Ye Ci stared at Fleeting Time, and suddenly spoke up after staying silent for a long time to Fleeting Time’s surprise, “You said that you like me?”
He was shocked by the question. It was indeed what he said, but there were also other things that have been said by him, and he was not sure if Gongzi You understood his words. But it did not matter as long as she understood part of what he was trying to tell her. He responded with a nod without much of a thought, “Yes. That’s what I said. You’re the first person I like.”
“What a strange person.” Ye Ci tilted her head and stared at Fleeting Time with a strange glint in her eyes. It was not joy, nor was it surprise or despise. She was judging him just like how a merchant would judge his goods.
And it naturally placed an unknown weight on Fleeting Time’s chest.
He knew that the person who made the first move would lose the initiative in a relationship, but he did not regret making the first move. But he was not used to this feeling.
“What makes me strange?”
“Why do you like me? Do you know me? Do you know my past, my flaws, and my strengths? You’ve never even met me in real life before! Don’t tell me what you like is the cluster of data in-game! You do not look like someone who would be that childish. So why would you like me? It doesn’t make sense.” Ye Ci shrugged, but her eyes were two pools of clarity.
She had laid out the facts before her as if they were nothing but numbers waiting to be analysed.
“Besides, there is always a reason for liking someone. Do you like my looks? I have to say that I am not a looker. Do you like me because of my character? I don’t think my character is that likeable. Perhaps you like skills? So tell me… What do you like about me?” asked Ye Ci, “Don’t tell me you like the me in-game! The me who was always at the forefront of every fight. This does not make any sense. No man would like a headstrong girl like me, nor will a man ever like a selfish and cunning person such as myself. I doubt you are a masochist. But if that’s why you like me, I can only say that it’s because you’ve not known a girl well before, and you’re doing it just to experience something new. I am not the perfect candidate for your romance. Aren’t you just torturing yourself by doing this?”
Ye Ci was speaking slowly, and the tone of her voice indicated that she was speaking with rationality in her mind.
Fleeting Time was profoundly shocked by such a display. From the appearance of her character, Fleeting Time could tell that she was not very old. A rough estimation would place her at the age of 20. It was very rare for an individual of such an age to display that level of maturity.
And this alone was reason enough for Fleeting Time to be impressed.
But to Fleeting Time, her logic was full of flaws. He narrowed his eyes and smiled, “Are you experienced in relationship stuff, Little Gongzi?” Fleeting Time would tend to talk in a roundabout fashion, and it was a source of Ye Ci’s annoyance in many of their encounters. But she had grown accustomed to it after their days spent in Vosok.
She was able to keep up with his way of thinking ever since.
But his question still caught her off guard. A grimace appeared on her face after the initial shock. Am I experienced? I don’t think so. Ye Ci had always thought herself as someone who was not particularly intelligent, and had an even lower EQ. She had always failed in dealing with interpersonal relationships with the people around her in her last life and even in her current life.
She would not have met her death in her last life if that was not the case.
“I do not have a very high EQ.” Ye Ci adjusted her gaze towards Fleeting Time, and the ghost of a smile appeared on her lips.
Fleeting Time was inexperienced in romance, but he was not an idiot. He could tell that Gongzi You was feeling sad for reasons unknown, and he was smart enough to pursue the topic. “But you sounded like you know a lot.” he nodded at her.
“I’m merely stating the facts. Once you’ve seen enough, you’ll understand it even if you’ve not experienced it.” her own words reminded her of Dong Yin. The girl and He Xiao were exactly the people she was talking about.
“It might make sense to you, but it doesn’t make sense to me at all.” Fleeting Time shook his head, “Little Gongzi, I’ll admit that I don’t know you. But do you know me? What you said is entirely from your perspective. People tend to be biased when they look at something. Which means that what you see and what I see are entirely different..”
“You ask why I like you? I can answer that question.” and Fleeting Time.
“Why do you like me?” asked Ye Ci.
“I do not have a reason for liking you.”
“You do not have a reason?!” Ye Ci raised her voice out of shock, but was quick to once again lower her voice, “How can that be? One does not love without reason, nor does one hate without reason. Everything happens for a reason, and you’re telling me that there’s no reason behind your liking of me? Fleeting Time, do you really think that I’m stupid?”
“Why would I?” Fleeting Time laughed as his gaze grew gentle, “You’re right. Things do not happen without reason. But there are also things that you can never explain. I like you because I like you. It has nothing to do with your appearance, your character, or your abilities as a player. I like you because I’m Fleeting Time, and you’re Gongzi You.” Ye Ci was at a loss for words. Two voices were echoing in her head.
One of the voices belonged to Wandering Clouds, “I like you. Your flaws, and your strengths. I like them all.”
While the other voice was from Fleeting Time, “I like you. It has nothing to do with your appearance, your character, or your abilities as a player. I like you because I’m Fleeting Time, and you’re Gongzi You.”
The two voices overlapped with one another. And Ye Ci could not tell if which of them were in the right.
Just what does it mean to like a person?
“I do not understand.” Ye Ci sighed after a long moment of silence, “Nothing happens without a reason in my world. I… Cannot accept the logic behind your words.”
“And why do you have to?” Fleeting Time leaned forward and placed her hands in his, “It’s normal to have things that you can’t understand and can’t accept in this world. So why are you forcing yourself to accept it?”
“But…” Ye Ci was growing even more confused, “Why are you telling me this? Why do you tell me if I do not have to accept it?”
“I’m telling you because I want you to know that I like you.” Fleeting Time smiled, “I’m doing it out of my own volition. You do not have to take responsibility for it.”
“It’s not… My responsibility?” Ye Ci’s world was turned upside down. This was not what Wandering Clouds had said to her. He had forced her to accept his confession, even if she did not like it. But why… Why is Fleeting Time so different?
“You will always be Gongzi You. Nothing will change. And I will always be Fleeting Time. Nothing will change about me either. We’ll still be enemies from opposing continents once we leave this cell. The only thing that will change are my feelings towards you.” and he let go of Ye Ci’s hands with a smile, “You do not have to bear any responsibilities for my action. I do not ask for you to repay my feelings, but I’ll be happy if you can like me back. It’s okay if you can’t. You can just let things remain as they are.”
“Fleeting Time.” a frown appeared on Ye Ci’s face, “What exactly are you thinking?”
The smile on Fleeting Time’s face widened into a grin, “I think I’m going crazy.”
