23: Sweet Duo

The game ended with Qin Qing blushing furiously and Wang Chen wanting more.

Checking the time, it was already after 8 PM, so Wang Chen called the front desk via the hotel's internal line and ordered some dishes suited to the two women's tastes to be delivered to the room.

After dinner, Yang Li's gaze drifted between Wang Chen and Qin Qing for a moment before she suddenly pulled Qin Qing aside with a mysterious air.

"Qing Qing, come here for a second. I can't find something; help me look for it in our room."

Qin Qing, confused, was half-pulled and half-dragged back to their room by Yang Li.

As soon as the door closed, Yang Li put her hands on her hips, assuming the posture of a "relationship mentor."

"Qing Qing! An opportunity! A once-in-a-lifetime opportunity is right in front of you!"

Qin Qing was completely bewildered, her cheeks still flushed from the game earlier.

"Wha... what opportunity? Lili, what nonsense are you talking about now?"

"Still playing dumb with me?" Yang Li poked Qin Qing's forehead and lowered her voice. "Brother Wang Chen! He's not only handsome but also wealthy, considerate, and so capable! Didn't you see how those big shots at the dinner table today were all so polite to him? If you don't grab onto a top-tier man like him, are you waiting for some other vixen to snatch him away?"

Qin Qing's face turned even redder as she lowered her head and fiddled with the hem of her skirt.

"I... I don't know how to..."

"You don't know? I'll teach you!" Looking frustrated by her friend's lack of initiative, Yang Li quickly rummaged through her suitcase, pulled out an exquisite bag, and shoved it into Qin Qing's hands.

"Take this! This is a 'battle robe' I specially picked out for you while shopping. Go and 'take care' of Brother Wang Chen."

Qin Qing opened the bag to find a pale purple silk camisole nightgown. The material was smooth, and the design was exquisite yet cute, perfectly matching her gentle temperament.

"Lili! This... this is too embarrassing!" Qin Qing's cheeks burned with shame.

"What's there to be embarrassed about? When a girl chases a guy, it's as easy as piercing a layer of gauze! Besides, Brother Wang Chen clearly has feelings for you. Listen to me, put this on and be a bit more proactive! You have to fight for your own happiness!" Yang Li advised earnestly, finally practically forcing Qin Qing out the door. "Go! It's now or never! Good luck, I'm rooting for you!"

Qin Qing stood outside Wang Chen's door, clutching the bag tightly, her heart racing.

Go back? And face Yang Li's "bombardment"?

Go in? She felt like she was about to suffocate.

After struggling for a full five minutes, she thought of Wang Chen's gentle smile, his protection today, and the heart-pounding physical contact during the game. A sudden surge of inexplicable courage rose within her.

She took a deep breath and tremblingly rang the doorbell.

Wang Chen had just finished showering and was drying his hair in his pajamas. He found the doorbell a bit strange. He opened the door to see Qin Qing with her head bowed.

"Qin Qing? What's wrong? Is something the matter?"

Hearing his voice, Qin Qing jerked her head up. Seeing Wang Chen's fresh and handsome face, half of her newfound courage drained away, and her cheeks flushed crimson.

"W-Wang, Brother Wang Chen! I, Lili, she... she said you'd been drinking and told me... told me to come and take care of you!"

Her voice grew smaller and smaller until it was almost inaudible, and she instinctively hid the bag behind her back.

Just then, Yang Li suddenly popped out from behind Qin Qing, shoved her into the room, and shouted with a grin, "Qing Qing, take good care of Brother Wang Chen! Goodnight!"

Without waiting for a reaction from either of them, she vanished in a flash, thoughtfully—or perhaps intentionally—closing the door behind her.

With a soft "thud," only Wang Chen and the flustered Qin Qing, whose cheeks were so red they looked ready to drip blood, remained in the room. The atmosphere instantly became thick with tension.

Looking at the girl before him who was so embarrassed she seemed ready to curl into a ball, and considering Yang Li's antics just now along with the bag in Qin Qing's hand that clearly held clothes, Wang Chen understood everything perfectly.

He found it a bit amusing but also felt that Qin Qing's shy appearance was exceptionally endearing.

He cleared his throat, trying to keep his tone natural.

"Don't just stand at the door. Come in and sit down."

Like a startled little rabbit, Qin Qing slowly followed Wang Chen to the living room sofa and sat down. She gripped the bag tightly on her lap, her head buried low, not daring to look at him at all.

Wang Chen poured her a glass of water, sat down beside her, and asked casually, "What kind of rotten idea did that girl Yang Li give you this time?"

"N-No, she didn't!" Qin Qing instinctively denied it.

Seeing her like this, Wang Chen found it amusing and decided to tease her.

"Then why come over so late? Is it really just to take care of me? Do I look like I need taking care of?" As he spoke, he even flexed the firm muscles of his arm.

Qin Qing quickly glanced up at him before ducking her head again. To find a plausible reason to stay, she added softly, "I... I just... Brother Wang Chen, can you play games with me? Duo queue..."

Hearing this, Wang Chen leaned back against the sofa. "Want to play games? Sure! I don't have anything else to do anyway."

"Um... Brother Wang Chen, I... I'll go to the bathroom first," Qin Qing murmured softly, quickly heading into the bathroom with the bag.

A few minutes later, the bathroom door opened softly. Qin Qing stepped out, having changed into the pale purple silk nightgown.

The nightgown made her skin appear even fairer. Under the soft light, she carried the freshness of someone just out of the bath and a hint of moving charm. She stood there shyly, her fingers restlessly fiddling with the hem of her skirt.

Wang Chen looked up, a flash of amazement in his eyes. At this moment, Qin Qing had lost some of her usual innocence and gained a touch of soft femininity; she was so beautiful under the lights that she seemed almost unreal.

He suppressed the ripples in his heart and smilingly patted the seat beside him. "Come on, didn't we agree to duo queue? I'll play marksman; will you support me?"

"O-Okay!" Blushing, Qin Qing obediently sat down next to Wang Chen, a faint fragrance wafting into his nose.

The two logged into the game. Wang Chen chose the marksman marco polo, while Qin Qing locked in the support Yao.

The game began, and Qin Qing's Yao followed Wang Chen's marco polo closely.

"Brother Wang Chen, I'll give you a shield!"

"Mm, nice. That shield blocked a crucial crowd control effect."

"I'll check this bush!"

"Be careful, stay close to me."

Wang Chen's marco polo gameplay was smooth and fluid, with tricky positioning and explosive damage. Meanwhile, Qin Qing's Yao seemed to be in perfect sync with him; her shields were timed precisely, and her control skills were released at just the right moments.

In a pivotal team fight, Wang Chen's marco polo entered with his ultimate, dealing tons of damage. Qin Qing's Yao was tightly attached to him, and a shield refreshed at a critical moment saved his life once again.

"Double Kill!"

"Triple Kill!"

"Ace!"

"Wow! Brother Wang Chen, you're amazing!" Looking at the brilliant stats on the screen, Qin Qing turned her head excitedly, her eyes sparkling with admiration.

Because she was so excited, her knee accidentally bumped into Wang Chen's elbow as she turned. Wang Chen took the opportunity to set down his phone and look at the beautiful face inches away.

Their eyes met, and the air was thick with a romantic tension. The pleasant fragrance from Qin Qing, the unreserved admiration in her eyes, and the visual impact of the silk nightgown made Wang Chen's heart stir.

Qin Qing's heart skipped a beat under his gaze. She instinctively wanted to pull back, but Wang Chen gently caught her hand.

"Qing Qing," his voice was a bit deeper than usual, carrying a hint of subtle tenderness, "you're very beautiful today."

Qin Qing's face instantly turned beet red. Feeling the warmth on the back of her hand, she mustered all her courage and said in a voice barely audible to Wang Chen, "Brother Wang Chen! I... I like you!"

After saying that, she closed her eyes, her eyelashes trembling with nervousness, and leaned forward cautiously to plant a gentle kiss on Wang Chen's cheek.

This clumsy yet sincere kiss was like an electric current hitting Wang Chen. He was momentarily stunned, but then a gentle smile appeared in his eyes. He reached out and pulled her softly into his arms, letting her head rest on his shoulder.

"Silly girl," he whispered, his voice full of doting affection.

Qin Qing snuggled into his broad, warm chest, listening to his strong and steady heartbeat, feeling as though the whole world was filled with sweet colors. Although there were no more intimate actions, the closeness of their hearts at this moment made her feel incredibly satisfied and happy.

They held each other like that, occasionally whispering about games or life, the atmosphere warm and beautiful.

After some time, Wang Chen felt the breathing of the girl in his arms become steady. Looking down, he saw that Qin Qing had fallen asleep peacefully in his embrace at some point, a sweet smile still lingering on her lips.

Wang Chen carefully adjusted his position to make her more comfortable and gently pulled a thin blanket over her.

He looked at Qin Qing's serene sleeping face, his heart softening. This girl, who had bravely expressed her feelings, made him feel a long-lost sense of happiness and beauty.

Just then, the voice of the system sprite, Youyou, rang out in his mind.

[Ding-dong! Detected that the target character Qin Qing has opened her heart to the host. Favorability +10!]

[Current Favorability: 100/100 (Inseparable in Life and Death)]

[Congratulations! ۩۞۩✯✬✮✭✫✪✩✧✦♡❀✿]

[Special Note: Since Qin Qing is the first female character to reach maximum favorability with the host, and because the host showed respect and sincere companionship during this process, the "Endless Affection" achievement reward is hereby granted!]

[Reward: One 380-square-meter fully furnished river-view luxury apartment in Binjiang No. 1, Yi City! The property certificate and related documents have been automatically and legally generated and stored in the system space for the host to withdraw at any time.]

[Friendly Reminder: Games are great, but please be careful not to overexert yourself! (✧ω✧)]

Wang Chen was stunned for a moment, then ecstatic!

There's such a good thing? Not only did he win the beauty's heart, but he also got a river-view luxury apartment as a bonus? And it's 380 square meters! This system is way too awesome!

"Youyou, I love you to death!"

[Hmph! host, you should focus on loving your Qing Qing! This system doesn't care at all! (￣^￣)] Youyou replied tsundere-ly and then vanished.

Wang Chen lowered his head, kissed her forehead gently, and pulled her a bit tighter into his embrace.

Little did he know, on the other side...