Offside game

Recent events surrounding Su Yi have significantly altered his mindset. He isn't inherently a cold person; he simply uses this facade to protect himself. And today, marking the end of his high school years, he didn't want to spoil the rare pleasant atmosphere. Therefore, upon hearing Zhang Na's words, he nodded in agreement.

"Hey, can someone come and take a picture for us? Make sure it's a good one!" Zhang Na, true to her outgoing nature, stood beside Su Yi and called out to the girls after seeing that he had agreed. Immediately, a girl who was close to Zhang Na ran over, took the camera from her, and adjusted the distance.

With a click, the scene was frozen in time in the photograph. In the years that followed, Zhang Na, who had grown from a young girl into a woman, would often say similar things to those who looked at her photo album: "Isn't this guy handsome? He's Su Yi. The thing I regret most in my life is not pursuing him in high school. Hey, don't tell my husband!"

Encouraged by Zhang Na's actions, many girls also abandoned their reserve and came over to take photos with Su Yi. The boys who had been playing soccer also returned to the classroom, wiping their sweat, and joined the photo-taking queue.

The reason we gathered in the classroom first was that our homeroom teacher used class funds to hire a photographer to record this last day of reunion. It will eventually be burned onto a CD as a keepsake.

Once everyone had arrived, they sat down in the classroom. The middle-aged man carrying the video camera then used the lens to record the excited young faces of the students. Then, as arranged beforehand, each student went up to the podium one by one to say what they wanted to say at that moment.

Many people thanked their teachers and classmates in their speeches, but there were also some who took this last chance to confess their feelings to the girl they liked.

In these final moments of high school, the teachers were extremely lenient. They turned a blind eye to the early romantic relationships that were usually strictly forbidden, and even smiled through them.

At this time, the seating arrangement in the classroom was not strictly in accordance with the usual seating order. Many classmates who were usually on good terms gathered together and then walked up to the stage to speak from one side.

"I'm grateful for this part of my life, for the people I've met. Some will go their separate ways, but I'll keep them in my memory. But some, I hope will stay with me forever." These were the words spoken quietly on the podium, and as she spoke the last sentence, she kept looking at Su Yi in the corner. Her gaze was calm yet firm. This conviction seemed to reach the heart of the person she was looking at.

In the ensuing speeches, some cried, some laughed, and everyone poured out their emotions. In this final moment facing all their high school classmates, most no longer wanted to hide their feelings. Perhaps many years later, when they rewatch this video, they will have all sorts of feelings, but at this moment, at least they were sincere.

Youth is beautiful. And youth is a time that everyone experiences only once.

Before he knew it, everyone in front of Su Yi had finished speaking, and it was his turn to stand on the podium.

Standing there, looking at those familiar faces, a complex mix of emotions welled up inside him. He suddenly found himself speechless. After a moment of silence, he abruptly said, "I don't want to thank anyone. Many things require us to go through. Even if they aren't what we wanted." Feeling that familiar gaze, he whispered, "You, I won't give up on you easily."

He didn't let everyone hear him, and he wasn't sure if that person even heard him. Some things don't need to be said out loud.

Finally, all the teachers of Class 2, Grade 12, took turns going up to the podium and saying their words. The event then concluded.

The group followed their teacher to a hotel not far from the school. A large hall there had been reserved in advance as the venue for their gathering.

Then came the liveliest moment. As the dinner began, everyone sat casually, chatting and laughing, and discussing various topics. Then, at some point, people started toasting each other at their tables, and at this point, everyone became a bit unrestrained.

Su Yi was also caught up in the atmosphere, chatting casually with everyone about various interesting things that happened in their daily lives, and accepting every toast offered. By the end, many people were flushed, and even many of the girls were slightly drunk. Quite a few people even cried because of the emotions of parting.

When Su Yi came out of the restroom, he saw An Jing sitting quietly on the sofa where guests could rest, seemingly lost in thought. Gazing at her serene profile, Su Yi watched her for a moment, and before he knew it, he had walked over to her and sat down beside her.

Sensing something, Anjing looked over and met Su Yi's gaze. The two fell silent, unsure of what to say, and the quiet atmosphere continued.

They gazed at each other, their eyes locked. This eye contact gradually filled the air with a sweet and ambiguous atmosphere.

"Yi." Anjing uttered this word with slightly upturned lips, which gave Su Yi a special feeling. Meeting Su Yi's probing gaze, Anjing's eyes became hazy, as if she was looking at him, or as if she was looking past him, staring at a point in the void.

But in Su Yi's ears, he heard a quiet murmur: "Yi, I just want to call you that. Every time I call you that, it feels like you're still beside me, it calms me down, and I love that feeling. Many times, I've thought, how wonderful it would be if it could always be like this." Anjing tilted her head back, revealing the collarbone beneath her swan-like, long, white neck. Her gaze was ethereal, and her soft voice sounded real to Su Yi: "I know you're a proud person, always appearing strong or indifferent in front of others, even in games you strive to be the best. You reject others' kindness and help, always thinking it's pity. But I really, really want you not to see me as just anyone, not to pretend you don't care about me, not to keep me out of your heart. I'm so afraid, afraid that my future will lack what I cherish most, and then I'll never be happy."

Anjing poured out her heart, feeling a sense of relief as she spoke, releasing the emotions that had been weighing on her. Looking into her eyes at the melancholy, Su Yi suddenly felt a pang of heartache. He opened his mouth, wanting to say something.

At this moment, An's quiet gaze gradually focused, fixed firmly on Su Yi beside her. Su Yi felt his hand being grasped by a pair of soft, smooth fingers. The feeling was so familiar; in an instant, he seemed to be transported back to that night, to the slightly trembling body of the girl beside him, and to the softness of her hand that first held his…

Su Yi turned his hand around and gripped that hand tightly, as if letting go would mean losing the whole world.

"I will not give up on you." Su Yi said these words again, and this determination, along with the warmth of his hands, entered An Jing's heart.

A blush crept onto Anjing's cheeks as she smiled contentedly.

Beautiful moments are always interrupted. Their cozy moment didn't last long before they were startled apart by a classmate passing by on their way to the restroom. They finally returned to reality and remembered where they were. Anjing quickly withdrew her hand, her face flushed with embarrassment, looking like a child who had done something wrong, which made Su Yi both amused and delighted.

More people passed by, and they all left together, returning to their seats. An Jing, however, had already switched seats with one of Su Yi's classmates and was now sitting next to him.

All good things must come to an end. Even if we cherish this day dearly, it will eventually pass by like scenery along the road. So, in the end, the students dispersed in twos and threes.

Su Yi watched An Jing get into her father's car and drive away, then walked back alone. Because his body had been modified, getting drunk wasn't easy for him anymore. After circulating the manipulator's technique once, his complexion returned to normal, showing no signs of having drunk so much.

Back home, Su Yi continued to focus his energy on the game "Historic Evolution." Only after starting the game's development did he realize just how complex the creation of a game was. Especially a game with such rich content; even with the help of the Kosei, completing it alone would be extremely difficult.

Fortunately, his brain, after the physical modification, is many times more advanced than that of an ordinary person. According to his estimate, if everything goes smoothly, the game should be completed within ten days. Completing a large-scale game like "Evolution of History" in ten days is an incredibly crazy thing for game developers; it's something probably no one would even dare to imagine.

Two days later, Ji Feng returned to Su Yi's house. Since obtaining the Martial Arts Manual, the overjoyed Ji Feng had decided to go into seclusion for cultivation. However, Ji Feng's behavior over the past few days greatly surprised Ji Yanran, who knew him well. When did her hyperactive younger brother become so well-behaved, staying home all day? And always in his bedroom no less!

After observing for a while, she found nothing unusual. Ji Feng explained that he had learned something new from his master and needed to go into seclusion to digest it. Ji Yanran naturally assumed it was related to the game. Although surprised by her brother's obedience, she was happy to see him like this. With her brother not running around, she was much less worried. Therefore, she put aside her doubts about her brother's sudden change in temperament and focused her energy on the shop. Fortunately, there was no such thing as "Cyberian Qigong" (a type of internal energy cultivation) at this time, otherwise Ji Yanran would inevitably have made such connections and become even more panicked.

After Ji Feng mentioned going into seclusion, Su Yi found it interesting, but knowing that the Martial Arts Manual didn't involve the risk of going astray due to overly eager pursuit of quick results, he wasn't too worried. He simply told him to let him know if there was anything he didn't understand.

When Su Yi saw Ji Feng arrive today, he couldn't help but ask, "Little Feng, what's wrong?"