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墨書 Inktalez
He wore a simple white T-shirt and jeans, sporting his signature gold-rimmed glasses, with a steaming cup of coffee in his hands. When he saw me enter, he visibly tensed up; his fingers curled slightly on the table, and his gaze became somewhat unfocused.
This demeanor was a stark contrast to the aloof and indifferent image he usually projected at school.
I took a deep breath and walked over, sitting down in the chair opposite him.
We sat in silence, the atmosphere awkward enough to carve out a three-bedroom apartment with my toes. A ginger cat jumped onto the table, curiously rubbing against Gu Yan's arm. He seemed startled, his hand shaking slightly as he nearly spilled his coffee.
Watching him in this clumsy and flustered state made me think of the sharp-tongued and skilled Zero from the game…
I couldn't help but chuckle.
Gu Yan's face flushed instantly, even his ears turning red. He awkwardly lowered his head, unable to meet my gaze.
“...I’m sorry,” he mumbled, his voice barely above a whisper.
“What are you sorry for?” I asked knowingly, teasing him on purpose.
“I shouldn’t have… I shouldn’t have kept it from you,” he said, looking up with an expression of regret and frustration. “I didn’t mean to.”
“Oh?” I raised an eyebrow. “Then, Gu University God, can you explain how this all happened? Why is there such a big difference between your online and offline self?”
Gu Yan bit his lip, seemingly organizing his thoughts. After a long pause, he spoke again, his voice still tense but much smoother than before.
“I… I’m not very good at communicating with people in real life.” His gaze drifted toward the window as he spoke softly. “Since childhood, I’ve been used to being alone and have learned to mask my… discomfort with indifference.”
“Only in the game, behind the screen, can I relax and be… a slightly more authentic version of myself.” He paused again, turning back to look at me with a complex expression. “Meeting you was unexpected. At first, I just thought your ID ‘Salted Fish Thrust’ was interesting; then after teaming up more often, I found you… quite intriguing. You’re straightforward in your speech, a bit clueless at times, but very sincere.”
“So… you knew ‘Salted Fish Thrust’ was me all along?” I asked.
He nodded, his ears flushing again. “Yeah. During our first group discussion when you shared your ideas for your part, I thought it sounded very much like Zero’s style. Then when I heard your voice… I confirmed it.”
I suddenly understood why he had been acting so strangely since that day! He had already revealed his identity! How foolish of me to have tested him for so long!
“Then why didn’t you say anything sooner?” I felt a hint of grievance rising within me.
“I…” He avoided my gaze for a moment. “I was afraid… afraid that you would dislike me.”
“I actually do dislike you quite a bit,” I blurted out without thinking.
Gu Yan’s expression instantly turned hurt, like a dog scolded by its owner.
Seeing him like this made my annoyance dissipate suddenly. Sighing inwardly, I thought it over; facing this face and that pitiful look made it hard for me to stay angry.
"Cough," I cleared my throat, softening my tone. "What I mean is, I dislike the cold, unfeeling Gu Yan in reality. As for Zero..."
I deliberately elongated my words, watching him nervously swallow.
"Zero is actually quite... adorable," I said.
Gu Yan's eyes instantly lit up, like stars ignited, filled with surprise and disbelief.
"Really?"
"Mm." I nodded, unable to suppress a laugh at his silly expression. "But you, you really kept me in the dark! Pretending not to know me, delivering umbrellas and documents, watching me act like a fool in front of you—was that fun?"
"No! Absolutely not!" Gu Yan hurriedly waved his hands, his face turning even redder. "I just... didn't know how to talk to you... I was afraid that if I did, you wouldn't even acknowledge me in the game anymore..."
Seeing him flustered like that, I suddenly felt that this so-called 'Gaoling Zhi Hua' wasn't so annoying after all. In fact... he had a bit of an unexpected charm?
"Alright, alright," I waved my hand. "Since you've helped me so many times and even took the hit from the Boss for me, I'll let this slide just this once."
Gu Yan visibly relaxed, the tension in his mouth easing as he revealed a shy smile.
I had to admit, he looked quite good when he smiled.
"So..." He looked at me with cautious hope in his eyes. "We... in the future..."
"Let's talk about that later!" I interrupted him, taking a sip of the coffee on the table to hide my slightly flushed cheeks. "For now, explain to me what that ZG mark means and what’s up with that (￣▽￣)／ emoticon!"
Gu Yan's face turned visibly red again at my question.
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