Chapter 166

Chapter 166

The dark room was quiet enough for them to hear each other breathe. Corners that had gone years without sunlight smelled of damp concrete-not exactly fresh, but not unpleasant either.

Qiao Yu instinctively moved to sit against the wall, but Shang Yan stopped him and took a coat from his Spatial Grid to spread over the floor.

Qiao Yu ran his fingers over the smooth fabric of the long coat and sighed, muttering to himself, “I’m not that delicate.”

“The floor is freezing. How can you sit without putting something down? You may not care about yourself, but I do.”

Shang Yan’s voice still sounded childish. It carried no authority at all and instead came across as soft and adorable.

Qiao Yu reached out with an evil little claw to pinch his cheek, but because he could not see clearly, he nearly shoved a finger into Shang Yan’s nostril.

Fortunately, Shang Yan’s extraordinary eyesight helped him dodge the fatal strike. “Behave yourself. Stop causing trouble.”

“Fine.” Qiao Yu responded listlessly and rubbed the corner of his eye.

“Still tired? Want to lean against me and sleep a little longer?”

Qiao Yu’s yawn broke off halfway as he laughed. “Forget it. Look at that tiny body of yours right now.”

In the darkness, Shang Yan’s handsome, princelike face stiffened. His brows twisted like two writhing caterpillars.

Damn this Instance. What kind of skill was turning people into children?!

While he silently fumed, the air in the room inexplicably turned colder. Shang Yan’s normally sharp senses had been weakened by a mind completely occupied with Qiao Yu.

Something furry suddenly pressed against his ankle.

In the darkness, his eyes widened beyond his control, and his voice trembled. “A rat!”

Qiao Yu immediately straightened, transforming into a reliable teammate in an instant. He reached into the darkness. “Where?”

“My… my ankle…”

Qiao Yu slid his hand down Shang Yan’s shin and grabbed the thing causing trouble.

The moment his fingers closed around it, he knew it was not a rat. He hurriedly said, “Don’t worry. It’s not a rat.”

At the same time, he identified what it actually was.

Shang Yan sighed in relief. “Then what is it?”

“A Hairy Hand.”

Shang Yan relaxed. “That’s fine, then. That’s fine…”

-Wait. Why is this conversation so bizarre?

-So rats are scarier than ghosts…

-Hahahaha! I just realized the big shot is afraid of rats. I’m laughing my head off!

-+1

-Sadako: Huh? That contrast is kind of adorable. I ship it.

-Li Xiaoqin: QY really gave that man every ounce of tenderness he had in this lifetime. Sure enough, no tribe of lovesick fools is complete without those two.

-Pen Spirit: Thanks for asking. He may be a lovesick fool, but that skill only activates after you make him fall for you.

-Painted Skin: Exactly! You two are so unreliable. What use is this awful man? He’s even afraid of rats! Baby QY, hurry up and dump him! Don’t make me drive over with a forklift and carry you away!

-Pen Spirit: Who cares as long as he has money… Wait, money? I just had a brilliant idea.

-What idea?

-What idea??

-What idea? Say it! Say it already!!! I hate people who stop halfway through a sentence…

-Pen Spirit: You three, don’t think I can’t recognize you because you hid your IDs. Shut up.

-Bridal Ghost: What idea? Tell me, and I’ll transfer you money.

-Pen Spirit: DM me, Sister. Mwah.

-…Help!

A palm even colder than the Hairy Hand covered it and accurately pinched its fingers.

“Do you want me to shave you?”

Qiao Yu rarely sounded so serious. His voice stretched into a taut, level line, full of displeasure.

At that, the Hairy Hand sheepishly retreated underground.
Qiao Yu sneered. “You dare touch my man? You really are asking for a beating.”

Shang Yan pressed a hand to his forehead.

Qiao Yu had seemed unusually domineering since entering this place. Once or twice was fine, but after so many incidents, Shang Yan began to feel alarmed. Warning sirens even blared in his mind. “Something’s wrong with you…”

Qiao Yu raised a brow. “What’s wrong?”

“You’re not planning to top me, are you?”

Qiao Yu fell silent.

Shang Yan’s imagination had taken an enormous leap. Qiao Yu genuinely had not considered it.

But… nothing stopped him from considering it now.

“You figured it out?”

Shang Yan’s heart chilled. “No way. You’re not actually planning to take advantage of me while I’m vulnerable, are you?”

Qiao Yu had just been inspired and was about to put the idea into action when a loud system notification stole his attention.

[Ding-viewer Pen Spirit loves you deeply and has spent a large number of skill points to light a Fan Badge for the streamer.]

[Congratulations! The streamer obtained Pen Spirit’s Intimate Pay Link. (Pen Spirit’s Intimate Pay: Completely useless, but it can strengthen our friendship-Pen Spirit’s exact words, without a single punctuation mark omitted.)]

[The Pen Spirit has joined the streamer’s fan club. Summoning method: Burn money for me. (Every 100 yuan-soft currency, mind you-adds one hour, with no upper limit. Same source as above.)]

“Fuck you! Ren Yan, get out here! I want to fight you!”

Qiao Yu exploded with rage. That bastard had exploited a loophole in the Live Stream Room and taken him for an easy mark!

-Pen Spirit: Ren Yan is dead. Burn paper if you need anything.

Fuck!

“We’re no longer friends!”

-Pen Spirit: What kind of sex position is “no longer friends”?

Qiao Yu: ??

“Do you know copying other people will get you struck by lightning?”

-Pen Spirit: Mind your own business!

Fuck, fuck, fuck!

Shang Yan sat cross-legged on the floor and sighed in relief as he watched Qiao Yu inexplicably spiral into a frenzy.

Ren Yan was wonderful. Qiao Yu had become so angry that he had completely forgotten his improper intentions.

Being denied breakfast only affected the orphanage’s resident children. The streamers here were Red Name Streamers at minimum. Who among them did not have a Spatial Grid?

But when they took out food and prepared to eat, the little brats surrounded them.

“Hand over your food!”

Just as Azim was about to eat, Qiao Beibei ordered him to surrender it.

Azim shook his head. A notification announcing a loss of 10 points immediately sounded in his mind. His heart chilled, and he instinctively handed over the food.

But his points did not return. Nor did Qiao Beibei let him off after accepting the food. He held out his hand again, his smile utterly cold. “You have more.”

What?

Did he expect Azim to hand over the rest too?

Azim repeatedly shook his head and refused. “I won’t!”

[System Message: Azim -10 points. Current score: 51.]

[Warning! Warning! Your score is approaching the threshold. Be careful-a score below 50 means you will be eaten.]

Remembering the streamer devoured in the courtyard the previous night, Azim instantly broke out in cold sweat. Trembling, he surrendered most of his food.

He secretly hid a little, but to his despair… Qiao Beibei still extended a hand. “You have more. Are you giving it to me or not?”

Azim glanced toward the cafeteria. One missed meal would not kill him, so he might as well surrender everything. It was better than being eaten!

Reluctantly, he handed over all his food. Only then did Qiao Beibei withdraw his hand.

[System Message: Azim +15 points. Current score: 66.]

Qiao Beibei looked at the bewildered Azim and raised a finger to his lips. “This was your punishment for being dishonest.”