Chapter 5 ~ First Game Pt.5 ~
Brother Zhang happened to give Gu Yian a difficult problem.
Their game made it clear that it was connected to the four words “Kindness is a crime”.
Brother Zhang’s question wasn’t polite at all and directly asked Gu Yian how to clear the game.
How was Gu Yian to answer this?
Until the game truly concluded, she had no way to ever confirm that her own guesses were correct.
What was more was that even if she said this they would never believe her.
Was Brother Zhang deliberately creating conflict with this?
Gu Yian sat steadily on the bench and sized up the expressions of the players in front of her and to the side.
Brother Zhang covered his up well and looked very calm, but the other three players were quite impatient.
Gu Yian smiled, “The premise of reciprocity is equality. What you’ve given me isn’t enough.”
The exchange of information was mutual, but it didn’t mean Brother Zhang could demand an exorbitant price in trade and directly ask for the clearance method.
Right away, there was a female player whose eyes held resentment.
Brother Zhang eyed Gu Yian and then actively retreated a step, “It doesn’t matter if you don’t want to answer this question. People are selfish.”
Gu Yian raised an eyebrow.
Could it be that this game was going to have internal fights the entire way?
The other three new players noticed the smell of gunpowder between Gu Yian and Brother Zhang.
But there was no place for them to speak, so they could only sit at one side and watch.
Brother Zhang looked at Gu Yian and said, with an unclear meaning, “You should be able to answer this question though. Why does he treat you differently?”
The “he” in Brother Zhang’s words undoubtedly meant the little boy who was in the kitchen at this moment, cooking rice.
From Brother Zhang’s perspective, since the start of the boy’s appearance to now when they were sitting in his house, the boy’s attitude towards Gu Yian was much better than his attitude towards the other players.
If it was because Brother Zhang and the others didn’t go to help the scamming old grandma at the beginning and so the little boy excluded them and refused to answer their questions, then later on they learned from Gu Yian and worked hard to show that they were good people. However, there was still a clear difference in their treatment.
They entered that middle building and were scared half to death but Gu Yian entered, didn’t see anything, and was safe and sound.
This was assuredly a difference in treatment!
Gu Yian listened to this question and there wasn’t much change in her expression.
There actually wasn’t much difference in the essence of this question from Brother Zhang’s previous question.
Gu Yian believed the reason the little boy’s attitude towards her was better than his attitude towards the other players was in the four words of the new player hint, “Kindness is a crime”.
Brother Zhang was forcing her to answer this question.
If she didn’t answer this question her relationship with the other players would fall out and she would have take precautions against backstabs at all moments.
People liked to be united and being isolated by a group was not a good feeling.
However, when it came to Gu Yian, if she liked being in a group then she wouldn’t have parted ways with Brother Zhang and the others at the beginning.
Gu Yian thought about this and started to suspect things again.
What if Brother Zhang’s real objective was to have her stand alone from the group?
Gu Yian couldn’t guess Brother Zhang’s goal and so she turned her eyes onto the other three new players.
There were some with jealousy in their eyes, some with suspicions, but they all had hopes to survive.
Who didn’t want to survive?
Gu Yian thought some more and then laid her cards on the table.
“This is related to the four words of the hint, ‘Kindness is a crime’, and I can’t guarantee that my guess is accurate. Whether you believe it or not is up to you.”
She openly and honestly gave her point of view. “God’s hint is just a hint. They wish for us to think about this question, is kindness a crime?”
“No! Kindness is not a crime. It is a noble virtue.”
After Gu Yian finished speaking, she saw four thoughtful faces just like she expected.
When it concerned a matter as large as their life, these players would not ignore anything.
Brother Zhang asked with doubt, “That simple? We’ve all been acting in accordance with being good.”
They went to help collect ingredients but, in the end, were given a great scare by something in that building.
Brother Zhang didn’t hide the suspicious expression he used to size up Gu Yian.
Gu Yian said what she did and she already said what she was able to say.
She believed this too.
She believed that, during her interactions with the little boy in this entire day, she showed her goodness through her words and actions and so the little boy treated her a little better than the other players.
From beginning to end, she just carried out the kindness that she herself could do.
Brother Zhang didn’t believe it and so the other players doubted this too.
Gu Yian saw this situation but was not annoyed.
They were nothing more than people she met by chance, so they weren’t very important.
But she did feel a little bit unhappy.
Gu Yian’s gaze swept over the faces of the four players and she laughed, “If you don’t believe me, then maybe it’s because he judges by looks.”
In terms of appearances alone, Gu Yian was especially outstanding.
In this life, she had a good appearance and if it weren’t for those two misfortunate incidents occurring then she still wouldn’t have been able to shake off those sticky suitors.
Fortunately, everyone valued their lives.
Life was important, beauty was not important, and this was what let Gu Yian have her quiet.
In this game, there were countless questions placed in front of the players, so who would take into account how well others looked.
It was only after hearing these words from Gu Yian that several players took a closer look at her appearance.
They knew she was good-looking but, when they took a closer look, they thought she looked even better.
Gu Yian had delicate features, her skin was pale, and her temperament was clear and cool. Just her temperament alone raised her above the rest of the standard beauties.
Gu Yian’s words made them hold their tongue; they had no way of refuting this.
At his age, the little boy also knew beauty and ugliness and hearing how he always called out “Sister Gu” sweetly, maybe he really did like good-looking people.
The four players thought this and, for a moment, they felt suffocated.
If they were judged by people for their appearance in real life, they could set that aside. But how come they still had to be judged by appearances in a game?
“Sister Gu is pretty.”
The little boy heard Gu Yian’s words and, easily carrying a pressure cooker in one hand, he ran over especially happy.
Gu Yian and Brother Zhang immediately looked at the pressure cooker in the boy’s hand and estimated visually that its diameter was about 20 centimeters and its weight was definitely not light. If there really was rice inside, then it was even more unusual for a boy of this age to carry it.
Earlier, the little boy couldn’t even hold six cups stable but now he was holding a pressure cooker in one hand.
Was this him being too lazy to even pretend now?
Gu Yian’s gaze unintentionally swept over the face of the female player, whose clothes were splashed with tea water, and then she met Brother Zhang’s eyes.
They both guessed that something was going to happen to this female player.
The female player was never in a calm state of mind and her perception of the outside world wasn’t very sensitive, so she didn’t notice the two pair of eyes on her.
The little boy lifted the rice up. Several people filled their bowls and then looked again at the dish on the table.
There was only one dish on the table, mushroom soup.
The mushrooms that grew on the coffins!
Gu Yian glanced at the mushrooms and then looked at the white rice in her bowl.
She also felt hungry at this point.
Sitting beside Gu Yian, the little boy innocently asked the players.
“How come everyone’s just eating rice and not the dish?”
Brother Zhang took the lead to eat and the other players followed in eating. Only Gu Yian waited for the boy and hadn’t moved yet.
The moment these players heard the little boy’s words they kept silent and looked at Brother Zhang.
Brother Zhang laughed loudly and indicated that the rice was good enough.
The boy’s limpid eyes slid over to Gu Yian.
Those small eyes were filled with expectation.
Gu Yian’s heart sank along with her idea to copy Brother Zhang and the others in only eating rice.
She could only pretend as if nothing was the matter, scoop a spoonful of mushroom soup into her own bowl, and then pick up a mushroom to take a small bite.
It was quite fresh.
And unexpectedly delicious.
The little boy saw the change in Gu Yian’s eyes and actively scooped a few more spoonfuls of mushrooms for her.
Gu Yian looked at the mushrooms in her bowl and struggled for a second over its origin versus its taste before losing to its taste.
No, it really was delicious.
Brother Zhang saw this scene of Gu Yian eating the mushrooms and also learned from her, eating the mushrooms.
Among the three new players, except for the muddled female player who was splashed with tea water, the other two gritted their teeth and ate some. The female player, when she remembered what she saw back in that room, felt her hand holding the chopstick shake and she really couldn’t eat the mushrooms.
Their expressions were especially hideous, as if they were swallowing poison.
While all the players were eating, the little boy didn’t move his chopsticks.
He looked at everyone and, with a melancholic look appearing on his face, said, “Sister Gu, I’m going to go out in a bit. I want to see if Grandma Zhao’s family has taken action or not.”
For a second, Gu Yian couldn’t recall who Grandma Zhao was until she realized Grandma Zhao must be that old woman scammer.
Everyone here said they wanted to help the little boy send Mrs. Zhao to prison.
The boy said, “They must be looking for Sister Gu, so you can’t go out.”
His gaze landed on the four other players and his intent went without saying.
Brother Zhang immediately set down his chopsticks and said righteously, “I’ll go out together with you, Hu Zi. It’s not safe for a kid like you to be outside alone.”
The other new players weren’t dumb and also said they could go.
The little boy heard this and his melancholy disappeared. “Let’s go early then, like right now.”
He reached out and took away his and Gu Yian’s bowl. It looked like he was preparing to clear away the bowls and chopsticks.
Poor Gu Yian had only eaten some mushrooms and hadn’t even touched a grain of rice before her bowl was suddenly taken away by the little boy. Her eyes unconsciously carried a bit of a request as she looked at the boy.
The boy shook his head and his words seemed to have a hidden meaning, “It’s enough already.”
It took a moment for Gu Yian to discover that she wasn’t hungry anymore.
The other players, seeing the little boy collect his own dishes, didn’t dare to eat more and hurried forward to say they could help the boy clear away the dishes.
In the end, the boy and Gu Yian were excluded from the group and they watched as the four players rushed around to do the chore.
The little boy looked at those four people and then, all of a sudden, reached out to hold Gu Yian’s arm, raised his head slightly, and asked her curiously, “Sister Gu, are you all religious? Is your God that good?”
Gu Yian froze. How come the boy was suddenly asking about God?
She wasn’t surprised that the little boy knew about God.
His origins were mysterious and he probably heard all the conversations between the players. So, it wasn’t strange that he knew about God.
Gu Yian considered the little boy’s question and then answered, “We’re not religious. However, God is indeed good; they are tolerant, just, merciful, powerful, and omnipotent. They are God.”
God was always watching them players, so how could she dare say bad things about God?
The boy heard this and said with bright eyes, “Then I’ll believe in God.”
Gu Yian didn’t expect the little boy to respond with these words.
Believe in God?
Believe in that God who liked to watch games?
Believe in that God who had to be a godly nutcase?
If she wasn’t in this game world, then she would never praise the God with a single word.
Gu Yian struggled inwardly and then she crouched down, bringing herself level with the little boy’s eyes.
She told him seriously, “You have to believe in yourself.”
Don’t believe in some God, that wasn’t reliable!
“Only the things you get through your own hard work can be considered yours. Believe in yourself, you can do anything.”
What others gave, they could also take back. Only what belonged to you was something that would never disappear. Compared to believing in some imaginary God, it was better to believe in yourself.
The little boy listened to Gu Yian’s words and his eyes became brighter.
“Sister Gu, I’m really happy. No one’s ever said this to me before.”
Gu Yian smiled, “Well, now there’s me.”
She stood up, but the boy still held her arm.
This time, he tried to raise her hand.
The little boy said, “Big sister, I’ll tell you a secret. You can’t tell anyone else, OK?”
“Okay.”
Gu Yian thought she succeeded in triggering a plot event.
Then, she saw the boy use his fingertip to write a character on her palm, one stroke at a time.
“Big Sister, this is my name. You’ll remember it, right?”
Those strokes formed a single character in Gu Yian’s mind.
Ze.
“Mm, I’ll remember it.”
I’ll remember Little Ze.
Gu Yian promised like this.
“Really?”
The little boy heard Gu Yian’s words and his voice was extremely light, “If big sister doesn’t remember, I’ll be unhappy.”
What was promised to God could not be a lie.
Chapter 5 ~ First Game Pt.5 ~
Brother Zhang happened to give Gu Yian a difficult problem.
Their game made it clear that it was connected to the four words “Kindness is a crime”.
Brother Zhang’s question wasn’t polite at all and directly asked Gu Yian how to clear the game.
How was Gu Yian to answer this?
Until the game truly concluded, she had no way to ever confirm that her own guesses were correct.
What was more was that even if she said this they would never believe her.
Was Brother Zhang deliberately creating conflict with this?
Gu Yian sat steadily on the bench and sized up the expressions of the players in front of her and to the side.
Brother Zhang covered his up well and looked very calm, but the other three players were quite impatient.
Gu Yian smiled, “The premise of reciprocity is equality. What you’ve given me isn’t enough.”
The exchange of information was mutual, but it didn’t mean Brother Zhang could demand an exorbitant price in trade and directly ask for the clearance method.
Right away, there was a female player whose eyes held resentment.
Brother Zhang eyed Gu Yian and then actively retreated a step, “It doesn’t matter if you don’t want to answer this question. People are selfish.”
Gu Yian raised an eyebrow.
Could it be that this game was going to have internal fights the entire way?
The other three new players noticed the smell of gunpowder between Gu Yian and Brother Zhang.
But there was no place for them to speak, so they could only sit at one side and watch.
Brother Zhang looked at Gu Yian and said, with an unclear meaning, “You should be able to answer this question though. Why does he treat you differently?”
The “he” in Brother Zhang’s words undoubtedly meant the little boy who was in the kitchen at this moment, cooking rice.
From Brother Zhang’s perspective, since the start of the boy’s appearance to now when they were sitting in his house, the boy’s attitude towards Gu Yian was much better than his attitude towards the other players.
If it was because Brother Zhang and the others didn’t go to help the scamming old grandma at the beginning and so the little boy excluded them and refused to answer their questions, then later on they learned from Gu Yian and worked hard to show that they were good people. However, there was still a clear difference in their treatment.
They entered that middle building and were scared half to death but Gu Yian entered, didn’t see anything, and was safe and sound.
This was assuredly a difference in treatment!
Gu Yian listened to this question and there wasn’t much change in her expression.
There actually wasn’t much difference in the essence of this question from Brother Zhang’s previous question.
Gu Yian believed the reason the little boy’s attitude towards her was better than his attitude towards the other players was in the four words of the new player hint, “Kindness is a crime”.
Brother Zhang was forcing her to answer this question.
If she didn’t answer this question her relationship with the other players would fall out and she would have take precautions against backstabs at all moments.
People liked to be united and being isolated by a group was not a good feeling.
However, when it came to Gu Yian, if she liked being in a group then she wouldn’t have parted ways with Brother Zhang and the others at the beginning.
Gu Yian thought about this and started to suspect things again.
What if Brother Zhang’s real objective was to have her stand alone from the group?
Gu Yian couldn’t guess Brother Zhang’s goal and so she turned her eyes onto the other three new players.
There were some with jealousy in their eyes, some with suspicions, but they all had hopes to survive.
Who didn’t want to survive?
Gu Yian thought some more and then laid her cards on the table.
“This is related to the four words of the hint, ‘Kindness is a crime’, and I can’t guarantee that my guess is accurate. Whether you believe it or not is up to you.”
She openly and honestly gave her point of view. “God’s hint is just a hint. They wish for us to think about this question, is kindness a crime?”
“No! Kindness is not a crime. It is a noble virtue.”
After Gu Yian finished speaking, she saw four thoughtful faces just like she expected.
When it concerned a matter as large as their life, these players would not ignore anything.
Brother Zhang asked with doubt, “That simple? We’ve all been acting in accordance with being good.”
They went to help collect ingredients but, in the end, were given a great scare by something in that building.
Brother Zhang didn’t hide the suspicious expression he used to size up Gu Yian.
Gu Yian said what she did and she already said what she was able to say.
She believed this too.
She believed that, during her interactions with the little boy in this entire day, she showed her goodness through her words and actions and so the little boy treated her a little better than the other players.
From beginning to end, she just carried out the kindness that she herself could do.
Brother Zhang didn’t believe it and so the other players doubted this too.
Gu Yian saw this situation but was not annoyed.
They were nothing more than people she met by chance, so they weren’t very important.
But she did feel a little bit unhappy.
Gu Yian’s gaze swept over the faces of the four players and she laughed, “If you don’t believe me, then maybe it’s because he judges by looks.”
In terms of appearances alone, Gu Yian was especially outstanding.
In this life, she had a good appearance and if it weren’t for those two misfortunate incidents occurring then she still wouldn’t have been able to shake off those sticky suitors.
Fortunately, everyone valued their lives.
Life was important, beauty was not important, and this was what let Gu Yian have her quiet.
In this game, there were countless questions placed in front of the players, so who would take into account how well others looked.
It was only after hearing these words from Gu Yian that several players took a closer look at her appearance.
They knew she was good-looking but, when they took a closer look, they thought she looked even better.
Gu Yian had delicate features, her skin was pale, and her temperament was clear and cool. Just her temperament alone raised her above the rest of the standard beauties.
Gu Yian’s words made them hold their tongue; they had no way of refuting this.
At his age, the little boy also knew beauty and ugliness and hearing how he always called out “Sister Gu” sweetly, maybe he really did like good-looking people.
The four players thought this and, for a moment, they felt suffocated.
If they were judged by people for their appearance in real life, they could set that aside. But how come they still had to be judged by appearances in a game?
“Sister Gu is pretty.”
The little boy heard Gu Yian’s words and, easily carrying a pressure cooker in one hand, he ran over especially happy.
Gu Yian and Brother Zhang immediately looked at the pressure cooker in the boy’s hand and estimated visually that its diameter was about 20 centimeters and its weight was definitely not light. If there really was rice inside, then it was even more unusual for a boy of this age to carry it.
Earlier, the little boy couldn’t even hold six cups stable but now he was holding a pressure cooker in one hand.
Was this him being too lazy to even pretend now?
Gu Yian’s gaze unintentionally swept over the face of the female player, whose clothes were splashed with tea water, and then she met Brother Zhang’s eyes.
They both guessed that something was going to happen to this female player.
The female player was never in a calm state of mind and her perception of the outside world wasn’t very sensitive, so she didn’t notice the two pair of eyes on her.
The little boy lifted the rice up. Several people filled their bowls and then looked again at the dish on the table.
There was only one dish on the table, mushroom soup.
The mushrooms that grew on the coffins!
Gu Yian glanced at the mushrooms and then looked at the white rice in her bowl.
She also felt hungry at this point.
Sitting beside Gu Yian, the little boy innocently asked the players.
“How come everyone’s just eating rice and not the dish?”
Brother Zhang took the lead to eat and the other players followed in eating. Only Gu Yian waited for the boy and hadn’t moved yet.
The moment these players heard the little boy’s words they kept silent and looked at Brother Zhang.
Brother Zhang laughed loudly and indicated that the rice was good enough.
The boy’s limpid eyes slid over to Gu Yian.
Those small eyes were filled with expectation.
Gu Yian’s heart sank along with her idea to copy Brother Zhang and the others in only eating rice.
She could only pretend as if nothing was the matter, scoop a spoonful of mushroom soup into her own bowl, and then pick up a mushroom to take a small bite.
It was quite fresh.
And unexpectedly delicious.
The little boy saw the change in Gu Yian’s eyes and actively scooped a few more spoonfuls of mushrooms for her.
Gu Yian looked at the mushrooms in her bowl and struggled for a second over its origin versus its taste before losing to its taste.
No, it really was delicious.
Brother Zhang saw this scene of Gu Yian eating the mushrooms and also learned from her, eating the mushrooms.
Among the three new players, except for the muddled female player who was splashed with tea water, the other two gritted their teeth and ate some. The female player, when she remembered what she saw back in that room, felt her hand holding the chopstick shake and she really couldn’t eat the mushrooms.
Their expressions were especially hideous, as if they were swallowing poison.
While all the players were eating, the little boy didn’t move his chopsticks.
He looked at everyone and, with a melancholic look appearing on his face, said, “Sister Gu, I’m going to go out in a bit. I want to see if Grandma Zhao’s family has taken action or not.”
For a second, Gu Yian couldn’t recall who Grandma Zhao was until she realized Grandma Zhao must be that old woman scammer.
Everyone here said they wanted to help the little boy send Mrs. Zhao to prison.
The boy said, “They must be looking for Sister Gu, so you can’t go out.”
His gaze landed on the four other players and his intent went without saying.
Brother Zhang immediately set down his chopsticks and said righteously, “I’ll go out together with you, Hu Zi. It’s not safe for a kid like you to be outside alone.”
The other new players weren’t dumb and also said they could go.
The little boy heard this and his melancholy disappeared. “Let’s go early then, like right now.”
He reached out and took away his and Gu Yian’s bowl. It looked like he was preparing to clear away the bowls and chopsticks.
Poor Gu Yian had only eaten some mushrooms and hadn’t even touched a grain of rice before her bowl was suddenly taken away by the little boy. Her eyes unconsciously carried a bit of a request as she looked at the boy.
The boy shook his head and his words seemed to have a hidden meaning, “It’s enough already.”
It took a moment for Gu Yian to discover that she wasn’t hungry anymore.
The other players, seeing the little boy collect his own dishes, didn’t dare to eat more and hurried forward to say they could help the boy clear away the dishes.
In the end, the boy and Gu Yian were excluded from the group and they watched as the four players rushed around to do the chore.
The little boy looked at those four people and then, all of a sudden, reached out to hold Gu Yian’s arm, raised his head slightly, and asked her curiously, “Sister Gu, are you all religious? Is your God that good?”
Gu Yian froze. How come the boy was suddenly asking about God?
She wasn’t surprised that the little boy knew about God.
His origins were mysterious and he probably heard all the conversations between the players. So, it wasn’t strange that he knew about God.
Gu Yian considered the little boy’s question and then answered, “We’re not religious. However, God is indeed good; they are tolerant, just, merciful, powerful, and omnipotent. They are God.”
God was always watching them players, so how could she dare say bad things about God?
The boy heard this and said with bright eyes, “Then I’ll believe in God.”
Gu Yian didn’t expect the little boy to respond with these words.
Believe in God?
Believe in that God who liked to watch games?
Believe in that God who had to be a godly nutcase?
If she wasn’t in this game world, then she would never praise the God with a single word.
Gu Yian struggled inwardly and then she crouched down, bringing herself level with the little boy’s eyes.
She told him seriously, “You have to believe in yourself.”
Don’t believe in some God, that wasn’t reliable!
“Only the things you get through your own hard work can be considered yours. Believe in yourself, you can do anything.”
What others gave, they could also take back. Only what belonged to you was something that would never disappear. Compared to believing in some imaginary God, it was better to believe in yourself.
The little boy listened to Gu Yian’s words and his eyes became brighter.
“Sister Gu, I’m really happy. No one’s ever said this to me before.”
Gu Yian smiled, “Well, now there’s me.”
She stood up, but the boy still held her arm.
This time, he tried to raise her hand.
The little boy said, “Big sister, I’ll tell you a secret. You can’t tell anyone else, OK?”
“Okay.”
Gu Yian thought she succeeded in triggering a plot event.
Then, she saw the boy use his fingertip to write a character on her palm, one stroke at a time.
“Big Sister, this is my name. You’ll remember it, right?”
Those strokes formed a single character in Gu Yian’s mind.
Ze.
“Mm, I’ll remember it.”
I’ll remember Little Ze.
Gu Yian promised like this.
“Really?”
The little boy heard Gu Yian’s words and his voice was extremely light, “If big sister doesn’t remember, I’ll be unhappy.”
What was promised to God could not be a lie.
