His thoughts were a tangled mess. Instinctively, he tried to shrink back, but a firm hand grasped his chin, forcing him to lift his head and meet the gaze of the person before him.
Cyril’s teasing, half-smiling words were the final straw, completely shattering his rationality.
“Don’t you like the universe anymore?”
Lin Jing stared at him in a daze. His throat felt dry, and his brown eyes were clouded with misty tears. When he finally spoke, his voice was so hoarse it didn’t even sound like his own. “Xu Wanzhi?”
Cyril chuckled softly, as if confirming it.
After the initial shock and nervous embarrassment, an overwhelming wave of awkwardness crawled up Lin Jing’s spine.
His face turned deathly pale in an instant.
Only one thought echoed in his mind—
He knew.
He had known all along. Every nervous attempt at concealment back at the science museum—Cyril had seen through it all.
He had always known that Lin Jing liked him.
It felt like a city wall collapsing, overturning everything, setting fire to his very core. A nameless humiliation and fury surged through him. In his panic, Lin Jing shoved Xu Wanzhi away.
Without the courage to spare him another glance, he grabbed the still-sleeping flower pot from the table, stood up, and bolted out of the room.
The wind outside was bitterly cold, cutting like a blade. Snow blanketed the world in a vast, blinding white, chilling his boiling blood.
The world was silent, cold, desolate.
The magic vine, suddenly yanked from the warmth of the indoors, jolted awake from the freezing air. It stirred, sentient, sensing its master’s distress. Confused, it swayed left and right, clumsily nudging his hand with its leaves, as if trying to comfort him.
Lin Jing forced a weak smile, but his mood was at rock bottom.
He stood at the entrance of the corridor but didn’t move forward.
For some reason, the fire of anger in his chest had already burned out.
He suddenly recalled the conversation he had that night, hiding in the basement with the rat.
The rat had said, “With your boyfriend around, do we really have to suffer like this?!”
Lin Jing had ruthlessly shot him down. “Don’t even think about it. If he were here, this game would be even more unplayable. We’d die of frustration.”
How ironic.
He really was dying of frustration.
But this frustration had nothing to do with Xu Wanzhi.
It was his own fault—his first time secretly liking someone, and he had been too clumsy, full of flaws, making a fool of himself.
Lin Jing closed his eyes briefly, took a deep breath, and told himself, “Enough. Go back.”
Hugging the flower pot, he turned around. His white skirt brushed through the falling snow. When he lifted his gaze, he locked eyes with a pair of silver-blue irises, deep and still like a vast lake.
Xu Wanzhi was standing behind him.
For a fleeting moment, the entire world fell silent.
Lin Jing stopped breathing. “Uh…”
Xu Wanzhi smiled. “So, you don’t want to hear my answer?”
Lin Jing’s fingers clenched tightly around the edge of the flower pot, too nervous to speak.
Xu Wanzhi looked at him with a smile, but the usual teasing and laziness in his expression had faded.
Amidst the swirling snow, he lowered his gaze, and with an almost reverent gentleness, leaned down—
And kissed the boy’s lips.
His voice, cold and hoarse, murmured something inexplicable.
“The universe is neither mysterious nor distant.”
“He likes you too. He has for a long, long time.”
Like a bolt of lightning striking his skull, Lin Jing’s rationality shattered into pieces.
A distant memory surfaced—bitter whispers and a calm, indifferent reply.
A vast, cold, dimly lit science museum.
—”I like the universe. But it’s too mysterious, too far away.”
—”Is that so?”
—”Yeah.”
Lin Jing stood frozen.
His ears buzzed.
It was like fireworks had exploded in his chest.
He felt like he was floating, his soul leaving his body. His heart was soaring to the heavens with joy.
His eyes grew hot, his lips curled up unconsciously.
The universe is neither mysterious nor distant. He likes you too.
This was probably… the most beautiful love confession he had ever heard in his life.
Secret love was like a suffocating, endless night—long, repressed, filled with fear and sourness.
But when it finally became real, it was like the first light of dawn breaking through, a warm current rushing through his entire body.
Lin Jing stood on tiptoe, wanting to respond to Xu Wanzhi.
But at that very moment—
A beep, beep, beep sound suddenly rang in his head.
Countless beeps, urgent and relentless, like a death knell, yanked him out of his euphoria.
Lin Jing was furious and wanted to curse, but when he saw who it was—
His pupils shrank, and he sobered up instantly.
Lu Xingyu.
【Xingxingxiayu [Moderator]: LIN JING, YOU ARE STILL STREAMING—!!!】
Lin Jing: “…”
Lin Jing: “!!!”
Oh, sh*t—!!!
He violently turned his face away and took a step back.
In that instant, his livestream’s viewership exploded to an unprecedented peak.
The chat flooded at lightning speed, filled with hysterical screams.
【”AAAAAAAAAHHHHHHH KISS HIM!!!”】
【”OMG this is SO SWEET, MOM, I’M IN LOVE!!! 😭😭😭”】
【”I’M GONNA DIE, I’M GONNA DIE—YOU LIED TO US! YOU SAID YOU WERE HEARTBROKEN?! YOU TRICKED US INTO WATCHING JUST TO FLEX YOUR LOVE LIFE?!”】
【”I WAS WRONG, BABY 😭😭😭 I’M COMPLETELY AT PEACE WITH YOU DATING, PLEASE GO AHEAD AND LOVE HIM!!!”】
【”I KNEW IT! THIS IS LOVE!!!”】
Lin Jing: “…”
Lin Jing wanted to die.
Xu Wanzhi, who had straightened up when Lin Jing backed away, naturally saw the barrage of comments. He glanced at them, expression indifferent, his eyes icy cold.
The next second, all the excited screaming in the chat turned into a flood of question marks.
【？？？？】
【??? Did my internet just cut out?】
【???? WTF, why is there no video?!】
【Did the stream just go black???】
【Boss, was this your doing?!】
【WTF, why did it suddenly go black? Boss, what are you about to do to my precious dumb son?! He’s still an innocent little virgin! If you’re gonna do something inappropriate, at least let me watch! I won’t feel at ease otherwise!】
Lin Jing: “…”
He wanted to ban them all.
What kind of cursed luck did he have to attract such a bizarre audience to his stream?
But the moment he realized that all his actions just now had been broadcasted live, Lin Jing was so mortified he wanted to commit murder.
Xu Wanzhi tilted his head. “You were streaming?”
Lin Jing, ears burning red, mumbled, “Yeah.”
Xu Wanzhi’s expression turned a little strange, but then he regained his composure and smiled. “Well, that’s fine. Now the entire internet is a witness.”
Lin Jing blinked in confusion.
Xu Wanzhi continued, “A witness to my confession.”
Lin Jing instantly felt lighter, his voice soft. “Mm.”
Xu Wanzhi chuckled. “So, are you still feeling wronged?” His gaze carried a teasing glint.
Lin Jing choked, scratching his head awkwardly. “I wasn’t feeling wronged.”
Xu Wanzhi: “Then why did you run out just now?”
Lin Jing hesitated before blurting stiffly, “It was… too stimulating.”
Xu Wanzhi repeated with amusement, “Stimulating?” His smile deepened as he mused to himself, “This is already stimulating to you?”
Even though Xu Wanzhi had already shut down the stream, Lin Jing still felt guilty about kissing him outside. He quickly grabbed Xu Wanzhi’s hand and pulled him back into the house.
As soon as they reentered the warmth, the magical vine, which had been shivering in the cold, started getting drowsy again.
Lin Jing sat on the sofa, holding a cup of hot red tea. Trying to suppress the bubbling excitement in his chest, he thought for a moment before asking, “So… this time, you’re a player too?”
Xu Wanzhi shook his head. “No.”
Lin Jing: “Huh?”
Xu Wanzhi paused for a moment, then said, “I can’t tell you yet.”
Lin Jing: “Alright.”
“Let’s focus on clearing this level first.”
Lin Jing suddenly felt super motivated—more than ever, he wanted to meet Xu Wanzhi in real life.
Xu Wanzhi chuckled. “Soon.”
Lin Jing hesitated before asking, “Can I just… go find you directly?”
Xu Wanzhi laughed, his gaze full of warmth. “It should be me coming to pick you up.”
Lin Jing belatedly realized, “Oh, okay.”
Was this tea or wine? Why did he feel a little tipsy?
Before long, a maid suddenly knocked and entered. “Is His Highness Cyril here? The princess is looking for you.”
Xu Wanzhi lifted his gaze briefly, instantly regaining his indifferent expression. He stood up and said, “Wait for me.”
Lin Jing touched the teacup. His unrequited love had suddenly turned into mutual affection, putting him in an especially agreeable mood. He nodded obediently, “Okay.”
After Xu Wanzhi left—
Lin Jing hadn’t even had time to savor his happiness when a frantic voice came from the window. “Jingzi! Jingzi! Jingzi!” The voice was urgent, like an impending disaster.
Lin Jing quickly stood up and walked to the window, where he saw a rat desperately scratching at the glass.
Outside, the world was frozen over in ice and snow, and the rat was shivering from the cold.
Lin Jing opened the window and let it in, but the rat was in too much of a hurry to warm up. It immediately leaped onto his shoulder and exclaimed anxiously, “Big trouble! Big trouble!”
Lin Jing was stunned. “What?”
The rat flailed its limbs, barely able to speak coherently. “Tonight! Princess Kate is going to burn down the tower! She never wanted the princess to wake up!”
The rat’s shouting made Lin Jing’s ears hurt, but he quickly grasped the key point. “You’re saying the tower is going to be burned down?”
The rat spat furiously, “Yes! I overheard the soldiers talking. The firewood has already been placed inside. Tonight, during the palace banquet, the princess plans to set the tower ablaze while everyone is distracted. We only have half a day left!”
Lin Jing’s heart sank.
The rat yanked at his hair. “Hurry up, Jingzi! We have no choice but to break in now!”
Lin Jing took a deep breath. He had wanted to wait for Xu Wanzhi, but now it seemed there was no time left.
They would have to reunite after getting out.
Turning around, he picked up the magic vine and ran toward the tower where the princess lay sleeping.
***
The tower was heavily guarded.
Lin Jing and the rat crouched in a snow-covered bush, waiting for an opportunity.
But they crouched until their legs went numb, and the guards stood still like statues, giving them no chance at all.
The rat was on the verge of a breakdown. “Can you take them on?”
Lin Jing observed their numbers and replied sluggishly, “Probably not.”
“Beauty, stop staring.”
Suddenly, a scruffy, ragged beggar crouched beside them.
Both Lin Jing and the rat were startled.
The beggar glanced at the guards, curled his lips, then turned to Lin Jing seriously. “If we want to win, we have to work together.”
Lin Jing was incredulous. “You… You’re a player?”
The beggar grinned, revealing a set of white teeth, and said in a friendly tone, “Yeah, I’m Charles. What about you?”
Lin Jing grew wary, eyeing him suspiciously. “Christine.”
Charles shrugged nonchalantly. “I know you don’t trust me. Whatever. Let me take you somewhere.”
He stood up and walked toward a corner of the palace. Lin Jing stuffed the rat into his clothes, picked up the flowerpot, and followed.
Charles led him to a storage basement in the palace, now crowded with people—at least a dozen of them.
They were a mixed bunch: nobles in extravagant clothing, wealthy merchants adorned with gold and silver, and commoners dressed plainly.
When Charles brought Lin Jing in, he clapped his hands. “Everyone, quiet down. We’ve got a new member.”
Immediately, more than ten pairs of eyes locked onto Lin Jing.
Everyone had been forced together by the crisis, but distrust and wariness filled the room. Not a single person was smiling.
What was this?
A… player meetup?
Lin Jing was only briefly stunned before quickly adapting. He was in a great mood, so he didn’t even have to pretend—his bright, genuine smile spread across his face as he nodded to everyone.
“Hello, everyone.”
A noblewoman said coldly, “Alright, that’s enough people. No more additions.”
Charles expected this reaction and simply shrugged. He was about to introduce everyone to Lin Jing when a knight cut him off.
The knight frowned. “Less talking. We’re just rescuing the princess and moving her elsewhere. After that, we go back to playing our own games.”
No one objected, which meant they all silently agreed.
The sudden death of the king and the arrival of Princess Kate had completely disrupted the game’s rhythm.
By now, most players had some understanding of the significance of the “Heart of the Rose”—divine favor. And in this kingdom, divine favor wasn’t just embodied in that gemstone; it also resided in the sleeping princess.
Now that Princess Kate planned to burn the princess alive, the players had no choice but to band together and get her out.
As for how they would fight for the crown or find the witch to wake the princess afterward, that would be up to each of them.
Lin Jing found a clean stool and sat down, still holding the flowerpot.
Beside him, a chubby young man muttered curses under his breath. “What kind of game is this? I searched the entire Black Forest and didn’t even find a single strand of the witch’s hair. And now this mess? The old king died at the worst possible time, d*mn it. Bad luck.”
Lin Jing glanced down at the magic vine’s fruit.
It was strange—everyone was playing the same game, but while some were still at the beginning, others had already reached the final stage.
Charles said, “The guards are extremely tight. We need a distraction. There’s a banquet at the palace tonight, and I have a plan that requires everyone’s help.”
The noblewoman sneered. “Can you stop wasting time? I didn’t come here to watch you run your mouth.”
Charles smiled good-naturedly. “Alright, I’ll keep it short. The only way to distract the guards is to cause a scene at the banquet. We split into three groups: one sets a fire in the palace, another disguises as Princess Kate’s maids to lure the guards to the banquet, and the last group sneaks up the tower to carry the princess down. As for where to take the princess after, we’ll vote on that. What do you all think?”
Everyone exchanged glances but remained silent.
The noblewoman raised her hand and asked, “So how do we divide these three groups? Everyone wants to be the one to carry the princess, right?”
Charles replied, “To be fair, we’ll draw lots.”
This time, the noblewoman had no objections.
Charles took a sheet of paper, tore it neatly into pieces, wrote down numbers 1, 2, and 3, folded them up, and handed them to the knight to shuffle before distributing them to everyone.
Lin Jing unfolded his paper. It was a 3. His luck was surprisingly good—he would get to see the princess directly.
The rat was overjoyed, clamping its paws over its mouth to stop itself from squealing.
Lin Jing smirked to himself. Meeting the princess directly? That meant… the game was over.
The chubby young man next to him muttered, “I got fire-setting duty. D*mn it, that’s the hardest job.”
The noblewoman, unable to stand the stifling, murky air, lifted her skirt and walked straight out. The rest of the group scattered as well.
Charles rubbed his nose but remained unusually friendly. He asked Lin Jing, “Need me to walk you back, miss?”
Lin Jing shook his head with a smile. “No need.”
Charles blinked in surprise. “You’re in a really good mood, huh?”
Obviously.
I confessed my love, and it was mutual.
I’m in a relationship now.
But Lin Jing knew it was best to stay humble, so he smiled modestly. “Mm.”
Charles grinned. “Care to share the reason?”
Lin Jing thought for a moment, then kept up his subtle act. “My wife is about to give birth.”
Charles: “……”
Charles: “???”
Lin Jing patted him solemnly on the shoulder before turning to leave.
The rat, too caught up in the thrill of clearing the game, was oblivious to Lin Jing’s excitement.
“Finally, it’s over!”
Lin Jing hugged the flower pot, humming a tune as he walked through the snow-covered garden. Roses bloomed in the fine snowfall, and he smiled.
“Yeah, it’s finally ending.”
Tsk. Time to go back and be in love.
Xu Wanzhi had been called away by Princess Kate and hadn’t returned since.
Lin Jing sat by the fireplace, leaning against the sofa as he read a book—Legends of Eberon. The book said that witches had always lived in the Black Forest, detached from the mortal world, and that only those with true passion could summon them.
Lin Jing frowned. “So do witches actually exist? And are they good or bad?”
The rat, sipping water, dismissed it indifferently. “Who cares? It has nothing to do with our storyline.” Then, it gave Lin Jing a side-eye. “And if there is one, it’s probably fake.”
Lin Jing—the “fake witch”—rubbed his chin. “You know, that statue really does look a lot like me.” He hadn’t noticed at the time, but thinking back—waist-length curls, an elaborate gown—it was basically Christine.
Only the snow and rain had blurred the features, so even he hadn’t recognized it.
“In Pals, they call witches ‘witch gods.’ Maybe, in Eberon, witches are considered divine beings too.”
He flipped another page and came across The River of Memories. He had heard the melody countless times and could hum it by heart now.
“Maybe the demon summoned by her husband in the story… was actually a witch.”
The rat, full from eating and drinking, sprawled on the sofa and began to snore. Lin Jing rested his chin on his hand, idly twirling a leaf between his fingers, the corners of his lips curving up as he recalled Xu Wanzhi’s confession.
—He had liked you for a long time.
“How long could it be? It’s only been a year.”
Lin Jing closed the book and clicked his tongue. “Thanks, Survivor, for giving me a love story.”
After Xu Wanzhi left, the live stream returned to normal. The barrage of comments was filled with wailing and lamenting mistakes in judgment.
But Lin Jing no longer paid them any attention.
Night fell.
Just as Charles had predicted, the palace held a grand banquet. The front hall was ablaze with light.
Technically, Christine was on the guest list, but Madam Mary had granted her time to reflect, allowing her to stay in the lounge instead.
“Let’s go.” Charles’ attitude had changed drastically after realizing Lin Jing was a man—he was now noticeably cold.
Lin Jing carried his flower pot and followed.
Charles frowned. “Why are you carrying that flower pot around all the time?”
Lin Jing had an answer ready. “Character setting.”
Charles twitched his lips but didn’t press further.
There were five people assigned to Task 3—three men and two women. They hid in a corner of the garden, waiting for their chance.
The front hall buzzed with lively conversation, and the waltz played smoothly in the background.
The situation changed in an instant.
The elegant and peaceful banquet suddenly erupted into chaos.
Screams rang out as thick smoke billowed into the air.
Flames roared, illuminating the snowy night.
Panicked nobles rushed about. Someone’s desperate cry sent the hysteria into overdrive.
“Fire?!”
The guards stationed at the tower were momentarily stunned.
At that moment, the noblewoman arrived, panting heavily. She steadied her hat with one hand while pointing sharply at the guards.
“The banquet hall is on fire! The princess wants you at the front hall immediately!”
The guards hesitated. They had strict orders to stay put.
The noblewoman’s expression turned icy, and she snapped, “This is a direct order from the princess! Are you idiots just going to stand here? Move!”
More people came running—knights, maids—all looking flustered, calling for help.
The guards finally believed the commotion and rushed off in an orderly manner, leaving only three behind to guard the tower.
As soon as the coast was clear, Charles’ eyes turned cold. “Go.”
With a short baton, he swiftly knocked out the remaining three guards, then led the others up the tower.
Lin Jing entered the tower once again, but this time, everything had changed.
The walls and floors were overgrown with withered vines, their thorns sharp and menacing.
Dust filled the air from years of neglect.
Lin Jing clutched his flower pot. The magic vine, which had been sluggish all day, instantly perked up upon returning to familiar ground.
Its fruit and leaves emitted a faint red glow, as if resonating with its past self. The withered vines that had long since dried up also seemed to respond.
Lin Jing walked through the thorn-covered ground, yet he was not pricked.
The thorns silently made way for him.
The first floor of the tower was particularly spacious, with the staircase located in the deepest part.
Everyone had to be extremely careful of their footing, so their pace was slow.
The dim torchlight could only illuminate a small area. Not wanting to draw attention to himself, Lin Jing deliberately slowed his steps, falling behind with Charles.
In the darkness, Charles’s eyes seemed to gleam. He spoke in an ambiguous tone: “This is the demonic vine from the depths of Pars Valley. If you’re pricked by its thorns, you’ll fall into a deep sleep, just like the princess.”
Lin Jing asked, “The demonic vine from Pars Valley?”
Charles chuckled, his eyes locking onto Lin Jing’s like a wolf’s glowing in the dark. “Yes, Pars’ demonic vine. Only its fruit can awaken those who have been pricked.”
Lin Jing smiled. “Fascinating.”
Charles suddenly stopped moving. The barrel of his gun pressed against Lin Jing’s forehead, his true intentions surfacing in the shadows. He bared his teeth in a smug grin. “Yeah, fascinating. But now…”
Charles sneered. “The game is over.”
Lin Jing remained completely unfazed, meeting his gaze with calm composure. He asked softly, “The game is over?”
Charles moved closer, the scent of a drifter clinging to him. He scoffed. “Thanks for bringing me the demonic vine’s fruit. See you in the next round.”
Lin Jing replied coolly, “My wife is about to give birth. Give me a chance.”
Charles: “……”
Lin Jing spoke slowly, “At least let me die knowing why. How is the game over?”
Charles felt a flash of humiliation, his expression twisting into a mocking sneer. “Fine, I’ll let you understand before you die. The true Heart of the Rose was never in the crown. It was snatched away by a pigeon long ago. And as luck would have it, a drifter saw it.”
He let out a derisive snort and continued in a low voice, “That drifter was my grandfather. A penniless beggar—how could he possibly watch a priceless treasure be carried off? He stole it back from the pigeon’s beak, buried it deep underground, and in the end…” Charles said slowly, “It fell into my hands.”
Charles raised his weapon. “Now, die.”
He attempted to pull the trigger—only to realize his hand had long since been bound by vines, completely immobilized.
His eyes widened in shock, deep fear flashing across his face as he looked at the person standing before him.
Lin Jing smiled. “Interesting. Perhaps your path was actually the intended storyline of this script. But unfortunately, the story… has been rewritten.”
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