I'm telling you, that's not how you play Wuthering Waves in the corner!

"Hello? Brother Yang, it's Xiao Ling. Something urgent came up at home, so I need to take half a month off. I've sent over the supporting documents and all that. Remember to approve it for me."

After that sleep, Xiao Ling finally had his wits back about him. He remembered that he needed to take a long leave to teach Dania about this world and stock up on the things she would need to live here.

Otherwise, given his course load at school, he would probably have a hard time finding more time to help her settle into this world later on.

The man he had just called was his college counselor, nicknamed Brother Yang for no other reason than that he was courteous and kind, treating his students like brothers. Though he was nearly forty, he was still an energetic big kid.

After getting his approval, Xiao Ling thanked him repeatedly and hung up, finally letting out a long breath.

Honestly, he didn't like lying, because it hurt his credibility. But if he said, "Ah, my 2D wife became a real person, and I need to take care of her," he would probably be sent to a psychiatric hospital in minutes.

Fortunately, things had worked out. At least he would be free for a while, so he could use the time to gradually teach Dania about modern society.

After tidying himself up a little, Xiao Ling left his room. As soon as he reached the living room, he spotted Dania sleeping facedown on the couch. A history program was playing on the documentary channel beside her, and it had already reached the early years of the Republic of China.

Educational programs really were good for putting people to sleep, just like a high school teacher's lectures could make people drowsy. Sometimes they worked even better than white noise, so it was no surprise that Dania had fallen asleep.

His original plans were on hold for the moment, but Xiao Ling wasn't in a hurry. Everything could wait until Dania woke up.

Xiao Ling sat quietly on the other side of the couch, then pulled out his phone and started browsing Bilibili.

Before long, Dania's relaxed brow creased slightly, and she slowly woke up. As soon as she pushed herself up from the couch, she felt how stiff and sore her neck was, and her little face fell.

"Did I wake you?" Xiao Ling asked with some concern when he noticed that Dania didn't look well.

"My neck feels uncomfortable. It's really stiff." Dania twisted her neck from side to side, trying to ease the stiffness.

"Want me to massage it?"

"Okay."

With that, Dania obediently turned around, exposing her long, swan-white neck to Xiao Ling.

Xiao Ling: ?

(That's not how you play Wuthering Waves in the corner!!!.jpg)

Xiao Ling could swear to the heavens that he had only been tentatively asking.

But he hadn't expected her to agree so readily?!

Come on, girl, the person in front of you is a healthy young shut-in who isn't related to you at all. Do you know how devastating this is to a guy who's never touched a woman other than his mother?!

Shouldn't you scowl and reject me, say "hentai, shine," and then slap me?! What kind of development is this?!

(Xiao Ling brainstorming.jpg)

"Hurry up, my neck is really sore right now..." Dania's voice was listless, and she sounded genuinely troubled by it.

"Oh, okay."

Snapping out of his jumbled thoughts, Xiao Ling set about helping Dania with her problem.

His massage technique wasn't particularly practiced. His few experiences massaging someone had been with his mother. During that time, she had always been busy until late, so he would massage her shoulders and pound her back, thinking it would help her sleep more comfortably at night.

Xiao Ling's massage took effect quickly. Dania immediately felt that her shoulders weren't as sore as they had been at first, and she even felt like she could sleep a little longer.

"Don't fall asleep, sleepyhead. We agreed we'd go out in a bit," Xiao Ling reminded her, seeing how lethargic she looked.

"Can't we stay in...?"

"Then what about your clothes? You probably won't be able to return to the academy anytime soon, and I don't have any clothes here that fit you."

"The academy..."

A look of reminiscence appeared in her eyes. It was a place she wanted to return to, but never could again.

At the same time, she had more or less confirmed that the somewhat ordinary young man before her really was the Rover himself. Although she didn't know why she had been inexplicably transported to this world, as long as he was here, she didn't need to worry about any problems.

It was just that...

Dania suddenly sighed for no apparent reason.

"Thinking about Sigrika?" Xiao Ling saw through her thoughts as if he could read minds.

"Yeah. If that idiot Xixi finds out her best friend suddenly left without saying goodbye, she'll be really sad," Dania said lazily.

But it was all right. She had already sent her what she wanted to say by email...

"There'll always be a chance to see her again. Maybe you'll even meet again in this world," Xiao Ling said with a gentle smile.

"True, we'll see each other again." The little bit of sadness in Dania's heart melted away under Xiao Ling's comforting words.

"But we've been talking for so long. Isn't it time you told me your name?"

Dania suddenly lifted her little face, and her dreamy, star-like eyes met Xiao Ling's deep black ones.

"Even though I know you're that omnipotent Rover, both Rover and the name you gave me sound like code names," Dania said softly. "You must have a name of your own in this world, right? Tell me?"

"You only just thought to ask?" Xiao Ling said with a smile.

"I only just thought to ask."

"My name is Xiao Ling. If calling me Xiao Ling feels too formal, you can call me by my childhood name, Xiao Yu." Xiao Ling told Dania his name.

"I'll call you Ling." Dania chose a form of address that was relatively close, but not too close.

"Whatever you like." Xiao Ling had no objection.

"Then, Ling, how about we don't go out today?" Dania tried to get her way by acting cute.

"I refuse." Xiao Ling flicked her forehead with his index finger.

Dania let out an "Ow!" and immediately put some distance between herself and Xiao Ling, covering her forehead with an aggrieved expression.

"That really hurt..." Her eyes were watery, and she looked truly pitiful.

"Of course I know you really don't want to go out, but a beautiful girl can't just go without bathing, can she?" Xiao Ling teased. "Or are you planning to..."

Xiao Ling looked over Dania's figure. Though she was petite, she still had curves in all the right places.

"Then let's go!" How could Dania not know what he was thinking? She immediately covered herself and moved a little farther away.

"All right, it's settled, then." Xiao Ling snapped his fingers. "It'll also be a good chance to show you this world."