Ch 22: My Disabled Virtual Lover’s Healing Diary

Before her eyes, Cub stammered for the first time, haltingly asking what she was doing.

Qian Yuan’s heart softened, and she almost laughed—what was with this reaction? Did her little Cub really think she was some pervert tearing off clothes?

【Take off your clothes,】
she typed, 【I’ll spray medicine on your injuries.】

As soon as she sent it, Cub’s dumpling face flushed scarlet in seconds.

A tiny question mark popped up above her own avatar’s head. She realized a beat too late.

…Wow!

Was Cub shy?

A puff of white steam drifted from his head. Alarmed, Qian Yuan hurried to explain seriously: 【Cub, I just want to help you.】

After a pause, she couldn’t help giggling, adding: 【I probably, maybe, won’t peek!】

“No—no need for you to help,” Cub snapped, red-faced. “I’ll do it myself.”

Qian Yuan watched him snatch the spray, his face bright red as he shut himself in the bathroom. She cupped her cheeks.

—Ugh, Cub is too cute!

The bathroom door shut. Fighting back a silly smile, she sat on the bed and opened her task list.

She hadn’t had time to check the new main quest earlier.

【Main Quest: Help Cub attend the Winter Break Ceremony~!

Goal: Clear obstacles so Cub successfully participates in the ceremony.

Reward: Unlock Surrealist Artstyle Purchase, 100 Starcoins, 200 EXP.

Note: If you run into trouble, you can hire robots to assist you!】

Winter Break Ceremony? What was that? What goal did Cub have?

Puzzled, she listened to the faint sounds of him undressing. With nothing else to do, she focused on the rewards.

The starcoins and EXP were generous, and there was a new perk: Surrealist Artstyle Purchase.

That line was clickable. She tapped it. A flashy red pop-up appeared, garish like a street flyer.

【—Surrealist Artstyle Purchase—

Want to see Cub’s real appearance? Want every detail in full?

Not 1888, not 988—only 388! Bring home the Surrealist Artstyle!!!】

Qian Yuan: “…”

She sighed, closing it. This game’s devs really were hopeless—still trying to bait players into spending, even through quest rewards. They’d get roasted after open beta for sure.

She decided to light a candle early for them.

Cub was already cute enough. She wasn’t paying nearly 400 yuan for some “artstyle.” She filed the quest away and opened the new unlocked menu.

After leveling up to 3, she had unlocked a new shop: 【Agro-Pastoral Mall】.

She checked it.

Feeds, fertilizers, seeds, animals—it was packed with items. Some priced in starcoins, but most in RMB. The RMB ones were all familiar real-world things; the Star coin ones were exotic, things she’d never seen.

Usually in farming games, shops ran on in-game currency, with only rare or fancy items priced in real money. Here it was reversed.

Qian Yuan swiped through, muttering, “So they want me to spend cash on animals and feed, just to grind and trade it back into game currency?”

The devs must be insane.

She closed the screen, leaned on the wall, sighed.

—Making money in this game is really hard!

Meanwhile, Cen Han sat in the bathroom, shirt off. He used the spray—expired, but still high quality from before his family fell. Pain eased, bruises lightened, but his chest still ached from kicks.

He thought of something.

…Why did she call me Cub?

Blind eyes lifted toward the mirror. Even in darkness, he sensed it.

Tall for his class, broad-shouldered, his once-youthful face hardened into cold severity. Nothing about him matched “Cub,” a child’s nickname.

Confused, but with no time to dwell, he dressed, folded his winter coat, and pushed the door open. He paused, ears tilted, listening nervously.

“…Are you still here?”

【I’m here, Cub!】

The mechanical voice made him exhale in relief, his brow easing. He set his coat aside, when the voice came again:

【Cub, where do you usually find your mechanical parts? I went to the junkyard so many times, never found even one.】

He froze, stunned.

“…Why were you at the junkyard?”

【To collect junk~! If you grind a bit, you can make dozens of star coins a day!】

…So that’s how she got her money?

A shining ghost, scavenging trash like a vagrant, still smiling.

A strange feeling welled in his chest. After a pause, he muttered: “I’m not telling you.”

—Not telling her??

Qian Yuan blinked, startled. Before she could reply, Cub frowned, voice firm.

“You mustn’t go to the junkyard again. I can make money myself. …Don’t do that for me.”

“Ah?”

She stared blankly. Slowly it clicked.

So… Cub was worried about her?

Wow!

Heart touched, she quickly typed: 【Cub, I get it. I’ll spend more time with you instead.】

His ears turned red, but his voice stayed cold, awkward: “That’s not what I meant.”

Still, she knew—going to the academy cost the most stamina. She’d have to skip the junkyard anyway.

“But,” she muttered, “if money runs short, I’ll still need to farm the junkyard sometimes. I haven’t bought you half the things I want yet.”

“…!”

That girl’s voice again—his heart lurched.

Before he could think, he rolled to the bed, lifted the mattress.

Underneath, a flat bag of coins bulged faintly. He pulled it out, shoved it at the ghost.

“If you need money, come to me.” He turned his face away, voice stiff. “…This is all I have now. I’ll earn more later.”

Qian Yuan was stunned.

The pouch was suddenly in her hands—and a pop-up exploded with colorful ribbons.

【Congrats! You’ve unlocked Hidden Achievement: (Seized Cub’s Secret Stash). Reward: +50 EXP!】

Qian Yuan: Huh… huh??

There was a thing like this too?!

ִֶָ. ..𓂃 ࣪ ִֶָ🦋་༘࿐