Chapter 62 Not even a second can be waited…

Chapter 63

When Chu Xingli saw the last message Xingxing sent on the screen, she subconsciously raised her hand and rubbed her eyes.

Even so, he still couldn't believe the words he was seeing... that they really meant the meaning he understood.

Am I not the only awakened one here?

Driven by curiosity, Chu Xingli's fingers flew across the screen.

[A ton of tangerines in a frenzy: Star, are you kidding me?]

Many teenagers who are still in their adolescence and have a bit of a rebellious phase often say things like this.

He needs to carefully examine whether the stars are in the same situation.

Perhaps because it's the weekend, Xingxing is indeed quite free.

She replied quickly.

My Star: I'm not kidding

My Star: Don't you believe me?

[My Star: [Cat looking aggrieved.jpg]]

Just as Chu Xingli was about to explain that he didn't disbelieve her, another message came from the other side, proving that he didn't distrust her.

[My Star: Actually, it's because I feel we're very similar; you're like someone who deeply understands their fate but is powerless to change it.]

Chu Xingli was stunned.

These words sound like they came from someone who has experienced a lot in life.

Although Xingxing's tone was cheerful throughout the previous conversation, there was an underlying sense of heavy melancholy in her words.

Chu Xingli inevitably thought of her own experience.

He has been under a lot of pressure since he was discharged from the hospital.

Xingxing's words truly resonated with him.

[A ton of tangerines: How do you feel we're so similar?]

Chu Xingli knew that although she had a bad memory.

But one thing he can guarantee is that he has never told anyone about his awakening.

Therefore, the probability that Xingxing would lie to him without any prior knowledge or reason is extremely low.

[My Star: I saw a personal statement on your column's homepage]

[My Star: "Even if the ending is already decided, I can still turn the tables"]

Chu Xingli then remembered that there was indeed such a sentence on her homepage.

He wrote that on his homepage when he was suffering from a splitting headache due to nightmares and, incidentally, empathized with the protagonist of the recently read Phoenix Comic.

Now that Xingxing had stated it so bluntly, Chu Xingli was instantly embarrassed to the point of blushing.

...How did someone manage to see this cringeworthy comment?

[My Star: Do you also have some unspeakable secret?]

Chu Xingli believed that the fact that she was an Awakened One was a huge secret.

Moreover, his family is involved, so it's absolutely not something that can be easily revealed to anyone.

What if he gets caught and taken to a research center for abnormal humans?

So, when faced with Xingxing's question, Chu Xingli made up a random excuse.

[Showing off a ton of tangerines: I was immature during puberty and changed it casually. I'm planning to change it now.]

Chu Xingli was prepared to answer Xingxing's questions, expecting her to continue asking him more questions.

Unexpectedly, the other party immediately began to pour out their heart to Chu Xingli, telling Chu Xingli all the bitterness in their heart and their current situation.

[My Star: In the original book, I'm an insignificant cannon fodder supporting character. My parents are gamblers and alcoholics who have gambled away all the family's money. Three years later, they will use me as collateral to pay off the debts of the loan company owner's mentally challenged son, and I will be accidentally killed by that son in a fit of madness.]

[My Star: Because I'm just cannon fodder, no one can save me, so I'm working desperately to earn money, trying to escape from here and fight for my future. Maybe I'll succeed, right?]

Chu Xingli opened her mouth in surprise.

The ending for Xingxing in the book seems even more tragic than his.

Chu Xingli's kindness comes from the bottom of her heart.

Seeing Xingxing's tragic fate, he couldn't help but feel compassion.

He completely believed that what Xingxing told him was true and that she wasn't just teasing him.

[A ton of tangerines to show off: If you need a job, come find me!]

[My Star: I'm still studying and will graduate next year. I'll definitely come if needed.]

[My Star: [Cat holding a heart.jpg] Thank you, brother]

Xingxing's calling him "brother" put Chu Xingli in a great mood.

This feeling of being relied upon is truly heartwarming.

However, he still had a few important questions he wanted to ask Xingxing.

[A Ton of Tangerines in a Frenzy: Star, Have You Ever Tried to Go Against the Script?]

[A ton of tangerines went viral: What was the final result?]

Chu Xingli was on edge.

He had no idea what his fate would be.

Is it possible to change things through hard work?

Xingxing replied a little slowly this time.

However, the reply was still quite detailed.

[My Star: I've tried, but the slap that's meant to hit me in the face, no matter how I try to dodge, will eventually land on my face.]

My own star: I can never disobey it.

*

After ending her chat with Xingxing, Chu Xingli put her phone away, deep in thought.

After a long while, he slowly sighed.

Back at his seat, he saw from afar that Luo Xiaoran was helping him cut the lamb leg meat.

They were all torn into strips that were easy to pick up, and then laid out to dry on small plates to prevent Chu Xingli from burning herself while eating.

[I can't imagine how great it must be for Baobao to be taken care of like this by Ranzi Ge every day o(╥﹏╥)o]

To be honest, I've been eyeing that roasted lamb leg in Ranzi's hand for quite a while now.

[Ahhh, he even tore it into strips for Hug to eat, does he have to be so thoughtful? Waaaaah!]

I'm going to fight you damn couples to the death!!!

[Ranzi, you tore so much, it's too much for me to finish by myself. Let me help you share some (reaches out)]

Seeing this, Chu Xingli felt a warmth in her heart and walked over to sit down next to Luo Xiaoran.

Luo Xiaoran's kindness towards him had long since become muscle memory.

When Yu Guangzhong caught sight of Chu Xingli, he immediately picked up a piece of meat with his chopsticks and dipped it in the sauce dish in front of him.

After Chu Xingli sat down and settled in, he held the chopsticks under his hand and brought them to Chu Xingli's lips.

Because the conversation with Xingxing was so explosive, Chu Xingli kept recalling what Xingxing had said to him.

When Luo Xiaoran offered him food, Chu Xingli instinctively opened his mouth and let Luo Xiaoran feed him.

After chewing a couple of times, Chu Xingli's eyes lit up instantly, her pupils round and bright, and she looked lost in thought, clearly savoring the taste of the food.

Seeing his reaction, Luo Xiaoran was even happier than if he had eaten it himself.

"Is it good?" he asked Chu Xingli with a smile.

Chu Xingli nodded vigorously: "Delicious, super delicious."

Luo Xiaoran proudly pointed to himself: "I baked it."

Chu Xingli's eyes widened in surprise, her cheeks puffing out as she chewed, like a hamster tasting fresh nuts: "You have this skill too?"

Hearing Chu Xingli ask this question, Luo Xiaoran was actually very happy.

But in the blink of an eye, the smile in his eyes faded slightly.

Hugs used to know that he had the skill of roasting lamb legs.

Asking that question again today makes Luo Xiaoran feel as if he's in a different world.

He's willing to walk that path of chasing after hugs again, just like before.

However, there are occasional moments of frustration and defeat, which sometimes cause him to lose control of his emotions.

[What's wrong with Ranzi? He seems suddenly unhappy.]

Is it because he didn't see how he looked while roasting the lamb leg? Haha

[He definitely wants his wife to be by his side the whole time (doge)]

[Ranzi isn't like that at all; he just wants to hug and have fun.]

[Can't we mass-produce men like Ranzi? I really need one o(╥﹏╥)o]

Thanks to Brother Ranzi, the workload of barbecue chefs has been greatly reduced.

The barbecue master chef invited by the program team has superb skills.

This row of roasted lamb legs left everyone present in awe.

While flipping the lamb leg, the small skewers that were grilled on the side were even more irresistible to those who don't usually eat barbecue.

The meal had been going on for over half an hour, but no one was willing to leave the table.

Even Qiao Manyun, who is always mindful of her figure, was eating a skewer of roasted potato chips in small bites.

Chen Xuanqi wanted to get closer to Lu Yunxin and Zhou Maidong, so she moved a small stool and sat next to Lu Yunxin, asking her questions about acting from time to time.

The three chatted happily, with Zhao Anyu not getting a chance to interject.

He could only sit alone to the side, holding a skewer of pork, staring at Qiao Manyun for a while, and then sneaking glances at Chu Xingli's direction guiltily.

He was afraid that Chu Xingli would remember what happened that day and take revenge on him.

However, Chu Xingli didn't take this matter to heart at all.

Because Luo Xiaoran had said that he could handle Zhao Anyu's affairs, and there was no need to worry about anything else.

Zhu Ji had a very happy birthday.

He hadn't experienced such a happy moment in a long time, so much so that he was completely relaxed.

He became increasingly familiar and close to Chu Xingli and Luo Xiaoran.

“Ningning, look, they’re so close together, it looks like they’re about to…” Zhu Ji shook Lin Ning’s hand, his voice softening as he mentioned a word that would make Lin Ning blush, “целоваться (kiss), do you think they might kiss?”

After feeding each other back and forth for a while, shouldn't we move on to the next step?

Zhu Daniu thought anxiously.

Chu Xingli: "..."

“Dude, I’m still breathing,” Chu Xingli suggested. “Why don’t you speak a little quieter? It would be more respectful to us.”

Luo Xiaoran just smiled and didn't say anything.

“Luo Xiaoran is an honest man,” Chu Xingli glared at Zhu Ji again, “Don’t tease people like that.”

Lin Ning looked at the "honest man" next to Chu Xingli with disbelief, and for once, she showed the same surprised expression as Zhu Ji.

Luo Xiaoran?

...An honest person?

That's funny.

"Luo Xiaoran is an Honest Man" is the funniest joke I've heard today.

[Hey, when he was seducing you, he was acting all vixen-like, and you didn't even look at him?]

[Ranzi is really good at pretending; he completely fooled my wife who loves to hug him.]

[Hugs: Do you think I don't know if Luo Xiaoran is a vixen?]

[Ranzi is getting better too, he's even getting help from Zhu Daniu now]

"Hugs, are you full?" Luo Xiaoran was always concerned about Chu Xingli's hunger and fullness.

After taking turns eating mutton, vegetables, and cake for several rounds, Chu Xingli patted her not-at-all-bulging belly and put down her chopsticks with satisfaction.

Chu Xingli took the tissue he offered, wiped her mouth, and nodded: "I'm full."

Before Luo Xiaoran could speak, Chu Xingli continued, "What about you? I don't see you've eaten much."

This undisguised concern made Luo Xiaoran feel extremely good.

“I’m almost done too,” he said, pulling out another tissue and smiling as he wiped the cream off Chu Xingli’s nose. “Hug me, wanna play a game?”

Chu Xingli is naturally playful.

Hearing Luo Xiaoran ask him that, he no longer cared about being reserved and looked at Luo Xiaoran with bright eyes.

What to play?

Luo Xiaoran reached into his coat pocket.

Chu Xingli stared curiously at the movements in his hands, waiting to see what good things Luo Xiaoran would pull out of his pocket.

"Looking forward to it?" Luo Xiaoran's gaze didn't leave Chu Xingli's face as he took out his things.

He didn't want to miss a single smile or gesture from Hug.

Especially when they see a small surprise, the smile from the hug is more dazzling than the surprise itself.

Upon hearing this, Chu Xingli nodded quite vigorously.

After a good meal, it's nice to have some fun games to distract yourself.

Luo Xiaoran pulled his hand out of his coat pocket, held it out in front of Chu Xingli, and then unfolded it—

Chu Xingli looked closely and realized it was a box of sparklers.

"When did you buy it?!"

Chu Xingli accepted it with both hands in delight.

He hasn't played this game in a long time, how did Luo Xiaoran know?

"I just saw it and bought it on a whim when I went out to do a mission," Luo Xiaoran said casually.

Chu Xingli wasn't stupid; of course she knew how far it was from the village to the small town store that sold sparklers.

Luo Xiaoran's love is deep and profound.

Like a silent snowy night.

After daybreak, the mountains and fields were covered in pure white.

Luo Xiaoran, of course, had no idea what Chu Xingli was thinking.

He just wanted to make Chu Xingli happy.

Luo Xiaoran took out his rarely used lighter and pulled a sparkler from the box.

After lighting it in his own hand, he handed the sparkler, which was bursting with pale golden sparks, to Chu Xingli.

Chu Xingli reached out and took it, just like when she was a child, and happily shook it.

It drew streaks of golden light in the night.

The young man's eyes, curved in a smile, were illuminated by the firelight.

So beautiful you can't take your eyes off her.

Luo Xiaoran looked stunned.

"Crackling sound—"

It burned out completely.

The sparkling sparklers turned black.

Chu Xingli's eyes dimmed.

But the next second, Luo Xiaoran, who had lit the next one for him in advance, handed him the second one.

"Go have fun, but be careful." Luo Xiaoran gently patted Chu Xingli's lower back, signaling him to go find Lin Ning and Sister Lu to play.

Hugs is a child who always likes to share with others.

Sharing maximizes the joy of a hug.

【"Go Play, But Be Careful" is basically raising a child!!!】

[Ranzi, you are a male mom]

[Waaaaah, he was afraid Hug would be scared, so he lit the fire himself and made sure it was safe before handing it to Hug o(╥﹏╥)o]

[Hugs, please make sure you stay with Ranzi!]

I think if Baobao really divorces Ranzi, Ranzi will definitely go crazy.

Luo Xiaoran watched as Chu Xingli walked towards Lin Ning. After the two lit a cigarette together as an experiment, they excitedly went to find Sister Lu.

When Sister Lu took the lighter, she habitually reached into her pocket, clearly looking for cigarettes.

Luo Xiaoran raised his phone and captured the comical scene of Chu Xingli quickly pressing down on Sister Lu to stop her from smoking.

*

The courtyard the production team found was located at the very back of the entire village.

The elderly people in the village don't usually stroll around here after dinner.

Today, even from the village entrance, one could see the towering flames in the courtyard from afar, making it hard for the elderly not to be curious and come over in groups to see what was going on.

"Wow, so many young people playing here?" The elderly folks found it quite interesting and stood outside the courtyard gate, laughing as they looked inside.

The director is an e-person, so of course he wouldn't just watch the elderly men and women standing outside.

They quickly had the staff invite the elders in so they could sit together, chat, and have a bite to eat.

After all, there are many elderly couples among them who have been together for many years, and it wouldn't hurt for the guests to chat with them.

Seeing so many elders sit down, Chu Xingli and Lin Ning quickly stopped playing around and returned to their own little stools to sit down.

An elderly man with a cane sat down next to Bao Keming, staring at him from left to right, as if he had something to say to him.

Bao Keming felt a chill run down his spine from the old man's gaze and couldn't help but ask first, "Grandpa, is there something you need?"

"Are you a college student?" the old man asked, grabbing Bao Keming, who exuded an aura of "I'm no ordinary person."

This question was an insult to Bao Keming, who considered himself a life mentor.

However, worried that the old man might not understand, he nodded helplessly: "Yes, what's wrong, sir?"

Upon hearing this, the old man shakily pulled a relatively new old-fashioned mobile phone from his pocket and handed it to Bao Keming: "Can you take a look? Why isn't the alarm clock going off on this thing?"

Bao Keming wondered how complicated it could be, then casually reached out and took it, fiddling with it for a few moments.

The old man, leaning on his cane, watched him from the side.

However, Bao Keming lived too long into the era of using such keypad phones.

He hadn't seen a phone like this in a long time, and was momentarily at a loss.

"Do you even know how to do it?" the old man asked at the opportune moment, successfully putting Bao Keming in an awkward position.

Bao Keming swallowed hard and stubbornly said, "Yes, yes, I will, sir, please don't rush me."

After saying that, he quickly pressed the button twice more.

"Power off—beep be ...

uncle:"……"

Bao Keming: "..."

[They just shut down the old man's phone.]

[Old man: Why would I need to talk to you if I wanted to turn off my phone?]

[Bao Keming is a jack of all trades, master of none, hahaha]

He can't even connect to the internet; he doesn't understand anything at all.

[The old man picked the wrong person, haha. He wanted someone older who seemed reliable, but he ended up with a problem.]

[Grandpa, quickly ask Hug for help! Hug is super smart!]

Chu Xingli was sitting not far from them when she heard the sound coming from Bao Keming's phone and couldn't help but laugh out loud.

"What are you laughing at? Come on, try it."

Bao Keming was unhappy.

Chu Xingli loved seeing him make a fool of himself, and took the phone with a smile: "I'll do it, I'll do it."

In no time, Chu Xingli had set the alarm clock for the old man.

“Sir, even if it’s set up this time, it will still be troublesome for you if you’re not familiar with it later,” Chu Xingli said. “Let me teach you how to use it.”

The old man's comprehension is quite good.

With Chu Xingli's guidance, he quickly learned all the functions.

To make sure the old man really learned it, Chu Xingli taught him twice, then handed the phone back to him, saying, "Let me watch you operate it one more time."

"Wow, impressive, kid," the old man patted Chu Xingli's arm and gave him a thumbs up. "You're a college student, right?"

Chu Xingli smiled and nodded: "Yes."

The old man looked at him with even more kindness, patting Chu Xingli's shoulder and back repeatedly: "No wonder you're a college student."

After saying that, before Chu Xingli could speak, the old man turned back to look at Bao Keming, his tone blunt and cruel: "You wasted your time at university."

Bao Keming: "...???"

[The old man wrote "No wonder he's a college student" one minute and "You wasted your college education" the next.]

[Hugs teach old men how to use their phones, hugs are good; old men praise hugs, old men are good; Bao Keming is stupid and incompetent, Bao Keming is bad]

[Bao Keming was completely speechless after being roasted, haha]

When the elderly folks saw that someone was helping them with their phone problems, they immediately stopped chatting and rushed over to surround Chu Xingli.

"Child, can you help me figure out why I can't withdraw the gold coins from this phone?"

"Could you make the old man's phone a little faster? It's always freezing up."

Chu Xingli is warm-hearted and enjoys lively gatherings.

He accepted every request from the elderly men and women without hesitation.

They quickly and efficiently resolved their problems one by one.

It won countless exaggerated praises from the elderly.

"My grandson said there's a type of person who's really amazing, called a hacker."

"Kid, you're so amazing, you must be a hacker, right?"

"Could you add a few more zeros to the money in my bank account?"

"Hey! We can't do something so unethical! This is making someone's child break the law!"

Chu Xingli: "..."

Luo Xiaoran couldn't hold back any longer, but worried that Bao Bao would see him laughing, so he had to lower his head, cover his eyes, and forcefully suppress his laughter.

[“Kid, you're a hacker, aren't you?” Haha, my grandma asked me that too.]

Everyone here is the pride of their grandparents.

[Ranzi was laughing so hard his shoulders were shaking, hahaha]

[After all, opportunities to see Hug looking so embarrassed are relatively rare, haha]

[We can't do anything that goes against our conscience!]

[Hilarious! Sexy mushroom judge, online hacker overhaul]

*

The lively barbecue party has come to an end.

Zhou Maidong was exhausted from working and losing his shoes all day, so he went back to his room to rest early.

Lin Ning and Zhu Ji were still squatting at the gate of the courtyard, happily playing with the sparklers that Chu Xingli had given them.

Zhao Anyu and Chen Xuanqi have never been together.

After they left their seats, one went to talk to Qiao Manyun, and the other went to discuss the play with Lu Yunxin; they were each busy with their own things.

After Chu Xingli and Luo Xiaoran helped the staff tidy up the things in the yard, they were also driven back to their room by the director.

Luo Xiaoran walked in front, and Chu Xingli followed behind.

Even after they had gone inside, closed the door, and turned on the lights, neither of them spoke.

Luo Xiaoran maintained his gentle and harmless demeanor, gazing tenderly at Chu Xingli.

Normally, Chu Xingli would just glance back at him and that would be fine.

But today I witnessed the tender moment between Lin Ning and Zhu Ji, and the golden and silver wedding anniversaries of those elders who have been together for many years.

Being in such a situation at this moment, the ambiguous feelings are difficult to describe in words.

Chu Xingli thought of what Xingxing said about not being able to disobey, and of the nightmares that haunted her every night.

...So tired.

He also wanted to take a gamble without any distractions.

Chu Xingli's gaze slowly moved upwards.

Looking into Luo Xiaoran's perpetually calm and unwavering eyes, Chu Xingli suddenly felt an urge to pin him against the door and give him a good kiss first.

"What's wrong? Let me hug you?" Luo Xiaoran looked at him.

Chu Xingli thought she had hidden her emotions well.

But the moment he heard Luo Xiaoran ask him a question, he could no longer keep up the act.

He stepped forward, trying to wrap his arms around Luo Xiaoran's waist and press him against the door.

But she never expected that she would become the one who had her shoulders held, her thumb and forefinger gripped, and was forced to tilt her head back for a kiss.

“…You, Luo Xiaoran, you,” Chu Xingli managed to utter a few words between their intertwined lips, her breathing particularly labored, “Wait…wait…”

Luo Xiaoran's voice, which was usually gentle and deep, was unusually aggressive at this moment.

This made Chu Xingli truly realize just how terrifyingly aggressive the men she faced every day actually were:

"I can't wait even a second."

【What's going on?! I was completely bewildered the moment I walked in】

[That sound of water, oh my god!!!]

I can't even imagine how excited I would be if I were there!

[Hugs, you've finally grown up! Mommy is so proud of you! o(╥﹏╥)o]

Is it possible that I'll witness them doing it in front of me?

[Ranzi Bro: I'm not pretending anymore, I'm laying my cards on the table]