Chapter Seventeen
The top spot on the Black Dragon challenge rankings had remained unchanged for nearly a month.
At first, people had discussed for a day or two whether that Little Mushroom player had truly given up.
As time passed, the players gradually assumed that Little Mushroom had finally given up challenging the Black Dragon, quit the game, and returned to real life.
Until today, when Little Mushroom's challenge record gained another attempt.
Round, chubby, and snowy white, Little Mushroom.
Just as before, it raised its bun-like hands, launched a mycelium attack, and was knocked to the ground by the Black Dragon Boss.
When Yan Beiyou logged into the Black Dragon game interface, Little Mushroom was lying on the ground with a look of utter despair.
With its two tiny hands placed over its chest, Little Mushroom lay in a peaceful pose. "I did something stupid."
The Black Dragon, not yet taken over by Yan Beiyou, replied under AI control, "Humans are always prone to doing stupid things."
Little Mushroom said, "There probably aren't many people as stupid as me."
Outside the screen, Yan Beiyou propped his chin on one hand and watched the display with complete focus.
Little Mushroom muttered to itself, "Will he think I'm pulling some cheap trick?"
The screen displaying the game reflected the slight lift of the man's brow.
After a long silence, Little Mushroom let out a drawn-out sigh. "I just didn't react in time..."
Yan Beiyou took control of the Black Dragon. "What didn't you react to?"
Little Mushroom said, "When I heard his name, I didn't react."
Yan Beiyou continued, "Is he someone very famous? Does everyone have to know his name?"
Little Mushroom said, "You have a point. Even though that makes me seem like an idiot with absolutely no common sense... I just rarely watched the news before..."
He had probably watched it once or twice.
His father would watch the news in the living room while he sat on the sofa with his head down, reading magazines or playing on his phone.
Little Mushroom sighed and reflected, "From now on, I'll watch News Broadcast on time."
He seemed to intend to put that plan into action starting today.
Little Mushroom said, "I'm going to watch News Broadcast now. Goodbye."
The next second, Little Mushroom logged out of the game and vanished from the instance.
Ye Nanxun did not take it to heart at all that he had clearly promised not to log into the game again, only to go back on his word.
It was not as though he had made that promise to anyone else.
Imposing too many rules and restrictions on himself would be no different from drawing a prison around himself.
He came downstairs from his room.
Holding a bowl of soup, Ye Nanxun sat on the living room sofa and waited intently for today's News Broadcast to begin.
Ye Xiangsong, who had just returned home, sneaked into the kitchen and quietly asked his wife, "Why did Xiaoxun suddenly start watching News Broadcast today? I remember that whenever it came on when he was little, he'd run back to play games."
Chen Mingzhu had just asked Ye Nanxun the same question herself.
She leaned close to her husband's ear. "He's making up for his lack of common sense."
He no longer had to go to the Imperial Palace to practice the piano.
The next morning, Ye Nanxun opened his eyes a little after eight.
He looked at the time, then at the foggy sky outside the window.
Curling up in the warm blankets, he turned over and closed his eyes again.
This extra bit of sleep was not particularly comfortable.
At times, he seemed awake; at others, he seemed asleep.
One dream after another made it difficult to tell reality from dreams.
When he had first been reborn, even after taking his family on a trip under the guise of traveling, Ye Nanxun had still been tormented by nightmares from his previous life almost every day.
Especially that period when acid had disfigured his face in his previous life, leaving him blind and wracked by pain.
He had suddenly fallen into boundless darkness.
Pain, cold, hunger.
His face was now clean and smooth, without the slightest scar.
There was no cold, nor was there hunger.
The body's defense mechanisms had gradually made him forget the pain he had suffered in his previous life.
Otherwise, why would there be the saying, "Once the wound heals, the pain is forgotten"?
But wounds of the mind were not so easily healed.
Otherwise, how could so many people be tormented by childhood misfortunes for the rest of their lives?
"Xiaoxun, it's about time to get up and eat!"
With the knock on his door, his mother's warm call from outside was like a lifeline, pulling Ye Nanxun out of that hell of cold, hunger, exhaustion, and pain.
He opened his eyes, and bright yet gentle sunlight poured through the window and into his gaze.
"I'm coming, Mom."
Wearing slippers, Ye Nanxun sat at the dining table. With one hand, he raised a cup and took a sip of warm black tea; with the other, he opened his phone's messaging app.
Jiang Yuenian had not contacted him.
Ye Nanxun sent him a message.
Little Mushroom: Teacher Jiang, Teacher Xu said I don't need to go to the Imperial Palace starting today.
The other party did not reply immediately.
After he had eaten two pan-fried dumplings, the phone by his hand chimed.
Jiang Yuenian: I heard from her. Rest for a few days first. We'll just do one final rehearsal.
Little Mushroom: Teacher Jiang, I practice piano regularly too. We can rehearse in advance as well.
Jiang Yuenian: Are you busy this afternoon? We're rehearsing at Dream Star Opera House. If you're free, you can come by and hang out.
Ye Nanxun looked up. "Dad, Mom, I'm going to Dream Star Opera House to see Teacher Jiang this afternoon. I might not come home for dinner tonight."
Chen Mingzhu beamed. "All right, go ahead. Your dad doesn't have anything to do today, so have him drive you."
Ye Xiangsong said with a smile, "Dad will drive you there later."
Although his parents had never said anything about him staying at home day after day for ten years.
They had probably always hoped that he would go out more and make more friends.
Ye Nanxun smiled and pressed his lips together. "Okay."
After lunch, Ye Xiangsong drove Ye Nanxun to Dream Star Opera House.
Ye Xiangsong poked his head out through the car window. "Xiaoxun, call Dad when you're ready to go home. Dad will come pick you up."
Ye Nanxun adjusted the black-and-gray cashmere scarf around his neck. "Got it, Dad. Go on home."
Rather than going inside right away, Ye Nanxun stood near the parking lot and watched his father leave.
Just as Ye Xiangsong's car drove out through the opera house gates, a luxury car slowly entered from outside.
With most of his face buried in his scarf and both hands in his coat pockets, Ye Nanxun strolled forward at an unhurried pace.
The luxury car that had just entered stopped three or four meters in front of Ye Nanxun.
That was not a parking spot.
Ye Nanxun stopped alertly.
The car door opened, and a lovely figure in fiery red ran out.
Her beautiful face was filled with unconcealable delight.
"Young Master Ye! Why are you here too?"
The newcomer was a tall, beautiful omega in a fiery red coat and adorable fuzzy boots. The moment she got out of the car, she ran toward Ye Nanxun.
Ye Nanxun's gaze swept over her face as he stood quietly where he was. "Hello. Do we know each other?"
He Lanxue gave an awkward chuckle. "I was at the Imperial Palace ceremony that day too. My name is He Lanxue."
"What Young Master Ye? Don't tell me he's related to that guy Ye Zhineng?" another voice said.
A young alpha in a fur-collared leather jacket, looking exceptionally cool and luxurious, stuck his head out from the driver's seat. When his indifferent gaze landed on Ye Nanxun, it paused for a moment.
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