Song Yang's apartment is very close to his school, located in the center of S City.
Looking out the window, the high-rise buildings in the city center are not far away.
Xia Jing and Tuanzi stood by the window together, looking at everything outside with interest.
Behind them, Song Yang was making calls non-stop.
First he answered a call from Jia Qing.
Song Yang obviously didn't turn on the hands-free mode, but even Xia Jing could hear Jia Qing's ghostly howls coming from the phone, howling "It's great that you are all back, Brother Yang. I was really worried that you wouldn't come back, ah ah ah ah".
Xia Jing chuckled, turned around, and looked over playfully.
Jia Qing asked again on the phone, "Where is Brother Jing, where is Brother Jing?"
Song Yang walked over, walked in front of Xia Jing, rubbed his head, raised his lips and said, "He's next to me."
"Huh, Brother Jing came back with you, Brother Yang?" Jia Qing was surprised.
After the fall of Smiley City, all players logged out as usual, returning to their previous locations.
Jia Qing returned to a certain men's restroom on campus. Feng Shi returned to
his dorm—his graduate school roommate had been away lately, and he felt much more at ease.
Lu Chenfei, You Ye, Bian Ya, Fei Shengxiao, and Li Mian all returned to their respective cities.
Meanwhile, Xia Jing, a native of City A, returned hand-in-hand with Song Yang to City S.
Song Yang paused, saying, "Xia Xia isn't a player."
Since Xia Jing had long ceased to be a player, there was no way to log out.
He had to choose his own route back to the real world.
Jia Qing asked curiously, "So what happens next? Brother Jing is considered a missing person now, right? Should we handle any paperwork for him?"
It was indeed a question.
But before Song Yang could even begin to process it, Feng Shi called again, saying he had contacted the special department related to supernatural powers he had mentioned.
Before this, Tang Yi, along with Lu Caihui and the others, had caused quite a stir in the real world.
Although the Special Branch had long been aware of the situation, the investigation had been arduous. Indeed, it wasn't until this morning that they finally discovered the existence of Smiley City.
However, before they could act, the behemoth suddenly shattered and vanished.
Amidst their confusion, a call from Feng Shi cleared their confusion, facilitating their subsequent assistance and cleanup efforts.
Feng Shi said, "The head of the Special Branch said he's contacted colleagues in City A, and Xia Jing needs to return there to handle paperwork. Should they pick Xia Jing up and take her to City A, or—"
Song Yang decisively replied, "No, I'll drive Xia Jing back to City A with me. Just have them send us their location."
After hanging up, Song Yang immediately called his school teacher to request leave and prepared to depart.
Xia Jing said, "Take Tuanzi with you."
Upon hearing his name, the golden retriever came over, tail wagging, his eyes sparkling as if asking, "Where are you going?"
Song Yang paused, considering, "Actually, we could leave it at the apartment..."
Xia Jing said, half-smiled, "Song Yang, do you think I'll go back to City S with you right away?"
Song Yang: "..."
Song Yang managed a breath, "No?"
"I have a home in City A. Once I finish the paperwork, I'll have to go back home," Xia Jing said, narrowing her eyes. "But if you want to stay at my place for a few nights, I'd be more than welcome to."
Song Yang: "..."
For a moment, he actually fantasized.
But he didn't forget he was still a student, with classes tomorrow...
Song Yang covered his forehead and took a deep breath.
They'd all returned to the real world... how could long-distance relationships still exist?!
*
The drive from City S to City A took about three hours.
Song Yang turned on the radio.
The car sped along the highway, the scenery receding on both sides. The male and female anchors on the radio cracked jokes, while Xia Jing stared out the window.
Song Yang occasionally glanced over, the young man clearly absent-minded.
Although his memory had returned, Xia Jing had been away from this familiar world for four years.
It feels a bit strange, I guess.
Upon arriving at the toll booth, Song Yang's phone received a pop-up Weibo message.
Entrepreneur Lu Caihui was found dead at home, initially diagnosed with a sudden heart attack.
The power of the Jiangying contained within that final dungeon fulfilled its final purpose before completely vanishing from this world.
The bodies of the remaining entrepreneurs, bodyguards, and Chai Feng who perished in the dungeon will likely be discovered soon.
However, with the intervention of the Special Affairs Bureau, any subsequent "news" will likely be suppressed.
Xia Jing, however, became interested in his long-unused phone.
Song Yang handed it to him, gave him the lock screen password, and, like a typical boyfriend, said, "You can do whatever you want with this phone. You can flip through it however you like.
He doesn't have any secrets, anyway."
Xia Jing smiled at him and enthusiastically played with the phone the entire way.
Song Yang felt a strange sense of satisfaction.
At 11:00 AM, they arrived safely in City A.
After lunch, they headed directly to the Special Affairs Bureau.
The staff took Xia Jing into an office further down the hallway. They probably had some questions, followed by blood tests and forms to fill out.
Song Yang, a little worried, wanted to accompany him, but Xia Jing teased, "Doctor Song, are you thinking about being a father again?"
He acted like he was caring for a child.
Song Yang choked, his mouth twitching.
"Don't worry," Xia Jing whispered. "It'll be fine. Wait for me outside."
Later, Song Yang himself was taken away and questioned about Smiley City.
The staff from the Special Affairs Bureau were quite polite to them, seemingly deeply curious about how Smiley City had fallen.
After all, even though they had detected Smiley City's existence, they still faced immense difficulties in capturing and controlling that strange world.
After nearly four hours of questioning, Song Yang and Xia Jing finally met again.
He didn't know if it was Song Yang's imagination, but he felt the staff looked at Xia Jing with a touch of respect and solemnity.
Xia Jing regained his ID card, and the Special Affairs Bureau connected him to his uncle and aunt.
An hour later, a couple appeared before them.
They were clearly uneasy about this strange department, and their expressions became complicated when they saw Xia Jing.
They hadn't seen each other for four years.
They had never imagined that Xia Jing, their mysteriously missing nephew, would actually reappear before them.
The man, his eyes red, patted Xia Jing's shoulder and said, "I'm glad you're back, I'm glad you're back."
They couldn't let them know about Smile City's existence.
The Special Affairs Bureau had offered other explanations for Xia Jing's disappearance.
His aunt said, "We've been cleaning your and your mother's house regularly. Everything inside is still here, untouched. If you need anything when you get back, just let them know."
Xia Jing smiled politely, "I understand. Thank you, aunt."
The couple didn't actually have a deep bond with Xia Jing.
When Xia Jing's mother was still alive, the two families hadn't interacted much.
But they had no real ambitions. After handing the key back to Xia Jing, his aunt said, "We changed the key and lock to get in. You can change them again when you get home."
She seemed to want to give more instructions, but she felt a certain awkwardness and unfamiliarity with her long-absent nephew.
His uncle had wanted Xia Jing to stay with them for a while, but Xia Jing politely declined.
At five in the afternoon, they left the Special Affairs Bureau.
Xia Jing, Song Yang, and Tuanzi returned to the car.
Xia Jing gave a long address.
It was his home.
Song Yang took a deep breath and started the car.
*
Xia Jing's home was in an old residential complex.
Parking in the curbside parking lot, along with a striking golden retriever, they walked along the winding path to the house that had been silent for a long time.
They opened the door and turned on the lights.
Everything inside was revealed. The
house was about a hundred square meters, with a spacious living room.
The furniture and floors were neatly tidy. Xia Jing's uncle and aunt truly took good care of this home.
Xia Jing stood at the doorway, silent for a long moment.
Song Yang turned to look at him and whispered, "Xia Xia?"
Xia Jing smiled and said softly, "It really hasn't changed at all since four years ago."
They took off their shoes and entered the house.
Facing the entrance was a large closet, one shelf of which was filled with several photo frames.
Song Yang spotted Xia Jing's mother.
She was a woman with a bright smile, looking incredibly cheerful and sunny.
In the photo, she was smiling and holding a little boy. The boy's hat was slightly askew, and he smiled helplessly.
That was Xia Jing, about seven or eight years old. Despite his young age, he already possessed a maturity and intelligence unlike his peers.
Song Yang couldn't help but smile at the photo.
Xia Jing walked into the living room, his eyes sweeping over the dining table and sofa.
On the coffee table stood a gooseneck vase with a bouquet of lilies in it.
The bay window was filled with green ivy.
Xia Jing paused there.
Song Yang walked over and said, "You used to love growing flowers?"
The safe house was also filled with flowers and plants.
"My mother loves them," Xia Jing said, her fingertips gently stroking the green ivy leaves. "The plants here used to be flowering plants."
But four years had passed, and despite all the care, the flowers and plants were mostly dead.
My uncle and aunt did not choose to get rid of the vases and flower pots, but replaced them with other green plants, which was thoughtful.
Xia Jing turned around and said with a smile: "Do you want to go to my room?"
Song Yang: "Yes."
This house has three bedrooms and a living room.
The master bedroom is naturally Xia Jing's mother's. In the middle is a study, which used to be Xia Jing's mother's workplace.
The remaining secondary bedroom is naturally Xia Jing's bedroom.
Pushing the door open, the bedroom is brightly lit.
On the single bed, the sheets and bedding had long been put away and put in the cabinet, and now only a bare bed board is left.
The light blue curtains are still there, full of a refreshing atmosphere.
The bedroom and the balcony are connected. There is a row of bookshelves where the balcony should be, and a desk at the other end.
Seeing the high school textbooks stacked in the bookcase, Song Yang finally smiled and said, "Seeing these, I finally feel like you were also a college entrance exam candidate four years ago."
Xia Jing thought of something and said, "Oh, I forgot to tell you. I've agreed with the Special Affairs Bureau that I'll be taking their supplementary exam for special personnel next month."
Song Yang was stunned. "Supplementary exam?"
"It's a special exam for people with special abilities, or students who missed important exams due to involvement in various special cases. I'm taking the A-level exam, which is the same level as the college entrance exam. After the scores are released, you can proceed to higher education according to the designated score line."
Xia Jing spoke casually.
Song Yang stared at him and smiled, "Not bad."
With this young man's intelligence, he should easily be admitted to a top university.
If it weren't for the interference of Shadow City, this young man... would have already shone brightly in some field.
Indeed, the emergence of Shadow City and Smile City gave them the opportunity to meet and get to know each other.
But Song Yang felt that if Xia Jing could take exams, enroll, and study like an ordinary student in these four years, then all the exchanges would be worth it.
They might not meet so soon, but one day in the future, they might still meet in some corner of the world.
As long as Xia Jing can live a healthy, happy, and smooth life, Song Yang is willing to spend more time waiting for their intersection.
Noticing Song Yang's gaze, Xia Jing turned his head.
He put his hands on the desk behind him, leaned his lower back against the edge of the desk, and said in a soft voice: "The mathematics department of your school seems to be pretty good?"
Song Yang was stunned and said, "You want to apply to my university?"
Xia Jing curled his eyes.
Song Yang laughed: "So you really want to be my junior?"
Xia Jing said: "If you are an eight-year medical student, then we may be able to be senior and junior for another two years."
Song Yang walked over and said in a low voice: "It sounds quite exciting."
Xia Jing raised his arm, put it around Song Yang's neck, and said slowly: "So, at least until the exam is over, I should live here."
Song Yang: "..."
He froze and bumped his head on Xia Jing's shoulder.
Xia Jing laughed out loud, and his chest trembled slightly.
Song Yang complained: "Don't you want to see my home and sleep in my bed?!"
"There is a long way to go," Xia Jing blinked innocently, "Doctor Song is such an impatient person?"
Song Yang said viciously: "So what?"
Xia Jing hooked his chin: "Don't you want me to prepare well for the exam?"
Song Yang chuckled, "With your IQ, you could easily get into a top university if you took the exam right now, right?"
Xia Jing pondered the words and said sincerely, "Thank you for the compliment."
Song Yang laughed in anger.
He persisted, "Are you going to class? Can't you go to S City? Are you going to live here alone for over a month?"
Xia Jing replied casually, "No classes. I can study at home. I just need to report to the Special Affairs Bureau from time to time during this month, and there are still many follow-up matters to deal with."
Xia Jing tilted his head and said, "Song Yang, I've been living here alone since my mother passed away."
Song Yang stared at him. "Maybe no one worried about you before, but now I do. Living here alone, I won't be able to eat or sleep well, and I'll be worried all day about whether you're living a good life."
Xia Jing raised an eyebrow. "Sounds great?"
"..."
Song Yang gritted his teeth. "Do you think tormenting me is fun, Xia Xia?"
Xia Jing smiled like a fox.
Then he said, "Song Yang, I miss home."
Song Yang paused.
Xia Jing's fingertips played with Song Yang's hair, and he said calmly, "I want to stay here for a while, then come find you."
Xia Jing had planned his life this way four years ago.
He would live in this home until the Gaokao (college entrance exam) was over.
Xia Jing wasn't a particularly homesick person, at least not after his mother's death, when he felt less attached to the intangible object of "home."
This place held many memories of the past, but he wouldn't be bound by them.
Memories could be preserved, and the future held many interesting possibilities.
Xia Jing loved challenges and the unknown, and so he would leave.
But the emergence of Shadow City had delayed this plan until now.
Now, he wanted to complete this journey properly.
Xia Jing whispered, "Give me a month, Song Yang. We have a long life ahead of us, and I have plenty of time to spare for you."
Song Yang's Adam's apple rolled.
He compromised.
He tightened his arms, hugged Xia Jing, and whispered, "...Then, I'll come see you on the weekends."
Xia Jing chuckled, "Okay."
Song Yang continued, "After your exams, come home with me?"
Xia Jing's voice sounded gentle, "Sure."
Song Yang said, "If you succeed in getting into our university, how about living with me?"
Xia Jing: "Okay."
Song Yang released Xia Jing and lowered his head to kiss him.
Yes, they still had a long life ahead of them... no need to rush.
A sudden thought struck Song Yang, and he chuckled, "You're a body of pure strength now, so you won't age at all. In another twenty or so years, won't I look like a weird old man who kidnaps children?"
But then he thought again, even in old age, he'd still be a handsome old man.
He was quite confident in his appearance and wouldn't be ashamed by his lover's eternal youth.
Unexpectedly, Xia Jing said, "Ah, I forgot to tell you that, too."
"I can customize my own body. I've synchronized its aging rate with humans. So," Xia Jing paused, glaring at him, "if I'm right, I should age and die with you."
Song Yang was stunned.
For a moment, he almost blurted out why.
Immortality is a fantasy for many. Xia Jing had been granted such a body, so why would he give up such a wonderful opportunity?
But he quickly realized Xia Jing's reason.
He stared at Xia Jing for a long moment, then curled his lips and said, "Xia Xia, you actually love me very much, don't you?"
Xia Jing's eyebrows raised slightly at this, her smile still playful, but she didn't object.
Song Yang's lips curled up.
He lowered his head and continued to kiss, murmuring, "Me too. I love you, Xia Xia."
In the future, let them grow old together.
*
"Let's Take Down Smiley City" WeChat group.
Lu Chenfei: "Just to let you know I'm safe. After returning to the real world, your legs are in good condition and all the injuries are gone [ok]"
You Ye: "What a shame about today's breaking news.
" Feng Shi: "What a shame about today's breaking news."
Fei Shengxiao: "What a shame about today's breaking news."
Lu Chenfei: "..."
Lu Chenfei: "[Flips the table]"
Feng Shi: "I'll add Bian Ya to the group."
Bian Ya: "[Hi]"
You Ye: "[Welcome]"
Fei Shengxiao: "[Cat scatters flowers]"
Lu Chenfei: "Where's @Song Yang Xia Jing? Add him to the group quickly!"
Feng Shi: "I guess he hasn't even bought a phone yet."
Li Mian: "[Laughing and crying]"
Jia Qing: "Don't mention it. I just called Brother Yang. Brother Jing will be staying in City A for a month. Brother Yang is going to be a grudge husband. I'm afraid he won't have time to care about us now."
Jia Qing: "I guess he won't have time to care about us until tomorrow."
Lu Chenfei: "You've become grudge husbands and you're still avoiding us? This pair of dogs [rolls eyes]"
Jia Qing: "My bad, my bad [dog head]"
*
Song Yang helped to clean up Xia Jing's house, and the two of them went out to buy supplies.
When they stepped out of the gate of the community, Song Yang noticed that a group of people who looked like gangsters had gathered not far ahead.
They were gathered at the entrance of an alley, smoking and chatting in low voices. Suddenly, one of them looked up and stared at Xia Jing.
Soon, the whole group of people cast their eyes over here.
Song Yang held Xia Jing's hand and became alert.
The next second, the gangsters rushed over.
Song Yang's face turned cold and he pulled Xia Jing behind him.
But they didn't expect that this group of thugs rushed in front of them and excitedly said: "Brother Jing! Brother Jing, you are back!"
Song Yang: "...???"
The thugs' eyes were filled with tears: "Brother Jing, you have been missing for four years. We all thought that you were put in a sack because you offended too many people...
Ahem, no, that's not right. There is no one in this world that you, Brother Jing, can't get rid of! Well, it's great that you are back, Brother Jing, woooo!"
Song Yang turned his head stiffly and asked Xia Jing: "Who are these?"
Xia Jing: "Ah, this is-"
The thugs said excitedly: "We are all people who were teased by Brother Jing!"
Song Yang: "???"
The hooligans adoringly said, "Back then, we were blind and wanted to cause trouble for Brother Jing, but he beat us into submission. Since then, we've come to our senses and turned over a new leaf! Now, four years have passed. The eldest is the manager of a 4S shop, the second repeated three years and finally got into university, and the third opened a gay bar.
Ahem, ahem, ahem, anyway, we all have a bright future! This is all thanks to Brother Jing! Brother Jing, where have you been these past four years? We miss your ironclad education so much!"
Song Yang's mouth twitched wildly.
He looked at Xia Jing and asked, "How could you have such a bunch of followers back then? "
Xia Jing replied with a look, "No, I didn't. They all came to us on their own."
Song Yang looked at him again and asked, "They all seem like masochists, don't they?"
Xia Jing looked at him again and asked, "Aren't you one of them?
" Song Yang: "...He's not!"
The hooligans enthusiastically offered to treat Xia Jing to a meal, but Xia Jing calmly said, "Forget it."
The younger brothers, deeply annoyed, yet curious, glanced at Song Yang, asking, "Who is this..."
Xia Jing pondered for a second, then glanced at the man with whom he had a special connection.
That look, like pulling at a candy cane—
a flash of light flashed through the younger brothers' minds, and they immediately shouted to Song Yang, "Hello, sister-in-law!"
Song Yang: "..."
Xia Jing looked surprised. "After four years, you've certainly become much smarter."
The younger brothers' eyes sparkled: "Isn't it, isn't it?"
Just at Xia Jing's compliment, the younger brothers called Song Yang "sister-in-law" several more times, causing Song Yang to cover his forehead, his veins throbbing, and he wanted to pick up a metal bar and give these younger brothers another beating.
Xia Jing's shoulders trembled with laughter.
After saying goodbye to the younger brothers, Song Yang took several deep breaths and said, "Xia Xia, I'm just curious. Why did you set the 'no violence' rule in the safe house in the first place?"
This guy was clearly the epitome of violence.
Xia Jing said innocently, "Because the safe house is a place to live, fighting at home will dirty the furniture, which is very troublesome to clean up."
He thought for a moment and said, "Besides, my mother once said that if we have to fight, don't do it under her nose."
After hearing this, Xia Jing learned to solve problems outside the house before going home.
And even after he lost his memory, this instinct of "not bringing trouble into the house" never disappeared from his soul.
Song Yang: "..."
Thinking of Xia Jing's mother's warning that "people who want to play will play themselves to death", he seemed to imagine the process of an old mother going from hard work to education to lying down and letting things go.
Song Yang rubbed Xia Jing's head helplessly and said, "Xia Xia, don't fight casually in the future, okay?"
"If you think life is too boring and want to find some excitement," Song Yang said seriously, "I said I will accompany you, you can do whatever excitement you want."
After hearing this, Xia Jing's eyes turned and said meaningfully, "Really?"
Song Yang clasped Xia Jing's hand and whispered softly, "As long as I can do it, I can give you what I have."
Xia Jing glanced up and down at Song Yang's body and said lightly, "Don't worry, you have it, and you can do it too."
Song Yang said happily, "Really? What is it?"
Xia Jing curled his lips and said, "You will know when the time comes. Don't worry, Doctor Song."