Chapter 1 Mu Chen's Online Relationship

Mu Chen had an online relationship.

Regarding what Lu Gui said, Mingmei didn't know what expression to make other than an awkward smile.

She probably already knew who Lu Gui was talking about as Mu Chen's online girlfriend?

It was nothing more than a "I'm cheating on myself" drama.

She often saw her and Mu Chen CP fan edits on StarNet, and some people even edited in the stand-in trope, even adding the four-cornered love where Mu Chen played the Boss and they were each other's stand-ins.

She was already used to it.

But how should she explain it to Lu Gui?

Therefore, Mingmei's awkward silence fell into Lu Gui's eyes with another layer of meaning.

"If you don't want to smile, then don't. Just cry." As he spoke, he handed the tissue in his arms to Mingmei.

Mingmei: "…?"

There was no need for that.

"Mu Chen and I… that, about his online relationship, I know."

After thinking for a while, Mingmei decided to make up a reason.

"You know?"

"Yeah." Mingmei nodded, "Isn't it the mysterious merchant miss? I know about her."

"You can accept it?"

"The reason he's nice to the merchant miss is just because she looks like me. That's why he gives her some special treatment."

Mingmei decided to use the stand-in trope after all. Although it's old, it's effective.

"He's not just a little nice to her in the game, and..." Lu Gui became even more angry as he said this, "The merchant miss is a very good NPC, she shouldn't meet such a scum!"

Mingmei: "…"

So, was Lu Gui feeling sorry for her or for the merchant miss?

Wait, no, either way, he was feeling sorry for *her*.

"If you truly like someone, you won't fall for a substitute. If he really likes you, would he still focus his attention on someone else? Even if there are a thousand reasons, he shouldn't."

Lu Gui said very seriously to Mingmei, "You're still young, don't be easily deceived."

Mingmei: "Uh…"

How did it become more and more serious?

"Lu Gui, I know you mean well, but only those involved in a relationship understand it."

In order to prevent Lu Gui from continuing to persuade her to "see" Mu Chen's true colors, Mingmei looked at Lu Gui with a deep expression and sighed, "You're still single, you wouldn't understand~"

Lu Gui: ???

Good grief?

I kindly offered advice, and you're actually mocking me for being single?

"Meimei, I'm here~"

Just as Lu Gui was speechless with anger from Mingmei's words, Mu Chen also arrived.

Mu Chen entered the lounge and saw Lu Gui sitting there, glaring at him with an ugly face.

Suddenly, Mu Chen's spring-like warm smile also faded a bit.

"Lu Gui, you're here too."

"Yeah, I came with my sister."

Mu Chen felt that Lu Gui was in a bad mood.

But what did that have to do with him?

If Lu Gui was really unhappy, Mu Chen felt that the corners of his mouth could even turn up a bit.

Mu Chen directly took Mingmei's hand and left with her. After leaving the psychological counseling room, Mingmei planned to tell Mu Chen about what had just happened.

Because this matter was too乌龙 *wulong* (silly, nonsensical), at Mingmei's request, Mu Chen took her to a secluded path on campus.

Seeing a few streetlights around and no one nearby, Mingmei finally felt relieved and told the story.

"It's all your fault, causing misunderstandings~"

Mingmei felt even more embarrassed when she thought of Lu Gui's earnest concern.

She felt like she had become a love-struck fool in the eyes of others, falling in love with a渣男 *zhanan* (scumbag) regardless of everything.

"It's clearly him who was gossiping behind people's backs for no reason…"

Mu Chen clearly felt Lu Gui's animosity towards him for Mingmei's sake, and it was very obvious.

If he didn't sense that Lu Gui's eyes looking at Mingmei didn't have that kind of romantic affection, would he have let him hang around Mingmei's side until now?

Now it's good, he's even instigating and saying bad things about him?

"He's just being kind, besides, you didn't really do that, what are you afraid of?"

"I'm not afraid… I'm just, I'm just worried that if someone else says it's for my own good and says something provocative in the future, what if you believe it?"

"I don't want you to misunderstand me because of what others say. If you want to know anything, you can ask me directly." Mu Chen stood in front of Mingmei, and as he spoke, his tone became aggrieved, and the emotions of gain and loss in his heart seemed to be infinitely amplified at this moment.

Mu Chen rested his head on Mingmei's shoulder and whispered, "You know, I won't lie to you."

"But you might not tell me, right?"

"Then if you keep chasing after me and asking, I'll tell you…"

Mu Chen's sudden emo-ness made Mingmei a little at a loss. She didn't expect Mu Chen to be so sensitive all of a sudden.

Was he really so worried that she would misunderstand him?

"Okay, I know. Don't worry~"

Mingmei reached out and gently patted Mu Chen's back, like coaxing a child, with gentle and soothing strength.

The two stood under a streetlight, and remained in this position until they heard footsteps coming from around them. Only then did Mingmei push Mu Chen away with her thin skin, glared at him, and said, "Are you done yet?"

"No…" Mu Chen stared at Mingmei's blushing face and said cheekily, "We still have to have dinner together."

"I know~" Mingmei glanced at the other party helplessly, then she reached out and grabbed Mu Chen's hand, leading him towards the cafeteria.

The two walked from a sparsely populated area to a densely populated area, and Mingmei continued to hold Mu Chen like this, without letting go.

Mu Chen followed behind Mingmei, his eyes fixed on the place where Mingmei's fingers were intertwined with his.

This was the first time she had taken the initiative to hold him, without avoiding, without panic, tightly grasping him and leading him to her destination.

"Meimei~"

"Yeah?"

"Meimei~"

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing, I'm just calling you, to show that I'm not lost~"

"Aren't you too childish?"

…

"So, Father, you're only telling me this now?"

Sitting in his father's office after reading this document that he couldn't take away, Julian felt like he'd seen a ghost.

He had been playing the game for so long and only now did he know that some of the NPCs inside were played by real people, and there were even non-human beings.

He had asked people to investigate many times before, and each time he got ambiguous answers, but now he suddenly knew so much.

"What would be the point of telling you so early?" Louis ignored his son's dissatisfied expression, slowly sipped a mouthful of strong tea, and then slowly said, "Now you've played so many games, and after each failure, you summarize the experience and find more and more doubts, you go to investigate and verify, and I'll show you these materials to complete it, isn't that just right?"

Julian: …

Where is that "just right?"

Julian couldn't help but recall the overly "enthusiastic" mysterious merchants he sometimes encountered in the game, as well as some very interesting passersby NPCs.

So, they were all real people!

"It's just that the game was initiated by Hua Lan Star, but most of the real-life NPC players are people related to the Empire... is this unfair to the Federation?"

"Oh? Mostly related to the Empire? Do you... really think so?"

Louis suddenly looked at Julian, and said with a hint of teasing in his smile: "Haven't you already confirmed the identity of that Durant's daughter? You've even speculated that the game has other functions."

"Father!"

Julian's face suddenly turned red. He knew that his father was going to make fun of him about that again.

"You moved that little girl to tears in the game, and as a result, she woke up because of your words. After waking up, she came to chase you, but you were scared and didn't know what to do. After a long time, you finally explained to her and rejected her... While rejecting her, you didn't forget to ask questions and investigate these things. You ah~"

Louis sighed, as if joking and warning: "Julian, maintaining a good image doesn't mean you have to be truly soft-hearted and kind, but at the same time, you can't abandon your conscience in order to achieve a certain goal."

"I understand, Father." Julian pursed his lips and reflected in his heart whether there was anything inappropriate in his treatment of Deville.

"Alright, it's almost the end of the semester. I remember your class was selected for this year's Eight Schools Exchange, right?"

No longer mentioning the previous matter, Louis brought up the things that Julian needed to pay attention to recently.

"Yes, I will lead everyone to achieve good results."

"That's for sure, you are my son, I believe you can do it." At this point, Louis's smile was full of confidence, "But what I want to tell you is not this."

"Father?"

"Make more friends, Julian. The Eight Schools Exchange brings together the eight major military academies of the Federation and the Empire. Each school selects students with different methods and standards, so you will meet many different people.

They come from different regions to study at the school, with different backgrounds and different ideas. You should learn more from them."

"Yes, Father."