Chapter 129 : Borrow
Borrow
Hearing what Cecilia said, Gu Yanxi suddenly felt as if she had just woken from a dream. Her pretty face flushed crimson in an instant, and she hurriedly released the tightly clenched right hand.
She felt that, in her current state, she must look like a pervert who likes touching girls' hands.
Chen Zixuan also took the opportunity to withdraw the hand he'd placed on Gu Yanxi's head, feigning nonchalance. He sat casually beside the girl, laid both hands on his knees, and, maintaining the calm demeanor of a pampered young lady, asked serenely,
"Why such a troubled look? Has something been bothering you lately?"
Gu Yanxi hadn't expected Cecilia would chat with her about such everyday matters. She was momentarily stunned, then shook her head before nodding, "Um... how should I put it? I guess it's about a friend of mine. Lately, he doesn't seem to seek me out anymore. I'm worried about him..."
So in your heart, I'm at most just a friend?
Hearing Gu Yanxi's answer, Chen Zixuan couldn't help but feel a hint of displeasure deep inside.
But considering he and the girl hadn't officially established a relationship yet, and taking into account the reserved nature typical of girls, what Gu Yanxi said did make sense.
He let out an almost imperceptible sigh, then stared at a pure white pigeon not far away, slowly offering a defense for himself in reality, "Have you considered that he might simply be really busy lately, caught up with things he absolutely has to handle?"
Such as... saving this world.
And the fragments of the life he was about to lose.
Seemingly catching on to something, Gu Yanxi lowered her head in thought. But after a moment, she pursed her lips and, with a hint of grievance, muttered quietly,
"Those things he has to do... are they just games? He already has two million, and if he'd just nod his head, I could give it to him, too. So why is he avoiding me? It's not like my family's short on money—"
As she spoke, Gu Yanxi suddenly realized how emotional she was getting, and hurriedly stopped, pressing her lips tightly together.
Hearing Gu Yanxi's heartfelt words, Chen Zixuan couldn't help but feel a little moved, even as he sweated inwardly.
If not for this damned game, he might've truly reached the pinnacle of his life by now.
It's all those damned Angels' fault!
His resentment toward the four Angels unknowingly deepened another notch.
Not wanting to talk about reality any longer—right now, leveling up was the most important thing—Chen Zixuan glanced at the time. It was nearly ten in the morning, so he stood up and turned to Gu Yanxi, asking, "I need to repair my gear. Do you need yours fixed? Let's go together."
"Mm."
After hesitating for a moment and realizing she had nothing else to do, Gu Yanxi nodded.
But soon, that familiar look of concern appeared on her face, and she bit her lip anxiously. "Is that really okay? Wouldn't that affect your leveling?"
Chen Zixuan suddenly remembered: he was about to head for the Mutant Jungle to level up, and the Sawtooth Crocodiles there were a real headache. If Gu Yanxi could help heal on the side, it might be much easier.
So, he shook his head slightly. "No, actually I'll be heading to a new map later and might need your help."
With Cecilia's reply, the anxiety in Gu Yanxi's heart finally eased.
Next, the two of them went to the nearest weapons shop. The owner was a large, well-built middle-aged woman with skin as dark as charcoal from the forge.
Gu Yanxi's equipment was easy to repair—just a blue rare-grade staff, with the rest being beginner's gear given free by the system.
There wasn't much durability lost, so she could even get by without repairs.
But since Chen Zixuan had already said so, he couldn't really go back on his word. He generously produced a few copper coins and had the boss repair Gu Yanxi's gear first.
However, when it came time to repair his own equipment, Chen Zixuan hit a snag.
Right now, he was wearing the Blood Moon Executioner set—a full-body set. To repair it, he'd have to take off all his clothes.
Beneath the Blood Moon Slayer's Plate Armor, he wore nothing else; stripping that off would leave him basically naked.
The previous times he'd gotten it repaired, it was because he had spare beginner's gear, and with the Nightcloak covering him, there had been no issue.
But last time, thinking they took up too much space, he'd sold off all the free beginner's gear, except for a rare-quality maid outfit.
Originally, he thought he could use the blue maid dress as a substitute, but now he was dumbfounded to find that the Damaged Maid Outfit and the Nightcloak were incompatible.
In other words, if he equipped the maid dress, he couldn't wear any other gear.
And this time, with Gu Yanxi right beside him, the atmosphere felt even more awkward.
He could either wear only the cloak with nothing underneath (risking exposure with the slightest breeze), or go with the "naked apron" look, like when he tried on clothes in the inn before, letting Gu Yanxi—and any passersby—admire his appearance in the maid outfit.
Given his current mindset, neither option was acceptable to Chen Zixuan.
"Cecilia, what's wrong?"
Seeing the black-robed girl beside her suddenly fall silent, Gu Yanxi tilted her head, looking puzzled as she gently asked.
"It's nothing. I just remembered my gear doesn't actually need repairs. Let's go."
A quick calculation told him his current gear would last a bit longer, so Chen Zixuan simply grabbed Gu Yanxi's hand and made for the door.
"Eh—wait!"
Gu Yanxi hadn't figured out what was going on or why Cecilia suddenly changed her mind. Instinctively, she wanted to resist.
But to her astonishment, she found that, despite the girl's petite stature, her strength was shocking. Half-dragged, half-pulled, Gu Yanxi soon found herself on the street outside before she knew it.
Finally, when Chen Zixuan let go, Gu Yanxi stopped, rubbing her slightly reddened wrist. With a soft glimmer in her eyes, she asked in a low voice, "What's going on? Can't you talk to me properly?"
Only then did Chen Zixuan realize that whenever things concerned his current body, his reactions tended to be too extreme.
Maybe he really had been traumatized. If he really did turn into a girl someday, hopefully there wouldn't be any lasting psychological scars...
After a moment of silence, he could only explain, "I have no spare gear to change into. It's not really convenient right now."
Gu Yanxi glanced down at the beginner set she was wearing, tilted her head, and tentatively asked,
"Then... should I lend you mine?"