Qiao Jingjing and Zhai Liang played games throughout the entire journey. As expected, Zhai Liang's internet connection was terrible, but Qiao Jingjing's wasn't any better while on the highway. After ruining one game for random teammates, they wisely switched to playing Five Army Skirmish, the new gameplay mode recently launched for King Tier during the New Year.
Five Army Skirmish involves teams of two, with five teams totaling ten players battling it out on a new map. With their poor internet connections, they were practically delivering themselves as kills to the enemy, yet neither was willing to admit defeat. They played round after round, and throughout the over two-hour car ride, they didn't manage to secure first place even once.
When parking in the underground garage, Qiao Jingjing was fully immersed in an intense match, clutching her phone intently as she got out of the car and activating follow mode behind Driver Yu.
Soon, the elevator dinged as it reached the floor. The doors opened, and Qiao Jingjing walked out while still playing on her phone. After a few steps, she realized something was off—why was she in the lobby on the first floor?
She looked up in confusion. "You didn't forget which floor my apartment is on, did you?"
On the other end of the call, Zhai Liang was stunned and immediately gave up a kill to express his shock. "What? What did you say? Yu Tu, you're at Mian Hua's place?"
Only then did Qiao Jingjing remember that her microphone was still on, and she quickly muted it. However, the distraction caused her Shouyue to die as well.
Qiao Jingjing let out a frustrated sigh. Yu Tu sighed, took her phone, and stood there playing on her behalf.
The same hero felt entirely different in his hands. As soon as it respawned, he secured several kills in a row, not even needing Qiao Jingjing to explain the rules.
Zhai Liang noticed immediately and shouted, "Did someone else take over?"
Yu Tu unmuted the microphone and said casually, "What have you two been playing all this time? It's an insult to my ears."
Then, he swiftly led Hao Huang to a first-place victory.
Watching from the side, Qiao Jingjing was practically starry-eyed. There was no denying it—when it came to gaming, Teacher Yu was on another level. As the match ended, Hao Huang sent another invitation. Qiao Jingjing decisively took back her phone and rejected it, shamelessly praising Yu Tu, "You're right. Hao Huang is only at a five-out-of-ten skill level. You're still the best. I'd rather play with you!"
With that, she headed back toward the elevator.
She was eager to get home and secure a first-place victory herself.
Yu Tu grabbed her arm. "Wait a moment. I need to get a letter."
Puzzled, Qiao Jingjing followed him to the lobby's mailbox area. She watched as he located her family's mailbox, entered the password without hesitation, opened it, and took out a letter.
Well, even though her mailbox and front door shared the same password, his movements were so smooth that she felt like she had no Work Pass at all.
"Why is your letter in my mailbox?"
Yu Tu gave her a helpless glance. "Play fewer games and eat more starch."
"...What does that mean?"
"Your brain needs sugar to think."
"..."
Whose boyfriend was this sarcastic? She felt like hitting him several times a day. But she finally caught on. "You mailed this to me?"
"Mm. Did you only receive nine letters before?"
"Yes."
"This is the tenth one. It was mailed later, so it only arrived now."
"What's written in this one?" Qiao Jingjing reached for the letter, but Yu Tu held onto it without letting go. Gazing at her, he said, "Jingjing, guess what I was thinking when I wrote this letter?"
"What?" Qiao Jingjing tilted her head slightly, looking at him."This letter is a bit profound. As I was writing it, I kept wondering whether by the time you received it, I’d already be able to read it to you and help clarify any questions you might have." He paused, a slight curve forming at the corner of his lips, and asked her, "Do you want to hear it?"
Games… first place… did any of that matter?
Qiao Jingjing had completely forgotten about them.
That evening, they had a simple meal, and Qiao Jingjing sat on the sofa listening to him read the letter. As she listened, she found herself half-embraced in his arms. The content of the letter was too technical; even with his explanations, it was often hard to follow. But it didn’t matter—she wasn’t paying much attention anyway.
She felt the one reading the letter wasn’t very focused either, evidenced by his frequent, long pauses.
Winter nights always fell quickly. By the time the clock struck nine, the letter had finally been finished. Nestled in his arms, she said in a slightly coquettish tone, "You’ve made me sleepy with your reading."
He lowered his head, his breath brushing against her ear. "Then go to bed early. You have a flight to catch tomorrow. Don’t you need to pack?"
"I had Xiao Zhu pack for me this morning. She doesn’t need to come over in the afternoon."
Uh…
As soon as the words left her mouth, Qiao Jingjing knew she’d said too much. The first half would have been enough—the second half was completely unnecessary! Silently, she prayed he hadn’t caught on. But how could he not? He was quick-witted, and he immediately chuckled softly, his chest vibrating with laughter. Qiao Jingjing gave him a light punch. "If you don’t leave soon, you’ll miss the last subway."
"I’m staying here tonight."
Qiao Jingjing blinked, wondering if she’d misheard. Dazedly, she asked, "Huh?"
"On the sofa."
Yu Tu said, "Jingjing, from now on, I’ll be the one taking the initiative."
Qiao Jingjing sat up from his embrace, staring intently at him. Yu Tu also straightened up, his fingers gently touching her cheek.
He knew he would never forget how she had looked that day at the gas station—on the verge of tears, so aggrieved—and the words she had spoken then.
"I’m somewhat willing, but saying it like that makes me unhappy." The moment he heard those words, it felt like a sharp sting. And every time he recalled them afterward, a lingering ache spread through his heart.
He knew with absolute clarity that even though they were together now, there were still unresolved feelings in her heart. So from now on, at every step, at every turning point, he must be the one to take the initiative and move toward her.
She hadn’t given him a formula, so he had to find one himself.
The room was quiet.
"But I don’t have much experience with taking the initiative. If I go too far, remind me," he said seriously. "For example, today I want to stay over. Is that going too far?"
Qiao Jingjing remained silent.
Yu Tu sighed softly and took a step back, explaining, "Your flight is at eight tomorrow morning. I want to take you to the airport. Do you expect me to rush over from home at four in the morning?"
"You’re going to take me?" Qiao Jingjing asked.
"Are your expectations of me that low? Even on my day off, I wouldn’t skip taking you to the airport?"
"Oh."
Qiao Jingjing stayed quiet for a while longer, and then Yu Tu heard her speak.
"It’s not too much."
Her voice was soft, yet exceptionally clear and earnest. "It’s not too much. I’m very happy that you’re like this."
On the morning of the fifth day of the lunar new year, the train sped swiftly along the tracks back to Whale City.
Yu Tu sat by the window, reading a book. Not long before, he had seen Qiao Jingjing off at the airport to meet up with the rest of the crew. By now, they should have already taken off.Thinking of the stunned expressions on Ling Jie and the others' faces when they saw him, Yu Tu couldn't help but smile faintly. Yet, the thought that Qiao Jingjing would be away for three months made him sigh softly.
He realized he had been overthinking things before. He had worried that his frequent business trips and busy work schedule would prevent him from taking care of her, but in reality, Miss Qiao probably traveled even more often than he did.
Who was delaying whose youth, really?
Yu Tu's gaze remained fixed on the book, but he suddenly chuckled.
When the train arrived in Whale City, he received a WeChat message from Qiao Jingjing.
He opened it to find Miss Qiao had sent him an adorable emoji.
Jingjing: hellojpg
Yu Tu typed—"Landed?" but before he could send it, her second message arrived.
Jingjing: "First time meeting. Guess who I am?"
Yu Tu: "..."
He deleted the words he had typed and played along with his whimsical girlfriend: "First time meeting. Who are you?"
The other side sent an even cuter emoji and said: "I'm your Mobile Girlfriend ^_^, AI Jingjing."
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