My Online Friend Can't Be This Cute

Still, it seemed this method was somewhat effective. At least he had finally stopped thinking about that girl nonstop.

Sigh, senior year was just too long. There was less time to watch anime and play galgames, otherwise he would not have ended up like this.

Senior year really was a heinous crime. Fully to blame.

Mo Xiangwen shook his head, trying to fling away the stray thoughts, then glanced at the travel guide in his hand.

Starting from Marquis Wu Shrine and continuing all the way to Sword Gate Pass was the route Chancellor Zhuge had taken during his northern campaigns.

Logically, he should have followed the route through Pang Tong Shrine, Qiqu Mountain Grand Temple, and Guangyuan Zhaohua Ancient City before finally arriving at Sword Gate Pass.

But school was about to start, and his time was limited, so he could only choose the attractions he liked relatively more.

That afternoon, he hurried to the high-speed rail station, planning to head straight for Sword Gate Pass.

By sheer coincidence, while waiting for the train, he ran into the girl again in the queue for the same carriage.

Though calling it running into her was not quite right. She had not noticed him yet. She had her head lowered, writing something in a notebook with a pen, and there was now a small white suitcase beside her.

He really had not expected anyone to still carry around a pen and notebook to record things. Weren't most people using memo apps on their phones now?

Actually, he had already noticed the girl while they were lining up for the security check.

After all, her hair color was unusual, and her appearance was outstanding. She attracted attention wherever she went.

Still, there was no way he was going to greet her. They were not familiar with each other; they had merely happened to meet once at Marquis Wu Shrine.

There were plenty of people one might coincidentally encounter once or twice again in life. Not everyone became friends, and most were simply passersby. There was no reason to greet someone just because they met again.

He shook his head and decided to read some webnovel chapters to distract himself, so his gaze would not keep drifting toward someone else.

Huh?

After reading fewer than two chapters, Mo Xiangwen suddenly felt someone's gaze on him. He raised his head and looked around, but found nothing.

Every traveler had something to do. Those with friends were chatting with them, those traveling alone were scrolling through their phones, or, well, writing notes.

No one should have had nothing better to do than stare at him. It was probably just the illusion people called excessive self-consciousness, he thought with a smile.

PS:

Ah, I figured that since everyone in the group was already a cute girl, and it was all a dream anyway, they might as well be 2D cute girls. But these are only references—the outfit references the previous picture, and the character design references the later picture. They are only references, not exactly the same.

Be Careful When You Meet a Cute Girl on the Road

As far as Mo Xiangwen was concerned, aside from first-class seats all being pairs, there was no essential difference between first-class and second-class seats.

Most of the time, he chose second class. Unless there were no window seats left and he got randomly assigned to the middle of a three-seat row, which he did not particularly like.

This time was exactly that situation. Probably because this was a tourist city, being able to get a high-speed rail ticket at all was already pretty good. He had no chance to be picky.

So he simply refunded his second-class ticket and bought a first-class one.

It was not much more expensive, and he could sit a little more comfortably.

Besides, there were fewer people in first class, and fewer parents traveling with children.

It was not that he had any issue with children. It was just that whenever he had nothing to do on the high-speed rail, he usually set an alarm and caught up on sleep.

Children's voices were sharp and piercing, which seriously affected his sleep quality.

Since he had bought a first-class ticket, he should be able to get some proper sleep this time. He had gotten up rather early this morning to visit the sights—at least, that was what he had thought.

As mentioned earlier, he liked window seats.

When he looked at the ticket information on his phone, then at the girl smiling at him, he suddenly felt an inexplicable sense of pressure.

Still unwilling to give up, he checked the ticket information on his phone again, then compared the seat numbers. He immediately found it a little hard to keep his expression together.

"Hello, this is already our second meeting." The girl smiled faintly. "Is there anything you need help with, friend?"

"Um..." Mo Xiangwen somehow had the feeling that she already knew his seat was inside and was merely waiting for him to say something.

"Hello, friend." Mo Xiangwen forced his facial muscles into a smile. "My seat is inside. Could you let me in?"

Perhaps it was an illusion, but the girl's smile seemed to deepen slightly. She stood and stepped into the aisle, making room for him.

She said somewhat apologetically, "I'm sorry, I didn't react right away. Please, friend."

Honestly, Mo Xiangwen seriously doubted whether she was actually embarrassed.

Her tone sounded right enough, but something about it felt very strange.

Still, since she had moved aside, he could not just stand there.

"Thank you." Mo Xiangwen nodded to thank her, placed his backpack on the luggage rack, then plopped down in his seat.

Fortunately, after returning to her seat, she calmly fiddled with her phone, as though everything just now had been nothing more than his excessive self-consciousness.

The girl's phone case was a very plain sky blue, without any stickers or decorative charms.

After only a cursory glance, he immediately withdrew his gaze and looked out the window.

The train slowly started moving, and the scenery on both sides rapidly slipped away behind them. He gradually began to feel sleepy as well.

Just then, his phone vibrated several times, so he took it out to check the messages.

Flaked Out: @Human-Dragon Unity Get online and play games.

Mo Xiangwen smiled, took a photo of the scenery outside, and sent it over.

Human-Dragon Unity: image.jpg

Human-Dragon Unity: I'm on the high-speed rail. You guys play without me.

A Seductress: Get online! What are we playing?

A Seductress: Where's Xiao Yi going?

Human-Dragon Unity: Sword Gate Pass. Since I'm already here, how could I not see what Li Bai meant by "the road to Shu is harder than climbing to the blue sky"?

Baibai: Ah, I'm so jealous. I really want to go see it too.

Human-Dragon Unity: Haha, Baibai will get the chance someday.

Baibai: Mm-hmm.

Don't Play Holy Slash: Oh, I've been there once. The scenery really is spectacular.

Don't Play Holy Slash: So, Pigeon, what are we playing?

Flaked Out: Hehe, flaked out.

Human-Dragon Unity: ? Good thing I'm busy.

Don't Play Holy Slash: ? Eat a ball, you.

Flaked Out has been muted by an administrator for 24 hours.

A Seductress: ? Adding this to the little notebook.

That guy, honestly... well, everyone was used to it by now.

He was a habitual offender, but when his group name clearly said "Flaked Out," what could anyone really say?

He glanced at the girl, who was still playing with her phone, yawned softly, leaned back in his seat, and slowly closed his eyes.

Though he was very sleepy, he could not fall asleep at all.

That should not have been the case. Nearly every time he took the high-speed rail, he caught up on sleep in his seat. Aside from children's piercing shrieks, nothing much had ever disturbed his rest.

After all, whether someone was playing videos or music aloud or making phone calls, the attendants would tell them to keep the volume down.

Only children left even the attendants helpless.

He kept feeling it, as though someone were watching him.

Mo Xiangwen abruptly opened his eyes and looked toward the girl and the aisle.

The aisle was empty, but the girl was openly looking at him without avoiding his gaze.

Yet after Mo Xiangwen looked at her several times, she seemed to come back to herself. "Ah? What is it? Is there something you need?"

...She was probably looking out the window, just as he had been earlier.

Staring so intensely at a girl for no reason was really rude of him.

Mo Xiangwen shook his head. "I'm sorry. I just suddenly had an illusion."

His words seemed to catch the girl's attention slightly, and a trace of curiosity appeared in her eyes. "What illusion?"

"Nothing. Sorry for disturbing you."

Naturally, he could not bring up something as embarrassing as excessive self-consciousness. After briefly apologizing, he closed his eyes again.

But that feeling of being watched still would not go away, making him restless.

When he opened his eyes again, he found that the girl had lowered her tray table.

Her notebook rested on it. Every so often, she glanced in his direction, then wrote a few lines, seemingly completely unconcerned by his presence.

Even he had to admit that the girl was naturally beautiful.

As she held her pen, thinking and writing, her brows and eyes lowered, a lock of hair falling beside her cheek, a quiet beauty naturally emerged.

She reminded him of that student game he had played a very long time ago, where one had to go through elementary school, middle school, high school, and finally the National College Entrance Examination.

Though its stat balancing had been terrible, it had things he liked.

He still liked the girl who had promised to study with him in the library. He also remembered how she had rested her face on her hand, wearing a faint smile as she silently watched him.

And, of course, he could not forget the girl who had gathered her courage to confess to him at the end of the story.

The girl before him gave him the feeling that her temperament combined the qualities and charms of both of them.

A rich scholarly air and clear rationality blended perfectly together. He could not tell which side she belonged to—or perhaps she belonged to neither.

Ah—so sleepy.

His wandering thoughts finally gave way to the assault of drowsiness, and he fell into a deep sleep.

If he had held on for a few more minutes, he might have seen a blush rise on the girl's delicate earlobes.

"Ugh, nerd." The girl quietly glanced at his sleeping face. Only after confirming that he was truly asleep did she mutter the insult in a voice barely louder than a mosquito's buzz, then laugh softly.

Yan Nuoya

He was starting to suspect that he was the one stalking the girl before him. The reason was probably, perhaps, maybe that he had been bewitched by her looks?

At the high-speed rail station, the girl had walked ahead of him and passed through security before him.

Now, the girl was once again walking ahead of him, checking into the hotel before his eyes.

He really wanted to loudly ask why they were staying at the same place again, but he probably had no right to ask that.

After all, the girl had checked in first. If anyone had the right to question things, it would be her asking whether he was some stalking freak, following her all the way to the hotel.

He was not!!!

He thanked the girl for her kindness. Not only had she not called the cops, she had not even looked at him suspiciously.

She merely said, "What a coincidence," waved goodbye to him at the front desk, and went upstairs first.

Having seen quite a few reports, Mo Xiangwen could not help breathing a sigh of relief.

Maybe it really was just a coincidence. After all, he had been excessively self-conscious far too often today.

This hotel was close to the scenic area, had a pleasant environment, and was convenient even for dining.

Other than being a little expensive, it probably had no drawbacks.

So it was perfectly normal for them to choose the same hotel.