Chapter 21: A Key Between Them

Evening hues softened the sky when Lin Feng returned to campus. His new apartment's key was safely in his pocket, metallic and cold, yet weighedmore than it ought to.

He was. out of balance.

Not because he did not deserve it—but because everything felt too ephemeral to speak aloud.

Every step he took, every face he sawon campus, felt distant. Far away.

Some students walked past, smiling as they teasingly pushed each other. Another couple were sitting by the pond, her head resting on his shoulder. That quiet intimacy put a knot in Lin Feng's throat for reasons he couldn't quite articulate.

He pulled out his phone.

His thumb hovered over Liu Xiaoyu's contact for an extremely long time.

Invite her?

To some place like that?

It felt too soon. Too arrogant.

What would she do?

Tell him he was bragging?

That he was trying to show off?

But the system had proposed a questto him. And losing the opportunity bothered him.

He sighed and typed:

Lin Feng:

"Hello. I… received permission to travel to a new destination. Veryisolated. Clean. It's outside the city, quiet. Would you maybe… like to comelook at it?"

He read it three times. It sounded awkward, the type of person inviting someone to a hideout.

He deleted it.

Wrote again.

Lin Feng:

"Hey. Just managed to get a small flat. Nothing classy, but thought you might like to take a look at some time. No biggie."

It was still awkward. But genuine.

He sent it.

The Wait

He walked in circles around the student square for fifteen minutes after he sent the message. Every buzz of his phone made his chest tighten.

Nothing.

Still nothing.

He started to think that he'd overdoneit.

Then—

Liu Xiaoyu:

"A new apartment? That's unexpected… sure. When?"

Lin Feng came to a standstill.

His breath caught.

He stared at the response, reading it three times just to ensure he hadn't imagined it.

He replied in a rush:

"Maybe tomorrow afternoon? I'll send you the address."

Liu Xiaoyu:

"Sounds good. I'm curious."

The Next Morning

Lin Feng barely slept that night.

His mind spun in a dozen directions. Should he clean the place again? Should he buy snacks? What kind of impression would a near-empty apartment make?

He wasn't trying to impress her. Was he?

By the time morning rolled around, he had made the trip to the localconvenience store and bought himself bottled tea, a loaf of soft bread, and a tray of fruit. It wasn't much. But it gave the place a lived-in feel.

He even dusted the windows, though they were already spotless.

At noon, he sent her the pin for where he was and waited.

She arrived an hour later.

The Visit

She stepped out of a ride-share car, wearing loose-fitting jeans and pale blouse, over which was wrapped acream cardigan, with sneakers. Loosestrands of her hair framed her face.

Lin Feng met her at the front door, becoming suddenly self-conscious.

"Hi," she said with a flicker of smile. "So this is where the magic is made?"

"Yep," he replied, stiffening himself not to be uptight. "Come on up.".

They took the stairs—he didn't want to deal with the awkward silence of an elevator.

When he opened the door to the apartment, she entered slowly, eyes scanning the room.

".You weren't kidding. This apartmentis. really nice."

"I didn't decorate it or anything," Lin Feng quickly replied. "It just came like that."

"Regardless," she walked over to the window, "the light's amazing."

He watched her quietly as she pacedthe living room, running her handalong the edge of the windowsill, opening the refrigerator, peeking into the bedrooms.

She seemed more relaxed than he had expected.

"It's peaceful," she said, finally sittingon the edge of the couch. "I see why you wanted to be here."

"I needed space to think," he said honestly.

They sat in a silence pocketafterwards, the thrum of city life reduced to a whisper outside the walls.

Then she glanced over.

"How did you get this place?"

He paused.

The truth was messy. Too messy.

He couldn't necessarily say, "I have some sort of enigmatic system that'soffering me life-altering rewards for playing and completing missions."

So he told her the next best lie to the truth.

"An opportunity came along. It's not technically in my name—it's more of a benefit I received from a program I got into. Quiet, no strings."

Liu Xiaoyu raised an eyebrow, obviously skeptical—but not pressing the point either.

"Still," she said, "that's lucky."

Lin Feng met her gaze. "Yeah… lucky."

[SYSTEM NOTIFICATION]

Quest Complete: Housewarming

Relationship Affinity Raised

New Unlock: "Bonded Encounter (Pending Trigger)"

Minor Reputation Gain (Social Circle: +3)

"Small steps become real change. Keep going."

A Quiet Bond

The visit wasn't melodramatic.

She didn't gasp over him or scootforward on the couch.

But she didn't want to leave, either.

They talked for nearly two hours—school, adolescence, odd part-time jobs, and favorite foods. She told him about how she used to help her grandmother fold dumplings duringthe winter, how she missed the snow at home.

He told her a little about his village.

And she listened—actually listened.

At last, she was going to leave.

"Thank you for bringing me," she said at the door.

"Thank you for coming."

They both glanced at each other a moment too long.

Then she smiled, kindly and wise.

"I'll see you tomorrow, Lin Feng.".