Qiao Zhihui instinctively stopped Cherry Tomato and gave her a look that spoke volumes.

What sister? This is my baby!

And you weren’t saying that just a moment ago, complaining about how calculating my baby is, and now you change your tune this quickly?

Also, don’t you dare touch my baby!

It wasn’t just Cherry Tomato; the live chat was also filled with various comments.

“Xie Shuangxue, so you’re shipping my CP too? You should’ve said so earlier, this is like the pot calling the kettle black!”

“I was so frustrated watching Chun Yao and Luo Yin being awkward and not speaking up, I almost wanted to push their heads together, afraid that Chun Yao might chop me. Now, I feel utterly satisfied.”

“We’re in the same pit, sisters! I won’t say you’re overthinking anymore, just keep it up, keep steering those two clueless ones.”

Especially at this moment, Xie Shuangxue didn’t seem to find Cherry Tomato’s use of “sister” problematic; he even smiled back at her, as if they shared a secret understanding.

Cherry Tomato also showed a knowing, blissful smile.

With the situation defused, Xie Shuangxue felt he had managed a significant issue, and everyone seemed satisfied. But before he could speak further with the players, someone emerged from another direction.

Qiao Zhihui recognized the person immediately and exclaimed, “Yu Haiqing, what are you doing here?”

It was Yu Haiqing.

He seemed to have been watching for a long time from a spot different from the others, thus going unnoticed until now.

Xie Shuangxue’s expression stiffened.

He too wanted to ask, how did this person get here? Wasn’t he supposed to be waiting in the room?

And, how much had he seen?

Yu Haiqing, noticing Xie Shuangxue’s nervousness, approached. Xie Shuangxue’s recent tears hadn’t yet dried, making his eyes and the tip of his nose reddish, looking quite pitiful. Unfortunately, with so many people around, Yu Haiqing couldn’t just reach out to wipe his tears but only moved closer.

As he approached, Xie Shuangxue instinctively took a small step back, seemingly guilty.

His recent heartfelt confession was indeed too convincing; even Luo Yin was deceived, but having Yu Haiqing witness it made him feel strangely uncomfortable.

“I came to see Ah Xue,” Yu Haiqing was straightforward, “I was somewhat worried about him, but it seems he’s fine now.”

Xie Shuangxue: …

He’s doing this on purpose!

“Who says I’m fine?” Xie Shuangxue initially felt awkward, but then his irritation grew. He glared back at Yu Haiqing and turned to leave, “Clearly, there’s still something wrong. I’m going to find Elder Brother.”

Yu Haiqing didn’t intend to anger him in public; his eyes followed Xie Shuangxue, but he stayed in place, the smile at the corner of his mouth barely suppressed.

Many players watched as Xie Shuangxue hastily left. The Feather Clan had been busy lately, and it seemed normal for NPCs to look busy.

Qiao Zhihui felt quite satisfied after watching this episode, proud of how clever and adorable his baby was. He planned to leave, as there were many tasks to be done in the Northlands.

However, Cherry Tomato caught him, her eyes sparkling with more intensity than before.

“Don’t you think there’s something off about Yu Haiqing?”

“What’s off? You mean his liking Ah Xue?” Qiao Zhihui glanced at the departing figures, shaking his head, “That’s pretty obvious. I noticed it back at Lu Yun Platform. It’s just Yu Haiqing being stubborn, unwilling to admit it.”

Liking Ah Xue wasn’t unusual in the world of Shenmo; numerous players felt the same, and even Yu Haiqing was no exception.

“I’m not just talking about that,” Cherry Tomato grabbed him, not letting go, “Didn’t you notice Xie Shuangxue’s microexpressions just now? They were off.”

Microexpressions? In gaming? Was this some kind of psychology class? How complex!

Qiao Zhihui was puzzled, his face blank, “So what are you trying to say?”

Cherry Tomato blurted out, “Those two have something going on!”

“What ‘something’?”

Seeing the predatory gleam in her eyes, more frightening than the nocturnal revelers in the forums, Qiao Zhihui suddenly understood, “Don’t be crazy. Shipping Chun Yao and Luo Yin is enough; at least they are officially paired. A player and an NPC, do you think that’s possible?”

Despite it being a holographic game, there was still a dimensional barrier. Could these people wake up?

“You don’t know, my CP radar has never missed,” Cherry Tomato boasted confidently, “Every CP I’ve shipped turned out to be real. If they weren’t initially, I made them real. Qiao, don’t doubt me.”

As a leader of a frontline guild, Cherry Tomato had the means to back her words, Qiao Zhihui knew. So, he stepped back, his expression complicated, “Please stay away from my baby.”

But how could a wildcard like Cherry Tomato listen to him? Her eyes twinkled, clearly brewing some plans.

Qiao Zhihui intended to escape, but seeing her expression, he couldn’t help but step back and ask cautiously, “What are you really up to?”

“I need to go over some material first,” Cherry Tomato tapped her chin, “Those two seem to be together often?”

Xie Shuangxue never expected that his subtle cues had already been picked up by these sharp players. He fled the scene quickly, using an excuse at the time, but he had to return to his room that evening regardless.

Upon his return, he found Yu Haiqing sitting there, then he paused at the doorway, not moving closer.

“Why are you still here?” Xie Shuangxue asked knowingly, then muttered, “I didn’t do anything wrong today.”

He then saw Yu Haiqing looking up at him, possibly hearing other sounds.

As he entered, Yu Haiqing was watching a video of the confession recorded in the game; Xie Shuangxue heard his own voice echoing back.

“Turn it off!” Xie Shuangxue blushed, then burst out, “Yu Haiqing, how can you tease me again? You’re not allowed to come here anymore!”

The heartfelt confession wasn’t his choice, and now Yu Haiqing dared to watch his embarrassment.

After feeling guilty, Xie Shuangxue now looked even more infuriated, “It’s all your fault for writing the script this way!”

Yu Haiqing, unusually compliant at this moment, immediately turned off the video and quickly approached to console Xie Shuangxue, “I wasn’t mocking Ah Xue; I just think it’s very cute. Besides, Ah Xue never wants to say these things to me.”

He sighed and showed him a screenshot of the video, where the straw figure was cropped out, featuring only Xie Shuangxue, making it more immersive than other versions.

“I’m quenching my thirst with poison,” Yu Haiqing said, “Actually, it’s Ah Xue who’s tormenting me. I’m not even worth a straw figure; I never get to hear such words.”

Xie Shuangxue was initially angry, his ears turning red, but he still caught the loophole and retorted, “Don’t talk nonsense. The first time I said those lines, I was speaking to you. You didn’t like it and even tried to pull my hand away. Yu Haiqing, it was your fault.”

True enough.

Yu Haiqing, who had been dismissive at that time, now regretted it, but regret was useless.

“That was indeed my fault, I apologize. I didn’t know how to cherish,” Yu Haiqing conceded and took a step forward, reaching out to embrace him, “I definitely won’t let go of Ah Xue anymore.”

Seeing Yu Haiqing apologize, Xie Shuangxue felt slightly better, then seized the opportunity to press his point: “You also hid from me today. You knew what I was going out to do, played dumb, and then secretly followed me just to annoy me.”

Though he said this, he didn’t push Yu Haiqing away while being held.

Yu Haiqing, genuinely humble now, continued to explain while holding him, “How could I be trying to annoy you? I was worried Luo Yin might realize something and use you like in the original plot.”

He had another thought he didn’t voice.

Even though he suspected that the straw figure illusion wouldn’t affect Xie Shuangxue, Yu Haiqing was still curious who Ah Xue would truly see.

The visit didn’t yield answers but left him somewhat jealous.

“I’m not foolish. I knew in advance; it was unlikely for him to use me. It’s more likely I’d use him.”

Xie Shuangxue “hmmphed” and then showed a slightly triumphant smile, “I’ve already heard that Luo Yin couldn’t hold back and confessed to Chun Yao.”

The Feather Clan’s prince was shocked and confused, but Chun Yao didn’t reject him; he was just slow to react.

Luo Yin understood from his expression that he was indeed loved as Xie Shuangxue said; otherwise, he would have been chased away with a sword by now. Fans of the main couple were ecstatic, not expecting Xie Shuangxue’s reverse psychology to work.

As long as the other party loved him, nothing else mattered.

With this new confidence, Luo Yin no longer had to hesitate. Winning over Chun Yao was only a matter of time.

Outside of the storyline, Yu Haiqing and Luo Yin’s perspectives aligned unexpectedly.

If being together was the goal, then a bit of shamelessness was necessary, wasn’t it?

Xie Shuangxue sincerely felt happy for them, his earlier anger dissipating somewhat. However, when talking to Yu Haiqing, he deliberately left these details out and focused on his other plans.

“Now that he and His Highness are together, it’s much easier for me,” Xie Shuangxue explained. “Luo Yin still harbors doubts about my demonic nature, so he’s likely to approach me again. But since he’s wary of His Highness, he won’t dare to act recklessly.”

Chun Yao was now Luo Yin’s weak point.

Both being demons, neither wanted their identities exposed within the Feather Clan. Thus, instead of one using the other, it became a mutual check-and-balance, a form of cooperation. Together, they could eliminate the traitors within the Feather Clan and save the place.

Moreover, Luo Yin’s demonic faction was beginning to emerge, and the Northlands were, in essence, part of the demon faction.

Whether in the Floating Dreams Cloud Realm or the greater world, they could stick together for mutual benefit. Xie Shuangxue had even planned the following steps, ensuring he gained advantages at every turn.

“You see, my mind is filled with these schemes and benefits,” Xie Shuangxue admitted, then observed Yu Haiqing’s reaction, “I say what people want to hear, and what demons want to hear, so don’t have any high expectations of me. If you make me angry again, your Endless Sea might run into trouble.”

He intended to scare him, but Yu Haiqing responded with sincere praise: “Amazing. Ah Xue is so clever.”

Then he patted Xie Shuangxue’s head, pulling him closer. “But I know, my Ah Xue is the kindest person.”

The rose-tinted glasses seemed very thick.

Xie Shuangxue was stunned for a moment but was still somewhat comforted. He then listened as Yu Haiqing leaned closer, whispering in his ear, “Ah Xue doesn’t want to say these things to me, so let me say them instead.”

Say what?

Then he heard Yu Haiqing’s deep and slightly hoarse voice:

“I really want to always be with Ah Xue, no matter what it takes. I’ll keep trying until that day comes.”

“I think Ah Xue is the best person in the world, my most precious treasure.”

“I’ll wait for you forever.”

His tone grew increasingly serious.

“I’ve always loved Ah Xue, from the very beginning to now. Whether you were 009 or are now Xie Shuangxue, I’ve only ever loved you.”

The more Xie Shuangxue listened, the redder his ears became. This was different from earlier anger; it was pure shyness. He was silent for a long while before stammering, “What, what 009? I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

He didn’t want to acknowledge his past just yet. Yu Haiqing wasn’t in a hurry; as long as Xie Shuangxue reacted, it was enough.

He gently lifted the person in his arms slightly, then slowly leaned down to kiss the corner of his lips. Xie Shuangxue froze momentarily but didn’t pull away. The atmosphere seemed just right, as if this was exactly what should happen.

This time, Yu Haiqing didn’t bite.

It seemed he had waited for a long time and needed a little sweetness. Xie Shuangxue thought it was more comfortable than last time and didn’t resist like before, so it felt only natural.

In the quiet of the Floating Dreams Cloud Realm, within Xie Shuangxue’s room, there were no clueless interruptions like Bai Qiuyan last time.

Unfortunately, even if Yu Haiqing succeeded now, he couldn’t keep it up indefinitely. When he tried to take things further, Xie Shuangxue pushed him away, glaring at him for a long time. It seemed he only just realized how shy he felt and even forbade Yu Haiqing from coming around for the next few days.

Yu Haiqing was disappointed but didn’t dare provoke him further and had to leave temporarily. Still, he often checked on Xie Shuangxue from the backend, estimating when his anger might subside.

But interruptions, though late, always came.

Bai Qiuyan, who had been frequently visiting Endless Sea for collaborative purposes, had been spending a lot of time in the server rooms. Lately, his visits had become even more frequent.

Yu Haiqing wasn’t worried about him discovering anything. Gou Yuan, who had been following the situation for ages, had seen the server rooms countless times without finding anything unusual about Xie Shuangxue. Bai Qiuyan, only looking at the surface, naturally wouldn’t discover anything either.

However, a few nights later, Bai Qiuyan, who had been keeping a close watch, inexplicably sent Yu Haiqing a message.

Yu Haiqing glanced down to see a link to a forum post.

The title read: “Shenmo’s Most Unique and Shippable CP: Comparable to a Hidden Plotline. Friends, It’s Sweet or Your Money Back—Don’t Miss Out!”

The post was by an ID called CP Scholar Cherry Tomato. And the CP mentioned was Yu Haiqing X Xie Shuangxue.

This absurd post was even trending as the day’s hottest topic!

Bai Qiuyan, utterly shaken, sent the link and then fired off a soul-piercing question: “Yu Haiqing, did you bribe someone? Or hire bots?”

“Do you even have any shame?”