Time Chapter 7 Part1

新年快樂 Happy Chinese New Year! Wishing you all a happy and healthy Year of the Dog!

The long awaited meet up between the characters has finally come! We get a brief (very brief!!!) glimpse of some of their true personalities. Were they what you expected?

Warning, this ends with a cliffhanger. Read at your own risk.

Chapter 7.1 – First internet meetup

However that night they did not successfully video chat. Yao Yuan got a message from the other party that he had an engagement that he could not get out of. He would be out very late so he told her not to wait for him.

Yao Yuan smiled widely and said regretfully, "No problem, no problem. There will still be chances."

About her tone of voice, her sense of relief could not be hidden. The man on the phone only laughed: "Then you should rest earlier." Can see this face but not touch it, so not seeing is fine. What he wants is to be able to see the face and touch it.

(1)

The time of the internet meetup had been set for Sat.u.r.day. The weekend is a bit easier for everyone to find time. The day before the internet meetup which was a Friday night, the alliance chat was bustling.

Luo Shui: "Boss didn't come, sister-in-law came. The wife attends foreign affairs?"

Ao Shi Cang Qiong: "Really can't say for sure. If sister-in-law marries over here……."

Zou Na Shi Na: "Didn't sister-in-law marry over already?"

Ao Shi Cang Qiong: "You child, still don't understand."

Zou Na Shi Na: "Who's a child? This lord is already twenty-something, already twenty-something!"

Ao Shi Cang Qiong: "Which family does this child belong to? Acting like this when he's already twenty-something but n.o.body comes to control him."

Zou Na Shi Na: "……"

Xue Sha: "Didn't Boss say that he's also going to Jiang Ning City that day? Why doesn't he come meet us?"

Ao Shi Cang Qiong: "He's busy╭(╯^╰)╮"

Wo Shi Lu Ren (I'm a pa.s.serby): "Honestly, Little Cang brother, what are your and Clan Leader's occupations? We are really very curious. You guys usually don't spend time playing games. Especially Clan Leader, he comes and goes like a ghost. But you guys have never dropped in the rankings, especially Clan Leader who has always been in first place. Too awesome! Lord Cang, just tell the truth. Are you and Clan Leader the heads of the game company? Is Boss the game company's boss or the son of the financer?"

Ao Shi Cang Qiong: "You didn't know that while you're sleeping, there's such thing as having someone play for you and silently cultivate skills?"

Everyone: "……"

Ao Shi Cang Qiong: "As for why he doesn't let go of the top rank, because it's a very conspicuous position. Men who seem quiet and cold on the outside but are pa.s.sionate and romantic on the inside are like this ╮(╯_╰)╭"

Xue Sha: "Clan Leader isn't here today?"

Ao Shi Cang Qiong: "Sha Sha how did you know?"

Wen Ru Yu: "Your mouth and face betrayed your heart."

Ao Shi Cang Qiong: "Tsk, we're on the same boat!"

Luo Shui: "Looks like Clan Leader is very domineering and expressive. Ru Yu and Cang Qiong are the only ones who know Boss in real life. Both of you are acting like mice who have seen a cat, makes me even more curious about Boss! Brother Cang, can you tell Clan Leader to find some time and come to the gathering no matter what?"

Ao Shi Cang Qiong: "I already said that when I see him, it's like a mouse seeing a cat. I don't dare to casually tease a dragon's beard. You go ask sister-in-law, once she asks, he'll definitely go!"

Yao Yuan had just finished organizing Ruo Wei Jun Gu's inventory. When she went back into the channel, she saw those two phrases. Too shocked.

Ruo Wei Jun Gu: "I also don't dare."

Wen Ru Yu: "Hehe, our Clan Leader has been given the cold shoulder."

This is giving the cold shoulder?

Shui Shang Xian: "The few countrymen from World Clan, do you want to go in YY to sing some songs? YY number is ××××××!"

Yao Yuan sighed. Ruo Wei Jun Gu: "Thanks sis."

Shui Shang Xian: "Ah? What?"

Yao Yuan: "……"

Afterwards, in YY, those who had talent and those who didn't have talent all gave a roar with their voices, until high pitched voice that could crack the skies rang out.【YY】Duo La A Meng: "I finally finished my midterm exam and came back! I want to sing too, I want to sing too!!"

【YY】Hua Kai: "Little A!? You're a male!?"

s.h.e.m.a.l.e sorcerers [1] are like a box of chocolates. Before breaking opening the sweet coating, there's no way of knowing whether they're a s.h.e.m.a.l.e or a sorcerer, or they're a sorcerer among s.h.e.m.a.l.es, or they're a s.h.e.m.a.l.e among sorcerers. This is the life within a game.

[1]人妖 (ren yao) means “s.h.e.m.a.l.e”. Someone who is a male in real life and is playing a female character in the game. 妖人 (yao ren) is a sorcerer character in the game. This paragraph is a play on words because these two words are so similar.

Sat.u.r.day finally arrived. That morning, Yao Yuan woke up early. Then she received a text message from Zou Na Shi Na. The whole group had exchanged phone numbers that night when they were singing.

"Sister-in-law, Brother Wen and the others have already boarded the plane. They'll arrive at the airport on this side in about two hours. I'm still at school, how about you?"

"I'm at home."

"Oh oh, sister-in-law how long does it take to go from your home to the plaza?"

Yao Yuan thought for a moment and replied: "Around half an hour."

"Oh, it's around the same for me. Let's leave at around nine o'clock then? I'm wearing a red outfit, super easy to recognize! Sister-in-law, what are you wearing? But sister-in-law, no matter what you wear you'll be super easy to recognize. A beauty ah! It's too bad that Boss isn't coming!"

"Then I'll leave at around nine o'clock. We'll do this first."

"Don't be like this big sister. Chat with me. I'm really excited today!"

But I'm not excited at all.

Yao Yuan felt that these two days were two peaceful. Didn't know if this "strange quietness" is the darkness before sunrise or darkness before a storm. Regardless, she felt that something was going to happen.

Yao Yuan silently hoped that today would go well.

Yao Xin Ran drove over to pick her up before nine o'clock. As soon as she saw her, she cried: "You're just going to wear this outfit?"

Yao Yuan was wearing a pair of jeans and a sweater. Neither of which were new and they were all black. But fortunately her figure was good and she had a good disposition. Even if she dressed even darker and more dull, she would still have an exceptional aura. As they always say, even if a beauty wears a linen sack, she'll be beautiful. But if she actually wears a linen sack, people will still comment on it. Yao Xin Ran shook her head, "I'm telling you, can't you dress up a little, put on some makeup, and wear something more colourful? Must you ruin yourself like this?"

Yao Yuan sweats. "I usually don't always dress like this."

Yao Xin Ran was exasperated. "That's why I'm saying that you're wasting a good opportunity."

That day, they arrived pretty early. They agreed to meet at 9:30 but it was only 9:10 when they arrived. While Yao Xin Ran went to park the car, Yao Yuan said she'll go buy two cups of coffee. There were many restaurants and coffee shops in the plaza, Yao Yuan just picked the closest one and went in.

She stood in line behind a foreign man and sent a message to Yao Xin Ran, telling her where she was.

When she was about to buy it, she received a call from Yao Xin Ran who excitedly said that she had already met up with Hua Kai and World Clan's Xiong Ying Yi Hao!

"Oh, they're also very early. You ask Hua Kai and the others if they want any drinks?”

On the other end, she heard Xiong Ying Yi Hao's forthright voice. "Sister-in-law is buying us a drink? Of course I want ah!"

When Yao Yuan ended the call, someone came up from behind. "Sister-in-law, treat me too?"

Yao Yuan was startled, turned to the side and saw a face that was smiling brightly. "You……"

A tall and skinny man, wearing a dark suit, gentle and suave.

"h.e.l.lo, Ao Shi Cang Qiong." The other party extended his hand.

Yao Yuan missed a beat and shook his hand. The other party laughed again: "Nice to meet you, hehe sister-in-law, my name is Li Ao."

A Chinese philosopher and writer of the Tang Dynasty ah. "h.e.l.lo, Yao Yuan."

"I know."

"……"

Afterwards, she went to pay. While she was paying, Li Ao picked up a phone call, "Yes, yes, yes, yes."

After hanging up, Li Ao faced Yao Yuan who was carrying everything and waiting for him at the side and smiled: "My boss asked me to say h.e.l.lo to you for him.”

Yao Yuan's hands trembled. Li Ao held on to the stuff in her hands. "He's very busy today."

"Oh."

"For the past two days he's been so busy that he hasn't had time to rest. This morning on his flight to Jiang Ning, he was still looking at information. Once he arrived here, he had a meeting with a client for two hours straight. Then the client asked him to play tennis after lunch. Although boss' tennis skills is top notch, it's hard to say when he lacks sleep. He might be too tired. Sigh, being a human is difficult, being a boss is even more difficult." If he was typing, I guess that this Ao Shi Cang Qiong would send this emoticon: ╮(╯_╰)╭

While they were leaving the coffee shop, Yao Yuan finally said something: "Hm, really need to pay attention to health ah." Health is a fundamental part of life."

Li Ao stopped walking and said: "Sister-in-law, do you mind saying that phrase again?"

"Ah?"

Li Ao took out his phone and said: "I'll record it. These words are very valuable."

Yao Yuan was speechless.

Li Ao laughed and said: "If he heard that you care about him, the Young Master Jiang who had always walked down the cold, elegant, and magnificent road might suddenly become warm as a Spring day haha."

"……"

Right afterwards, Yao Yuan heard the man beside her suddenly shout miserably like he remembered something: "Sister-in-law, I forgot to get another cup of coffee!"

"En?" Looking down his line of sight, a black sedan was parked five metres from the coffee shop. The car's spotless body clearly reflected the silhouettes of pa.s.serby…… Suddenly, Yao Yuan's heart jumped inexplicably. She looked at the rear window of the car. She couldn't clearly see inside but it felt like there was someone sitting there, looking in her direction. This person……

Li Ao who was standing beside her coughed, "sister-in-law, I didn't finish what I was saying about 'boss is very busy'. Originally, we thought he'd need to spend a whole day with the important client but turns out it ended early. Boss, this important person, has a lot to do. Whenever he travels for business, he won't go out for entertainment activities with clients after completing his work. That's why he's able to squeeze out a bit of time now……"

Take time out of his busy schedule for an internet meetup?

Isn't this storm coming too quickly?

Yao Yuan's heart surged like a thousand-story high wave.

Then Miss Yao's first reaction to this was to throw a sentence at the other party. "Forgot to get another cup of coffee? I'll go buy it." Turned around and ran back to the coffee shop.

Really "ran" back. Li Ao was stunned. Then he turned back and looked at the back seat of the sedan. In the end, he clenched his teeth and slowly walked towards the car. The window rolled down, Li Ao laughed and said: "Boss, sister-in-law is going to buy coffee for you."

"I saw," a magnetic voice slowly said. Making people unable to tell whether he was angry or happy.

As for Yao Yuan's side, once she ran back to the coffee shop, she reflected on how silly her actions were.

Couldn't help but groan. This doesn't make any sense. She hadn't even met him in real life, why did she also act like a mouse that saw a cat?

Heart still beat like crazy!

It's only meeting "internet friends", but she was so nervous that she ran away. This wasn't like her at all. She has always been praised for being "independent, sensible, and mature at a young age".

Shouldn't be [like this], shouldn't be.

The mature Yao Yuan took two deep breaths, then went to the counter to buy another cup of coffee. She told herself again, isn't this dying in the spotlight [2]? Die early, reincarnate early!

[2] 见光死 (jian guang si) To disappoint someone when meeting for the first time, typically internet friends. The spotlight “shows” the true colours that have been hidden by the internet facade ().

When Yao Yuan came out of the coffee shop again, Li Ao had already disappeared but the car was still parked there and a person was leaning on the side. Yao Yuan looked blankly at this "stranger". Half a day later, she internally made an "ah" sound. This "ah" sound contained: she had actually stared [at him] again…… and the tingly feeling she had from being shot by the stranger's sharp line of sight.

The man beside the car was wearing a suit. He had a tall figure, defined facial features, and a rather n.o.ble aura. His standing posture and clear but cold and elegant eyes made Yao Yuan's first impression of him regrettably be: "Doesn't look the least bit like that baby picture!"