Chapter 18 Boyfriend

Objectively speaking, Xu Jingyan and Jiang Luo are colleagues.

Colleagues are not a kind of interpersonal relationship, but a midpoint.

Going a step further, we can become friends.

Taking a step back will turn you into an enemy.

Xu Jingyan was quite different from all the colleagues Jiang Luo had encountered before.

During the filming of "Twin Lotuses", she would chat with Jiang Luo about gossip and buy her coffee.

She even happily shares half of the gifts she receives with ginger.

This was the first time Jiang Luo had ever felt such intense camaraderie from a colleague.

One night, after work, Xu Jingyan pulled Jiang Luo along and they ran barefoot on the beach.

The icy seawater stung her skin, but she didn't care.

She asked Jiang Luo, "What kind of life do you want?"

Jiang Luo replied, "I don't need a lot of money or a lot of popularity. As long as I can keep acting and support myself, and have scripts to choose from, that's enough for me."

It is often said that life is like a game of chess.

For Jiang Luo, life is never like playing chess; there's no need for scheming, and each piece doesn't have to follow predetermined rules.

A little taste is enough.

She countered by asking Xu Jingyan, "And you?"

Xu Jingyan immediately rolled up her sleeves and shouted at the sea, "I want to become a top star! I want to act in whatever role I want! I want to be showered with endorsements..."

That night, Xu Jingyan was like a wildflower growing wildly by the roadside, full of vigorous and upward vitality.

Looking back, Xu Jingyan has lost some weight compared to then, and her eyes are still bright, but they are different from before.

More...resilient? Jiang Luo couldn't understand.

Everything else is irrelevant. Right now, Jiang Luo has something else she wants to say: "You've achieved the life you wanted. Congratulations."

Xu Jingyan stared at her for a second, then burst into laughter.

Jiang Luo didn't know what she was laughing at, and just chuckled along in a daze.

"Luo Luo." After smiling, Xu Jingyan turned to face her directly, her lips slightly parted.

For a moment, Jiang Luo had a gut feeling that she was going to say something.

Unfortunately, the emotions were too shallow and were ultimately swallowed by the chilling wind.

The low temperature, along with the emptiness, floated above the city.

-

"Click".

Fasten her seatbelt, Jiang Luo held her coffee, and comfortably leaned back in the passenger seat.

Kobayashi started the car and glanced at her.

Jiang Luo noticed and asked, "What's wrong?"

"Xu Jingyan is looking for you?"

"Uh-huh."

"Luo Luo, there's something I still need to remind you of," Brother Lin said earnestly. "Don't get too close to Xu Jingyan. Although we haven't found out who did what happened before, looking at the ultimate beneficiary, it's Xu Jingyan. And the angle from which that GIF was filmed was definitely from someone on set. You need to be very careful with Xu Jingyan..."

Outside the window, an agate gray 911 sped past like a swallow skimming across the water.

Jiang Luo didn't respond, but just tilted her head and looked.

She used to think that she would never hear phrases like "Don't play with so-and-so" again after leaving school.

Thinking about it, perhaps Brother Lin just treated her like a child and cared for her.

"Luo Luo?" Brother Lin called again.

Jiang Luo turned her face and nodded, "I understand."

-

Back home, Jiang Luo turned on the light, took off her coat, and hung it up.

The clock on the wall shows the time: 8:54, evening.

She sat on the sofa, hugged her calves, rested her chin on her knees, and just sat there, spacing out.

During the filming of "Twin Lotuses", even when she didn't have any scenes, she would sit on set and wait to observe other actors' performances.

Xu Jingyan would come occasionally.

At that time, the crew went to a northern city to film. It was snowing outside and freezing cold. Jiang Luo huddled up in a ball to the side.

Xu Jingyan was originally sitting next to her, observing together.

Suddenly, Xu Jingyan grabbed her hand and giggled, "Do you know that people with cold hands were angels with broken wings in their past lives!"

Jiang Luo said softly, "How corny."

Xu Jingyan didn't say anything, but her eyes crinkled into a cheerful smile.

Cute and innocent are the richest parts of Jiang Luo's memories of Xu Jingyan.

She even thought for a time that they were already friends.

However, after being targeted, Xu Jingyan never contacted her again.

"Ding-dong."

[Your special follow account @DoomsdayLove just updated a Weibo post, come check it out!]

Upon seeing the words "Love in the Apocalypse," Jiang Luo's gloom immediately vanished.

The official Weibo account posted an update—

[Ladies, don't forget to check your Gold Coin Lucky Bags! Some ladies have already opened super-sized 888 Gold Coins! Share yours, ladies! Also, there's a big announcement: Xiao Lian will be releasing a New Year's card set on January 18th! Retweet this post for a chance to win one of eight 888 Gold Coins each!]

Cards.

Jiang Luo chuckled softly.

I play it once a day; this game is incredibly lucrative.

However, considering that it was able to create a character with such a soul as Yan Zihe, Jiang Luo decided to give the cards a try.

After reading the message, she leaned on the sofa armrest, lay comfortably, and opened the game.

—【Congratulations】—

Sizzle—Sizzle—Sizzle—

An unusual sound occurred, and the next second, the world switched.

He Ziyan returned to the game.

The person was still sitting on the bed, holding a mobile phone in their hand.

He looked down and saw that Luo Luo was online.

Could it be... that he will be summoned if Luo Luo enters the game?

This time, he truly became her "pet lover," or rather, her "electronic pet."

He Ziyan: "..."

Speechless, yet with a faint hint of joy.

He curled his lips into a smile, stared at the call icon in the chat box, and raised an eyebrow.

Press it decisively.

-【ginger】-

"Ding-dong ding-dong ding-dong..."

The phone rang.

It turns out to be Yan Zihe.

Jiang Luo blinked.

She was still choosing a new skin to give to Yan Zihe when, unexpectedly, Yan Zihe contacted her on his own initiative.

Click to connect.

"Hello?"

"Luo Luo, welcome back."

A clear, crisp voice rang out, with a faint hint of amusement in its pronunciation.

Holding the phone up to her face, Jiang Luo frowned slightly.

Yan Zihe... seems to be in a happy mood?

happy?

Is it because she went online?

Why not increase the favorability rating?

However, this unfortunate game finally has a "Welcome back" line, which is touching.

Clearing her throat, Jiang Luo replied sweetly, "Let's go save the world together, boyfriend!"

—【Congratulations】—

Boy friend.

It tastes like the osmanthus steamed cake I ate as a child—soft and with a delicate fragrance.

That faint fragrance lingered around the nose, stirring the heart.

He Ziyan froze.

When he came to his senses, he was already standing in front of a pile of ruins.

“There are people ahead, let’s go check it out,” Luo Luo said to him.

It was no longer that cold, mechanical sound, but had become Luo Luo's unique softness.

He Ziyan collected his thoughts and said, "Hmm."

Looking ahead, at the mound of earth, a person in a white coat stood with their back to them, hunched over, seemingly doing something.

They walked toward the man.

-【ginger】-

There was a vague sense of foreboding.

The closer Jiang Luo got to the NPC, the more ominous she felt.

Walk another ten steps or so, and you'll be right next to the NPC.

Her fingertips paused, and she said to Yan Zihe, "You go first." Her words were righteous and firm.

Yan Zihe: "...Hmm."