Wei Chen fiddled with his new smartphone while reminiscing about the past. The longer he lived here, the more similarities he discovered between this world and his previous one.
Examples included the rise of the internet, the launch dates of smartphones, and certain major events. Many were presented under different names or forms, but in essence, there was no difference, some were even identical.
However, he didn’t deliberately try to fight for anything, nor did he attempt to alter the course of events, choosing instead to let everything unfold naturally.
As he was thinking, Gu Liang suddenly hooked an arm around his neck, leaning in with mischief in his eyes.
A youth’s vibrant body heat was scorching even in spring, let alone with such intimate contact.
Wei Chen looked up at him with a helpless, doting expression, his gaze resembling that of an affectionate father looking at a silly son. “What is it this time?”
“What do you mean ‘this time’?” Gu Liang raised an eyebrow to express his dissatisfaction, then quickly steered the conversation back on track, saying with great enthusiasm: “Ah Chen, let’s go to Crown Town together this winter break to watch the snow!”
Wei Chen thought for a moment before recalling the name of the country that hadn’t existed in his original world: “Syllia?”
“Yeah! Old Master Wei was actually the one who suggested it.”
Wei Chen’s right eyelid twitched twice; he had a strong hunch this wasn’t anything good.
“Since when did the old man become so trendy? Learning from young people to take a flight just to soak in hot springs and admire the snow? Isn’t he afraid of slipping the moment he steps out of the airport?”
Gu Liang cleared his throat twice, pinching his neck to imitate Old Master Wei’s voice in a theatrical, mocking tone: “You little brat, how dare you curse your old man’s old man! Tired of living, aren’t you? Believe it or not, I’ll whip you to death with our family discipline!”
After speaking, he even pretended to grab the TV remote from the coffee table to strike Wei Chen.
Wei Chen made a move to fight back. Just as they were about to fool around, before he even got up, he spotted Old Master Wei standing at the top of the stairs, leaning on a walking stick while glaring at them with puffing cheeks.
Wei Chen instantly lost all his nerve. Dropping his pillow, he stood frozen in place, gazing respectfully at the old man.
Gu Liang hadn’t realized what was happening yet. Clutching the pillow on the sofa for defense, he didn’t forget to jab at him: “Wei Chen, is this how you treat your grandfather? You unfilial grandson!”
This was exceptionally awkward. Wei Chen looked at Gu Liang with a gaze full of pity.
Because he noticed Old Master Gu had also appeared right behind his grandfather. The two patriarchs, who held absolute authority in their respective households, looked like they had teamed up to clean house.
Gu Liang was bewildered. Playfully kicking Wei Chen’s lower leg, he asked, “Why are you looking at me like that? What wrong did you commit now?”
“Ah…” Wei Chen turned his head away, refusing to look at anyone.
Rather than pitying this guy, it was better to let him march straight to his doom.
“Ah Liang.”
Old Master Gu was a former military man. Though well past sixty, his build remained sturdy and robust, and his voice resounded with formidable authority especially when issuing a reprimand like this.
Gu Liang jumped off the sofa in fright, turning around instantly like a startled rabbit.
He rubbed his nose, his face filled with embarrassment. “Grandpa, why are you here?”
Seeing his cowardly state, Wei Chen chuckled quietly behind him, only quieting down after receiving a pinch on the arm. He then put on a obedient, pleasing smile toward the two old masters. “Indeed, Grandpa Gu, why are you here? Did you come over this early to play chess with my grandpa? Gu Liang and I will go brew a pot of tea for you two.”
With that, he tried to drag Gu Liang along to slip away, but was called to a halt before taking a single step.
“Stand right there. Nobody allowed you to leave.”
This time, it was still Old Master Gu speaking. Soon after, the two elderly men came downstairs and sat on the sofa, watching them stand at attention as punishment.
Old Master Gu was the only person who could keep Gu Liang in check; his words were treated like imperial decrees by Gu Liang in the moment, only to be completely forgotten the second he turned around.
Gu Liang stood ramrod straight, eyes fixed ahead, looking as if he were ready to salute.
“Grandpa, the two of us actually have an urgent matter to attend to.”
Old Master Gu snorted, “Even if it’s a matter as big as the heavens, put it on hold!”
Gu Liang: “Yes, sir!”
Wei Chen wanted to laugh at his lack of backbone, but after receiving a fierce glare from his own grandfather, he swallowed his laughter right back down.
One after another, why did everyone love glaring so much?
Old Master Gu asked, “Have you told Wei Chen about the trip to Syllia?”
Gu Liang: “I just mentioned it.”
Old Master Gu gave Old Master Wei a meaningful look. The latter cleared his throat a few times, looked at Gu Liang with gratification, and praised: “Well done.”
Wei Chen & Gu Liang: “???”
Old Master Gu slapped his own knee in frustration, “Who asked you to say that?!”
Old Master Wei looked confused: “Then what was I supposed to say?”
“Bah! You’re just as unreliable as these two little brats.” Old Master Gu stood up in irritation, walking decisively toward the main entrance.
Carrying his hands behind his back, Old Master Gu walked with steady strides. “Forget it, I’m old and can’t make the calls anymore. As for your family’s matters, you old ghost can figure them out yourself.”
Suddenly, the voice of System 2002, which hadn’t popped up in a long time resounded in Wei Chen’s mind.
System 2002: “Detected that completing a randomly triggered plotline half a month from now will drop a blockbuster cheat/boon.”
This notification came quite early this time. Wei Chen already had a solid guess in mind; looking at his grandfather who was playing dumb, he remained silent.
Wei Chen turned to Old Master Wei and spoke in a firm, knowing tone: “Grandpa, the legend of Syllia is quite famous.”
Old Master Wei nodded without saying anything further, turning around to walk away.
This reaction solidified the guess in Wei Chen’s heart.
Having waited for so many years and lived as an ordinary person for just as long, half a month from now, his and Gu Liang’s worlds would ultimately begin to diverge.
Seeing that Old Master Wei had left, Gu Liang hooked his arm around Wei Chen’s neck, dragging him back onto the sofa. “What kind of cryptic riddle were you two playing?”
“Not telling you.” Wei Chen reached out to pinch his nose.
The two resumed their unfinished playfulness.
In truth, days of calm and stability were quite nice. Before time could completely fast-forward, Wei Chen was already starting to miss this carefree and happy period of youth.
Once they had fooled around enough, the two slumped onto the large leather sofa to rest.
Wei Chen rested his head on Gu Liang’s stomach. From this angle, he could just catch a glimpse of the latter’s delicate jawline and his slightly protruding Adam’s apple.
He couldn’t help reaching out to touch it, marveling: “You’re developing quite fast, young man.”
Stimulated by the touch, Gu Liang shrank his neck and slapped his hand away. “Are you sick or something? Don’t you have one yourself?”
Wei Chen touched his own neck. “I do, but mine doesn’t look as nice as yours.”
“Tsk, why are you acting like those girls in our class who look in the mirror all day? What real man cares about looking good or not?”
“You’re only twelve, you haven’t been in middle school for long, and you’re still a little boy.” Wei Chen smiled with eyes curved like crescents, nearly choking on his own saliva. “Cough, cough. Anyway, I’m a visual person. If you grow up ugly, I won’t play with you anymore.”
“Oh, no wonder you never liked playing with Chen Youming since we were little. Being your cousin is pretty tragic.”
Wei Chen raised an eyebrow. He didn’t play with Chen Youming because that cousin of his was lustful, lacked ambition, acted sleazy since childhood, and loved instilling bad ideas into Gu Liang’s head.
However, since Gu Liang thought of it that way, he didn’t bother correcting him.
Lazily rolling over, he took a whiff of the body wash on Gu Liang the exact same scent as his own and couldn’t resist poking the guy’s belly, teasing: “Yeah, that’s why I only play with you since we were little because you’re good-looking, the best-looking of all.”
Gu Liang was used to Wei Chen’s little restless hands. Even though his hands were always up to no good, Gu Liang wasn’t ticklish anyway. Resting his head on the sofa cushion, he began to feel a bit drowsy.
The temperature in late autumn was somewhat chilly. Seeing this, Wei Chen got up to grab a blanket for him and leaned back down beside him.
The servants didn’t roam around unannounced, leaving only the two of them cuddling together in the spacious living room.
Wei Chen was still quite awake. Looking at Gu Liang’s side profile, he couldn’t help brushing aside the bangs on the boy’s forehead to see him more clearly.
After staring for a long while, he still couldn’t find the words to describe this kind of beauty; he could only marvel that he was indeed handsome no wonder so many supporting female characters would throw themselves at him later in the novel.
Gradually, as he continued watching, his head leaned against Gu Liang’s, and he drifted off to sleep as well.