“Zhixian, I’m back~”
After a knock on the door, a black-haired beauty carrying a tote bag gently pushed the door open.
“Huh? Su Ling! How come you got off work even earlier than yesterday? It’s still morning now!”
Ruan Zhixian, curled up in her oversized gaming chair, exclaimed in surprise. She then put down her controller, swiftly took off her Cat Ear Headphones, and braced her hands on the armrests.
With a spring of energy, she bounced up like a graceful golden fawn, barefoot, and took a few light steps to the door, fully pulling it open from its previous ajar state.
“Welcome back, Su Ling!”
The girl’s face shone with an uncontrollable bright smile.
“Mm-hmm, mm-hmm.”
Despite so many days having passed, Su Ling still hadn’t gotten used to Zhixian’s enthusiastic greetings. Her fair cheeks had already flushed a rosy red.
“Oh right, Zhixian, I brought you a gift.”
With that, the shy girl lifted the tote bag in her hand, as if trying to hide the blossoming feelings she could no longer suppress.
“Wow, there’s a gift today too! Is it another little cake?”
Seeing the black-haired girl shake her head, Ruan Zhixian curiously took the tote bag.
“Huh, this is………..”
Unexpectedly to Zhixian, the gift inside the tote bag was a somewhat vintage-looking game figurine.
“This is Contra!”
That’s right, the figurine wasn’t of some cute girl or an exquisitely crafted premium figure, but two muscular men, half-naked on their upper bodies, carrying submachine guns with bullets strapped to their backs.
They were the protagonists of the classic two-player side-scrolling shooter game Contra.
“Su Ling, how did you think of giving me this?”
Unwrapping the package, Zhixian fiddled with the two muscle-bound figures, curiously asking the black-haired girl beside her.
“What’s wrong, Zhixian? Don’t you like it?”
Su Ling felt a bit nervous inside, then a little disappointed.
So, Zhixian didn’t like it anymore… I specifically picked it out, wasn’t it said that buying something you like is enough?!
But… Zhixian seems to not like it anymore… It’s a memory of two people, it’s supposed to be…
Out of Zhixian’s sight, the black-haired girl’s eyes darkened, the light fading into gloom.
“No, no, that’s not it, I really like it.”
Zhixian didn’t look back but carefully arranged the two muscle men into suitable positions.
“Contra is a very old game. Su Ling, you must have put a lot of thought into picking this gift for me.”
“Speaking of which, those times playing Contra with that little guy back then were really fun~”
Looking at the figurines now placed in the most prominent spot on the desk, Zhixian nodded in satisfaction.
“What about you, Su Ling? Is the person you played Contra with back then still around?”
“Hmm…”
Seeing the curious golden-eyed girl inching closer, Su Ling turned away, her cheeks flushing red, her hands nervously fidgeting behind her back, her eyelashes trembling as she listened to her racing heartbeat.
Ahhh, I’m really curious! Who was the person who played games with young Su Ling?
Sitting in her gaming chair, Zhixian hugged her controller. Although her eyes remained fixed on the computer screen, her mind was nowhere near the game.
Clearly, I’m the one playing with her now…
The blonde girl felt a bit wronged for a moment.
No, no, why should I care about this! Who Su Ling played with when she was little has nothing to do with me!
Even if they are still in touch now…
At that thought, Zhixian glanced back toward the bed behind her:
The black-haired girl had changed out of her formal clothes, now wearing beige loungewear, sitting cross-legged on the bed.
Her brows were slightly furrowed as her beautiful phoenix eyes focused intently on the laptop in front of her, slender fingers tapping steadily on the keyboard.
After a while, as if sensing the blonde girl’s gaze, Su Ling shifted her attention from the files on the laptop, a gentle smile blooming on her originally cool and serious face.
“Zhixian, is something wrong?”
“N-no, nothing!”
Zhixian quickly turned her head away, fanning her steadily warming cheeks.
Wow, Su Ling looks so beautiful when she’s focused on work…
No, no, I can’t be distracted by Su Ling’s beauty! What I was thinking just now had nothing to do with this!
But looking at the two muscle men on the desk and recalling how tenderly Su Ling looked at her just now, Zhixian inexplicably felt her chaotic thoughts begin to calm.
No matter what, Su Ling is here with me now. And besides, this figurine was a gift from Su Ling…
With that thought, Zhixian’s mood brightened instantly.
So, the blonde girl turned back, her hair tails drawing a golden arc in the air.
“Mm-hmm, it’s nothing, I just wanted to see you, Su Ling!”
Her emerald eyes curved like crescent moons, the corners of her lips lifting into an unreserved smile.
“Oh, oh…”
Although puzzled, Su Ling’s heart once again raced at that smile, and her delicate ears instantly flushed crimson.
Sure enough, having someone accompany you at work feels really good…
After Zhixian turned her head again, Su Ling gazed blankly at the computer screen, lost in thought.
“All right, since you’re home for lunch today, let me cook a meal and treat you properly!”
Approaching noon, Zhixian glanced at the time on the computer and jumped down from the chair.
“But won’t you be tired, Zhixian? How about I ask Secretary Lin to send food over?”
Su Ling lifted her head from the laptop with some worry.
“No, no, no need to trouble Secretary Lin today. Besides, I really want to cook a nice meal for Su Ling~ as a thank-you for today’s gift!”
The blonde girl rolled up her sleeves and showed off her slender arms, surprisingly more energetic than usual.
“Huh? W-well then, if Zhixian wants to…”
Su Ling’s face turned red again, whether from Zhixian’s blunt words or the glimpse of her fair underarm revealed by the rolled-up sleeve, no one could say.
“Hmph, anyway, Su Ling, just tell Secretary Lin not to come today, and you just focus on work here while waiting to eat the meal I make!”
Zhixian said confidently, striding toward the kitchen.
“So, what should I cook that’s delicious today?”
Throwing open the fridge door and staring at the dazzling array of fresh ingredients (changed daily by Secretary Lin, previously by Wang Secretary), Chef Zhixian, wearing a cute bunny apron, fell into deep thought.