The next morning, as the soft morning light poured through the gap in the curtains, warm golden rays gently illuminated the bedside. Guan Qingtong rubbed her sleepy eyes, got up, and pulled open the curtains, stretching her body slightly.
Suddenly, memories of the previous night flooded back.
The two had started with playful kisses, which gradually led to them exploring each other's bodies, tenderly and intimately. The night had been filled with passion, a secret they would never share with anyone else.
Guan Qingtong glanced down to see Su Yilao still sound asleep. Smiling softly, she shook her head and quietly closed the curtains to let her sleep a bit longer.
She then carefully left the bedroom and walked into the familiar living room.
Despite the three years that had passed, nothing in the living room had changed much. Even the coffee cup she had left near the water purifier remained in the same spot.
It was as if she had never left at all.
Feeling a wave of comfort wash over her, Guan Qingtong's last lingering doubts finally dissipated.
After washing up, she went to the kitchen and, relying on her memory, quickly found the bread, popping a slice into the toaster. She then took out fresh milk from the fridge to prepare a simple breakfast.
Once everything was ready, she returned to the bedroom to wake up Su Yilao.
Su Yilao joined her in the kitchen and, without hesitation, sat down to eat.
"You toasted the bread too much…"
Guan Qingtong paused mid-sip of her milk and replied, "I remember you used to like it when the bread was toasted a bit more. Have your tastes changed?"
"No, they haven't." Su Yilao smiled, continuing to eat the crispy bread. "I tried making toast several times after you left, but I could never get it this perfectly crispy without burning it."
"I was going to say it's too toasted, but it's delicious."
"Oh," Guan Qingtong said nonchalantly, "Actually, I haven't eaten toast in three years."
"Why, because it reminded you of me?" Su Yilao raised an eyebrow, teasing her. "I didn't know I had such a big impact on you. Don't love me too much."
Guan Qingtong, unwilling to admit it, huffed, "As if! I just didn't feel like it."
"Really?" Su Yilao drawled, clearly amused.
"You're making fun of me!"
"Not at all," Su Yilao chuckled, taking another sip of her milk.
Guan Qingtong huffed, refusing to back down. "You may not admit that you made fun of me this morning, but I can admit that I was making fun of you last night."
Su Yilao's hand holding her breakfast paused slightly, her smile froze, and a blush quickly spread across her ears, reaching her cheeks.
She vividly remembered the moment when she had been too exhausted, allowing Guan Qingtong to take the lead in their passionate encounter.
"And yet, who was the one who ended up hoarse by the end?" Su Yilao retorted, regaining her composure.
Guan Qingtong's triumphant smile faltered.
"Youth and stamina aren't everything, you know."
"Su Yilao, you're so annoying," Guan Qingtong mumbled, unable to win the verbal battle.
Su Yilao chuckled, letting the conversation drop.
"So, what are your plans for today?"
"None. I'm waiting on you," Guan Qingtong replied. "But honestly, I just want to rest. I've been exhausted from work."
Both were well-acquainted with Rong City, so there wasn't much novelty in any particular outing. However, since this was their first official date after confirming their relationship, Su Yilao didn't want to just stay at home. After some thought, she came up with a plan.
Given Guan Qingtong's public persona, a day out in the city might not be relaxing. So, Su Yilao drove them to her family's old residence.
The Su family's old house was situated in an idyllic location, close to the city but surrounded by mountains and water, with fresh air like a natural oxygen bar.
"It feels like being back in the mountains," Guan Qingtong said, gazing at the artificial mountains and water features around the Su family estate, breathing in the refreshing air.
Su Yilao nodded. "It's perfect for a retreat."
"Why didn't you ever bring me here before?" Guan Qingtong teased. "This is your real home. Does that mean you only truly accepted me as family now that I'm your girlfriend?"
"Keep that to yourself," Su Yilao replied with a good-natured laugh. "You used to be less cheeky."
Guan Qingtong smiled, linking arms with her. "You weren't my girlfriend before. How could I dare?"
"Oh?" Su Yilao guided her further into the estate, still amused. "So, you had a lot of things to say but kept quiet?"
"Of course."
"Like what?"
"That dumping Yu Xingye was awesome! But then, when you kissed me to make him jealous, I thought you were still hung up on him…"
Suddenly, Guan Qingtong stopped in her tracks, gripping Su Yilao's hand tightly.
"You're not allowed to like Yu Xingye anymore!"
"I never…"
Su Yilao paused.
She remembered all the foolish things she did before she had awakened to her own consciousness.
Taking Guan Qingtong's hand, she continued walking.
"I could never like Yu Xingye again."
Guan Qingtong added, "He was your teenage crush and the person the original story set you up to love. Honestly, I'm more afraid of you continuing to like him than anything else."
"The original story? Wait… you're also awakened?"
"Yes."
Su Yilao gave a wry smile. "So, I spent three years worrying for nothing. I thought your feelings for me were just part of the character setting, and I distanced myself from you to see if your choices would change."
"Really?"
Guan Qingtong found it both amusing and saddening that she had waited three years because of such a reason.
"I used to suspect you were only trying to stir things up to follow the original plot and break up my relationship with Yu Xingye…"
"But I know you better. I was sure the real you wouldn't do something like that," Guan Qingtong said. "It's me who likes you. Your teasing was just my wishful thinking."
"It's me who was moved first, who liked you first. That's why I had those wishful thoughts."
Three years later, Guan Qingtong was more direct in expressing herself.
"Qingtong."
"Yes?"
"I like you too."
"Hmph, that's more like it." Guan Qingtong pouted. "I'll forgive you for loving me a little less. But you're not allowed to not like me, and you're definitely not allowed to like anyone else."
Su Yilao replied, "That depends on you. If you stop liking me, should I just wait around for you?"
"What kind of talk is that? We're in the honeymoon phase, and this is our first date, yet you're saying such things. You're too much!"
"How am I too much? Your sincere confession was because of how I made you feel, wasn't it?"
"Argh, so frustrating!"
Guan Qingtong silenced her with another kiss.
After a long while, with their foreheads pressed together, she muttered, "You're so annoying. I'm a famous livestream host, and my speaking skills are top-notch when I'm selling things, yet I can never win against you."
Su Yilao chuckled, kissing the corner of her lips. "That's work. This is flirting; it's different."
Guan Qingtong pressed her lips together, deciding not to continue that conversation.
"After awakening, my life hasn't changed much. Su Yilao, do you think the system that awakened us will ever reappear? If it does and sees us together, what do you think will happen?"
Su Yilao imagined it for a moment and then laughed. "It'll probably regret it. But it hasn't appeared in three years, so it probably won't anymore."
"It was limited in its power; otherwise, it wouldn't have let us get this far."
Guan Qingtong nodded in agreement.
"It's better if it doesn't appear. Fewer headaches."
"Come on, let's go look at some childhood photos."
"Sure."
Once fictional characters gain independent thought, even if they understand their mission and life trajectory, they won't necessarily follow the predetermined path.
Without external constraints, they will act according to their own will.
"Experiment concluded," said an elderly man with technologically advanced glasses, patting the shoulder of the young man beside him. "Write a report summarizing your thoughts on human nature and consciousness based on this experiment."
"Okay," the young man replied.
The old man continued, "For the next experiment, we need to introduce some external constraints on the subjects. Find suitable subjects and reference materials."
"Got it, no problem."
If Guan Qingtong and Su Yilao had heard these voices, they would have recognized the young man's voice as that of the system that had never reappeared.
[The End]