The memory ended, and Liu Sizhen was lying on the sofa, asleep.

His habit of sleeping on the sofa dated back to his childhood. Back then, his mother would return home late from work, and he would fall asleep on the sofa waiting for her, only to wake up in his bedroom the next morning.

However, it wasn’t exactly accurate to say he was sleeping on the sofa—it was more like he was resting his head on the male lead’s lap.

“Lin Bosheng,” he called, using his full name.

The man, now a renowned and successful businessman, responded softly.

Lin Bosheng’s fingers gently brushed aside Liu Sizhen’s stray locks. The calluses left on his hands from years of hard work made his touch exceptionally gentle, as if afraid his rough hands might harm the delicate skin of the person in his arms.

“Mm, I’m here.”

“I’m… a little sleepy. I want to nap for a bit,” Liu Sizhen murmured sleepily.

Looking at Liu Sizhen’s drowsy expression, Lin Bosheng suppressed the urge to lower his head and kiss him, even softening his voice unconsciously.

“Don’t sleep on the sofa. Let’s go to the bedroom instead, okay?”

“Zhenzhen…”

By then, Liu Sizhen was so sleepy he could hardly hear what Lin Bosheng was saying. His reactions were sluggish, his half-open eyes barely focusing.

“Huh?”

Lin Bosheng sighed softly, bent down, and slid his arm under Liu Sizhen’s knees, lifting him effortlessly. The sudden weightlessness made Liu Sizhen instinctively wrap his arms around Lin Bosheng’s neck.

“It’s okay, go to sleep.”

“Oh… okay…”

Lin Bosheng carried him gently yet steadily, ensuring that even climbing the stairs didn’t jostle him. In his half-awake state, Liu Sizhen was far more obedient than usual, clinging tightly as though afraid of falling.

After placing him on the bed, Lin Bosheng carefully tucked him in. He sat at the bedside for a moment, unable to resist leaning down to place a fleeting kiss on Liu Sizhen’s forehead.

As he straightened, he found himself face-to-face with Aunt Wang, who was holding a blanket.

“…”

She didn’t say anything, but her expression betrayed a lack of composure. For someone of her generation, acceptance of such things wasn’t exactly easy.

Aunt Wang held an aromatherapy diffuser, speaking in a hushed voice to avoid waking the sleeping Liu Sizhen. She explained that the scent might help the young master sleep better, adding that he used to enjoy it.

The sweet aroma of peach was unmistakably Liu Sizhen’s favorite. Lin Bosheng accepted the diffuser, his voice equally quiet as he replied, “Just leave it here; I’ll handle it. Thank you.”

---

During the years Liu Sizhen was abroad, Lin Bosheng had visited Aunt Wang—not for any urgent matter but to learn how to cook. Liu Sizhen had once mentioned that the family maid’s cooking was exceptional.

At that time, Aunt Wang was taking care of her granddaughter and initially refused. However, after Lin Bosheng visited a few more times, she agreed to teach him. With her background in professional culinary training, she was well-versed in balanced nutrition.

“Has the young master’s appetite been off these past few days?”

“Mm… I’ll take him to the hospital for a check-up over the weekend.”

Even though Liu Sizhen could no longer be considered a “young master,” Aunt Wang still habitually referred to him that way. In fact, she had brought up similar topics long before Lin Bosheng brought Liu Sizhen back.

Her words weren’t direct, but her message was clear: she wanted to advocate for Liu Sizhen. She mentioned how, despite his sharp tongue, Liu Sizhen had never truly harmed anyone.

She explained that Liu Sizhen had no malicious intent. If he had done anything to upset Lin Bosheng in the past or accidentally hurt him, it would have been unintentional.

She hoped Lin Bosheng would treat him well.

“I understand,” Lin Bosheng had replied at the time.

His desire to treat Liu Sizhen well didn’t stem from anyone’s request—it came from his own heart.

---

Of course, Liu Sizhen knew none of this.

When he woke up, he found a pair of strong arms wrapped tightly around his waist. The muscles were well-defined, clearly honed through deliberate training. Meanwhile, he was dressed in casual sleepwear, lying against the man’s arm…

As his gaze shifted slowly to the man’s face, he confirmed it was Lin Bosheng. The male lead was sleeping peacefully, his breathing steady and eyes closed.

Liu Sizhen carefully tried to climb out of bed, but before his feet even touched the floor, Lin Bosheng—seemingly equipped with a radar—opened his eyes instantly and grabbed Liu Sizhen’s wrist.

“Where are you going?”

Since reaching adulthood, Lin Bosheng’s voice had deepened significantly. Whether intentional or not, there always seemed to be a subtle, almost teasing undertone to it.

“Zhenzhen, you can’t just walk away from this…”

The ambiguity of those words was undeniable. To an outsider, it might have sounded like Liu Sizhen had wronged Lin Bosheng somehow. Coupled with the current situation, it was impossible not to misunderstand.

The scene resembled one of those dramatic moments where someone had shared a night of intimacy, only to heartlessly abandon the other the next morning. Given the complexity of their relationship, Liu Sizhen couldn’t help but feel a twinge of guilt.

“I… I’m thirsty. I just wanted to get some water…”

“Oh…” Lin Bosheng deliberately dragged out the syllable. “I thought Zhenzhen was planning to sneak away.”

Liu Sizhen, who indeed had intended to sneak away while he was asleep, fell silent.

He shifted the topic evasively.

This time, Lin Bosheng didn’t let him change the subject.

The scene carried a mix of awkwardness and humor.

The protagonist seemingly said casually, “Tomorrow, I’ll go with you to the hospital. You haven’t been looking well these past few days.”

Indeed, Liu Sizhen had been dozing off far too often recently.

He always seemed tired and listless. At first, Lin Bosheng thought it was just exhaustion from work, which made him feel deeply sympathetic.

After a previous health checkup showed no major issues, just overwork, Lin Bosheng had even specifically prepared blood-nourishing, high-protein, and highly nutritious meals for him.

But as it happened more frequently, even a dull person would notice something wasn’t right—let alone Lin Bosheng, who was anything but dull. His keen business instincts, often praised by the media, naturally extended to his personal life.

He had definitely noticed something was off.

“… Huh? Go to the hospital?” Liu Sizhen’s gaze wavered. “No, it’s too much trouble.”

Lin Bosheng didn’t respond immediately and just silently watched him.

“… Fine.”

---

Lin Bosheng had actually been awake long before Liu Sizhen woke up. He wasn’t someone who could sleep as much, and after sleeping through the night, he naturally couldn’t fall back asleep during the day.

While Liu Sizhen was still asleep, Lin Bosheng quietly watched him, carefully memorizing every contour of his features. The moment Liu Sizhen showed signs of waking, Lin Bosheng immediately pretended to be asleep.

“Earlier, Aunt Wang came by to ask what you’d like to eat,” Lin Bosheng said.

“Ah? Is it that late already?”

Liu Sizhen belatedly glanced at the window.

Though the heavy blackout curtains blocked most of the light, a faint gap revealed it was already late in the day. Had he really slept from lunch straight through to dinner?

“Yeah.”

Another day had passed.

Liu Sizhen wasn’t sure if Lin Bosheng suspected anything. He wasn’t good at lying and was fully aware of that.

He had previously asked 258, “How will I die?”

The question itself was so peculiar that Liu Sizhen almost laughed after asking it. However, the system didn’t satisfy his curiosity, behaving more like an automated bot that only responded when prompted.

[The methods of leaving the world are random…]

[Oh.]

The rest of the time, Liu Sizhen continued his routine of either sleeping or preparing to sleep. On the surface, he simply looked tired and unmotivated.

Lin Bosheng, on the other hand, seemed busy yet oddly attentive. Perhaps he had noticed something—or maybe he just wanted to keep Liu Sizhen within sight. Since his return to the country, Lin Bosheng had barely allowed Liu Sizhen to leave his field of vision for more than half an hour.

Sometimes, he even conducted remote meetings without bothering to avoid him.

“Aren’t you afraid I’ll leak your secrets?” Liu Sizhen asked.

At the time, Lin Bosheng sipped some tea and replied with a calm expression, “Oh, I’m very afraid.”

Though his words claimed fear, his demeanor was entirely nonchalant.

The truth was, Lin Bosheng was indeed afraid—but not of that.

——He was afraid Liu Sizhen would suddenly disappear again.

---

On the day of the class reunion, Liu Sizhen woke up very early, arriving at the venue half an hour earlier than planned.

He and Lin Bosheng were among the first to arrive. When their former classmates from Class 11 arrived and saw the two of them together, their reactions were surprisingly consistent.

First, they expressed amazement that Liu Sizhen hadn’t changed at all over the years. Then, upon noticing Lin Bosheng sitting next to him, their expressions turned slightly awkward, accompanied by murmured whispers.

“… Why are you all staring at me?”

Those who had expected him to lose his temper or show a grim expression were left disappointed. While Liu Sizhen’s appearance hadn’t changed much, his temper seemed far better than what they remembered.

Even in such a situation, he could still smile.

The class president, who had organized the reunion, chose the venue well: a reputable restaurant in the city center of Changning, conveniently located. Liu Sizhen had always wanted to visit but never had the opportunity.

“Why aren’t you all… eating?”

Lin Bosheng, however, had little appetite. He was paying close attention to Liu Sizhen, ensuring he avoided eating anything he shouldn’t.

Despite being told before, Liu Sizhen still didn’t listen.

Just as Lin Bosheng was thinking this, he saw Liu Sizhen pick up a piece of crispy fried pork and attempt to eat it. Without hesitation, Lin Bosheng intercepted it—fried food was off-limits for him.

“…”

At the class reunion, Lin Bosheng’s former deskmate, Xia Min, also arrived.

She was one of the later arrivals. After greeting everyone and apologizing for being late, her gaze landed on Liu Sizhen, and she couldn’t help but exclaim with surprise.

“Eh!!” She probably couldn’t recall Liu Sizhen’s name right away, as it had been eight years since they last saw each other, but she still remembered how he looked before. “Why do I feel like you haven’t changed at all…”

As soon as she said that, the others chimed in with similar reactions.

“Yeah, yeah, I think so too…”

“You look exactly the same as you did back then…”

“Ah… maybe you’ve lost a little weight?”

“… Not bad, not bad.”

---

In reality, Liu Sizhen wasn’t exactly just thin now; his physical condition had worsened significantly compared to before. A few days ago, Lin Bosheng noticed that Liu Sizhen was often drowsy. Even though he initially refused to go to the hospital, Lin Bosheng eventually found a way to coax him into going.

He didn’t tell Liu Sizhen what the test results were.

But after his conversation with the doctor, Lin Bosheng looked particularly upset. It was rare for him to show such a defeated expression. Even in his earlier, more impoverished youth, he had been strong-willed, always holding his back straight.

But at that moment, Lin Bosheng appeared especially troubled, and when he placed his forehead against Liu Sizhen’s palm, the gesture perfectly obscured his expression.

Previously, Lin Bosheng had noticed that Liu Sizhen’s condition seemed off, but he only thought it might be due to anemia or malnutrition. He never imagined it would lead to that result… it was far more serious than he had anticipated.

Liu Sizhen didn’t know what Lin Bosheng’s expression was like, but he could clearly feel the dampness on his hand. When Lin Bosheng looked up again, his eyes were red, and his voice was hoarse as he gently reassured Liu Sizhen.

“It’s okay, we’ll treat it properly. You’ll get better, I promise.”

Liu Sizhen wasn’t sure if this was meant for him or for Lin Bosheng himself, but he knew deep down, it wouldn’t get better.

After returning to China and meeting his old classmate, Lu Xu, it felt like something in the hidden narrative was triggered, and Liu Sizhen could clearly sense that he was subtly being excluded.

Perhaps that was why he had been so easy to get along with during that time.

At that time, Liu Sizhen still wanted Lin Bosheng to stop worrying about him…

“Impossible. Don’t even think about it.”

That was Lin Bosheng’s reply.

The sudden events had completely disrupted Lin Bosheng’s preparations and plans, and everything he had previously envisioned for their future had to be postponed.

He had planned to travel together during the Spring Festival, imagining everything about the trip, how he would pursue Liu Sizhen, and how Liu Sizhen would eventually accept his feelings. He had even planned their future, including where they would get married, and their life after marriage.

— They could get married in a place that supported same-sex marriage.

— Lin Bosheng didn’t like children, even disliked them, but if Liu Sizhen liked children, they could adopt, either a boy or a girl.

— He earned enough money to spend without worry…

— He would never have to check prices when shopping, just consider if Liu Sizhen liked it. In the future, he would think about what Liu Sizhen liked. They could settle in a beautiful, secluded place, far from the hustle and bustle. If Liu Sizhen liked lively places, they could live in a bustling city center…

---

The classmates from Class 11 were not quite like they used to be, but Liu Sizhen could still barely recognize who was who. After the initial pleasantries, the conversation turned to current situations, and Liu Sizhen didn’t want to join in.

However, there were some dissonant voices.

“I wonder which hospital he went to… could you recommend it?”

Liu Sizhen could hear the sarcasm in the tone, and before he could respond, the unfamiliar boy who had spoken apologized awkwardly. Following his gaze, Liu Sizhen glanced at Lin Bosheng, who was peeling shrimp for him. There was nothing to be upset about.

“That barbecue isn’t for you… You can have a little shrimp though.”

Lin Bosheng reminded him, “The doctor said no spicy, pickled, or high-fat foods. You can’t eat those right now.”

Thinking that Liu Sizhen might be unhappy, he added,

“Once you get better, you can eat whatever you want.”

“… You always say that…”

Liu Sizhen mumbled softly.

Just as Lin Bosheng saw him looking longingly at the food, his heart softened completely. He almost wanted to give in. But he knew, deep down, that he couldn’t be softhearted right now. Liu Sizhen couldn’t eat it, and that was final.

Liu Sizhen wasn’t overly obsessed with food. He understood that Lin Bosheng was doing it for his own good, and after mumbling a bit, he let it go. He casually scanned the faces of the others, then looked back at Lin Bosheng, who had been talking only to him since the beginning.

It was then that he realized Lin Bosheng wasn’t talking to any of the other classmates. This was supposed to be a high school reunion, but Lin Bosheng hadn’t exchanged a word with any of his old classmates.

Seeing Liu Sizhen watching him, Lin Bosheng probably thought he wanted shrimp again, so he sped up his peeling and quickly brought a piece of shrimp to his lips.

His technique was even more skilled than it had been eight years ago…

Nothing particularly special happened at the reunion, and the face-slapping moments that were expected didn’t occur. Perhaps it was because Lin Bosheng was sitting next to Liu Sizhen, serving him food and pouring him tea.

His attentive care for Liu Sizhen, just like in the past, made many teasing or probing remarks impossible to say.

After all, the biggest “victim” of the past, Lin Bosheng, was able to act as if nothing had happened and didn’t bring up the past at all. So, what position did the onlookers have to criticize Liu Sizhen?

Besides… Lin Bosheng was no longer the same person he once was…

However, there were still a few slip-ups. One of the male classmates Liu Sizhen didn’t recognize blurted out something.

He mentioned that even though Liu Sizhen had left, his name was still talked about for a long time at Changning No. 2 High School. Some students from other schools even came to inquire about what he looked like and how tall he was…

Liu Sizhen became a bit interested and even asked, “Ah, what did they say about me?”

The boy who said this was probably someone very inconspicuous in Class 11. At least Liu Sizhen didn’t really remember him. The only thing he could recall was that his grades were average…

Liu Sizhen waited for him to continue, but the boy wouldn’t say anything more. He kept glancing, almost subconsciously, at Lin Bosheng beside Liu Sizhen. Liu Sizhen followed his gaze and found nothing unusual.

“Mm?” Lin Bosheng looked at him with a questioning gaze.

Liu Sizhen shook his head. He was still a bit curious; he had only heard half the story and now wanted to know what else the boy was going to say.

What else was there to say? That since Liu Sizhen left, Lin Bosheng had stopped pretending. His true self had been exposed, and a lot of things had happened after Liu Sizhen left.

And with all of that, the image of Liu Sizhen—who once could be “bullied” by Lin Bosheng—was exaggerated and transformed into something almost mythical.

However…

The boy who had spoken glanced at Lin Bosheng again, as if he had been glaring at him just moments ago, but now turned back to Liu Sizhen, speaking casually as if nothing had happened.

— This guy really knows how to pretend.

---

“Are you tired?” Lin Bosheng whispered into Liu Sizhen’s ear midway through.

“Not bad.”

Liu Sizhen restrained himself and yawned.

After all, this was still a proper class reunion. At the beginning, everyone had already subtly shown off in their own way, but Liu Sizhen, who had been somewhat detached, hadn’t understood that part at all.

The main reason was that he didn’t usually pay attention to luxury brand names and wasn’t particularly familiar with them.

Even if someone casually revealed a watch on their wrist, or intentionally took out a limited edition bag, or accidentally showed a car key, Liu Sizhen couldn’t grasp the subtle competition between them.

All those undercurrents had nothing to do with him. He didn’t know anything about clothing brands, so when someone asked if he was wearing a new style or something…

“Ah? I don’t know.”

At that time, the clothes Liu Sizhen was wearing weren’t bought by him. They were from Lin Bosheng. He wore a comfortable high-neck off-white sweater inside, and a dark-colored coat outside, which he quite liked.

The main reason was that the pockets were big, making it convenient to keep his hands warm in winter.

By that point, dinner was almost finished, and the inevitable reminiscing part of the reunion began. Suddenly, people started lamenting the changes in the broader environment, the changes in those around them, and their own personal changes…

As Liu Sizhen listened to them talk about the past, he would chip in when they discussed things he knew about, and for things he didn’t know, he just listened quietly.

He hadn’t deliberately tried to remember anyone’s name or face back then, but since everyone sat in the same classroom every day, he couldn’t help but become familiar with them, even if he didn’t make an effort.

But now… it was hard to recognize them.

Once they had shed their school uniforms and moved on to their own lives, their features had changed somewhat, and they didn’t feel like the same people anymore.

At the age of twenty-five or twenty-six, people were in that awkward phase. Some had entered the workforce, others were still in graduate school. Each stage had its own worries, and no one could truly understand each other.

Through their conversations, Liu Sizhen also learned many interesting things that had happened after he left, such as how Lin Bosheng never changed his seat and how his personality became more withdrawn and quiet…

---

The beauty of memories is that they can never return.

Memory tends to beautify and package itself. Many things that felt painful at the time now seem to have a soft, hazy filter when looked back on in hindsight.

At that time, carrying so many books felt so exhausting, but now it feels like life back then wasn’t so bad.

“…Sigh.”

Maybe at first, some people were thinking of making fun of Liu Sizhen, but as the memories started to accumulate, the mood of the gathering slowly shifted to one of genuine nostalgia for the passage of time.

There were sighs about how things were better back in high school, complaints about current lives, and in the first half of the conversation, everyone was trying to show off how well they were doing, while in the second half, they were venting their frustrations.

In this atmosphere, Liu Sizhen and Lin Bosheng felt particularly out of place.

The main reason was that Lin Bosheng wasn’t the sentimental type. While everyone else was reminiscing about their student days, saying they wanted to go back, he had no desire to return to the past at all.

For others, their student years were carefree and worth reminiscing about.

But Lin Bosheng’s past was dark, damp, obscure, and smelled musty. His luck had been terrible, almost suffocating, and every little bit of light he briefly had was quickly lost.

Now that he had found that light again, he had no interest in going back to the past. He wasn’t interested in those topics, and the only memories he could think of were a few fleeting ones.

As for Liu Sizhen, the reason he didn’t participate was purely because he was tired.

He had been eating, but as the meal went on, he found himself leaning closer and closer to Lin Bosheng. The way he looked, it was clear he might be tired again. He lasted a bit longer today than he had a few days ago.

He had originally planned to suggest going to another place after dinner.

But there were those who had been chatting about the past, some who were called back to work by their bosses, some who were urged by their partners over the phone, and a few who seemed eager to get to the next gathering.

But Liu Sizhen and Lin Bosheng were certainly not among them.

“You need to rest. We have an appointment for a check-up the day after tomorrow.”

He thought something big might happen at the reunion,

but in the end, it passed just like that—quiet and uneventful.

“You seem disappointed…”

After the event, Lin Bosheng asked.

“Huh?”

Liu Sizhen was just puzzled, wondering why nothing had happened to him yet.

Soon, however, Liu Sizhen didn’t have the time to wonder about it anymore.

Because that class reunion turned out to be the last chance Liu Sizhen had to go out freely. He would never know whether tomorrow or an accident would come first; many things arrive without any warning.

In the next two weeks, Liu Sizhen’s condition rapidly worsened. Even the doctor said that in his years of practice, he had never seen cancer spread so quickly… it seemed to deteriorate with every passing moment.

The day after the reunion, Liu Sizhen began to notice his hair gradually falling out. After two days of losing it in handfuls, and in preparation for the upcoming chemotherapy, the doctor advised him to shave it all off.

When Liu Sizhen shaved his head, Lin Bosheng comforted him.

He said, “Even if you become a little bald, you’re still the cutest little bald guy.” If Lin Bosheng hadn’t turned his back to wipe away his tears, and if his voice hadn’t been so choked, Liu Sizhen might have believed him.

Without his hair, he really looked ugly. He’d seen himself in the mirror.

Liu Sizhen even started to doubt whether Lin Bosheng was blind or had some strange sense of aesthetics. How could he still praise him like that, and so gently kiss his forehead?

“How about we go outside and get some sun?”

“Okay.”

At that time, Liu Sizhen’s condition, while serious, was still somewhat manageable. He still looked okay outwardly. The long list of instructions the doctor gave him, though, sounded so complicated that even Liu Sizhen found it overwhelming to listen to.

But Lin Bosheng remembered it very clearly.

The doctor said the patient needed to maintain a good mood, so Lin Bosheng often told him stories and kept him company. The doctor said the patient needed rest, so Lin Bosheng arranged a private room for him on the rooftop, a whole floor just for him. The doctor said he should get more sun, so Lin Bosheng often took him outside to bask in the sunlight.

At first, Liu Sizhen could still laugh, still wear a hat, and go out with Lin Bosheng to get some sun. But as the chemotherapy sessions became more frequent, Liu Sizhen’s legs started to lose strength. He couldn’t use his legs and could only lie on the bed.

Even when going outside, he was pushed by Lin Bosheng. Sometimes, he even had to be carried.

“Am I heavy?” Liu Sizhen asked, feeling guilty.

Lin Bosheng clenched his teeth and remained silent. He shook his head.

How could Sizhen be heavy? He was as light as a sheet of paper.

But at that time, Lin Bosheng’s eyes were bloodshot, and he looked more exhausted than Liu Sizhen, the one actually sick. Liu Sizhen suddenly looked up and gently touched the stubble growing on his chin.

“…Sorry.”

“…”

He always seemed to know how to touch Lin Bosheng’s heart. In truth, Lin Bosheng probably wasn’t unaware of Liu Sizhen’s condition, but he chose to believe in him.

---

One quiet, unknown night, the sound of 258’s voice echoed in his mind.

[Task completed, undergoing automatic review…]

[Do you wish to leave now?]

By then, Liu Sizhen was already hospitalized, with Lin Bosheng staying by his bedside day and night. His exhaustion was clearly visible, and even while asleep, he still held Liu Sizhen’s hand tightly.

Now, he could leave.

In an instant, many thoughts flashed through Liu Sizhen’s mind.

He remembered the day when Lin Bosheng held his hand and gently kissed the back of it. Lin Bosheng said it had been so hard to find him, that he had been searching for so many years… A person who, though well-known, had been in such a downfall.

He recalled that one night eight years ago, when the power went out during study hall, and the warmth of Lin Bosheng’s palm as he held his hand, and the strength with which he held him when they first met eight years later.

He remembered how, after their reunion, Lin Bosheng had pulled out a thick notebook, detailing every expense from eight years ago, down to the cent.

At first, it was just a record of when and where Liu Sizhen gave him something, followed by a cold number. But over time, it became more like a diary.

It began to include details like what color clothes Liu Sizhen wore, how his mood was, what he said, and little things Lin Bosheng had observed about his preferences.

What started as an accounting ledger turned into Liu Sizhen’s observation diary. Later, after Liu Sizhen left, the entries turned into Lin Bosheng’s own thoughts, though they didn’t seem to say much.

It mostly summarized how much he missed Liu Sizhen…

Holding that little notebook, Liu Sizhen felt an overwhelming heaviness.

At first, he had laughed at him, but slowly, he couldn’t laugh anymore.

He also remembered when he had just returned to the country, and he had entered the villa he once lived in. Everything seemed the same as before, and at that time, Liu Sizhen had reflected with 258. He said that although everything on the surface seemed unchanged, the name of the villa’s owner had probably been changed to Lin Bosheng’s now.

The system had replied to him.

[No.]

[Huh?]

[The name is still yours.] 258 added, [Didn’t you sign a contract a few days ago? That was a gift contract.]

And that quiet night, he had heard that Lin Bosheng was searching for the doctor who had treated him years ago, offering large sums of money to hire many professional teams.

[Can I leave a little later?]

The system quickly responded:

[Delaying forcefully will have unpredictable consequences.]

This was 258’s first mission, and it didn’t know what would happen if it stayed behind. At the beginning, it had hidden something from Liu Sizhen, such as what their real purpose was.

Rather than fulfilling the main character’s wishes, it was more about collecting the original source of the world that resided within him. Every protagonist in a small world had a certain amount of source power.

To obtain that source, it required being close to him, and for him to willingly give it.

Playing the villain was about collecting his hatred, while fulfilling the so-called wishes was about collecting his love. Everything was just a way to approach him.

If the approach was too perfect, it might make Liu Sizhen feel uncomfortable, while just showing a small flaw might make him lower his guard…

[It’s fine… I am willing to bear the consequences.]