Chapter 55 – Evening Stroll

Chu Ge almost blurted out, “What I want is you…”

However, the words lingered on the edge of his tongue, and he chose to suppress them instead.

Qiu Wuji was actually very thin-skinned. If he were to say those words out loud, it wouldn’t be as simple as a few punches. It would be a big deal.

Their relationship was peculiar. On the surface, they interacted as if they were living together like a couple, but in reality, it was not the case. There was clearly a thick wall separating them, an insurmountable barrier. Even mentioning such teasing words was not easy.

Apart from when he held her waist in defiance during the confrontation with Gu Ruoyan, he didn’t even dare to touch her hand. How could they be considered boyfriend and girlfriend?

Chu Ge couldn’t help but wonder, how could she easily enter this “cohabitation state”? Apart from her self-proclaimed “it’s no big deal”, could there really be an influence from that phrase?

But… that phrase was merely “If she were to find a man, find the Creator God,” it wasn’t a necessity, let alone falling in love. If she didn’t want to find anyone at all, then that phrase would be completely meaningless. Could its influence really reach this point?

So, is her behavior influenced by that phrase, or is it because of her own feelings, or perhaps she truly had the thought of “if I want to find someone,” which led to the effect of that phrase… Can she distinguish between them?

No, she couldn’t tell.

It seemed like a good thing, didn’t it?

Chu Ge looked up at the night sky and suddenly smiled. “What I want… before, I said I wanted you to become an independent person. Now, maybe I should add another half sentence: and be able to always appear by my side, radiant and full of life.”

Qiu Wuji was somewhat surprised by this answer, tilting her head as she looked at him.

Chu Ge turned his head and winked. “Haven’t we ever taken an evening stroll? Since Zhang Qiren has provided this backdrop, why don’t we go for a walk?”

Qiu Wuji chuckled and said, “If Zhang Qiren finds out, he’ll be furious. He spoke so seriously to you, in such agony that he could almost cry, and you used it to… “

Before she could finish her sentence, she interrupted herself, slightly tilting her head away without looking at him.

“Yeah,” Chu Ge replied, “maybe ‘use it’ isn’t the best choice of words. Let me change it… a graceful lady and a noble gentleman, Chu Ge desires to be with Qiu Wuji. But she’s not oblivious to it, it’s not her first day.”

Qiu Wuji widened her eyes. “You…”

“I’m just a twisted person who fantasizes about dating characters from my own book,” Chu Ge said nonchalantly as he walked ahead. “I’ve always just been waiting to see if the character gives me a chance.”

Qiu Wuji followed him angrily. “I’m not a character in a book!”

Chu Ge smiled. “You’re right,  maybe that’s no longer the case now… well, as someone who is not a character in a book, will you give me a chance?”

“No!” Qiu Wuji exclaimed angrily. “You…! Who do you think you are?”

“Shh… lower your voice. It’s late at night, and everyone in the buildings can hear us…” Chu Ge muttered.

Qiu Wuji shouted loudly, “Shameless scoundrel!”

Her voice was wrapped in a magical force and specifically delivered to his ears. Chu Ge grumbled, “Arrogant.”

Qiu Wuji glared at him furiously.

But Chu Ge changed the topic. “You mentioned Qiren’s pain… it actually reminded me of something.”

Qiu Wuji couldn’t follow his train of thought and asked irritably, “What?”

“I was thinking, if that honest Qiren hadn’t been so shy and had approached or even confessed to Moon Shadow directly, would the story have taken a different turn?” Chu Ge looked at the moon in the sky and whispered, “So, it’s better to speak up, to avoid missing out… What’s wrong with liking someone secretly?”

Qiu Wuji had no idea how to respond to that. If she agreed with him, would it mean she was acknowledging his confession?

Why did feelings have to be so complicated? It was way more complicated than cultivation.

Chu Ge also remained silent for a while, and Qiu Wuji silently walked beside him with a sullen face. The night was silent, with only the sound of their footsteps echoing lightly on the empty street, as if each step could create a melodious sound.

Being alone together as a man and a woman was filled with complications. Regardless of their actions, it always carried a sense of strangeness and awkwardness.

Even walking felt strange.

Qiu Wuji couldn’t take it anymore and finally spoke up, “Let’s go back. There’s no point in wandering around.”

“Just consider it as keeping me company to clear my mind,” Chu Ge whispered. “Seeing Qiren’s transformation, I feel a bit stifled, but I don’t know where to start. Clearing my mind might help. You could say it’s the disturbances of worldly affairs, yes, it’s still the same, I haven’t become immortal.”

Qiu Wuji said, “Speaking of which, you and Zhang Qiren are quite strange. In the book you wrote, someone like Zhang Qiren seems pretty normal, and he might even be a protagonist in some cases. You guys seem to have a peaceful and harmonious life, but there are elements of aggression or rebellion portrayed in the book.”

Chu Ge was taken aback for a moment and then chuckled, “Perhaps. Nowadays, there’s more and more hostility online. Novels are reflections of reality.”

Qiu Wuji seized the opportunity to steer the conversation back to serious matters. “When I asked you what you wanted, I didn’t mean for you to say those shameless words. What I actually wanted to ask was… what kind of world do you want to create?”

Chu Ge paused his footsteps slightly.

Qiu Wuji continued, “Is it just for your personal fantasies, or is there something you want to express?”

Chu Ge fell into deep thought for a while and shook his head. “If we’re talking about conveying principles through literature, I don’t have that. But if it’s just for the sake of fantasies… it’s not merely that either. As a writer, my original intention is at least to present the world in my heart, to tell an interesting story. Qiren also said that it’s wonderful to share the stories in our hearts with everyone… It’s this kind of impulse that drives us to open the file and immerse ourselves in it. I believe many writers share the same sentiment.”

Qiu Wuji nodded. “And now?”

“Now… the pressures of life have long weighed us down. What we want to present are just stories that others love to read,” Chu Ge said. “Are you suggesting that I should rediscover my original intention?”

Qiu Wuji replied, “What’s wrong with writing stories that others love to read? How will you support yourself if you don’t make money… and live your own life?”

Chu Ge was puzzled. “?”

Qiu Wuji hmphed and said, “I’m the one who made you change the story in the first place, so what’s the big deal?”

Chu Ge remained silent.

“I’m just telling you that your true original intention is to create the world in your book. The more abundant, detailed, and realistic your world becomes, the more qualified you are as a creator. As for this world, it can have countless stories. You simply chose to focus on the experiences of a person named Chu Tiange, and that’s it.”

Chu Ge’s heart stirred, as if something flashed through his mind but couldn’t be grasped clearly.

Qiu Wuji calmly said, “You told me before that characters come before the world. If I and Chu Tiange cease to exist, the world will collapse. I don’t think that’s the case… or maybe it is for now. You first conceive the story and then construct the world. But I believe what you should aim for is that even if I and Chu Tiange are both gone, that world remains the same. At that point, you would be a god, and as for me, what difficulty would there be for me to exist independently?”

Chu Ge suddenly felt that the current approach of focusing on an multiple characters was the path to follow. When there was only a single protagonist, everything revolved around that protagonist’s actions. If the protagonist died, the book would be a failure, and naturally, the world would collapse. But when multiple character cast was established, like in “A Song of Ice and Fire,” each person could be considered a protagonist, and anyone could be stabbed.

However, this was a tremendous challenge. The so-called multiple character cast currently being attempted was far from reaching that level. There were still clear protagonists. Not to mention whether the skill was sufficient, even in terms of the nature of web novels, it was not possible to write in that manner…

But constructing a complete world that could operate without relying on a protagonist didn’t necessarily require this method… For example, it would also be possible for the story of the current protagonist to come to an end…

Wait a minute… Chu Ge realized something and his tone became firm, “What’s wrong with you today? You mentioned death twice in a row! Regardless of your intention, you’re not allowed to think in that direction anymore!”

Qiu Wuji was taken aback by the commanding tone and couldn’t help but feel both angry and amused. “You’re ordering me?”

Chu Ge angrily said, “You know what I mean!”

Qiu Wuji raised an eyebrow, crossed her arms, and said, “But you don’t know what I mean.”

Chu Ge’s thoughts spun, and suddenly he laughed. “I understand now… someone keeps considering how that world would be without her, essentially contemplating the possibility of staying here forever after the main body can come out…”

Qiu Wuji’s relaxed attitude instantly vanished, replaced with frustration. “Who said I meant that?”

Chu Ge turned and ran, saying in a singing tone. “~Thaat’s what youu meant~!”

Qiu Wuji chased after him frantically. “Who said I want to stay in this wretched place? Stop right there!”

“You can still control what I think?”

“Don’t think like that!”

“You’re ordering me? I’ll beat you to death!”

Their figures disappeared into the distance, their noisy voices fading in the night. Faintly, the sound of someone being caught and beaten could be heard, along with his Master’s admonishment, “With your agility, do you think you can outrun me? Fool!”