Chapter 108 You and Me with the Countdown I thought you were going to raise your score again...

They walked on the road for a long time.

Meng Yuanzhou actually asked: "Can we get to your house by walking this way?"

Greetings: "Everyone go home, why are you following me?"

He raised his eyebrows and looked at him suspiciously.

Meng Yuanzhou: “???” He immediately turned around and walked in another direction.

At this time, Zhu Ci's phone suddenly rang. He picked up the phone and took a look. This time he was right. It was Shen Wu. He asked a question: "Where is he?"

Zhu Ci opened the emoticon package and sent a "Guess" message.

There was a bookstore next to it, so he turned around and walked in. It had been a long time since he had read a book.

Zhu Ci could see Shen Wu's name among the new books on the bookshelf. He picked up a book and took a look at the name.

"The Man Carrying the Countdown of Life", tag: healing.

Zhu Ci took a careful look at the author's name and confirmed it several times. It was definitely Shen Wu's.

Cure? Cure? ?

It must be fake.

"Do you like Mr. Shen's books too?"

Zhu Ci turned around and saw a girl with bright eyes and a hint of teasing.

"You seem very curious about this book. I was also surprised when I saw the label on the book last week."

Zhuci nodded: "Indeed."

"But this book can be considered 'healing'. The protagonist's starting point is all for love. People who were originally not afraid of death now have a reason to live. A lot of changes have taken place in their lives. Before the countdown of their lives...ah, I've spoiled the plot." The girl said embarrassedly.

"It's okay, what's the ending?" Zhu Ci asked.

The girl asked, "Are you sure you don't want to take a look yourself?"

"I might look at it," Zhuci said.

"There are many different opinions about the ending. It is open ended. Hmm... But I am more in favor of that opinion. How can ordinary people see their own countdown? The protagonist is just crazy, or he may have died a long time ago, trapped in the cycle of love and fear."

Seeing that Zhuci seemed to be somewhat interested, the girl spoke even more happily, "This book is different from the previous ones. The scenes of life are very healing, without direct distorted lens descriptions. It is only later that it starts to make people think carefully and extremely horrified. Many chapters in the middle are almost difficult to connect, and the protagonist will undergo major changes in stages. Only when you see the ending will you think that perhaps the man who loves another protagonist and cherishes every second of his life has been killed by him when a certain character's personality changes drastically. Each section unfolds with the memories of the later, completely different self. The protagonist has been killed by himself as many times as there are memories. And there are more terrifying truths under all the happy scenes."

“You have a lot of insights into this book.”

"No, no, no, I searched for book reviews. Otherwise, it would be hard for me to think of them. Oh, I'm sorry for spoiling so much."

Zhu Ci shook his head. He didn't have much time to read novels now. He felt uncomfortable when he thought about the homework that the professor had blocked him from completing.

Zhu Ci bought the book and then took out his cell phone.

Wu Yi sent him a few photos, which were group photos taken today.

After taking a look at Zhu Ci, he suddenly felt much calmer.

The impact of the game on him is like a visible countdown in this book. The more he wants, the more he can't let go, and the less he can face the ending calmly.

If he could make this game disappear and let everything settle, would he be able to accept his original life in its entirety rather than in fragments, without having to worry about confusing reality with fiction?

And the best way to do all this is to cut off all connection with reality.

As for Shen Wu...

Zhu Ci pondered for a long time and had to admit that what Meng Yuanzhou said made some sense. He tried his best to avoid thinking about Shen Wu because this factor was too complicated.

If you insist on thinking about it, everything will become vulnerable.

As a human being, it is not a bad thing to retain some sensibility. If he can still survive, he can start over again.

…

"Click." Zhu Ci opened the door and went home.

It was getting dark, it was quiet inside, the room was empty and tidy, and there was an inexplicable sense of desolation and loneliness.

Zhuci walked in.

The bedroom door opened and Shen Wu walked out wearing a home suit.

"You're back?" His eyes were too calm, and then fell on the book in Zhu Ci's hand, "Why did you buy this? I have a sample at home."

Zhu Ci said: "I met a girl who really liked reading this book. She told me some of its contents, and I bought it."

"Really? What did she say?"

"The happiness in the book is fake." Zhu Ci said.

Shen Wu glanced at him, then sat down on the sofa: "Since you think so, then the happiness inside is meaningless."

"Really? What is this book about?" Zhu Ci asked.

"It's very simple. It's just to discuss whether hard work is meaningful. You don't have to read it. Your essay won't pass anyway."

Congratulations: "...what?"

He narrowed his eyes and looked at Shen Wu in disbelief. First, why did he know that his homework was rejected again? Second, didn't this person always respect encouragement-based education?

Shen Wu took a sip of tea and took out his phone calmly: "Professor Wang told me to teach you more. He said he couldn't bear to watch it anymore."

"No, is it that bad? It's all because of you." Zhu Ci couldn't bear it anymore when he said this. He would not write novels in the future, so just let him fly by. If the professor hadn't known about his relationship with Shen Wu, he wouldn't have such high expectations of him.

"But I read it and it's really ordinary and emotionless. You're more suitable to write a caption."

Zhu Ci raised his eyebrows, looked at the other person's cold and venomous expression, and asked suspiciously: "What's wrong with you suddenly? Are you angry?"

"Don't you want to talk?" Shen Wu pointed to the table next to him, "Let's go."

Congratulations: “???”

Something must be wrong when things are out of the ordinary. Zhu Ci was silent for a moment and said, "Let's have dinner first."

"No need, let's sit down and talk first, it can be solved in a few words." Shen Wu appeared quite calm.

They sat opposite each other at the dining table, and Zhuci stared at him.

"You tell me." he said.

"…What?" Zhu Ci asked.

"Don't you have anything to say?" Shen Wu handed over his computer.

“……” Suddenly I couldn’t utter a word.

The only sound in the room was the clacking of each other's keyboards.

There are some questions in Zhushou, but I don't know where to start. Should I break up with him now?

“Pah.”

As the last few words were typed, the time left for him to be silent disappeared.

"Take a look at these." Shen Wu pushed the computer in front of him.

Zhuci looked over and saw a document in front of him. The content looked familiar.

"My homework?"

"It's finished, please send it over." Shen Wu raised his eyebrows coldly, as if he had thought of something, "No need, do I have to continue to rely on the straightforward but meaningless colloquialisms in your composition?"

Toast: "...Did you eat gunpowder tonight?"

"Oh, the main thing is, I thought you were going to break up with me again." Shen Wu said as he stood up, "You're not breaking up yet?"

He said this, probably based on the time interval between the previous breakups.

Although this was originally the case, Zhu Ci had already contacted the people at Candlelight before coming here, and the leave of absence and accommodation could be arranged quickly.

But for some reason, he didn't dare to mention it.

Shen Wu's beautiful hands carried the food and placed it on the table.

"Let's eat."

"You..." Zhu Ci started hesitantly.

"Um?"

"Are you sure your brain is okay?" Zhu Ci asked.

Yes, what he was more afraid of was Shen Wu's mental state.

Shen Wu froze when he heard this. How did Zhu Ci come to this conclusion?

"How about going to the hospital?"

"I think you should go and see it."

It seems that he is just angry.

Zhu Ci nodded and said, "Thank you for helping me revise the composition."

"It's OK."

…

Zhu Ci was indeed worried about Shen Wu's mental problems, so after the meal, he took the initiative to clear the table and put the dishes into the dishwasher.

But perhaps mental problems can be contagious, Zhu Ci had a nightmare that night.

There was so much blood, and a crowd of people surrounded him. When he looked around, he saw only faceless people.

"Congratulations." A faceless man suddenly stood in front of him and pointed at his chest which had been stabbed with a hole. "You killed me, do you remember?"

Zhu Ci's wrists and ankles were tied tightly with transparent silk threads, and he said coldly: "I don't know you."

"Really?" A pair of hands pressed against his eyes. "What about now? Do you still remember?"

Zhu Ci was stunned. The familiar voice made him a little unbelievable: "Shen Wu?"

"You recognized it, didn't you? What about them?"

Countless voices suddenly emerged from the originally quiet darkness. Their voices intertwined with each other, making it louder than the discussions during beheading parades in ancient times.

Those voices mixed together and gradually became a deafening cry of "Go to hell". No matter what the original tone was, it was now as harsh as a sharp silver needle piercing the head.

A pair of hands reached out from behind Zhu Ci and lifted his chin effortlessly: "Are you scared?"

"Your life is so ridiculous. Someone has been pushing you since you were born. Aren't you afraid?"

His body gradually became empty, and every pore was invaded by the concrete word.

Fear?

"They're going to kill you, or you're going to kill them before that."

"The price of winning is that you have nothing."

…

Zhu Ci woke up from a nightmare and saw a tall black shadow looming beside him. His eyes suddenly widened and he wanted to fight.

"A small word."

It was clearly the same sound, but it had completely opposite effects. This sound calmed him down immediately.

Zhu Ci suddenly realized that it was just a dream and now he was awake, but the dream was so real, as if he had really killed someone with his own hands, and...

The lights were turned on, and Shen Wu's slightly concerned face appeared in the field of vision.

"I'm fine." Zhu Ci avoided his gaze.

Shen Wu frowned: "Are you okay? Did you have a nightmare?"

Zhu Ci nodded with a grim look on his face.

"Is it that serious? Let me help you..."

"No need." Zhu Ci stood up, "Shen Wu, let's split..."

When he said that word, he happened to meet Shen Wu's eyes. His eyes were as mysterious as his name in the dim light. Mystery also means unknown and terrifying.

"What did you say?" he asked in a normal tone.

Now Zhuci seemed to be fully awake: "Let's sleep in separate beds. I have insomnia and I'm going to read a book."

"Okay." Shen Wu nodded, and then said, "But do you want a hug?"

Zhu Ci was stunned for a moment and asked, "Why?"

"Because I heard from a psychiatrist that a hug can comfort every child who has a nightmare."

"Oh, then, sure." Zhuci said, opening his hands tentatively.

After being hugged, he did feel a little relieved, but Zhuci inexplicably thought of something.

Is Shen Wu indirectly saying that he is childish like a child?