CHAPTER 13 – The Final Countdown
279 Words
The likes kept ticking up.
999,000. 999,500. 999,800.
Wanwan stopped checking. She'd made peace with either outcome.
If she stayed: Jingxing. Bubble tea empire. Chaotic but wonderful life.
If she left: cramped apartment. Microwaved dinners. Loneliness.
She knew which one she preferred.
One evening, they were on the pavilion roof again.
The moon was full.
"Your Highness," she said, "I'm at 999,982 likes."
He tensed.
"That means…"
"One more like, and I go home."
Silence.
"Do you want to go?" he asked.
She thought about it.
Her cramped apartment. Endless emails. Lonely meals.
She thought about him.
"No," she said. "But I don't get to choose. The system does."
【FINAL LIKE INCOMING.】
【SOURCE: VIEWER #1,234,567.】
【MESSAGE: "STAY WITH HIM. YOU BELONG THERE."】
The counter hit 1,000,000.
【MISSION COMPLETE.】
【RETURN TO MODERN ERA? Y/N】
Wanwan stared at the prompt.
Jingxing held his breath.
She pressed "N."
【CHOICE CONFIRMED. PERMANENTLY BOUND TO ANCIENT WORLD.】
【CONGRATULATIONS. HAPPY ENDING ACHIEVED.】
【SYSTEM DISENGAGING. GOODBYE, HOST.】
The bullet-chat flickered one last time.
【WE'LL MISS YOU】
【BEST HOST EVER】
【TAKE CARE OF THE ICE PRINCE】
【WE LOVE YOU.】
Then the system died.
Comments vanished.
Just her. Jingxing. The moon. Crickets.
"Did you…" he whispered. "Did you just stay?"
Wanwan turned to him. Tears streaming.
"I stayed."
He kissed her. Not shy. Desperate. Relieved. When they broke apart, he was laughing.
She'd never heard him laugh before.
"Lin Wanwan," he said, "you are the most impossible woman I've ever known. I'm never letting you go."
"Good," she said. "Because I'm not going anywhere."
- Writer
