The person who appeared was Mu Qingyu.
She stood there quietly, blinking her clear eyes as she looked at You Chen, as if confirming something.
"What's wrong?" You Chen felt slightly puzzled. Why did she suddenly come here?
Mu Qingyu shook her head gently, then nodded again. Seeing that You Chen was standing there unharmed, the tension in her eyes finally faded. Without saying a single word, she turned around and left.
She didn't explain anything.
It was as if she didn't know how to put her thoughts into words.
Perhaps this was what people called being bad at social interaction.
"The more I look at her, the more familiar she feels."
The Silent Magician tilted her head slightly, her bright eyes blinking with curiosity, yet she couldn't pinpoint the reason.
You Chen suddenly felt that Mu Qingyu resembled the Silent Magician even more than the Silent Magician herself.
It was often said that the Silent Magician was unsociable.
But You Chen once heard a saying—
True social awkwardness isn't the inability to speak, but the inability to open one's heart to unfamiliar people.
Once trust was established, words would naturally flow.
Perhaps, to the Silent Magician, You Chen was that rare existence.
After You Chen left the venue, everything there gradually returned to normal.
Until—
At a distant corner, a figure wrapped in a black robe slowly emerged.
Beneath the hood, a face hidden in shadows revealed strange purple markings, and a faint, twisted smile appeared.
"A Dark Duelist?"
"I didn't expect this kid… to be one as well."
"Hehe."
...
Back at home.
You Chen was sitting in his room, reorganizing his Cyber Dragon deck.
At present, his Cyber Dragon build lacked Dark-type support—there was no Dark Cyber Dragon variant, no inner darkness core.
It was a surface-oriented Cyber Dragon deck.
Although it lacked explosive depth, it was still usable.
"If it's a standard Cyber Dragon build," You Chen muttered,
"then it has to be paired with enough spell and trap removal."
"Otherwise, it's hard to secure an OTK."
He carefully removed several cards that were too situational or slow, replacing them with more universal support to ensure smoother operation.
Beside him, the Silent Magician was playing games as usual.
Recently, she had been chatting with a net friend named "Rainy Day."
"How do you make friends?" the Silent Magician suddenly asked.
"You want to make friends?" You Chen felt his head hurt.
Others couldn't even see her, and she was asking about friendship?
"No," she shook her head lightly.
"It's Rainy Day. She asked me."
You Chen took the phone.
How to make friends?
That was indeed a deep question.
Especially when you were playing underworld-style decks lately.
"Actually," You Chen said seriously,
"making friends isn't hard."
"If the person you want to make friends with is a guy—"
"Just send him a message saying—"
"'My husband isn't home tonight, and I'm full of passion. Can my brother come over as a guest?'"
"I guarantee you'll make friends instantly."
You Chen sent it casually.
The other side was silent for a long time.
Then replied:
"I don't have a husband yet."
You Chen froze.
Why was this girl so straightforward?
Couldn't she tell it was a joke?
From her response, it seemed she didn't even understand the implication.
You Chen immediately stopped replying.
If she took it seriously, that would be a lifetime crime.
At that moment—
A shocked cry came from the living room.
"Oh my god! Is this Thunder Academy's admission notice?!"
"You Chen, this can't be yours, right?"
You Wushuang's voice echoed loudly.
She was as careless as ever.
She rushed in, holding the admission notice, eyes wide with disbelief.
You Chen glanced at her calmly.
"Is there anyone else in this house?" he replied.
"And your name's on it!" she shouted.
After confirming it repeatedly, You Wushuang was stunned.
How had her little brother changed so much in such a short time?
From a nobody—
To a duelist capable of entering Thunder Academy.
She felt envious.
She also wanted to become a powerful duelist.
"When are you leaving?"
"I'll go with you."
She wanted to see the environment of one of the Four Great Academies of Longguo.
"No rush," You Chen replied.
"I'll rest for two days first."
"No!"
"Studies are more important!"
"We leave the day after tomorrow—no, that's too slow!"
"Tomorrow! Tomorrow!"
"It's decided."
She didn't care whether You Chen agreed.
You Chen: "..."
"Her condition is getting worse."
"Forget it."
"Go to sleep. Staying up late shortens your life."
You Chen turned off the lights and lay down.
Although the Silent Magician had no physical form, she lay down beside him anyway.
You Chen: "?"
"If you're not going back to the card, what are you doing?"
"It's boring in there," she said softly.
"It's more comfortable here."
"You sleep."
You Chen: "..."
How was he supposed to sleep with her staring at him?
He turned around and forced himself to fall asleep.
At that moment, his phone screen lit up.
A new message.
The profile picture—
Mu Qingyu?
As classmates, they had been added to the group chat long ago.
Why was she messaging him so late?
You Chen opened it.
Instantly, he was dumbfounded.
"My husband is not at home tonight, and I am very passionate. Can my brother come to my house as a guest?"
Mu Qingyu stared at the screen seriously.
She didn't understand what the sentence meant.
She only wanted to make friends.
Why did making friends require mentioning a husband?
She didn't understand.
But she trusted what she was told.
You Chen's first reaction—
"Pfft—am I poisoned?!"
"Wait… why does this sound so familiar?"
"No way."
"Could Rainy Day… be Mu Qingyu?"
"And the friend she wanted to make… was me?"
What kind of upright girl was this?
After thinking for a moment, You Chen replied calmly:
"My brother has already rested. We'll talk later."
Mu Qingyu blinked.
"It seems… it really works."
"See you tomorrow," she replied.
"I can't tomorrow," You Chen said.
"I'm going to Thunder Academy."
Mu Qingyu: "!"
"…Okay."
Her short reply carried hidden determination.
She quietly opened her application list.
Crossed out her first choice—Xuanshui Academy.
Replaced it with—
Thunder Academy.
"The college entrance duel is coming."
"The academy is where a duelist truly leaps forward."
"And you—"
"You will become the driving force behind my victory."
Her eyes reflected a burning desire to duel.
Next time—
She would definitely win.
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