Ch 30: My Disabled Virtual Lover’s Healing Diary

Based on the habits of this game’s developers, Qian Yuan had logged in the next day fully expecting to see a paywall prompt to renew the robot’s service—but it never appeared. The little rust-covered machine was standing beside the wheelchair, helping the immobile Cen Han flip over a heavy, half-dismantled robot.

This unexpected generosity instantly lifted her mood. Cheerful and energetic, she greeted Cub with a bright good morning.

The boy in the wheelchair turned at her voice. His chubby face showed clear fatigue, yet the corners of his lips and brows were lifted.

“Morning.” His voice was hoarse. “The first order is already halfway done.”

After a pause, he looked at her with shining eyes. “It’s helped a lot. Thank you.”

Above his head floated a little smiling sun. His mood was rarely this high. But Qian Yuan noticed the bloodshot lines in his eyes and faint dark circles beneath them, making her frown.

“Cub, you didn’t stay up all night, did you?”

He seemed caught off guard by the question, froze briefly, then deflected by lowering his gaze to the table. He muttered a vague “ah” before saying, “No—”

But the diary told the truth. Qian Yuan stared at his guilty little face and gave a cold laugh.

Cub immediately changed tack. “…It’s fine. I can nap at school.”

He said it lightly, but Qian Yuan doubted it. With his hedgehog-like wariness, there was no way he could really fall asleep in that place.

Still, the night was already gone—she couldn’t turn back time. So she grabbed a bottle of nutrient fluid from the cardboard box in the corner, twisted it open, and shoved the mouth to his lips with a fierce look.

The boy clearly sensed her displeasure. He didn’t dare protest or refuse, just obediently closed his eyes and drank. Beside them, A09 suddenly lost instructions, spun in confusion, and finally stopped in place, blankly watching the scene.

Its chip was badly damaged—sometimes it just didn’t work right. But somehow, this moment felt… off, like something didn’t match its old data. The robot stared, processors running, a wisp of smoke puffing from its head.

Qian Yuan’s eyes followed it, then she had a thought.

Cub seemed satisfied with the robot’s help. Maybe… she could have it accompany him to school.

After all, spending eight hours a day in VR wasn’t sustainable, and she’d soon have to travel for filming, where she might not even be able to log in. Cub was bullied constantly at school—she couldn’t always be there to protect him.

So she gave A09 a new command.

“Ding dong~ Congratulations, you’ve unlocked a side quest: Follow Cub to school and protect him from bullying!”

Cub’s lashes trembled violently. His eyes flew open, staring at her in shock.

She didn’t notice.

A text box appeared before her.

【Robot A09 at your service
Hire price: 1 energy stone / 1 task
Purchase?
[Yes] [No]】

Qian Yuan: “…”

Looking at that “/1 task,” she understood.

So buying it once only allowed one type of command. Want more? Pay again.

What happened to “Please command me freely”?

Fuming at the scam, she jabbed [Yes], thinking bitterly that this game was curing her stinginess one microtransaction at a time.

After reissuing the command, she looked down at Cub.

“Cub, you won’t have to be scared at school anymore!”

Smiling sweetly, she said, “Until the winter break ceremony, this robot will always be with you.”

Cen Han froze.

…This robot would be with him.

But what about her?

He knew he had no right to ask for her constant company. She belonged to another world—strange and dazzling, one he could never touch.

Yet his heart still sank, weighted like a stone dropping into the sea.

“…Okay.”

He turned his face away, took the nutrient bottle from her hand, feigned calm, even forcing a little smile. “If you’re busy, go ahead. Don’t worry about me.”

He struggled not to seem needy, to act easygoing.

But Qian Yuan happened to glance at the diary.

【November 11th, 7:30 AM】
【Cen Han’s affection for Robot A09 -10.】
【Cen Han’s affection for Robot A09 -10.】
【Cen Han’s affection for Robot A09 -100.】

Qian Yuan: “…??”

Cub, weren’t you just saying you liked it?!

Since his house had been broken into before, she worried it could happen again. So she spent another ten yuan to have A09 guard the place for a few days.

Spending what equated to a meal this morning in-game hurt, but self-soothing is powerful—she reminded herself their guild’s loot sale would soon pay dividends, more than covering this.

So really, she hadn’t spent money at all. In fact, she’d made a profit!

Feeling absolved, she sat cross-legged on the bed, watching him work. When school time came, she hopped down and waved.

“Cub, see you at school!”

…See you at school?

Cen Han blinked, startled.

He’d thought—

His tense grip on the tools loosened, the gloom between his brows faded, even that stupid robot beside him didn’t seem so annoying anymore.

A new diary entry appeared:

【Cen Han’s affection for Robot A09 +1.】

Qian Yuan: “…”

A cub’s moods were like summer skies—impossible to read, but utterly overwhelming.

Exams loomed at the academy, the blackboard now counting down days. Their semesters ended with long winter and summer breaks, but no holidays otherwise, so the final weeks were always tense.

But Cen Han, exempt from most exams, benefited—those usually pestering him were too busy cramming.

He spent nights grinding orders, going to class without his lens, resting with closed eyes. Sometimes exhaustion overcame him, only for the harsh school bell to rip him awake again.

She urged him to slow down, but he always worked through the night.

Then, the night before finishing his order, she left him with a small flat pouch.

He had grown used to her gifts, so he opened it—then froze.

The bold letters on the package screamed [SKINCARE ESSENCE FACE MASK].

…What did that mean?

He sat stunned at his desk until A09 started bumbling in circles again. Finally, he jerked his wheelchair around and went to the bathroom.

The blurred mirror reflected his face.

He remembered being praised for his looks—once a standout, receiving countless letters, though he’d never cared. But after everything, he’d changed so much that no one would connect his current self with the old.

He brushed his growing hair aside and stared.

Days of overusing cheap lenses had left his eyes red and swollen, dark circles stark, skin pale, lips bloodless, mouth downturned.

The more he looked, the more decayed he seemed.

He dropped the hair back, covering his eyes, and stared at the mask packet in his hand, uneasy.

Why would she give him this? Did she dislike how he looked?

No, why did he care? She was from another world.

…But what if she didn’t like his face?

Thoughts swarmed, clashing reason and feeling, shame and anxiety. He bit down, wheeled back, and pulled scissors from his toolbox.

He awkwardly tried trimming before the mirror. The bangs were his shield, yet now he’d cut them—for reasons he couldn’t admit.

Finally, he pressed hard. A few locks fell. He stared at them in the sink, then called hoarsely, “A09.”

“Come here.”

The robot limped over. Cen Han glanced at its broken leg, then forced out: “Help me cut my hair.”

It stared blankly.

Cen Han: “…”

He clenched his jaw, lips tight.

“…Ding dong…”

After a long pause, he barked again: “Cut my hair.”

The robot twitched. Its screen lit up.

【Ding dong! Master.
Quest accepted.】

The next day, Qian Yuan logged in and froze.

Cub’s whole look had changed.

Hair really made a difference. He had always been cute, but now that his messy, unkempt hair was neatly trimmed, revealing his features, his cuteness had gone up another level.

Yesterday’s gift had been a box of face masks, not some magical transformation item—but Qian Yuan had already forgotten. She circled him with delight, showering praise.

“Cub, you’re so soft and adorable!”

So, so soft.

Adorable.

Cen Han’s calm face stiffened. His mask of indifference cracked, revealing shock.

ִֶָ. ..𓂃 ࣪ ִֶָ🦋་༘࿐