As I passed through the living room, Xiao Xian’s eyes stayed locked on the chips and cola in my hand. Her little head swiveled a full one-eighty, tracking me all the way to the bedroom door—then a pitiful whimper escaped her.

Xiao Xian drooped her head, utterly dejected.

*Whimper…* Looking back, she really had caused Dad so much trouble these past few days. Today, she’d nearly done something irreparable… She’d thought he was a terrible father, yet he poured her tea, cooked her meals, even shared gentle moments she’d never known before…

Nestled in his arms, she’d felt genuinely happy. His touch had been so warm…

She shouldn’t dare hope for more…

But…

But she *craved* chips! And cola!

A shimmering vision of chips and cola flickered before her eyes. She knew it was an illusion—like the Little Match Girl. Except she had no matches. Just a small, pitiful, perpetually hungry little loli.

She waved a hand to dispel the phantom—

*Crinkle.*

Her fingers brushed a bag. A crisp rustle answered.

…

I had no clue what whirlwind filled Xiao Xian’s tiny head, but she finally blinked up at me.

“Not hungry? Fine.” I pulled back the snacks, turning as if to leave.

“No, no! I *do*, Dad!” Xiao Xian cooed, voice trembling. “I want cola… and chips… sniffle…”

Alright. I set down the chips, grabbed a disposable cup, and poured her a glass of iced cola.

“No snacks if you misbehave. And bedtime in thirty minutes—sharp.” After the warning, I retreated to my room. 9 p.m. For me, impossible to sleep. But Xiao Xian wouldn’t follow my bad habits. She had me now.

The game loaded. Full title: *The Fantasy Sky*—too long, so players called it *Phantom Sky*. Developed by Tengyi, this massive RPG had won global awards. Yes, it kept Tengyi’s “pay-to-win” rep—but its balance let free-to-play players thrive too.

As a light spender, I’d built my own guild and squad. Gear-wise, we held our own. Thanks to a few monstrously skilled teammates, our under-equipped crew became feared in the arena.

Today’s late login? Xiao Xian’s fault. The moment I appeared online, team chat exploded.

Side note: Our guild name was “Number One.” Flashy? Absolutely. That title usually meant instant PvP targets. But with *them*, we roamed the game world untouchable.

Empress: Why so late?! Weekly raid cleared?!

Panda Brother: Chill. Xian Xian was busy. Only I, you’re by the dungeon—pull us in. Empress, pass lead to Only I.

Only I Am Supreme: Hmph. Someone’s slacking again.

Xian Xian: …

That was my squad. My IGN: Xian Xian. Others: Empress, Panda Brother, Only I Am Supreme. Both Empress and Only I were girls.

…Ahem. Slight embarrassment: I was the “guy-playing-a-loli” type. But Only I wasn’t better—she, a girl, mained a dashing Sword Saint. (Yeah, the *ultimate* “carry” class.)

We’d chatted easily at first. Then… gender reveal. Awkwardness. She’d slip in quiet jabs ever since.

Empress? Near-pro skill. Only I? Top spender, leaderboard regular—the raid MVP. Hence the “slacking” digs. Panda Brother? Gentle, mysterious uncle vibes—straight out of Master Oda’s manga.

Me? …Ahem. *Team core!* (Voice booming)

*(Muttering: …mostly carried by girls while slacking.)*

Xian Xian: Enough talk. Dungeon time!