Tang Wulin Gets Jealous

The atmosphere at the dining table was much more harmonious than it had been the night before. At least that tense, awkward feeling was gone. Tang Wulin's fried eggs were cooked just right, their edges golden and crisp, the yolks soft and runny—one of the results of his recent practice. Gu Yue took small bites when her phone vibrated and its screen lit up.

It was a notification from the company's internal messaging app. Gu Yue set down her chopsticks and picked up her phone.

A group announcement from the department assistant was displayed on the screen: [Urgent Notice: All managers and above will be traveling to a neighboring province today to attend the group's strategic planning conference. All employees will receive one day of paid leave!]

Gu Yue froze for a moment, then the corners of her lips rose in an uncontrollable little curve. A day off? Paid, too? This was an unexpected delight. The project was nearing its end, and she had worked overtime for half a month straight. She had long been exhausted. She had thought she would have to face tedious reports and difficult clients again today, but instead... she could actually loaf around at home for the whole day.

"What's wrong, honey? Good news?" Tang Wulin keenly caught the fleeting relief on her face and leaned closer to ask. His face was full of anticipation, as though one nod from Gu Yue could ignite the little flame in his heart.

"Mhm." Gu Yue put down her phone, a rare trace of pleasure in her voice. "Something came up at the company. We have the day off."

"A day off?!" Tang Wulin's eyes instantly lit up like searchlights, and his voice rose several octaves without him realizing it.

His mind buzzed. Gu Yue's words from the previous night—"If it's useful, I'll naturally teach you"—exploded in his ears like a spell. A day off! That meant plenty of time! That meant... the end of theory lessons and the start of practical instruction? He had already begun imagining how Gu Yue would guide him step by step. Would she start with traditional Chinese medicine meridians, or go straight into...

Seeing Tang Wulin's thoughts run wild in an instant, his grin stretching from ear to ear and his gaze turning dreamy, Gu Yue's newly risen good mood was immediately doused as if with a bucket of cold water.

This guy... what inappropriate channel was automatically playing in his head again?

"What are you thinking about?!"

Gu Yue irritably reached out, curled her fingers, and gave his forehead a neither-light-nor-heavy knock.

"Ow!" Tang Wulin covered his forehead, looking innocent and aggrieved. "Honey, I wasn't thinking anything..."

"Quit playing dumb!" Gu Yue pulled back her hand and glared at him. Her tone returned to its usual coolness, though if one listened closely, it seemed a tiny bit softer than usual. "You're not better yet, so stop getting clever on your own. Finish eating, then go do whatever you're supposed to do."

"Oh..." Tang Wulin dragged out his response. Though he had been knocked on the head, his heart was as sweet as honey. His wife was willing to joke with him and knock his head, which meant last night's "body pillow incident" had been put behind them.

Besides, a day off was a good thing! As long as they were both at home, there would always be opportunities!

After breakfast, Tang Wulin rushed to clear the dishes and slipped into the kitchen, washing everything with a clatter. He hummed an off-key tune, brimming with energy.

Gu Yue lazily curled up on the soft sofa in the living room. Sunlight streamed in through the huge floor-to-ceiling windows, spreading warmth across the floor. She let out a long breath. A morning without rushing to work, without watching her boss's moods, without handling troublesome emails—this was practically the ultimate dream of every city worker.

Ever since the project entered its final sprint, even her entertainment time had been squeezed dry. She had neglected games for a long time.

Her fingertip swiped across her phone screen and lit it up, bringing a familiar icon into view. A long-lost sense of relaxation rose within her.

"Heh, perfect time to see if I've still got it." Gu Yue muttered softly as she skillfully logged in.

"Beep—" The game began.

The canyon scenery unfolded before her, and Gu Yue instantly entered the zone. Clearing camps, ganking, controlling objectives—every decision was calm and precise.

"First Blood!"

"Double Kill!"

System notifications sounded one after another, while her teammates' typed praise began scrolling across the public chat: [Mid lane MVP carrying us!][Jungle sis is so strong!]

The tightly pressed corners of Gu Yue's lips relaxed slightly, and a focused glint passed through her eyes.

Tang Wulin wiped the last plate clean in the kitchen, dried his hands, and walked out. He saw Gu Yue sunk deep into the sofa, the lines of her profile taut with concentration, her fingers dancing over the screen as its light flickered across her face.

He softened his footsteps and quietly walked around behind the sofa without disturbing her. He knew that at times like this, Gu Yue was relaxed—and radiant. He leaned against the back of the sofa and watched silently, a foolish grin hanging on his lips.

The enemy jungler appeared on the minimap. Gu Yue frowned slightly, her fingers moving faster as she prepared a counter-gank.

Just then, Tang Wulin must have gotten too absorbed in watching, because he unconsciously commented, "Ah, you should probably flank from this side..."

His voice was not loud, but it sounded especially abrupt while Gu Yue was intensely focused.

"Shut up!"

Gu Yue did not even turn around, her tone carrying the irritation of being interrupted.

Tang Wulin immediately fell silent. He made a gesture as if zipping his mouth shut, then obediently retreated to the side and continued being a "spectator."

The game entered the late stage. Both sides were even in gold, and one team fight would decide the outcome. Gu Yue lay in wait in the brush, waiting for the best moment.

Her ultimate was released with perfect precision, instantly diving into the enemy backline. One fluid combo followed another, and dazzling effects exploded across the screen.

"Penta Kill!!!"

A gorgeous full-screen effect bloomed. Gu Yue let out a long breath, tossed aside her phone, and leaned back into the sofa with a satisfied smile on her face.

"We won," she said softly, with a trace of victorious pride.

"My wife is amazing!" Tang Wulin immediately showered her with praise. "A pentakill! I knew you were the best!"

Gu Yue shot him a sidelong glance but said nothing. Still, her mood was obviously even better. She picked up her water cup and took a sip, her gaze settling on Tang Wulin. This guy was staring at her eagerly, like a large dog waiting to be fed.

"What are you staring at?" Gu Yue raised a brow.

"Honey, you look really beautiful when you play games." Tang Wulin blurted it out, then realized it sounded a little mushy. He chuckled twice and rubbed his nose. "Um... what are we doing next?"

His unspoken meaning was obvious: Could they start their "teaching activity" now?

Gu Yue ignored him and picked up her phone again, looking at the results screen. Suddenly remembering something, she opened her friends list and spotted an avatar that had been gray for a long time, labeled "Intern Xiaolin." He had been an intern she once mentored, but later resigned and joined a competitor.

The avatar was lit up, clearly indicating he was in the game too.

On an impulse, Gu Yue tapped the invite-to-team button.

"Honey? Are you bringing someone along?" Tang Wulin poked his head over.

"Yeah, a kid I used to mentor. We haven't talked in a long time. We'll play a round and see how he's doing." Gu Yue spoke casually as her finger had already sent the invitation.

The smile on Tang Wulin's face instantly froze. A kid? A boy or a girl? If they had not talked in so long, why suddenly play together? And they were going to game together?

An inexplicable sense of danger seized Tang Wulin's heart without warning. He watched Gu Yue stare intently at the screen, waiting for the other person's response. The romantic thoughts brought on by the day off deflated at once like a punctured balloon.

The sunlight in the living room remained bright, but the air seemed to stagnate subtly for a moment.

Gu Yue did not notice the sudden low pressure from the person beside her at all. Her attention was entirely on the game. Very soon, the other party accepted the invitation.

"Ding-dong—"

"Beautiful mentor? Long time no see!" A young man's smiling voice came through the game voice chat.

Tang Wulin's ears twitched as he caught the words "beautiful mentor," and his expression darkened further.

Gu Yue smiled, her voice returning to the calm professionalism she used at work. "Long time no see. Come on, let's solo. Let's see what level you're at now."

"Sure! Please teach me, Mentor!"

The game began again.

This time, Gu Yue's mechanics and game sense were even sharper. But Tang Wulin could no longer relax.

He silently moved to the other end of the sofa, picked up the body pillow printed with Gu Yue's chibi avatar, and hugged it tightly. With his chin resting on the pillow, he watched the "former intern" on the screen who coordinated so seamlessly with Gu Yue, his gaze complicated.

An indescribable sourness and... unease slowly fermented in his heart.

It seemed today's "teaching plan" might have to be put on hold for now. And it appeared that a new "student" was emerging.

Gu Yue finished the match with a beautiful victory. In a great mood, she chatted with him a little more about work before ending the voice call. When she turned around, she saw Tang Wulin curled up in the corner of the sofa like an abandoned puppy, tightly hugging the huge body pillow with a resentful look in his eyes.

"What's wrong with you now?" Gu Yue frowned.

Tang Wulin buried his face deeper into the pillow and said in a muffled voice, "Nothing... I just think you seem pretty popular, honey..."

Gu Yue paused, then understood and could not help laughing. Seeing Tang Wulin's anxious, insecure expression and his cowardly reluctance to say it outright, the pride from her victory strangely softened into something... close to indulgence.

She stretched out her foot and gently kicked Tang Wulin's calf, her tone carrying helpless tolerance. "Stop overthinking. He's just a kid I used to mentor."

Tang Wulin raised his head, his eyes lighting up briefly before dimming again. He muttered, "Oh... then... what are we doing this afternoon?"

Gu Yue glanced at him and suddenly felt that teasing this large dog seemed more fun than playing games.

The corner of her lips curled up as she said unhurriedly, "This afternoon... we'll talk after I take a nap. As for you..."

She pointed toward the kitchen. "Go organize the cupboard again. Stop spending all day thinking about nonsense."

"Ah?... Okay."

Though Tang Wulin was disappointed, he could hear the ease in Gu Yue's voice and knew there was hope for today after all.

He got up dejectedly and headed toward the kitchen, still muttering under his breath, "I have to organize the cupboard too..."

Gu Yue curled back up on the sofa. Watching Tang Wulin's slightly lonely back, amusement flashed in her eyes.

Gu Yue narrowed her eyes, deep in thought.

Perhaps after her afternoon "nap," she really could arrange some... special "lesson preparation?"

After all, theory and practice always needed to be combined. And naturally, the best way to combine them was for her to personally control the pace.

Tang Wulin clattered around in the kitchen while organizing the cupboard, completely unaware that the seemingly lazy woman in the living room was planning a true "ultimate conquest" that would be enough to make him "graduate."

Gu Yue yawned and decided to get some beauty sleep first. As for someone's "teaching progress"... that would depend on her mood.