Han Jingzhi, oblivious to the unfolding events in the game, logged out as usual. He opened his eyes, waking up in his room, the soft glow of the city lights filtering through the window. He stretched, a satisfied sigh escaping his lips. Today had been a good day. A great day. He had conquered the Skeleton Graveyard, a virtual battlefield that had tested his skills and courage. The reward – a hefty sum of gold coins – felt like a tangible victory, a step closer to his grand plan.
He glanced at the clock, his heart plummeting into his stomach. It was already night! He had been so engrossed in the game that he completely lost track of time. A wave of guilt washed over him as he pictured his sister, Han Yao, waiting for him. He hurried downstairs, his footsteps echoing in the quiet apartment.
He found her sprawled on the couch, popcorn cascading down her shirt like a miniature avalanche. An Jing, their neighbor, and Han Yao's best friend sat beside her, gracefully catching the popcorn with a practiced hand, a mischievous glint in her eyes.
"Brother!" Han Yao shrieked, flinging her arms around him in a bone-crushing hug. "You were in your room all day, glued to that stupid game! Did you even eat?"
"Ermm," Han Jingzhi stammered, his cheeks flushing with embarrassment. He had been so focused on his virtual conquest that he had completely forgotten about the real world.
"No gaming tomorrow, brother," Han Yao declared, her voice dripping with mock seriousness. "You need to get a life!" She then dashed to the freezer, emerging triumphantly with a plastic container of something that looked suspiciously like yesterday's dinner.
"Your dinner will be ready in a minute!" she declared, tossing the container into the microwave with the force of a professional pitcher.
Han Jingzhi sighed, his golden aura momentarily dimmed. He slumped onto the couch beside An Jing, leaving a small, awkward gap between them. The worn, faded fabric of the couch felt rough against his skin, a stark contrast to the luxurious virtual throne he had been lounging on all day. Their living room was, to put it mildly, modest. The couch was the only piece of furniture that could be considered "comfortable," and it was seeing better days.
"Hey," Han Jingzhi mumbled, offering a sheepish smile to An Jing. She nodded politely, her eyes fixed on the television, a faint blush creeping up her neck. The air hung heavy with unspoken words and the faint scent of microwave-reheated mystery meat.
The TV blared a melodramatic drama, the kind that made Han Jingzhi want to claw his eyes out. But then, the scene shifted. The male lead, a brooding hunk with a penchant for dramatic sighs, pulled the female lead close. He held her waist, his gaze intense, as they locked eyes, and then… they kissed.
Han Jingzhi glanced at An Jing, his gaze lingering a moment too long. Their eyes met, and a spark of something unexpected ignited between them. An Jing quickly looked away, her gaze dropping to the worn rug beneath her feet. He felt a sudden warmth spread through his chest, a feeling he couldn't quite place. It was unsettling, yet strangely exhilarating.
Just then, Han Yao burst into the room, her laughter echoing through the tiny apartment. "Oh my gosh, you guys!" she exclaimed, her eyes wide with amusement. "I leave you two for a minute, and you're already getting all… passionate?"
An Jing, flustered, opened her mouth to protest, but Han Jingzhi beat her to it. "What nonsense are you spouting?" he roared, his voice a mixture of embarrassment and indignation.
Han Yao doubled over with laughter. "Oh, come on, brother," she teased, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "Don't tell me you haven't noticed the way An Jing looks at you! You're practically glowing!"
Han Jingzhi, his face burning with shame, ignored his sister's relentless teasing. He finished his dinner, a silent, brooding figure. He then rinsed his plate, grabbed a half-eaten chocolate bar from the fridge, and retreated to his room, leaving Han Yao and An Jing to their laughter.
Han Yao, however, ignored him and was more interested in the drama on TV. "Oh my gosh, did you see how the male lead just kissed the female lead?" she exclaimed, her eyes wide with excitement, staring at the ceiling, lost in thought. He couldn't explain it, but there was something about An Jing that made him feel… different, perhaps it was adolescence.
…
As Han Jingzhi disappeared into his room, a chocolate bar at the corner of his mouth, he sat in his chair and logged into his game's virtual account on his computer. He withdrew half of his fortune, a satisfying chime echoing through the room as the virtual gold transformed into real-world currency. The notification popped up, displaying the hefty sum, and a grin stretched across his face. He was rich, at least for now.
He closed his eyes, picturing his parents' faces, their weary smiles, their constant struggle to make ends meet. He knew this money would change everything. He would make sure they never had to worry again.
He opened his eyes, a new determination burning in them. He would use this money to make a difference, not just for his family, but for everyone he cared about.
After a while, Han Jingzhi logged into the viral network Alliance worldwide search engine. As he did, he searched for several restaurants and amusement parks.
'Roulette De Routine... heik! This is too much, I cannot afford a three-star restaurant.'
He went further and searched for cheaper restaurants, and he did find a few, but he still wasn't satisfied.
'Maybe I should ask An Jing, perhaps she'd have some idea,' He thought, closing the tabs on his computer.
He opened his phone and went through the forum, but there was nothing that interested him there currently, so he just left and went downstairs to check on Yao.
'Snore,'
'Snore'
'Snore,'
'Snore'
When he arrived downstairs, he could already see both Yao and An Jing sprawled on the couch snoring. As they did, they shivered from the cold, and Han Jingzhi went to close the window. He then went into the storage room to pick up a large blanket and cover them up. A smile seemed to appear on their faces. Han Jingzhi smiled a little and switched off the TV and the lights, leaving only a tiny lamp on. He went back upstairs and, with a sigh, went to bed and slept like he never did.
…
[A/N: I don't really think this series is interesting you guys anymore as it lacking a little bit of intrigueness... so I'll be writing a new content soon or it is very possible I revamp this whole story to something more interesting and won't lack intrigueness... sorry for letting ya'll down]