Life Goes On

Different youths have their own moments of life's final brilliance.

"Boss Bi" Gu Bilin woke up an hour later, took out his phone, and transferred eighty yuan to Li Jie. He quite liked that little gourd trinket called "Red of Power."

Of course, he also hoped Li Jie would clean up his computer's browsing history a bit more thoroughly.

One must leave a spotless reputation in this world.

"Damn, this one called 'Maria Seven Stripes' actually has some uncensored films."

"She only went uncensored last month... Can you delete them first?"

"Get lost, you're about to croak anyway. Might as well let me have them, I'll transfer them to my phone first."

"..."

Awaiting the final moment, Gu Bilin was both pained and amused, then weakly said, "Thanks, Brother Crab."

"Thank your mother."

"Take off your sunglasses."

"Take off your mother."

Li Jie always wore sunglasses, because only with them could he maintain his cool.

"I really wish I could live a bit longer—just a few years, a few months, a few weeks, even a few days..."

"After you croak, which world do you want to show off in?"

"Do you have any recommendations, Brother Crab?"

"Let me think."

After erasing all traces of Gu Bilin’s presence on those private websites, another corner of the world had fewer remnants of him. Li Jie organized countless photos and videos, backing them up on a portable hard drive.

Many years ago, there was an electronic tombstone reserve spot, with an auspicious number: "Huai A18168". All the way to prosperity—as long as the owner of that license plate in Huai West Province doesn’t find out, or they'd chase him all the way with a forty-meter machete.

"After you croak, you'll be reborn in a world where esports are highly developed. When you arrive, you'll be able to play right away, since the original body’s owner died suddenly from overwork."

"Sounds a bit grim."

"Are you listening or not?"

"Go on."

"There'll be a little sister, how about that?"

"Is she pretty?"

"Guaranteed pretty, with big breasts and curves, long flowing hair, and no blood relation... What’s with that uninterested look on your face?"

"..."

"Fine, a real sister, but still big breasts... Good enough? If not, just lie down."

"I can hang in there a little longer."

"You’re damn stubborn, aren’t you?"

"..."

Gu Bilin didn’t reply, only gave his final middle finger.

"You’ll quit your job and start showing off your gaming skills from your previous life."

"Five national servers ranked is nothing—straight to eleven, with the number one spot for the season, earning the title of the wildest Jungler of the year."

"You’ll attract seventy-two little fangirls, all part of your harem."

"Your live streams will be hugely popular, hailed as the top technical streamer, becoming the spokesperson for multiple games."

"You’ll even appear on TV variety shows, interacting with stars like 'Heavenly King Wang', and have a backstage encounter that instantly results in triplets."

"Your parents will go from being scorned and despised by trashy relatives to being worshipped, all within a year. Your home starts as a luxury flat, always chauffeured, and even when you take the wheel yourself, life’s still not perfect."

"Then you open your own game company, and fans eagerly pay for trial runs. You sell ten million copies, instantly winning Game of the Year, raking in billions..."

"Doesn’t that sound awesome?"

"That really is pretty great..."

With a smile and closed eyes, Gu Bilin imagined Li Jie’s descriptions. If he could have such a life, it would be truly exhilarating.

Seventy-two wives—his kidneys probably wouldn’t last even before his death.

"By the way, Boss Bi, I’ll transfer you another five thousand."

"What for?"

"My first wife, to scheme against me, first contacted you on the pretense of a little national mahjong game, then found my 'Twelve Mamas at Home' account."

"Your wife’s insane?"

"She has a V-type alpha-dependent personality disorder."

"Damn, you know that’s illegal, right?"

"Not mental illness, it’s a psychological disorder."

"..."

After a long silence, Gu Bilin steadied himself, then calmly said, "Brother Crab."

"Hmm?"

"Thank you for everything, always."

"No need to be formal..."

"In the next life, I’ll be your father, raising you with my own hands..."

"..."

Computer, phone, tablet—every internet-enabled device, every deletable "study material" or "magic ingredient" was wiped clean.

"Boss Bi" didn’t stay at home for long, since funerals nowadays are streamlined.

The elders of the Gu family thought it was just another ordinary youth lost too soon, but this time they learned the boy actually knew a former child star who’s now a famous celebrity.

Turns out the Gu family’s boy was quite remarkable, knowing someone like that.

An ordinary family, with ordinary thoughts, and the Gu family’s boy departed with dignity.

On the electronic tombstone, the epitaph was stylish: Five national servers ranked, Lu Zhou’s "Wild King"—Gu Bilin.

When saying farewell to "Boss Bi’s" parents, a bit of money was left behind; grief fades with time, and life is sustained by money.

"Mr. Li, we are deeply grateful for all you’ve done for us..."

"Hey, get up, get up..."

At Lu Zhou’s high-speed rail station, Li Jie helped the couple who were about to kneel, smiling as he said, "He had a happy life, with a father who loved him, a mother who loved him. His passing was peaceful, calm. He wished I’d pass on a message to you, because he couldn’t say it himself."

"He said: Mom, Dad, I really, really love you, but I don’t want to say goodbye. If there’s a next life, I still want to be your son."

Silence, embrace, bitter tears, farewell...

Will there ever be another intersection?

Probably not.

When Li Jie boarded the high-speed train back to Jianye, more than two thousand bouquets had appeared before the electronic tombstone. The legend of Lu Zhou’s "Wild King" Gu Bilin would live on, at least in their little chat group.

"Brother Guo" was quiet for a week. During times like these, he just didn’t want to talk, but thanks to Li Jie’s presence, no one fell into depression.

Because "Brother Crab’s" life was still so lively, and even when others argued with him, sacrificing parents or whatever, "Brother Crab" never flinched.

The reversal of the "Innate Orphan Saint Physique" echoed that immortal line: Do you believe in light?!

Even ten years of haters, if they didn’t believe in light, would believe in the existence of D+.

"This is obviously fake, how dare you share it? At most it’s C++, nothing special. Come on, today your father is feeling generous—here’s a film you definitely haven’t seen. The mixed-race 'Maria Seven Stripes' teacher’s uncensored film, guaranteed to make you fantasize about another world."

"Damn! Brother Crab, where’d you get this?"

"Got the torrent?"

"Pfft, probably a scam, damn thing might be a link to 'Masked Gourd Hero.'"

"Get out, your father is now a tokusatsu superstar—one call and the Japanese masters will send blessings. If I wasn’t afraid you’d bleed yourself dry, I’d invite 'Maria Seven Stripes' teacher for a live stream right here."

"Hell yeah! Maria Seven Stripes teacher is the best~~"

That day, "Brother Crab" naturally played the father figure.

Because he was generous, like a father.