Chapter Twenty-Six

Huo Yuzheng stayed in Mo Wansheng's pre-marital house for another whole week.

After Christmas, as the year draws to a close and work gets busy, no one has time to think about anyone else.

However, he followed the study materials that Mo Wansheng sent him completely, and spent his free time playing through them from beginning to end.

Since it's a literary game, the computer performance requirements aren't high; he could play it at Mo Wansheng's house using a business laptop.

Whenever he has free time, he opens the game interface, loads a save file, and continues playing.

Although he doesn't particularly like games that combine images, text, and music, he finds them too unresponsive.

However, he even went so far as to organize various character settings and summarize the plot development.

In most games, there are more than one romantic interest, and the intricate web of relationships gives him a headache.

The matter was eventually clarified.

More than a week has passed.

They finally got a much-needed rest.

As is customary, Huo Yuzheng prepared breakfast.

They're not in a hurry today because their days off coincide again.

He sipped his warm coffee slowly and spoke first, "Mrs. Huo, I've finished those games."

Mo Wansheng raised her head, a look of surprise flashing in her eyes.

"So fast?"

Her cherry-like lips pouted slightly. "Were you not even playing seriously?"

"No, I watched the entire plot carefully," Huo Yuzheng replied calmly.

"But I'm a little curious, Mrs. Huo, what kind of women do you prefer among those you've been pursuing?"

“I like it…” Mo Wansheng was about to continue the conversation when she suddenly realized that she had been tricked into saying something, and her tone became a bit fierce.

"Huo Yuzheng!" she called out his full name.

"I asked you to learn, not to pry into my privacy!"

Huo Yuzheng looked at her, who was in a flustered state, and his smile deepened.

"Mrs. Huo, you've misunderstood."

"This is my analysis and research for learning purposes. I think players with different personalities have different preferences for the target of their affections, so I want to find out Mrs. Huo's preferences."

Mo Wansheng gave a light snort and threw the question back at her, "So, do you have someone you like?"

"Mrs. Huo, I'm sorry, I don't like men." His tone was firm and unquestionable.

She couldn't help but mutter, "I should have found a visual novel for you to play."

Huo Yuzheng heard it, but deliberately frowned slightly, pretending not to hear clearly, "Mrs. Huo, I'm sorry, I didn't hear you clearly."

Mo Wansheng's phone suddenly lit up; it was a calendar notification.

She glanced at her phone, then looked up. "I mean, I could tell Mr. Huo, but what would be in my way?"

"Mrs. Huo may ask any questions you wish to ask."

Mo Wansheng's lips curled up slightly. Now she had found a laborer. She had been worried about not being able to find one.

Half an hour later, they appeared together at the sales event for the limited edition new game cartridge.

The entrance to the main hall was already packed with people.

People were shoulder to shoulder, packed tightly together.

Huo Yuzheng seemed completely out of place in this atmosphere; he had no expression and remained calm.

"Excuse me, excuse me." A staff member carrying a large bag squeezed through the crowd to make way.

His elbow accidentally bumped into Huo Yuzheng's shoulder with such force that it almost separated the two people standing close together.

Mo Wansheng quickly reached out and grabbed Huo Yuzheng's wrist. Amid the noise, she raised her voice, "Don't wander off!"

She grabbed his wrist and weaved through the crowd until they finally reached the very end of the hopeless line.

Once she was on her feet, she released his wrist, clapped her hands, and said, "Okay, let's stand here."

The event finally began after a long time.

The line moved slowly, and it was often during these times that people's patience was put to the test.

The person in front kept calling him "Teacher, Teacher," while the people behind him exchanged WeChat QR codes to expand their social circle.

As the sun slowly moved to its zenith, even in winter, some areas lacked shade, making it somewhat glaring.

The queue was a bit boring.

A young voice, tinged with both uncertainty and excitement, suddenly came from behind Mo Wansheng, "Sister!"

The two of them turned to look at him.

He was a handsome, youthful-looking male college student wearing a casual hoodie.

His eyes seemed to be filled with stars as he stared intently at Mo Wansheng.

Her cheeks flushed slightly as she was being stared at by both of them at the same time.

But excitement overcame her shyness, and she mustered her courage to step forward, asking joyfully, "Sister, do you like this game too?"

He pointed to the trailer booklet that Mo Wansheng was holding in her arms, "I saw you queued for a long time, this version is super hard to get! Do you also like the protagonist 'Tai Xiu Si'? I think he's super handsome!"

He was completely immersed in the joy of meeting a like-minded person, and almost ignored the man with a very strong presence next to Mo Wansheng.

Huo Yuzheng's gaze lingered on the male college student's face for a moment before slowly returning to Mo Wansheng's slightly startled profile.

He didn't say anything.

He had only been gently holding her hand, but it naturally slid down and their fingers became intertwined.

Slow and firm, with an undeniable sense of assertion.

Mo Wansheng felt her fingers being firmly held, and was slightly startled. She turned her head to look at Huo Yuzheng.

He didn't look at her, but calmly looked at the male college student, maintaining a polite smile on his lips.

The male college student was oblivious to all of this, excitedly expressing his love for the game.

Finally, after a moment's hesitation, he bravely spoke up.

"Sister! Can I add you on WeChat? I'd like to hang out with you later!"

Mo Wansheng could feel the force in her hand increase slightly.

Just as she was about to take out her phone, Huo Yuzheng lifted her hand, which was being held tightly.

"I'm sorry." Huo Yuzheng's voice was calm and collected, yet carried an invisible sense of pressure.

The male college student suddenly came to his senses, looked at the two people's tightly clasped hands, and looked apologetic.

Are you friends?

Huo Yuzheng revealed the ring on Mo Wansheng's left hand and corrected her in a deep voice, "She's a family member."

The male college student's face turned bright red instantly, even the tips of his ears turned red.

He stammered an apology, "I'm so sorry! I disturbed you!"

After saying that, he practically fled in panic, quickly disappearing into the crowd.

What followed was a long wait.

Huo Yuzheng remained silent, standing quietly beside Mo Wansheng.

She moves, and he moves with her.

There was no pain on her face, only some tiredness, but she radiated happiness.

But human energy is ultimately limited.

Looking at the long queue, they estimated it would be another hour before it was their turn.

Huo Yuzheng noticed that she kept switching between using her other foot to support her weight, clearly indicating that she was tired.

He straightened up. "If you can't stand up, you can lean on me and share some of the weight."

Mo Wansheng looked up at him and let out a long "oh".

She didn't stand on ceremony and leaned slightly against Li Huoyuzheng.

With him as a pillar, things are indeed much easier.

Actually, she initially thought that he, the laborer, should do it himself.

But the thought of Huo Yuzheng, who dislikes crowds, being all alone among them, is somewhat tragic.

Besides, she also wanted to experience the atmosphere.

They moved forward little by little until it was finally their turn.

Huo Yuzheng carried the shopping basket, and Mo Wansheng stuffed five items into it. If it weren't for the purchase limit, she could have taken even more.

Although her behavior might seem a bit like that of a scalper, she simply enjoys collecting things.

When they came out, the line still stretched as far as the eye could see.

Huo Yuzheng carried shopping bags and walked beside Mo Wansheng.

He asked curiously, "Why do you want to buy it offline?"

Mo Wansheng gave her a look that said, "You don't understand. This is called atmosphere. I know that Boss Huo will definitely say that he'd rather just buy it outright."

"But I sometimes just like to come offline and experience the lively atmosphere, where everyone is spending time and money on the same hobby."

"I'm so sorry to have taken up so much of Mr. Huo's time, which is worth millions per second." She said this, but there was no apology in her voice.

He wasn't angry about it; his gaze was entirely focused on Mo Wansheng's face, which was slightly flushed with excitement.

"So, Mrs. Huo, you keep your word, can you tell me now?"

After going around in circles, the topic eventually returned to its original starting point.

Mo Wansheng hesitated for a moment, a sly glint in her eyes, "Mr. Huo, may I say I like them all?"

This is an absolutely perfect answer, encompassing all possibilities.

Huo Yuzheng chuckled, exposing her lie. "Mrs. Huo, I asked what kind of person you prefer. That answer is cheating."

She scoffed, and finally said reluctantly, "Fine, fine. I'll tell you, okay?"

Mo Wansheng parted her red lips slightly and spoke slowly and deliberately.

"A refined scoundrel with an ascetic nature."

"So Mrs. Huo has a taste for this?" Huo Yuzheng's voice rose slightly, carrying a hint of teasing.

She didn't want to talk to him anymore. With her back to him, she quickly walked through the bustling crowd and went straight to an empty spot.

Huo Yuzheng followed closely in her direction, strode up to catch up, and grabbed her hand.

"Mrs. Huo, slow down, don't lose me."

Mo Wansheng turned around and glared at him fiercely. Huo Yuzheng in front of her seemed to have been possessed.

She discovered that ever since she got to know him, sometimes his mouth was like it deserved a slap, he was practically a scoundrel.

Huo Yuzheng pulled her slightly towards him.

He leaned slightly forward, his thin lips almost touching her earlobe. His warm breath brushed against her, tickling her and making Mo Wansheng want to move away.

This was still in the shopping mall area, and there were quite a few pedestrians coming and going.

"Huo Yuzheng!" she scolded in a low voice, embarrassed and annoyed. She placed her other free hand against his firm chest, trying to push him away, but failed.

Her cheeks were already rosy, like a ripe peach.

After teasing her for a while longer, Huo Yuzheng figured she would really get angry if he kept teasing her, so he let go of her and stood up straight.

Mo Wansheng shook her hand and took a big step back to maintain a safe distance.

His deep voice carried a hint of amusement, and his words were clearly audible amidst the noisy environment, "Mrs. Huo, is this what you call a refined scoundrel?"

For a moment, she felt she must be going crazy, and her heart started beating even faster.

Mo Wansheng glared at him, as if issuing a warning. Her cheeks bulged out, like large, white steamed buns.

Huo Yuzheng raised his slender fingers and placed them on her forehead, giving her a light tap on the forehead.

"Alright, I'm not teasing you anymore." His voice suddenly calmed down, returning to its initial composed state.

“Let’s go home.” He naturally took her hand.

Mo Wansheng followed behind him in a daze, the spot on her forehead where she had just been tapped still slightly numb.

Back at Jingyuan, Huo Yuzheng handed the shopping bag full of "spoils of war" to Mo Wansheng.

Mo Wansheng pursed her lips, took out a cassette tape from the bag, and handed it to him.

She acted as if she were throwing away something unimportant.

"Here you go."

Huo Yuzheng reached out and took the cassette tape. "Thank you, Mrs. Huo."

Mo Wansheng snorted and walked towards the bedroom with the remaining game cartridges in her arms, saying as she went, "Practice hard, and I'll find you to play together in a few days."