out."

"An interview?" Yaoguang asked.

"Yes," Long Jianlu confirmed. "It's a software development firm. I told them I don't have an ID and could only take on freelance work."

Yaoguang remarked, "Aren't you afraid they'll call the police when you say that?"

Long Jianlu shrugged. "We're all adults. No one would pry into someone else's personal affairs. The boss might just assume I've pledged my ID for debt and, honestly, I had no intention of taking the job. I was just curious to see what the current job market is like."

"You're considering working there?"

"No," Long Jianlu replied. "But I need to figure out how to earn some money quickly. Programming pays too slowly."

Yaoguang said, "Your freelance payment has already exceeded two thousand."

"Uh... yes," Long Jianlu admitted. "Let's move to a new place. I've taken on a job with that company, and they'll pay off our debts soon. Their finance department is processing the payment, and we'll receive seven thousand tomorrow. That should be enough for a better place with a kitchen."

Later that afternoon, Long Jianlu viewed two properties. It was clear to anyone that they were a couple. Yaoguang didn't bother explaining, and they eventually settled on a house closer to the rural park.

Yaoguang signed the lease, agreeing to pay the next day.

In the afternoon, Long Jianlu went to the library and borrowed two books. They laid on the grass outside, reading together.

"Sweetheart, what's wrong?" Long Jianlu noticed Yaoguang's expression and asked. "Are you troubled?"

"We..." In the past two days, Yaoguang felt that happiness had come too abruptly, leaving him at a loss. " Aren't we going back?"

"Where?" Long Jianlu asked. "To the story?"

"Yes," Yaoguang said. "Do you plan to settle down in the modern world?"

"How do we go back without the Origin Crystal?" Long Jianlu asked seriously.

Yaoguang replied, "What if we have it?"

"Depends on you," Long Jianlu said. "Wherever you are, I'll be there."

Yaoguang asked, "Don't you want to return to that world?"

Closing his Introduction to Western Economics, Long Jianlu looked at Yaoguang. "Aside from you, nothing else is real to me. I'll be in whatever world you desire."

Yaoguang had assumed that Long Jianlu would struggle in modern times, but he was wrong. This guy seemed to adapt effortlessly, excelling academically and maintaining an optimistic outlook on life. He had easily resolved the financial predicament that had troubled Yaoguang for a long time.

It was as if they were characters in a story, with Long Jianlu as the protagonist in this new realm.

"The world with you in it is the best one," Long Jianlu said earnestly. "Starting anew isn't bad either. I'm already a renowned scholar in the interstellar society, so there's not much excitement left."

Yaoguang pondered: If he were to spend his life with Long Jianlu in reality, how would that be? Surely, it would be blissful too?

"If we never find the Origin Crystal and Shan Rong doesn't show up," Yaoguang continued, "will we just die after a few more decades?"

"Yes," Long Jianlu replied.

"Will you die too?" Yaoguang asked.

"Certainly," Long Jianlu said, "because you created me."

"So we'll die together then."

"Yes," Long Jianlu said, "is that what you want?"

Yaoguang's emotions were conflicted. At twenty-two, he had not pondered such distant possibilities. But Long Jianlu, having traversed four worlds and lived for millennia, was familiar with the many faces of death.

"I hope so," Yaoguang said, "but I don't want to be separated from you either."

Wrapping his arms around Yaoguang, Long Jianlu suggested, "Perhaps there's a higher plane in this realm? Maybe we could reincarnate in different planes, back and forth?"

"Hmm." Yaoguang thought: If that's the case, then death wouldn't be so terrifying. Among the multitude of unified principles governing the vast universe, humans only grasp a tiny fraction.

Just then, Yaoguang's phone beeped with a new message.

"There's something important I forgot to mention today," Liang Jue had recovered from his initial shock and recollected the main purpose of their meeting. "Sun Hui and Liu Kaishan are planning to drop by."

Yaoguang: "!!!"

"You're not getting married, right?"

"Yes, that's true. But we still want to get together, so bring your boyfriend along too."

Yaoguang consulted Long Jianlu, who replied, "I won't be going. You guys can have your dorm reunion while I work from home. Though, I was wondering... Is there anyone in that group who used to be your boyfriend?"

"Eh," Yaoguang said, "I had a crush on one of them for a few months. He's with someone now... Would you get jealous?"

Yaoguang was open with Long Jianlu. On one hand, he saw no reason to lie; on the other, lying would be futile, as Long Jianlu could easily detect even the slightest shift in his emotions.

"What kind of type do you like?" Long Jianlu asked. "Is he similar to me? Did you base my description on him?"

"No," Yaoguang said, "not at all. I don't know why I liked him. He has darker skin, the sporty type. You'll see when you meet him."

Sun Hui was an outgoing straight man, sharing no similarities with Long Jianlu.

"Oh?" Long Jianlu asked, "You like athletic guys?"

"You're not jealous, are you?" Yaoguang teased.

"I can satisfy you..." Long Jianlu said with a mischievous grin, "Want the basketball team captain? Let's give it a try tonight?"

Yaoguang laughed, but Long Jianlu tickled him playfully, making him squirm. However, they were in public, so Yaoguang couldn't react too wildly. That night, Long Jianlu donned a sports vest, basketball shorts, and sneakers. He embraced Yaoguang and passionately kissed him for a full hour.

Consequently, Yaoguang agreed to Liang Jue's invitation, as it had been nearly two years since he last saw his roommates. Liang Jue took charge of organizing the gathering, and they planned to spend a day and night in the countryside after reuniting.

"I need your ID," Long Jianlu said, "To register a studio for me."

Yaoguang responded, "You're starting a company already?"

Half a month later, Yaoguang felt like he had entered an entirely new phase of life. On one hand, he claimed he wanted to be self-reliant, but on the other hand, he still relied heavily on Long Jianlu. Long Jianlu began taking on freelance work at a company, as he was incredibly fast at coding. Within two or three hours of receiving a task, he could complete it, usually submitting his work the following day, except when he intentionally delayed to avoid giving the client the impression that he finished too quickly and might demand a higher fee.

After careful consideration, he chose the most reliable among several companies willing to establish long-term cooperation. This company mainly specialized in developing e-commerce apps. His choice proved astute, as the company often struggled with tight deadlines due to their high volume of projects. More than once, they expressed a desire to hire Long Jianlu as a full-time employee.

However, Long Jianlu declined all offers. When asked about his requirements, he told the clients that he only worked for three hours a day, dedicating the rest of his time to his family.

What else did time require? Long Jianlu's response was straightforward: money.

The company assigned him more challenging, non-sensitive tasks to test his abilities, and they found that no matter how difficult the problem, Long Jianlu could complete it overnight. In the interstellar society, his computational and analytical skills were exceptional; he had designed and built the entire U system single-handedly. Dealing with modern programming tasks was child's play for him. Occasionally, he would visit the company to address issues with their systems.

Eventually, the lead programmer from the other company befriended Long Jianlu and introduced him to more projects. After carefully selecting one, Long Jianlu took on a full project that required a team. However, he managed to complete the initial writing phase in just two and a half hours.

Yaoguang felt a mix of emotions. On one hand, he suspected that if Long Jianlu desired, he could even build an optical lithography machine by hand. On the other hand, next to this prodigy, Yaoguang felt intellectually challenged. Watching the constant deposits into his bank account, Long Jianlu had amassed a staggering 200,000 credits within just two weeks.

Yaoguang had never seen such a sum in his bank account before. The remarkable part was that Long Jianlu didn't seem to spend much time at all to earn it!

At this rate, wouldn't he be earning a million credits a year?

Yaoguang considered finding another job to demonstrate his independence, but Long Jianlu firmly opposed the idea.

"Why don't you write?" Long Jianlu suggested.

"Nobody reads my books," Yaoguang replied. "I'm a failure as a writer."

"Many great authors were overlooked during their lifetimes," Long Jianlu began to encourage him with a subtle psychological nudge. "And isn't one dedicated reader enough to consider your work a success? You love writing, and now that financial concerns are out of the way, you can focus on the stories you truly want to tell. I'd be more than happy to be your reader."

"You don't think it's appealing, do you?"

"Seriously, would I hold such an opinion? I was born from your work. The world you've created can only be described as 'astounding' to me."

"Yes, but..."

"You're exceptional," Long Jianlu intensified his persuasive tactics. "And how can the market determine the value of your work?"

"Alright," Yaoguang admitted. "To be honest, I don't have that strong a passion for writing anymore. Maybe it's because I was too lonely before? Since being with you, I haven't felt that intense urge to create."

"There must be something," Long Jianlu, engrossed in his programming project, told Yaoguang. "Write anyway."

Back then, Yaoguang's greatest wish was to win five million yuan in a lottery so he could stay home and write his unnoticed novels. Yet, when that day finally arrived, he found that being in love brought even greater joy.

He began to understand why some authors lost their creative spark after getting married.

Despite this, Long Jianlu still had much shorter working hours than Yaoguang. He often turned on his computer while Yaoguang slept, swiftly finishing his tasks, only to spend the rest of the time cuddling and conversing with him when Yaoguang woke up.

There were even moments when Long Jianlu felt that Yaoguang's writing interfered with their intimate time together, wishing they could be inseparable all day long.

Yaoguang felt immense pressure, yet he couldn't help but be drawn to it all.

Madness, utter madness! Who lived like this? In the real world, even married couples maintained their own lives and social circles. The most affectionate pairs would only watch TV or read books together after work.

But when this happened with Long Jianlu, it somehow seemed reasonable. Gradually, Yaoguang realized that most societal norms didn't apply to Long Jianlu. He had lived for an eternity, witnessing the rise and fall of civilizations. Most things, like socializing, gaming, and entertainment, held no more interest for him than childhood treats. Even his curiosity for knowledge had waned significantly.

The unequal financial status between them, a common source of conflict in modern relationships, was not an issue for Long Jianlu. To a great scholar, individual contributions to societal progress were mere trifles in the grand scheme of thousands of years and vast cosmic distances.

Money was to him like silver coins in an immortal cultivation world, collected on descents from the mountain and returned to the sect upon return. Would two lovers part ways because one collected more coins than the other from their sect?

The only thing that captivated him was the "reality" they shared when together.

Was love truly just the dopamine rush biologists described, a fleeting pleasure? Did human souls transcend reality in intimate relationships, or was it an illusion created by hormones?

Of course, Long Jianlu still enjoyed accompanying Yaoguang to movies, strolls, and meals, adapting to the "worldly life" as if following local customs. He never asked Yaoguang to become an Atlas Sleepbird, dedicating their lives solely to transmitting neural signals of love through interconnected synapses.

Yaoguang, on the other hand, experienced what it was like to have a omnipotent protagonist by his side.

For anyone else, he wouldn't engage in such a romance. But with Long Jianlu, everything became tolerable.

He planned to first pen the tale of their fateful encounter in the ancient fictional continent of Grandland.

Afterward, he would describe the interstellar universe, and following the conclusion of that story, he envisioned creating a new world. If they could reclaim the Primordial Crystal by then, perhaps they could return to the cosmic sea and embark on a new, magnificent chapter in their lives.