Mini World Game Console-Chapter 728 - 729

Descending from the high-speed train station and taking the subway near the residential area gave Ren Suo a long-missed sense of coming home.

Strangely enough, this might be the first time he had come home in the usual way in the past two years.

The first time he came home this year, he was lying unconscious in an ambulance being transferred from Lianjiang City to Baiyun City.

The second time, he was sitting in Qiao Muyi's car, harassed multiple times by the female driver like a kept man, petting cats and staring at Qiao Muyi the whole way, hardly thinking of home.

The third time he came home, which was now, he honestly took public transport. He relished the convenience of the city's facilities: the swift high-speed train, the subway security checks, the slightly crowded flow of passengers, and the gently swaying carriage that let Ren Suo savor the joy of 'waiting'.

One important reason Ren Suo disliked traveling was his reluctance to spend time in transit. Having suffered from mild motion sickness since childhood, after several sudden bouts of nausea during school trips on buses, he became more resistant to going out, especially to places without subways.

Even if he could take a taxi, before reaching his destination, Ren Suo still had to converse with people with different accents and watch unfamiliar maps move. These undoubtedly made Ren Suo feel very bothered.

But going home was different.

Going home meant moving from an unfamiliar place back to a familiar one, no need for a map to plan the route, the expected congested queues, the routine station announcements, even the chatter filled with familiar curse words... it provided a sense of reassurance.

However, when Ren Suo and his sister were about to change subway lines, his sister suddenly grabbed him.

"Can we... go home?"

Ren Suo was bewildered for a moment. "We are on our way home now."

"I mean, back to Lianjiang," Ren Xingmei said with a hint of pleading in her voice. "I'll call Mom later to explain. Can we see them after a while? We don't need to rush."

As Ren Xingmei got closer to their familiar home, she became increasingly afraid.

She had thought herself strong enough to face anything, prepared to be like a moth to a flame, believing that the determination she forged in middle school would shatter all the gossip.

But that wasn't the case.

Moths rush to the flame because there is nothing in the dark, so even if only a Glimmer appears, they are willing to burn the whole world just to warm themselves.

But Ren Xingmei's world was not in darkness; she was born protected by the warm sun and cared for by the mischievous moon.

If Dong Chengling finding out her true feelings or Qiao Muyi guessing her unrequited love was just a minor embarrassment for Ren Xingmei, then facing her parents was something Ren Xingmei suspected might make her lose her sanity.

Ren Xingmei loved her parents more than anyone else; whether in deeds or in heart, she outdid Ren Suo. Sixty percent of the elopement fund she had prepared was for her parents' retirement. It was enough for them to travel the world in the grandest style before their blood pressure made flying impossible, and if they desired, even several more trips.

Her long-established plan detailed exactly what to say to her parents, what to do if they disowned her, to prepare Heart-saving Pills, how often to visit home after eloping...

Yet, now, without even an answer from Ren Suo, Ren Xingmei was afraid to face her parents.

She feared Ren Suo would give an answer she didn't want to hear, but she feared even more that Ren Suo would give an answer that would disappoint their parents.

Always despising avoidance and believing that a happy future must be carved out with one's own hands, Ren Xingmei subconsciously wanted to pull Ren Suo back to Lianjiang, escaping reality.

In fact, as long as they didn't speak of it, their parents would know nothing. Even if Ren Suo didn't give an answer, Ren Xingmei thought it would be okay.

If the status quo could be maintained, it would be perfect for Ren Xingmei.

Perhaps, from the start, Ren Xingmei was running away: starting when the money was sufficient, considering after getting to university, acting after graduation... dragging things on, and then Dong Chengling, Qiao Muyi, and Gu Yueyan appeared one after another.

She could only watch everything unfold, cursing them in her mind with the spirit of Ah Q, hoping they would soon tire of her older brother.

From the beginning, she and Ren Suo had the closest relationship, so she hesitated and faltered, like a child with a Perfect cake, wanting to taste the deliciousness yet reluctant to ruin its perfect appearance. Of course, most importantly, she hadn't expected that someone would come to share the cake.

Last night, when others discussed the question of 'who first, who after,' Ren Xingmei felt somewhat disdainful but also somewhat superior—I'm Ren Suo's only Childhood Sweetheart; when we played with mud together, you guys surely weren't that immature yet, right!

Therefore, Ren Xingmei preferred Ren Suo not giving her an answer to their family dynamics changing at this moment.

Now, she also realized she had been tricked by Lorifes. Lorifes spouted things like 'why not you delay him' and 'are you content with this' to encourage her, but Lorifes was completely different from her—

First, Lorifes and Los are not blood siblings!

Second, Lorifes is an orphan!

She envied Lorifes, but she couldn't be Lorifes.

Feeling the Fear in his sister's voice, Ren Suo exhaled, held her hand, and said with a smile, "Don't worry, it'll be all right. Have I ever lied to you?"

With your intelligence, you couldn't lie to me if you tried!

Ren Xingmei didn't even have the strength to retort, dejectedly allowing Ren Suo to lead her into the subway like a sulky puppy.

Ren Suo, on the other hand, didn't let go of her, as if worried that his sister might escape and slip back to Lianjiang, leading her while playing on his mobile phone.

With one stop left to their house, Ren Xingmei suddenly tried to wriggle free from Ren Suo's palm, and he instinctively tightened his grip. Now a Fourth-Stage Cultivator, Ren Suo's enhanced physique from his Qi Cyclone advancement was becoming evident, allowing him to easily suppress his sister, a Second Stage Cultivator.

He saw his sister looking anxiously at the door, and upon glancing towards the front of the carriage, he noticed a girl standing behind them.

"Little Star!" the girl greeted. "Long time no see, I heard you went to Heavenly Lotus Academy? Huh? Bringing your boyfriend home?"

"He's my brother," Ren Xingmei replied.

The girl looked at Ren Suo, stars appearing in her eyes. "Oh... wait, speaking of Little Star's brother, isn't he the Holy Fist who ranks at the top of the Third-turn Cultivator leaderboard..."

"That's right, I am that person, Skypatching Bandit Ren Suo!" Ren Suo said confidently.

The girl was stunned, and the stars in her eyes shattered. After exchanging a few polite words with Ren Xingmei, she moved to the other side of the carriage and did not bother them again.

Once the acquaintance left, Ren Xingmei complained, "Why didn't you let go of my hand just now?"

"Why should I let go?"

"To avoid suspicion! Being seen like this by others is not good. Fortunately, she is a high school classmate of mine and is usually very tight-lipped. She shouldn't gossip."

Ren Suo scratched his head. "But that's not called avoiding suspicion, right? To avoid suspicion, you should act with integrity, stand tall, and have a clear conscience. You, on the other hand, look guilty..."

Ren Xingmei's face turned red, and she retorted, "What about you?"

"Me?"

Before Ren Suo could answer, the subway arrived at their station, the one closest to their old neighborhood.

Ren Xingmei let out a soft sigh, waiting for Ren Suo to take her home. But until the platform screen doors closed, Ren Suo still did not lead her off the train.

Noticing his sister's puzzled look, Ren Suo smiled and said, "Before we go home for dinner, accompany me to a place first."

After two more stops, Ren Suo finally led his sister out. Without looking at the signs or the map, Ren Suo confidently chose exit F to leave with his sister.

Just stepping out of the station, Ren Xingmei turned her head and saw several familiar white buildings. "Second Southern Hospital?"

The Second Affiliated Hospital of Southern Medical University, the hospital where Ren Suo had been in a coma, was also the hospital where Ren Xingmei had spent the most time.

Ren Suo led his sister to the central courtyard of the hospital. Although there wasn't the garden fountain of the big hospitals in TV dramas, there were patches of grass and greenery, with a few benches laid out.

Patients would come to sit in the courtyard when they had time since the lush green grass looked very comforting, and there were no traces of litter or trampling—in the hospital garden, the warning sign "Step on me today, I'll grow on your grave tomorrow" seemed particularly powerful and effective.

Ren Suo took his sister to sit down and, looking at the bustling corridor and the familiar buildings, suddenly pointed to a path near a small creek and said, "That wasn't a pebble path before, was it?"

"Not only was it not a pebble path, there was no creek either," Ren Xingmei said. "I don't know where the fresh water comes from."

"I wonder if that chubby head nurse is still here."

"It's been more than a decade. I remember that head nurse was already quite old back then. If she's still here, that would seem even sadder."

"Perhaps. A handsome doctor who used to give me candy now has his bald photo in the chief physician column at the entrance—time really is a slaughtering knife."

Talking about the hospital, both Ren Suo and his sister opened up like chatterboxes, discussing everything from doctors and nurses to architectural styles. To an uninformed listener, they might have sounded like interns in plain clothes instead of white coats.

While chatting, Ren Suo suddenly touched his forehead and sighed, "It's surprising how much of my childhood memory this hospital occupies..."

Ren Xingmei chuckled. "After all, you used to always be in the hospital with me."

"Not just the hospital," Ren Suo looked up at the clouds and said, "but also the neighborhood, home, the plaza, the mall... When we were kids, we almost always did things together. You're in my memories, and I'm in yours."

Ren Suo seriously added, "I've always had few friends, so I've been glad that I have you as my sister."

Ren Xingmei seemed to sense something; she closed her lips tightly, listening to Ren Suo's judgment of her.

"Making new friends is troublesome—introducing yourself, adjusting to each other's values, and then inadvertently hurting others or being hurt. So to me, Xing Mei, you are the most special existence."

"The 'Adventurous Tiger Team' episodes I watched in summer while under the fan, the fun games I cleared while keeping you company in the hospital, the joy of a mischievous child lighting firecrackers during Spring Festival, and so much more—everything includes you.

"In my past life, eating was done with you, playing was with you, drinking was with you, and happiness was with you... Xing Mei, you make up my life. Without you, I would probably only be friends with loneliness."

Ren Suo turned his head to look at her and said, "And for you, I play a similar role."

"Therefore, you've developed a certain illusion, a certain misplaced love. Unrequited love is the emotion that most easily moves and hypnotizes oneself. The world in your eyes wears a thick filter that makes you mistakenly believe that's the reality."

Ren Xingmei managed, "I..."

"Because if you've liked someone for a long time, that equates to binding that person to your past. If you regret having liked someone in the past, wouldn't that be denying all of your time spent before?"

Ren Xingmei bit her lip and stared at Ren Suo without saying a word.

"Spending ten years to brew a jar of Daughter's Red, yet you are already so drunk and fleshed out by it."

Ren Suo uttered softly, "Does every seed need to bloom and bear fruit? Those seeds that land in saline-alkali soil, miraculously yielding bitter fruit and flowers of unfortunate fate—would it not have been better if they never sprouted in the first place?"

"You're scared of being seen by classmates, scared of being honest with Mom and Dad. Can you withstand the criticism and gossip that hasn't even happened yet?"

Tears welled up in Ren Xingmei's eyes. She suddenly understood Gu Yueyan's feelings, but she couldn't compare with Gu Yueyan—seeds that sprout later may still have a chance to compete, but seeds that grow in the wrong place face only the destiny of being uprooted. 𝒻𝘳ℯℯ𝑤ℯ𝒷𝘯ℴ𝓋ℯ𝘭.𝑐ℴ𝑚

"No, you can't withstand it."

Ren Suo checked his phone and took her hand. "Let's go, it's time to go home for dinner."

Ren Xingmei nodded silently, suddenly unafraid.

People are strange like that. If you hand in your summer homework half done, you might spend the night anxious and sleepless, wondering if the teacher will find out and punish you. But if you just hand in blank homework, anticipating the worst outcome, you paradoxically feel at ease—the terror of the unknown is far worse than certain tragedy.

Anxious fear comes from always having expectations and attachments. It holds you back, making you feel like the next second could bring a surprise.

Tragedy doesn't incite fear; it's the surprise that's not meant for you that causes you to fret about gains and losses.

It's like hoping your favorite TV show might get a sequel.

But now that the sequel has been definitively scrapped, she naturally lets go of all her expectations and psychs herself up to put an abrupt end to this uninteresting and even despised story.

When Ren Xingmei got back to the neighborhood, she saw Ren's mother ahead, buying groceries. She immediately wriggled free from Ren Suo's grasp and jogged up to help her mother with the shopping basket, seamlessly transitioning into the persona of a sweet and obedient daughter.

Ren's mother saw Ren Suo and couldn't help but scold, "Look at you, couldn't you take the initiative to come over and help carry something? Are you a lazy pig?"

Ren Suo, too lazy to help with the bags, nodded in agreement. "Yes, I'm a lazy pig."

"Are you really a pig? You're even worse than a pig—you can't even root up a cabbage!" Ren's mother grew angry at this, huffing sharply before taking her good daughter home with her.

Ren Suo scratched his head in bewilderment, wondering if mentioning the idea of cooking some vegetables really warranted such anger from his mother.

After staying home for a bit, Ren's father also rode his bicycle back. His eyes lit up when he saw Ren Suo. He came over to pat Ren Suo on the shoulder and said, "Let's have a drink together later."

"I don't drink..." Ren Suo began.

"You should drown your sorrows when you feel sad," Ren's father said with a beaming face.

"If you don't drink liquor, then we won't have any for now. I passed by the convenience store and had them deliver a case of beer. We can drink slowly later; your dad's got no classes this afternoon."

One's playing hooky and the other has no classes; living the life, aren't you?

When Ren's mother prepared a lavish dinner and put it on the table, Ren's father poured Ren Suo a full glass of beer and encouraged him, "Son, don't worry. Even if you've taken a wrong turn, at worst we can start all over again; you're still young!"

Even though she was upset, Ren's mother reluctantly encouraged him as well, "From now on, be honest and upright. We can't help you—your happiness is up to you."

Ren Suo was baffled by their words and asked, "Did you all figure it out?"

Ren's father, with a loving expression, and Ren's mother, sighing, nodded. Ren's mother said, "You're my son; I know everything about you, right down to when you raise your butt to take a shit or a piss. How could you hide anything from me? Just spit it out, and everyone will feel better."

Ren Xingmei looked at them somewhat puzzled. She always felt like her brother, dad, and mom were not on the same page.

Ren Suo thought that made sense and asked, "Then you have to answer a question for me first."

Ren's father said, "Lin Xianyu."

Ren's mother said, "I can't choose."

Ren Suo didn't bother with which channel their thoughts had jumped to and went straight to the point. "Are Xingmei and I biological siblings?"

Ren Xingmei paused for a moment, looked at Ren Suo in astonishment, and then at her parents.

"Hmm? Well, of course... Huh?"

Ren's father and mother's expressions changed drastically in an instant, but they were both old hands at life. Ren's mother put down her chopsticks and forced a smile, trying to calm down. "Why would you ask such a question? Of course, you are."

"I don't believe it," Ren Suo said bluntly. "Lying to me is pointless. I just need to take a bit of hair from me, Xingmei, and you, and run a DNA test, then I'll know the result—"

No sooner said than done, Ren's mother suddenly grabbed a beer bottle, as if she was about to smash the table in a show of force, but was swiftly restrained by Ren's father. "Calm down, you made all these dishes!"

Ren's mother breathed heavily, thinking of the great effort she had put into the spread of dishes. She slowly put the beer bottle down, staring at Ren Suo, and said, "If you dare go for that DNA test, don't ever come back to this house."

Ren's father also spoke up, "Whether you two are biological siblings or not, you are both our children. Little Suo, your mother is serious. She doesn't want our relationship to be spoiled by some worthless DNA report."

Ren Suo said, "I understand. If it were me, I'd do the same. After adopting a child, the best thing to do is to never let her doubt her origins. Let her grow up happy and carefree because children with both parents present can avoid many bullies in their childhood. Their birth parents' information should also step aside for their upbringing."

"But now that we've grown up, are we really not entitled to know the truth?"

While he said this, Ren Suo was pretty sure that his sister must be the adopted one, as the parents she remembered from her early childhood memories did not resemble Ren's father and mother at all.

But there was another possibility—that I, too, was adopted. On a dark and stormy night, as Mom went to top-up her phone credit, suddenly...

Ren's mother narrowed her eyes and looked at them, saying, "You don't have the right yet."

"Then when do we have it?"

"Let's wait until both of you are married and settled down," Ren's mother said. "Only when both of you have found happiness and are no longer haunted by the shadows of the past will I let you know the truth."

Ren Suo and Ren Xingmei exchanged a glance, and Xingmei nodded.

She was quite satisfied with this outcome! It turns out Suo and I are not biological siblings!

Even though Ren Xingmei knew this didn't really change much—at most it removed a blemish on a moral level and reduced the caution needed for reproduction—it did nothing to improve the relationship between them.

If Ren Suo thought her affection was a fantasy bound by the past, an unrequited love that couldn't withstand the test of time, a forbidden flower of fate that should never bloom, then Ren Xingmei was powerless to change it.

Lorifes said something that was very true: "If you wish for something one-sidedly, then you must be willing to accept defeat."

Ren Suo exhaled. "It's nothing, I just wanted to make sure about this. No matter what, you are still my parents."

"The reason I came back is actually to tell you both something else."

Here it comes!

Ren's mother and father, who had become upset due to the interruption, instantly perked up again.

Ren's father, needless to say, had a face full of anticipation, just waiting for Ren Suo to announce that he was dumped, so that he, as a father, could comfort him deeply, guide him, and subtly suggest that he chase after true happiness.

Ren's mother refused to be outdone. Being dumped does not mean you can't pursue love again! One must never give up hope—maybe someone will make a foolish mistake again? She was determined to encourage her son, this lazy pig, to make a move once more and, no matter what, bring her back a cabbage!

Facing his parents' expectant gazes, Ren Suo coughed once, and, under his sister's astonished gaze, took her hand, raised it high, and said,

"Dad, Mom, I like Xing Mei.

"When I was young, I liked Xing Mei because I felt she was my best friend, a sister I needed to protect.

"When I was a teenager, I liked Xing Mei because she, like gaming, represented my purest first love.

"Now I like Xing Mei because I hope she, who has been by my side for the first half of my life, can continue to be by my side for the second half."

"Brother..." Ren Xingmei couldn't help but let out a soft call.

Ren Suo turned his head and looked at her with a blink. "A seed that falls on saline-alkali soil is not supposed to bloom or bear fruit, but it's not the seed that should be blamed, it's the saline-alkali soil."

"Xing Mei, we grew up together as childhood sweethearts. Your misconceptions, your misdirected love—I have them too."

"Since we were young, you've been the game expert I looked up to. When I practiced my gaming skills in the past, was it really just to play games? Yes, but more so, I just wanted to find a reason to play with you."

Ren Xingmei murmured, "So the level you're at now, you were actually practicing all along..."

Ren Suo's face darkened for a moment, then he burst into laughter. "Our past is already tightly entwined, inseparable."

"It's not that I was moved by you, nor is it that I fall in love with every new girl I meet, but rather... I suddenly had a new idea."

"You and I tried every possible way to save Zhao Linger, practiced jump-sniping to beat the next class's shooting god, and even did household chores together to buy games... it was you who made me what I am today."

"Being bound by the past is not a bad thing; it's precisely because we have a wonderful past that we have expectations for the future.

"I still want to beat more games with you, witness the evolution of gaming, play virtual reality VR games together, and together usher in the era of holography with tubes plugged into the back of our heads...

"My future cannot be without you."

"And..." Ren Suo turned his head, his gaze drifting, his tone becoming whimsical, "the more debts, the less worry..."

Ren Xingmei listened dumbfounded to Ren Suo's messy declaration of love, took a moment to process, then suddenly laughed. "So you like me just so I can help you with your games?"

"Can't I?"

"How could there be a brother like you..."

"Because there's a sister like you."

Ren Xingmei blinked, her eyes sparkling with moonlight, and spoke softly, "Ah, who can blame you, your gaming skills are so terrible that even I can't bear to watch. So..."

"This humble girl may not have much talent, but I'm willing to accept your request to team up for life. No matter what criticism or rumors there are, I will—"

Ren Suo shook his head. "No need. As the saline-alkali soil that bloomed the flower of this terrible fate, I am prepared. Any criticism, I will deal with it—"

SMACK!

While they were chatting, Ren's parents hadn't zoned out.

They silently moved the dishes on the table to a safe place behind them, then put a pack of beer bottles on the table. Hearing Ren Suo's words, Ren's mother picked up two beer bottles, looking ready to throw them—one of the benefits of having a son who was a Cultivator was that you didn't have to hold back when hitting him; any tool would do.

It was then that Ren's father once again stopped her. "Wait, son, let me ask you, what do you plan to do with the other girls?"

"Of course, I can't let them down. I'm not a scumbag," Ren Suo said as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

For a moment, Ren's father, unsure if 'let down' was the correct term to use, fell silent. He then said to Ren's mother, "Wait a moment, I'm going to pull the curtains down. Family scandals shouldn't be exposed."

Ren Suo's eyebrows jumped, and he quickly stood up, saying, "Wait a minute, can't we discuss this calmly? Mom, please put down the beer bottle!"

Ren's mother gritted her teeth and enunciated each word starkly, "Damn it, son of a—!"

Mom had completely lost it.

Ren Suo swallowed hard, pulling his sister back as he spoke, "Didn't you say that you had already guessed my intentions? Didn't you say you know everything I do, even when I raise my butt to take a shit or a piss? Why are you still so angry?"

"How could I have guessed that you, my damn child, would actually want to poach your own fresh cabbage? Bend over here! I won't bully you. I used to spank you ten times when you were little, and I will still spank you ten times now!"