Shen Mingyuan nodded and answered candidly: “She’s been gone without a word since she left. I’m worried about her.”

Such a simple sentence, and yet for some reason it gave the impression of feelings that had taken root deep in the bone.

If he’d been ten or fifteen years younger, there probably wasn’t a woman alive who could have resisted him.

A quiet feeling moved through Bai Youwei. Compared to Shen Mo’s father, all the tender words Shen Mo usually said to her felt genuinely stiff and dry…

Shen Mo continued trying to reason with him: “You have the item and the walkthrough, but you’ve had no prior experience whatsoever. When faced with an unexpected situation, you’ll lack the judgment to respond. This is far from a wise decision.”

Shen Mingyuan asked: “If it were Weiwei who had disappeared without word, would you stop to consider whether your decision was wise?”

Shen Mo’s brow furrowed. He fell silent.

If something happened to Bai Youwei, he would try even if the odds were one in ten million.

But the question was — could Shen Mingyuan’s feelings for Wang Jingxian really be compared to what he had with Bai Youwei?

He seemed to vaguely recall that his father and Aunt Wang hadn’t quite gotten to that point yet…

Adult love was always full of calculations, never as pure and reckless as the love of the young — which was why it was always the young who walked into fire.

Shen Mingyuan smiled faintly and said: “I’ve always heard you all talking about mazes and games — I’ve long been curious about them. Now there’s a decent opportunity, and I might even get news of Weiwei’s mother in the process. Why not give it a try?”

—

Shen Mo frowned. “This isn’t a matter of ‘giving it a try.’ The risks cannot be predicted. If you feel that finding Aunt Wang is truly necessary, let me go instead.”

Bai Youwei blinked.

Shen Mingyuan waved his hand. “Stay with Weiwei. If I do have some accident, there’s no need for you to take it to heart — consider it me keeping her mother company. In times like these, living and dying is nothing but a game anyway.”

Shen Mo’s frown deepened. His father made it sound casual, but Shen Mo felt he was simply looking for trouble on his own behalf.

Bai Youwei looked at the two of them, thought it over, and said: “If you’re going — then let me go instead.”

Shen Mo’s gaze went cold and flat as still water as he turned it on Bai Youwei, and he refused at once: “You need to be preparing for the battle game. You can’t afford the distraction.”

“If you go, do you think I won’t be distracted?” Bai Youwei said with a light smile. “Besides — Uncle Shen is willing to risk his life for my mother. As her daughter, wouldn’t it be strange if I remained completely unmoved?”

Shen Mo’s expression was extremely dark. He even turned a fierce glare on Shen Mingyuan.

Shen Mingyuan smiled. “Weiwei, please don’t misunderstand. I had no intention of pressuring you into going. Wanting to enter the maze is entirely my own idea.”

Bai Youwei also smiled: “I understand — there’s no misunderstanding. Wanting to enter the maze is also entirely my own idea. The truth is, I declined at first because I thought my mother had always been very independent, and that disturbing her current life was unnecessary. But after hearing what Uncle Shen said, I’ve realized — regardless of whether the other person is doing well or not, as a child you should at least take some interest in how your parents are…”

Shen Mo suddenly stood, crossed to Bai Youwei in several quick strides, and — heedless of the startled looks around them — pulled her away toward the elevator bank.

He drew her by the hand into the elevator and hit the button for their floor.

The elevator ascended slowly.

Shen Mo looked at Bai Youwei with a stony expression. “Are you deliberately trying to provoke me? Why did you change your mind?”

“I already explained the reasons just now,” Bai Youwei said, blinking at him with an innocent look. “First, I can get news of my mother. Second, it’ll make your father happy. And third… if your father is happy, so are you.”

“I am not happy,” Shen Mo said, agitated — and for the first time, visibly rattled. “My father is simply too idle! You don’t need to involve yourself in this — I’ll enter Maze No. 1!”

Bai Youwei went quiet. Then she wrapped her arms around his waist and leaned gently against him.

“There’s actually one thing Du Lai said that wasn’t wrong…” she said softly. “As long as you keep reminding yourself you’re inside a dream, there won’t be any problems… Maze No. 1 is both the hardest and the easiest.”

She tilted her head up and rose onto her tiptoes to press a light kiss against his jaw. “Let me go.”

—