My Strange Tale Love Strategy Simulator

The night was as dark as ink, so thick it seemed impossible to dissolve. The wind from the riverbank carried a damp, earthy scent, gently brushing against Zhang Ying's cheek.

He stood beside the familiar stone bridge, took a deep breath, and slowly immersed his consciousness into the panel.

Zhang Ying softly called that name in her heart: "Senior."

A moment later, the interface of the panel rippled like water.

Immediately afterwards, a small head peeked out from the panel, its bright eyes blinking as it softly asked, "Junior? Why did you call me out so late?"

Zhang Ying looked at her, a slight smile playing on his lips. He picked up the fireworks in his arms, his eyes sparkling with anticipation: "The night is beautiful tonight. I'd like to invite you to set off fireworks together."

Li Ziqing was stunned for a moment, then seemed to be intrigued. She pushed herself up with both hands and lightly emerged from the panel, landing steadily on the grass in front of Zhang Ying.

She was clearly dressed up for the evening.

She still wore her signature blood-red beret. She had changed into a pure white coat, well-tailored, which made her skin look even whiter than snow. She paired it with a black pleated skirt, which made her look both playful and elegant.

It seems she changed her entire outfit specifically to match the beret on her head.

Li Ziqing put his hands behind his back, leaned forward slightly, and bent down to get close to the fireworks in Zhang Ying's hand, his nose almost touching the wrapping paper.

She tilted her head in confusion, her hair brushing lightly against Zhang Ying's hand: "Fireworks? Why would you suddenly want to set off fireworks? Today doesn't seem to be any special day."

Looking at the girl so close to him, Zhang Ying's gaze softened and deepened. He slowly said, "Senior, do you remember? In the illusion, you took me to see the riverbank where you lived as a child. At that time, I thought that I also wanted to share my cherished memories with you."

He pointed to the ground beneath his feet and the stone bridge in the distance: "So, I've brought you to see the riverbank where I lived as a child. The river here isn't as clear as it used to be, but it holds very important memories for me. I want to set off a fireworks display here with you, a display just for the two of us."

Upon hearing these words, Li Ziqing's originally fair cheeks instantly flushed crimson, the blush spreading all the way to her ears.

She hovered in mid-air for a few moments, somewhat bewildered, like a startled butterfly, before obediently landing back beside Zhang Ying, head bowed, and replying in a voice barely audible, "Okay."

The two crouched side by side under the bridge, sheltered from the night wind. The stream beside them flowed ceaselessly, making a gurgling sound, as if telling the story of bygone years.

Zhang Ying pulled out a sparkler and lit the fuse with a lighter.

laugh--

With a soft thud, sparks flew out, and golden light instantly illuminated the dark archway. The light wasn't dazzling, but it carried a warm feeling, blooming with a rainbow halo in the darkness.

Li Ziqing nestled close to Zhang Ying, her arms wrapped around her knees, her eyes fixed on the burning sparkler. The firelight reflected in her pupils, making it seem as if stars were twinkling.

As she watched the sparkler burn out, she seemed to feel exceptionally relaxed, and unconsciously began humming an unknown tune, its melody melodious and cheerful.

Under the cover of night, fireworks rose from beneath the bridge arch, the surroundings utterly silent except for the rapid pounding of Zhang Ying's heart and the crackling of the fireworks in his hand. At that moment, it seemed as if the world consisted only of the two of them.

As the final burst of fireworks sent sparks flying into the sky, the dazzling light and shadow traced graceful arcs across the night sky. Zhang Ying and Li Ziqing spent an unforgettable evening by the summer river.

The fireworks have faded, but the warmth still lingers.

The two remained silent, the air thick with the faint smell of sulfur and fresh grass. Li Ziqing's palms were icy cold, the temperature characteristic of strange creatures, but in Zhang Ying's broad palms, that coldness seemed to gradually warm up, becoming less piercing.

After all the fireworks had burned out, Zhang Ying did not let go of Li Ziqing's hand, but held it tightly as the two strolled along the riverbank.

The gravel underfoot made a slight crunching sound, and each step felt like stepping on each other's hearts.

As they walked, Zhang Ying suddenly asked, "Senior, what do you think a lover should be like?"

Li Ziqing stopped and looked up at the sparse starlight in the sky, her eyes somewhat unfocused.

She said softly, "I believe that lovers are two people who can understand each other, tolerate each other, laugh together, and grieve together. When you're sad, you have someone to be with you; when you're happy, you have someone to be crazy with. Every little moment spent together is precious, and when you look back, you can't help but feel grateful that you were there for me."

After saying that, she turned her head and looked intently at Zhang Ying: "And you? What kind of person do you think a lover is?"

Zhang Ying stopped and turned to face her. The night wind ruffled his hair, but it couldn't dispel the determination in his eyes. He looked at Li Ziqing, a bright smile curving his lips, and said, word by word, "It's someone like you."

Li Ziqing was clearly taken aback by his directness. Her already rosy cheeks flushed instantly. She stomped her foot and said coquettishly, "You're so annoying! I'm serious."

"I'm serious! 100% sincere," Zhang Ying said earnestly, his eyes clear and without a trace of impurity.

Upon hearing these words, Li Ziqing froze completely. Then, her body began to become unstable, layers of blood mist emanating from her body, as if she were extremely shy, or perhaps unable to bear this overwhelmingly intense emotion.

Finally, under Zhang Ying's gaze, she transformed into a cloud of blood mist, dissipating into the night, leaving only a faint hum.

Zhang Ying watched Li Ziqing leave shyly, her faint fragrance still lingering in the air. He scratched his head, feeling that he might have been a bit too direct, and a slight blush crept onto his face, but his heart was filled with sweetness.

Just then, several messages popped up on the panel in my mind.

Daily task one completed.

[Reward: 1 point of sanity]

[Important Task One Completed]

[Reward: 5 point of sanity]

[Affection level increased: Lover ★☆]

Zhang Ying looked at the panel with some surprise. To his surprise, this daily task had also included completing the important task one.

So this fireworks display was truly unforgettable for Li Ziqing?

The 6 points of sanity gained allowed Zhang Ying to successfully break through the sanity cap of 21.

The instant the numerical breakthrough occurred, Zhang Ying felt as if the space within his brain had expanded several times over. His thoughts instantly became incredibly clear; not only was his consciousness sharp, but even his five senses became exceptionally acute.

He stood still, closed his eyes, and could reconstruct the movements around him solely through his memory and five senses.

The sound of the wind rustling through the grass, the rhythm of the river lapping against the bank, and the frequency of insects chirping in the distant fields—all of these formed a clear 3D image in his mind, as if he had gained "mind's eye."

The rapid rise in his rationality also plunged him into an unprecedented feeling of excitement. He felt like he had inexhaustible strength, his blood was surging through his veins, and the scene from just now was replaying in his mind again and again.

Especially when he said to Li Ziqing, "It's because of you," that memory seemed to play back and forth in his mind like a slideshow.

Zhang Ying dug his toes into the soles of his shoes, covered his face with both hands, and felt his cheeks burning.

"Oh my god, I just said something like that..." It took him a while to calm down and finally he breathed a sigh of relief.

Zhang Ying took out his phone and glanced at the time. The screen showed that it was 2:39 AM on April 26th.

At 2:30 a.m., it's impossible to flag down a taxi on this kind of country road.

He was just about to call a ride-hailing car to go home when suddenly, a muffled honking sound came from behind him.

drop--

The sound seemed particularly abrupt in the quiet night.

Zhang Ying suddenly looked up and looked behind him. He saw an old bus, its body mottled and its paint peeling, with two dim yellow headlights, slowly driving towards him.

The wheels rolled over the road, making a heavy sound.

Zhang Ying then realized that he had unknowingly walked to a bus stop. The bus stop sign stood alone by the roadside, the words on it blurred and illegible, looking particularly eerie under the dim streetlights.

How could there be a bus in this desolate place?