Miao Xiaoyu with dark circles under her eyes

"Ah! My brain's been eaten again!"

Wu Gang's pained voice came from the room.

He Li turned his head and glanced at his phone screen.

"You're only on the tenth-something level and you're already giving up?"

Wu Gang heard this and retorted stubbornly, "Who says I'm giving up?"

"Your design has problems; I've tried this level more than twenty times and I just can't beat it."

"There are too many armed zombies later on!"

"Too many?" He Li pointed at Miao Xiaoyu: "Xiaoyu has already reached over twenty levels and she doesn't find it that difficult!" Hearing He Li's words, Wu Gang widened his eyes and looked at Miao Xiaoyu's phone.

He only saw Miao Xiaoyu swiftly operating her fingers, buying and selling plants to clear the screen full of zombies.

That hand speed, that ability for global strategic thinking... Wu Gang was instantly dealt a severe blow.

He really couldn't understand how a young lady like Miao Xiaoyu could be so good at games.

Beautiful, good student, rich family.

Even good at gaming, Wu Gang suddenly felt a bit envious that He Li could be with Miao Xiaoyu.

Where could you find a girlfriend like that!

Shaking his head, Wu Gang picked up his phone: "Never mind."

"I'll go back and play it again, and look for bugs!"

"Alright!" He Li nodded. Seeing Wu Gang leave, he jotted down the issues Wu Gang and Miao Xiaoyu discovered while playing the test version today, so he could adjust them. Then, he sat next to Miao Xiaoyu.

This girl was quite addicted; her beautiful eyes were fixed on the screen without any distraction.

He Li looked at her and felt a little worried.

"This girl isn't going to stay up all night playing, is she?"

He remembered when he first played this game... didn't he just lose track of time while playing?

Thinking of this, after Miao Xiaoyu cleared the current level, he reached out and paused the game for her. The latter only snapped back to reality when she saw He Li's hand, asking a little shyly, "What's wrong?"

"What's wrong? Not going home?"

He Li pointed at the time; it was almost six o'clock.

"It's that late already?" Miao Xiaoyu quickly got up.

He Li couldn't help but flick her little head.

"Don't get too engrossed in playing in the future!"

"Hehe, I know!" Miao Xiaoyu showed a sweet, innocent smile.

However, early the next morning... He Li stared, stunned, at Miao Xiaoyu, who was slumped on the table.

It was rare; Miao Xiaoyu, who was usually full of energy every day, was listlessly slumped there today, looking at her phone. He Li leaned closer and noticed that she actually had dark circles under her eyes.

Seeing her haggard little appearance, He Li sat down, feeling a pang of heartache, and directly took her phone.

"Tell me, what time did you play until last night?"

He asked Miao Xiaoyu with a rare stern face.

The latter panicked and quickly sat up straight.

"No... not too late... just... just seven..."

"Seven?" He Li frowned: "Isn't that an all-nighter?"

"Why are you so careless with yourself?" His tone was severe.

Miao Xiaoyu, however, felt a warmth in her heart. She said weakly, "I want to help you find more problems so we can finish the game sooner!" Her voice was sweet and soft, with a hint of small grievance.

He Li heard this and instantly softened.

"Did you not even have time for breakfast?"

"Mm..." Miao Xiaoyu was like a child who had done something wrong.

She responded softly, burying her head in her chest, not daring to look up.

He Li stroked her little head: "Don't do this again."

"Game problems are minor; we can investigate them slowly."

"I don't want you to ruin your health by staying up all night and skipping meals over this."

As he spoke, he leaned closer to Miao Xiaoyu's ear.

"I suspect you're doing this on purpose, trying to make yourself sick so I'll have to take care of you, aren't you?"

His tone was playful. Miao Xiaoyu's face flushed red with embarrassment as she shyly denied it, shaking her little head like a rattle-drum, stubbornly saying, "No, I didn't, don't talk nonsense... I... I didn't think that!"

She denied it verbally, but had other thoughts in her heart.

"I just want to be taken care of by you for a lifetime, not to get sick!"

She didn't dare to say this thought aloud.

He Li just smiled: "If you didn't, then be honest!"

Miao Xiaoyu nodded shyly.

He Li picked up the small bag next to her.

"Let's go, I'll take you home to rest."

"Today, I'll just fix some bugs; it's not a lot of work."

"You can come back and help me after you've rested well!"

"Mm!" Miao Xiaoyu obediently followed him out.

Looking at He Li beside her, she suddenly asked, "Did you make a bet with Older Female Cousin that the game would earn five million within two months of launch?"

"You asked her?" He Li countered.

Miao Xiaoyu nodded. Last night, she called Older Female Cousin Yu Jianxin again, wanting to know more about Yu Jianxin's conversation with He Li. Yu Jianxin, unable to resist her persistent coaxing, practically told her everything.

And He Li, seeing her reaction, roughly guessed why Miao Xiaoyu was suddenly working so hard.

Sure enough, Miao Xiaoyu continued... "Five million is not a small sum."

"I want to help you, to solve game problems as much as possible."

She spoke softly, and He Li felt both heartache and deep emotion.

"Silly girl, you don't need to work so hard."

"If you wear yourself out, won't it affect the game even more?"

"I'll still need you for many subsequent designs!"

He said, and Miao Xiaoyu's heart felt sweet.

She was truly happy to be needed by the one she loved.

"I know, I'll... be more careful in the future."

She responded with a smile, then said proudly, "Last night, I already found several big and small problems. I've compiled all those issues into a detailed document and sent it to your email."

"Good, good, good!" He Li affectionately patted her head.

"Xiaoyu is so hardworking, how should I reward you?"

He asked gently. Miao Xiaoyu's eyes lit up at his words.

She instantly thought of many, many things.

For example, having He Li kiss, hug, and lift her high?

Or perhaps having him spend a whole day with her?

She thought of too many things, some of which she was too shy to mention.

Miao Xiaoyu deliberated for a long while before suppressing her joy and saying, "I haven't thought of it yet, can I save it for later?"

"Alright, tell me when you've decided."

He Li didn't pay too much attention, just nodding.

As they talked, they walked downstairs.

However, having not slept all night and skipped breakfast, Miao Xiaoyu was now tired, listless, very sleepy, and a little hungry. She walked a bit unsteadily, as if she might fall asleep at any moment.

But she didn't want to trouble He Li, so she forced herself to endure and didn't show it, just obediently followed him.

Yet, He Li had lived two lives after all.

He had also stayed up all night for work.

He was very clear about Miao Xiaoyu's condition.

"Come!" He Li, having reached downstairs, suddenly squatted down.

Miao Xiaoyu was stunned, as if she hadn't fully comprehended.

He Li looked back at her, smiling, and asked, "Why are you just standing there?"

"Come on up, our excellent employee, Ms. Miao Xiaoyu!"

"Hehe~" Miao Xiaoyu's face broke into a wide smile at his words.

She quickly went behind He Li, somewhat shyly and nervously, gently leaning onto his back. His broad back was so warm and full of security that it made Miao Xiaoyu feel especially at ease.

At this moment, Miao Xiaoyu felt incredibly happy.

She cheered with joy in her heart, glad that she had stayed up all night.

Otherwise, she would never have been carried by He Li so easily.

"Hehehe, this kind of good thing is a sure win!"

After a few secret whispers, Miao Xiaoyu yawned.

Perhaps because she was too comfortable, her previously restrained sleepiness could no longer be held back and completely burst forth.

She blissfully rested her small face on He Li's back... then fell asleep with a sweet smile.

He Li looked back at her beautiful sleeping face, then showed a warm smile and carried her home...