Welcome to the Misogyny Game

Liu Chaoque was feeling a little awkward. She held her milk tea cup and looked at Xu Wangchuan walking beside her.

"Want to link arms? Don't good friends always link arms?" Xu Wangchuan asked.

"Haha, no need, no need, it's so hot and sticky today." Liu Chaoque forced a smile.

The relationship between the two is currently somewhat complicated, but Liu Chaoque feels helpless about how this situation came about.

Before setting off, she prepared herself mentally. No matter how many sweet words Xu Wangchuan used, she would stick to one principle: reject him!

Not to mention that she hasn't fallen head over heels in love yet, her impression of Xu Wangchuan is still that of a very easy-going and reliable senior and good friend. She never imagined that they would turn from friends to lovers.

Even if there were such a person, it would be extremely difficult for someone like Liu Chaoque, who only dared to have a crush but never confess, and whose only past relationship was online.

Coupled with the system's reminders and the various dangers and hardships she would face in the future, she didn't want a sweet romance to numb herself. If she hadn't gained anything, then losing it wouldn't hurt so much. Besides, she didn't want to involve an innocent person, or have them delete their account because of dating her—that was too scary.

Perhaps the confession that night was just due to the effects of alcohol, or perhaps the senior hadn't reached the point where he couldn't live without her.

But when she actually faced Xu Wangchuan and saw his gentle and energetic face, which had been smiling at her, now held a solemn and serious expression, Liu Chaoque suddenly realized that he was actually quite handsome when he wasn't smiling.

"Would you like some double-skin milk?" Xu Wangchuan asked Liu Chaoque, looking at the menu.

Liu Chaoque nodded: "Add some coconut jelly and red beans as well."

"Do you want strawberry pieces?" Xu Wangchuan asked.

"Yes, do you have sago pudding?" Liu Chaoque asked.

So she got a double-skin congee.

Liu Chaoque scooped up some double-skin milk pudding and looked longingly at Xu Wangchuan's bowl of peanut and hawthorn pudding.

"Would you like a bite?" Xu Wangchuan invited.

Liu Chaoque shook his head: "No, you eat yours." That's too ambiguous.

"Alright then," Xu Wangchuan said with some regret.

"Would you like something else? The sweet soup here is quite delicious," Xu Wangchuan asked again.

Liu Chaoque asked hesitantly, "What is it?"

So she got a slightly sweet walnut and almond milk. Xu Wangchuan watched her eat it slowly, scooping up the walnut pieces on top as if skimming off the foam. He knew that Liu Chaoque didn't particularly like this level of sweetness.

He asked, "Would you like something salty?"

"It's such a strange combination that dessert shops serve savory dishes," Liu Chaoque thought.

So she got a savory tofu pudding and some dry bread that could be eaten as a meal, cut in half and also equipped with a knife for spreading butter.

"Would it taste better if we spread your almond milk on the bread?" Xu Wangchuan suggested.

Liu Chaoque felt it would be more convenient to put the whole bread into the almond milk. So, with a scientific and rigorous experimental attitude, she first ate a small bite of the dry bread, then tasted the piece that Xu Wangchuan had spread on the surface, and finally ate the bread dipped in almond milk, and drew a conclusion.

"It tastes better when it's spread on the surface," Liu Chaoque said with satisfaction.

Xu Wangchuan only spread two slices on her plate, but there were still many left. Seeing how much she enjoyed eating them, Xu Wangchuan asked, "Is it good?"

"It's delicious." Liu Chaoque nodded.

"Do you want to take the rest of the almond milk with you?" he asked.

Liu Chaoque was conflicted. Taking the soup and liquid with him felt like it would easily stain his clothes, but it tasted really good with bread, and it would feel wasteful not to take it.

Just as they were struggling with their decision, Xu Wangchuan said, "Actually, there is another way."

"what?"

"I'll eat it for you," Xu Wangchuan said matter-of-factly. "Then we'll go to the supermarket and buy some almond butter. It keeps for a long time, so you can eat it occasionally without getting tired of it."

"Don't be like last time, you bought too many of those braised eggs you like, and now you shake your head at the sight of tea eggs."

No, Liu Chaoque almost choked on his bread. How did the topic jump so fast? "Xu Wangchuan, our relationship hasn't progressed that fast, has it? Eating someone else's leftovers and stuff like that, besides best friends, it's either boyfriend and girlfriend, right?"

"So, you actually gave your best friend the leftovers?" Xu Wangchuan asked thoughtfully.

"No, the focus is on the boyfriend and girlfriend in the back." His focus is so strange.

"Then just treat me like your best friend, that way you won't feel so burdened," Wang Chuan suggested.

"No, Xu Wangchuan, our relationship really isn't that bad, is it? You'd condescend to be my best friend?" No, a best friend who wants to be my boyfriend is like a tiger lurking in the shadows, pretending to be a harmless kitten, hoping a human will take it in. The worst part is that the human knows you're a big tiger.

“But I really have no other choice, Smile.” Xu Wangchuan said dejectedly, “I can’t imagine you not being by my side, not smiling at me, and only having a cold look in your eyes. People say that words spoken are like water spilled, but I know that even if it weren’t for that time I was drunk, you would still discover my feelings for you one day.”

Actually, no, the slow-witted Liu Chaoque thought. At most, she would feel that since he was so good to her, she might feel uncomfortable if he had a girlfriend in the future. In any case, Liu Chaoque felt that if her friend had a girlfriend, she would definitely keep her distance.

We can't put him in a difficult position, nor can we make his girlfriend angry.

“I want to confirm something, Smile. I hope you’re not lying.” He spoke with a resolute tone, as if her answer could determine life or death.

Liu Chaoque also solemnly said, "You speak."

"If I disappear from your life, will you feel any regret?" Xu Wangchuan asked.

“Hey, no, Xu Wangchuan, you know, dating isn’t really that important.” Liu Chaoque was taken aback. “Besides, we’ve only known each other for a semester, there’s really no emotional connection between us.”

“Just answer yes or no, and I will leave, but not by taking my own life as you might think. I value my life very much,” Xu Wangchuan said.

"Alright, how should I put it? When I first met you, I felt that you were a very good person. You have also helped me a lot in our subsequent interactions. If you were to leave..." Liu Chaoque remained silent for a long time.

The clock ticked away, and Xu Wangchuan's heart pounded.

"I guess I'll find it very difficult to get used to."

"I don't know why you like me, to the point where you can't live without me. I really don't understand. We've only known each other for about a semester." She looked up at Xu Wangchuan's pale purple eyes and smiled. "Your confession when you were drunk... actually, I..."

Warning! Warning! The female lead is trying to rewrite the plot! The female lead is trying to rewrite the plot!

Electric shock punishment...

So it was just an electric shock punishment. Liu Chaoque endured the numbness all over his body and the momentary blankness in his mind, and said with difficulty, word by word, "Actually, I... am a little surprised, but I am thinking more."

Do we really want to be together?

"I'm actually a very slow-to-warm-up person. I don't know if liking someone means we have to be together. In my world, even if I love someone very much, I'm too timid to take that step. Plus, I'm afraid of some things that might happen in a relationship. I can only accept hugs, I'm not even used to kissing, let alone more in-depth issues."

"So I'm actually a very boring person. For me, being a good friend of someone is probably better than being in a romantic relationship, at least that relationship will never end."

"Oh dear, I've said so much all at once." Liu Chaoque rubbed his hair. "There's another rather cruel thing, and the most important one: my feelings for you are only based on friendship. I simply cannot transform them into a romantic relationship."

"I'm sorry." Liu Chaoque's electric shock punishment was like a screaming chicken that had lost its fire. After shocking her once, he realized that he might have shocked her by mistake, and then he even gave her an electric shock spa in a conciliatory manner.

Liu Chaoque rubbed his temples. Oh well, words spoken are words spilled, Xu Wangchuan should understand now.

Although they can no longer treat Xu Wangchuan as a normal friend, this is better for both of them. Falling in love in a game can really kill you.

But... why was she a little sad? She guessed it was because she thought she was going to make a close friend, but it turned out the other person had ulterior motives. That's what she was thinking.

"It seems my sudden outburst has caused you a lot of trouble," Xu Wangchuan said regretfully. "I didn't expect that what I said when I was drunk would bother you so much. It was my fault."

“But if I were to tell you to forget what happened that night, and we were to pretend nothing happened and continue our relationship, it would be a bit of self-deception,” Xu Wangchuan said helplessly.

“But I don’t want to lose you,” Xu Wangchuan said. “I don’t want you to get hurt. Even when we were good friends, I couldn’t help you. Now that our relationship has broken down, I can’t help you right away.”

Even if I secretly inquire about your situation, it's just secondhand news, which is useless and only adds to my sorrow.

"No need, no need." Liu Chaoque waved her hand and held Xu Wangchuan's hand very seriously: "You are the rising sun, and I am the bright moon. We don't need to see each other all the time. It's enough for each of us to do our own job."

You have your own things to do, and I have mine. You don't need to worry about my problems, because I will handle them myself.

"But the rising sun wants to do something for the bright moon. The bright moon is obscured by dark clouds. If it were a little brighter, everyone on earth would be able to see it."

Although I don't know what you are facing, I will do everything I can to save you. You are the savior, and I will be your scepter, your strength, and I will accompany you through thick and thin. Even if dark clouds cover our faces, I will always be behind you.

The two remained silent, leaving the system bewildered.

Liu Chaoque understood, but she became even more worried. It seemed to have backfired?

She looked at the hand that was holding Xu Wangchuan's, then released it as if she had been electrocuted, and gave an awkward laugh, indicating that it was just an accident.

Xu Wangchuan, however, grasped her hand in return: "We all know that moonlight reflects the sun's rays. The moon, which is already dim, becomes radiant when the sun shines. No one is without the sun, not even the moon. You can rely on me too."

"If you are annoyed by the sun's heat, you can put on a hat to shield your eyes, but the sun will always be there." I've always been there too.

Liu Chaoque sighed deeply: "The moon is attracted by the earth, and the earth is attracted by the sun. Although the moon is small, it also has its own orbit."

Even if your light shines brightly, I still don't want to rely on you. Even if I secretly borrow your light, I have my own path to walk, and we can't always walk the same path.

"And there's another thing to worry about: what if the sun explodes one day, and then the brightest star becomes dim and lifeless, the eight planets lose their direction, and the world dims down." Liu Chaoque wanted him to understand that even if they were truly together, the only outcome would be destruction.

"But that's for the future. Right now, the sun is high in the sky." Xu Wangchuan had always known that Liu Chaoque didn't want to date or let love bind her. She wanted a good male friend who could play with her and make a fuss with her, not a boyfriend.

His sudden confession caught her off guard, forcing her to leave her cozy little home and think about how to deal with her former best friend.

Even her refusal was gentle, while he relentlessly pressed her, acting like a villain who forced her to make a choice. How despicable, Xu Wangchuan.

But he didn't know when his possessiveness and jealousy had become so intense that he wanted to go further than just be one of the masses.

Perhaps we took too big a step, but we still had to take this step eventually, didn't we?

Now we've discovered there's another fatal reason: will being with her kill you? Was it an accident or deliberate? Was someone manipulating her, or is it because her supposed savior status forbids her from having a partner?

Thinking about it this way, Harry seems to be a single dog, oh dear.

"Do you know?" Liu Chaoque finally said firmly, "If one has no man in one's heart, one's sword will naturally be divine when drawn."

Xu Wangchuan chuckled, "Alright, I got it. Let's go. You're a formidable female swordsman; I support your idea." Well, actually, things are alright now.

Anyway, other people only stay at being friends, right?

"Can I still be your good friend after you know how I feel?" Xu Wangchuan asked.

"Um, I don't think that's a good idea." She didn't want to raise a big tiger.

"Really?" Just like the boy with the curly hair he first met, his purple eyes were slightly lowered, like wisteria flowers drooping in the sun by the roadside.

"Don't look at me with that innocent expression, you big bad guy!" Liu Chaoque snapped.

"So, are you going to fall for my act?" Xu Wangchuan blinked.

Liu Chaoque said irritably, "Eat."

“But once you get a girlfriend, we’ll cut off all contact!” Liu Chaoque said. “I don’t want to be some weird female bro.”

"How could that be?" Xu Wangchuan said, feeling wronged. "I only like you."

He! He! He said it? Liu Chaoque's pupils dilated in shock. No, how could he say it? Her whole body went cold, and she grabbed Xu Wangchuan as if only in this way could he avoid being humanely destroyed by the system.

The system's cold, impersonal voice seemed to freeze, and the command that could have punished Xu Wangchuan fell silent.

It seems as if there was no system from the very beginning.

Xu Wangchuan was startled. Could it be that even though they weren't together, his words would still affect her? He looked around, feeling nervous along with Liu Chaoque.

Passersby only saw two people standing by the roadside, under the blazing sun, motionless, and assumed they were a young couple having a strange romantic encounter.

One minute, two minutes passed, and whether it was cold sweat or sweat from the heat, her hand holding Xu Wangchuan's was a little sticky.

The sunlight warmed her skin, gradually turning it red. Xu Wangchuan's concern prevailed, and he turned to shield her from the sun, asking softly, "What happened?" His tall figure brought her a sense of coolness, and Liu Chaoque belatedly touched her face.

Feeling almost laughing in exasperation, she pulled Xu Wangchuan aside and said, "It's alright, let's go."

Punishment or whatever, she didn't care anymore. Now, anyone who blocked her from applying sunscreen would die. It's just a system, right? It has so much power. Let's compare it with her lotus jade pendant that can grant any wish except for destroying the world. Which one will win?

Even if it meant death, she had to try to save Xu Wangchuan. What divine law could he possibly break? He was just an ordinary person, unbound by any divine laws. Was it wrong for him to like a girl? No, it wasn't! Besides, the girl knew about his special status and had already rejected him.

They weren't together, and he just made him disappear with a casual "Because I like you." Even the Queen Mother of the West isn't as domineering as you; at least she'd let you live as a mortal.

Liu Chaoque finally realized that he was also a person with confidence, even if it came at the cost of losing control of his organs.