VRMMORPG: The Other World Online

San Zhe stared at the phone in his hand in a daze.

"Brother San?" Cheng Xiu called.

San Zhe blinked up at her.

"I…I…"

Cheng Xiu frowned in concern. "Is everything okay?"

"Yesss," San Zhe said, "Um…I need to take this call…I think…no I know I should….bye!"

San Zhe ran out the door.

Cheng Xiu blinked at his disappearing form. "um.."

"You should be careful, A'Xiu," Ren Dao said to Cheng Xiu, an unknown emotion crossing through his eyes. "Your boyfriend might be making you wear a green hat."

Cheng Xiu raised an eyebrow. A Green Hat was slang for the fact that her partner was cheating on her.

"I see, I will be careful."

Ren Dao looked at Cheng Xiu's deep black eyes, wanting to say something but stopping himself at the last moment. Ren Dao got up, ready to leave.

"Wait," Gu Shu said, "You are dating that guy? I thought he was helping you guide in the game?"

Ren Dao blinked. He looked at Gu Shu and then at Cheng Xiu who looked at her friend like she was the stupidest person she had ever come across.

"That man is not your boyfriend?" he asked, hope in his voice.

Gu Shu stilled. She just realised that she might have dug a pit for herself to fall into.

Cheng Xiu sighed. She could have lied and said they were in fact dating but that would be unfair to San Zhe. It was not a thing a good friend should do.

"We are not," Cheng Xiu said to Gu Shu.

"You did not deny you were dating him!" Ren Dao said with a scowl.

Cheng Xiu raised her eyebrow, looking at the man in disdain. "I said I hadn't realised that I have to make you aware of all the happenings in my life."

Ren Dao relaxed. He put his hands in his pocket and looked at Cheng Xiu for a moment. So it was just her prickly attitude coming out rather than her having an actual boyfriend.

Ren Dao smirked. "I am at Level 48 in the game. I can carry you better than that Qile-that San Zhe…wasn't that his name?"

Cheng Xiu looked up, asking the heavens to give her the strength to deal with him.

"You are at Level 48? Then how would you carry me? Is the dungeon of Level 1 and Level 70 the same?"

Ren Dao looked at her in surprise. That was right. He could not carry her until she reached Level 10 on her own.

"What level are you at?" Ren Dao asked. "Maybe I can have some of my guild buddies help you out."

Cheng Xiu just looked at him, not answering.

Gu Shu at the side felt a sour taste in her heart as she looked at how attentive Brother Dao was towards Cheng Xiu. He hadn't extended that kind of an offer for her.

Ren Dao shook his head. "Better yet, tell me how many Quests you have done? And what were they? If you take certain Quests, they can help you level up faster."

Ren Dao looked at her with expectant eyes. She was a genius, after all, she should have done some real progress in the game!

Cheng Xiu looked at him with a complicated gaze.

Ren Dao frowned. "A'Xiu?"

"I was going to my first Quest when I got hospitalised."

Ren Dao froze for a moment, dazed. He stared at her like he was seeing her for the first time. "So incompetent?"

Cheng Xiu glared at him.

Ren Dao realised what he said and coughed. "That…um…I suppose you being a Qiless means you level up at a slower pace than most. I don't need to ask you what is your level at now though since you haven't done any Quests yet."

Cheng Xiu pursed her lips.

Ren Dao gave her a reassuring smile. "My guild is the best! You will love our-"

"Thank you for visiting senior. It seems that my sickness is acting up again. I will see you when I get better."

With those words, Cheng Xiu took the quilt next to her and buried herself inside it.

Ren Dao looked at her in half-longing, half-lustful eyes and then walked out after saying goodbye to Gu Shu.

The pink-haired girl stared at the bump under the blanket known as Cheng Xiu for some time.

Cheng Xiu peeked out of the blanket. On seeing that Ren Dao had really left the room she let out a relieved sigh and then got up.

Her eyes went to Gu Shu who stood by the door of the dorm, staring at her with a certain gaze.

Cheng Xiu sighed. "He has a crush on me, doesn't he?"

Gu Shu looked at Cheng Xiu for a moment and then nodded.

"That was why you were so hostile towards me?"

Gu Shu hesitated. There was something in Cheng Xiu's tone that made her hesitate in answering.

"Don't stall," Cheng Xiu said as she guessed what Cheng Xiu must have been thinking.

Gu Shu nodded.

"You did not visit your so-called best friend who you have known for so many years was in a coma and hospitalized because you were jealous she had the interest of the guy you liked, who you have known for a month or so?" Cheng Xiu asked with a blank face, her voice flat.

Gu Shu stilled. She was dense most of the time but even she could tell that Cheng Xiu was angry.

"I…I wasn't thinking…I-"

"Wasn't thinking," Cheng Xiu echoed her words. "If I wasn't thinking, I would forget about why I was upset with you the minute I hear you had gotten hurt somehow."

Gu Shu looked at her shoes in guilt.

Cheng Xiu felt the corners of her eyes sting and her nose and throat become stuffy.

Cheng Xiu cleared her throat to hold back the tears. "If I were you I would come to visit you first, and only then remember that I was upset with you."

"I am sorry," Gu Shu said in a small voice, her sound breaking at the end. "I wasn't thinking. Xiu! You know I am not a considerate person to most people! Please don't hate me! I know I did wrong! I am sorry!"

Cheng Xiu stared on as Gu Shu broke into sobs. It was different from her usual tears.

Cheng Xiu sighed. She did not like emotional scenes, especially when she was in them. She could feel her headache getting bigger.

"You have to work harder to get back into my good grace," Cheng Xiu said to her.

Gu Shu stopped sobbing and looked at Cheng Xiu for a moment. She started to nod vigorously.

"Now get me some congee," Cheng Xiu said, "Then I will eat that dimsums. You are not getting any."

Gu Shu nodded eagerly and dashed out of the door before she could change her mind.

Cheng Xiu watched her go with a complicated gaze. Was she being too lenient?