Chapter 24 Zhao Zhinian skillfully turned on the machine and inserted the card…
Zhao Zhinian skillfully turned on the computer, inserted the SIM card, logged into Glory, and, following the task instructions, manipulated her game character to run to the task NPC. Then she stood up and gave her seat to Zhou Zekai.
Zhou Zekai, who was following behind her, walked with a noticeable hint of unease.
The reason is simple: the computer is in Zhao Zhinian's bedroom.
Just now, being in the living room was at most "entering the hall," but now, stepping into this more private space, it truly is "entering the room."
Zhao Zhinian, however, seemed quite at ease. Seeing that he had already sat down in front of the computer and started operating it, she walked to the side and began to pack the clothes she was going to take to Beijing. The two of them were busy with their own things, as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
Zhou Zekai was focused on his game when a message suddenly popped up in the lower right corner of the screen, from Gu Yin, the guild leader of the Samsara Guild.
[Lonely Drinker]: Sister Nian! You're finally online!
[Lonely Drinker]: Hey, what are you doing outside the city?
Zhou Zekai took a moment to type two words: "Mission".
Gu Yin immediately remembered that Zhao Zhinian had mentioned a quest he'd been stuck on for a long time. Since the guild was currently relatively quiet, he replied enthusiastically, "Is that the one you're stuck on? Wait here, I'll come and help you!"
Zhou Zekai stared at the screen, his fingers pausing on the keyboard, unsure how to respond. He turned his head to Zhao Zhinian, who was folding clothes nearby, and said, "Gu Yin is looking for you."
Thinking something urgent had happened, Zhao Zhinian put down her clothes and walked behind Zhou Zekai. Seeing Gu Yin enthusiastically offering to help Zhou Zekai with the mission, Zhao Zhinian felt the scene was too absurd and chuckled, "Just refuse him directly."
At this moment, Gu Yin was still sending messages asking, "It's normal for Team Leader Zhou to be busy with training and not online at the start of the new season, but why haven't you shown up for so long?" Then he mentioned the Weibo post he had seen earlier, "Is that Zhao Zhinian, the commentator for the Challenger Tournament that Honor officially announced? We all guessed it was you. You're from Beijing? I thought you were from Shanghai."
He had long seen through the ambiguous atmosphere between Zhou Zekai and Zhao Zhinian. His own god was not good with words, and he could only pursue girls by playing games, and he even had to bring his own vice captain Jiang to act as a translator. They were always worried for Captain Zhou. Now that they found out that the girl was still in Beijing, the chances of meeting would be even fewer. With the start of the new season, Captain Zhou simply didn't have time to go online. Captain Zhou's love life was truly a long and arduous journey.
"Okay?" Zhou Zekai wanted to refuse directly, but since it wasn't his number, he was also afraid that he wouldn't be able to explain it clearly or handle it improperly, which would only cause her trouble.
Understanding his concerns, Zhao Zhinian leaned closer and typed on the keyboard: "Power leveling, not the person himself."
"It's solved." She smiled and gave Zhou Zekai an OK sign.
Zhou Zekai had just responded when the character of Gu Yin had already run nearby and overheard Zhao Zhinian's words: "What's resolved? How come it wasn't the real person? Aren't you here?" His tone suddenly became alert, "Sister Nian, why is there a man's voice over there?!"
As he drank alone, his mind began to race: at this hour, Zhou should be training at the base, and Nianjie was in Beijing, so why would she be with a guy? The best-case scenario was them playing games at an internet cafe, the worst-case scenario was… He didn't dare think about it. As a staunch supporter who had long understood the master's thoughts, a sense of crisis—that his "own cabbage" was in imminent danger—rushed to his head.
"Sister Nian! How...how could you do this!" Gu Yin was heartbroken, her voice trembling. "Have you betrayed Captain Zhou?! Captain Zhou...how heartbroken he would be if he knew!"
Zhao Zhinian couldn't help but laugh out loud, and subconsciously turned her head to look at Zhou Zekai beside her.
Hearing this outrageous accusation of "stealing his own partner," Zhou Zekai's expression became very subtle. He pursed his lips, hesitated, and ultimately swallowed back his words of explanation.
Seeing Gun King's rare moment of embarrassment, Zhao Zhinian laughed so hard her shoulders shook. After spending this time together, she was quite confident in Gu Yin's character. She gestured for Zhou Zekai to be quiet, then leaned closer to the microphone and deliberately dragged out her words: "Ah! We've been found out! President Gu Yin, you have to keep this a secret for me, okay? Don't tell your Captain Zhou. This is a secret between us."
This... this is an admission? Gu Yin was instantly bewildered in the wind.
"Sister Nian! You! You really..." His voice suddenly rose as he began to argue for his idol: "Tell me what's wrong with our Captain Zhou! Is this guy better looking than Captain Zhou? Or better at games than Captain Zhou?! Impossible!"
Zhou Zekai: "..." That's well said, but could you please stop talking for now?
Zhao Zhinian was holding back her laughter until her stomach hurt. She glanced at the gun king beside her, whose ears were turning red, and continued to add fuel to the fire: "Oh well... each has its own merits? Don't blame me, I just made a mistake that all women in the world would make."
"Sister Nian!" Gu Yin couldn't bear to see her so stubborn. As the number one fan of the Gun King, he had to defend the god's dignity: "You can't do this! Captain Zhou... although he's a bit quiet, he's a good person! Handsome! Earns a lot! And his skills are unparalleled! You... you should reconsider! Turn back before it's too late!"
When someone tries to sell him to his face like that, Zhou Zekai finally couldn't help but cough lightly.
The cough came through the microphone, and Gu Yin immediately became alert: "Why is that booster still here? Did he hear everything I said? Why is he coughing? Is he dissatisfied with our Captain Zhou?"
Zhao Zhinian finally burst out laughing, looking at Zhou Zekai with schadenfreude: "It's over, it's over, Gu Yin thinks you're provoking him."
Zhou Zekai glanced at her helplessly, his eyes full of indulgence. He hesitated for a moment, then spoke two words into the microphone in his usual deep voice: "No."
The conversation on the other end of the drinking session fell silent instantly.
That voice…that tone…it was so familiar it made his soul tremble! He hadn’t thought about it carefully in his excitement, but now those two simple words, “no,” were like a lightning bolt that cleaved through his chaotic thoughts and struck him right in the head.
For three seconds, Gu Yin's mind went blank, a wave of immense embarrassment washing over him, accompanied by an outrageous guess. Wait, what did he just say?
"Uh... that... Sister Nian... Captain Zhou?" He had lost his previous assertiveness and his voice lowered, trembling with disbelief. "Is... is it you, Captain Zhou?"
Zhao Zhinian looked at the character of Gu Yin in the game as if he was frozen in place, laughing so hard he could hardly breathe: "Tell him yourself."
There are actually many ways to gloss over the issue, but revealing Zhou Zekai's identity would be tantamount to confirming their relationship. He turned his head and saw that Zhao Zhinian's smiling eyes showed no sign of evasion.
For the first time, she didn't deny their relationship in front of outsiders. Zhou Zekai spoke again, his voice filled with laughter: "Yes, it's me."
It's confirmed! It really is Captain Zhou! Gu Yin wished he could disappear into the ground. "Captain Zhou! I'm so sorry! I didn't know it was you! Did I say anything offensive? You're so kind! Sister Nian and you are a match made in heaven! A perfect couple! You're such a perfect match!" He stammered frantically trying to cover it up.
Good news: The ship I ship is real; bad news: I just rambled on and on, not only implicating the actual shippers but also almost making my idol look like a "third party."
As Zhou Zekai listened to Gu Yin's flustered explanation, and then glanced at Zhao Zhinian, who was laughing so hard she was bent over, a clear smile finally appeared on his lips. He gave a soft "Mmm" into the microphone.
"Well... Captain Zhou, you're busy! Sister Nian, you're busy too! I won't bother you anymore! I didn't show up today! I don't know anything! If you need anything, just call me anytime! Goodbye!" After saying that, Gu Yin's game character disappeared instantly.
The room fell silent, save for Zhao Zhinian's lingering laughter. Zhou Zekai was still working on his task, a smile still lingering on his face, tinged with a hint of helpless blush.
“Oh no,” Zhao Zhinian joked, “Now President Guyin will definitely think I’m a troublemaker, making you, Captain Zhou, ‘neglect your duties’ and help me practice late at night.”
Zhou Zekai shook his head, feeling quite pleased to see that she didn't seem to care at all about others knowing about their relationship: "No." He paused, then added, "He supports us."
Zhou Zekai quickly finished his task, then turned to stare at her as she straightened her clothes, his voice soft and gentle: "You don't mind?"
Zhao Zhinian was carefully folding the shirt and packing it into her suitcase when she heard Zhou Zekai suddenly ask a question. She looked up, thought for a moment, and understood Zhou Zekai's question.
"I'm not the kind of person who would gossip about it." She spoke frankly, her fingertips unconsciously tracing her clothes, a slight smile playing on her lips. "Besides... we really are together. Rather than letting him misunderstand that I'm spending the night in a room with another guy, I'd rather he know that it's you."
Zhou Zekai lowered his eyes and pondered for a moment, finally choosing to follow his most straightforward thoughts, replying with a rare childlike innocence: "It would be better to let everyone know..."
Zhao Zhinian was amused by his undisguised declaration: "That won't do."
Zhou Zekai was quite satisfied with the progress of their relationship today, so he nodded obediently, like a large dog that had been stroked, and replied in a low voice, "Oh."
The mission was successfully completed, and the night outside the window was deepening. Zhou Zekai got up to say goodbye, and Zhao Zhinian saw him to the door.
The two said their goodbyes politely, but one lingered on the door, while the other hesitated to close it. They both had to get busy, and this was probably their last meeting in Shanghai. A sense of unspoken emotion lingered in the air of the entryway.
Looking at Zhao Zhinian's face, which appeared exceptionally gentle under the lamplight, Zhou Zekai's recent sense of satisfaction suddenly fermented into a more greedy desire. He spoke softly, his voice tinged with cautious probing: "Can... I get an advance?"
"What?" Zhao Zhinian looked at him in confusion.
"Hug." As he said those two words, his gaze was fixed intently on her, as if awaiting a verdict, as if afraid of being rejected, or as if afraid of disturbing the tranquility of the moment.
How is someone supposed to answer this kind of question?
Zhou Zekai always managed to easily disturb her mind with the simplest words. Saying "yes" was too tempting, too embarrassing to admit, and saying "no" seemed to betray a secret expectation within her.
Just as she lowered her eyes in confusion, Zhou Zekai took a step forward and gently pulled her into his arms.
As always, every time she hesitated, Zhou Zekai would step forward and silently fill the gap between them.
His embrace was restrained; his arms encircled her shoulders, yet he carefully left a sliver of space, as if giving her the right to break free at any moment. Zhao Zhinian's cheek pressed against the fabric of his shirt, and she could clearly hear his strong heartbeat, each beat pounding against her eardrums and her heart. Zhou Zekai's breath instantly enveloped her, carrying with it a warmth and restraint unique to him.
Suddenly pulled into a warm embrace, Zhao Zhinian blushed instantly, her hands clenched tightly at her sides, afraid to move, but she still tried to remain calm and whispered her complaint: "I... haven't answered yet!"
“Telepathy.” Zhou Zekai’s voice rang in her ear with a smile. His previously restrained arms tightened slightly, making the embrace more real and intimate: “I understand.”
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
