Don't pretend, everyone knows you're the villain!

Jiang Yuzhou immediately understood that Lu Tiannan knew about the reset, and that Lu Tiannan's decision to not leave despite sending him a message must also be because of this.

Jiang Yuzhou looked at the two people sitting on the sofa, who weren't far apart. Having three more people around would be fine; the four "third wheels" would make him feel less lonely.

Thinking this way, her smiling eyes became more sincere.

"Alright, all of you come in. Sit anywhere on the bed."

Gu Junbo, Zhai Mingxu, and Lu Yang sat down on the edge of the bed. As soon as Gu Junbo sat down, he looked at Shen Yi, his intentions not too obvious.

If Shen Yi still remembers things before the reset, then the other party definitely knows more information than they do.

Xi Mingzhu only learned from 0561 that she had been taken away by Russell, locked in a dark room, injected with drugs, and finally committed suicide with a gun, among other terrible things.

After listening, I roughly knew that Zhai Mingxu hadn't died in vain; it was probably Lu Tiannan's way of coercing Gu Junbai to reset his job.

Xi Mingzhu just couldn't understand why Lu Tiannan was risking his life for him. The time at the small hotel was the same... He mistakenly thought that after he died, Lu Tiannan ran downstairs and had the front desk ripped apart.

Each time, it was death that triggered a bloodlust.

This is beyond what Mingzhu can think of; the saying "no profit, no gain" does not apply to Lu Tiannan.

The dead offer no benefit, and Lu Tiannan sees no need to waste his energy killing for their deaths.

In the original storyline, Lu Tiannan was a heartless bystander.

"0561, why did Lu Tiannan go to such lengths?"

Upon hearing Xi Mingzhu's question, 0561 recalled the scene of Lu Tiannan kneeling beside the host and leaning down to kiss him.

Feeling conflicted.

Host… the villain treats you differently. He most likely wants to sleep with you. How do I put it?! How do I even say that?! I'm at a loss for words.

If it weren't mentioned, given the host's lack of emotional experience, they certainly wouldn't be wary of the villain at all if left unchecked.

0561 subtly and tentatively reminded the host that with the host's intelligent mind, he would surely be able to figure it out.

"Host, is it possible that you like him/her?"

Like? Why would Lu Tiannan like someone who has nothing? Miss Lin might like him because of her alchemy skills...

Now, Shen Yi has nothing and no profit to offer. Xi Mingzhu has never been able to understand or properly handle acts of kindness unrelated to profit.

Upon hearing this, Xi Mingzhu's eyebrows twitched almost imperceptibly. He looked at Lu Tiannan, who was resting his chin on his hand and staring at him... Had this person been staring at him ever since he sat down, looking at the masterpiece he had bitten?

Xi Mingzhu raised her hand to cover the bite mark on her neck; her fingertips still left marks when she touched it.

Lu Tiannan smiled brightly, his palms resting on the sofa. He leaned closer to Shen Yi and whispered, "Brother, are you thinking about the scene where I left my mark? I miss it too."

Xi Mingzhu pursed his lips, deciding to give up on pondering the intricacies of love and romance and instead ask directly.

"Lu Tiannan, do you like me?"

Not only was Lu Tiannan stunned, but the others sitting on the bed were also taken aback by the fact that so many people were present when such a question was asked so directly.

The most unexpected response came from Jiang Yuzhou. Shen Yi seemed so aloof, yet he spoke so bluntly. Why not just ask him that in private?

Gu Junbai didn't care about any of that.

Lu Yang was curious to know what kind of person Lu Tiannan would like. The players he encountered in this instance were all top-tier players, people he was not qualified to even approach.

Zhai Mingxu was chewing on a candy stick to kill time when he suddenly perked up and stared intently at the two people on the sofa.

Lu Tiannan's fingers, which were propped up on the sofa, twitched, and a wide smile spread across his face without any attempt to hide it.

"Of course I like him. No one would dislike their brother. Have I not made it obvious enough? I've done so much for him, and he still asks me this kind of question. It's really heartbreaking."

After saying that, he let out a soft sigh, feigning sadness.

Xi Mingzhu simply wanted to confirm. In the past, he would have taken this as a joke, since Lu Tiannan loved to act and naturally didn't take his words seriously. However, after two resets, he was no longer sure whether Lu Tiannan's words were true or false.

Hearing Lu Tiannan admit it himself, Xi Mingzhu hadn't figured out how to deal with these feelings. He had to admit, he desperately needed Lu Tiannan's help to survive, but... using Lu Tiannan, who harbored feelings for him, was too despicable.

One should not be despicable. Once one has committed a despicable act, one will gradually cross the line and eventually become the very thing one initially despised.

One wrong step, and you're headed for the abyss.

It's a very simple truth.

Xi Mingzhu thought to himself, if he couldn't refuse this feeling and wanted to take advantage of it... wouldn't it be less despicable to give the same feeling in return?

Perhaps, he could learn to like Lu Tiannan?

Master Xi has never loved anyone, only alchemy. But Xi Mingzhu, who is Shen Yi, can no longer go back to the old path, so she might as well forge a new one and continue moving forward.

Thinking this, Xi Mingzhu looked at Lu Tiannan solemnly and said earnestly, "Lu Tiannan, everything is about exchanging sincerity for sincerity. You are sincere... In the future, I will learn to return your sincerity. I need you."

It's not about exploitation, it's about need, it's about equivalent emotions.

He will keep Lu Tiannan's affairs in mind in the future.

Liking something can be simple in some ways, but difficult in others. It can be a fleeting whim or an unwavering commitment.

Xi Mingzhu didn't make any definitive statements; he simply wanted to reciprocate Lu Tiannan's affection in the same way. If one day Lu Tiannan stopped liking him, he would simply return the affection Lu Tiannan had given him, thus ending the relationship.

Seeing Shen Yi so earnest, Lu Tiannan felt a strange sense of satisfaction from the words "I need you." A sweet feeling welled up in his heart, as if bewitched, as if his left chest had been bewitched.

Giving him a sincere heart, this is a good deal.

He had clearly told Shen Yi that he could use him at will, but this person stubbornly insisted on returning the favor.

Although he never gives his heart, it's not impossible to deceive with pretense. The sincerity of the person before him is undeniably a temptation that would make him risk his life for it.

What kind of face would such a cold-hearted person have if they gave their heart?

It's hard not to look forward to it.

Lu Tiannan's eyes were full of smiles, and he was so happy he felt like he was flying to the sky, but he was completely unaware of what he was thinking.

"Does my brother mean he wants to date me?"

0561 never expected its host to be so straightforward, immediately making a direct statement about liking someone. How could there be any reciprocation when it comes to liking someone? Originally, it was worried that its host was too naive and would be taken advantage of, but now it's been delivered right to its doorstep. It would be a fool not to take a bite.

Xi Mingzhu didn't understand where she hadn't explained things clearly. Since they were meant to like each other, no matter when that liking would end, they should focus on each other until then.

Just like alchemy, you need to like people and things, but you can't succeed without focusing on them.

His indifferent tone carried a hint of doubt, "Didn't you say you liked me?"

Lu Tiannan immediately nodded, "Yes, I like it."

Xi Mingzhu frowned slightly and slowly lowered the hand from her neck.

"Is it because you find it difficult to be with me?"

Is it because saying he wants to learn to like someone seems insincere? Then how should he express it...? In their world, after expressing their feelings to each other, they can become Daoist partners. Could it be that he hasn't said he likes her yet, which is why she's unwilling?

“It’s not difficult at all; this is a blessing that I could only obtain if my ancestors’ graves were emitting auspicious smoke.”

"I will truly like you."

Two voices rang out at the same time, and Lu Tiannan couldn't help but pounce on Shen Yi and knock her down onto the sofa.

Xi Mingzhu instinctively tried to push him away, but then he heard Lu Tiannan happily nuzzle his neck and ask, "Brother, can I touch you from now on?"

Yes, it's okay for Daoist partners to touch each other, but it takes time to get used to each other's touch.

Thinking about it, I gradually relaxed.

"can."

From then on, Lu Tiannan would be his only exception.

The others in the room had already lowered their heads and pretended to be doing their own things. They were treating the next dungeon like watching someone get married, and everyone's sense of crisis had dropped to negative levels. They also got to eat a mouthful of dog food (a Chinese slang term for witnessing public displays of affection).