Chapter 138: Meet in Half an Hour

Xu Nuo completely lost her voice.

She opened her mouth, but couldn't utter a single word.

Her throat felt as if it was stuffed with something warm and soft.

Only the warm spring water gently enveloped her, as if even the water currents were softly comforting her trembling body.

A long time passed.

She slowly sank her entire body into the water, until the warm spring water submerged the top of her head.

Then, under the water surface where no one could see, she parted her lips and revealed a silly, somewhat childish smile, mixing massive relief and surging joy.

Her eyes curved into crescents.

It turns out, the feeling of being completely accepted by someone... is like this.

Like finally unloading a giant boulder carried for ten years.

Like a freezing person finally falling beside a warm stove.

She suddenly realized that it was precisely because of Teacher's warm companionship and quiet guidance that she didn't completely fall into darkness, didn't completely lose her humanity, and didn't truly become a blade with only killing instincts.

But soon, she popped out of the water and started crying "wuwuwu."

It wasn't the suppressed sobbing from just now, but the kind of crying like a child who had suffered grievances and was finally coaxed well, able to cry wantonly.

Xu Yunzhou was just feeling gratified that this girl had finally untied the knot in her heart, wearing a kind smile on his face, when he suddenly heard the unprovoked sobbing. He was puzzled:

"What's wrong? Wasn't everything fine just now? Why are you crying again?"

He recalled a bit; the number of times Xu Nuo cried today was simply more than the previous few years combined.

Is this girl trying to drain all the tears accumulated over many years at once today?

Xu Nuo buried her face into the water and raised it again. On her soaking wet face, it was impossible to distinguish spring water from tears.

Her eyes and the tip of her nose were completely red, her voice carrying a heavy nasal tone and deep remorse:

"Wuwuwu... If I, if I hadn't told that lie... hadn't said my enemy was Takemiya Susumu... I wouldn't have had to force myself to become an assassin, wouldn't have had to get stained with so much un-washable blood... wouldn't have walked my life to today's kind of... this kind of path where I can't see the light and can't turn back..."

The more she spoke, the sadder she got, tears falling patter-patter:

"I originally... could have been an ordinary girl... openly accompanying Teacher..."

"Hey, you shouldn't see it like that. Maybe it was a blessing in disguise."

Xu Yunzhou interrupted her, his tone relaxed, carrying a bit of the open-mindedness of someone who has been through it:

"Look, haven't you learned many skills now because of it? Hacking, combat, firearms, disguise, infiltration and reconnaissance..."

He paused, his voice taking on a trace of a smile and mystery:

"Don't forget, the future me still needs you to protect me."

Xu Nuo's crying stopped abruptly.

She raised her tearful eyes, staring blankly at the void.

That's right!

If it weren't for this strange combination of circumstances, how could I have learned so many skills that only special agents and assassins can master?

These skills... can be used to protect Teacher!

This thought, like a beam of light, instantly illuminated her heart shrouded in remorse.

"Teacher!"

She abruptly sat up straight from the water, water splashing everywhere. Her eyes were astonishingly bright, teardrops still hanging on her face, yet her tone was exceptionally firm, almost shouted out:

"I will definitely become very, very strong in these eight years, and protect you well! Make sure you are happy, safe, and sound every day, and I will absolutely not let you experience any bad things again!"

However, just as the words fell, she seemed to perceive herself the logical paradox hidden in this vow.

If Teacher is safe and smooth all along, encounters no accidents, doesn't... "leave(die)," then wouldn't he... not travel back like now, to meet me, teach me... know me?

Her brows furrowed slightly, falling into thought. The excitement on her face gradually faded, replaced by confusion and faint unease.

The more she thought about it, the more she felt something was wrong, her eyes slowly widening:

"Then does that mean... in that safe future, the Teacher who survived doesn't know me at all?"

Figuring this out, Xu Nuo abruptly froze for a moment.

In that case... wouldn't I and Teacher become strangers?

This possibility made her heart clench fiercely, casting a shadow over the joy and determination from just now.

She couldn't bear to let it go.

Couldn't bear to let go of this companionship, couldn't bear to let go of this understanding, couldn't bear to let go of this only person who completely accepted her.

After a brief sadness and struggle, she took a deep breath. A mature expression mixing bitterness and decisiveness appeared on her face, as if she had grown up a lot in an instant.

Her voice lowered, yet was exceptionally clear, every word seeming to be pulled from the bottom of her heart:

"But... it doesn't matter."

"Teacher, your safety is the most important."

She paused, her tone so calm it made one's heart ache:

"If that is the best ending... I can just quietly guard you from a distance. I won't appear rashly, won't disturb your life, won't bring you any trouble..."

Looking at the void, as if seeing that "future Xu Yunzhou" who was safe and smooth but didn't know her, she said softly:

"As long as I know you are doing well in everything, it's enough."

In front of the screen, hearing these words, Xu Yunzhou finally understood completely!

No wonder Xu Nuo held back from contacting him all along! No wonder she only tentatively contacted him after seeing him log into the cloud drive!

It turns out in her consciousness, that "safe future Xu Yunzhou" doesn't know her at all! She was confirming whether this logged-in person was the "Teacher from the past"!

He looked at the morning sunlight of 2025 outside the window, imagining that the Xu Nuo in reality right now might be hiding in some corner, facing the computer screen looking completely dumbfounded, heartbeat accelerating, both bewildered and expectant...

He just felt it was funny, and also felt a bit of heartache.

This silly girl.

So, facing Xu Nuo in the game, he said in a solemn tone:

"Ah Nuo, many things cannot be explained clearly. However, on May 24, 2025, at 10:00 AM, at that time I will remember you."

He paused, reporting the address:

"I will be waiting for you in the Cambridge Romance room at Qiushui Manor by the West Lake in Binzhou."

Although making an appointment with another girl in the room booked by Song Jiaru was somewhat weird, he couldn't care about it at this moment; curiosity gained the upper hand.

Curious whether after saying this sentence, Xu Nuo would come knocking on the door later?

The time now is 9:30 AM, there is still half an hour. He deliberately reserved this half hour because he wanted to finish playing Xu Nuo's game stage first and understand more of the follow-up before talking.

In the game.

Xu Nuo nodded crazily in the bathtub, her soaking wet hair swaying along, splashing tiny water droplets:

"Mhm! I remember it, Teacher! May 24, 2025, 10:00 AM, Qiushui Manor, Cambridge Romance. I will definitely go!"

Then, she stood up from the bathtub.

The hot spring water slid down her slender body that already had smooth muscle lines, glowing with a healthy luster under the light.

Amidst the rising water vapor, the young girl's body was faintly discernible. Her skin was steamed slightly red by the hot air, like a light layer of rouge applied.

Boldly yet shyly, she stood in front of Xu Yunzhou's illusory figure, raised her soaking wet face, and looked at him with sparkling eyes:

"Teacher, I guarantee!"

She paused, a blush rising on her face, but she still finished speaking firmly:

"When the time comes, I will definitely fit your aesthetics... even more than now..."

She was too embarrassed to finish, but her eyes and slightly puffed-out chest already explained everything.

Xu Yunzhou:

"..."

He looked at the completely unguarded, stubborn-eyed young girl on the screen, and then looked at her body curves that became even more obvious after getting wet...

His Adam's apple rolled uncontrollably.

Truly fatal.

He silently averted his gaze and coughed lightly:

"Hurry up and put your clothes on properly, don't catch a cold."

His tone was deadpan, but the roots of his ears were a bit hot.

Meeting in half an hour...

What kind of scene will it be?