The two of them spent the entire morning idly in the room.
Gu Jiu lounged lazily on the sofa in front of the balcony, her gaze falling on the man tidying up inside the house. The more she looked at him, the more she liked what she saw.
She had a particular fondness for this type of obedient yet inexperienced young man—or rather, man. What satisfied her most was her boyfriend’s unique ability to switch between male and female forms. He could be a boy or a man as needed.
Without a doubt, whether it was Lu Ji in his female form or his male form, his appearance, temperament, and personality perfectly aligned with her tastes.
In his male form, Lu Ji’s facial features didn’t change much. At a glance, it was still clear he was Lu Ji. However, his brows and contours grew sharper, exuding a more masculine energy. The only significant differences were his height and aura.
As a girl, he deliberately restrained his presence, appearing reserved and cold, making it easy for people to overlook him.
As a man, however, he emanated a dark and chilling charisma, like fresh snow on pine trees—clean and cold, mirroring the aura around him.
It was as though he had stepped out from the shadows, carrying countless untold stories that piqued curiosity and invited exploration.
“Ah Jiu, are you hungry? We can leave now,” Lu Ji said, carrying the neatly packed clothes over to her. His face held a restrained joy.
Even though his happiness threatened to overwhelm him, he still managed to hold it back.
This self-restraint—subtle and reserved—stood in stark contrast to his pale, sickly complexion, yet somehow suited him perfectly. It was a mysterious quality unique to Lu Ji.
Lu Ji was in an excellent mood. He was particularly satisfied with his current life of having a girlfriend, so much so that he wanted nothing more than to keep her close and care for her with utmost attentiveness.
Gu Jiu, the pampered young lady, didn’t mind at all that she was being looked after as though she were incapable of taking care of herself.
Gu Jiu sized up her boyfriend and suddenly asked, “Are you planning to go out looking like this?”
Lu Ji looked at her, puzzled, then glanced down at himself with a blank expression, seemingly unable to see what was wrong.
In front of Gu Jiu, he was an obedient little sweetheart. According to Chai Yingying’s words, he was like a silly, pure-hearted boy who had given up thinking entirely, wholeheartedly relying on the young lady and following her every word as gospel.
Gu Jiu stood up from the sofa and walked over to him.
As she approached, the typically tall young lady suddenly realized that she was now a full head shorter than him. Her eyes were level with his Adam’s apple, where she could see the enticing prominence against his pale skin. She couldn’t help but think back to his reaction when she’d bitten that very spot earlier in the morning…
Lost in thought, she murmured, “Ah Ji, aren’t you going to change back into your girl form?”
“There’s no need,” Lu Ji replied nonchalantly. “Whether I’m a man or a woman doesn’t matter to me.”
“But it matters to me!” she exclaimed.
Lu Ji stared at her in surprise, his gaze following hers to his neck. Suddenly realizing something, a flush of red crept up his pale face once again.
Gu Jiu’s eyes moved upward, catching sight of his reddened face. She couldn’t resist reaching out to touch it.
A whole morning together had been enough for her to understand that while he looked pale and sickly, his body was actually in excellent health. He didn’t have any serious issues, and as a man, he had all the right reactions—and was, in fact, quite enduring.
Unfortunately…
A hint of regret crossed her face as she lamented not having “eaten him up” entirely.
Lu Ji was a bit stunned and cautiously asked, “Ah Jiu, do you want me to keep pretending to be a girl?”
“Of course!” Gu Jiu replied with certainty. “You’re so beautiful as a girl, and I really like it.”
Lu Ji was a bit bewildered. He had assumed she would be angry about him disguising himself as a girl to deceive her. Instead, not only did she accept it quickly, but she also wanted him to continue pretending to be a girl.
He didn’t share the moral codes or values of ordinary humans. To him, it didn’t matter whether he wore male or female clothing. Dressing as a girl was simply more convenient; otherwise, he wouldn’t have kept doing it for so long.
Since she liked it, he could keep it up.
Obediently, Lu Ji changed out of the casual male clothes he was wearing and put on the dress Gu Jiu had bought for him. To match the image of a girl, he even adjusted his height slightly—just enough to still be a bit taller than his girlfriend.
Gu Jiu propped her chin up in her hands, smiling as she watched her pale and handsome boyfriend turn into a beautiful young woman right before her eyes.
It was like a magic trick—adjusting height, reshaping his figure.
There were simply too many tools available to players. Switching between male and female forms was entirely normal, and it could be done so seamlessly that it all came down to personal preference.
If Lu Ji enjoyed dressing as a girl, she didn’t mind in the slightest.
However, she did take note of his remark that it was “more convenient” for him to present as a girl. While she wasn’t entirely sure what kind of convenience he was referring to, she had eyes and her own judgment.
Under her gaze, Lu Ji felt as though all the blood in his body was rushing to his face. Worried he might not perform well, he struggled to remain composed. Yet, the more he tried to suppress his feelings, the tenser his expression became, making him appear less likable.
Thankfully, Gu Jiu never cared whether his expression was appealing or not.
Lu Ji could only feel relieved about this, which made him appreciate Gu Jiu even more. She never disliked him for being aloof or unsociable. No matter how he behaved, she always treated him with kindness and tolerance.
Gu Jiu fastened a pearl hairpin, one she’d bought at the item shop, into his hair. It had the ability to regulate temperature. With a cheerful expression, she said, “Alright, let’s go out.”
Lu Ji slyly took her hand, intertwining their fingers in an intimate gesture.
Because of this closeness, his face flushed with embarrassment, yet he refused to let go. Especially when he realized she didn’t mind, his mood soared even higher.
This was the first time he’d ever fallen for a human. The feeling of liking someone was so wonderful, made even better by the fact that their affection was mutual.
His gaze followed her closely as he suddenly thought of something and asked, “Ah Jiu, are you going back to the real world later to have dinner with your family?”
Gu Jiu had a very good relationship with her family in the real world. They not only lived together but also made a point of eating three meals a day as a family.
If she spent more time in the real world, her time in Boundless City would decrease. That also meant they’d have less time together, which left him feeling a bit down.
“Not for the next few days,” Gu Jiu said with a smile, noticing the delight that sparkled in his eyes. “I told my grandma I’d be staying with friends for a while and wouldn’t be coming home.”
Lu Ji’s joy was no longer hidden. His dark eyes seemed to shatter into fragments of starlight, glittering brightly.
“Tsk, tsk, tsk, so lovey-dovey so early in the morning. Are you two trying to make us single folks jealous?”
A teasing voice interrupted them. Gu Jiu and Lu Ji turned to see Chai Yingying leaning against the doorframe of the room next door. Her clothes were wrinkled, and she reeked of alcohol, clearly having just woken up from a hangover.
“You live here?” Gu Jiu asked in surprise.
Chai Yingying rubbed her temple, still sore from the hangover. “Yeah! Things got crazy until late last night, and with drunkards passed out all over the place, I had no choice but to crash here.” She glanced at the two of them with a gossipy look and asked, “You two must’ve had a great time last night, huh?”
Lu Ji stayed silent.
Gu Jiu, however, replied with a smile, “Oh, yes. It was definitely lively and fulfilling.”
Chai Yingying was defeated by her shamelessness and sighed. “I really want a lover, too, but unfortunately, Qu Xiao didn’t show up last night…”
The renowned warrior Qu Xiao was a celebrity on the Free Forum, a paragon of masculinity. Chai Yingying believed that someone as stunning as herself naturally deserved a man among men. Unfortunately, Qu Xiao rarely attended any gatherings in Boundless City, making encounters with him there a rare occurrence.
“Then just find someone else,” Gu Jiu suggested casually.
Chai Yingying shot her a glare. The pounding in her head from the hangover was worsening, and she couldn’t hold on any longer. She waved goodbye to the couple and returned to her room to rest.
Gu Jiu and Lu Ji left the club together.
The two of them went to a nearby couple’s restaurant for lunch.
Lu Ji ordered her favorite dishes but hesitated as he looked at her, as though he had something on his mind.
“What’s wrong?” Gu Jiu asked with a gentle smile. She always had a lot of patience for someone she liked, especially since her boyfriend was currently in his beautiful girl form. Her tone grew even softer.
Lu Ji spoke cautiously, “Ah Jiu, you’re not mad, are you?”
“Why would I be mad?” Gu Jiu asked with a bright smile, resting her chin on her intertwined hands. “Are you talking about how you refused me this morning?”
Lu Ji’s face flushed crimson again. He lowered his voice and said, “I just thought it was too soon… I…”
He was worried she’d regret it.
Because, apart from his gender, there was another secret he hadn’t told her yet.
“It’s not too soon. We’ve known each other for months,” Gu Jiu replied nonchalantly. By “months,” she meant the combined time they had spent together in the real world and the game world.
When her boyfriend nervously and shyly insisted they hadn’t known each other long enough to progress their relationship, Gu Jiu found his reaction both amusing and exasperating.
She hadn’t expected Lu Ji to be so conservative. His innocent, awkward responses were delightful to her. So, even though things hadn’t gone all the way, she hadn’t been angry. Instead, she had dragged him back to the room to explore other mysteries of intimacy between men and women.
Aside from the final step, they had done almost everything—and had grown much closer in the process.
Lu Ji’s heart was filled with joy, and a faint smile appeared on his face.
Seeing the hint of a smile on his face, Gu Jiu took his hand and pressed her palm against his. “Ah Ji, girls should smile more.”
Lu Ji responded, “…I’m not a girl.”
“But you are right now!” Gu Jiu replied confidently. “My boyfriend can switch between male and female, and I absolutely love that.”
Lu Ji thought to himself, So I’ll have to keep dressing as a girl for her?
But if it made her happy, of course, he didn’t mind!
Finally, Lu Ji summoned his courage and said, “Ah Jiu, there’s something else I’ve been keeping from you.”
Gu Jiu paused, momentarily stunned. Suspiciously, she asked, “What is it? Don’t tell me you’ve been deceiving me about your feelings?”
“Of course not!” Lu Ji quickly replied, afraid she might misunderstand.
“Oh, then it’s fine,” Gu Jiu said, relieved. With a serious tone, she added, “Deceiving someone’s feelings is the lowest of the low, even worse than an animal. It’s the most unforgivable thing! As long as you’re not that kind of scum, everything else can be forgiven. Of course, you can’t deceive anyone else’s feelings either.”
Lu Ji hurriedly assured her, “I haven’t. I’ve only ever liked you—I’ve liked you for a long time.”
Gu Jiu smiled and teased, “How long?”
“From very early… maybe from the first time we met.”
“I don’t believe that!” Gu Jiu dismissed his sudden eagerness, speaking matter-of-factly. “At that time, you didn’t even care who I was or what I was worth. How could you have liked me at first sight?”
Lu Ji, a little flustered, stammered, “It… it was gradual. You’re just too amazing…”
Gu Jiu stared at him for a moment before bursting into laughter. She brought the conversation back to the point. “So, what is it that you’ve been hiding from me?”
Lu Ji hesitated for a moment before finally saying, “It’s about my identity. I…”
He didn’t know how to explain it and felt some hesitation. If he revealed the truth, would she be scared or even back away? After all, his identity was the least welcome one in all the realms.
Gu Jiu looked at him steadily for a long moment before suddenly saying, “If you can’t say it, then don’t.”
“It’s not that I can’t say it, it’s just that I don’t know how to say it,” Lu Ji replied nervously. “I can tell you, but I’m afraid…”
“Afraid I won’t accept it?” Gu Jiu raised an eyebrow. When he nodded, she mused thoughtfully, “Don’t tell me your current identity is fake?”
Lu Ji didn’t respond, but his silence was enough to confirm Gu Jiu’s suspicion.
“That’s fine,” Gu Jiu said casually. “After all, players risk their lives out here. A lot of them don’t want to reveal their real identity. It’s normal if you don’t either. Do you have enemies?”
Lu Ji thought for a moment before honestly replying, “They’re not really enemies, but they’re a nuisance. If they find out where I am, they’ll definitely monitor me all the time.”
Hearing this, Gu Jiu immediately felt a surge of annoyance.
However, she quickly calmed down, raising her hand to stop him from saying more. She asked, “Would they hurt you?”
“No,” Lu Ji replied with certainty. “They don’t have the strength to.”
Gu Jiu felt relieved. When the server brought over the dishes they had ordered, she said lazily, “Then you don’t need to tell me yet. Wait until I become an S-rank player, and then you can tell me.”
Lu Ji froze, not expecting her to say that.
He felt a faint sense of unease but couldn’t quite pinpoint why.
Could it be that Ah Jiu… had already sensed something?