Some things really don’t need to be explained — actions tend to be far more convincing than words. Even though Shen Yicheng had said it was because Lian Feier had begged him to carry her and he hadn’t wanted to hurt her feelings, in reality there was nothing reluctant about it for him at all. Even though she wasn’t sharp, Shen Yicheng would actively group with her every single day, the very picture of an attentive boyfriend.
Xia Zichen wasn’t stupid. When it came down to it, he trusted what he saw over anything that was said. At the same time he understood — Shen Yicheng’s heart was now entirely set on Lian Feier. He admitted to himself that he felt a little hurt, but all he could do was carry it on his own. He was a guy, after all. Competing with a girl over a man wasn’t exactly something to be proud of. On top of that, he’d never been particularly confident in the idea of love between two men — there were even times he felt like pulling back from it altogether.
It wasn’t that he didn’t believe in love, or that he was incapable of falling for someone without meaning to. But love between two people of the same sex had always lacked the kind of security that other relationships had. A bond sustained only by the word “love” might look strong on the surface, but in reality it was fragile enough to shatter at the slightest pressure. Feelings were often the hardest thing to come by and yet the easiest thing to sour. Though Xia Zichen had never formally been in a relationship himself, he had witnessed the tragedies that played out in same-sex relationships with his own eyes.
So the outcome between him and Shen Yicheng was something he had always seen coming. He was thoroughly, wholly gay — but Shen Yicheng was not. There was nothing for Xia Zichen to push for.
When it came down to choosing, Shen Yicheng would more naturally lean toward a woman. A wealthy young man from a good family — a well-matched marriage was where he truly belonged.
Without realizing it, a full month had passed since he and Canmo Wuhen had started teaming up. The two of them had grown more and more in sync. In the arena, Canmo Wuhen was always able to keep Chenxi fully protected, and Chenxi’s Sword Commendation Points had been climbing fast.
Coming out of the arena, Xia Zichen looked at his nearly maxed-out Sword Commendation Points and started considering what to exchange them for.
[Party] [Canmo Wuhen]: Something wrong?
Seeing Chenxi standing there without moving, Canmo Wuhen asked.
[Party] [Chenxi]: My Sword Commendation Points are almost maxed. Trying to figure out what gear to exchange for.
[Party] [Canmo Wuhen]: Do you need dungeon gear?
Chenxi still primarily ran dungeons these days, with the arena only being a weekly thing with him, so dungeon gear was still the main priority equipment-wise.
[Party] [Chenxi]: Not really. My current setup is more than enough for healing dungeons. Healers don’t need to chase burst damage the way DPS classes do.
[Party] [Canmo Wuhen]: Then go exchange for the tier 598 arena set.
Xia Zichen’s brow furrowed slightly. He didn’t agree right away. In terms of gear right now, the tier 598 “Yanyang Zhueyue” set was the absolute best — not only viable for the arena, it was solid enough for faction battlegrounds too, with top-tier stats and more than capable for daily dungeon content. It was the ultimate goal every player was currently chasing, and without question the cream of the crop when it came to in-game gear.
But the number of players who could actually put together this set was quite small. For one thing, accumulating Sword Commendation Points wasn’t easy, and Yanyang Zhueyue required an especially high amount of them. On top of that, the higher the gear quality, the higher the quality of gems required for socketing and refinement — getting a full Yanyang Zhueyue set gemmed out properly would cost several million in-game currency. Without properly socketing it, the stats couldn’t be pushed to their full potential, which always left something to be desired.
So for most players, Yanyang Zhueyue was something they could only look at from a distance without any real ability to put it together. The vast majority would settle for the alternative tier 460 set — decent quality, far more affordable, within reach for most players, and nowhere near as much of a headache to obtain as Yanyang Zhueyue.
Among everyone Xia Zichen knew, only Canmo Wuhen had a full set — pure black with gold trim, the layered design intricately complex yet strikingly magnificent. Though in day-to-day play, Canmo Wuhen always wore that tier 490 white set — the same one Xia Zichen had first seen him in when they crossed paths in a dungeon.
The Yanyang Zhueyue had only been worn twice, during arena matches. Even in black, which was supposed to be understated, a set like that on someone made keeping a low profile basically impossible.
Jianlang and Baicao Zhe each had two pieces of tier 598 gear but hadn’t completed a full set yet. Still, if all three of them suited up in that set for the arena, the results would probably be even more outrageous.
When it came to that gear set, Xia Zichen had always maintained the attitude of appreciating it from afar. What he had now already worked fine for him. Still, now that Canmo Wuhen had brought it up, he couldn’t deny there was a small stir of temptation. Even as a healer, any player naturally had some pursuit of gear — the way most guys were born with an instinctive pull toward guns and cars. It was just in the nature of things.
[Party] [Canmo Wuhen]: Come on, let’s go to the merchant and exchange.
Xia Zichen didn’t move. He thought for a moment, then replied.
[Party] [Chenxi]: Forget it. Fully gemming it out is too much hassle, and the cost is too high.
[Party] [Canmo Wuhen]: You don’t like it?
[Party] [Chenxi]: …That’s not it. I just can’t afford to socket the gear.
Xia Zichen had no interest in pretending to be rich. He knew perfectly well what his family’s financial situation looked like, and he had no desire to spend more than necessary on a game. Without investing in socketing, the game didn’t cost much — just selling the ore and herbs he gathered every day was more than enough to cover his in-game expenses.
[Party] [Canmo Wuhen]: If you like it, that’s all that matters — don’t worry about the rest. Your current gear is already more than enough for us to run the arena. If you don’t need it for anything else, getting a Yanyang Zhueyue piece isn’t bad either — even if you’re not using it for combat, it looks great just to wear.
[Party] [Chenxi]: Mm.
He thought about it and decided Canmo Wuhen had a point. Once the Sword Commendation Points were maxed out, they couldn’t keep accumulating anyway — leaving them sitting there was just wasteful. Getting one piece was no big deal. Later on, when higher-tier gear came out, refining Yanyang Zhueyue should get cheaper, and he could work on it more when he could actually afford it.
Without hesitating further, Chenxi followed Canmo Wuhen to exchange for one piece of clothing. Even with nearly maxed points, it was only enough for a single piece — the rest of the set would have to be collected bit by bit over time. But even as just one piece, Yanyang Zhueyue’s design was exceptional — it paired beautifully with practically any other gear and never looked out of place.
The male version of Yanyang Zhueyue was black; the female version was white — equally trimmed in gold, but with a more intricate design than the male style and, if anything, even more beautiful.
Looking at Chenxi in the white robe with its trailing hem, Xia Zichen was genuinely satisfied. He didn’t know much about women’s fashion, but that didn’t stop him from having good taste.
[Party] [Canmo Wuhen]: It looks beautiful.
Xia Zichen sent him a smiling emoji.
Canmo Wuhen walked a few steps toward the door and stopped beside the appearance-change NPC.
[Party] [Canmo Wuhen]: Come here.
Xia Zichen moved Chenxi over. Canmo Wuhen sent a trade request. Not knowing what he was up to, Xia Zichen accepted anyway — and the next second, Canmo Wuhen had traded thirty thousand premium currency over.
[Party] [Chenxi]: …I don’t want this.
As he said it, Xia Zichen was already preparing to send it back. In-game gold could be earned through quests and trading, but premium currency could only be obtained through real money top-ups — ten thousand units per hundred yuan. The costume Shen Yicheng had bought for Lian Feier had been purchased with topped-up premium currency.
Canmo Wuhen declined the return request Chenxi sent.
[Party] [Canmo Wuhen]: Keep it. Go exchange for hairstyle number 18 at the NPC. It’s the best match for the female Yanyang Zhueyue.
[Party] [Chenxi]: I’m not taking your money.
[Party] [Canmo Wuhen]: Don’t overthink it. I have no use for this premium currency anyway — others topped it up and gave it to me. You’ve been running the arena with me, and I’ve been wanting to give you something for a while now. This works out perfectly. Think of it as my first proper gift to you.
[Party] [Canmo Wuhen]: My premium currency balance is also almost hitting the cap, so just consider it you helping me spend some of it. If you keep refusing, I’ll feel too awkward to ask you to run the arena with me anymore.
Chenxi stood beside the NPC for a long time without moving. Xia Zichen didn’t budge; Canmo Wuhen said nothing more, as if quietly waiting for her to change her hairstyle. In the game, beyond the initial character creation styling, players could also switch to more elaborate face shapes and hairstyles — though these required separate payment. Likewise, the prices for these paid options varied, with the most attractive ones being the most expensive. The hairstyle number 18 Canmo Wuhen was suggesting was one of the priciest in the game. The updo was elaborately constructed, pinned with an exquisite dangling ornament. The hair that wasn’t gathered up fell long and loose past the waist, drifting gently whenever a breeze passed through — magnificently striking, yet with a subtle hint of gentle, modest grace.
Looking at the premium currency sitting in his inventory that couldn’t be sent back, Xia Zichen steeled himself, clicked the NPC, and switched to hairstyle number 18. In an instant, the previously charming and adorable Chenxi was transformed into a breathtaking queen. Combined with the Yanyang Zhueyue appearance, a layer of absolute, imperious pride had been added on top.
[Party] [Canmo Wuhen]: I’ve thought for a long time that this combination would suit your actual personality. Looking at it now, my instincts were right.
[Party] [Chenxi]: I’ll switch back to my usual look for everyday use.
[Party] [Canmo Wuhen]: Sure, whatever you like.
The outfit was definitely too eye-catching for day-to-day. Though it would be great to wear when running the arena with Canmo Wuhen.
Once all of this was settled, Canmo Wuhen headed back to his guild to prepare for a dungeon run. Xia Zichen had originally planned to mine some ore and list it at the auction house before logging off. He was already riding his horse out toward the outskirts when Juhua Guniang sent him a private message.
“Divine healer, come save us quick!”
Xia Zichen stopped and asked, “What happened?”
“Ten-person Zixiao Palace raid, got screwed by a bad cooldown situation. The healer can’t hold it together, and Xiao Guai Zui Guai and that crowd are in here nitpicking everything, and they drove the other healer out. Please come and save us.” Juhua Guniang sent a long string of crying emojis.
He had known that some guild members were organizing to run the ten-person raid today — he just hadn’t joined because he had his arena session with Canmo Wuhen scheduled.
“Okay.” The words had barely left his fingertips when a party invite arrived, along with a Guild Summon being activated at the same time. A Guild Summon could instantly pull guild members directly to the summoner’s location. He clicked confirm, the screen loaded the map, and within seconds Chenxi was standing right outside the dungeon entrance.
He entered the dungeon, scanned the positions of the team, and moved Chenxi toward the BOSS. Entering the room where the BOSS was located, he took a look at the group — in addition to guild members, there were four others who had been called in through the world channel.
[Raid] [Juhua Guniang]: GODDESS, you’re here!!
[Raid] [Wumei Qianlan]: Oh my god, Juhua, that’s not the point right now! Chenxi, you switched to Yanyang Zhueyue?!
[Raid] [Fujia Hongniang]: That really IS Yanyang Zhueyue!! It’s gorgeous!!
With all the exclaiming going on, Xia Zichen only then realized he had forgotten to change back into his regular gear.
[Raid] [Wumei Qianlan]: And the hairstyle — oh my god, it’s amazing!
Xia Zichen switched back to his regular clothes and toggled off the hat display option as well, returning Chenxi to her original appearance.
[Raid] [T Ni Mei Shangliang]: One look at this healer and I already feel good about this. Everyone get ready — let’s go.
Said the raid’s main tank.
[Raid] [Xiao Guai Zui Guai]: Figures — latched onto a top player and now she’s even got Yanyang Zhueyue.
[Raid] [Qingcheng Baobei]: Exactly. Hiding behind a top player, watching those Sword Commendation Points just pour right in.
[Raid] [Juhua Guniang]: Tsk. Some people just can’t reach the grapes so they say the grapes are sour.
[Raid] [Fujia Hongniang]: Agreed. First time I’ve ever seen a guild activity this exhausting. Certain people should take note — when you can’t cut it yourself, don’t go blaming others for it.
[Raid] [Wumei Qianlan]: Alright, let’s all drop it. Hurry up and finish so we can move on.
[Raid] [T Ni Mei Shangliang]: Chenxi, switch back into the Yanyang Zhueyue and heal me? Haven’t experienced that tier of healing before.
[Raid] [Chenxi]: Just got it, no gems socketed yet, the stats haven’t been pushed yet. I’m more comfortable using my original gear.
[Raid] [Xiao Guai Zui Guai]: Being able to afford the gear doesn’t mean you can afford to socket it. Without the gold it’s all for nothing.
[Raid] [T Ni Mei Shangliang]: Hey, Zhanming Hall people — why are the women in your guild so insufferable.
[Raid] [Juhua Guniang]: My apologies, Mr. Main Tank. Some people are just like that.
[Raid] [Xiao Guai Zui Guai]: What’s that supposed to mean? If you don’t want to run with our guild, leave then.
[Raid] [T Ni Mei Shangliang]: Not your guild. You specifically. Understand?
[Raid] [Fujia Hongniang]: Pfft! Main tank going off.
[Raid] [Wenrou Shenlan]: Anyone else who keeps running their mouth can remove themselves. Everyone knows who’s been making this one-hour dungeon such a headache.
[Raid] [Fujia Hongniang]: Exactly. Tank, pull when ready.
Apparently fed up enough, T Ni Mei Shangliang didn’t bother asking Chenxi to change outfits again and went straight in to hold aggro on the BOSS. All ten players entered combat.
After Chenxi arrived, everyone seemed to settle down, and the run went very smoothly. Xiao Guai Zui Guai was a DPS who kept running her positioning too far out, beyond the healer’s effective healing range, and when she got hit with a debuff she had no idea to come back toward the healer to get it cleared. Qingcheng Baobei, who was healing her side of the group, couldn’t get heals onto her, and the other healer didn’t have the bandwidth to bother — seemingly quite content to let her fend for herself. Xia Zichen could only run forward and toss a HoT onto her, then come back to top off the main tank.
In the end, Xiao Guai Zui Guai still went down. Qingcheng Baobei, whose aggro had climbed above the main tank’s, got wiped out by one of the BOSS’s big attacks. The moment those two were down, it was as if the whole world had grown peaceful. The remaining eight players cleared the dungeon without the slightest difficulty.
After the final BOSS was down and loot had been distributed, Xiao Guai Zui Guai and Qingcheng Baobei left the party.
They had just exited the dungeon when Shen Yicheng, sitting slightly behind and to the side of him, spoke up. “Zichen, come run the arena with us next week.”
The hands on the keyboard paused. Xia Zichen’s brow furrowed slightly, and he said nothing in response…