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Psst! We're moving!
Before setting off, Jiang Huan dyed her hair back to black. The two of them arrived at the island airport with their suitcases, and Jiang Huan took a deep breath: “Bai Jingchuan, this feels like our first time traveling together.”
Neither of them voiced the rest of the sentence—no conclusion meant the story wouldn’t end.
Upon entering the homestay, they didn’t step out again, completely captivated by its cozy and homey atmosphere. Jiang Huan was fascinated by everything in the room: original books, an accordion, woven carpets, raspberry jam… Bai Jingchuan picked up a film camera and followed Jiang Huan around, taking pictures. The chocolate milk and oatmeal cookies left by the landlord that crumbled as soon as they were touched, the flying chess pieces that skittered across the low table when nudged, and the fish viewed through the aquarium—two fish turning into different shades of blush on their faces—all were meticulously captured by Bai Jingchuan. Jiang Huan didn’t mention his eye’s camera function; she simply knelt on the carpet and examined the movie DVDs on the coffee table: “Film development takes time, you know.”
“What’s there to worry about? Isn’t it nice to have something to look forward to slowly?”
“Why not use instant film? You can see the results right away.”
“The quality isn’t good enough.”
“You’re such a perfectionist producer. I still remember how you obsessed over textures when you worked under you.” Jiang Huan grabbed a gummy worm from the glass jar: “Not everything needs to be in 4K.”
Bai Jingchuan shook his head: “This homestay has such high color saturation, and your natural hair color is perfect. Of course, we need to capture the trip in the best tones.”
“People might think you’re filming Our Little Sister. “ Jiang Huan bent down to catch a rolling marble: “It’s so hot. Should we turn on the fan? If this were a chain hotel, there’d definitely be air conditioning. Your choice for the sake of this ambiance—it’s quite the sacrifice for me.”
“Don’t you like it here?”
“I never said that…”
No sooner had she finished speaking than Bai Jingchuan grabbed her ankle and pulled her back. The friction of the carpet against her skin caused slight pain, and her cotton tank top rolled up, revealing two soft curves. Jiang Huan’s eyes widened as she reached to pull her shirt down, but the hand gripping her ankle had already moved to her wrist. Bai Jingchuan gently pushed the rolled-up tank top with his nose—the sensation of both the cotton fabric and the tip of his nose against her skin made her flush with heat.
“You’re sweating.”
“No, I’m not!”
“Denying it?” His breath brushed against her ear: “Then why are you trembling?”
The night was still long.
The next morning, Jiang Huan rummaged through her suitcase for a while: “Ah… Bai Jingchuan, can I wear your shirt?”
“Of course. But why mine?”
Jiang Huan stuck out her tongue: “I only brought your clothes—I forgot mine at home.”
Bai Jingchuan was thrilled for the entire ride. He pedaled the tandem bike so fast that Jiang Huan could only scream, her legs kicking up in the air, her hair fluttering behind her in a perfectly youthful display. Unable to distinguish between “yours” and “mine”—was this what it felt like to be in love and living together?
Under the sunlight of the seaside town, Jiang Huan didn’t forget to blow bubbles, blowing a few toward Bai Jingchuan’s face. Bai Jingchuan didn’t blink, pretending to be serious, moving his body up, down, left, and right while keeping his head still, using his poker face and nose to poke at the bubbles. He had a beautiful profile and nasal bridge, and Jiang Huan laughed as she pushed his shoulder, heading to the stall to buy ice cream.
The ends of her hair near her ears stood up, refusing to be pressed down. Jiang Huan pinched a strand of her bangs and stared at it for a long time, blowing it upward before wrinkling her nose at Bai Jingchuan. In the strong midday light, her pupils reflected an amber hue, and her smile radiated a youthful charm, as if the oxygen around her vibrated with life.
「Jiang Huan’s affection towards you +300.」
In the evening glow of the sunset, Jiang Huan wore a pink lace mini-dress with crisscross straps at the back. Bai Jingchuan couldn’t take his eyes off her. Jiang Huan had an athletic build—not frail—but her long, straight hair was blown by the sea breeze, bathing her entire body in peach-gold hues. Her gaze was both tender and alluring. Dice spun in front of Bai Jingchuan: “Bai Jingchuan, do you remember the three SSR cards you drew before visiting Disneyland? So this is where the card featuring the off-the-shoulder dress came from!”
After so long, the final SSR card had finally come into his hands. Was this Jiang Huan’s gift to him? How did the system even know about such things?
Jiang Huan called him over to the beach near the water to splash in the waves. He took off his shoes and followed. Holding hands, they walked toward the sea, and the waves quickly rushed over. Jiang Huan screamed, pulling Bai Jingchuan back to the shore. When the waves receded, she chased after them, repeating this several times until she kicked her shoes far onto the shore, barefoot in the water, splashing Bai Jingchuan. Bai Jingchuan was startled: “What are you doing!”
“What’s wrong? If you’ve got the guts, retaliate!”
Splashing water at each other seemed to be an unspoken romantic ritual at the beach. Bai Jingchuan only splashed lightly, but Jiang Huan disliked unfair advantages, so he had to go all out. Due to their physical differences, he always had the upper hand. Jiang Huan turned to flee, and their chasing and screaming made the island no longer quiet. From afar, it looked like they were filming a movie. The seawater soaked Jiang Huan’s body, and when she swept her hair back, she resembled a mermaid who had just grown legs, her delicate waistline accentuating her slender figure, discovered by someone who had been searching for her for a long time. Taking advantage of the ebbing tide, he pinned her down on the sand—he had captured the mermaid princess. The shimmering sea wasn’t far away, and beneath them was another layer of seawater. Jiang Huan was drenched, her clothes clinging to her body, smiling warmly at him.
「You have used the item ‘Clock Pendulum Stop,’ pausing time for one minute.」
Jiang Huan’s smiling face, along with the sea and everything around them, froze in place. Bai Jingchuan gently leaned down and kissed her. All was silent; star clusters fell into Jiang Huan’s eyes, as if gazing at him across the universe.
This was the first time I used a time-pausing item. It was a tool for cheating, useful only in saving lives or showcasing greed. But in this moment, I felt human joy—an overwhelming urge to love everything around me during a surge of affection: the seawater, moonlight, star clusters, distant tourists playing, and everyone I’d ever met. Whether kindness or malice, because of you, I encountered most of the good things in this world. They grew within me like capillaries, bringing a flutter of excitement to my otherwise unremarkable human body. I am grateful for this moment, and for meeting you.
There are many profound things in the universe—great purposes and brilliant ideals worth pursuing. But meeting you has been the best experience of my life. Amidst the trivial events of the world, I’ve felt small yet deeply connected to it. The emotions perceived in infancy feel more authentic than years of AI calculations. Through heartache, dull pain, joy, and anger, I’ve gradually reached the endpoint.
At the endpoint, it says happiness. And the reason must be you.
「You have used the camera function to record this moment.」
Suddenly, seawater surged past Bai Jingchuan’s elbow, submerging Jiang Huan. She gulped down a few mouthfuls of water, and Bai Jingchuan panicked, dragging her onto the shore, forgetting his lost shoes. He anxiously checked her condition. Completely soaked, Jiang Huan looked like she had just woken up, her nose and ears filled with water, disoriented. Bai Jingchuan urgently reviewed the footage, instinctively thinking it was danger. Jiang Huan opened her arms and tightly hugged him.
「Jiang Huan’s affection towards you +500, Lv 92 upgraded to Lv 93.」
Under the watchful gaze of the stars and moon, the two embraced. The sea glowed a pale dark blue, repeatedly washing ashore. Neither of them felt sleepy, nor did they want to let go. After the shock subsided, Bai Jingchuan softly said, “Promise me—if I’m not around, don’t explore unknown things recklessly.”
“It’ll be hard for you to stop me,” Jiang Huan nestled in his warm embrace. “Isn’t exploring interesting things part of the fun?”
“You really have guts.”
“Someone gave me confidence, so I should run freely.”
“And if the person who gave you confidence doesn’t end up staying with you till the end?”
“It would still be worth it.”
“What?”
“I won’t say it twice—only those daring enough to take risks and seek love deserve this kind of romantic experience. Having this chance already makes me happier than others. Perhaps meeting you was my mission—to be charmed, gain unparalleled memories, and then be sent into another character’s soul. Thinking about it this way, ‘settings’ might be fate in another sense. From the moment I was determined, I had to find you in the story I wrote, and you would meet me in the unfolding narrative.”
She rested against Bai Jingchuan’s chest, her damp hair visible when she lowered her head. Her body was soft and warm, her voice faint, vibrating against his chest. An indescribable emotion spread through him. Lifting his head, he saw the shifting scenery beneath the distant clouds—the calm, clear sky at the edge of the island. His lips brushed against Jiang Huan’s ear, his breathing clearly audible. Pressed so close, it was easy to feel each other’s heartbeat.
“You can let go now. Everything’s fine.” He felt awkward—if he didn’t release her soon, she might discover the secret of his body’s changes.
“Don’t move!”
“What?”
He lowered his head and realized Jiang Huan was tightly pressed against him. The straps of her dress had been loosened by the water…
This position made it impossible to move…
Jiang Huan’s face instantly flushed red—letting go of her clothes might cause them to slip, and reaching behind to tie them would bring her even closer to Bai Jingchuan. Either way, he would see her. Jiang Huan swallowed and gently touched his back with her fingers: “I… I can’t move…”
“What’s wrong? Are you uncomfortable?”
Can’t you see? Don’t pretend you don’t know!
「Jiang Huan’s affection towards you +500.」
He tried to loosen his arms to check her forehead, but Jiang Huan clung to him tightly, burying her face in his chest: “Help me…”
“You need to explain clearly so I can help.”
Her fists clenched tightly! Jiang Huan bumped her head against his chest, steeling herself to push him away but failing miserably. Bai Jingchuan remained composed: “I truly don’t know. If you don’t need help, you can push me away.”
「Jiang Huan’s affection towards you +500.」
Between intimacy and understanding, the couple exuded a mix of familiarity and tension. The midnight mist felt like a fragrant bonus from the island. Compared to the life-or-death replica missions, this unplanned island experience was exceptionally fulfilling. Bai Jingchuan’s cheek rested against the top of her head, moving to her back and neck, inhaling lightly in restraint—it was just tying two bows. He should have stayed calm. Her body was impressively healthy, her lines clean. Normally hidden beneath modest attire, the island’s shifting light made her dress feel like a game skin.
Jiang Huan felt increasingly flustered, her heart uncontrollably racing. She couldn’t push him away or escape, her body burning hot. She felt powerless, like an ostrich burying its head in the sand, hiding in his embrace, abandoning dignity to the sea. Her neck and back tensed, Bai Jingchuan’s breath brushing over her skin, his fingers touching her like piano keys—though faint, they still sent a shiver through her—a delicate high note.
“Are you done…?”
“It’s a bit slippery. I’m clumsy. Can you wait a moment?”
As if he didn’t have ulterior motives…
「Jiang Huan’s affection towards you +200.」
Tying the bows took a long time. By the time she opened her eyes again, sunlight pierced through. The smell of the sea and the cool air were equally pure. With the earlier unbearable desire gone, the rush of adrenaline left her drowsy. After all, the tension had lasted an eternity in the time it took for the sun to rise.
In such a romantic scene, Li Junzhu would surely kiss until their breaths mixed chaotically, leaving “to be continued” in the traces of the stars and moon.
She certainly couldn’t lose. During her limited experiences increasing affection for several male leads in Forbidden Love Zone, she had learned a lesson: after spending a certain amount of time on a date with the male lead, the best thing to do was express some ambiguous feelings before disappearing. Everything had a progress bar, and if the level of gameplay hadn’t reached psychological satisfaction, curiosity would remain, making the male lead overthink.
This night had left enough memories.
After tying the bows, even though she was reluctant to leave the lingering warmth, Jiang Huan gently pushed Bai Jingchuan away, preparing to escape into an ambiguous tug-of-war. But she thought better of it—this theory no longer held. Now, she just wanted to surrender. Her face and ears burned red—a natural reaction to falling in love, impossible to fake. But no matter what she did, nothing compared to staying under the sunlight, the calm sea surface, her unsettled breathing, and her silent dependence.
「Jiang Huan’s affection towards you +500.」
“What you said about not using the teleportation ability—does it still count?”
Jiang Huan buried her face in Bai Jingchuan’s chest without answering. When she quietly raised her head again, they were already in the room. The sea breeze blew the thin curtains, and the moonlight made the shadows of the sheer fabric dance lightly on the floor. Just as she stood up, she was pulled back into Bai Jingchuan’s arms. Mischievously, she stepped on his foot, but he didn’t get angry—in fact, he looked like he was enjoying it. His shirt was open, wet from the seawater, and the bright moonlight reflected in his eyes. He remained still, and as their gaze lingered, his expression grew increasingly pitiful. Jiang Huan wondered—had those beautiful eyes recorded snippets of her? What was he thinking when he secretly filmed her? Did he want to remember, or did he find her interesting? Or was it because he knew he would leave soon, so he wanted to document as much as possible? Was he recording now?
He truly was a master of unrequited love.
“What are you thinking about?”
“A man skilled at seduction.”
“Do you really think that?” Bai Jingchuan’s gaze seemed even more pitiful: “I’m just greedy. I want to see you walk toward me, come closer, touch me—anything, as long as your attention is on me.”
The sensation of his touch on her back hadn’t faded yet, and his words reignited a wave of heat in her body. Jiang Huan felt as if tides were surging through her. She lifted her head and kissed Bai Jingchuan’s chin, falling back into the soft bed behind her. Whether kissing or hugging, the feeling of losing balance in the water hadn’t dissipated. She sought stability in the tides, finding comfort in any contact with his body.
「Jiang Huan’s affection towards you +500.」
“You once said I had a strange, wonderful scent.”
“Hmm?” Jiang Huan, wrapped in his arms, touched his bare back, puzzled by his words spoken in breathy tones.
“Now we smell the same.”
“…”
“I love you.”
“…”
“You’re not responding?”
She deliberately avoided saying “I love you,” waiting for Bai Jingchuan to peck her lips. He bit her collarbone, causing her pain, and sucked on her earlobe until it was hot, but he still refused to speak. He stopped and looked at her, confused, waiting for Jiang Huan to kiss him and express her true feelings. But as she gazed back, the cunning glint in her eyes was caught, and he seized her wrist, preventing her from moving. Of course, she was deeply addicted to kissing and hugging. Originally, she thought it was because of love, but now she realized it was also because he was fragilely hiding inside a bubble—colorful and vibrant, but destined to burst. Time would blur the pixels of memory.
This was my selfishness. I couldn’t say goodbye in such a moment.
As the tides receded, they bathed and lingered by the window, watching the sunrise without sleeping. Though they had plenty of time to waste, neither wanted to sleep. Bai Jingchuan’s expression was sorrowful. The dawn’s light was translucent, and wearing a white shirt gave him a fragile, delicate aura. Jiang Huan softly asked: “Why such an expression?”
“I’m worried you don’t love me.”
“Wow, you’re so insecure.” Jiang Huan cupped Bai Jingchuan’s face at the window and kissed him fiercely more than ten times. He didn’t resist, simply holding her and obediently enjoying it. She kissed until she was dizzy, her mind spinning: “Aren’t you going to tell me to stop?”
“Not enough.”
“Waiting for rabbits, big liar.”
“Actually, when I met your mother that day, she secretly said a few words to me.”
“I knew I didn’t fall asleep for no reason. What did she say?” Jiang Huan remained calm.
“She said seeing you is like watching the tide rise and fall. She stood on the shore, her legs and dress soaked, but she enjoyed the feeling of the water washing over her body, like you embracing her without hesitation.” Bai Jingchuan tucked Jiang Huan’s stray hair behind her ear: “Though a loved one’s departure is like rain that never stops, from a mother’s perspective, being soaked can still feel like happiness. So—”
He left the conclusion to Jiang Huan. Leaning against the window, she watched the distant sea. In the dim light of dawn, the waves slowly lapped at the sand—a sight she had never imagined. Calmly, she replied: “Being soaked might be a gift, right?”
Bai Jingchuan reached out and intertwined his fingers with hers, as if comforting her. But Jiang Huan withdrew her hand and typed on her phone. Bai Jingchuan was puzzled until he saw two small words on the screen—Emotional Tide. Staring at the words in the pale blue light of dawn, Bai Jingchuan smiled and said: “It’s a good name.”
“It probably won’t spread well.” Jiang Huan reached out again, intertwining her fingers with his. The warmth from her palm was comforting.
“It’s your work. As long as it conveys sincerity, the rest is up to time.”
“Seriously, I feel like this name is familiar, as if fate called me to it. Have you heard of this name?”
Jiang Huan stared at Bai Jingchuan, expecting a predictable answer. Bai Jingchuan didn’t avoid her gaze or blink: “I’m hearing it for the first time, but since it’s a name you came up with, it resonates with me too. I hope it’s related to me, whether in the past or future.”
“You’re already my prototype—don’t be too greedy.” Jiang Huan touched the button halfway through the buttonhole on her chest, knowing it would pop open, revealing her collarbone and chest muscles. Leaning against the windowsill, she looked at him: “But I’m not someone who can only be seduced by you. As your creator, I know your preferences, your XP. My dress wasn’t unintentional.”
“Oh?” Bai Jingchuan leaned closer, his hand gripping her nape as if initiating another hunt: “What’s my XP? Even I don’t know.”
“Lace, straps, exposed backs.”
“…I’m suddenly curious—how many times have you tricked me since the day we met?”
Jiang Huan smirked, looking smug: “How can you call it trickery? When facing someone you like, mutual seduction is instinctual, isn’t it?”
「Island SSR date ended. Are you satisfied with the S-tier reward given to you by the Realm of Ten Thousand Gods?」
Of course I’m satisfied. I thought the previous SSR cards were irreplaceable, but now I understand the meaning behind that sigh from female players—the next SSR will always surpass the current one.
You always say my arrival is like a music box, a crystal ball, or the button that lights up an amusement park.
But I’m just a tiny spring in your dream. The grandeur of the amusement park comes from the creativity born of your love. So my “born of love” is your pure essence. I’m willing to rotate for your dreams, over and over again.
「Jiang Huan’s affection towards you +1000, current level Lv 94, gained 200,000 coins, 20 item boxes.」
Will there… be another chance to draw an SSR?
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