The young man maneuvered his character, quickly crouching down and smoothly sliding through the gap into another room.
The ghosts quickly followed.
“…”
As soon as he entered the room, Jing Mian was dumbfounded.
Where was the hole in the floor?
Why was the floor of this room so clean and tidy?
It even had a brand-new look?
There wasn’t even a flaw to be found, let alone a hole.
Caught off guard by the system and the game’s design, Jing Mian was now utterly hopeless.
Because the room was empty, with no supplies or furniture, only a single window reflecting the pale moonlight outside.
The ghosts emerged one after another from the gap.
Jing Mian turned his head and sighed heavily.
If he was going to die, he thought, he might as well die.
But suddenly, he didn’t want to die at the hands of these vengeful spirits, as if it would validate someone’s trap.
This thought suddenly came to Jing Mian.
His gaze quickly fell on the window.
Without any hesitation or delay, Jing Mian controlled his character to jump onto the window.
His strong arm, through his clothes, shattered the glass in an instant!
The ghosts let out angry howls, surging toward Jing Mian, determined not to let him escape.
With his shoes on the edge of the window, Jing Mian jumped down resolutely just before the ghosts could touch him!
Thanks to the latest headphones, Jing Mian felt as if he were right there in the game.
He could hear the wind rushing past his ears, accompanied by the angry howls of the ghosts. Normally, players couldn’t escape by jumping out of windows, whether from the first, second, third, or higher floors.
Jumping out of a window meant certain death.
This was the most helpless outcome for a human cornered in a desperate situation.
But as he fell,
Jing Mian’s headphones faintly picked up a strange sound.
It was like a powerful gust of wind.
It was subtle and hard to pinpoint, but it felt like it was coming closer, carrying intense pressure and an indescribable temperature, making him feel its approach.
Jing Mian’s heart skipped a beat.
This feeling… he knew it well.
Just a few days ago, Jing Mian had experienced something similar during a live stream.
His Adam’s apple moved involuntarily.
He wouldn’t mistake it.
It was… Ash!!
The wind in his ears suddenly stopped.
His rapidly falling legs were suddenly caught in a pair of arms.
Though he couldn’t see clearly, Jing Mian could sense…
Shadow Guard had arrived.
Then, Jing Mian felt his falling speed slow down!
In this dire moment, it seemed he was being carried in a bridal hold by Shadow Guard.
The fall became gentle, and when he landed, Jing Mian, being held closely, could see Ash’s face clearly.
Jing Mian could hear his own heart pounding.
…
Meanwhile, this scene was broadcast on the live stream, and the chat exploded with excitement:
“Damn, is that Ash??!”
“Ash!!!”
“The Shadow Guard form of the master has appeared!!!”
“Why don’t I get this treatment when I jump out of windows? I just get a game restart… sob…”
“I’m so excited I can’t even speak…”
“Ash’s character in the game is so cool, I can already imagine him in real life.”
“Sob, Ash, look at me, I’m your seven-year-old fan.”
“This scene feels like… a god descending from the heavens.”
…
Someone suddenly commented this.
Jing Mian held his breath, almost speechless.
His hand on the mouse felt the change in his emotions, his fingertips turning cold.
This was the first time.
In the past, when Ash appeared to save him from danger or when Jing Mian deliberately put himself in danger to see his Shadow Guard, he was always clear-headed, with no unexpected surprises.
Because he knew Ash would appear.
But this time,
He had no premonition, and his heart was pounding uncontrollably.
After landing safely,
Ash was silent for a moment, then slowly put him down.
Jing Mian’s hands on the keyboard were stiff, unsure of how to react.
Just then—
The system’s mechanical voice announced that Me. Team had won!!
Shadow Guard disappeared with the end of the game.
Only the excited team members remained, shouting and celebrating their victory.
It turned out that the lack of a hole in the floor of the final room, leading to the second floor, was intentional.
This was the creative twist in the Cross-Server Competition.
Only by jumping out of the window could one win.
The window, which seemed like a dead end, was actually the only way to escape successfully.
The match was over.
Jing Mian leaned back in his chair, still processing the events.
It was a spectacular and unexpected match.
If he hadn’t joined Me., would he have had the chance to see such an Ash?
Jing Mian unwrapped a mint and placed it in his mouth.
The cool taste spread through his mouth, clearing his head.
Suddenly,
Jing Mian’s phone rang.
He looked at it and saw it was Ren Xingwan.
Jing Mian paused, feeling a sudden nervousness.
After all, four days ago, Mr. Ren had proposed to him.
And just three days ago, they had gone to the civil registry to get married.
From childhood sweethearts to strangers who hadn’t spoken for years, to reuniting and becoming lovers…
It still felt surreal.
But it made sense.
They were just a married couple on the surface, each marrying for their family’s requirements.
Emotions were something they couldn’t afford to dwell on.
Jing Mian answered the call and learned that Mr. Ren’s car was outside, asking him to come out.
Jing Mian: “?”
So Jing Mian hurried out.
He quickly recognized Ren Xingwan’s car, ran a few steps, and opened the passenger door to sit inside.
Jing Mian wasn’t sure why Ren Xingwan had called him over, so he sat still, waiting for Mr. Ren to speak.
But Mr. Ren didn’t say anything; instead, he handed him a beautifully packaged small round box.
It had an ice cream ball design on the outside, looking pretty and elegant, with a small label indicating it was vanilla flavored.
…His favorite flavor.
Jing Mian was taken aback, his face slowly showing surprise.
And a hint of unnoticeable delight.
During their first meeting, besides the delicious dishes on the table, he had particularly loved that small dessert… It seemed Mr. Ren had quietly remembered his preference and brought it specially for him today.
But Jing Mian wondered, how did Mr. Ren keep such a perishable item from melting, especially considering the distance from the competition venue to here?
Thinking about it, Jing Mian couldn’t help but ask.
Mr. Ren looked back at the rear seat.
Jing Mian turned his head and saw a portable mini-fridge, from which the ice cream ball had apparently been taken.
Jing Mian: “…!”
Good grief, this was too hardcore.
At the same time, Jing Mian felt a small sense of surprise and gratitude.
Mr. Ren seemed more thoughtful than he had thought.
But as Jing Mian was eating, Mr. Ren suddenly spoke:
“It got on your clothes.”
Jing Mian was startled and instinctively looked down.
He was still wearing the jacket of a senior from the team.
This was the senior’s new jacket, and if he got it dirty, he would feel terrible. So he stopped eating, lowered his head, and looked for the stain on his clothes: “Um…? Where?”
“It fell inside the collar. Take it off.”
Ren Xingwan’s voice was deep and slow.
So, Jing Mian obediently took off the jacket and handed it to Mr. Ren.
Mr. Ren took the jacket and set it aside.
Before Jing Mian could react, another black jacket was draped over his shoulders, blocking the slight chill from the outside, warm and familiar.
And it smelled of Mr. Ren.
“Actually, it didn’t get on the clothes.”
Mr. Ren said: “Wear this one.”
Jing Mian: “…”
Wearing Mr. Ren’s jacket, Jing Mian held the half-eaten ice cream and slowly returned to the competition venue, a bit confused.
He didn’t ride back with Mr. Ren because the captain had said they needed to meet some of the club’s investors after the match for a brief chat.
And when he left, Jing Mian heard Mr. Ren say that both sets of parents had heard about their progress and decided to meet.
Yes, a meeting with the parents.
Of course, no one knew they had already gotten married.
It felt like they were strangers on the surface but already married in private.
The meeting was scheduled for the evening after tomorrow.
Fortunately, Jing Mian had no classes that day.
While thinking about what to wear, Jing Mian returned to the backstage area.
He folded the jacket he had borrowed from the senior, thanked him, and returned it.
But he now had a new jacket on.
Another team member, responsible for accounting, tilted her head slightly, her gaze falling on Jing Mian’s new jacket.
The dark jacket seemed to be a poor fit for Jing Mian’s frame, clearly too large, as if it had been put on him by someone else.
And this jacket… she had seen it somewhere before?
She racked her brain and suddenly remembered—she had seen it in a photo from a fan’s airport greeting that morning!
Because she was a fan and followed the hottest and most influential male celebrity, she paid attention to all his appearances and outfits.
So it left a deep impression on her.
But the more she looked, the more uncertain she became. This jacket—
Wasn’t it… the one Ren Congmian had worn?
And it seemed to be from this morning!?
Moreover, she was sure that Jing Mian’s jacket wasn’t a knockoff, as Ren Congmian’s clothes were mostly custom-made, and this one was no exception.
How could the same jacket appear in the morning and the evening?
It was impossible!
…Clearly impossible.
A shocking thought suddenly crossed her mind.
Could MianMian be wearing… Ren Congmian’s jacket?!!!