Chapter Fifteen

After Liu Hailizi familiarized Yu Xingyue with the internet cafe environment, Yu understood its rules: those with more money were prioritized for machine swaps. Yu found this rule baffling, but Liu explained, "At first, I didn't want it to be this way, but life changes a person."

Liu Hailizi dealt with the setbacks of her industry, doing what she had to for survival. Yu felt a sense of sympathy for her, fearing that if he were to be changed by life in the same way, he might lose himself. Despite her role as a teacher, Liu wasn't overly stern, often joking with Yu.

"You go back upstairs to rest; I still have work to do," Liu said. Her work consisted of checking surveillance footage for suspicious individuals. She could afford to hire security, but she didn't want to waste the money; she had become accustomed to being both the boss and the security.

Yu didn't press the matter. It was just past 11:00 PM. Liu didn't want him staying up too late, figuring she could just wake him up tomorrow if needed.

Back in his room, Yu changed into his pajamas. Before that, he had to remove his makeup. He couldn't stand the feeling of it—he could practically feel it smearing whenever he broke a sweat. Fortunately, he had managed to get some makeup remover from Liu’s room. It took him twenty minutes to finish; for someone who knew nothing about makeup, it was a chore. He knew, however, that Liu would eventually help him with it, and he wouldn't be able to refuse—it was a professional necessity to avoid being recognized.

Lying in bed, unable to sleep, Yu pulled out his phone and opened QQ. The group chat already had ninety-nine-plus unread messages. He clicked in and typed, "What is everyone talking about?"

The chat followed:

Xiao Jian: "Brother Yu, I’ve been having some trouble lately, so I’m discussing it in the group."

Yu Xingyue: "What kind of trouble requires the whole group to help you? [Confused]"

Chen Siyu: "He’s been staying at Lin Zimo’s place, right? His parents found out and immediately demanded he move back so they could 'take care' of him."

Lin Zimo: "They even came to my place in person, saying they wanted to take Xiao Jian back. But Xiao Jian has grown accustomed to life here. If he is to go back, it has to be his own decision."

Yu Xingyue: "What do you think, Xiao Jian? You don't want to go back?"

Xiao Jian: "Brother Yu, you’re the only one who understands. I don't want to go back. They haven't visited me once since the surgery, and the amputation was done without my consent. I have a sense of bitterness I can't put into words."

Yu Xingyue: "You have to resolve this yourself. We can't make that decision for you. When a parent-child relationship becomes strained, someone has to be the first to break the ice, and that person is you."

Lin Zimo: "Exactly!"

Chen Siyu: "I have to ask, Xingyue, is Wang Tianqi really in Japan? [Confused]"

Lin Zimo: "Didn't I tell you guys? She really is in Japan. Yu Xingyue told me."

Yu Xingyue: "It's true, she’s actually my classmate. Also, let me tell you something: I’ve moved out of my house."

Xiao Jian: "Didn't you already leave China?"

Yu Xingyue: "That's not what I meant. I mean my home in Japan. [Vomiting blood]"

Yu Xingyue: "To put it simply, I had a fight with Sun Ying and moved out."

Lin Zimo: "Why did you fight?"

Yu Xingyue: "It’s my own fault, I suppose. She got angry because I wouldn't tell her anything. I don't even know why I was angry, but looking back now, I have no idea what I was doing. I feel terrible."

Xiao Jian: "So where are you staying now that you've left? You aren't sleeping on the streets, are you?"

Yu Xingyue: "I have a place to stay, so no street-sleeping for me. You underestimate me." In truth, he was too embarrassed to tell the full story.

Huang Feifan: "Yo! Xingyue is here? How are you doing?"

Zhang Yi: "I noticed Xingyue was back too! [Shocked]"

Yu Xingyue: "You make it sound like I didn't want to come back. That's all for today, let's chat again when there's time. [Goodbye]"

Huang Feifan: "Hey! I just got here and you're leaving!"

Yu Xingyue turned off his phone and settled into bed. He felt much better after the brief chat. He prepared for sleep, ready to face whatever tomorrow might bring. Surrounded by the muffled sounds of players gaming downstairs, he drifted off into a sweet slumber.

Apart from Wang Tianqi, who had left the group, everyone else was still there. Lin Ling had been offline for a long time; Yu knew she was searching for Wu Guanzhong, who didn't want to be found, hoping she would eventually find someone better than him.

...

Late that night, Wang Tianqi couldn't sleep. Tossing and turning proved useless, so she got up and paced the room, hoping to tire herself out.

"Damn it, why can't I sleep? I have class tomorrow," she muttered impatiently. She lay back down, exhausted from merely walking around her own room. She wasn't one for exercise, though she knew enough basic techniques from the Tianyuan Team to protect herself.

She wondered if she should find someone to talk to, thinking perhaps someone else was also awake. She grabbed her phone and checked her QQ list. She had left the Tianyuan Team group, so she didn't have that familiar barrage of notifications.

Scanning her friend list, her eyes landed on Yu Xingyue. He showed as being connected via Wi-Fi, so he couldn't be asleep, right?

She sent him a message: "Are you asleep?"

A long time passed with no reply. She sent the same message again, but received an immediate response—an automated one. Upon reading it, she nearly threw her phone across the room. The auto-reply read: "Who gave you the confidence to message me? Watch it, or I'll crush you!"

Forget it, she told herself. Why bother arguing with someone who’s asleep? Yet, the more she tried to calm down, the angrier she became. Being insulted meant she had to insult him back—face-to-face was the only way to feel better.

She decided to watch some videos to induce sleepiness, though she worried about her data usage. She couldn't just take sleeping pills, could she?

However, the videos only made her more alert, and she spiraled further into the night...

...

Elsewhere, Yang Shuting and Sun Yao learned from Luo E that Yu Xingyue had run away from home. Or rather, he had chosen to learn independence rather than being coddled and living off others.

Luo E was on a video call with Sun Yao. Yang Shuting was frantic, desperate to know why he had left. Luo E explained, "I returned too late and only learned that Mr. Yu and the young lady had argued. I don't know where Mr. Yu has gone."

"Then go find him!" Yang Shuting was on the verge of tears. Any mother would be worried about her son's safety.

"I will have a talk with Sun Ying later," Sun Yao said with a sigh. "Xingyue was kind enough to shoulder the burdens himself, but Sun Ying kept pushing his limits."

"But sir, Mr. Yu doing this isn't necessarily a bad thing," Luo E interjected.

Sun Yao asked, "What do you mean?"

"Mr. Yu said he wanted to learn to be independent. Isn't it good for him to experience life on his own? If he can't handle it, he'll be back sooner or later, and it’s only been a day."

"But he's my son!" Yang Shuting cried. "You don't know where he is, yet you speak so lightly of it. What if something happens to him out there?"

Sun Yao comforted her, "Don't panic. Yu Xingyue had his reasons. He was driven away by Sun Ying, and he's right—he can't live under our constant care forever. If he had told us, would you have let him go?"

Yang Shuting shook her head. "I wouldn't have agreed."

"Exactly, and that's why he didn't tell you. He’s stepping out of his comfort zone to grow, which isn't a bad thing. We just have to pray for his safety. Report to me immediately if you hear anything," Sun Yao instructed Luo E.