Chapter 52: Self-Righteous, Patronizing, Reeking of Paternalism

Shen Shilang blinked, and after a long pause, finally said, “Jinshi, do you not have much time to talk every day? Are you feeling too lonely, so……”

Have you developed hysteria?

“Oh come on! Why don’t you believe me? I really wish I could show you what my world looks like,” Su Jinshi said helplessly.

Ah!

If only this game could reflect her reality back to Shen Shilang in real-time.

“Here, we travel using four-wheeled cars and electric trains, not horse-drawn carriages. We have subways and trains that can carry hundreds or thousands of people at once. For distances like from Chong’an to the capital, planes can fly people there in just two or three hours,” Su Jinshi explained. “I really wish you could see it. I’m truly not a ghost.”

Shen Shilang fell silent.

The things Su Jinshi described were beyond his imagination, impossible for him to believe or disbelieve.

“Let’s drop this. Just remember that I’m not a ghost, alright?” Su Jinshi emphasised, “I really am not.”

Since Su Jinshi insisted she wasn’t a ghost, Shen Shilang could only acquiesce, “Okay.”

However, how much of this agreement stemmed from indulgent helplessness was hard to say.

Su Jinshi held her phone, eating a pomelo while flipping through the photos she had taken of Shen Shilang.

Every single photo looked stunning; even the candid shots captured his handsomeness from all 360 degrees.

This made it difficult for Su Jinshi to decide which one to use as her screen background.

Finally, Su Jinshi decided to rotate them.

She chose one for her lock screen wallpaper, another for her home screen, and even set Shen Shilang’s photo as the background for her WeChat chat.

Just as she finished changing them, Su Jinshi received a group message notification.

It was from a group chat with several of her university classmates in the capital.

Mo Jizong: 「@everyone, the New Year is coming soon, and we’ll all be heading home. We won’t be able to get together during the holiday. Why don’t we meet up before everyone leaves?」

Du Jinze:「 Sounds good.」

Kang Youwen: 「No problem for me.」

Lu Jiaying: 「When? I’ve taken leave and will be going home early next Tuesday.」

Mo Jizong: 「How about this Saturday? Is everyone free?」

Du Jinze: 「I can make it.」

Kang Youwen:「 Me too.」

Lu Jiaying: 「This Saturday works for me as well.」

Mo Jizong: 「@Mai Chaoyun, @Su Jinshi, Xiao Mai, Jinshi, how about you two?」

While Su Jinshi was still thinking about how to refuse, she received a private message from Mo Jizong.

Mo Jizong:「Jinshi, are you there?」

Su Jinshi had a slight compulsion to respond whenever someone reached out; not replying made her uncomfortable.

Su Jinshi sighed, then replied: 「I’m here」

Mo Jizong: 「Did you see the message in the group?」

Su Jinshi hesitated for two seconds, then said: 「I was busy just now. I’ll go check now.」

Su Jinshi was really cornered. Since their last gathering, Mo Jizong had invited her several times, but each time she found excuses to refuse.

Mo Jizong: 「Are you free this Saturday?」

Just as Su Jinshi was about to say she wasn’t free, Mo Jizong sent another message: 「If you’re not free, we can adjust the time. It’s no problem.」

Su Jinshi: “……”

He was clearly determined to have her participate.

Mo Jizong: 「Jinshi, you’re not avoiding me, are you?」

Su Jinshi: 「What? No, I’m not.」

Mo Jizong: 「﹤sigh﹥That’s good. I invited you several times before, but you always refused. I thought you might be avoiding me. We haven’t seen our classmates for several months, and I thought since everyone will be going home for the New Year and we won’t be able to meet then, we could get together before everyone leaves.」

Su Jinshi didn’t explain her previous refusals.

She had originally planned to refuse this time as well, but Mo Jizong’s words made it clear that no matter how she refused, he would find a way to adjust the time to ensure she participated.

Sure enough, before Su Jinshi could answer, Mo Jizong sent another message: 「Jinshi, you can’t just stay at home all the time without engaging with society. Even though you can work from home, when writing scripts, the plot can’t be completely disconnected from society, right?」

Su Jinshi rolled her eyes dramatically at this message from Mo Jizong.

This was exactly what she disliked about Mo Jizong – his self-righteousness, his tendency to lecture others, his overwhelming paternalism.

In contrast, Shen Shilang, despite his extensive knowledge and brilliant talent, never showed off.

When she encountered something she didn’t understand and asked him, he would patiently explain.

But he would never take the initiative to test her or tell her what she should or shouldn’t do.

Thinking carefully, Su Jinshi realised that her fondness for Shen Shilang wasn’t just because of his good looks, but more because it was extremely comfortable being with him.

He had never said anything that made her uncomfortable, nor had he ever done anything that made her uneasy.

Su Jinshi: 「It’s not that I don’t engage with society, I just don’t have much time for unnecessary social obligations.」

Mo Jizong was taken aback.

What did Su Jinshi mean? Was going out with him just an unnecessary social obligation?

Su Jinshi: 「When is the gathering before the New Year? I’ll arrange my schedule.」

This implied that she was very busy and couldn’t just go out whenever.

She was indeed busy – busy spending every day with Shen Shilang.

Mo Jizong gave the time, 「We’ll confirm the time today, and I’ll let you know once I’ve booked the restaurant.」

Su Jinshi: 「Okay.」

The next day, Su Jinshi received a new group message.

Mo Jizong: 「@everyone, this Saturday at 18:30, we’ll meet at the Haitang Room of Xitang Restaurant. Everyone is welcome to bring their significant other.」

Du Jinze: 「Is that appropriate? What if I’m the only one who brings someone, and none of you do? Won’t my girlfriend feel awkward?」

Kang Youwen: 「Don’t worry, I’ll bring mine too. Even if no one else brings anyone, my girlfriend will keep yours company.」

Du Jinze: 「@Lu Jiaying, bring your boyfriend too. We haven’t met him yet. Bring him and we’ll check him out for you.」

Lu Jiaying: 「Sure, when he comes, you guys take a look and back me up.」

Kang Youwen: 「@Mai Chaoyun, @Su Jinshi, what about you two?」

Mai Chaoyun: 「I’m single, I’ll come alone.」

Kang Youwen:「 @Su Jinshi, what about you, Jinshi? Didn’t you say last time that you have a boyfriend? Bring him for us to see?」

Su Jinshi suspected that Mo Jizong might have said something to Kang Youwen and Du Jinze, making them play along like this.

Su Jinshi: 「I’ll see how it goes.」

Du Jinze: 「Don’t just ‘see how it goes’, bring him out for us to see. Let’s see what kind of man managed to win over our beautiful Su.」

Su Jinshi: 「It’s almost New Year, he needs to go home too.」

After a pause, to make it seem more realistic, Su Jinshi added:「 I’ll try my best.」

At this moment, Xiao Mai sent her a WeChat message.

Xiao Mai: 「What did you say? Are you really going to bring someone? Where are you going to find someone to bring?」