Pursuing Her Best Friend after Confession Failed-Chapter 179 - 112: When Dreams Merge with Reality (Two in One, Seeking Subscriptions)_4
The call connected just a few seconds after he dialed.
"Li Yuan, where are you? Are you... are you all right?" The anxiety in Xia Zhijin’s voice was evident. She was clearly very worried about Li Yuan.
Li Yuan felt a pang of guilt but had no choice but to lie. "Zhijin, I’m sorry for making you worry. I drank too much last night and slept in until noon."
Xia Zhijin’s tone was filled with concern. "Li Yuan, are you feeling okay? Do you want me to come over and take care of you?"
Li Yuan was tempted. He hesitated for a moment but still hardened his heart and declined.
"Zhijin, don’t worry about me. I just stayed up a bit late last night, but I’m fine. I’m not going to school this afternoon. I’ll stay home and write for a while, and I’ll see you tomorrow when school starts."
Disappointment flickered in Xia Zhijin’s heart, but she still forced a smile. "Mhm, okay. Don’t work too hard. Make sure you take a break if you’re tired."
A warmth spread through Li Yuan’s heart. "Zhijin, what did you do yesterday and today?"
Hearing Li Yuan take the initiative to ask about her life, Xia Zhijin’s mood brightened instantly. She responded shyly, "I went to the library to read for a while. Last night, I had dinner in the canteen with Xiyu, Chenchen, and the others. They had braised eggplant and stir-fried pork with peppers..."
Li Yuan laughed. "That’s good, Zhijin. You should get along with your roommates. Don’t be so solitary."
"By the way, when I’m writing, I get really focused and don’t like to be disturbed. Sometimes I might not notice messages or calls, so if you can’t reach me, please don’t worry..."
In the past two days, influenced by her roommates, Xia Zhijin had also started reading Li Yuan’s "Battle Starry Sky." She was beginning to understand what web novels were and realized how hard Li Yuan worked. Writing several thousand words a day wasn’t easy.
"Okay, I get it," she answered obediently. "I won’t disturb your writing."
After his long call with Xia Zhijin, Li Yuan looked at the names Bai Weixi and Zhong Tingyue on his phone. He hesitated for a moment before deciding to call Zhong Tingyue first.
Bai has Wang Yuchen with her. I’ll let her wait a little longer.
This time, the phone rang for almost thirty seconds before it was answered.
Li Yuan hastily explained, "Little Moon, I’m so sorry. I was writing for ages and got so engrossed that I only just noticed my phone."
Zhong Tingyue had been in a bad mood. She had called Li Yuan three times and even sent him a text, but he hadn’t replied all afternoon, which had made her a little angry.
After hearing his sincere explanation, she decided to forgive him. "Senior, do you always use your computer to write when you’re at home?"
"Yeah," Li Yuan replied. "It’s more convenient to type on a keyboard. When inspiration strikes, I can end up writing for six or seven hours straight. I get completely immersed in the story..."
"That’s why I sometimes miss calls. It’s like I’ve vanished off the face of the earth."
"Senior, you’re so dedicated! Is writing really that strenuous? I was thinking of trying it myself."
"Oh, I also read your book today! I thought I wouldn’t be able to get into it, but the story is fascinating. I never knew novels for guys could be so interesting! Different Fire, Alchemy, Fight Qi, all the conflicts and battles..."
Standing in the corridor of her dorm, Zhong Tingyue smiled as she told Li Yuan about her reading experience.
"It’s just... the protagonist, Xiao Yan, is a bit of a player, isn’t he? He falls for every girl he meets and has so many love interests. The romantic scenes are described very briefly, almost like you’re just scratching the surface. It would be even better if you could describe them with more depth..."
"Hee hee, Senior, do the thoughts of your protagonist, Xiao Yan, reflect your own?"
A chill ran down Li Yuan’s spine. Why did girls who read male-targeted harem novels always ask the same question? If only they were all like Little Fish. She never once questioned him about the protagonist’s harem.
"Of course not. I’m just catering to my male readers. After all, the audience for fantasy novels is mostly men. You do what you have to do to make money, right? Nothing shameful about it."
Zhong Tingyue teased, "So, Senior Li Yuan, are you trying to say it’s just men being men?"
"Of course not," Li Yuan retorted righteously. "A guy like me dreams of a pure and eternal love. I want one person, for one lifetime."
"A man’s promises are nothing but lies. I don’t believe you; you’re just trying to fool me," Zhong Tingyue said, pursing her lips into a coy smile, her tone flirtatious.
"Is that right, my first-year Senior?"
Li Yuan cringed, feeling that Zhong Tingyue would hold this playful lie over his head for the rest of his life.
"Why would I lie to you? Everything I said is the absolute truth."
Zhong Tingyue huffed softly, her tone coquettish. "Hmph! Senior, you’d better not forget what you promised me yesterday. I’ve prepared everything very carefully."
How could he forget? He didn’t dare to. The Moonlight Goddess had invited him for an evening stroll and was going to perform for him. Even if he had to cross a mountain of swords and a sea of fire, he had to go.
"Of course I haven’t forgotten. I’ll come find you tonight. What time should we meet?"
Zhong Tingyue let out a small laugh and asked tentatively, "Senior, are you that eager to see me?"
Li Yuan laughed. "I’m eager, but I don’t dare."
Zhong Tingyue’s curiosity was piqued. "And why is that?"
Li Yuan adopted a profound tone. "Because I’m afraid of getting hurt again."
Zhong Tingyue faltered, biting her lip. Her tone took on an unusual quality. "Senior... what if I want to hurt you again?"
Li Yuan understood the hidden meaning in her words. After a moment of silence, he said, "Perhaps... I’d still be willing to chase that light, like a moth to a flame."
