Ch 13: My Disabled Virtual Lover’s Healing Diary

The atmosphere in the room turned strangely tense.

After his first burst of anger and shock, Zhang San seemed to remember something. His expression shifted awkwardly, embarrassment twisting his face. Cen Han, however, remained cold and detached, sitting off to the side with his eyes lowered, waiting to see how the “ghost” and Zhang San would interact.

But what Cen Han didn’t expect was that after fumbling for a while, Zhang San actually turned toward him and stammered, “Thanks, kid…”

He stopped short, forcing down the familiar derogatory word that almost slipped out, then added stiffly, “About before… sorry, I—”

Something unpleasant clearly came to mind, cutting him off again. His face turned pale, then flushed. He didn’t want to admit he’d been duped by his own underlings, so all he managed was, “…I wronged you.”

Cen Han blinked faintly, frowning. He shot a quick glance at the ghost beside him.

He didn’t care about Zhang San’s inner turmoil. Instead, another thought occurred.

…Could it be that Zhang San couldn’t see it?

Was he the only one who could?

That unexpected realization lifted a little of the weight pressing down on him. Cen Han’s mood lightened, the gloom in his eyes receding.

“Hey, what’s with that attitude?”

As expected, Zhang San was impossible to like. Seeing Cen Han ignore him, he raised his voice angrily: “You think I’m the same as those interstellar pirates? I’ll tell you this—your nutrient solution, I’ll get it back to you tomorrow! I live clean, I—”

“No need,” Cen Han said coolly. “If you take me to the black market.”

Qian Yuan, who had been checking if the side quest reward had gone through, snapped her head up.

—The quest description had mentioned Zhang San’s black market contacts. She’d been puzzling over how to get her cub connected to them. She hadn’t expected Cen Han to take the initiative!

Zhang San froze.

The black market wasn’t off-limits, but it wasn’t a place ordinary students would wander into. It wasn’t as terrifying as some imagined, but smugglers, mercenary groups, and wanted men did turn up there. It was illegal ground under the Empire’s law.

Probably connecting it to Cen Han’s background, Zhang San’s face shifted into wariness. For all his poverty, his own life was worth more than a few boxes of nutrient solution.

Suspicious, he asked, “What do you want there?”

Cen Han saw straight through him, the air around him growing heavier as he forced patience. “Sell mechanical parts.”

All these years, he’d used Uncle Tang to trade with the black market, always giving the man a small fee.

But after what he’d overheard recently, Cen Han couldn’t bear to impose further.

If he wanted to survive in the New Moon Star, he had no choice but to go himself—especially to the inner circle, where people cared little for Imperial loyalty. Perhaps they wouldn’t reject him for who he was.

The boy’s eyes dimmed briefly—until Zhang San suddenly shouted, “Mechanical parts?! You can make those things?”

Mechanical engineering was exclusive to the Academy of Mechanics. Education on the Imperial Capital Star was divided into four stages: early childhood learning guided by parents, robots, and AI; five years in a junior academy; six years in a higher academy during youth.

Graduates usually went straight into work, but a few aimed for even tougher vocational schools—like the military or mechanics academies.

Exams were brutal, and competition fierce. Only a fraction graduated, but those who did became stars of the Empire.

No wonder Zhang San was shocked. To him, uneducated and untrained, making machines was unthinkable. After his surprise, seeing Cen Han’s calm face, he understood.

With his background, it wasn’t strange that Cen Han had learned. Jealousy gnawed at him, but he grudgingly nodded.

“Kid… if you’re just selling parts, I might know someone.” He eyed Cen Han. “But only if you’re not planning something stupid. If you get me killed, I’ll kick you out of that chair and into a recycler’s annihilation box first.”

What an attitude!

Even if the goal was achieved, Qian Yuan couldn’t help the angry bubble that popped above her dumpling head. She wanted to dump nutrient solution on his head, but all she had left were two precious packs of instant noodles.

While she hesitated, Cen Han only nodded faintly, watching Zhang San leave. He seemed unaffected by the harsh words—or maybe, he was simply used to them.

Qian Yuan pressed her lips together. She wanted to pat Cen Han’s head, but before she could, he hesitated, then looked at her. His round cartoon face was blank.

“Will you go with me?”

[November 6, 2:00 a.m.][Cen Han longs for the player’s company.]

“…”

Qian Yuan’s little heart gave a tremor. She almost answered out loud.

Thankfully, reason returned. She ran to the door and pressed her hand against it, pulling up the scene selection. Two new options had unlocked thanks to leveling and story progress.

Her avatar nodded hard, round dumpling face smiling brightly. “Of course.”

After logging off, Qian Yuan couldn’t sleep. She lay on her stomach with her phone.

A new message on WeChat startled her. She rarely got any. Sure enough, it was from her father.

[Through Wind and Rain]: Back in Rong City soon. Let’s eat Friday.

[Through Wind and Rain]: I’ll introduce you to a friend. [grin]

“…”

She hesitated, then slowly typed back one word: “Okay.”

Switching apps, she opened QQ. He Shang had sent a private message about the photo exhibition.

She transferred him money for the ticket, glancing at the date.

December 25.

She exhaled. Over a month away. Enough time to steel herself.

Still, the date nagged her. Where had she seen it recently? She couldn’t recall.

…Maybe it was just because it was Christmas. Stores had already begun their promotions. People in the guild chat had shared mall photos, Rong City dressed up in red and green.

Thinking so, she yawned, tapped her screen dark, and curled under the covers.

ִֶָ. ..𓂃 ࣪ ִֶָ🦋་༘࿐