Probably not… Anyway, the clothes are actually quite normal. She brought the black stockings herself, and the "girlfriend" label was a misunderstanding, not something I claimed… The only slightly problematic thing is the sexy panties, but nobody can see them, it's just a little perverse…
"Um… the meaning of 'girlfriend'… is similar to 'Daoist partner,' yes, Daoist partner." Chu Ge spoke eloquently: "You know the meaning of 'Daoist partner' isn't that narrow, right? It simply means being companions on the same path, and it can be either a man or a woman. You see, close, like-minded, and even closer than friends, doesn't that fit our relationship?"
Qiu Wuji said expressionlessly: "Then what does 'well-matched' mean?"
Chu Ge said cautiously: "Of course, 'Daoist partner' can have a narrower meaning, that's what they mean."
Qiu Wuji: "…"
Chu Ge: "…" The atmosphere suddenly became quiet.
After a long pause, Qiu Wuji asked, "Why didn't you retort?"
Feeling that her tone was quite calm, Chu Ge was momentarily confused and continued to argue, "Because I think we are dao partners. As for the narrow interpretation, it's others' guess. Why should I deny the broader meaning? Besides, denying it is useless. We even buy clothes and underwear together. Do you think anyone else would believe it?"
Actually, Qiu Wuji already knew that this person was talking nonsense. According to this interpretation, a girlfriend is essentially a lover.
Somehow, I wasn't too angry. Perhaps it was because I knew this could easily lead to misunderstandings and had been mentally prepared for it. Or maybe it was because I had long known that Chu Ge was only good at talking big, and it was boring to keep insisting on this. Besides, I didn't want to hit him, so what else could I do?
Perhaps it's because the term "girlfriend" isn't as harsh as "lover", and it sounds more acceptable as if they are just friends..
At this moment, a strange thought popped up in her mind: This world is really strange. Everything is done so openly and explicitly, yet the words used are conservative. It's clear that they mean lovers, but they insist on saying friends.
Is this what they call...having it both ways?
She ultimately didn't argue with Chu Ge, and whispered, "Have I taken the first step into the world?"
Chu Ge sighed, "Yes, at least now when I go out, people won't look at me like I'm a monkey."
Qiu Wuji asked, "And the second step? Obtaining an identity?"
"Hmm...that's a bit troublesome. I might have to ask some friends...In the meantime, you should watch some dramas and learn more about modern information, because if I were to explain it to everyone individually, I really wouldn't know where to begin. Just watch and ask me if you don't understand anything; that way, it'll be more targeted."
"Okay." Qiu Wuji readily agreed, sitting on the sofa and picking up the remote.
Yesterday, while watching Chu Ge operate the remote, she had been secretly observing and had already memorized the steps. This time, she operated it quite skillfully, and under Chu Ge's amazed gaze, successfully clicked on a drama series whose cover actress's outfit was very similar to her own, and sat there quietly watching.
Chu Ge glanced at the screen, recognizing it as a popular drama from the last couple of years, about the lives, careers, marriages, and loves of several women in their thirties… He'd heard of it, but hadn't watched it. He'd initially been envious of the female leads, but now, they all seemed less attractive than Qiu Wuji, making it rather dull.
At the very beginning of the series, Qiu Wuji asked, "Is Shanghai the name of a city? What's our place called?"
Chu Ge paused for a moment: "Our place is called Nanjiang City because we can't use real place names."
"...Then what's the subway? Do we have one here?"
"It's a mode of transportation. I'll take you on one sometime."
"What's Pac-Man?"
"A game. I'll download it for you to play later." Less than a minute into the series, questions were already piling up like beans. Chu Ge seemed to have anticipated this, and Qiu Wuji finally understood why Chu Ge had said he didn't know where to begin when he asked her to explain everything.
Because she didn't understand almost anything.
The information gap between worlds is far more profound than simply eating a bowl of noodles or buying a few clothes while sitting next to him.
Even the female lead's actions in the drama were incomprehensible. Why was she hanging from the roof with a cloth tied to her waist, spinning around like that? That's not how you commit suicide! Practicing martial arts? Wouldn't that be too much?
"What's a husband? A husband?"
"Yes."
"Then why doesn't it seem like they slept together? The female lead has already come back from her run, and the man is still sleeping."
"...It's said that couples sleeping in separate beds is more scientific, although not many people actually implement it."
"That's strange. What's that fruit? It looks delicious."
"Strawberry. That's strawberry cake."
"Why isn't there a next sentence?"
"I'll take you to eat some another day?" Chu Ge smiled: "I overspent today, wait for next month's royalties, soon." Qiu Wuji turned to look at him, knowing that this kind of food was probably several times more expensive than the soy milk and steamed buns Chu Ge usually ate.
She suddenly lost the desire to ask any more questions, because even in the same world, different people are essentially living in different worlds, a fact she deeply understood.
Suddenly, she realized why Chu Ge wrote that kind of story.
The lifestyle of the female lead in the drama is perhaps unattainable for Chu Ge, and maybe even for the actress playing her; her beauty alone is beyond the reach of ordinary people.
He can't have it, so he's resentful.
So he fantasizes, as do all his readers—about an ordinary boy, of mediocre birth and talent, who climbs step by step through sheer hard work. The flowers he picks along the way are his rewards.
He is the highest flower among them.
From this perspective, the sense of squalor actually lessens considerably.
Although he still wouldn't want it.
A Daoist partner? Words are useless; you have to walk that path first… Now they are truly from different worlds.
"Why aren't you asking anymore?" Chu Ge asked curiously.
Qiu Wuji smiled slightly: "Take your time. Asking too many questions at once will make it impossible for me to remember them all. Let's skim through it first, and you can roughly guess the connections and context. If you really can't figure it out, then I'll ask you. You probably have things to do. If I remember correctly, you still need to update a chapter, right?"
"Hmm..."
"Just do your own thing. There's plenty of time."
Chu Ge wondered why this girl had become so understanding after putting on modern clothes. Her previous attitude of always wanting to beat people up had undergone an almost 360-degree turn... Was his frank talk really that effective?
As if guessing what he was thinking, Qiu Wuji smiled slightly: "It's just life. Life is life wherever you are, why be so nervous? I apologize for my previous rudeness, Father God."
It seems she's truly adapted completely; she's so carefree. Chu Ge returned to the house, turning back every few steps, looking at Qiu Wuji in her office attire sitting on the sofa watching a drama. The strangeness in his heart was indescribable.
It's becoming more and more like home.
It feels like a family.
Just as he was thinking this, Chu Ge suddenly felt a little dizzy.
The image of Qiu Wuji sitting there began to fade slowly.
His heart skipped a beat, and he hurried back. Sure enough, Qiu Wuji stood up, her figure gradually dissolving into nothingness, revealing a smile: "It seems your patch didn't allow me to stay for very long... I can't rely on this. I need to go back and continue to temper my soul, striving to stay longer next time..."
Chu Ge: "..." I only saw her in her short skirt and black stockings for a short time, at least let me see enough, okay?
Qiu Wuji's voice became distant: "For me, that side is equally important... I also want to try. Now that I know the plot, can the Poison Hand Demon Lord still plot against me? That's our path, isn't it?"
Her voice echoed, and she was gone.
All her clothes were on the sofa, not even a single strand was left.
Chu Ge, however, felt no regret at all about not seeing if she had exposed herself when she disappeared. He stared blankly at the empty room and the clothes on the sofa, speechless for a long time.
She had just thought of a home, and it was gone in an instant, like a joke.
It starkly reminded Chu Ge that this wasn't a modern office lady; they were truly people from another world.