After Being Fooled by a Cool, Beautiful NPC [Full-Dive]

[Main Story Complete! Bonus Chapters Coming Soon!]

Virtual reality game setting | Faked death and unmasked identity | The gong chases the shou, then gets his comeuppance | Both are each other's first and only | Includes 8 chapters from the gong's perspective later on | Happy ending

1.

He Lianli had an extraordinary lover: a sweet and beautiful game NPC who didn't exist in real life.

The two of them weathered all kinds of hardships together, and eventually got together as naturally as could be.

Just as He Lianli was planning an impractical future with Chang Jiushi, Chang Jiushi died.

He died the day after they got together, when He Lianli loved him most.

He Lianli heard that Chang Jiushi had been forced to take his own life to give He Lianli a chance to survive. They hadn't even left behind a body.

2.

To avenge his lover, He Lianli threw caution and propriety to the wind, killing anyone who seemed suspicious. The first person he went after was the Director of the Ming Xing Bureau, a bastard who looked down on Chang Jiushi's humble origins and had humiliated him time and again.

He Lianli gripped the man's throat and roughly tore away his mask. Beneath it was a face identical to Chang Jiushi's, its eyes full of mockery.

"Xiao He, I'm back..."

He Lianli stared at him coldly, tightening his grip. With open disdain, he said, "You shameless bastard. Do you think stealing his face means I won't dare do anything to you?"

Unfortunately, he almost strangled the man to death, but then his hand stopped moving.

[System Warning: Violent behavior toward your partner has been detected! Please stop immediately, or we will take disciplinary action!]

...There was no way He Lianli could misunderstand now.

The lover he'd longed for day and night, the one he'd felt so guilty over, was a little liar with astonishing acting skills.

3.

Fearlessly, Chang Jiushi kept after him, taking advantage of his position to send him flirtatious, clingy messages all day.

[Director: Xiao He, I was wrong. Will you forgive me? You can hit me or scold me, I'll gladly take it. Just don't ignore me, QAQ!]

...He Lianli looked at the screenful of indecent messages and angrily replied: The one I like is the innocent version of him. What does that have to do with you? Get lost.

The other person read the message but didn't reply.

But that night, when He Lianli pushed open the bedroom door, Chang Jiushi was kneeling on his bed in the clothes he'd worn when they first met. His collar was half open, his sash hung loose, and one shoulder was exposed.

His innocent, lively eyes were misted with tears. He crawled over on his knees, wrapped his arms around He Lianli's waist, and apologized pitifully. "I was wrong, hubby. Will you forgive me?"

--Content Warnings!!--

1. Cool, calculating, mischievous, secretly passionate white lotus gong (Chang Jiushi) x sharp-tongued but soft-hearted, righteous, supposedly straight shou (He Lianli). A love story about two drama queens who each think they're in control of everything, saving a virtual world.

2. The protagonists are still growing, and neither the gong nor the shou is perfect. They make mistakes, and the story occasionally includes physical and emotional angst, melodramatic twists, and other potentially upsetting content. This isn't a pure silly-sweet romance, but everyone is adorable! Daily updates after signing, usually in the evening or late at night.

3. I'm not devoted to any particular type or side. The characterizations are purely my personal preferences. This story was written without a detailed outline, so it has quite a few rough edges. Thank you for your understanding and patience!

4. Reading is your choice, and so is dropping the story. Stay or go as you please. I love fixing typos and finding plot holes, but I won't make major changes to the protagonists' characterizations.

Theme: Overcome confusion through perseverance, and build a future through hard work.