Chapter 14: Ye Sheng Is Replaceable, Qian Qian Is Indispensable
Anyone who has ever raised a cat knows that when a cat is relaxed, its body is soft and supple, almost like a certain kind of fluid to the touch.
Jiang Qianqian’s relaxed state was much the same, so when her emotions tensed, the slender curve of her waist and the line of her spine tightened noticeably.
“What’s wrong with her? She’s still texting you so late!” Jiang Qianqian complained. “Doesn’t she worry about disturbing your rest? Honestly, geniuses could stand to learn a bit about social skills…”
“Shengsheng’s just really curious. You did say she’s a genius, right? Geniuses always have to solve a tough problem no matter what.”
“What do you call her?”
“Shengsheng. Didn’t you start calling her that first? I think it sounds friendly.”
“…”
Li Xingming looked completely self-righteous, which left Jiang Qianqian at a loss.
Hey, no, you…
That’s the kind of cheesy icebreaker girls use between strangers, not the way you address her!
Could it be the same?!
Logically, yes, but it’s definitely not something to say in front of Li Xingming, whose mindset was as straightforward as a typical straight man, utterly unable to grasp the nuances of girl-to-girl interactions.
More precisely, Li Xingming’s understanding was closer to that of a mercenary from ancient times, the kind who frequented adventurer taverns.
Jiang Qianqian hesitated for a moment, then shyly asked, “But what if Shengsheng feels uncomfortable if you call her that and it seems too close?”
“Then she’ll just have to get used to it. You have to get close gradually.”
“?”
“Remember I said I wanted to form a team when we start university? I think Ye Sheng is great, perfect for being the team’s main ranged attacker.”
“…”
Ah, so it’s about forming a team.
I thought it was about forming a family.
Amin, you’re so annoying, always leaving things half said.
When Jiang Qianqian heard Li Xingming’s dreamy declaration about “getting closer to Ye Sheng gradually,” her heart felt as if gripped hard by an invisible hand.
Her heartbeat faltered, her head buzzed.
Then she felt Li Xingming’s tangible hand pressing down on her chest.
Usually, when a boy does this to a girl, it can seem a bit flirtatious, but unfortunately for Jiang Qianqian... ah, never mind!
“What’s wrong? Feeling unwell? Did you secretly stay up late?”
---
“No…”
Jiang Qianqian met Li Xingming’s gaze closely. His eyes were always so captivating, the kind of look that made one involuntarily sink into relaxation, then calmness…
“I’m feeling much better. Hmm, maybe I just didn’t eat enough dinner and have low blood sugar.”
“Then have some late-night snacks. I’ll make them for you.”
“No, no, just some snacks will do…” Jiang Qianqian leapt down from Li Xingming’s lap, slipped on her slippers, and rummaged through the cupboard for snacks.
At the same time, she secretly pondered Li Xingming’s earlier comment.
If Li Xingming simply wanted to team up with Ye Sheng because of her extraordinary abilities, that wouldn’t be a big deal.
But it was hard not to suspect some subtle adolescent feelings were lurking beneath. Ye Sheng wasn’t the only genius of their generation, so why choose her?
Ye Sheng was so beautiful, with such long legs… and she wore Li Xingming’s favorite black silk tights!
Suddenly, Jiang Qianqian had a troubling thought and blurted out, “Amin, you didn’t already plan to recruit her, so you took the initiative to find her online to play games, did you?”
“You caught me.”
“…”
“So, Amin’s criteria for recruiting team members is basically someone like Ye Sheng.” Jiang Qianqian tore open a bag of chips with a pout. “Does that mean a newbie like me won’t deserve a spot on your team?”
Crunch, crunch, crunch…
Jiang Qianqian bit her chips with a worried expression.
“Hahaha!” Li Xingming laughed heartily. “Don’t say you don’t deserve it.”
“B-but if all my teammates are as strong as Ye Sheng, will there still be room for me on your team?”
“A spot? No, your place is irreplaceable. The team can’t be without you.”
“Really?”
“Of course.”
Li Xingming leaned over to share chips with Jiang Qianqian and encouraged her, “As team member number one of the Li Xingming group, you should often communicate with Shengsheng. Aren’t you great at chatting? Add her on WeChat, keep in touch. The harmony of the team will depend on you, Qianqian. Even though Shengsheng and I have played games together for three years, she’s still a girl, so there are many things she can’t talk about with me. So… I’m counting on you!”
Seeing Li Xingming so serious, Jiang Qianqian blinked, suddenly feeling that her earlier emotional turmoil over childish romance was rather petty.
Perhaps Amin’s real concern was simply building a strong team.
It seemed that even in elementary school, Li Xingming had boldly declared that if the Demon King ever awakened, humanity’s current defense capabilities would be utterly inadequate.
To protect their modern way of life, Li Xingming had resolved to bear the responsibility himself, assembling the world’s greatest team!
Well, it was pretty cheesy.
---
These days, not many children dreamed of becoming combat-type extraordinary beings; the era of warriors had passed. Occasionally, a few rowdy kids in the class looked foolishly brave, but Jiang Qianqian found Li Xingming particularly handsome.
Sigh, there was nothing she could do about it.
Setting aside whether the Demon King awakened or not, being on the same team as Li Xingming, whether fighting or adventuring, and having their future years together set was such a blissful vision for Jiang Qianqian.
So, when Li Xingming entrusted her to look after Shengsheng, a strong sense of responsibility surged within her. She stood up quickly and patted her chest, promising earnestly:
“Don’t worry, Amin, I’ll definitely build a great relationship with Shengsheng and make sure she feels the warmth of the Li Xingming family!”
“That’s right, I’m sure you’ll do it.”
“Then can I reply to her WeChat now?”
“…What do you want to say?”
While Li Xingming was giving Jiang Qianqian a little psychological counseling, his phone kept buzzing with message alerts, ringing precisely once every minute.
Honestly, Ye Sheng was a bit clingy. When she was curious about something, she wouldn’t let up pestering Li Xingming with questions.
Jiang Qianqian took his phone, entered the password to unlock it—her birthday—and sent a voice message to Ye Sheng.
“Sorry, Amin has already fallen asleep. If you have questions, ask him tomorrow. I’ll remind him for you.”
The voice message sent quickly.
Soon, a reply came.
[Shengsheng Unceasing: Oh, okay, thanks.]
[Li Xingming official: It’s late, I’m going to sleep now 🐱]
[Shengsheng Unceasing: Good night.]
“Do girls usually talk like this?” Li Xingming asked.
“Huh? What do you mean… like what?”
“You know, a little coy and cute.”
“Who’s coy? I always talk like this!”
Jiang Qianqian felt a bit guilty—she did sound a little coy. To create the illusion that she and Li Xingming slept together, she had used a lazy, dreamy tone. She wasn’t sure if Shengsheng understood, since that girl sometimes seemed pure to the point of foolishness, and other times mysteriously cunning—a dual nature like a spirit.
But Amin said she was cute, teehee.