My Unconventional Online Dating - Chapter 60

The colleague paused. “There is indeed one.” Then they quickly changed the subject. “You wouldn’t understand even if I explained it now. You’ll know once you play the game.”

Xiao Nianyuan gave the colleague a faint glance. If she weren’t already playing the game, she might have been fooled. In reality, even playing the game didn’t necessarily mean she’d find out—she had been playing and still hadn’t located Sky City.

The colleague’s sudden evasion struck her as odd. Was Sky City a taboo topic within the project team? She probed a few more times, but each time, the colleague skillfully dodged the question. This unusual reaction clearly indicated they were keeping her in the dark.

Given Pu Pengdan’s current guilt toward her, if she asked directly, Pu Pengdan might tell her. But Xiao Nianyuan didn’t want to exploit that guilt, nor did she accept such compensatory gestures. She didn’t need them.

After making her rounds at the company, Xiao Nianyuan only vaguely sensed that the company seemed intent on hiding the truth about Sky City. Before leaving, at the colleague’s subtle hint, she poured Pu Pengdan a glass of water.

When Pu Pengdan took the glass, her eyes flickered with surprise.

Xiao Nianyuan said, “They told me to bring it.”

The colleague grew flustered and muttered under their breath, “Why do you have to say everything? It was obviously your own idea.”

Xiao Nianyuan fell silent, and Pu Pengdan didn’t respond either. Both of them knew exactly what was going on.

On her way back to campus, Ji Rongxue texted her, asking where she was.

Xiao Nianyuan replied, “I’m heading back now.”

After a pause, Ji Rongxue asked, “Don’t you want to stay a little longer?”

Xiao Nianyuan found it strange. “Why would I stay longer?”

Ji Rongxue hesitated before saying, “Never mind.”

Back in the dorm, Ji Rongxue seemed to be holding something back.

Unable to ignore it, Xiao Nianyuan asked, “Do you have something to tell me?”

Ji Rongxue wavered. “I do…” But she stopped mid-sentence.

Xiao Nianyuan looked at her. “Just say it. Didn’t you say we’re friends?”

As she spoke, a flicker of unease stirred in her heart.

Ironically, she had been the one reluctant to make friends in the beginning. Yet after becoming friends with Ji Rongxue, Ji Rongxue often treated her like an outsider. It wasn’t obvious most of the time, but in moments like this—when Ji Rongxue clearly had something to say but refused to voice it—it became glaringly apparent.

Xiao Nianyuan’s voice turned firm. “Even if you think it’s for my own good, I don’t need that kind of consideration. I want the truth.”

Seeing her so direct, Ji Rongxue finally relented. “Honestly, I think you should try to get along better with your mom.”

Xiao Nianyuan sighed. “And how do you know we aren’t getting along?”

Ji Rongxue didn’t mince words. “Isn’t your mom feeling unwell? You came back so quickly…”

Xiao Nianyuan countered, “Even if she’s unwell, I can’t stay by her side all the time.”

She had no intention of telling Ji Rongxue the truth and instead deflected. “She can take care of herself. Me being there won’t make her recover any faster.”

Ji Rongxue: “…”

On the surface, it sounded reasonable, yet something felt off about every word. What did she mean by “won’t recover any faster”? Did that mean she wouldn’t care for a sick person just because she wasn’t a doctor?

Xiao Nianyuan had no plans to continue the conversation. Seeing her reluctance, Ji Rongxue sighed in resignation.

With exams piling up recently, Xiao Nianyuan’s online time had noticeably decreased, leaving the task of accompanying Yin Peilan to Lian Qiushui.

To be honest, Lian Qiushui wasn’t too keen on spending time alone with Yin Peilan. For one, they weren’t close, and secondly, Yin Peilan had made a bad first impression. She certainly wouldn’t admit it was because Xiao Nianyuan had glanced at Yin Peilan a few extra times.

Yin Peilan had been keeping a low profile these past few days, probably worried that Xiao Nianyuan might actually stop trading with her and find someone else. But seeing Lian Qiushui avoiding her, she still felt somewhat aggrieved: “I haven’t said anything unpleasant, so why are you always avoiding me? When she’s offline, you won’t even keep me company—isn’t that just unfair?”

Lian Qiushui scratched her head, realizing there was some truth to that: “Well, what do you want to do? I’ll go with you. Where do you want to go today?”

Yin Qiushui said, “I don’t feel like going anywhere in particular today. I want to know where you usually hang out with her.”

“You want to go to our usual spots?” Lian Qiushui hesitated. Xiao Nianyuan loved spending time in the bamboo grove, a place she’d never told anyone else about—it was like their secret hideout.

Seeing Lian Qiushui’s silence, Yin Peilan frowned. “Am I not allowed to go to your hangout spots?”

“It’s not that you can’t go—it’s just that we’re not used to bringing strangers there.”

“Strangers?” Yin Peilan looked incredulous. “After all this time, you still see me as a stranger?”

Lian Qiushui quickly explained, “No, no! I just mean we don’t want others to know about it besides the two of us.”

Yin Peilan pouted. “You make it sound like some secret base.”

“Because it is our secret base.” Lian Qiushui wasn’t the least bit embarrassed—if anything, she sounded rather proud.

Yin Peilan: “…”

She knew Xiao Nianyuan and Lian Qiushui were close, but she hadn’t expected them to be this close—even setting up a secret base in the game. One was a player, the other an NPC.

At this thought, Yin Peilan couldn’t help but ask, “Doesn’t she mind that you’re an NPC?”