"Over at 120 degrees, do you see him? Shoot him!"
"Shen Lang, someone's shooting at me! It looks like I'm surrounded!"
"Throw a smoke grenade at your feet first. I'm coming to save you. Damn, you threw a grenade instead!"
"Hahaha, this is so funny. I'm gonna clip this and post it on TikTok. It'll definitely go viral."
"Stop laughing at me…"
In the double-seat private room, Shen Lang and Li Liusi were having a blast playing PUBG, an old-school popular shooting game on the internet.
These days, the game was overrun with cheats, and with someone who could only crawl on the ground and didn't even know how to shoot, they were basically a moving target.
No matter how good Shen Lang was, they often ended up as cannon fodder, with their best results being top four.
Li Liusi had never played online games before, let alone this shoot-and-kill type of game.
But just being able to hang out with Shen Lang made her happy, even if she didn't really get the fun of the game. She cheerfully kept getting knocked out round after round.
In the game, she was Shen Lang's moving Level 4 backpack.
The backpack didn't hold bullets or grenades but was packed with medical supplies and occasionally some clothes scavenged from enemies.
Whenever Shen Lang got hit, she would brave the gunfire to throw a medkit next to him.
Even if Shen Lang got knocked out while scavenging elsewhere, and even if she had no weapons, Li Liusi would still rush over empty-handed, get knocked out by other players, and then join Shen Lang for the next game.
Although they didn't achieve impressive game results, they had a lot of fun.
Shen Lang couldn't help but think maybe this was what it really meant to enjoy the game as a game.
Late at night, around 3 AM, the room was quiet. Most of the internet café guests had already left.
Only a few regulars remained, occasionally dragging their tired feet past the room—either heading to the bathroom or reminding the sleepy staff to buy things.
Internet cafés and bars were becoming less popular.
A few years ago, Friday nights were bustling with crowds, definitely not the ghost town it was now.
Unlike energetic guys, Li Liusi was getting tired.
At this hour, she was way past her biological clock, obviously out of sorts, and struggling to hold the mouse.
"Alright, go to sleep."
Shen Lang took off Li Liusi's headphones. "I'll play for a bit longer. We'll go out for breakfast at seven."
"Okay."
Li Liusi, half-asleep, lazily leaned back on the cushioned seat.
Her legs were long, and the room was cramped, so she could only curl up on the seat to sleep, which didn't look very comfortable.
"Take off your shoes and pull the chair over so you can lie down."
Shen Lang suggested. "It'll be more comfortable this way, or you'll wake up all sore."
"I don't know, there's a camera…"
Li Liusi was embarrassed to take off her shoes in public and nervously glanced at the overhead camera.
"Silly, what's wrong with that?"
Shen Lang said dismissively. "I used to push my computer to the corner and sleep with half my body on the desk."
He moved his and Li Liusi's chairs together and patted her plump thigh.
"Come on, don't be shy. We're not strangers, are we?"
"No…"
Li Liusi reluctantly took off her shoes and socks, revealing her white feet, and awkwardly placed them on Shen Lang's thigh.
"Hehe, tickling you."
Shen Lang playfully tickled Li Liusi's feet, making her giggle and pout at him.
Shen Lang comforted her by patting her feet. "Sleep, sleep. I'll wake you up when we're done."
"I, I want to change direction, okay?"
Li Liusi whispered, taking one of the rare opportunities to actively advance their relationship.
"Sure."
Since Li Liusi was taking the initiative to get closer, Shen Lang didn't refuse.
So, Li Liusi shifted, resting her head on Shen Lang's thigh, her long legs stretched out on her chair, and her white feet barely touching the tiles by the window.
With this setup, Shen Lang couldn't focus on playing PUBG, so he switched to playing TFT (Teamfight Tactics) while gently brushing Li Liusi's silky hair and smooth face.
"Shen Lang, I really like you."
Feeling her favorite person's familiar scent and warmth, Li Liusi's sleepiness vanished as she bravely and shyly confessed.
"Mm, I like you too."
Shen Lang smiled as usual, typing with one hand while cursing at his opponent's moves.
"Damn, if Old Eight gets eliminated, don't block my captain! You'll get pointed out for sure!"
"I'm a bit slow, so I might still accidentally upset you like today."
Li Liusi worried about the main game and anxiously asked.
"Can you not break up with me if that happens? If you're really mad, you can even scold me."
"I don't care about that stuff anymore. Why do you keep bringing it up?"
Shen Lang was a bit taken aback and said irritably, "If you keep mentioning it, I might really get mad."
"Okay, okay, I won't mention it. Don't be mad."
Li Liusi quickly shook her head and closed her mouth obediently.
Shen Lang pinched Li Liusi's soft cheek and said contentedly, "Man, how did I end up with such a silly girlfriend?"
Li Liusi opened her mouth but didn't argue.
In her position, she couldn't see Shen Lang's expression and was worried he might be angry.
"Huh? Why no rebuttal this time?"
Shen Lang looked down, teasing Li Liusi between his legs. "Admit it, you're a bit silly, right?"
"No, not silly."
Li Liusi's voice was muffled, clearly bothered by Shen Lang calling her silly.
"Hahaha."
Shen Lang couldn't help but laugh.
He doubted if a girl as silly as Li Liusi could really score over 600 on her college entrance exam.
Li Liusi shifted slightly and adjusted her sleeping position, prompting Shen Lang to teasingly say.
"Hehe, don't get any ideas just because there's a camera up there."
"Stop it…"
Li Liusi's face turned red as she understood Shen Lang's joke after the earlier mix-up.
"I know you're just bullying me. I'll bite you."
Li Liusi buried her face in Shen Lang's stomach and lightly bit him.
Afterward, this kind-hearted girl gently rubbed the spot she bit and looked up, asking softly, "Does it hurt?"
Shen Lang looked down, meeting Li Liusi's pouty gaze.
Looking at the silly girl cuddled up in his lap, Shen Lang gently but dominantly asked, "So, will you let me bully you in the future?"
Li Liusi, feeling embarrassed, shyly looked away but gave a barely noticeable nod, softly saying, "I will..."