Logging out of the game, I ruffled my hair. My brain felt a bit foggy.

Sitting on the bed, I stretched. Time in the game felt like a dream. It didn’t overly disrupt my rest.

But if emotions ran too high, sleep quality could suffer.

Outside, dawn hadn’t broken yet. The sky was dim. Through the thin curtain, only a few houses had lights on.

I got out of bed, wearing only underwear. I stood by the floor-to-ceiling window.

I wondered if Guild Leader and Alicia would recover today. I really hoped they were carefree girls.

After dressing, I prepared to exercise. But at the door, I paused.

The door was open. Someone had entered my room and hadn’t left. If they’d left, they’d have closed it. Both Ouyang Qingsnow and Yulan knew I hated intruders. They wouldn’t make that mistake.

A smile flickered on my lips. Could Ouyang Qingsnow finally be sneaking in at night? Heh.

Pretending I’d forgotten something, I opened the bedside drawer. I made deliberate, soft noises.

Then I left, closing the door quietly behind me.

In the dim room, the girl hiding beside the bed peeked out. Seeing no danger, she stood up, hand on her chest.

“Master always wakes around five. Why so early today…”

She wiped her lips with a fingertip, feeling the lingering warmth. Good thing she wasn’t caught.

In the faint window light, I could barely see her black-and-white maid uniform.

Sitting on the bed, her gaze fell on the blanket covering Aotian Long. Hand on her chest, her heart pounded like Little Deer.

Master’s lingering warmth, so cozy…

Slowly slipping her hand under the blanket, a blush spread across her cheeks.

One hand wasn’t enough for her longing. Bit by bit, she buried her head and shoulders under it. She greedily inhaled the scent.

“Master’s body heat, master’s scent, everything… mmm, so fragrant…”

Her body warmed. Something felt ready to spill out. Tingling currents raced down her spine. An unprecedented surge made her squeeze her legs tight…

“Ah, master…”

Seductive moans escaped her lips.

“Ah, master, it’s coming… mmm, let’s go to heaven together…”

She turned over. One hand gripped the blanket fiercely. The other pressed between her legs. After violent tugging, her flushed face lay blissful on the bed, breathing hard.

I peered through a tiny door crack. Silently, I closed it.

Better not to expose myself…

At the sink, I faced the mirror. Casually wiping pink residue from my lips, I shook my head with a bitter smile.

I must’ve misunderstood. Yulan only came to wake me. Absolutely no other thoughts. Absolutely.

The air hung utterly silent.

If only it were all an illusion. But even I couldn’t believe that…

6

Walking through the neighborhood, I breathed fresh air. I felt purified, incredibly refreshed.

Yet the earlier scene flashed in my mind.

Sigh. Why were those erotic moments always with girls around me, not the female lead? If only Ouyang Qingsnow learned from them, I wouldn’t endure so hard.

My usual workout lasted until eight.

“I’ll check the residential area.”

After buying breakfast, I headed toward the academy’s housing zone.

Crowded streets held people glued to phones. They played games or shared updates. No doubt—this era’s phones were wildly advanced.

Translucent rectangular devices, barely two millimeters thick. Super sturdy. Drop and stomp them? Not a scratch. Unused, they strapped to wrists like watches.

This age pushed all tech toward AI. Driverless cars. Unmanned stores. Even malls used AI systems. Semi-floating hover cars? Nothing novel.

On my way home, I met someone familiar-looking.

“Huh? Aotian Long? Are you Aotian Long?”

A slightly overweight man in a sharp suit stopped before me. He carried a briefcase.

“You are… who?”

I stared hard. No memory of him surfaced.

“Aotian Long? Some web novel character? You’ve got the wrong guy. Let’s go, babe.”

Beside him, a seductive woman clung to his arm, pouting.

“Get lost.”

He shoved her away. Grabbing my shoulders, he scrutinized me.

“Yes! You’re Aotian Long. That reserved-but-passionate aura. That refugee look. That deadpan face—unchanged!”

He muttered under his breath.

“Do we know each other?”

Was this praise or insult? I frowned.

Had I saved him once? Impossible. No trace of him in my memories.

A new scam?

I glanced at my cheap thrift-store clothes. I didn’t look rich.

“It’s me! Old Wang! Next-door Wang!”

He shouted excitedly. Onlookers turned their heads.

Slap!

Reflexively, I slapped him. Damn it—was he implying he’d cuckolded me?

“Why’d you hit me!”

Holding his swollen cheek, he sat on the ground, voice pitiful.

“I’ll not just hit you—I’ll kick you too.”

This guy begged for trouble.

“Wait! Remember Yan’an Road’s corner? The garbage pile!”

“…”

How could I forget? Abandoned there in a cardboard box, parentless.

“Why hit people? Help! He’s attacking!”

The woman supported him, shouting. Crowds gathered.

“Piss off! Don’t ruin my reunion.”

He pushed her aside and lunged at me again.

“Recall now? I was beggar Xiao Wang beside you.”

“Hmm.”

My anger cooled. There was such a person. Early on, he shared begged scraps. Later, he just scrounged off me.

“You remember! Ouch… After years, your hits still sting. Let’s grab food. My treat.”

Grinning through his swollen face, he seemed genuinely happy.

“What about me, Wang? You promised clothes!” the woman whined.

“Buzz off.”

“Should we ignore her?” I asked, eyeing the cursing woman.

“Nah. Just some online fling.”

The internet sure was convenient…

We found a high-end restaurant nearby and sat.

Old Wang skimmed the menu. He tossed it to the waiter.

“One dish from each of the first ten pages.”

“Yes, sir. Enjoy your meal.”

“What’s your job now? Girlfriend? That girl who fed you daily—still in touch?”

Fingers interlaced under his chin, Old Wang fired questions nonstop.