Chapter 65: Twenty Years Old
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Chu Feng realized that he often inexplicably saw traces of Little Xie in X. Clearly X being covered in bandages with extensive burns, there was no resemblance to Little Xie’s appearance.
Did the character Little Xie also feel the same? Mistaking X for… Xie Shiyu?
In a flash of insight, Chu Feng suddenly thought that X also had an incident in the Pacific, said to be a shipwreck.
Was it really a shipwreck? Chu Feng had some doubts. Maybe he mistook X for Little Xie because he missed Little Xie too much, turning sentimentality into an illusion. But the character Little Xie was essentially meticulous program data and wouldn’t have such emotional intuitions. There must be a reason for their hostility towards X.
Perhaps he could ask where exactly in the Pacific X had his “shipwreck.”
***
“Let’s go.”
The 20-year-old gaming Little Xie had completed his daily task of obtaining the marriage certificate and was ready to leave.
“Hold on a moment.”
Chu Feng stopped him.
The 20-year-old Xiao Xie getting the marriage certificate was one of the suspects listed by the system, potentially being the top combatant in the city, the **[Virus Body]**.
“What’s wrong?” Xie Shiyu turned his head.
In that moment, Chu Feng noticed something off about Little Xie. He casually held their marriage certificate.
Chu Feng recalled that just now… Little Xie had carefully tucked away the marriage certificate into his pocket. Why did he take it out now?
Moreover, Chu Feng observed that Little Xie’s index finger was tapping lightly on the back of the marriage certificate. This little action was something Little Xie did when waiting at a traffic light, tapping the steering wheel impatiently.
Chu Feng couldn’t remember the exact details of when they got their marriage certificate, but the gaming Little Xie would project his actions from his previous life. To some extent, it could indicate that the Little Xie who got the marriage certificate with him back then seemed to be unhappy.
— Chu Feng knew rationally that it wasn’t as he thought, but that thin nerve in his head couldn’t help but be pricked by the tiny needle.
Back then, Little Xie was very reluctant to get married with him at the entrance of the civil affairs bureau. Now, in the game, the character Little Xie was equally impatient after obtaining the certificate.
And this Little Xie who got married like this was a suspect, hiding a big secret from him.
Chu Feng narrowed his eyes, scrutinizing Little Xie. He beckoned the system spirit:
“Check his password page.”
Summoned by the master, the spirit moved from outside the civil affairs bureau to Chu Feng’s shoulder in an instant, projecting a screen into the air, aimed at the 20-year-old Little Xie.
System: “Master, do you want to crack his password problem? If you choose it, it might take up a lot of time…”
“Not necessarily. Let me see the question first.”
Chu Feng wanted to understand why Little Xie was so hesitant to marry him back then. Perhaps there would be new clues.
He clicked [→], and the screen displayed densely packed text:
Question: You are Chu Xiaohong. Today, you’re getting married to Xie Xiaoming, but you started arguing at the entrance of the civil affairs bureau. Please read the following dialogue carefully and provide Chu Xiaohong with a response to make them happy to get married! (Within 15 characters).
Chu Feng: …
System spirit: “What kind of third-grade language arts test is this?”
The former top student Chu Feng began studying the following reading material: Excerpts from the quarrel between Chu Xiaohong and Xie Xiaoming at the civil affairs bureau —
Just like them back then.
On the day of their wedding, it was a clear and sunny day. Nine years later, Chu Feng still remembered that the sky was as blue as if he could scoop up a handful of clear water.
“I’ll take you to a good place!”
Twenty-year-old Chu Feng pulled Xie Shiyu out of the university town.
Xie Shiyu: “Where are we going?”
Chu Feng mysteriously smiled and said, “You’ll know when we get there.”
— He was really fed up with all the various “other people’s kids” his mother kept introducing him to. Every day she pushed him: this one graduated from an Ivy League school, that one interned at PricewaterhouseCoopers… It was more exhausting to date someone than to work in HR.
“Mom, I already have a boyfriend,” Chu Feng emphasized countless times. “This isn’t very appropriate.”
Mom: “Oh, it’s not like I’m asking you to do anything. Just have a meal together, add each other on WeChat, what’s the big deal? Does Little Xie still control who you eat with and who you talk to? He wouldn’t check your phone, would he?”
Before Chu Feng could reply, Mom continued, “People with such strong controlling tendencies have issues! I’ve told you before not to date Little Xie. Oh well, you’re in high spirits now anyway. Even if someone tells you, you won’t listen. You’re grown up now, your wings are strong, you don’t like listening to your mom anymore. Not listening to the advice of elders, you’ll suffer in the future. Don’t blame your mom for not reminding you.”
Chu Feng: “…He doesn’t check my phone.”
“Then what are you afraid of! Hurry up and add him on WeChat. Oh! This one got eight points in IELTS, even if you can’t get along with him, you can still ask him how to learn English. Isn’t that great? Knowing more people is good for you when you enter society later. Remember to come over for dinner next Friday night.”
Chu Feng: “I’m not going.”
“No, you can’t not go!”
Mom softened her tone again. “Chu Feng, you’re still young, and Mom is doing this for your own good. When you’re in a relationship, people are still relatively naive, they don’t think too much. But when it comes to marriage, there’s a lot to consider. You and Little Xie, might not necessarily end up together…”
“Mom,” Chu Feng interrupted her.
Mom: “Alright, alright, you’re not happy when I speak ill of Little Xie. Right now you look at him like he’s a treasure, but in a few years, after a few arguments, you’ll look at him like he’s a stone, wishing you could kick him away. Knowing more friends now will also be useful for you in the future. Just having a meal together and adding each other on WeChat, you haven’t done anything, right? Don’t give me that stinky face again! You young people nowadays only care about the present, not thinking about the future. Before getting married, many things actually don’t count!”
Chu Feng: “Do they count after getting married then?”
“……??” Mom: “… Oh! Chu Feng, Chu Feng!! Where are you going…”
***
“We’re here.”
Xie Shiyu’s hand was held by Chu Feng. He looked up and saw three large characters: Civil Affairs Bureau.
Around them were many couples, both men and women.
Xie Shiyu blinked, staring blankly for a long time at the gilded characters on the building, and confirmed once again: “Civil Affairs Bureau, B District, H City.”
Gradually, he began to understand. His thoughts felt like cotton candy, sweetly clogging every nerve. Xie Shiyu suddenly remembered that today was the first day that same-sex marriage registration was legally open.
***
“Xie Shiyu, let’s get our marriage certificate.”
Under a sky so blue it could drip water, twenty-year-old Chu Feng said to him.
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