Chapter 87 — Playing Games

When the meal was over, Li Yuchen dragged Han Yichen on a tour to show him around. Starting from his room where he showed him his game accessories —his babies as he called them— he pointed out the room Pei Yueran stayed in when she was sick, his dad's room and the other rooms on the second floor.

Then he took him upstairs to have a look around, and back downstairs to have a look at the gym. Han Yichen looked around carefully. He liked the medieval feel of the house, and was just thinking of how to incorporate it into his next story when he heard Li Yuchen say,

"When's your birthday?"

Han Yichen snapped out of his thoughts and said, "In November."

"It's a lie! When in November?"

"18th."

"Wow! Are you serious? Me too! What are the odds?" Li Yuchen shouted in excitement.

Han Yichen was surprised as well. Such a coincidence.

"So how should we celebrate it? We would be in school at that time though." Li Yuchen said, his excitement fading. He really hated school.

"Is that a problem?"

To Li Yuchen, it was a huge problem, but he didn't want to say that. Instead, it reminded him of something else, "My Goddess said you will continue middle school here in City M. Have you chosen a school?"

"Yes. Anping First Middle School."

"Oh, that's the school I'll be going to as well! Let's be deskmates." He had just made that decision now, but it didn't matter. His dad will definitely support him. At the thought of attending the same school with his friend, his happiness soared.

"Fine." Han Yichen sounded noncommittal, but he was excited as well. Starting over in a new school was always daunting, and he was glad there would now be a familiar face.

Both of them went back to Li Yuchen's room and stayed there for the rest of the visit. Li Yuchen taught him how to play one of his favorite games— Lord level kingdoms— and Han Yichen got the hang of it quickly.

He opened an account and tagged along with Li Yuchen on raids, eliminating enemies and collecting bounties.

Han Yichen didn't know that this type of game could be so fun. He was mainly used to intellectual games, and he said as much to Li Yuchen, who immediately pouted.

"Who says this is not an intellectual game? It requires wisdom, planning and skills to win. That famous author said "The supreme art of war is to fight the enemy without subduing them." That's what we are doing, springing a surprise attack first and catching those criminals unawares."

Han Yichen: "???"

What was he even saying? He really did not want to comment, but after holding it in for a few moments, he could not help but say,

"Actually, your quote is wrong. Sun Tzu said, "The supreme art of war is to subdue the enemy without fighting." It means that in a situation of war, prepare so well that an enemy will not engage you. Figure out the enemy's weaknesses and use them diplomatically, to prevent unnecessary bloodshed."

Besides, he really didn't see how this quote could be applied to the game they were playing. Li Yuchen was not using any strategy. Instead, he was simply behaving more like a bandit than the NPC bandits in the game!

They were just going round, looting and snatching goods. Whenever they encountered a bandit or rich person loitering around, Li Yuchen will oppress him to death with his high-level equipment. Han Yichen was basically there to pick up their "spoils of war".

Li Yuchen stared at him, unblinking. In that moment, he had a ridiculous thought: What if Han Yichen was his Dad's biological son instead? What if theirs was a case of mistaken identity? What if there was a mix-up in the hospital?

Or else, why would Han Yichen always focus on the wrong point, just like his dad??? Were they really switched at birth?

Noticing his silent stare, Han Yichen asked, "What?"

"Whatever you say. The main point is, it is definitely an intellectual game. Besides, I now know you can speak normally. This is the longest I've heard you speak for!"

Han Yichen raised a brow in a way that Li Yuchen could have sworn made him look very similar to Li Chuanmo. "How?"

There, he had started again.

Han Yichen noticed something from Li Yuchen's expression and repeated himself, "I mean, how do I speak?" He honestly had not noticed anything wrong with his way of speaking, and no one else had ever complained.

"You really want to know?"

Han Yichen nodded.

"Like you have a speech disorder." Li Yuchen blurted out, hoping his friend would not be angry.

Han Yichen digested this new information. He was not offended, only surprised. He knew he spoke less compared to others, but he didn't know that it could be a problem. To him, too many words were unnecessary if few words could suffice.

He nodded, "I see."

"So? Are you angry with me?"

"Of course not." He felt he could easily work on that. But he was still sceptical. If Li Yuchen was using himself as the standard, then he would rather continue talking less.

Li Yuchen spoke entirely too much!

"But you understand me, right?" Han Yichen asked to confirm.

"Most of the time, yes."

"Okay." Han Yichen made up his mind to speak a little more when he was with this friend of his.

Just then, the butler knocked on the door to inform them that it was time to go. Li Yuchen's face immediately crumpled into a frown.

Seeing this, Han Yichen impulsively invited, "You can come to our place tomorrow."

Li Yuchen beamed brightly, "Alright."

They went downstairs together, in time to see Pei Yueran and Li Chuanmo moving away from each other. Li Yuchen skipped into Pei Yueran's arms, "My Goddess, can I come and visit tomorrow? Yichen invited me."

"Of course, but shouldn't you ask your dad first?" She genuinely liked him and was sure Han Yichen would enjoy his company.

Li Chuanmo, who was neglected did not mind. "You can go if you want, but your Auntie Pei and I have to go to work, and it would be good for Yichen to rest tomorrow as well."

"How about the day after tomorrow then?" It was Han Yichen that asked.

It was fine with everyone.

They all got into the car and Li Chuanmo drove them home, Li Yuchen doing the work of a radio all the way.