Every year on the day before Huang Dan’s birthday, Chen Yue would drop his work and return to China. He would stand downstairs at Huang Dan’s house and smoke a few cigarettes. After midnight, he would sing a birthday song in the corner and wish him a happy birthday.

This is a habit.

As that day approached, Chen Yue unconsciously improved his work efficiency and made time to travel across the ocean to see Huang Dan, even though the others would not take him seriously.

Last year on Huang Dan’s birthday, Chen Yue went back to China to see him, and an accident happened on that day.

The weather was bad and it was raining heavily. Chen Yue saw from afar that Huang Dan was stopped by a man and that man stuffed roses into his arms.

At that time, Chen Yue ran towards Huang Dan and did not pay attention to the car driving towards the sidewalk. He was hit and died on the spot.

At that moment, a voice appeared in Chen Yue’s mind, and his life changed forever.

The system worker who claimed to be S01 told Chen Yue that he was just out for fun and happened to pass by and was attracted by his obsession. He also said that he was a lucky man.

As long as he completes ten volumes of tasks, he will have a chance to be reborn.

Chen Yue said that he could not have a relationship with anyone other than Huang Dan. There was no way to do it, not even virtually. S01 said that it was not necessary. He was just going to be a male supporting actor and act according to the role of a passionate lover.

The timeline of the mission world is different from that of the real world. Chen Yue successfully completed all the missions and woke up, just a second or two later. He was still lying in the heavy rain, but Huang Dan could not be found. He was gone.

Last year, Chen Yue had been recovering from the injury. One day, S01 asked him if he was willing to work part-time, and he agreed.

People have an instinctive curiosity about the unknown, and also want to get in touch with magical areas and explore higher technological civilization.

Chen Yue thought more and more deeply. Being able to get a chance to be reborn by completing the task is something that no one dares to think about. Even if it really happens, it would feel like a dream. He hopes that he can be stronger and do something at the critical moment of Huang Dan’s life and death.

In the first half of this year, after S01’s exceptional recommendation, Chen Yue’s part-time job changed. He took over the work of the previous caretaker and officially took charge of the main program network.

There is not a single table or chair, a single brick or tile, or even a speck of dust on the main program network. Instead, there are countless points of light. Each point of light is a virtual world that cannot be counted by the naked eye unless one looks at the data statistics.

Only the main system can leave the main program network. Chen Yue saw S01 there, an ordinary person like him, who said that he was leaving and a new main system would appear soon.

After that time, S01 really disappeared.

Chen Yue’s part-time job is extremely boring. All he has to do is check countless virtual worlds and report any abnormalities he finds, and the rest has nothing to do with him.

Every time there is a new host, the main program domain will record personal information, and the corresponding virtual world will also enlarge, and then return to its original size after a few seconds.

When Chen Yue saw Huang Dan’s name, he confirmed it again and again. He thought about it a lot during that time, and did it all.

After five or six minutes, Chen Yue told Huang Dan everything, “If you have any questions, you can ask me and I will explain everything to you.”

Huang Dan’s thoughts were in a mess. After learning that Chen Yue had died once, he had thought of countless possibilities, which he denied one by one. The last one left was that he was received by the system worker.

Because Huang Dan has lived for nearly thirty years, this is the only thing that is beyond his scope of cognition and is completely out of the knowledge he has mastered.

That S01 was San Ge’s former boss, but it’s a pity that he disappeared, otherwise Huang Dan would have wanted to express his gratitude to him.

If it weren’t for him, Chen Yue’s life would have stopped at the age of 28 and he left with regret. Huang Dan lived his whole life in a framework he built and would never fall in love with someone. He didn’t need to and had no urge to try.

Many things change because they happened to hit a certain point, and everything turned upside down in an instant.

Chen Yue remembered something, “Every time I go in, I have no memory of the previous world. I can only copy some data so that you can recognize me sooner.”

He has a lot of selfish motives. As for the outcome, it all depends on Huang Dan.

“Actually, I was not sure that you would like me. I just want you to notice me, talk to me, and smile at me. When all your tasks are completed, I will still come back to see you from time to time as before. Knowing that you are doing well, I will be fine too.”

Huang Dan asked, “How many times have you appeared in front of me?”

Chen Yue glanced at him and said, “Can’t remember it? I have appeared in front of you a total of one hundred and thirty-six times over the years, and I have all the tickets.”

Huang Dan was shocked by this number, he had no impression at all.

When he returned to the past, Huang Dan only stayed until his senior year. He missed Chen Yue so much that he came back. In the following years, he did not experience it again and had no chance to observe the people and things around him.

Chen Yue touched his face and said with a sigh, “Gege, I, doesn’t have a common face. How come you don’t have an impression of me? There were many times when I shamelessly went up to you and said hello, but who would have thought that the next time we met, you would still look at me as a stranger.”

It is impossible to invite Huang Dan to dinner or create a chance for contact. He isolates himself from everyone’s world, especially those who have ulterior motives towards him.

Huang Dan lowered his eyelids. It was his attitude towards life that was problematic. He was always indifferent to everyone. “I’m sorry.”

Chen Yue was stunned. He quickly lifted up Huang Dan’s face and said with a frown, “Why are you saying sorry to me? You did nothing wrong.”

Huang Dan pursed his lips, as if he wanted to cry.

Chen Yue felt very uncomfortable when he saw Huang Dan acting like this. He took Huang Dan into his arms and kissed him here and there, “It’s okay, it’s okay. You did nothing wrong at all.”

Huang Dan rubbed his eyes, “Were you sad when you didn’t see me after you woke up?”

If Chen Yue said he wasn’t sad, that would be too fake. He was so sad that he couldn’t even cry, “I was thinking, you’re not going to be with that guy, are you? I wonder if you would like to have the castle I bought for you.”

Huang Dan turned over and lay on the bed, his eyes closed, and the corners of his eyes were moist.

Chen Yue lay beside him, stretching out his arm for him to rest his head on, “Life is full of unexpected accidents, I’ve experienced them, life is also full of pleasant surprises, I’ve experienced them too, and now is the biggest pleasant surprise.”

“Don’t let your imagination run wild. We still have a long way to go. Let’s walk together in the future. Don’t rush forward alone without me.”

“Well, let’s walk together, I won’t ignore you.”

Huang Dan asked what was bothering him, “Then do you know why I traveled through time?”

Chen Yue shook his head. “I am only responsible for guarding those mission worlds. I can’t take care of other things. Every system worker has a different personality and different conditions for selecting a host.”

This answer was within Huang Dan’s expectation.

From the moment he inexplicably traveled through time, the unfathomable universe had already blocked his way, forcing him to fantasize and spend time studying.

Chen Yue asked abruptly, “Have you ever looked for your parents?”

Huang Dan nodded, “I have looked for them, but there is no clue. It’s as if they don’t exist. I asked Song Min and I couldn’t get the result.”

Chen Yue frowned and said, “I suspect they are not from our world.”

At that time, Huang Dan had many speculations in his mind, but he suppressed them all.

Chen Yue said, “Think about it, you have been taken care of by that person since you were born, and he raised you up. During this period, you have never seen your relatives. This is too abnormal.”

It was indeed abnormal, but Huang Dan had no way to break the status quo regardless of the consequences, because Song Min was not a housekeeper to him, but his parents.

Chen Yue took Huang Dan’s hand and squeezed it, “I have been thinking of ways to investigate, and I will tell you when I find it.”

Huang Dan paused and asked, “Do you know Mr. System?”

Chen Yue said he didn’t know. “Only the main system can enter and exit the place I am in charge of. I heard that all system workers don’t interact with each other. Even if a friend is a colleague, you won’t know it even if you meet him face to face.”

Huang Dan said Oh, the confidentiality work was done very well.

Chen Yue pulled up the quilt, “Go to sleep, it’s very late, we will talk tomorrow.”

Huang Dan couldn’t sleep.

With so many things crammed into his mind at once, he needed time to sort them out and accept them in categories, “Chen Yue, have you ever been to the world where Mr. System lives?”

“I haven’t been there, but I can apply. If you want to go, I’ll apply for it.”

Chen Yue sat on the head of the bed, “Maybe I can find some clues about your parents’ matter there. I will apply as soon as possible. The process over there is very slow.”

Huang Dan said, “It will be faster if we can contact San Ge.”

Chen Yue’s expression was strange. “Sometimes he is even more indifferent than you. Sometimes he is talkative and laughing, and his mood can change at any time. As far as I know, he made up all the mission worlds for himself in order to evaluate the main system. He also set up a completely different personality for himself when he participated in the evaluation. After passing the evaluation, he was promoted from the system to the main system.”

“His significant other was created by him, and there seems to be some internal family conflicts recently.”

Huang Dan’s mouth twitched slightly, “It’s so complicated.”

“Every family has its cupboard.”

Chen Yue took the cigarette case and lighter, “I’ll go out to smoke a cigarette and I’ll be back.”

Huang Dan held on to one of his hands and said, “Don’t go out, just smoke in the room.”

Chen Yue held a cigarette in his mouth, “Give me some time to prepare. I will work hard to quit smoking. You can supervise me.”

“Okay.”

Huang Dan didn’t sleep much in the second half of the night, and neither did Chen Yue. In the morning, the two of them had sex in the bathroom.

Chen Yue put the hem of his sweater over Huang Dan’s head and pulled it down for him, “Every time I return to China, I always choose a hotel close to your home. I’ve stayed in all of them. My original plan was to open one next year so that I could come visit you more conveniently. But now that’s not necessary.”

Huang Dan asked him, “Where did you stay when you couldn’t afford a hotel?”

Chen Yue worked hard with his own hands and had been working at the bottom for a long time, “Speaking of this, I’m quite depressed. Your house is in a high-end community. There are no cheap hotels nearby. There is only a park. I go there when I don’t have money to stay in a hotel.”

Huang Dan pursed his lips.

Chen Yue teased, “Why, do you feel sorry for me?”

Huang Dan said seriously, “Yeah, I feel bad.”

The smile on Chen Yue’s face disappeared, and his thin lips raised again, “Fool, what’s so sad about this? I was very happy when I came back to see you.”

Huang Dan grabbed one of his hands and rubbed the calluses on his palm with his fingertips. “When you were in high school, your hands were not rough and had no calluses.”

Chen Yue’s hand was a little itchy from being rubbed by him, “At that time, I didn’t have any big things to do all day long. I ate and slept, slept and woke up to eat, and didn’t do any work. Of course, I didn’t have calluses. Don’t you think this is very manly?”

Huang Dan touched Chen Yue’s butt and said, “It’s different here too.”

Only now did he understand Chen Yue’s little thoughts. He secretly brought some of his own characteristics into the mission world so that he could remember them. If he didn’t like him, he might take a second look at him when he met him again in the real world.

This kind of thinking is so humble that it is down to earth.

Chen Yue’s breathing became heavier. He grabbed Huang Dan’s wrist and said, “You’re holding on to me and won’t let go. You don’t want to go to work this morning, right?”

Huang Dan said, “I have a lot to do in the morning, so I can spare half an hour in the afternoon.”

Chen Yue liked the way he spoke seriously, “You underestimate your Ge too much. In half an hour, he can only kiss once at most, and can’t do anything else.”

Huang Dan looked up at the man without saying a word.

Chen Yue tied Huang Dan’s tie and stepped back to look at him. His eyes were full of doting and infatuation. He couldn’t help but lean in and kiss him on the lips, “Why aren’t you talking again?”

Huang Dan said, “Don’t you think you’ve waited too long?”

Chen Yue heard the meaning of his words and said between laughter and tears, “What are you thinking? If you hadn’t been selected by the 444 system worker unintentionally, and I happened to work there and had the opportunity to do something, then I wouldn’t have waited for fourteen years but a lifetime. When I am old and can no longer walk, I will not be able to find you, and I will not be able to see you before I die.”

If that accidental death had not occurred, if his obsession had not been strong enough, if he had not attracted the attention of the system staff, if he had not been allowed to participate in the interview and assessment for workers in the main system field because of his outstanding performance, he would not have been able to make Huang Dan fall in love with him.

Then the direction of his life will be that he cannot get what he wants, there will be no other possibility.

Chen Yue thought that Huang Dan could fall in love with him because of the so-called right time, right place and right people, right? Apart from this, he couldn’t think of any other factors.

Huang Dan doesn’t care whether there is talent or not.

Huang Dan’s eyebrows tightened, “Stop talking, it sounds uncomfortable to me.”

Chen Yue didn’t say anything, just looked at Huang Dan, his eyes full of tenderness and gratitude, and after a while he spoke, “From the moment I fell in love with you, all my efforts and waiting were voluntary. Don’t feel sad for me, and don’t blame yourself. You are the best person in the world. You just didn’t like me in the past. It’s nothing. Feelings can’t be forced. I won’t be the kind of person who would attempt suicide or come to hurt you if I am rejected by you.”

He touched his lover’s head and said, “There is one thing I hope you can understand. It is because I love you that I have been able to live a fulfilling life every day these years. I also have a goal in life to strive for. It is you who has made me grow.”

Huang Dan said, “Hug me.”

Chen Yue opened his arms and hugged him, “You can say these two words several times a day.”

Huang Dan said nothing.

Chen Yue pulled his face out a little and changed the subject, “By the way, would it be inconvenient for you to draw a picture wearing a ring?”

Huang Dan said, “It’s on my left hand.”

“……”

Chen Yue bent down and put his chin on his shoulder, sighing and saying, “My love, you have to get used to my idiocy and stupidity.”

Huang Dan said, “I’ve long been used to it.”

Chen Yue laughed muffledly and hugged his arm tightly.

The door next door was open. Liu Feng stretched his neck from time to time to look at the corridor outside the door. When he saw two people passing by, he immediately ran out and greeted them as if he knew nothing, “Good morning.”

Huang Dan’s eyes swept over Liu Feng who kept stealing glances at him. He looked at Chen Yue again, and after an eye contact, he went downstairs first.

Liu Feng pulled Chen Yue into a corner and glanced at him, “You two haven’t rested all night, have you?”

Chen Yue adjusted the collar of his coat, “What?”

Liu Feng lowered his voice, “What else? Did you look in the mirror before coming out? You look like someone who has indulged in excessive sexual activities.”

Chen Yue rubbed his forehead, and there was a cyan shade under his eyes, “I think so.”

Liu Feng’s face twitched, and he cursed, “I was on tenterhooks all night, ready to call an ambulance for you at any time to go to the hospital for emergency treatment, and when I woke up in the morning, I found myself still holding the phone.”

Chen Yue said, “I’m not you.”

Smoke immediately came out of Liu Feng’s head. He held his breath and couldn’t utter a word.

Back then, he dated a girl. It was the first time for both of them. He had no experience, so he just went on a rampage with all his strength. His girlfriend cried and said it hurt, and her face turned pale. He was so frightened that he ran to get his cell phone to call 120. He also called Chen Yue who was far away abroad to borrow money. He thought it would need to be hospitalized for surgery, and even thought about contacting his family.

Later, every time he thought about it, Liu Feng wanted to find a crack in the ground to squeeze in, but gradually he stopped thinking about it. It was a somewhat painful love experience.

Because just when Liu Feng was about to marry his girlfriend and was ready to take full responsibility for her, she sent him a text message saying they were breaking up, and when he called her, her phone was turned off. The next time they met was at her wedding.

When asked about the reason for the breakup, the other party said that she didn’t feel happy in bed with him. When two people are together, it is not only necessary to have harmony outside the bed, but also harmony in the bed. Both aspects are very important and neither can be missing.

Liu Feng saw a doctor during that period, and the doctor said that there was nothing wrong with his body, but he was not relaxed enough during the process and did not take into account the feelings of his partner.

“Fuck, how dare you expose your buddy’s scars like that? Do you want me to expose yours to see if it hurts?!”

Chen Yue has only one scar that has never healed. It used to hurt if he didn’t remove it, but now it doesn’t hurt anymore. Now he has healed, and it has healed very well.

Liu Feng was still in shock. He hadn’t shaved and combed his hair in the morning, “Well, let me tell you, Huang Dan’s crying last night was really scary. I was in the next room and my scalp went numb when I heard it. If I hadn’t been smart, Jiang Long would have definitely knocked on your door. Then old classmates on both sides would have come out and you wouldn’t have had any fun.”

Chen Yue patted his shoulder and said, “Thank you.”

Liu Feng said don’t try this, “Huang Dan is such a delicate young master. He is afraid of pain. He will shed a small pool of tears when he gets a little scratched. It takes him a long time to recover. Aren’t you afraid that he will not let you do it next time?”

Chen Yue pressed his temples a few times. He only did it once last night, and then he went to the bathroom to take care of it. He didn’t dare to do it more. He also did it once this morning, and his speed was as fast as a snail. He only sped up in the second half.

It is not a good thing for Huang Dan to continue to feel such pain. We need to find out why his pain nerves are different from those of ordinary people.

In one of the mission worlds, Chen Yue took the initiative to apply to modify his pain nerves in order to feel what Huang Dan felt. Just a scratch on his body, the corresponding pain data was far beyond the level of a woman giving birth. He only felt sorry for Huang Dan before, but could not imagine how painful it was.

Only after experiencing it can he realize how much Huang Dan has to endure, being misunderstood, despised, treated as an outcast, and even laughed at. These strange looks test a person’s psychological endurance.

Huang Dan’s disregard for others after childhood was also a way of self-protection for him.

Seeing his buddy was silent, Liu Feng thought he was worried about his future sex life. After all, he had been secretly in love with him for more than ten years and loved him dearly, “How about I get you some movies to learn from?”

Chen Yue said that it was not necessary. He and Huang Dan had been a couple for several lifetimes, but they had never really been in the real world. It was inevitable that things would be a little awkward for the first time, “It took a little time for us to get along.”

Liu Feng looked at me with a look of astonishment, “You are talking dirty so early in the morning!”

Chen Yue walked towards the stairs. “What the hell are you yelling about? You have dirty thoughts and you blame me.”

“Wait, I’m not done yet.”

Liu Feng quickly caught up with Chen Yue, stuffed his sweater into his waistband, and pulled his pants up. His movements were as lousy as ever. Even after opening a shop and becoming a boss, he was still the same, “Have you really decided to be together? Although he doesn’t have parents, he has someone who……how should I put it, treats him like the apple of his eye. I don’t think he will just sit there and watch.”

Chen Yue kept walking. “Huang Dan is a person, not an object. He has his own ideas. Whether he wants to go east or west, no one can make the decision for him.”

Liu Feng narrowed his already small eyes, “So what? Who would be happy if the cabbages that they worked so hard to grow were eaten by pigs? Just wait and see, he will take the initiative to find you.”

Chen Yue didn’t care about Liu Feng’s bullshit metaphor. He snorted and laughed, “I’ll just wait for him to come find me.”

Liu Feng was worried sick. What Chen Yue did with Huang Dan last night made him feel a little sad. It was definitely fate that brought the two of them together. “Are you going to take Huang Dan home? He works in a firm, with very good benefits, and his car is similar to yours. Is he willing to give up such a good job and go with you? Besides, there are your parents. If they knew that their precious son liked a boy for more than ten years, and didn’t get married, go on blind dates, or have a relationship just for him, would they be able to swallow this?”

Chen Yue said nonchalantly, “That’s not a big deal.”

Liu Feng glanced at his buddy and found that although he looked sleepless, his whole body was filled with pink bubbles. Being in love is different. He said, “It seems that I just need to congratulate you on getting what you wished for.”

Chen Yue said, “It’s a dream come true.”

Liu Feng muttered to his back, “Is there any difference? It’s not just luck.”

This kind of thing would never happen to anyone else, and no one would last that long. It was too horrible and hard to understand. Anyway, he couldn’t understand it.

The snow stopped at daybreak, and the sun was lazily poking its head out. The weather was nice, and everyone was having breakfast in the shop opposite, filling almost all the tables and chairs.

Jiang Long, with his messy hair, looked listless. He had a nightmare. In the dream, he proposed to his girlfriend with a rose and a ring in his hand. His girlfriend did not agree and told him not to contact her again and wished him happiness.

She even rejected his proposal, blessing damn happiness for what.

Huang Dan learned the general story from Jiang Long, “Dreams and reality are opposite.”

Jiang Long took a bite of the bun and said, “Well, it’s definitely the other way around. When I was in the most difficult time, Xiaoxiao was always with me and helped me through the hard times. Now that life is getting better, it will get better and better in the future. There’s no way she wouldn’t enjoy the good times with me.”

Huang Dan took a sip of soy milk, knowing that Jiang Long’s words were trying to comfort himself, but they failed, and he was still in a very low mood.

Jiang Long had been secretly preparing for the proposal for several months. His plan was to propose to his girlfriend yesterday in front of his classmates and the class teacher, with the witness of his good friends, but he didn’t expect that she wouldn’t show up.

Jiang Long’s voice was unclear. “Could it be that she noticed something and knew that I was going to propose to her, so she didn’t come? Is she suffering from pre-marital depression? Or is she suffering from marriage phobia?”

Huang Dan said, “You are too nervous.”

Jiang Long glanced at the ring on Huang Dan’s hand and said, “I wish I could be as successful as you.”

Either there is no fuss, or there is a big one, such as suddenly wearing a ring on the ring finger. Jiang Long found it inconceivable that this kind of thing happened to Huang Dan, because he was not an impulsive and emotional person at all, they were not related at all, and he had a detailed plan even when going out for a meal.

Jiang Long swallowed the food in his mouth and thought to himself, Huang Dan must like that person very much, so much so that he would even change his principles.

The shop was noisy. Housewives were talking about their children’s growth and education, bosses were showing off their wealth and bragging, and office workers were gossiping about their bosses and colleagues. They all looked very interested, as if saying a few more words would get them two more bowls of porridge and two more pounds of meat.

Huang Dan’s table was occupied by his former deskmate and the seat behind him. From the perspective of others, Chen Yue and Liu Feng, who were sitting at the table, stood out.

Although Chen Yan was pregnant, she was in good condition, without any morning sickness, and her appetite was not affected at all, “Chen Yue, last night we asked you when you contacted Huang Dan, but you haven’t told us yet.”

Several other people also looked over, Liu Feng was just watching the show.

Chen Yue brought the porridge that was not hot to Huang Dan, “We have always been in touch.”

Pfft——

Jiang Long squirted out a mouthful of soy milk. He stood up and said with great emotion, “Have always been in contact? Huang Dan, what Chen Yue said is a lie, right?”

Huang Dan said, “It’s true.”

Jiang Long curled his lips in disbelief, “I don’t know at all.”

Huang Dan pulled him down.

Jiang Long sat back on the stool and stopped talking. He thought of waiting until he had time to ask Huang Dan out for a good chat.

Liu Feng felt sympathy for Jiang Long, but also contemptuous. When your buddy and my buddy stood together, their eyes were full of little hearts. It would be fine if others couldn’t see it, but you couldn’t see it either? You have two big, round eyes.

Seeing that Chen Yan and the others were still asking questions, Huang Dan interrupted them with one sentence, “I will go abroad after the New Year.”

This gave everyone the opportunity to guess. Chen Yue was the only one in the class who lived abroad, and his career was at its peak. If they used his connections, things would definitely be much easier when they went abroad.

Qian Meng said that she wanted to travel abroad at the end of the year and asked Chen Yue if he had any recommendations. Chen Yue said he didn’t have any, “I don’t usually pay attention to that aspect. Why don’t you ask Liu Feng, he travels around a lot.”

Liu Feng continued, “Let’s talk alone later. I can recommend something to you.”

Qian Meng said okay. Although she was still smiling, everyone could see that she was not so interested anymore. This matter would probably come to nothing.

Chen Yue stopped eating. He supported his head with his hands and turned the lighter, and his leather shoes rubbed against Huang Dan’s under the table. If there hadn’t been other people around, he would have pulled the person into his arms and hugged and kissed him.

Just as Huang Dan was about to speak, the cell phone in his pocket rang. It was Song Min calling.