After Spending Money on In-Game Purchases, I Discovered my Girlfriend was a Real Person - Chapter 5

Sui Zhenxing sauntered along with her hands tucked in her pockets. She made a conscious effort not to glance at the window next door, yet the nerves at the corners of her eyes seemed to twitch toward that direction of their own accord.

According to the world briefing she had purchased, the technological level of this region was roughly equivalent to her real world a century ago, but social life appeared to retain even earlier, less efficient habits. For instance, the data mentioned that small, family-run eateries in this area still used actual open-flame stoves rather than modern energy induction units.

“Home-cooked meals…” she mused. “I wonder if I’ll get a chance to taste that… authentic, rustic flavor?”

[System Prompt: Familiarizing yourself with the environment is the first step toward integration. Would you like to accept the side quest: “Gourmet Explorer”?]

[Quest Description: Taste at least 3 local specialties in the Liuli Street area (0/3).]

[Quest Reward: EXP +50, Stardust Credits +100.]

[Note: Side quests are optional. Completion does not affect the main storyline. No penalty for abandonment.]

*****

Stardust Credits were the universal in-game currency used in certain shops or for redeeming non-essential system features, while Experience Points were used to unlock broader sections of the world map. Although she had already bought the basic information, system unlocking would provide more precise coordinate markers; furthermore, rumors suggested that higher-level areas might open special features like paid teleportation points. It was better than nothing.

She accepted the quest since it was on her way.

As she rounded a street corner, her nose suddenly caught an enticing aroma. Looking up, she saw a small noodle shop bathed in warm yellow light. The sign was hand-written and showed its age: Granny Chen’s Noodle House. The place seemed quite busy.

This was it. She pushed the door open.

The shop was modest, featuring six or seven wood-colored tables that were nearly all occupied. The air was thick with the comforting steam of food and the noisy, bustling sounds of human life. A white-haired elderly woman wearing a clean apron was working briskly behind the counter.

Sui Zhenxing was about to look for a vacant seat when her gaze swept across the room and froze on a spot by the window.

She saw a profile with long, honey-tea brown curls and a cream-colored knit sweater.

Is that Wen Shuyi?

The woman sat alone, a bowl of noodles before her. She was eating in small, quiet bites, her profile appearing exceptionally soft under the lamplight. Sui Zhenxing’s heart betrayed her by skipping a beat. Was this a coincidence, or…

[System Prompt: Main Quest “Faint Heartstrings” has been updated.]

[Quest Description: Establish initial contact with your Anchor NPC, Wen Shuyi. Relationship and affection levels for high-autonomy NPCs increase slowly and may fluctuate or even regress based on your words and actions. Numerical values shown by the system are for reference only; final interpretation rests with the NPC’s own consciousness.]

[Current Relationship: Acquaintance (Based on initial Anchor bonus)]

[Current Affection: Slight Favor (Based on initial Anchor bonus, extremely fragile). The system recommends purchasing the “Affection Notification Module” from the mall for more precise values!]

[Warning: Severely violating the boundaries of a Core NPC (Anchor NPC) may result in strong consciousness rejection and the risk of an account ban. Offending ordinary NPCs will also yield unknown negative consequences. Please proceed with caution.]

[Note: “Awakened NPCs” may exist in this world. These are designed by the system to increase world vitality and uncertainty; they are both a surprise and a challenge. (This prompt will only appear once!!!)]

[System Prompt: Trigger condition detected… Hidden Quest clue recorded.]

[Hidden Quest: The Moonlight Riddle (Clue 1/??)]

[Quest Description: Unknown. (Seems related to the deep consciousness of your Anchor NPC, Wen Shuyi.)]

[Trigger Condition: First non-system-arranged accidental encounter with Wen Shuyi.]

*****

Affection grew slowly, could regress, and the system numbers weren’t necessarily accurate? She was glad she hadn’t bought the module; even if she had, the numbers might not reflect Wen Shuyi’s true feelings. The one-time warning about “Awakened NPCs” sent a shiver through her. The waters in this world were clearly deeper than she had imagined.

A flurry of analysis flashed through her mind, but on the surface, Sui Zhenxing simply widened her eyes slightly. She then put on a well-behaved smile and walked over. She had to be more careful; any inappropriate word or deed could dissolve that fragile initial favor into nothingness.

“Miss Wen?” she said, her voice clear. “Are you here for dinner too?”

Wen Shuyi looked up at the sound. Seeing her, a similar flicker of slight surprise crossed those amber eyes before dissolving into a faint smile.

“It’s you.” She set her chopsticks down and gently dabbed the corners of her mouth with a napkin. “Yes. The broth here is very authentic. Do you like noodles too?”

“It smelled so good, I had to come in and try it.”

“I told you, you can just call me Shuyi,” Wen Shuyi corrected her again, her tone gentle but firm.

Sui Zhenxing nodded. Then, those seemingly innocent and clear eyes blinked, and her tone unconsciously softened a fraction.

“Then… can I call you Wen-jiejie?”

The word “Jiejie”—big sister—carried an added layer of intimacy when delivered in her clear, slightly soft voice.

Wen Shuyi paused visibly. Her beautiful phoenix eyes slanted upward slightly, and the smile in her gaze deepened. She didn’t answer immediately, but her look made Sui Zhenxing feel as though her little scheme had been seen through completely.

“As you wish,” Wen Shuyi finally agreed with a light laugh a few seconds later. There was no hint of resentment in her voice; instead, there was a sense of… indulgence?

[System Prompt: Interaction with Wen Shuyi successful. Relationship status maintained at “Acquaintance.” Affection level has stabilized slightly.]

It had only stabilized, not increased. Sui Zhenxing understood the situation now; this was definitely going to be a long-term project.

She sat in the empty seat across from Wen Shuyi. When the elderly woman came over to take her order, she asked for a bowl of the signature bone broth noodles, the same as her companion.

While waiting for the food, Sui Zhenxing looked for a conversation starter. “Are you just getting off work, Wen-jiejie?” she asked. Even though they had met only hours ago, this was the perfect time for a bit of small talk.

“Mhm, I just finished a recording session.”

“A recording?”

“I’m a voice actress,” Wen Shuyi explained. “I provide voices for animations, games, or radio dramas.”

“Wow, that’s amazing!” Sui Zhenxing let out a look of admiration at the perfect moment, though she was thinking: I know! I’m the one who set that! Your voice is literally tailored for my ears! It’s leagues better than those AI voice actors back home—they might be perfect, but they lack soul.

She desperately wanted to ask, “Do you have any works I can look up? Or an account? I’d love to follow and support you!” However, she swallowed the words before they could escape. Would asking that now be too aggressive?

They were only meeting for the second time. Asking about her personal work and social circles might seem too calculated and cause that fragile favor to regress. She remembered the game’s warning: NPCs have autonomous consciousness and can “dislike” things.

While there was likely a paid feature to make an NPC “forget” an unpleasant event, using it felt… disrespectful to Wen Shuyi. It also went against her original goal of pursuing a high-freedom experience. A proper pursuit had to follow basic principles—it required sincerity and, well, a tiny bit of cleverness.

So, she made a sharp conversational turn. “That must be so interesting. You get to experience so many different lives.”

Wen Shuyi looked at her, seemingly surprised that she hadn’t pried further for details. A flicker of scrutiny, so faint it was almost imperceptible, flashed deep in her eyes before vanishing. “It is. It’s very interesting, but also quite challenging.”

Just then, Sui Zhenxing’s noodles arrived. The broth was a rich, milky white; the handmade noodles were uniform in thickness and topped with thick slices of chashu, a soft-boiled egg, and a sprinkle of emerald green scallions. It looked delicious.

Sui Zhenxing picked up her chopsticks, blew on the steam, and took a careful bite.

“It’s so good!”

She couldn’t help but squint her eyes in satisfaction, looking like a cat being stroked in just the right spot. Her mask of deliberate “well-behaved” politeness crumbled instantly in the face of good food, revealing a more authentic and vivid emotion beneath.

Wen Shuyi sat opposite her, watching quietly. From the moment Sui Zhenxing had walked in and greeted her, she had been observing this new neighbor. The girl was beautiful in an unthreatening way—the kind of “good girl” look that naturally inspired fondness. Straight black hair, pale skin, and clear eyes.

When they met for the first time yesterday, she had already thought the girl’s voice was special—clear and bright, like spring water in a mountain stream. As a professional voice actress, she was exceptionally sensitive to sound, and this girl’s vocal quality possessed a raw, natural attraction. Furthermore, for reasons she couldn’t explain, she felt an inexplicable initial urge to be near this girl—a rarity for her.

Now, seeing her squint with joy over a simple bowl of noodles, Wen Shuyi’s lips curved upward unconsciously. It was genuine. It was… quite cute. This authenticity allowed the subtle guard she had raised due to that mysterious initial fondness to relax slightly.

Sui Zhenxing was completely unaware that her “foodie” side was being watched. She focused entirely on the task at hand, eating with singular devotion. Occasionally, she would look up to chat with Wen Shuyi, asking harmless questions about the neighborhood—where the best supermarkets were or what other good food was nearby—playing the role of a curious newcomer to perfection.

Wen Shuyi’s answers remained gentle and polite, offering information freely while maintaining an appropriate sense of distance.

After they finished, Sui Zhenxing insisted on paying for both bowls. Even though she was using the salary the system provided, she had to make the right gesture.

“Thanks for the noodles, they were absolutely delicious!”

“I’m glad you liked them.” Wen Shuyi stood under the streetlight, the glow casting a soft halo around her. She hesitated for a moment before pulling an elegant business card from her handbag. It was plain white, featuring only her name, “Wen Shuyi,” and a communication number in graceful print. “This is my contact information. Since we’re neighbors, feel free to reach out if you ever need anything.”

Sui Zhenxing accepted it with both hands. The card felt slightly cool to the touch, but inside her mind, a thousand fireworks exploded! A card! She gave me her card! She gave it to me voluntarily! And it’s her private number!

[Ding! Main Quest “Faint Heartstrings” Phase One Goal has been completed!]

[Reward: EXP +800, Stardust Credits +2000.]

[Special Reward Unlocked: Title “Friendly Neighbor” (Equip to slightly increase initial favor with neutral NPCs).]

[Main Quest Updated: Faint Heartstrings (Phase Two)]

[Quest Description: Consolidate the “Acquaintance” relationship with Wen Shuyi and attempt to move toward “Familiarity.” Advancing relationships with high-autonomy NPCs requires patience and the right opportunity.]

[Current Suggestion: Avoid excessive or frequent contact. Look for natural, unforced opportunities to interact.]

*****

Phase One was complete! However, the follow-up prompt was clear: she absolutely could not rush things.

Sui Zhenxing struggled to suppress the upward curve of her lips as she carefully tucked the card away. “Okay, Wen-jiejie! Thank you so much!”

Seeing her treat the card with such care, the smile in Wen Shuyi’s eyes deepened. “Goodnight, Zhenxing,” she said softly.

Zhen-xing! She called her Zhenxing! Not “Miss Sui,” not “you,” but “Zhenxing”!

The fireworks upgraded to a nuclear explosion. Sui Zhenxing felt like her CPU was about to overload! “Goodnight, Wen-jiejie!” she blurted out, her voice filled with unmistakable excitement.

Wen Shuyi seemed amused by her reaction. She offered a slight nod and pointed in the opposite direction. “I’m heading that way. I hope you enjoy living here.”

“Mhm, I will!”

As Wen Shuyi’s figure gradually blended into the night, Sui Zhenxing remained standing there, clutching the card tightly. Her heart was still pounding. This game was far too addictive and a true test of her composure. Being approached by her “ideal type” sister was hitting all the right buttons.

She stood in the cold air for a long time before her excitement finally subsided. After securing the card in the deepest pocket of her jacket, she patted her stomach. One bowl of noodles didn’t quite feel like enough.

So, with her hands back in her pockets, she continued toward the busier part of the district. She planned to discover more delicacies and finish that Gourmet Explorer side quest.

As for going to a virtual studio tomorrow to draw virtual storyboards?

She’d deal with tomorrow when it came. After all, could a deadline in a virtual world really be considered a deadline?

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