Gu Jiu stayed at home for two days.
She didn’t enter Boundless City, nor did she do much else. Just as usual, she spent her time lounging at home.
She chatted with her family, listened to music, practiced foreign languages, watched a couple of highly rated movies, enjoyed afternoon tea, or curled up on her bed to talk with her friend Zhang Jingyi about the situation at Qingzhu Residence.
The days passed leisurely and comfortably.
When she left the game world, she had sensed that her mental state was off. It was the aftermath of too much exposure to endless darkness, bloodshed, and combat. Without proper relief, the consequences could have been dire.
But Gu Jiu had always been skilled at self-recovery.
So, under those circumstances, being with someone she liked—even taking the initiative to confess and deciding to be with him—was a way of alleviating her emotional distress.
Who could have guessed her boyfriend would bring her such a “surprise”?
Left with no other choice, she had to return to the real world to find solace with her family.
Home was the best place to alleviate dark emotions, and the company of family was the antidote to endless oppression and bloodshed.
It had been snowing continuously in Haishi for two days. Except for essential trips, people preferred not to brave the wind and snow.
During these two rest days, the Gu family stayed indoors, gazing at the snowy scenery outside with sighs of admiration.
This year’s first snowfall was particularly memorable, though it was unbearably cold.
Seeing Gu Jiu unusually relaxed and not just cooped up in her room studying, the Gu family was pleased. They felt that young people should be more lively.
Only Grandma Gu was puzzled. “Ah Jiu, why haven’t you contacted him?”
This “him” was well understood between the grandmother and granddaughter, though the rest of the Gu family was completely in the dark.
Grandma Gu was the only one in the family who knew that Gu Jiu had a “boyfriend.” However, she wasn’t a talkative person, and since her granddaughter’s courtship process was so comical—she didn’t even know if the person was a man or a woman at first—Grandma Gu chose not to reveal anything until Gu Jiu was ready.
Gu Jiu sat down beside her grandmother and said calmly, “I’ll contact him tomorrow.”
Seeing her granddaughter had her own plans, Grandma Gu patted her hand and said no more.
After spending two days at home, Gu Jiu felt her mental state and emotions had greatly stabilized and improved. Finally, she entered Boundless City.
The climate in Boundless City was like spring all year round.
It was said that the entire city was a tool suspended in the void of the universe, created by rules as a supreme-grade artifact that only gods could destroy. As long as the myriad worlds existed, Boundless City would persist, offering its inhabitants the most comfortable living environment.
In a quiet alley, magnolia flowers were in full bloom.
As soon as Gu Jiu stopped, she saw the “girl” under the magnolia tree. She stood as gracefully as a magnolia flower, serene, ethereal, and touched by endless melancholy.
Of course, after learning he was actually a boy, Gu Jiu’s impression of him changed.
He should be described as a magnolia-like young man.
Suddenly, a terrifying thought crossed her mind.
“Ah Jiu.”
When Lu Ji saw her figure appear, his eyes lit up instinctively, and he unconsciously wanted to walk toward her. But then, as if suddenly remembering something, he froze mid-step.
He hesitated, looking at her with an uncharacteristic timidity. For the first time, he felt a kind of fear he’d never experienced before, not daring to approach her recklessly.
Because he cared, he hesitated.
Because he liked her, he felt flustered.
She stood a short distance away, observing him with an unreadable expression. Her gaze made him feel as if an invisible barrier stood between them.
Lu Ji’s body slowly stiffened, and the excitement he’d felt upon seeing her gradually faded. Lowering his head, he pressed his lips into a tight line, as though bracing himself for her verdict.
He didn’t want to accept an outcome where they would no longer cross paths, but if it came to that… he would refuse to give up. If necessary, he would resort to more desperate measures, following her quietly, even if she never noticed.
“Ah Ji.” Gu Jiu’s voice echoed faintly. “I have a question for you.”
Lu Ji tried his best to rein in his emotions and keep his voice steady, though it still carried a slight rasp. “Go ahead.”
What he didn’t realize was how fragile he looked in her eyes at that moment—like delicate glass. As if a single utterance of “I don’t like you” or “I hate you” from her lips would shatter him into pieces.
His vulnerability was so apparent that it almost invoked a desire to protect him.
Gu Jiu asked seriously, “Are you of age?”
Lu Ji: “…”
“How old are you? Don’t tell me you’re not even eighteen yet.” Gu Jiu’s tone grew increasingly worried. While she was willing to entertain the idea of an “older woman dating a younger man,” she drew the line at dating a minor. That would be immoral.
A “girlfriend” suddenly turning into a boyfriend was one thing, but if that boyfriend turned out to be underage, wouldn’t she be branded as someone who preys on minors?
Lu Ji finally snapped out of his daze and hurriedly answered, “I’m an adult!” He noticed her gaze drop lower, her eyes landing on a particular area. Remembering how she had “confirmed” his masculinity last time, his pale face flushed a deep red once more. Struggling to maintain his composure, he added, “I just found it more convenient to disguise myself as a girl. But I’ve been an adult for a long time…”
Not only was he an adult, but he was also quite old.
But what if she thought he was too old?
That thought made him clam up, too afraid to reveal his actual age.
Gu Jiu let out a sigh of relief and approached him. “As long as you’re not underage.”
Thank goodness he was of age. If he were a minor with such physical “capabilities,” how terrifying would he be when he matured? Even if she was willing to give it a try, she’d have to consider compatibility. If things didn’t match up… what then? A platonic relationship for the rest of their lives?
Absolutely not!
As she got closer, Lu Ji’s heart began to race, thumping wildly in his chest. A surge of joy bubbled up within him, overwhelming his nervousness.
“A-Ah Jiu…” He called her name, his voice tinged with tension.
Gu Jiu walked right up to him and once again stepped onto the curb, looking down at him from above.
Even though her “girlfriend” had turned into a boyfriend, she still hadn’t shed her natural air of dominance.
Gu Jiu didn’t rush into questioning him but started with a seemingly unrelated topic. “You’ve been waiting for me here?”
Lu Ji nodded, his eyes filled with longing as he stared at her, anxious to know what she thought of him now. Could they still continue their relationship?
“You’ve been waiting the whole time, never leaving?” she asked.
“Mm, I wanted you to see me as soon as you entered Boundless City,” he replied earnestly.
Gu Jiu stayed silent for a moment before reaching out to hug him. She firmly pressed his head onto her shoulder, leaned her head slightly to plant a kiss on his forehead, and smiled as she said, “Idiot.”
Her tone was cheerful, and her eyes curved like crescents in joy.
Without a doubt, his foolish persistence had pleased her greatly. She was in an excellent mood.
As a spoiled young lady, Gu Jiu had her whims: she could leave, but he had to stay and wait for her.
This person looked so fragile and pitiful, naive yet stubborn. Sometimes he seemed like an innocent young boy, clueless about the world; at other times, he was mature and worldly, even ferocious—capable of thrashing the bosses in the game world. No matter what she said, he always obediently followed her, agreeing to everything without hesitation.
She liked boys like this.
Gu Jiu lightly patted his back and realized that, even though he was currently dressed as a girl, his back wasn’t as delicate as one might expect. The muscles beneath her hand were firm, not as soft as a girl’s.
Then she heard the foolish boy in her arms suddenly say, “Ah Jiu, if you like girls, I can be one.”
“What do you mean?”
“I can become a girl. I can stay like this forever if you want.”
Gu Jiu fell silent. She finally remembered that Boundless City was full of bizarre tools and potions. Gender transformation could happen in the blink of an eye, and turning a boyfriend into a girlfriend was far from difficult.
“As long as you like me, Ah Jiu, I don’t mind changing into anything,” Lu Ji whispered, slyly giving her the option to choose. All he cared about was her affection.
Gu Jiu: “…That won’t be necessary. Being a boy is perfectly fine.”
“Really?” Lu Ji’s eyes lit up as he looked at her with excitement.
Gu Jiu loosened her hold on him slightly and reached out to smooth his long hair. His thick, silky hair was tied at the back, flowing like a waterfall. From behind, he looked just like a beautiful girl with long hair.
Even from the front, he was stunning.
“Yes,” Gu Jiu affirmed. “You don’t need to change anything. You’re already perfect as you are.”
She didn’t mind if her boyfriend liked dressing as a girl. She respected everyone’s lifestyle choices. After all, whether her boyfriend was male or female, she had already fallen for him. What else could she do?
Lu Ji was so overjoyed he almost lost himself.
But then he remembered something Gu Jiu had once mentioned and, feeling a bit shy, said, “Ah Jiu, if you’d like to take the lead, that’s fine too.”
No matter whether he was male or female, she could be the one in control.
Gu Jiu: “…Let’s not get into that. I want to see your male form first.”
Looking at him now, with the appearance of an underage girl, she couldn’t bring herself to do anything too outrageous. She’d have to wait—it wasn’t urgent.
Lu Ji didn’t hesitate. He was about to transform back into his male form when Gu Jiu stopped him. “Here? Find somewhere private first.”
Although the alley seemed quiet and deserted, there was no guarantee that other players wouldn’t stumble upon them. Gu Jiu definitely didn’t want her boyfriend to be seen by others while changing.
Lu Ji responded with a simple “Oh,” obediently letting her pull him away.
The two headed to a nearby commercial street.
This area was close to the training grounds, and because of its proximity, Gu Jiu often chose locations here whenever she entered Boundless City.
Gu Jiu picked a private club.
Just as they were about to enter, they ran into Wan Xingzhou, who was coming out of the club.
“Miss Gu, Ah Ji, you’re finally here!” Wan Xingzhou exclaimed with both surprise and joy. “I was just about to look for you! Now you’re the only ones left—we’ve been waiting for you upstairs!”
He moved to grab Gu Jiu, but Lu Ji immediately blocked him.
Wan Xingzhou didn’t seem to mind, instead urging them to head inside quickly.
Gu Jiu asked, “Who’s waiting for us?”
“Everyone! Sister Chai, Old Hei, the whole gang!” Wan Xingzhou replied in confusion. “Yesterday, Sister Chai contacted us, saying she wanted to meet in Boundless City. She asked me to choose a spot, and I told her we were in the 98th Star District. So, she decided to hold the meeting here…”
After his rapid-fire explanation, Gu Jiu finally pieced things together.
After leaving the game world, the players took a couple of days to decompress before deciding to meet in person in Boundless City.
Chai Yingying had contacted Wan Xingzhou and arranged to meet in the 98th Star Zone.
“Miss Gu, why haven’t you been in touch with Sister Chai and the others? They were just saying they sent you their player accounts, but you didn’t respond or add them as friends. They were worried something had happened to you.” Wan Xingzhou gave Gu Jiu a puzzled look. “I told them you probably returned to the real world and didn’t see the notifications…”
Gu Jiu glanced at her player account interface, spotting hundreds of friend requests still pending approval.
When leaving the Death Train world, everyone had exchanged player accounts, intending to add each other as friends once they returned to Boundless City. But because she had been preoccupied with Lu Ji’s situation, she hadn’t paid attention to her interface and had missed them all.
Wan Xingzhou blinked as he realized something. “Wait, you didn’t come here because of Sister Chai’s gathering?”
Gu Jiu replied calmly, “No, but since we’ve run into you, we’ll join you.”
Wan Xingzhou nodded, leading the way. He cast curious glances at them, sensing something was off, and muttered, “Sister Chai was getting anxious waiting for you two. She asked me to remind you, but you didn’t reply to my messages, and I had no idea where to find you. I was even thinking of checking the training grounds…”
He continued to chatter as they reached the third floor of the club.
This particular venue was a high-end establishment, with a minimum nightly charge of a thousand points. Players unprepared to spend lavishly were better off not stepping inside.
The decor was luxurious without being garish, exuding a refined elegance.
Wan Xingzhou pushed open the private room door, and dazzling, multicolored lights burst into view, followed by the sight of a roomful of people dancing wildly.
Before Gu Jiu could fully take in the scene, someone shouted loudly from within.
“Miss Gu is here!”