Xie Shuangxue’s worries did not materialize after returning from the Northlands. He observed Yu Haiqing discreetly for a while, and Yu Haiqing seemed to act properly in their subsequent meetings, at least outwardly.

Whether in the Northlands or the Floating Dreams Cloud Realm, it was easy for Yu Haiqing to see Xie Shuangxue. Being a ‘privilege dog’, he could quietly enter Xie Shuangxue’s room to see him. Since their last encounter, Xie Shuangxue had adjusted his mentality and wasn’t afraid of him, though he still kept his mouth shut about certain matters.

Hadn’t they agreed last time? Let things take their natural course.

Yu Haiqing could see this but never spoke up. When he visited, he’d talk about other things, including his mother’s experiences and the current situation at Endless Sea.

Xie Shuangxue liked hearing about these things. His own privileges had increased, and he was even involved in upgrading Sea’s system, feeling more capable and stable than before.

He enjoyed the quiet moments spent together, listening to stories from the past, a state he had never experienced before. He felt Yu Haiqing was different towards him now, not as cold and distant as when they first met but very gentle.

However, inexplicably, while they were talking, Yu Haiqing would sit closer and silently pull him into an embrace. It wasn’t as fierce as before; it felt like being slowly warmed up by him.

Xie Shuangxue didn’t notice at first, gradually getting used to lying in his arms, often only realizing how close they had become after some time had passed. At some point, he had already come to trust Yu Haiqing deeply.

But then again, Yu Haiqing really made a great ‘human cushion’, very comfortable to lie on.

After realizing what he was doing, Xie Shuangxue didn’t move away but instead found a more comfortable position and continued talking half-reclined.

He didn’t know that Yu Haiqing often watched his reactions, seeing his lazy demeanor, narrowing his eyes, he looked even more like a small animal. If Ah Xue had a tail, it would probably be dangling lazily, occasionally curling around himself, very cute.

As they talked, Xie Shuangxue also shared his feelings, whether it was about backend technical upgrades or the progression of the story upfront. He had a completely different experience and ideas, especially feeling that the NPCs in the game were becoming more realistic than when he first entered.

“That’s natural,” Yu Haiqing said. “Actually, you’re the auxiliary chip in Sea responsible for enhancing realism. As Ah Xue becomes more powerful, his influence on Sea deepens, and they will change accordingly. Do you think that’s a good thing?”

Xie Shuangxue thought about it and nodded, “It’s a good thing. Everyone likes me now, and I like them too, which is better than before.”

Who would choose a tragic storyline if they could live peacefully?

“That’s good,” Yu Haiqing patted his hair. “No matter how things change, as long as Ah Xue likes it, that’s what matters.”

Xie Shuangxue hoped that after completing the comprehensive world quest in the Floating Dreams Cloud Realm, everyone could continue living peacefully like this. Everyone should be able to live according to their desires, even if it’s just in a game.

But there was still a long way to go to the end, with many hurdles to clear, especially today.

Yu Haiqing had only been there for a short while when a member of the Feather Clan came in.

Fortunately, the person didn’t directly enter the inner room but made their purpose clear from outside: “Sir, His Highness requests your presence for an important discussion.”

Xie Shuangxue was startled, then replied, “Ah, I understand. I’ll come out right away.”

He knew by the timing of the request that it wasn’t Chun Yao who was looking for him but rather Luo Yin, who, after his investigations, had become more suspicious and had decided to set a trap to lure him out for interrogation.

As Xie Shuangxue was about to leave, Yu Haiqing grabbed him, “What are you going to do, Ah Xue?”

He knew the script; this was just asking for the sake of asking.

“Didn’t you hear what was said outside? I’m going to see His Highness,” Xie Shuangxue became slightly nervous and instinctively didn’t tell the whole truth, “I’ll be right back, it’s nothing serious, don’t ask anymore.”

He felt a bit guilty, but anyway, he definitely couldn’t let Yu Haiqing follow; could he let him watch over him continuously?

No way, that definitely couldn’t happen.

Yu Haiqing didn’t press further, just “oh” with a smile that wasn’t quite a smile, “Alright, I’ll wait here for Ah Xue to return.”

Xie Shuangxue: …

He wanted to explain, but as he opened his mouth, he didn’t know what to say and turned to leave instead, thinking that he would be back soon, and Yu Haiqing was in a good mood now, he wouldn’t get angry easily.

What he didn’t notice was that as he moved, Yu Haiqing didn’t stay put; he disappeared with a turn.

As Xie Shuangxue stepped out, he could already see many players coming and going in the Floating Dreams Cloud Realm. Although the security was tight, as long as players were allowed in, they could leave their footprints anywhere.

Everyone was already clear about where Xie Shuangxue lived; although they couldn’t enter his room for the time being, it was always possible to watch from outside.

In other words, if Xie Shuangxue went out or had any movement, many eyes and cameras would be on him.

Similarly, the players involved in the main character’s actions were also very clear. Some who followed closely probably knew what Luo Yin was up to.

Sure enough, halfway there, Xie Shuangxue knew he had walked into Luo Yin’s trap.

This was an illusion aimed specifically at him.

Unwittingly, he had turned into a deserted path under an ordinary crooked tree where a small straw man was hung.

This was a demon’s illusion technique, which would make one see what they most desired or the person they most wanted to see. Luo Yin was lying in wait on the side, watching his reaction.

This illusion also had its limitations, and it was the first time Luo Yin was using it. Luo Yin didn’t know who Xie Shuangxue was seeing, but he could take advantage of the confusion to try and get some answers.

After a while, Xie Shuangxue’s eyes began to look genuinely vacant, and Luo Yin, watching him, supposed he must have seen someone.

He started asking questions. Initially, there was no response, but then Xie Shuangxue’s eyes began to well up with tears, and he started speaking.

“Everything I do is for you…”

“I’ve always, always…”

“What do I need to do to be with you?”

Luo Yin understood then; Xie Shuangxue must have someone he likes, so the person he was seeing was likely that individual.

Who could it be?

It would probably be someone from the Feather Clan since they had the most interactions with him.

It wouldn’t be Ling Xuan or those guys; if it were them, he wouldn’t need to hide it so much. If he wanted to be with those people, just speaking up would do—there wouldn’t be anyone who wouldn’t comply. Who else in the Feather Clan could Xie Shuangxue be secretly pining for like this?

He frowned, then continued to ask what he was most concerned about.

Was Xie Shuangxue involved with the demon clan?

If it was just ordinary involvement, Luo Yin wouldn’t care; after all, he himself was a demon. But he was most wary of whether Xie Shuangxue was connected with the evil demons behind the scenes; that would complicate things considerably.

But Xie Shuangxue didn’t answer this question directly; instead, his expression became more fearful, and his voice faltered somewhat, “Don’t hate me, please don’t hate me, I can do anything…”

This ambiguous response could be interpreted in many ways.

Luo Yin couldn’t grasp it, and many players watching this scene were immersed in the drama again.

Of course, this kind of illusion had no effect on the current Xie Shuangxue.

He was merely acting according to the script, putting on a show of genuine emotion, even more heart-wrenching than in the previous trailers, with not a single inconsistency.

Only Luo Yin, caught up in the situation, couldn’t see it, but players who watched it twice started to sense something was off.

Everyone knew that Xie Shuangxue had turned demonic, and he was known to be cunning, always outmaneuvering others without being outmaneuvered himself. How could he fall for it so quickly?

Even if he did fall for it, why would he skirt around the main issue?

Something didn’t add up.

Qiao Zhihui had come after hearing the news. Now that players could easily enter the Floating Dreams Cloud Realm, he naturally took every chance he could get, and even he, a die-hard fan, felt something was amiss.

He had already sensed before that Ah Xue felt only gratitude towards Chun Yao and his Feather Clan brothers, with absolutely no other intentions. Yet now, he spoke as if he truly was infatuated with Chun Yao.

“Is he deliberately saying this to Luo Yin, trying to shift the topic and gloss over the demonization issue?”

Qiao Zhihui and the live chat speculated, but they hadn’t come to any conclusion when they heard someone laughing nearby.

He turned around and saw a familiar face, Cherry Tomato, the guild leader of Scrambled Eggs with Tomatoes.

She was also squatting nearby.

Not all players were fans of Xie Shuangxue, such as Cherry Tomato. She had taken on a task at Lu Yun Platform for the benefit of her guild. Even now, having chosen the Northlands as their faction base, it had nothing to do with Xie Shuangxue personally.

If she liked anything, it was the main couple, and she was here following Luo Yin now.

She couldn’t stand how Bai Qiuyan and Shi Jiu Jianghu were completely enamored with Xie Shuangxue, and she didn’t find him particularly impressive.

Qiao Zhihui glanced at her, knowing from his frequent time in the forums that while Xie Shuangxue stole the limelight in both the game and out, there hadn’t been much opportunity for open conflict with the main character’s fans, but there was definitely some discord, and mutual disdain was inevitable.

“Don’t laugh like that; Ah Xue and Chun Yao have a good relationship,” Qiao Zhihui said, “Besides, he’s a good person.”

Cherry Tomato snorted, “I didn’t say anything, just watching the story. You see, it’s all too much thinking, and he’s still deceiving people.”

Qiao Zhihui: “My baby never deceives people!”

Everyone chooses to believe in him!

“You’re seeing it through a fan’s filter,” Cherry Tomato commented, “Your baby deceiving people isn’t new.”

“It’s like you don’t have a fan’s filter yourself!”

The two groups looked like they might start fighting, but they remembered to keep their voices low to avoid alerting the NPCs nearby.

But Luo Yin’s questioning was getting more and more intense, and the more he heard, the more he felt something was wrong.

The matter of demonization wasn’t uncovered, as the straw man illusion wasn’t all-powerful, but who Xie Shuangxue liked sounded more and more like Chun Yao.

When Xie Shuangxue uttered the words “Your Highness,” Luo Yin’s heart jolted, feeling like he had finally confirmed it.

Could he actually be in love with Chun Yao?!

Now the person who was troubled became Luo Yin.

In the original storyline, Luo Yin had also guessed this point, but how could Chun Yao’s feelings for Xie Shuangxue then compare to now?

Lately, Chun Yao had praised Xie Shuangxue many times in front of him, saying he was capable and kind, better than anyone else in the Feather Clan, looking at Xie Shuangxue differently than at others, which couldn’t help but make Luo Yin feel threatened.

But he was in no position to ask.

The main couple was still in an ambiguous phase, especially during this time of crisis, both were reserved, leaving no room for declarations of love. Thus, the matter hadn’t been broached yet.

Luo Yin, being a demon and with the situation still unsettled, didn’t dare confess.

Chun Yao was also not someone who revealed everything, which left Luo Yin unclear: did Chun Yao value him more, or Xie Shuangxue?

The more he thought about it, the sourer he felt.

He was here on official business, but those in love often have a bit of blindness, and Luo Yin, originally the interrogator, had his emotions stirred by just a few words from Xie Shuangxue.

The matter of demonization wasn’t fully questioned, he was still just suspicious because those words hadn’t been included in the trailer, and Xie Shuangxue naturally avoided them.

Luo Yin didn’t have this background, of course, temporarily unable to use him to his advantage. But once the trailer’s content passed, Xie Shuangxue, observing Luo Yin’s expression, began to take control and perform on his own.

Then Luo Yin heard Xie Shuangxue, looking at the straw man with tears in his eyes, sob a few times: “But I know His Highness doesn’t like me, I actually know it.”

He was drawn in, then heard the next sentence from Xie Shuangxue: “His Highness has someone else in his heart.”

Luo Yin was stunned, listening most intently, almost pricking up his ears.

“His Highness has always liked Luo Yin by his side; he’s always been with you, I can’t compare,” Xie Shuangxue looked down, “I, I’ve been jealous, but there’s nothing I can do, I just want His Highness to be happy.”

Luo Yin: …

Does Chun Yao like him?

Hearing this from someone else’s mouth under these circumstances was something else. If he had thought about it himself, it would have been tangled, but now Xie Shuangxue had pointed it out directly.

“Your Highness, if, if he doesn’t like you,” Xie Shuangxue continued, “do I have a chance?”

Luo Yin nearly jumped out: Who said I don’t like Chun Yao?

He felt a bit sour but also a bit sweet, looking at Xie Shuangxue a few more times.

Unfortunately, the straw man’s illusion also had its time limit, and as it was about to expire, Xie Shuangxue standing there seemed to change his gaze, his speech becoming vague.

“His Highness likes someone else, why…”

“I can also always be with His Highness.”

“Waiting for the day you change your mind.”

Chun Yao would never change his mind!

Luo Yin thought, but Xie Shuangxue’s words kept echoing in his mind, changing some of his original steadfastness.

Should some words be spoken sooner?

He had always thought the situation was too chaotic to speak of these things, but going forward, there might not be time to say them.

With so many chaotic matters, it always seemed like the wrong time, wanting to wait until everything calmed down to speak. But thinking about it differently, being able to stay together even for a day is worth it.

After Luo Yin left with these thoughts, the players didn’t leave.

They saw Xie Shuangxue standing in place for a while, then turning around, his gaze completely clear, showing no signs of having been tricked.

Qiao Zhihui immediately ran out from where he was hiding, calling his name: “Ah Xue!”

Xie Shuangxue turned and saw him, then smiled, “It’s you. Have you been watching for a long time?”

He saw behind Qiao Zhihui a string of players, both familiar and unfamiliar. These people must have made quite an effort to get here.

“You knew we were here?” Qiao Zhihui was a bit surprised, “Then what you just…”

Xie Shuangxue explained, “Actually, I knew what was going on as soon as I arrived. It’s normal for Luo Yin to test me; he’s a smart one. It’s logical for him to suspect me, so I naturally don’t blame him, so I played along with him for a while.”

He blinked and added, “Don’t tell anyone, okay?”

Though he said this, the players didn’t have the means to spread it further.

They generally didn’t have the opportunity to speak directly with main characters like Chun Yao, and Xie Shuangxue, an NPC with much interaction, was even rarer.

Qiao Zhihui asked, “Then why did you say those things to him?”

“If I don’t say it, he and His Highness might go on like this for who knows how long. I’ve seen that they obviously have mutual affection, but neither has spoken up,” Xie Shuangxue sighed, “If I were to speak normally, wouldn’t that be meddling? They might become even more cautious, and who knows what else they’d think.”

“After the illusion, one forgets what they’ve experienced. Luo Yin knows this in his heart. Hearing me say it like this at this time, he will not only believe it, but he also won’t have any concerns afterward.”

“Oh,” Qiao Zhihui realized, “You’re trying to matchmake them?”

“It’s not like they need my help to get together; I’m just giving them a push,” Xie Shuangxue said, “It’s good for lovers to be able to spend more time together, rather than waiting in vain only to end up with regrets.”

That was how it was in the original story.

Until the end, the two of them remained star-crossed lovers. Now that there was a chance, why not give them an opportunity now?

Of course, this was also giving himself a way out.

This part of the story had been redirected.

Xie Shuangxue secretly breathed a sigh of relief, thinking that now Yu Haiqing couldn’t really do anything about him, right?

It wasn’t clear what Yu Haiqing’s attitude would be, but Cherry Tomato, who had been squatting nearby waiting, originally disliked watching Xie Shuangxue as if he were undermining the main couple’s relationship. Now she fully understood, nodding continuously beside him.

“Right! My CP should just get together quickly!” she wished she could shake Xie Shuangxue’s hand, “Sister, you get me!”