Ren Suo directly quit the game, ditching four useless teammates (they had all given away first blood anyway), and blinked at Dong Chengling.

Dong Chengling tilted her head, her large, clear, beautiful eyes quietly watching him; her pure, flawless pupils seemed to reflect Ren Suo's appearance. Her fair cheeks had a rosy tint, like warm, mutton-fat jade. The tip of her nose glowed, her smile was serene, and her cherry lips were sweet. They would definitely look even better if coated with Dior's 'Fiery Orchid Gold' lipstick...

Hm? Why am I thinking about this lipstick?

Ren Suo pondered for a moment. Had he seen an advertisement for this lipstick before? It was very likely. He never paid for video subscriptions, so he had to watch luxury product advertisements for things he would never buy. Rich people paid for subscriptions to avoid ads; why would a die-hard free-to-play player like him buy something from an ad?

Dong Chengling clearly never wore makeup or sought to beautify herself. She might have only used Dabao cleansing milk as her skincare product, but Cultivators indeed didn't need skincare products.

Dong Chengling's eyebrows were obviously untrimmed—a bit thick and scattered—yet they still looked natural and cute. Ren Suo hadn't seen her for a few days and found that Dong Chengling seemed even prettier.

Does one's appearance continue to improve after ascending to the fourth transformation?

But even if you're very pretty and cute, you can't just rob someone.

"Why, why don't you want to return the key?" Ren Suo asked cautiously.

Dong Chengling thought for a moment and said, "Do you know what a key is used for?"

Ren Suo instantly felt like a kindergartner receiving preschool education from Dong Chengling. He twitched his lips, crossed his arms, pondered for a good while, then raised his right hand and said, "Teacher Dong, a key can be used to open and close doors..."

Dong Chengling gently patted his right hand down, holding back a smile as she continued, "Does Xing Mei have a key to your house?"

Ren Suo nodded.

"So you allow Xing Mei to enter and leave your house at any time?"

Ren Suo continued nodding.

"Then I want a key too," Dong Chengling said earnestly.

Ren Suo's mind spun 360 degrees. It was only with the help of the Listening Headphones that he understood Dong Chengling's idea. The key was just a token. Did Dong Chengling even need a key to come to his house? She could Teleport in.

Could Ren Suo, a Third-turn Cultivator, resist Dong Chengling, a Fourth-Stage Cultivator? Dong Chengling wouldn't even need to use another Spell; she could Teleport above him and probably squash him with her behind...

Ren Suo's mind drifted, his gaze gradually focusing on Dong Chengling's naturally heart-shaped asset, wondering if she could squash him with a single sit...

Dong Chengling blushed from his stare but didn't cover up or act coy. Instead, she asked straightforwardly, "Do you agree?"

Ren Suo immediately snapped back to reality and responded at once, "Agree!"

Dong Chengling didn't need something like a key to visit Ren Suo's House. Besides, she wasn't the type to abuse her supernatural power. Previously, when she Teleported to Ren Suo's House, she had almost always obtained his permission beforehand.

The key actually represented a kind of access permit. Now that Ren Suo was officially giving it to her, Dong Chengling could come to Ren Suo's House to play anytime she wanted, without needing to ask in advance.

However, Ren Suo added, "But when you come to my house in the future, you must come in through the front door. Don't Teleport."

Seeing Dong Chengling agree, Ren Suo breathed a sigh of relief—he had just realized that Dong Chengling was a very unstable factor.

After all, Ren Suo often did things at home that couldn't see the light of day, and it would be troublesome if Dong Chengling stumbled upon them.

Playing the Mini-World Game Console was one thing; Dong Chengling didn't know much about games, and a normal person wouldn't imagine a game console that could feed game events back into reality. But Ren Suo would occasionally summon his clone to do a lot of chores, and it would be problematic if Dong Chengling saw a clone wearing only a revealing apron.

Yes, Ren Suo had discovered earlier that if the clone didn't go out and was just doing a major cleanup at home, it didn't really need to wear clothes; an apron was sufficient, as it covered everything that needed to be covered.

The only issue was during winter when a naked clone couldn't withstand the cold very well, but... Working warms the body, so it's not a big deal.

Therefore, rather than letting Dong Chengling remain an unstable factor, it was better to regulate her entry and exit. This way, Ren Suo at least wouldn't have to worry about her Teleporting in. The time it took Dong Chengling to open the door would also be enough for Ren Suo to turn off the game console and recall his clone.

But this condition seemed to catch Dong Chengling off guard. She asked, "Can't I Teleport? What if someone sees me..."

"It's better if someone sees you... Oh, and when you came in, did you see that Black Cat downstairs? It's quite familiar with me and loves having its belly rubbed. Give it a pat when you pass by," Ren Suo said with a wink.

Currently, the Black Cat, for the sake of Spicy Fish Kid, would throw a small stone at the glass door of Ren Suo's balcony whenever someone Ren Suo had mentioned to it entered the dormitory building, alerting Ren Suo to their arrival. It could be said to be Ren Suo's first line of defense.

It was like when Ren Suo was a child, secretly playing computer games at home. As soon as his parents returned, the auntie downstairs would start chatting loudly, giving Ren Suo a warning so he could turn off the computer and return to his desk, pretending he had been studying all day.

Using the key to restrict Dong Chengling's entry method, supplemented by the Black Cat's warning—perfect.

"Alright then." Since Ren Suo insisted, Dong Chengling agreed. "I'll head back now."

"Wait, speaking of keys..."

Ren Suo suddenly called out to Dong Chengling, "I need your help with something."

"What is it?"

"Hold out your hand."

Not knowing what he was up to, Dong Chengling obediently extended her left hand. Then she watched as Ren Suo also extended his right hand and took hers.

Ren Suo hesitated for a moment and asked, "Are you tired? Or sleepy? Do you need to rest for a bit?"

"No need," Dong Chengling shook her head.

"I see..." Ren Suo nodded slowly, then took out his phone and started playing with it.

Dong Chengling blinked and asked, "Then what do you need my help with?"

Drat, I can't bluff my way through this.

Ren Suo grumbled internally. He realized he still hadn't obtained the new Key that Dong Chengling generated after her fourth transformation. If Dong Chengling hadn't brought up the subject of keys, he would have almost forgotten.

Although the Key Search System was still functional, it worked differently for strangers. For them, Ren Suo could rely on the system to instantly identify who was an Awakener, as they became exceptionally conspicuous in his eyes, and he felt a strong impulse to approach them.

But for people he was more familiar with, especially girls, Ren Suo felt the Key Search System's influence was no longer useful. Perhaps it was because after becoming close, he could resist the heart-racing effect of the system. Or maybe the excitement it caused got mixed up with his usual feelings...

Remembering he hadn't gotten Dong Chengling's Key yet, Ren Suo wanted to take it then and there. But since Dong Chengling didn't want to take a nap, he was out of ideas. He couldn't exactly force her to sleep—his Good Dream Technique was for aiding sleep, not Hypnosis; it couldn't make a young woman fall soundly asleep in front of him without any defenses.

However, Dong Chengling's Bond Level was already quite high. Even with her awake, it wouldn't take Ren Suo much time to get the Key; he just needed to stall a bit.

So he casually made up an excuse: "I want to see if the skin of a Fourth-Stage Cultivator improves, and if advancing to the fourth transformation continues to develop the body. I read on the internal network that someone experienced a growth spurt after reaching the fourth transformation, shooting up from 1.4 meters to 2.2 meters... I want to write a paper on 'Physical Changes in Fourth-Stage Cultivators'."

Dong Chengling calmly asked, "Have you felt enough then?"

Ren Suo honestly replied, "No."

"Then feel more carefully," Dong Chengling paused, then added, "Maybe my fingers have gotten longer, or my palms bigger..."

Thus, their hand-holding posture slowly changed to having their palms pressed together, and then gradually to an interlocked grip. Ren Suo pretended to look at his phone while anxiously monitoring the remaining time to acquire the Key, thinking to himself how beneficial a high Bond Level was, making Key acquisition so much easier.

Dong Chengling watched him, her lips pressed tightly as if wanting to say something, but in the end, she remained silent.

Don't rush, take it slow. The time, the place, the people—everything is on my side.

Step by step, is that it? First the key, and then... sooner or later, we will become an inseparable family, cherishing each other.

Dong Chengling recalled her conversation with Qiao Muyi from two hours ago.

"So, can you give up on your own initiative?" Qiao Muyi asked with a smile, hands on her hips, leaning against the kitchen's tiled wall.

"No," Dong Chengling replied, drying her hands and lifting her head, her eyes unwavering.

"I didn't think you would agree either… Let me tell you something good, then," Qiao Muyi said, tilting her head. "Actually, Ren Suo is a particularly easy man to win over."

Qiao Muyi looked at the floor, a smile playing on her lips. "Friends like us, who are quite close to him—if any of us confess, he might accept... whether it's you, me, or even Yue Yan Xianyu. He's likely to welcome all comers."

Dong Chengling raised an eyebrow slightly. "Are you saying he has poor character?"

"No, no, no," Qiao Muyi waved her hands, laughing. "I'm not saying he's a scumbag, just that... he probably rarely thinks about these things. He might even subconsciously avoid thinking about them. Don't be fooled by how he and Zhao Huo bicker about single guys finally getting girlfriends; they could just as easily turn around and spend the rest of their lives with their computers."

"He might want to live with a lover, but he's too lazy to find one himself, and might even think living with a lover would be too troublesome... Someone like him, accustomed to Loneliness, is actually quite odd and twisted."

Dong Chengling pursed her lips, took out a rubber band, and tied her hair into a high ponytail to make cooking easier. "I don't mind," she said faintly.

"I don't mind either," Qiao Muyi said. "What I mean is, to him, we're all just friends. Perhaps when he's lonely late at night, he might think of us, but subconsciously, he doesn't see us as potential romantic partners..."

"So, no matter who confesses to him, he might accept. After all, being in a relationship with anyone might be the same to him."

Dong Chengling thought for a moment. "Are you saying he's likely to cheat and become a scumbag?"

"Not necessarily," Qiao Muyi said, looking away, a gentle smile on her face. "He's... as innocent as a child. If he's sure he truly likes someone, he'll be willing to give everything to treat them well, whether the price is his memories or his life..."

Looking at Qiao Muyi like this, Dong Chengling frowned slightly and asked, "Did nothing really happen between you two?"

"No, believe me. If something had, it would be me and Xiao Suo cooking right now," Qiao Muyi chuckled.

Noticing Dong Chengling seemed a little annoyed, Qiao Muyi finally reined in her smile. "So, what I mean is—first move wins."

"First move wins?" Dong Chengling was slightly taken aback.

"Whoever confesses first, whoever establishes the relationship first, wins," Qiao Muyi said, spreading her hands. "Xiao Suo isn't indecisive, nor does he seem like the type to have a wandering eye. So, winning him over, even possessing him forever, is actually quite simple."

Dong Chengling was silent for a moment, preparing the side ingredients for bamboo rat cooked with generous oil, then asked, "Then why are you telling me this? You could have just..."

"Because I hope he's the one to confess first," Qiao Muyi stated.

Dong Chengling was slightly stunned and looked at Qiao Muyi in surprise. "That's not like you. You don't seem like such a passive person."

"True, this might be an obsession of mine," Qiao Muyi shrugged, smiling gently. "But I just don't want to be the first to confess. This time, it really has to be his turn."

"Besides... Cheng Ling, I hope you believe that I've always considered you a friend."

Dong Chengling blinked. "I believe you."

Qiao Muyi continued, "I have to admit, a big reason I chose to suppress my own feelings before was because of you, Cheng Ling. Precisely because I was your relationship advisor, if I dared to do anything, it would feel like I was betraying you."

Dong Chengling fell silent, tacitly agreeing with Qiao Muyi's statement—Dong Chengling could be generous and unconcerned about other things, but not this.

"So I chose to tell you this secret, to formally reveal my feelings to you, and I won't promise not to make the first move, as my atonement," Qiao Muyi said. "I haven't snuck around behind your back, nor have I secretly tried to undermine you. Instead, I'm declaring my intentions openly. I don't owe you anything. Do you accept this explanation?"

"I accept."

Qiao Muyi let out a soft sigh of relief. "That's good."

Whether it was the her of the present or the her in the countless memories of "Xiao Suo's Secret Diary," Dong Chengling was a hurdle she had to overcome. Although Dong Chengling and Ren Suo hadn't established a relationship, so she wasn't technically the Third Party, there was always an order to things, not to mention she had previously helped Dong Chengling strategize.

Qiao Muyi could allow herself to be betrayed by others, but she couldn't accept betraying someone herself. She had her pride and dignity, and she also deeply valued her friendship with Dong Chengling.

"Also, while I can't interfere with what you do, if you decide to confess first, then I'll let go of my fixation. At worst, I'll force Xiao Suo to choose between us..." Qiao Muyi said seriously. "However, knowing Xiao Suo's personality, he'd either shamelessly say, 'I want them all,' or he'd just run away."

"Before he understands his own heart, he won't hurt one person for another."

HISS.

The rice was cooked; thick white steam puffed from the lid of the rice cooker. Dong Chengling looked at Qiao Muyi and asked, "Xiao Qiao, what do you mean?"

"Either we both go for it, or we wait for him to get his head straight, understand his own feelings, and actively pursue one of us," Qiao Muyi said with a smile, her arms crossed. "Let's just see who melts his heart of steel first."

"Of course, this agreement stands on the condition that no one interferes midway, and no one jumps the gun. If any other unexpected situations arise, the agreement is naturally void."

"Then there's that person surnamed Bai... I'm not at the academy often, Cheng Ling, so you keep an eye out. If he gets poached by that Bai, then we'll have truly lost everything, not even scraps left..."

"Alright," Dong Chengling said faintly.

"There's one other person... but I probably don't need to worry too much. I'll handle it," Qiao Muyi tilted her head and said. "So, are we agreed?"

"If you win, and my love is hopeless, I'll use friendship to smooth things over. If I win, we'll both come to your place for free meals, and you'll have to treat us."

Dong Chengling lifted her head, her eyes shining. "A promise is a promise."

Qiao Muyi couldn't help but chuckle. "I never thought I'd become so common... But common happiness is still happiness, as long as you can hold onto it."

"You think you're certain to win?" Dong Chengling asked calmly.

Opening the kitchen door, Qiao Muyi, who shivered slightly from the cold draft, turned her head and smiled faintly at Dong Chengling. She lightly touched her red lips with her right index finger, her eyes curving like crescent moons, her gaze silky and flirtatious. She blinked gently, every expression, every smile, exuding her coquettish charm, then laughed and departed.

After Dong Chengling left, Ren Suo immediately opened the Mini-World Game Console to check the status of the newly acquired Key.

This was the first genuine Four-Star Key he had obtained—not artificially synthesized, but a pure, natural, additive-free, high-quality Key!

He had more or less figured out the tendencies of the Mini-World Game Console. In short, the jump from 3 to 4 was a significant threshold. Anything Level 4 or above would undergo some changes. For example, a Four-star Player would get a grand lottery draw, and a Four-star game would definitely yield Rippling Spring Sounds...

And the Four-Star Key did not disappoint Ren Suo's expectations.

Four-Star Space Key: Extra 30% chance to obtain a space-type reward, or existing rewards receive a spatial Strengthening.

Thirty percent... so I still can't be 100% sure of an extra reward? I've already lost all hope in my own luck, unless I open chests while hugging Little Jiu.

The 'or existing rewards receive a spatial Strengthening' part is more appealing, though. Does that mean if the 30% chance isn't triggered, the reward I get will definitely be eligible for spatial Strengthening? At least that's a consolation prize.

Ren Suo considered opening a Treasure Box to test his luck, but then his gaze suddenly fell upon a new Key in the Content Preservation Vault (new items had a yellow highlighted border).

Three-Star Resentment Key.

Ren Suo cupped his chin and began to recall. Qiao Muyi's Key? Have I had more than five minutes of physical contact with her before?

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