The outcome was beyond dispute.
After all, she was a reborn person, right? A gaming expert, no less. How could she possibly lose to a beginner?
Jian Sichun had originally planned to win a few rounds, impress Shi Hai with her skills, and bask in his praise.
Then, she would graciously offer to teach him, using the opportunity to strengthen their bond.
But instead, she was utterly crushed from start to finish.
Every time Jian Sichun tried to pull off a move, Shi Hai seemed to read her mind, countering her effortlessly.
The result was indeed one-sided, but it was Shi Hai who emerged victorious.
This couldn't be happening—!
Impossible! Impossible! Impossible!
Shi Hai was supposed to be a complete beginner at fighting games, and she hadn't even shown him the move list.
He shouldn't have known how to execute any special moves!
But—!
How was he pulling off these complex combos with such precision?
Why was he so skilled? Even better than in the previous life!
Jian Sichun recalled how, before starting the game, she had boasted proudly, saying things like, "I'm a pro!" "Don't cry if I crush you!" and "Oh, what should I make you do if I win?"
But now, she had been defeated 10-0 by Shi Hai.
She felt like a ridiculous, trash-talking side character who got what they deserved.
In hindsight, she was so embarrassed that it felt like her face was burning, with no place to hide her shame.
Shi Hai's expression, a mix of surprise and amusement, as if saying "Pro? This is it?" only deepened Jian Sichun's humiliation.
Doubting her own gaming skills, Jian Sichun angrily turned around, grabbed his collar, and shook him, yelling, "You're way too strong! You must have played before! You lied about never playing!"
Shi Hai innocently raised his hands and tilted his head, looking troubled as he replied, "No, really, I haven't played before…"
"I don't believe you! How can this be… You weren't this good in the previous life…"
"Oh? Was I good in the previous life?"
"Yeah… super good…"
Jian Sichun lowered her head.
"After I taught you, you quickly surpassed me…"
Then she suddenly looked up.
"But! You weren't this strong at the beginning! You were a complete newbie at first!"
"Well… maybe it's just my natural talent for games?"
"Who are you kidding?! No matter how talented, there's no way you could pull off corner combos from the start! You're acting like you knew how to play all along!"
Shi Hai did have a high aptitude for games.
His quick reflexes allowed him to pick up new games easily.
Moreover, he played with a strategic mindset, which meant his potential was much higher than Jian Sichun's.
If Shi Hai had started by losing a few rounds and then quickly learned and caught up, Jian Sichun could have accepted it.
But being thoroughly dominated from the very first match… she couldn't accept that!
"It really is kind of ridiculous…"
Looking back, Shi Hai realized that something did seem off, but he couldn't quite explain it.
He had simply focused all his attention on the game screen, immersing himself fully in the competition.
He didn't even think during the matches.
It was as if he had entered a state of flow, where his body moved instinctively.
He closed his eyes and tried to recall the sensation, feeling a strange sense of familiarity.
It was like someone who was fluent in a foreign language but hadn't spoken it in years, suddenly finding themselves conversing fluently when approached by a foreigner on the street.
"It's hard to explain, but I don't think it was just a temporary outburst. Like you said, it felt more like 'I've been good at this from the start.'"
"But you really haven't played before, right?"
Before meeting Jian Sichun, Shi Hai had never played fighting games.
He wouldn't have been interested in them on his own.
"Yeah, I really haven't. Today was the first time."
Jian Sichun looked at Shi Hai, her expression complicated, her heart torn between hope and fear.
She wondered if Shi Hai might also have been reborn like her.
Unable to contain the thought, she voiced it aloud.
"Could it be that you were reborn too?"
"That's not it," Shi Hai replied immediately, denying the possibility.
"Hmm…"
Jian Sichun lowered her head in disappointment.
She had only entertained the thought briefly, wishing it were true.
But thinking rationally, she knew that Shi Hai hadn't been reborn to the past.
If he really had been, he wouldn't have kept his distance from her.
They would probably already be stuck together like an inseparable couple.
And he would have been excited to see her, right?
But he hadn't shown any sign of surprise…
However, if Shi Hai wasn't reincarnated, how could his advanced gaming skills be explained?
Could it be one of those tropes where memories slowly come back…?
Would Shi Hai eventually remember the times they spent together?
"And there's no way I could remember those memories either."
"…"
His second denial shattered Jian Sichun's last hope.
"If it were lost memories, maybe something could trigger them to return, but how could someone recall memories they've never had?"
To Shi Hai, those were "nonexistent memories."
And if they don't exist, they can't be remembered.
"I can't exactly retrieve memories from the future."
"That's true…"
Jian Sichun felt both disappointment and relief.
Because she realized that if Shi Hai did remember everything, he would also remember her death…
And even if he did remember, he would never regret it.
He would definitely do the same thing again.
He would risk his life to protect the person most important to him.
That's just how decisive he was.
Even if given another chance, he wouldn't change his actions.
In that case… it was better if he didn't remember.
Jian Sichun placed her hand on Shi Hai's chest and silently vowed in her heart.
(This time… I'll protect you.)
Shi Hai, meanwhile, was still reflecting on the strange sensation he had just experienced.
That mysterious feeling left him wanting more.
"It seems like it was just some kind of muscle memory… Maybe I was influenced by you."
"Influenced by me?"
"Yeah, considering how bizarre the whole reborn to the past thing is, who knows if there are other phenomena associated with it?"
Shi Hai said, half-jokingly.
"Maybe I picked up on your brainwaves, which triggered some special skills or something."
Jian Sichun laughed at his words.
"Pfft, what is that…? You think it's all about 'tuning into the right frequency'?"
"Bold hypothesis, careful verification."
Shi Hai was now curious about one thing.
Was it his innate talent for fighting games, or had he really been influenced by Jian Sichun?
He needed to test this out in other areas.
"So, do you remember what other skills I was good at in the future?"
"Hmm?"
"Maybe I could tap into some talents in other fields too."
"Ah…"
Jian Sichun remembered how Shi Hai had learned many new skills just to help her.
Writing scripts, filming, recording, video editing, creating special effects, 3D modeling, crafting, sewing, makeup…
These were all things Shi Hai had learned after quitting his job and dedicating himself to supporting Jian Sichun's career as an online content creator.
Remembering this, Jian Sichun grew excited, bouncing with enthusiasm.
"There are! There are so many—! You were amazing at so many things, Shi Hai! And you did all of them so well!"
"Hmm, let's try them all out then. Even if I can't get everything back, recovering just a bit could help you out, right?"
"Huh… You're doing this to help me?"
"Of course. Since we're best friends, and you're staying at my place for a while, I must've helped you a lot before, right? So, there must be some skills I can use to help you…"
Seeing Jian Sichun in a daze, Shi Hai asked.
"What's wrong? Don't you need it?"
Jian Sichun quickly snapped out of it, her voice rising several octaves as she responded.
"Ah! Yes! I need it!"
Whether Shi Hai could actually remember anything or not didn't matter.
Just the thought of trying things out with him made her incredibly happy.
The springtime smile on her face blossomed.
And just like that, her resolve to keep her distance from Shi Hai was forgotten.
<+>
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