For a long time after getting the System, Gu Huaian thought it was nothing more than a tool to pass the time. He never took the System's contract offers seriously, until he met Wen Zhiyu.
He saw him three times.
The first time was during a livestream. He had a lovely smile, but there seemed to be sadness in his eyes.
The second time was at a charity variety show hosted by a friend. He took part without pay, and as he held a child and sang, the sunlight was a little too bright. Gu Huaian missed the despair that flashed across his face.
It wasn't until the third time, when Gu Huaian hesitantly pushed open the door to that room, that he nearly found Wen Zhiyu dead.
"He's the receiver in an angst novel. You might not know if you don't spend much time online. Angst novels put the characters through physical and emotional torment, and in the end the receiver would rather die than yield, leaving the other person to regret it for the rest of their life and die alone. It's an old, tired trope, so..."
"I'm going to save him." The System hadn't finished speaking before Gu Huaian gave in. "Tell me what the mission is. I'm going to save him."
"All right, then. Here's to a happy partnership."
Gu Huaian thought that since he had saved Wen Zhiyu, he ought to see it through, so he didn't mind Wen Zhiyu becoming dependent on him.
It was just the suspension-bridge effect.
"The more he depends on me and trusts me, the less I can accept his love."
"He's just afraid I'll leave him."
"I'll stay by his side until he has truly moved on from the pain of his past. But until then, I can't tell him how I feel."
Love is restraint, but it still shows in the eyes, in words, and in every little thing a person does.
Wen Zhiyu: "He likes me too."
During a livestream after his recovery, a fan asked him about it. He answered decisively, though he seemed a little troubled.
"But for some reason, he seems to be avoiding me. I thought we were already together. Do you think that makes him a jerk?"
P.S. They are each other's first and only. The older attack is a fatherly, boyfriend type: a little old-fashioned, bursting with responsibility, but somewhat sharp-tongued. The receiver is innocent, sunny, and cheerful, a little angel who can still think the world is beautiful from the bottom of his heart no matter how much hardship he has endured. But he's not a naive sweetheart. He's sweet on the outside, sharp on the inside.
They both pursue each other. It's sweet, but I love the restraint of an older person and the uninhibited nature of someone younger, so the attack will hold back his feelings for a while.
Finally, for the sake of the story's emotional impact, some logic will be sacrificed. Before reading, you can leave half your brain with me (just half, don't leave the whole thing). Don't worry, I won't steal it.
Theme: Respect, guidance, and helping each other grow.
