Bai Fan stood there at a loss while Little Golden Dragon lay on the ground, quietly watching the two argue.
"Big sis, I really don't know you! The one you like is Yu Xiaogang. My name is Bai Fan, not Yu Xiaogang."
Bai Fan made his final defense.
Love had never been about the union of two bodies. It was the resonance of two souls, the familiarity born from staying together for a long time.
Bai Fan knew exactly what he liked. He could not stir up the slightest emotional ripple toward the Bibi Dong before him.
Bibi Dong, who had been imposing just moments ago, suddenly wilted.
"You know everything, so you still think I'm dirty, don't you?"
Bibi Dong's sudden question left Bai Fan speechless.
"Seriously, big sis? Is your train of thought even normal?"
"I told you, we've never met before. We have no emotional foundation whatsoever. Can you stop pestering me?"
Bai Fan desperately tried to explain. Bibi Dong, who had been dejected, seemed to realize something, and her spirits suddenly rose.
"Fine, I understand."
Bai Fan thought Bibi Dong had truly figured it out and turned to leave. But the moment he took a step, Bibi Dong behind him took one too. When he stopped, she stopped as well.
At that moment, Bibi Dong had completely lost her queenly bearing, clinging to Bai Fan like an inescapable plaster.
Bai Fan tried to talk to her and even anxiously shouted at her to leave, but nothing worked as he wished.
"Forget it. If you want to follow me, then follow me!"
"Little Fan, what's the point of staying in the Star Dou Great Forest all day? Let your Sister Dong take you around Spirit City. Stay here all day and you'll practically devolve."
During their time together these past few days, Bibi Dong had long since changed out of her luxurious Pope's robes and into simple, plain clothes.
She looked exactly like a young girl, having shed the Pope's majesty as she simply stayed by Bai Fan's side.
For a brief instant, Bai Fan was somewhat dazed, but it lasted only a moment.
Over the following days, the two wandered around Spirit City like ordinary friends.
Bai Fan spotted a familiar shop in Spirit City, one that sold sweet cakes.
"Sweet cakes for sale! Fragrant, delicious sweet cakes! Don't miss them as you pass by!"
Bai Fan unconsciously stopped, his gaze fixed tightly on the sweet-cake shop as though he had recalled the moment he first met Bibi Dong within the Heavenly Screen.
Little Golden Dragon rubbed against Bai Fan's leg, his golden vertical pupils filled with longing for sweet cakes.
"Boss, bring out every sweet cake you have. I'm buying them all."
"Sir, I'll wrap them up for you right away." The sweet-cake seller grinned from ear to ear.
Little Golden Dragon drooled helplessly from the corner of his mouth.
"Little Fan, do you even have money to buy them? Don't tell me you're planning to skip out on the bill again!" Bibi Dong crossed her arms and looked at Bai Fan teasingly.
"You have no awareness at all as a follower! Don't you know you're supposed to pay?"
"Hm?" Bibi Dong was confused at first, then spoke with delight. "You've accepted me?"
"Do we have to be lovers? Can't we just be ordinary friends? If you can't accept that, I don't mind skipping out on the bill again." Bai Fan answered with complete confidence.
"Fine! You heartless bastard! Friends it is!" Bibi Dong gritted her teeth and tossed a large bag of Gold Soul Coins before the shop owner.
The shop owner opened his mouth to speak, but Bibi Dong cut him off directly. "No need to return the extra. Consider it your tip."
Because Bibi Dong had only applied light makeup, the shop owner did not recognize her.
"Miss, you may have made a mistake. Those Gold Soul Coins aren't enough!"
"What? Those Gold Soul Coins are enough to buy a property in Spirit City, and you're telling me they aren't enough?"
"Miss, you have to understand that times are progressing. Our prices have to keep up with the times."
The shop owner wanted to continue explaining, but Little Golden Dragon happened to finish every last sweet cake.
"Little Golden Dragon, run!"
Bai Fan shouted, and Little Golden Dragon instantly understood. He flapped his wings and flew into the sky, quickly escaping Spirit City.
Bibi Dong snatched the money pouch from the shop owner's hand, took out two Gold Soul Coins, tossed them to him, and then left with Bai Fan.
That little incident in Spirit City quickly spread throughout the entire continent.
The incident further confirmed that Bai Fan was hiding somewhere on the Douluo Continent, and more and more people began following his trail.
A month passed quickly. On this day, Bai Fan was about to begin his second simulation.
"Sister Dong, you should go back."
"Why? Haven't we been getting along just fine? Why are you driving me away?"
Bibi Dong looked at Bai Fan in confusion. Over the past few days, she had already made up her mind to build a good relationship with Bai Fan, starting as friends and laying a solid emotional foundation.
"Sister Dong, to be honest, I'm about to begin my next simulation. I won't be staying here for long."
"Over these past few days, I've also come to understand what you want. But I still want to explain something: we're only friends, and our relationship can only go as far as friendship."
Bai Fan's words were resolute, without the slightest emotional fluctuation.
Bibi Dong did not continue arguing. Forcing a smile, she said, "Little Fan, then I'll return to Spirit Hall first. I'll wait for you to come back."
She did not know why Bai Fan had to enter a simulation, nor would she ask. She simply chose to support him silently and wait for him.
"The host's character for this simulation will now be drawn."
"Ding. Drawing complete. The character for this simulation is Huo Yuhao."
The system's mechanical notification sounded.
"Wait, I have a question. Does a simulation mean killing the original owner's soul so I can replace him?"
For the first time, Bai Fan questioned the system's simulation mission. During the first simulation, Yu Xiaogang had been selected, and he had been able to simulate him with a clear conscience.
But this time, Huo Yuhao had been selected, and Bai Fan could not bear it. If it meant killing the original Huo Yuhao's soul, he would rather accept the punishment, even if it meant his life ended here.
The reason Bai Fan thought this way was entirely because he had cried more than once while reading the second part of Douluo in his previous life.
Huo Yuhao had truly suffered terribly. He suffered as a child, and he still suffered after growing up.
"Host, this system's simulations do not kill the original owner's soul. The character you are simulating has long since died and no longer possesses a soul."
"You may also understand it as a parallel universe. In this parallel universe, Huo Yuhao died during his childhood. This parallel universe was originally a universe without a future."
"This system has merely repaired this spacetime, allowing the host to replace Huo Yuhao and continue according to the main storyline."
After receiving the system's definite answer, Bai Fan breathed a sigh of relief.
"I accept the simulation!"
Light and shadows shifted, and Bai Fan's figure vanished.
The Heavenly Screen appeared in the skies above the Douluo Continent as expected.
The two spacetimes of Douluo One and Douluo Two saw the Heavenly Screen at the same time.
"The simulation of Huo Yuhao's life has begun. Time overlap with the main world detected. The main world's Huo Yuhao is under system protection."
Inside the Heavenly Screen.
Bai Fan opened his eyes and shook his groggy head. His whole body was weak, and the first thing he saw was a gentle woman dressed in rough cloth.
"Yuhao, you're awake. Come eat."
Before you continue