Bang, bang, bang —

The standoff was broken by a knock at the door.

Teacher Cheng turned and went to answer it.

Outside stood a young man in a gray hoodie. He pulled down the wide hood attached to his collar, revealing a smiling face with two prominent canine teeth that made for a memorable impression.

“I’m Du Lai. Is Bai Youwei here?”

Teacher Cheng blinked, then turned to look inside. “Weiwei… someone’s here for you.”

Before Teacher Cheng finished, Bai Youwei had already heard. She thrust her bound hands into the air and pounded them hard against Shen Mo!

“Untie me, now!”

What would it look like to have an outsider see her like this!

The knot was a slip knot — Shen Mo pinched one end and gave a single light tug, and it all came undone.

Bai Youwei’s hands were finally free. But with no nails to scratch him, she angrily pinched the flesh on his arm!

Shen Mo seized her hand and warned her in a low voice: “Are you done?! Keep it up, and tonight I’ll tie your whole body!”

Bai Youwei’s face turned red. She furiously pinched him again. “Pervert!”

Shen Mo stared at her. When had he been a pervert?

Meanwhile, Du Lai had already walked in, a harmless smile on his face.

“Long time no see, Miss Bai~” He smiled and strolled over to where Bai Youwei and Shen Mo were sitting, looking them over a few times. “I heard you made it back out of Game 24. Congratulations — you gained another item.”

Bai Youwei looked at him with open contempt. “Other people congratulate me for surviving. You congratulate me for getting an item. Isn’t my being alive worth congratulating? Can you possibly be any more narrow-minded?”

Du Lai: “……”

He was left speechless. The smile on his face receded a little. “…It seems today is not a good day for your mood.”

“Indeed, so you had better not try to haggle with me.” Bai Youwei was blunt. “If you want to trade for an item, bring ten puzzle pieces! One less and we have nothing to discuss~”

Du Lai had long coveted her doppelganger doll. Bai Youwei couldn’t think of a second reason he would have come to find her.

“Of course — transparent pricing. I appreciate that kind of transaction.” Du Lai smiled and fixed his eyes on Bai Youwei. “But how do I know the doppelganger doll is still in your possession? Maybe… you already used it in a game?”

Bai Youwei’s brow knitted slightly. She was silent for two seconds, then called out, “Xiaoxin, bring my bag!”

Pan Xiaoxin was briefly startled, then hurried into the bedroom. A moment later she came back out hugging a bulging canvas bag and handed it to Bai Youwei.

Du Lai’s eyes instantly grew hotter by several degrees, locked straight onto that bag.

And Bai Youwei’s movements were completely unceremonious — she unzipped the canvas bag, flipped it upside down at ninety degrees, and everything inside cascaded down onto the sofa with a whooshing clatter.

The doppelganger doll was among the pile.

She grabbed it and placed it on the coffee table, movements crisp and decisive, showing not the faintest trace of reluctance to part with the item.

“Here, inspect the goods.” Bai Youwei said.

Her attitude was calm and assured — she wasn’t in the least worried that Du Lai would take the item and run.

That only made Du Lai more guarded.

He looked over the people in the room once more — Tan Xiao, Teacher Cheng, Pan Xiaoxin, and… Shen Mo, sitting beside Bai Youwei.

Then he reached out and cautiously touched the doll on the coffee table.

【Doppelganger Doll: Can serve as a second body for the user, absorbing all damage sustained within 36 hours until completely destroyed.】

That was it!

Exactly as Bai Youwei had written on the exchange notice!

This was what he wanted!

Du Lai’s heart was hammering. He longed to pull the doll into his arms right then and there, and even his fingertips were trembling ever so slightly.

However, another hand pressed down over the doppelganger doll.

Shen Mo reminded him: “We haven’t seen your side of the deal yet.”

—