Chapter 116: I Miss You So Much

Wen Nan scanned the rose in his hand with the system—

9527: [Rose: "Giving a rose leaves a lingering fragrance on the hand. This item can be gifted to players for daily decoration purposes. When given to a character, it may bring unexpected surprises. Go ahead and try it!"]

Judging by this description, it really was just an ordinary item, just as Yang Mingzhong had said.

Seeing Wen Nan accept it, Yang Mingzhong glanced back at Li Shuyi, who was sitting by the window, then quickly averted his gaze. Smiling at Wen Nan, he said, “I’ll be going now, Chairman. I won’t disturb your affairs.”

With that, he sidestepped around Wen Nan and pushed open the door, leaving the café.

Wen Nan looked at Yang Mingzhong’s retreating figure, then at the rose in his hand, and finally at the corner where Yang Mingzhong had been sitting moments before. After a brief moment of thought, he summoned a chat window from the system—

[9: Follow Yang Mingzhong closely. Monitor his every move. Do not let him discover you.]

[Slave Tamer - Jun: Received, Master.]

Closing the system chat interface, Wen Nan took the rose and walked steadily toward the table in the corner.

Li Shuyi, who had been gazing absentmindedly out the window, suddenly saw a rose appear in her line of sight. Slightly startled, she turned around, and the moment she saw Wen Nan’s face, it was as if a switch had been flipped—the vacant look in her eyes was immediately replaced by a bright spark.

Smiling, Li Shuyi lowered her gaze to the rose without immediately reaching out to take it, then shifted her eyes back to Wen Nan’s face. “Mr. Ye... what a coincidence.”

Wen Nan offered the rose toward her again and asked, “Are you alone? Or do you have company?”

Only then did Li Shuyi lift her hand to accept the rose, deliberately slowing her movement so that her fingertips brushed over the back of Wen Nan’s hand.

She casually placed the rose on the edge of the table and replied, “Alone. Just came to the café to kill some time.”

Wen Nan smiled. “I thought when you were alone, you’d prefer to go to a bar to unwind.”

Li Shuyi shook her head. “Either way, it’s just me. Whether it’s a café or a bar, it doesn’t make much difference to me.”

At this, Li Shuyi raised her hand and gently clasped Wen Nan’s wrist. “If you’re free, Mr. Ye, why not stay and keep me company? Alone, you kill time; with two people, you can kill other things…”

Wen Nan didn’t hesitate much and calmly sat opposite Li Shuyi, smiling as he asked, “Sister Shuyi, what exactly do you want to kill?”

9527: [Congratulations, target “The Young Married Woman Next Door, Wild as a Tiger,” current affection level increased to: 94%.]

Just a touch and a couple of suggestive remarks were enough to raise the affection level. After her personality change, the married woman had become much easier to win over.

Li Shuyi smiled faintly, finishing her drink but still feeling a hunger for more, and bluntly asked, “Mr. Ye... would you like to come to my place?”

Wen Nan glanced at the clock hanging on the wall, then said regretfully, “I have some personal matters to attend to in two hours; I’m afraid I won’t be able to stay.”

Li Shuyi lowered her eyes. “Two hours...” After a moment’s thought, she smiled again. “That should be enough time to kill something.”

Wen Nan shook his head dismissively. “From here to your place, walking back and forth would take over half an hour. I’m afraid—”

“No need,” Li Shuyi interrupted, standing up and walking over to Wen Nan. She leaned close and whispered in his ear, “No need to go home. Just stay right here...”

Wen Nan looked at her in disbelief.

Li Shuyi gave him a sly smile. “I’ll be waiting for you in the restroom.”

……

At the headquarters of the Irene Group.

After leaving the café, Yang Mingzhong headed straight to the bicycle shed in the backyard.

Halfway there, a system prompt sounded in his mind—

Xiao Ming: [Item Rose has been used. Target “The Young Married Woman Next Door, Wild as a Tiger” affection level increased by 0%.]

Yang Mingzhong’s steps faltered slightly.

...Not even a single increase in affection?

After a brief moment of daze, Yang Mingzhong quickly resumed walking and hurried to an electric scooter. He bent down, activated the system, and scanned the wheel.

Soon, a system notification rang in his mind congratulating him on finding a new item.

For the next while, Yang Mingzhong scavenged like an old vagabond, searching deserted corners one after another. Close by, a shadow lurking like a ghost watched his every move in secret.

……

Two hours later.

Wen Nan emerged from the café restroom, straightened his somewhat disheveled collar and cuffs, then, still lingering with pleasure, made his way next door.

9527: [Congratulations, target “The Young Married Woman Next Door, Wild as a Tiger” affection level increased to: 99%.]

9527: [Congratulations, player. Perfect affection has been achieved with this character. For subsequent missions involving this character’s storyline and interactions, you may choose to skip them without affecting affection level or mission completion. Please be advised.]

Wen Nan was slightly taken aback.

Another perfect affection?

It seemed that without her original personality, Li Shuyi had become much easier to win over.

Just as he was thinking this, a system prompt sounded in his mind—

[Character Model Correction in Progress, current progress: 100%...]

[Character Transfer Complete...]

[Congratulations! You have successfully activated your exclusive character Liu Qi! The character has been delivered. Please confirm receipt!]

Confirm receipt? Did that mean his Qi Qi would be dropped here like a parcel?

Wen Nan grumbled inwardly as he briskly stepped into the activation point café.

As he pushed open the door, he immediately saw a familiar yet unfamiliar figure sitting beside the table he had scanned earlier.

She was just as petite as in the first trial map, perched on a stool with her feet dangling, swinging gently in midair.

Her features were much the same as in high school—still pure and adorable, with a delicate, fair face. Her short hair, which framed her round little face perfectly, now sported two streaks of bright blue at the temples.

The chubby baby fat on her cheeks had vanished, leaving her chin and nose tip even more delicate and refined.

Her expression bore less of its youthful innocence and more of a mature charm.

Wen Nan walked slowly to the table and stood before her.

Qi Qi looked up at Wen Nan, and in her strikingly clear eyes, a flood of emotions surged.

Wen Nan smiled gently and whispered, “Long time no see.”

In an instant, Qi Qi’s eyes reddened, tears blurring her vision.

She sprang from the stool and threw her arms tightly around Wen Nan, squeezing him so hard his ribs and arms ached.

“Brother…”

She buried her head against his chest, her voice muffled, “I’ve missed you so much.”

(End of chapter)