Chapter 380: If: Xiao Wu Travels to When the Game Just Launched 2

Chapter 380 IF: Xiao Wu Arrives at the Game's Launch Day 2

Xie Shu stopped what he was doing.

He didn’t know why this strange person had appeared at his doorstep or what he wanted. After watching from the window for a while, he decided to ignore him.

—In City A, home invasions targeting wealthy residents were not uncommon.

Xie Shu returned to his desk and began reviewing the marketing proposal.

But as he read, his mind began to wander. The figure at the door was slender, his white robes soaked and clinging to his body, clutching his sword with downcast eyes—just like Xiao Wu in the game when he was in distress.

No, even the game’s modeling couldn’t replicate this person’s air of isolation.

Xie Shu made himself a cup of hot chocolate and thought, "This reeks of a bad con job."

Though his thoughts were in turmoil, even after resolving to ignore the man, Xie Shu still turned on the doorbell camera to check the situation outside.

The man was still standing there, like a solitary statue, unmoving. Fat raindrops fell on his head and face, gathering at his chin before trickling down in small streams.

This season, City A was already in winter, with nights often below freezing. The rain wouldn’t take long to freeze.

"..."

Xie Shu’s fingers traced the edge of the proposal, restless. Finally, he activated the intercom. "Sir, if you’re in trouble, you can seek help at a nearby shelter. Standing at my door like this is making me uncomfortable. I’ll call the police if you don’t leave."

The man froze, reflexively grabbing the hilt of his sword before quickly raising his eyes toward the doorbell camera, like a startled cat.

He frowned, staring at the electronic screen as if puzzled by how it could produce sound.

Xiao Wu thought it resembled a voice-transmission artifact from the *cultivation world*, but he couldn’t sense any Mana fluctuations.

Xie Shu hesitated, then repeated, "Sir, if you’re facing difficulties, you can tell me. If you don’t have money for a ride home, I’m willing to pay for it. But please don’t stand at my door—it’s troubling me."

Xiao Wu’s lips trembled slightly. Cultivators could withstand extreme temperatures, but that didn’t mean they couldn’t feel it. In his disoriented state, he had forgotten to channel his Mana to ward off the chill, and his lips had turned blue from the cold. Now, staring blankly and confused at the screen, he looked like Xie Shu was picking on him.

"..."

Xie Shu softened his tone. "Alright, sir. Could you tell me why you’re standing at my door?"

Xiao Wu: "I—I’m sorry. I don’t know where this is. I don’t know anyone here, and I... have nowhere to go."

In *cultivation lore*, there existed countless parallel worlds—beyond their own world, there were many others. Xiao Wu guessed he had ended up in one of these worlds, where skyscrapers loomed, strange vehicles zoomed, and everything was completely different from the *cultivation world*. He didn’t know if the Xie Chunshan of this world was his Xie Chunshan, but aside from Xie Chunshan’s side, he had nowhere else to go.

If not to Xie Chunshan's side, where else was there?

Perhaps the loneliness radiating from him was too palpable. After a moment of hesitation, Xie Shu found himself relenting.

"Alright, sir," he said, rubbing his aching temple. "If you truly have nowhere to go, I can let you stay for one night."

His finger hovered over the 911 button as he remotely unlocked the front door.

The electronic lock disengaged, and the door swung open. Xiao Wu stepped inside, stopping at the entrance.

The door creaked shut behind him.

The house had underfloor heating, kept springtime warm year-round.

Xiao Wu looked around. It was a two-story townhouse—the first floor consisted of a combined dining and living area, with a staircase between them. Xie Shu stood at the top of the stairs, making his way down.

He gestured toward Xiao Wu: "Sir, you're completely drenched. The bathroom is over there—you can take a shower first and change clothes. There's a bathrobe in the cabinet. As for makeup remover, I don’t have any here, so you’ll have to rinse with water for now."

There was no doubt—Xiao Wu was a cosplayer. Not only was he wearing makeup, but he had also styled himself as Xie Shu’s favorite character, recreating the character with uncanny accuracy, almost as if he had grown into the game’s description.

And, coincidentally, tailor-made for Xie Shu’s tastes.

This was highly unusual.

As everyone knew, cosplayers relied on makeup and styling. Though Xie Shu couldn’t discern the specifics, he could guess that the other’s porcelain-perfect, snow-white complexion wasn’t natural but the result of foundation, and that his facial features—identical to Xiao Wu’s—couldn’t possibly be innate but were shaped and adjusted with cosmetics.

For now, Xie Shu wasn’t sure whether this young man was a spy sent by a rival or a desperate social climber aiming to leverage his wealth. Nor how he'd discovered his preferences. But one thing was undeniable—he had indeed softened toward this young man.

Fallen for the cosplayed illusion.

This wasn’t a good sign.

In their cutthroat social circles, rationality was paramount, especially during the initial stages of a project. He didn’t want any complications.

Xie Shu thought that as soon as he saw the young man’s real face, the spell would break. No matter how well-crafted the cosplay was, this person was ultimately not Xiao Wu, nor the character he adored.

So he gestured toward the dining area again. "It’s freezing out. You might want a cup of hot chocolate. I’ll wait for you there and show you to your room afterward."

Xiao Wu quietly exhaled in relief.

—It seemed he had already been taken in by this world’s Xie Chunshan.

Drenched through, Xiao Wu was deeply uncomfortable. He nodded and stepped into the bathroom, closing the door behind him.

The bathroom was pitch black.

Xiao Wu didn’t know how to turn on the lights, nor had he ever used a shower. Everything in the bathroom was unfamiliar, and he didn’t dare touch anything recklessly. He could only guess that the oval-shaped object at the far end was the bathtub.

Summoning a wisp of spiritual flame at his fingertips to illuminate the space, Xiao Wu stepped solemnly into the tub. He sat motionless for two minutes before manipulating the water to create a targeted shower over his head.

Clear water cascaded down, washing away the grime and exhaustion. Having cleansed himself, Xiao Wu opened the bathroom cabinet—and froze.

Though he could dry his clothes with magic, he still preferred to wear something clean after a bath.

But the clothing here… was alarmingly skimpy.

Xie Shu lived alone and had never needed to worry about modesty. His bathrobe was a Japanese-style yukata robe, loosely tied with a single sash, the hem split into two flaps. On Xiao Wu’s tall frame, the fabric only reached his knees, ending mid-thigh.

This Xie Chunshan… the customs of his world were truly strange.

Xiao Wu knew that every world in the vast cosmos had its own customs, and one had to adapt. Besides, there was no need for restraint in front of Xie Chunshan. Steeling himself, Xiao Wu changed into the robe.

Still damp from bathing, he turned the bathroom doorknob, slipped into the fluffy slippers Xie Chunshan had provided, and descended the stairs.

Xie Shu was in the living room going over proposals, a cup of hot chocolate at his side.

Hearing the sound, he raised his head with a polite smile—only to freeze momentarily when their eyes met.

Xiao Wu had exceptionally lustrous long hair.

Perhaps every Easterner harbored a deep-seated appreciation for long hair, rooted in poetry and paintings. Even the game’s character design had deliberately emphasized Xiao Wu’s cascade of hair.

Xie Shu adored it.

Now, with his hair unbound, Xiao Wu’s jet-black hair cascaded like a waterfall, catching the light like liquid silk. His face remained jade-pale and unblemished, his eyes and lips precisely as Xie Shu had envisioned them. One hand rested gracefully in front of him, his posture as dignified as a scholar from ancient times preparing to offer a scholar's greeting—except he was clad in a pure white bathrobe, beneath which stretched two well-defined calves.

The blend of classical and modern, aloofness and domesticity, these contrasting traits blended in Xiao Wu, paired with his gorgeously long classical hair, made Xie Shu look twice.

"..."

Xie Shu lowered his gaze to avoid staring. "Is your hair natural?"

He had assumed all cosplayers wore wigs.

Xiao Wu, still with damp hair, replied curiously, "Of course. Why would it be fake?"

Xie Shu didn’t answer, simply slid the hot chocolate his way. "This'll warm you up."

Xiao Wu nodded. "Thank you."

He took a seat opposite Xie Chunshan, eyeing the odd-colored drink cautiously. After a moment’s hesitation, he went for it.

—In his world, only herbal medicine was this color, and it was usually bitter as hell.

In the old days, Xie Shu would always bring him candy after he finished his medicine.

Xiao Wu took a sip, immediately finding the taste of hot chocolate unfamiliar and strange. He almost made a face but, remembering he was facing Xie Chunshan, politely swallowed it instead. Then he raised his eyes to meet Xie Shu’s gaze, subtly hinting at what he wanted.

Xie Shu’s fingers twitched slightly.

Only he knew that, when designing Xiao Wu, he had once considered adding a fear of bitterness to his personality. But worried it'd ruin his cool image, he had deleted that trait.

Of course, Xie Shu couldn’t reveal this in front of a stranger. He pointed upstairs, keeping it formal. "Your bedroom is next to mine, and beyond that is the study—my home office. You’re free to enter your room and the study, but please don’t disturb my personal space or work area."

"..."

Xiao Wu absentmindedly stirred the spoon in his cup, making the cup clatter, and muttered unhappily, "Fine."

Xie Shu stood and left without another glance at Xiao Wu, quickly reaching the top of the stairs. Meanwhile, Xiao Wu stared at the hot chocolate before him, wondering to himself. "Has he forgotten me?"

When will he remember?

His mind elsewhere and body chilled, Xiao Wu, still draped in damp hair, sneezed softly.

Xie Shu paused. "Do you need a towel?"

Xiao Wu had intended to suppress his discomfort with his powers—something simple for him—but the moment Xie Shu stopped, he immediately withdrew his mana. That set off a sneezing fit.

—Achoo! Achoo!... Achoo!

Xie Shu sighed lightly. "Wait a moment."

He fetched a towel from the bathroom and handed it to Xiao Wu, then mixed some cold medicine and pushed it toward him. "Drink this. Don't want you running a fever."

"..."

Xiao Wu continued staring at the cup.

This stuff looked even nastier than the hot chocolate.

Frowning, he drank the medicine.

Xie Shu quirked an eyebrow. When designing Xiao Wu, he had envisioned countless small, humanizing gestures for the character, though technical limitations had prevented their implementation. Yet the one before him now matched those imaginings almost perfectly.

It was... kind of cute.

Calling a stranger "cute" was certainly impolite, and he had already bent enough rules for the day. Xie Shu wasn't about to stick around. "Your hair needs drying. There’s a hairdryer in your bedside drawer. Feel free to use it."

Without waiting for Xiao Wu’s response, he returned to his room, about to shut the door for the night.

But not five minutes later, he heard movement from the room next door, followed by footsteps approaching his door. There was a timid knock.

"Sorry," Xiao Wu said hesitantly as he waved the hairdryer. "Xie Chunshan, man, I don’t know how to use this. Mind showing me?"