Part 2
“Three minutes!” “This brother is awesome!”
“He still has so much HP!”
Wen Ran continued playing. Time passed second by second, and the difficulty skyrocketed later on. The audience could barely see when the monsters arrived before they were headshot by Wen Ran. His hand movements were even faster. 4:57, 4:59, five minutes!
“Someone actually made it to five minutes!”
What was more terrifying was that Wen Ran was still going. He didn’t stop until around eight minutes.
“Eight minutes and 32 seconds.” The clerk was also in disbelief, stammering, “That’s incredible!”
Saying that, he handed a wristband to Wen Ran. “Tonight, you can enjoy every game here to your heart’s content!”
“Later, you can also use the wristband to exchange for exquisite gifts at the front desk!”
Wen Ran looked at Nan Xi somewhat smugly. “Nineteen, isn’t your Daddy amazing?”
Nan Xi was used to his way of speaking; it meant Wen Ran was in a very relaxed state.
Like a kitten seeking praise.
“Amazing.” Nan Xi looked at his beautiful, bright eyes and had an impulse to kiss him.
“You go try it too!” Wen Ran pushed Nan Xi’s back. “Although you have money, save where you can!”
Nan Xi hummed an acknowledgment and got on the game machine as well.
He timed it to achieve the exact same record as Wen Ran. He had seen the announcement earlier; there was a leaderboard for duration, and identical times would be displayed side by side.
This way, he could be next to Wen Ran.
Therefore, the subsequent challengers saw the names My Mechanics are 6 and Protect Little Wen listed side by side, with a score of eight minutes and 32 seconds.
They wandered around the arcade for about half an hour and played a few more popular games.
Wen Ran didn’t know if it was his illusion, but he felt Nan Xi was in higher spirits when playing two-player games than single-player ones.
He seemed a bit happier. Wen Ran didn’t quite understand. Obviously, in two-player mode, Wen Ran always rushed to the front, and Nan Xi had to lend him two of his three lives. Why did he still like playing it?
But before he could think about it in detail, Nan Xi took him to the fourth floor.
The fourth floor had some escape rooms and LARP games. As they walked past, there was a large storefront with many masks displayed at the entrance.
The sign above the store read ELLEA’s Bistro.
There’s actually a bar here?
Wen Ran still had some psychological trauma regarding bars, but the people inside looked quite happy.
“Would you two like to come in and take a look? This is our monthly Masked Soiree,” the waiter at the door said. “Masks are distributed for free. It doesn’t matter if you don’t buy anything; just treat it as going in for fun.”
“Go in if you want,” Nan Xi lowered his voice. “I’m with you.”
Wen Ran had never experienced something like a “masked ball.” Happily, he picked a small white cat mask and buckled it onto his face. “Nineteen, look at me!”
“Does it look strange?”
“Not strange.” With the white mask covering his face, Wen Ran’s exposed lips appeared exceptionally sexy, attracting his gaze. Nan Xi’s eyes darkened. “Very cute.”
Especially with his pink hair, he looked even more like a little cat demon who had escaped down the mountain to play.
“I’ve never played this before.” Wen Ran took out his phone and took a selfie.
“Seems okay.”
Nan Xi took a black mask, which made his whole aura even colder and sterner.
When the two entered, people kept looking their way.
The bistro wasn’t particularly large; compared to other bars, it could even be called small.
But there were quite a few varieties of alcohol, and the alcohol content wasn’t particularly high.
It targeted the youth market, and drinks could even be packed away like milk tea.
There was a stage in the center with a microphone, and a young lady was singing on it.
Wen Ran was still not quite used to this atmosphere, but fortunately, no one paid him any mind. He sat leisurely in a booth.
There was a fruit platter and some sunflower seeds and candy in front of him. Wen Ran took a grape and secretly stuffed it into his mouth.
So sweet.
He was just about to call Nan Xi to taste one too, but before the word “Nineteen” could come out, he realized Nan Xi was gone.
Wen Ran: “???”
Where is Nan Xi?
He looked around, but suddenly, the lights in the entire bistro went out.
“What happened?”
“Power outage?”
Voices of customers filled every corner. Immediately after, a beam of light fell on the stage.
The spotlight hit the center of the stage, attracting everyone’s attention.
They saw a person sitting on a stool on the stage, wearing a black mask, which couldn’t conceal his superior facial features in the slightest.
Holding a guitar, he raised his hand and pressed the microphone in front of him closer.
Nan Xi? What is he doing?
Wen Ran looked at the person on stage in confusion. Then, Nan Xi lowered his head and played a sequence of notes on the guitar.
He actually knows how to play the guitar?
After Nan Xi finished playing, the accompaniment slowly followed, and he began to sing:
“A rainstorm traps me here…”
“Why did you abandon me in the wind and rain…”
“I haven’t given up, nor will I leave you…”
“Even if we must part, I will still wait for you…”
“One day, you will believe me, I love you…”
Nan Xi’s voice was very pleasant, easily stirring the emotions of everyone present.
Moreover, such a gentle and mellow voice singing a love song was simply a soul-hooking knife. Especially since Nan Xi was handsome, many people took out their phones to secretly record.
The guitar chords were also perfect.
As the song ended, Nan Xi played an outro on the guitar.
His gaze lowered, seemingly looking for someone. His eyes were gentle and firm as he spoke into the microphone: “Today, I came with a very important person. I want to sing this song for him.”
“This is the first song we listened to together.”
“I am truly lucky to be able to meet you again.”
Thunderous applause immediately erupted at the scene.
Wen Ran’s eyes widened in disbelief. Nineteen sang this specifically for me?
This song was called “June Showers.” Wen Ran knew it. Although the lyrics were a bit suggestive, Nan Xi had said it was the first song they listened to together.
It seemed that in Nan Xi’s heart, he was truly an important friend.
It was already 2 AM when they parted ways.
Wen Ran wasn’t sleepy yet. The city at night looked very beautiful, brightly lit.
He didn’t take a taxi back immediately but wandered into a nearby shop.
It was a vintage jewelry store with nice decor, filled with various quaint handicrafts.
Wen Ran browsed casually, then suddenly saw a pale purple crystal transfer bead strung on a thin red cord.
On the left and right were small gold and silver beads, sandwiching the amethyst in the middle.
It was a hand-woven cord.
“This is a transfer bead. It will make things go smoothly and bring peace to the wearer.” Seeing Wen Ran’s gaze, the clerk immediately promoted it. ” The color is elegant, you can choose the size, and it comes with an authenticity certificate. If you think it’s suitable, you can try it on.”
Wen Ran was a bit tempted. He wanted to buy it for Jiang Yan.
At first glance, he felt this color would definitely suit Jiang Yan perfectly.
His wrists were so nice; paired with the red cord, it would definitely be incredibly sexy.
From the time they met until now, it had always been Jiang Yan preparing surprises for him and giving him gifts.
He wanted to do something for Jiang Yan too.
“Then wrap it up for me, please.”
Wen Ran paid the bill, carried the small bag, and happily took a taxi back to the hotel.
He really wanted to see Jiang Yan soon.
Li Fenlan learned of Wen Ran’s team name and his current location through Wang Mingui’s news.
Actually, thinking about going to the distant City B made her a bit worried.
She hadn’t traveled far much, and every step outside cost money now. Just the fare would cost several hundred yuan.
Finding Wen Ran wouldn’t be easy either; they would definitely have to stay there for a few days.
And what if she couldn’t get the money?
There was no one at home to take care of Moon.
Li Fenlan hesitated, afraid to set off, struggling with the decision for three or four days.
But she was eventually persuaded by Zhao Quan.
After all, that was over four million.
Wen Ran was so easy to trick. Before, he would give her all the money he earned. Now, asking him for a little bit shouldn’t be a problem.
Giving her two million or three million wouldn’t be excessive, right?
Wang Mingui said he was so rich now, easily earning tens of thousands. What was wrong with supporting his mother?
Moreover, with this money, she and Moon could both live a good life.
Zhao Quan probably wouldn’t beat her at the drop of a hat anymore.
She could also buy a bigger house and get herself a set of gold jewelry so she wouldn’t have to lower her head in poverty in front of others.
Their family’s life was developing in a good direction.
Under Zhao Quan’s bewitchment, Li Fenlan was also brainwashed into thinking she could definitely get the money and live a good life.
Li Fenlan looked up a lot of information online and was even prepared: if Wen Ran was unwilling, she would take him to court.
No matter what, she had to get this money!
Li Fenlan made up her mind. Lying that she was going to see a doctor and asking Wang Mingui to look after Moon for two days, she bought tickets to City B with Zhao Quan.
City B was truly huge and imposing, completely different from their poor and backward small town.
Zhao Quan spat, saying somewhat unwillingly, “That dead bastard actually managed to mix into a place like this.”
“Who knows how many disgusting things he did.”
Ultimately, they were here for money. Li Fenlan frowned and nudged Zhao Quan. “Don’t say that about him. He has always been someone who responds to persuasion but not coercion. If you anger him, what about the money?”
“Fine, fine, fine.” Hearing about money, Zhao Quan immediately changed his face. “But wasn’t I just saying it to you?”
“I heard that outside, quite a few people like playing with men’s asses. That bastard son of yours, hehe.”
Li Fenlan also detested that Wen Ran was gay, but hearing Zhao Quan say it like that made her uncomfortable too.
She didn’t continue the conversation. Finding a passerby who looked kind, she asked, “Hello, Big Sister, may I ask where the WK Base is?”
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