But this had little to do with Chen Mo. He already had plans for tomorrow evening’s birthday party.
After going through the formalities, he’d slip away quietly and take Luo Xianxue for a stroll. The girl would probably be quite happy about it.
With that thought, Chen Mo had nothing else to do, so he slipped back into his body and fell into a deep sleep.
Not long after, the hospital room door opened. Chen’s father entered with Rui’an Luo.
“You really don’t need to come so often,” Chen’s father said, glancing at Chen Mo before shifting his gaze away. “This kid’s got a strong constitution. His condition is gradually improving.”
Rui’an Luo chuckled and patted his shoulder. “What, you have a problem with me checking on your son? Even as just a driver, you don’t handle documents. Can’t you sneak off to visit him more often?”
He’d already figured Chen’s father out: meticulous, utterly honest.
During work hours, he’d never slack off. As Rui’an Luo’s driver, burdened by the Luo family’s endless affairs, he rarely got time off. If Rui’an Luo didn’t bring him along, Chen’s father would likely wait until his next day off to visit.
A man of few words—his love for family never spoken aloud.
Rui’an Luo sighed and waved off Chen’s father’s attempt to speak. “Don’t bother explaining. I actually like your son. He’s already a comic artist at such a young age. Did you know he earns more now than you did back then?”
Chen’s father paused, then gave a slight nod. “I know. He sends money home regularly—several thousand yuan each month. He’s always been sensible.”
“Isn’t that great? Maturity means less worry. If my granddaughter had half your son’s character, I’d be satisfied,” Rui’an Luo said with a helpless sigh.
Chen’s father shook his head slightly. “With this incident, I’m worried about the college entrance exam. Capital University’s admission score is quite high.”
“Is that his target university?” Rui’an Luo pulled up a stool, sat down, and stared at Chen Mo’s face, lost in thought.
Chen’s father was taken aback. “Mm.”
He lowered his head a little. “Sorry. I spoke too much about irrelevant things.”
Rui’an Luo waved dismissively. “Just casual chat. Don’t be so formal. Speaking of Capital University—I happen to have a special admission slot. Using it to repay your life-saving grace should be acceptable, right?”
Chen’s father’s expression shifted to astonishment. He waved his hands quickly, shaking his head. “You’ve already given me this easy job and arranged his treatment here. I don’t even know how to thank you…”
Rui’an Luo cut him off, stroking his chin thoughtfully. “Don’t go through that routine. Without you, I wouldn’t be alive. Taking care of you is nothing. Both you and your son are quite to my liking. I do it because I want to.”
“By the way,” Rui’an Luo changed the subject, “would you mind if I looked into your son’s background?”
Chen’s father asked in confusion, “What do you mean?”
“Daily habits, how he treats others—things from childhood to now.”
“No problem at all. Handle it as you see fit,” Chen’s father replied without hesitation, a trace of pride in his voice.
Yes, pride. From childhood to now, he’d seen his son was exceptionally outstanding.
He’d once worried something was wrong—whether as a child or now, his son stood vastly apart from his peers.
Too mature. Too composed.
Rui’an Luo gave a slight nod. “We’ll discuss the admission slot later. Pity your son doesn’t know when he’ll wake. My grandson’s birthday party is tomorrow evening—I was hoping to bring him along for the experience.”
“Wouldn’t that be overstepping?”
“Don’t say that. Broadening horizons is good. And trust me—if your son gets through this, his future will be limitless.”
They chatted for over half an hour before leaving. But once Chen Mo’s soul was inside his body, he couldn’t perceive anything from the outside world.
The next morning, Chen Mo’s soul drifted out. The hospital room was empty.
He let out a long sigh. Being inside his body was uncomfortable—not like sleep, where you simply close your eyes and wake up.
Dark. Suffocating.
If not for the time limit on how long his soul could stay outside, Chen Mo would have preferred drifting forever over returning to his body.
In fact, recently, the only time he truly felt like sleeping was during that unconscious stint in Little Ash’s body.
Mentally, he still felt a hint of exhaustion.
As usual, he checked the system panel first. A trace of delight flickered across his face.
[Available Life: Little Ash]
[Main Quest: Raise Little Ash’s affinity above 80, Yun Song’s affinity above 80]
[Current Quest: Find Shelter (Find a safe place with Little White)]
[Completed Quest: Survive (Reward: Accelerated bodily recovery)]
[Current Affinity: Little Ash 62 (Friendly), Little White 97 (Inseparable), Yun Song 50 (Stranger)]
[Current Status: Moderately Injured, Anxious]
The status had changed from Unconscious to Anxious—proof Little Ash had woken!
He seemed to have just awakened, still uneasy in the unfamiliar surroundings. Waking within two days was, overall, good news.
Chen Mo was tempted to simulate Little Ash’s life to check on things, but after a moment’s thought, he dismissed the idea.
His focus remained on Luo Xianxue—he’d made a promise to her.
By 5 p.m., Chen Mo still planned to simulate at 6. Meanwhile, Luo Xianxue had already left home wearing a simple evening gown.
In a sense, Luo Yi was the birthday party’s main guest, but given Luo Xianxue’s status, she couldn’t be a background character—casual home clothes were out of the question.
Sitting in the car, Luo Xianxue felt a flicker of anxiety. She and Chen Mo had agreed to meet at 6, but the schedule moved up—she was already on her way at 5.
The ride would take only twenty minutes, leaving her a full half-hour to handle things alone.
At the thought, unease crept into her heart.
She could chat and joke with Chen Mo so naturally only because she couldn’t see him. What she perceived—fatigue, sleepiness, pain, hunger—was exactly what he experienced. It wasn’t possession; it was sharing a single body.
But Chen Mo was in control. For Luo Xianxue to take over, she’d have to “kick” him out.
That was why their communication faced no barriers.
But now…
Watching the hotel draw nearer, Luo Xianxue desperately hoped her Phantom Sir would arrive soon.
