Black and White
The more Wen Yiqian thought about it, the more he felt this matter was not simple.
His eyes grew vacant as he gradually sank into deep thought.
Suddenly, his surroundings darkened, covered by a shadow.
Wen Yiqian blinked, staring at the ground in front of him, his heart leaping violently.
A human shadow had fallen over his own.
That meant someone was standing directly behind him right now, possibly even watching him coldly.
His heartbeat accelerated out of his control, and his thoughts raced chaotically.
He had clearly seen everyone leave just moments ago. Where had this person come from?
When had they arrived?
Why were they standing behind him?
Why weren’t they saying anything?
Countless questions tangled into a mess in his mind, leaving him momentarily unsure of what to do.
Click!
The sudden crisp sound startled Wen Yiqian. He jumped up from his seat and spun around.
Standing behind him was a slightly plump man wearing a beret and holding a camera.
The man wore gold-rimmed glasses, his finger still resting on the shutter button, his face showing a hint of surprise.
Judging by his attire, he was a reporter. That crisp sound had been the camera shutter.
He had probably intended to take a few casual shots of Wen Yiqian, this outstanding citizen, to fulfill his assignment.
“Who are you? Why are you standing behind me? You scared me.” After working it out, Wen Yiqian relaxed slightly, then immediately questioned him.
The man’s face showed a trace of confusion. He frowned and scrutinized Wen Yiqian with a doubtful gaze.
Seeing that this guy seemed to think Wen Yiqian should already know who he was, Wen Yiqian couldn’t help but ask, “Do we know each other? Or are you just really famous?”
The man still didn’t speak. He narrowed his eyes slightly and looked at Wen Yiqian with a rather peculiar expression.
Only then did Wen Yiqian realize: this guy might be a character who had appeared in the novel before.
Male. Ordinary-looking. Slightly plump. Gold-rimmed glasses. And a reporter?
Who exactly was he?
Perhaps from excessive nervousness, Wen Yiqian couldn’t place him.
“Is this your new game?” A glimmer of understanding appeared on the man’s face. “Playing the good guy?”
He shook his head. “No wonder you went to such lengths to get an Outstanding Citizen Award. You want to use this identity to toy with those fools?”
He thought for a moment and chuckled. “Come to think of it, that actually sounds pretty fun. Maybe I’ll try to get one someday too.”
“Hehehe…” Wen Yiqian didn’t know how to respond and could only manage an awkward laugh.
“When did you learn to play the fool to amuse others?” The man smiled. “I stood behind you for so long just now, and you pretended not to notice, then put on a whole show of being startled.”
He paused and shook his head. “But your acting is way too exaggerated. Who would actually be that timid? I didn’t even do anything, and you got scared like that.”
“Hahaha…” Wen Yiqian’s eye twitched.
“But your nerve really is as terrifying as ever!” the man exclaimed. “I stood behind you for so long just now. Weren’t you even a little afraid I might attack you?”
He added with a half-smile, “Even if your mind is sharp, a bullet from behind would still kill you, right?”
“Actually… I was thinking about something and didn’t notice you,” Wen Yiqian admitted weakly.
“Oh~” The man nodded. “Is that a joke?”
He looked utterly unconvinced, letting out two cold laughs. “You’re getting more and more humorous.”
“Thank you for the compliment,” Wen Yiqian replied politely.
“Enough. Don’t treat me like those idiots.” The man’s expression darkened, a clear note of indignation in his tone. “I lost to you last time, fine. But comparing me to the fools you’ve been toying with? You’re really underestimating me.”
“Last time? Lost to me?”
Wen Yiqian frowned slightly, finally pulling up the memory buried deep in his mind.
This man was called Fang Yu. Twenty-seven years old.
Earlier in the novel, he had once gone up against the male protagonist.
Although he ultimately lost, he had managed to escape through a backup plan.
To be precise, Fang Yu wasn’t a psychopath. But he had a high IQ and a stubborn streak, the type who wouldn’t give up until he’d achieved his goal.
Recalling his identity, Wen Yiqian quietly breathed a sigh of relief.
Fang Yu’s primary goal was to defeat Wen Yiqian fairly, in a straight contest of wits.
So there was no need to worry about him stabbing anyone in the back or playing dirty.
Compared to psychopathic killers, this seemed like a relatively manageable character to deal with.
“I remember now. You’re Fang Yu, right?” Seeing the other’s displeased expression, Wen Yiqian quickly spoke up, trying to ease the tension.
“So you weren’t playing dumb just now. You genuinely didn’t remember who I was.” Fang Yu’s face darkened completely, his teeth clenched. “Was my performance last time not even worth remembering?”
Is he doing reading comprehension? Wen Yiqian was slightly taken aback, inwardly screaming. I’m still processing the surface meaning, and he’s already jumped to the fifth layer of implication!
But he didn’t dare say any of that out loud. Looking at Fang Yu’s expression, the man seemed ready to explode at any moment. Provoking him further was not an option.
“What did you come to find me for?” Wen Yiqian tried to redirect the conversation.
“Find you for what?” Fang Yu looked incredulous. “Do you think it’s fun, messing with me like this?”
He paused. “Or is it that, in your heart, I’m really no different from those idiots?”
The situation seemed to have gotten worse.
“You’re smart. Not like those people,” Wen Yiqian attempted to salvage things.
“Smart? Hahaha.” Fang Yu let out a bitter laugh, vaulted over the seat, and reached into his pocket.
Wen Yiqian took half a step back in fright. A phrase surfaced in his mind unbidden.
The times have changed!
He had already quietly prepared to raise his hands in surrender.
But what Fang Yu pulled from his pocket wasn’t a pistol.
It was a phone.
“Let’s play another round,” Fang Yu said coldly.
“Play what? Honor of Kings?” Wen Yiqian looked at the phone and the words came out on instinct. “I don’t know how to play that.”
Fang Yu stumbled. He trembled all over, his vision darkening. He nearly fainted from sheer rage.
It hadn’t been that long since they last met, yet the other’s ability to humiliate him had somehow reached perfection.
Every sentence landed precisely on a sore spot.
A loser could never hold their head high in front of a winner.
Losing to Wen Yiqian last time was the shame of his life. However he had lost, he would win back the same way.
This time, Fang Yu would reclaim his confidence, restore his dignity, and hold his head high.
“Choose. Black or white.” He took a deep breath, forcibly suppressing everything churning inside him, and spoke in a cold, flat voice.
Black? White? Wen Yiqian genuinely wanted to ask what that meant.
But looking at Fang Yu in this state, one more provocation and the man might abandon all pride and dignity, grab a knife, and come after him.
(End of Chapter)