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Chapter 48




The heavy curtains blocked the light outside the window.
It was silent inside and outside the room.
But Li Shuoxing, who was sleeping well in bed, suddenly woke up.
He opened his eyes in a daze, stretched out his hand from under the blanket, fumbled at the bedside for a while, touched his phone, and lit it up to see that it was still early, 6:50.
I’ve got a biological clock from playing a game, huh…
Li Shuoxing let out a big yawn. Pressing his aching head, he logged into the game first and searched for the little person on the bed, but it was empty; then looking elsewhere, he found the little person standing in the courtyard.
He spoke in a muddled tone to the little person buried in work in the courtyard, “Cub, I’ve got a headache today. I don’t know when I’ll be online, so I’ll ask for leave first…”
Su Mingqian raised his head. He was a little worried. “Still hungover?”
Li Shuoxing: “It seems a little…”
Su Mingqian: “Get some rest. Is there anyone to buy you medicine?”
Li Shuoxing: “Yes, I can ask the hotel attendant to buy it.”
He was really a bit dizzy. After saying that, he went offline and turned over in bed. As he turned over, he suddenly thought of something.
I went online at 6:50.
Usually at this time, the cub is sleeping.
Why’d he suddenly get up early today?
The question arose.
And then there was no then.
Li Shuoxing turned over and fell back asleep.
***
November 22nd.
09:00
Wuling Youth fulfilled his promise.
Five chapters of My Girlfriend is a Princess were released in a row!
At the same time, book friends who’d been preparing for the whole night and waiting turned out in full force to vote passionately. The gap between Girlfriend and Nine Crossings was narrowing to the naked eye, and it was expected to surpass at noon.
Girlfriend fans were rubbing their hands. Although they hadn’t yet officially surpassed Nine Crossings , they’d already set their goal on the highest Master of Myriad , discussing how to achieve a combo to continue to overtake and climb to the top as they surpass Nine Crossings .
10:00
Nine Crossings updated.
Book friends saw the daily update at the usual time.
Smack smack <sup>1</sup> 咂摸 [zā mō] is the smacking of one’s lips when savouring something. .
It really was a mosquito leg chapter, gone before they could taste it.
They also made noise about their experiences in the book review forum as usual.
The topic of one post:
“Ask for a vote for Eunuch.”
Topic Content:
“The novel below has put the word out to rush up the list, with five updates in a row. An hour after the updates, the distance from us has been halved. Everyone who has votes don’t hide, give Eunuch two more votes to keep the current position.”
#1: “Voted.”
#2: “Voted.”
…
#5: “Five updates in a row? Sudden envy.”
From this reply onwards, the style of the post began to change.
No one said any more about voting. Instead, the envy of the readers next door was so great that everyone who entered the post later couldn’t help but start imagining the day when Nine Crossings would have five updates in a row…
They were immediately awakened by the cruel reality.
Then suddenly became anti-fans of Eunuch again.
“Rip.”
Tore up the recommendation vote.
The short Eunuch wasn’t qualified for honourable recommendation votes!
11:00
Nine Crossings suddenly updated.
Book friends: “Why is today’s second update so early?”
They gave recommendation votes in passing.
The gap between Girlfriend and Nine Crossings was still drawing closer. But the rate of drawing closer had slowed down a bit.
12:00
Nine Crossings updated another chapter.
Book friends: “?!?!”
The sleepy people woke up with a start. Within five minutes, the discussion forum had three more posts discussing why Eunuch suddenly an added extra update.
Until a post with such a topic appeared and the crowd gathered at once.
“The five update burst of Girlfriend is gonna burst our asses.”
Topic Post Content:
“Eunuch may be feeling threatened.”
Topic Posted By:
Smoking Lamp
#1: “Never knew Eunuch was so motivated.”
#2: “Five updates vs three updates. I’m worried for Eunuch’s ass.”
#3: “When I went to see the other side’s update speed, my real name wavered to join the enemy.”
#4: “Boss Smoke, after Great Dispute , I haven’t seen you for a long time!”
…
When the third update burst out, the fans reading the novel were encouraged. All the data had a periodic increase, leaving Girlfriend , which was only a step short of catching up, to fall half a step behind instead, to the extent that it was still a step and a half short.
Repeatedly trying to overtake, repeatedly failing to do so.
The author of Girlfriend , Wuling Youth, had also noticed the situation here.
You add extra updates and I’ll add extra updates too.
I’m going to burst out fifteen updates anyway. I’m not missing one more chapter.
Come on, let’s hurt each other.
Wuling Youth decisively added a chapter, this time without much nonsense, just one sentence:
“Brothers, rush forward!”
They rushed up. At 12:35, the potential value of Girlfriend was converted into recommendation votes. Just another ten thousand votes would kick down Nine Crossings from above!
The book review forum of Girlfriend was excited.
Everyone was ready to celebrate.
Wuling Youth held the second five updates in the palm of his hand. He was just waiting to surpass it and burst five more chapters to consolidate the fruits of the war!
***
12:35
After sleeping for one night and one morning, Li Shuoxing was finally awake.
He sat up in bed with the blanket in his arms. He had woken up from the hangover and his headache was gone, but his body was starting to ache from sleeping too long.
Li Shuoxing himself was speechless.
He turned his neck and heard a “click”, then immediately raised his hand and touched it with fear.
…My old neck.
Forget it, it’s rare to go on a business trip, and business is done. Let’s not work today, just relax, go for a meal first, then stroll around Beijing, come back to sleep a bit earlier tonight, and buy a ticket home tomorrow.
Having made a decision, Li Shuoxing didn’t dawdle. After brushing his teeth and washing his face, he put his phone in his pocket and walked slowly to the hotel restaurant.
From beginning to end, he didn’t even glance at his computer on the table.
On days when he didn’t write, he didn’t want to turn on his computer at all.
And at this time.
It was exactly 12:55.
***
12:55
An alliance master of Girlfriend entered Smoking Lamp’s topic post.
#513, My Girlfriend: “ Nine Crossings friends, you’ve worked hard. There’s no need to try any harder next. Come welcome our victory. Countdown 5, 4, 3…”
As soon as this person came out, water and oil mixed, and the post was in an uproar!
#514: “Haha, deceiving me that no one’s in Nine Crossings?”
#515: “The head can be broken, blood can be shed, but Eunuch’s ass can’t be exploded.”
#516: “Eunuch’s ass isn’t a worry. Our asses can’t be exploded! Is it Eunuch’s ass they want to explode? No, it’s our asses they’re reaching for with their evil hands!”
The original poster, who’d vanished without a trace, appeared at the same time, firmly defending his post.
After a long series of mathematical formulas and dazzling calculations, Smoking Lamp sneered. “I’m afraid your math can’t pass. Comparing your current growth rate with ours, it’ll take at least until 3pm for you to catch up with us.”
Actually, no one could understand the mathematical formulas.
It didn’t matter that no one could understand them.
Boss said it, so it must be true.
Besides, this is our own territory. How could we let outsiders run wild here?
The people in the post immediately mocked the incoming enemy, and that was when the clock jumped from 12 o’clock to 13 o’clock.
13:00
Nine Crossings updated another chapter, today’s fourth chapter.
The already excited book friends were completely shocked.
Shocked for a moment.
The novel discussion forum exploded.
“Eunuch is really gonna fight with the one below!”
“Fuck, why didn’t you say so sooner if you wanted to fight. You post chapters quietly, who knows what you’re thinking?”
“Eunuch, even if the front isn’t complete, you’re not willing to give up the protection at the back!”
“Mensao <sup>2</sup> 闷骚 [mēn sāo] describes people who are outwardly cold and inwardly passionate. , this is really mensao.”
“Eunuch, you always don’t post a promo chapter when you should, and you die to post a promo chapter when you shouldn’t!”
At the same time, Smoking Lamp once again spoke in his topic post.
#733, Smoking Lamp said slowly, “I’ll get some people to widen the gap between us.”
Five minutes after he said that.
A silver treasure chest belonging to Nine Crossings crossed over the bookshelves of all users of the Terminal app.
Click in to look.
Smoking Lamp, who’d rewarded a silver grand alliance, wrote in the treasure box’s message area:
“In the great dispute of the world, what calamity is there not to overcome? Who dares to touch the ass of my king? Ten thousand gold for votes, inviting you to help!”
As soon as the silver treasure chest came out, it immediately attracted a large crowd of onlookers.
“What happened? Boss is like a fan and a hater, like a hater and a fan, true or false, it’s incomprehensible.”
“It’s a real fan! Fake fans absolutely can’t pull off this chuuni hippie vibe. The Terminal literary giant and Great Dispute fans recreate the world!”
In half an hour, all the Great Dispute fans who were online and could see the treasure chest entered the new book, directly clicked and recommended it then left, contributing to the data of Nine Crossings .
Half an hour later, the data gap between Girlfriend , which was only ten thousand votes short of rushing up, and Nine Crossings widened again to fifty thousand recommendation votes.
Wuling Youth’s chapters had been scheduled, and his thank you speech had been written.
Everything was ready, all that was needed was the east wind.
If the east wind didn’t come, the west wind would blow.
Wuling Youth uttered a melancholic cry from the bottom of his heart. “Fuck me, isn’t it just one day of first on the new book list? Eunuch, are you still the same handicapped Eunuch? Eunuch, when did I offend you? Do you have to battle me head on?!”
However, what he got in response was Nine Crossings suddenly galloping away, not only shaking off the third place, but also abruptly closing the distance from the first place Master of Myriad , the blade directed at Silent Stream!
Looking at this scene, Wuling Youth gritted his teeth and sent out the five chapters planned for after the overtaking, and then a promo chapter crying for help. Don’t wimp, it’s war!
***
The battle of first, second and third on the new book list was boiling over on the internet, but that hadn’t affected Li Shuoxing, who was travelling around.
Today was a rare day of leisure.
Li Shuoxing made up his mind to control his internet dependency, so when he came out of the hotel after eating, he put his phone on silent, then casually strolled the streets of nearby attractions. When he was almost exhausted from strolling, he then went to a very good blind massage parlour and had the masseur massage his sore neck.
It was almost 9pm by the time he was all done and back at the hotel.
Having spent most of the day without staring at the internet, he felt a lot more refreshed.
Li Shuoxing thought idly, turned on his computer, went on the main site, took a habitual glance at the new book list, and suddenly found—
I’m first?
Girlfriend is second?
And Master of Myriad came in third?
Three question marks lined up in Li Shuoxing’s mind and tap danced hand in hand.
What’s going on, Terminal can’t be breaking, right?
He puzzledly clicked into the novel page and took another look.
In just this one look.
He was shocked on the spot.
Who touched my stockpile?
The thief who’d stolen the stockpile still had no clue. The hour hand swung to nine o’clock.
Another update was refreshed out from the backend.
The discussion forum of Nine Crossings was completely high. Everyone was betting whether Eunuch was going to update until midnight.
There were also countless people who left deep repentances in posts.
“Today’s Eunuch isn’t the Eunuch of the past. Today’s Eunuch is a complete Eunuch. He is Caramel Ximu!”
“Seeing how much Ximu has updated, I’m embarrassed to call him Eunuch again.”
“Ximu, I was wrong. From now on I won’t call you Eunuch anymore, I’ll call you Big Dong.”
Li Shuoxing: “…”
What’s the difference between Big Dong and Eunuch?
I don’t want it at all, okay!
Li Shuoxing took a deep breath and entered his author backend.
He was drunk, not amnesiac. Now he vaguely remembered everything that’d happened last night…
He hurriedly rescheduled the last three chapters in the backend that hadn’t yet been released, then took another deep breath, closed the page and returned to the document.
His hands trembled slightly on the keyboard.
There’s no such thing as a good break from the internet; there’s no such thing as a good break from work.
Today’s another long day of staying up late.
Feels like I’m completely in a familiar rhythm!
***
12 o’clock that night.
The day’s new book list battle was concluded.
Nine Crossings was first, My Girlfriend is a Princess was second, and Master of Myriad was third.
Among them, apart from Master of Myriad , which was originally on the home page’s weekly click and recommendation lists, Nine Crossings and My Princess is a Girlfriend had successively rushed onto the two lists, suppressing Master of Myriad one after another. Nine Crossings even directly took the third position of the click list, which hadn’t been obtained during the opening screen recommendation before, pressing the fifth and sixth Princess and Master of Myriad , which could be said to be pressed very hard.
From the beginning to the end of the day, Li Shuoxing hadn’t left a single word of war within his novel.
But everyone was already very satisfied. After all, men didn’t need to ask for votes.
Don’t wimp, just update!
They were celebrating and had already begun to imagine so many updates tomorrow. Even if there weren’t so many, it was acceptable to cut off a half, right?
The discussion forum of Girlfriend was also celebrating.
Although he didn’t really reach the first position, Wuling Youth still burst out fifteen chapters today.
His words of declaring war said that he would fight to the end and take first place.
But, after all, the first was Silent Stream, so it was normal to not be able to rush past him.
They didn’t expect that although the process was different, the result was the same.
He rushed to second, Li Shuoxing became first, while Silent Stream fell to third.
The world was like chess, the universe was unpredictable—
It was probably only on the side of Master of Myriad that Silent Stream showed up with a face full of confusion at almost 12 o’clock, looking at the new book list that’d turned upside down in just one day.
He: “???”
Is this necessary? Why compete with the momentum of a monthly vote list at the end of the month on a new book list?
Is there another change I don’t know about in this period’s new book list?
Silent Stream tentatively added an extra update with a message asking for votes:
“Asking everyone for a recommendations and a click.”
When the update went out, there was a commotion in the comment section.
But it wasn’t the sound of book friends generously casting recommendations.
Rather—
“Silent Stream, you’ve changed. Today there are two other books, one with twelve chapters updated and one with fifteen chapters updated. And you?”
“Is this a problem of recommendation votes? No, it’s a problem of updates!”
“No updates, no votes!”
“Let your ass bloom!”
Silent Stream: “…”
The animals wronged me.
***
The heated day was finally over.
By 6:30am the next day, Li Shuoxing, who had slept less than a couple hours the entire night but had finally written another ten thousand words to replenish his stock, went on the game with dark circles under his eyes.
He was expecting to see the sleeping little person, but the little person was already awake and was sitting at the table eating breakfast.
Li Shuoxing was surprised. He said, “Cub? Why’re you up so early today?”
Su Mingqian raised his head. His eyes were a little dark too. “Ximu, why are you here so early too?”
Li Shuoxing had a headache. “It’s a long story, but it led to staying up late last night to catch up on work, writing an extra ten thousand words…”
Su Mingqian: “Amazing!”
The cub’s vocabulary of gentle words grew again.
Li Shuoxing was very happy. He made an internal phone call and asked the hotel to send up breakfast. While waiting for his own breakfast, he watched the cub in the game eat breakfast.
But as he watched, he suddenly felt something wrong.
Why does the cub’s nod a bit after just two bites; and his head still nods a bit after another two bites, like he’s too sleepy…
If you’re sleepy, why get up so early?
Also, the clothes the cub’s wearing now, the white t-shirt with the writing, is the style I made for the cub before.
But.
“Hoe the harvest at noon”.
Have I ever written this poem?
I haven’t played the game seriously for just two days. How come the game seems to have become a game I don’t know…
Li Shuoxing was suddenly deeply suspicious of everything on the screen.
He tapped on the system narration and started reading through it.
Although it’d only been two days, the system narration had already accumulated a long string of text, all describing what the little person had done, what he’d done and what he’d done.
Li Shuoxing thought the little person seemed to have done a little too much.
Then he found a line.
System Narration:
Yesterday, 03:00pm
[Su Mingqian makes clothes.]
[Su Mingqian turns his head and stares out the window at the courtyard for a long time without moving.]
[Su Mingqian sighs.]
[Su Mingqian writes a line on the clothes, “Hoe the harvest at noon.”]
[Su Mingqian puts on the clothes and goes to the courtyard.]
[Su Mingqian works hard planting pumpkins.]
Li Shuoxing: “…”
Something was really wrong.
So he continued to scroll up. After scrolling for a long while, he suddenly found a line.
System Narration:
The day before yesterday, 10:30am
[Su Mingqian goes to the courtyard.]
[Su Mingqian finds the love credit card bill in the courtyard mailbox.]
Li Shuoxing: “…”
Li Shuoxing: “?!”
Li Shuoxing: “?!?!”
What the fuck, how’d my credit card bill end up in my little person’s hands!
No!
My cub is working hard to pay off my credit card?!
1
咂摸 [zā mō] is the smacking of one’s lips when savouring something. 2
闷骚 [mēn sāo] describes people who are outwardly cold and inwardly passionate.