After another night of traveling, Lin Jichen logged out of the game as usual and went out for some exercise.
He had planned to invite Gu Qiuxue to join him, but she was still asleep, likely due to drinking too much the previous night. Gu Qiuxue, who usually woke up early, was still in dreamland.
Lin Jichen had no choice but to go out alone. As soon as he opened the elevator, he saw Qin Xiaowei, who was taking out the trash.
When they met, it was different from usual; both felt a bit awkward.
Lin Jichen stepped in, pretending nothing had happened, and immediately put on a smile. "Good morning, Sister Xiaowei."
"Oh, good morning, Xiao Lin. Going for a run?" Qin Xiaowei asked, her eyes avoiding his.
"Yeah, and I'll grab some breakfast on the way back," Lin Jichen replied.
"Oh, okay." Qin Xiaowei nodded and fell silent. After a moment, she mustered up the courage to speak again, trying to sound casual.
"Xiao Lin, how's your sister doing? I think we both drank too much last night."
Lin Jichen chuckled. "Yeah, she's still sleeping. She probably won't wake up until noon. What about Tang Tang?"
"She's sleeping too. I don't know what she was up to last night, but she slept even longer than me. It's like she was the one who got drunk." Qin Xiaowei smiled wryly.
Lin Jichen held back his laughter. He knew exactly what the little one had been up to last night.
He had been flying all night and saw that Tang Tang was online in the friends list until four or five in the morning before she finally logged off to sleep.
Without a gaming pod, she couldn't enjoy the luxury of playing while sleeping.
"Kids love to sleep. Besides, it's the weekend," Lin Jichen said, covering for Niu Naitang.
"Yeah, you're right." Qin Xiaowei's mind was clearly elsewhere. After a moment of hesitation, she asked, "By the way, Xiao Lin, I didn't say anything crazy when I was drunk last night, did I?"
Afraid that Lin Jichen might misunderstand, she quickly added, "I rarely drink and have never been drunk before. Last night was the first time. If I said or did anything foolish, please don't take it to heart."
Lin Jichen felt a bit awkward, recalling Qin Xiaowei's bold actions from the previous night.
Of course, he wouldn't mention it. Instead, he said, "No, Sister Xiaowei, you were very quiet after getting drunk. You just slept and didn't say or do anything."
Lin Jichen intended to keep up the pretense, but the memory of the sudden kiss from last night made him subconsciously lick his lips.
Qin Xiaowei noticed this.
Her face turned crimson, and Lin Jichen realized he had been caught. He wished he could tear open the elevator doors and escape.
Fortunately, other residents entered the elevator, forcing them to stand apart and easing the tension.
When they reached the first floor, they walked out together with the other elevator occupants.
"Sister Xiaowei, I'll go for my run now," Lin Jichen said, ready to make a quick exit to avoid further awkwardness.
Qin Xiaowei, who had planned to buy breakfast, changed her mind when she saw Lin Jichen.
"Xiao Lin, I've been wanting to get fit lately. How about you take me running?"
Lin Jichen was surprised but agreed.
They left the community and headed to a nearby park for a morning run.
Qin Xiaowei, who rarely exercised, was soon out of breath.
"Let's take a break, Sister Xiaowei," Lin Jichen suggested, stopping.
Qin Xiaowei nodded, embarrassed, and they found a bench to rest on.
"Sorry, Xiao Lin, I'm holding you back."
"It's fine. When I first started running, I was worse than you. Everyone starts somewhere. I could use a break too," Lin Jichen said, waving it off.
"Alright, I'll rest for five minutes, and then we can continue."
"Sure. By the way, Sister Xiaowei, why do you have time for a morning run today? Aren't you usually at the company by now?" Lin Jichen asked casually.
"I just got back and wanted to take a couple of days off to spend time with Tang Tang. I'll be busy again soon; the company is preparing to release my album."
Lin Jichen was delighted. "That's great! Hurry up and release it. I promise I'll buy it!"
"Thank you for your support."
"Of course. Will there be new songs on the album? I can't wait to listen," Lin Jichen said with a smile.
"You don't have to wait for the album. Next week is Tang Tang's birthday. Why don't you come to her birthday party? I'll sing for you then," Qin Xiaowei invited.
"Sure, it's Tang Tang's birthday? I need to get her a gift," Lin Jichen began to ponder.
"No need for a gift, just come," Qin Xiaowei said quickly.
"No way. A kid's birthday needs a gift."
Lin Jichen planned to use this opportunity to give Tang Tang a gaming pod. He couldn't bear to see her staying up late to play games every day.
"Sister Xiaowei, do you support kids playing games?" Lin Jichen asked tentatively.
Qin Xiaowei nodded. "Yes, games can relieve stress. Although I don't play, I think it's fine to play occasionally as long as it doesn't interfere with their studies."
"That's good to hear," Lin Jichen felt relieved. Giving Tang Tang a gaming pod shouldn't upset Qin Xiaowei.
"By the way, Xiao Lin, aren't you a professional player? How's your game? Is it fun?"
"Of course, it's fun. Why, Sister Xiaowei, do you want to play too?"
"Sometimes, when I can't find inspiration for my songs, I want to do something else. I've heard that many young people are playing a game called 'Tale of Immortal.' Is that the game you play?"
"Yes, Sister Xiaowei, you should try it. It's fun and relaxing, and the scenery is beautiful. It might even inspire your songwriting," Lin Jichen recommended.
He always encouraged his friends to play "Tale of Immortal." After all, playing it was a win.
Even if you played for five years and were still a Qi Refining Realm newbie, you'd still be better off than ordinary people.
But he remembered that Qin Xiaowei never played "Tale of Immortal" in his previous life. Why the sudden interest?
"Alright, I'll try it after my album is released. If I have any questions, you'll have to teach me, okay? Don't call me dumb," Qin Xiaowei joked.
"If you play, Sister Xiaowei, I'll answer any question and help with anything you need!" Lin Jichen promised, patting his chest.
Qin Xiaowei smiled brightly.
"I'm rested. Let's continue running."
After their run, they each bought some breakfast and headed home.
After days of tedious travel, Lin Jichen finally reached the border of the Hundred Thousand Mountains.
The towering mountains stretched endlessly, even from a hundred feet in the air, the end was nowhere in sight.
The dense fog covered the area like a sea of clouds, and the vast forest could easily cause one to lose their way.
Lin Jichen had no choice but to find a place to land. Flying in this fog made it impossible to navigate.
As soon as he landed in the forest, he sensed the presence of beasts around him, but he ignored them.
Instead, he summoned Panda Xiong and rode it towards the refresh point of the Violet Illusion Spirit Incense.