He had a point. Lin Shuang couldn't find a single argument to counter that logic.
Compared to the other women, her only real edge was that blind date... When she looked at it that way, she really needed to find a time to sincerely thank the original soul's aunt.
Lin Yingnan had practically been Lin Shuang's guardian angel. Introducing her to Jiang Mo right before the game commenced had given her a literal lifeline. The original rich young lady had failed to grasp it, letting her golden opportunity slip away. But when Lin Shuang crossed over, she grabbed onto that chance with both hands and secured her survival.
Over the next few days, Lin Shuang strictly adhered to her self-imposed six-o'clock wake-up rule. Jiang Mo had told her she could sleep in until six-thirty, but how could she let her presentation slip?
Panting and drenched in sweat during their runs was unglamorous enough; she absolutely refused to look like a sleep-deprived wreck when they first met every morning!
Sitting in the apartment living room, Lin Shuang tilted her head back to watch a paper butterfly fluttering aimlessly through the air. She had folded it from simulated origami paper following an online video tutorial. Thanks to the unique properties of the game item, anything crafted from that specific paper would transform into a living creature for ten minutes.
She had folded a paper boat before, which materialized into an identical, full-sized skiff, and her paper cranes could fly too, though none possessed the smooth, elegant aerial grace of this butterfly.
It was worth noting that game items earned by players could be utilized in the real world. As long as a player never explicitly admitted their status to an ordinary person, the Main God didn't care what they did in the reality sector.
Of course, using these items for malicious deeds still invited swift retribution.
The player base ran a specialized underground forum, managed and moderated by the top three guilds on the global leaderboard. The moment someone was verified to be using game items for criminal acts in reality, the guilds would step in to handle the situation. It was a responsibility the Grand Duke Guild shouldered willingly-a perfect method to scout talent and bolster their public reputation.
Lately, when Lin Shuang wasn't training, she spent her free time practicing origami and scrolling through that forum.
Whenever she typed Jiang Mo's username, Silent Jiang, into the search bar, a flood of analysis threads and gossip posts populated her screen. This legendary figure-who consistently left no trace of his whereabouts-had never joined a guild, nor had he ever publicly acknowledged a single friend request. It was almost as if the Main God itself had descended to play its own game.
The ten minutes expired. The butterfly drifted down to the floor, reverting into a harmless piece of folded paper.
Jiang Mo stepped out of the kitchen right on cue, carrying a plate of cola chicken wings and a dish of Qianlong cold cabbage1-a refreshing appetizer Lin Shuang had specifically requested after spotting it in a food vlog.
"Stop playing and go grab the noodles," he said.
"Oh, right!" Lin Shuang sprang up so fast her knee smacked right into the edge of the table. Thump. "Ow! Wait, no-it's fine, doesn't hurt at all. Just a tiny graze."
She hobbled into the kitchen, thanking her lucky stars she hadn't hit the sharp corner of the table. Otherwise, she would have gone airborne with a spectacular three-hundred-and-sixty-degree spin from the sheer agony.
"Spoke too fast..." Jiang Mo watched her eager retreat, letting out a sudden, helpless sigh. He had no idea how she had developed the habit of instantly comforting herself the moment she got hurt, convincing herself she was fine before anyone else could even react.
If he called her tough, she could be incredibly delicate and fragile at the strangest times. But if he called her spoiled, she clearly had absolutely no use for him in moments like this.
Lin Shuang set the two bowls of noodles on opposite sides of the table, rubbed her hands together, and looked across at Jiang Mo, who had already taken his seat.
They locked eyes for a brief moment, and a sudden wave of indignation washed over her.
(Dammit! I should have seized that perfect opportunity to act cute and seek some sympathy. Well, it wasn't too late to milk it now.)
"Mr. Jiang," Lin Shuang said, navigating around the table to point at the faint red mark on her knee. "Look where I banged it just now. It hurts so much."
Jiang Mo stared at her, utterly speechless.
Was his fiancée's pain reflex on a five-minute delay?
"Does it still hurt?" he asked.
"Yes."
"...Should I go out and buy some Yunnan Baiyao2 spray for it?"
"......Never mind. Let's just eat."
Lin Shuang didn't even know what response she had been fishing for, but she had envisioned something out of a romantic K-drama-the kind of scene where she could mentally hear the soundtrack swelling in the background.
Like back in the game instances, when Jiang Mo had been so attentive, helping her apply a cold compress... He was so incredibly smooth within the game environments, so why had they been stuck at the hand-holding stage for days out here in reality? They hadn't even shared a proper hug yet.
Lin Shuang poked at her food with her chopsticks. Across the table, Jiang Mo broke the silence. "Classes start tomorrow. How's your schedule looking?"
"Two morning periods and two afternoon periods," Lin Shuang replied, her mood instantly brightening. "Would you like to grab lunch at the campus cafeteria tomorrow, Mr. Jiang?"
A smile tugged at Jiang Mo's lips. "Sure. I have archery training in the morning anyway. I'll come find you as soon as I wrap up."
"In that case... meet me outside the Third Instructional Building," Lin Shuang said, visualizing her class schedule. "I'll sprint out the second the bell rings."
"No need to rush."
The next morning, Lin Shuang shut off her six o'clock alarm, refreshed herself, and heard the doorbell ring right on schedule.
After completing their run and taking a few cool-down laps around the neighborhood, they stopped by a breakfast stall outside the residential complex for a quick bite. Jiang Mo's archery practice was scheduled for ten, aligning perfectly with Lin Shuang's morning lectures.
She slid the textbooks she would need for the afternoon into the glove compartment, grabbed her morning materials, and stepped out of the passenger side.
"I'll walk you in," Jiang Mo said, stepping out with her instead of driving off. "Might as well figure out where the Third Instructional Building is."
Since the second period hadn't concluded yet, the campus pathways were relatively deserted. Lin Shuang pointed toward a structure not far away. "That's the Third Building over there. The fine arts wing where we hold our specialized major classes is right beside it-it's basically the most remote corner of the entire university."
The university she attended wasn't a specialized arts academy; consequently, the fine arts department occupied a legendary status on campus: 'highest tuition, worst facilities.'
They reached the entrance of the Third Instructional Building just as they finished chatting. Right on cue, the dismissal bell echoed through the halls, and a massive wave of students flooded out of the exit, either heading back to the dorms or racing toward their next lectures.
Jiang Mo gently pulled Lin Shuang to the side, shielding her from the crowd. He waited until the chaos thinned out before releasing his grip, offering a quiet reminder: "Call me if anything comes up."
Lin Shuang gave him a playful, half-teasing look. "Can you actually hear your smartphone buzzing over the sound of arrows hitting targets?"
"You're welcome to call mid-class and test that theory," Jiang Mo countered with a laugh. He reached out, lightly patting the crown of her head. "I'm off."
(Wow. He's really just turning around and walking away?)
Lin Shuang pursed her lips. As the saying went, if you wanted something done right, you had to do it yourself. Waiting around for fate was a losing strategy; it was time for an active offensive.
"Mr. Jiang!" she called out.
The moment he turned around, she sprinted across the pavement, throwing her arms tightly around his waist. "Would it kill you to be the initiator for once?" she grumbled into his chest.
Jiang Mo felt a wave of helpless amusement wash over him, though a distinct surge of warmth flared in his chest. "I didn't want to risk making you feel uncomfortable."
"It's been half a month!" Lin Shuang countered. Even for an ordinary couple not operating under the premise of marriage, two weeks was more than enough time to have progressed to kissing. "If I don't initiate, were you planning on being too polite for an entire year?"
Jiang Mo wrapped his arms around her, patting her back as he coaxed her in a low, gentle voice, "Alright. Now that I know a hug isn't crossing any lines, I'll make sure to initiate next time."
"That's more like it," Lin Shuang mumbled. She slowly loosened her grip. "Okay, you can let go now."
"Understood..." Jiang Mo gave her one final, firm squeeze before reluctantly releasing his hold. He stood his ground, watching quietly as Lin Shuang retreated to the safety of the instructional building's entrance, flashing him a bright wave from the doorway.
Summary:
Lin Shuang practices crafting living paper butterflies inside the apartment while keeping track of high-tier player data on the game forums. Jiang Mo prepares an intimate lunch before escorting her directly to her remote university art building as classes commence. A playful confrontation over physical affection breaks out between them at the building entrance, leaving their future romantic boundaries an open question.
Trivia:
Origami paper creations automatically transform into realistic living equivalents for exactly ten minutes.
Main God does not penalize real-world use of game items unless a player reveals the game's existence to ordinary humans.
The top three guilds on the server's leaderboard manage and enforce rules on the global player forum.
Jiang Mo's hidden player handle is Silent Jiang, and he is entirely unassociated with guilds or public friend lists.
Lin Shuang's department is known on campus for possessing the highest tuition fees alongside the worst resource allocation.
Translation Notes:
1 ↩ A traditional Beijing Chinese cold dish made with Chinese cabbage leaves mixed with a sweet and savory sesame paste dressing, named after Emperor Qianlong.
2 ↩ A famous traditional Chinese proprietary medicine used as a hemostatic plaster or aerosol spray to stop bleeding and relieve pain from traumatic injuries.
Notes:
• Lin Shuang - Lin Shuang is a college student transmigrated as a cannon fodder in an infinite game. To survive its horrors, she adopts a detached persona, clinging to the male lead for security while finding solace in small rewards like cake. Navigating the original owner's complex social ties with anxiety, she hides her true self, focusing solely on comfort and survival within the deadly, surreal game world.
• Shuang - A college student who transmigrated into a web novel as a doomed side character, Lin Shuang is a delicate-featured girl with bangs. Anxious to survive the infinite game, she masks her desperation by playing the opportunist, clinging to the male protagonist, Jiang Mo. Navigating the game’s dangers, she monitors forums and leverages their growing closeness—even renting an apartment to stay near him.
• Lin - A university junior and Jiang Mo’s fiancée, she is a resilient survivor who transmigrated into a doomed supporting role in a web novel. With a delicate build and bangs, she masks her vulnerability with a clever, observant nature. After trading her sedentary life for tactical combat with a Tang dao, she meticulously practices origami survival skills and exercises with Jiang Mo to forge vital alliances.
• He - A fierce, aggressive man who storms into a private training range to confront Jiang Mo over an alleged emotional deception involving his sister. A woman who speaks with strict, anxious bureaucratic formality over the phone. She is the sister of a man who caused an incident at an archery range.
• Lin Yingnan - A friendly, middle-aged neighbor in the apartment complex who is known for her kindness and hospitality. Lin Shuang's aunt, a mother of twins who is eager to play matchmaker for her niece.
• Jiang Mo - A cold, calculated strategist in the Infinite Stream, he masks a predatory nature with a gentle persona. As a former boxer living a solitary, tidy life, he balances lethal survival skills with a guarded temperament. He acts as a devoted protector to Lin Shuang, navigating the game's dangers with detached pragmatism and a methodical, controlled approach to both combat and his personal life.
• Jiang - Jiang Mo, a towering 6'3" former police academy student and athlete, is a top-tier survivalist in the Main God Space. Known for his powerful stature, sharp martial arts, and archery skills, he balances a pragmatic, stoic exterior with deep, trauma-rooted protectiveness. A weary-looking yet fit solo-ranker, he masks his intense devotion to his partner and fiancée, Lin Shuang, with cynical humor.
• Mo - Jiang Mo, known as Silent Jiang in the Main God’s Game, is a towering 6’3” martial artist and archer. Once a righteous police academy student, he is now hyper-vigilant yet remains calm and protective. He serves as a devoted mentor to Lin Shuang, with whom he shares a disciplined, evolving relationship—from forced laps to a deliberate, mutual commitment toward marriage, balancing his aloofness with care.