Chapter 60: Three Holy Lands for Dates
After barely getting through it.
Bai Heng opened the forcibly logged-in "Battle Wheels 32", which could be regarded as accepting Silver Wolf's challenge.
In fact, his own gaming level is not low. When simply taking a girl along, he often dominates the game.
Now, with the 加持 of the entry "Punk Lord Spirit", he only used it three times before refreshing his record.
Ruan Mei watched the whole process.
Originally thinking it had nothing to do with her, but unexpectedly, after Bai Heng refreshed his own record, he immediately pulled her along to play.
However, most of the games he chose were some relatively easy two-player cooperative games and team competitive games.
For example, there is a game where you control a little person to move within a map, pick up items, and then drop bombs.
There is also a game where you control two angel archers with wings, dodging traps while shooting arrows to eliminate monsters and continuously climbing up and breaking through levels by stepping on arrows.
Ruan Mei thought she would be uninterested, but looking at Bai Heng who was blown up by her bombs and who was turned into a hedgehog by her arrows, she subconsciously felt... pleasure?
Even unconsciously, they kept playing until sunset when the new female owner of the fast food restaurant came to remind them.
Only then did the two prepare to leave.
Before leaving the fast food restaurant, Bai Heng found the male owner of the fast food restaurant and left him a considerable amount of credit points.
The other party was quite surprised by this and was about to decline when he heard Bai Heng explain:
"This sum of money is not entirely a reward for remembrance. Boss, after I leave, please try your best to ensure that the last old machine will not be damaged. If the previous old customer comes here again, you can let her go down and take a look. Of course, I will also come back here to visit you again."
....
It was sunset when they left the fast food restaurant. There was still some time before Bai Heng was ready to return to the Interstellar Astronomical Society.
So Bai Heng planned to take Ruan Mei to continue strolling around this city.
However, in a city like Punk Lord that never sleeps, the city's neon lights will not make people linger.
At this time, he remembered three most suitable dating spots in the city.
Movie theaters, aquariums, and Ferris wheels.
According to a certain Little Dragon Girl who doesn't want to be named.
In movie theaters, it's very dark, and girls naturally have a sense of dependence on boys. Moreover, when watching horror movies, boys can naturally hold girls' hands.
Visiting aquariums makes you seem refined and gentle and very fond of animals. Girls all like boys with a heart of love. And in a blue undersea tunnel, there is a sense of mystery of being alone in another world for the two of you.
Ferris wheels are the most suitable place for confession. No one can disturb you, and girls can't escape either. When the Ferris wheel reaches the highest point, take out the rose that has been prepared long ago and kneel down to confess! You have a full ten minutes to use. For a boy who can talk, ten minutes is enough to move a turtle to tears.
Bai Heng carefully considered these three dating spots.
Movie theaters. To be honest, if the horror movies shown there could scare Ruan Mei, probably no one in the entire movie theater would survive.
As for those vulgar 狗血 love movies and youth pain literature shown in Punk Lord, Bai Heng feels that these movies might be more likely to make people lose their illusions about love.
Speaking of Ferris wheels, this is indeed the most suitable place for confession.
But unfortunately, Bai Heng and Ruan Mei have already passed the confession stage.
Even if he casually pulls up a foxtail grass by the roadside now and then weaves a ring with the stem core of the plant and proposes to Ruan Mei.
There is a ninety percent chance that she will agree. She might even think that this perfunctory proposal is more interesting than a templated proposal.
There's no way. This is called beauty in the eyes of a lover. As long as Bai Heng doesn't make any principled mistakes, Ruan Mei will only recognize him in her life.
So only the aquarium is left.
According to Bai Heng's understanding of Ruan Mei, she is interested in everything related to life, from the entire universe to a speck of dust.
So she is probably also curious about the marine ecology of Punk Lord that she is visiting for the first time.
And fortunately, Bai Heng also knows several of the most famous aquariums in Punk Lord.
As long as they didn't perish in the Punk Lord network war five years ago, it would be the best choice at present.
After sorting out his thoughts.
Bai Heng took Ruan Mei for a stroll and tasted various snacks along the way. On the way, they came to the front of the Punk Lord Central Aquarium.
Fortunately, this aquarium is still open and has not been destroyed in that war.
Just when Ruan Mei had purchased a silver hairpin from a silverware store across from the aquarium and Bai Heng was about to suggest taking a look in that aquarium.
Ruan Mei suddenly said:
"Bai Heng, why don't we take a look over there?"
Bai Heng looked back... Hehe, what a coincidence.
Looking at the place Ruan Mei was pointing at.
He even began to suspect that Ruan Mei's friend who often popularized knowledge for her had also introduced these three dating spots to her.
...
Punk Lord Central Aquarium.
This aquarium is the largest underground aquarium in the entire oasis area of Punk Lord. It houses almost all the marine life on the planet Punk Lord.
Of course, you can even find those long-extinct marine creatures in it.
Because the entire venue, just like this neon city itself, uses virtual technology and perfectly realizes the interweaving of reality and virtuality.
Walking in that long and narrow undersea tunnel is like truly stepping into the deep sea. Countless schools of fish swim past overhead. Hidden undercurrents surge in front of you. At this moment, you seem to be in a vortex of darkness and deep blue.
In the corridor of the Punk Lord Central Aquarium that is like an undersea tunnel, people are flowing and the bustling footsteps are vaguely mixed with a few cries of vendors.
Although it's not clear how these people got in.
But where there are many people, there must be business opportunities. Bai Heng can actually understand their actions and even went to support them.
"Here." Bai Heng handed the cotton dumpling he bought from a little girl to Ruan Mei.
Cotton dumpling is a kind of food that flows in from the great wilderness of Punk Lord. It is similar to the candied haws on the Xianzhou.
String glutinous rice dumplings wrapped with cotton candy silk together. The price is a bit more expensive than glutinous rice dumplings in paper bags, but it is much more convenient to eat.
At least there is no need to worry about getting sugar silk on your palms after grabbing it with your hands, so you can't hold hands with your partner.
"What's this?" Ruan Mei reached out and took the glutinous rice dumpling that Bai Heng handed over. Her long eyelashes blinked slightly: "It seems very similar to candied haws."
"You can understand it as a glutinous rice dumpling version of candied haws. It's just more convenient to eat." Bai Heng had eaten cotton dumplings a few times when he was in Punk Lord before and could also talk about it a bit.
"Oh..."
Ruan Mei nodded gently. Then she asked again:
"Why did you only buy one?"
After all, they are an old married couple. Bai Heng said very naturally:
"I'm waiting for you to feed me."
Ruan Mei was slightly stunned. But then she really quietly handed the cotton dumpling to Bai Heng's mouth.
Bai Heng was not polite either. He leaned over and took a bite of the top green dumpling. It was a bit sticky in the mouth. But then the sugar silk melted, and the fragrance of glutinous rice and red bean paste moistened between the lips and teeth.
"How's the taste?" Ruan Mei asked:
"It's okay. Well, feed me another bite. Let's eat while walking."
Bai Heng and Ruan Mei walked side by side. From time to time, he leaned over and took a bite of the cotton dumpling in Ruan Mei's hand.
In the eyes of outsiders, the two really seem to be just an ordinary couple.
There is neither the passionate fire of being in the honeymoon period nor the dullness of only having daily necessities like in a cold period.
Plain and warm. Perhaps these two words can describe the relationship between the two.
After an unknown amount of time, they stopped at a corner of a corridor.
The end of the road is divided by six pieces of glass and continuously extends outward.
It is also here that you can enjoy six different views and clearly perceive the boundary between reality and virtuality.
Ruan Mei stood in front of a piece of glass and pressed her plain hand wrapped in a sleeve against the cold glass window. Her emerald eyes reflected the color of the deep sea.
The world is full of colors. The mystery of the starry sky and the vastness of the deep sea. These colors should no longer stir her heartstrings.
If she came here alone, she might not have the emotions she has at this moment.
But since the person who plucks the strings is by her side, even if they were just like before, living in a small basement or walking in a noisy city, those emotions hidden deep in her heart would slowly melt.
Ruan Mei gently opened her rosy lips and asked:
"Do you still remember what we looked like when we first visited the uninhabited land?"
Coming back to his senses from the vast deep sea in front of him, Bai Heng turned his head to look at Ruan Mei and said:
"Uninhabited land?... At that time, we were only about five or six years old. We followed the scientific expedition team to that planet and witnessed the ancient creature that had been frozen for an unknown number of years awaken."
"Um." Ruan Mei responded softly. Her eyes were calm, as if recalling that long past: "It was at that time that I became curious about the essence of life and began to long for some 'pure' things."
"It was also at that time that I gradually ignored some more essential things... For example, emotions."
She looked back and stared at Bai Heng. Her tone was sincere:
"Perhaps until now, I still don't know what it is. I also often ignore its existence and find it difficult to respond to your emotions."
Hearing this, Bai Heng was slightly stunned at first. Then he chuckled and said:
"Why did we suddenly start talking about serious topics... Well, let me think. Are you apologizing to me?"
Bai Heng said this sentence in a joking tone.
And Ruan Mei didn't answer, which was regarded as 默许 his statement.
But just when the atmosphere was turning silent, Bai Heng suddenly burst out laughing.
Ruan Mei didn't understand this change and looked at Bai Heng with some confusion. Until his laughter subsided. He rubbed his eyes and said:
"Ah Ruan, do you remember what I said on the 'Black Tower' space station?"
"Which sentence are you referring to?"
"That sentence... I think your personality has changed." Bai Heng's tone became relaxed: "In the past, you wouldn't apologize to me, nor would you reminisce with me, nor would you worry about whether you could be a qualified partner."
Hearing this, Ruan Mei's expression froze for a moment. She understood what Bai Heng meant.
Perhaps she herself had noticed these subtle changes long ago.
Ruan Mei knitted her beautiful eyebrows. As if thinking about something. But after only a moment, she asked:
"If as you say, in the past I wouldn't apologize, wouldn't reminisce, and couldn't reflect, right?"
"Ah?"
Bai Heng's expression froze for a moment.
Thoughts were racing through his mind. He was just thinking.
Hiss... Why did it come back around again? Am I stepping on pits for myself every day???
But soon, Bai Heng's expression calmed down. He let out a breath and said in a gentle tone:
"Ah Ruan, haven't we already discussed this question? You should know my answer... So let's change the topic. For example, do you know when I fell in love with you?"
When Bai Heng asked this question, Ruan Mei put her slender finger on her delicate chin. Her eyebrows drooped slightly as if thinking.
After a moment, she gave the answer:
"Nineteen years old? I remember you confessed to me on my birthday that year."
"Am I such a wooden-headed guy?" Bai Heng looked into Ruan Mei's eyes. His tone was still so casual: "Nineteen years old? You underestimate me too much."
"Then when was it?" Ruan Mei's eyes showed confusion.
"Uh..." Bai Heng awkwardly uttered two words: "Two years old."
When hearing this number, even Ruan Mei was surprised and blinked. She began to reexamine Bai Heng.
To prevent unnecessary misunderstandings, Bai Heng scratched his temple and explained awkwardly:
"Don't misunderstand. The basis for this is that someone told me that when I was two years old, I grabbed things at the fortune-telling ceremony. I wasn't interested in other things. I just remembered holding your hand... It's not that I mean I'm a lolicon. Really."
Some things become less clear the more you explain them.
Perhaps now, Ruan Mei has already labeled Bai Heng as a lolicon and a foot fetishist in her heart.
Looking at Ruan Mei's meaningful expression, Bai Heng changed the topic and said:
"Ah Ruan, tell me. When did you accept my feelings?"
"Me?" Ruan Mei withdrew her gaze and put her hand on the cold glass again. Looking at the swimming fish, she slowly said:
"I don't know... Perhaps it was in our childhood hometown. Perhaps it was when I found you on the battlefield. Perhaps it was at the moment you confessed to me..."
She shook her head, put her hand lightly on her chest, looked back at Bai Heng and said:
"But when I realized it, you were already gone."
Bai Heng could hear the faint tremor in Ruan Mei's words.
He stared into her autumn-like eyes. The once so calm eyes also seemed to have faint ripples. Like autumn waters falling into a cold pool, slowly filled with that touch of sadness.
For a long time.
Ruan Mei pursed her thin lips slightly. Her gaze was like water, breaking the silence at this moment:
"You still haven't told me what kind of person I am to you now."
After a moment of silence, there was no longer any casualness on Bai Heng's face.
He seriously stared at Ruan Mei's extremely beautiful cheek and reached out to put his hand on her side face and said:
"You are my moonlight for six hundred years. Always have been."
The swimming fish passed by him. Bai Heng leaned over and gently kissed Ruan Mei's lips.
Like the crystal clear dewdrops in the morning falling on the tender leaves, their lips and teeth intertwined.