I started as a spirited young man, and the system made me a male god.

The theater lights went completely dark, and the eerie soundtrack of the horror movie came flooding in.

As a fan of the Silent Hill game, Chen Fei was quite interested in "Return to Silent Hill".

The most interesting setting he found was that after the protagonist entered Silent Hill for someone, all the monsters he encountered were manifestations of his inner fears.

So in a sense, the protagonist's process of chasing people and defeating monsters is equivalent to fighting against his own inner fears.

He adjusted his posture, relaxed his body against the back of the chair, and focused intently on the world of the movie.

However, in stark contrast to him were the three girls beside him.

Their purpose for this trip had little to do with the film itself.

Meng Sixian's original plan was to treat Chen Fei to a meal to express her gratitude.

But when she asked Shen Shaoting for her opinion, Shen Shaoting pouted and said, "Fei-ge is probably tired of eating good food lately. Yesterday, the boss treated him to a big meal that cost more than 400 yuan per person."

Then, Shen Shaoting changed the subject and offered a brilliant idea: "Fei-ge loves watching horror movies the most. Inviting him to a movie is special and shows your thoughtfulness!"

Meng Sixian believed it, even though she was so timid that she would cover her eyes when watching the trailer.

However, for Chen Fei's sake, she still mustered up the courage to order the movie "Return to Silent Hill" and, following Shen Shaoting's advice, chose the midnight showing, which best "expressed her feelings".

At this moment, she suppressed her fear and cautiously stared at the screen, occasionally stealing a glance at Chen Fei beside her.

Seeing Chen Fei's focused, even somewhat judgmental expression, she felt a little more at ease and tried her best to understand the plot, hoping to have a few words with Chen Fei after the show to avoid an awkward silence.

Shen Shaoting's mind was not on the movie at all.

She gripped the edge of the popcorn bucket tightly in her hand, her fingertips turning slightly white from the force.

In the past, a bucket of popcorn from the movie theater would have been a luxury for her.

But at this moment, the golden, shiny popcorn lost all its appeal.

She encouraged Meng Sixian to go to the movies, not so much to help her best friend, but to create an opportunity for herself to test Chen Fei.

The inferiority complex she had felt as an unemployed person acted like shackles, preventing her from getting close.

But things are different now. She has successfully taken her first step as a model, and Jiang Che has already arranged for them to continue shooting tomorrow.

In other words, she has a job, a new beginning, and no longer needs to worry about her relationship repeating the same mistakes.

And so, the feelings buried deep in my heart finally began to stir.

In the darkness, she could clearly hear her own rapid breathing.

She recalled the warmth and strength of Chen Fei's grip on her wrist just now, and the feeling of being protected and cared for made her linger.

She decided to take action. Using the flickering light from the screen, she pretended to reach for popcorn, slowly moving her hand toward Chen Fei's hand resting on the armrest.

Just a second before my fingertips were about to touch that warm skin—

Chen Fei suddenly moved! He grabbed a handful of popcorn, stuffed it into his mouth, chewed it a couple of times, and muttered in a low voice, clearly dissatisfied:

"The lighting in this movie is so cheap, it looks like five-cent special effects. The plot is also so drastically altered that it's unrecognizable, a complete waste of the Silent Hill IP, what a pity!"

Shen Shaoting pulled her hand back as if she had been burned, her heart pounding. Fortunately, the darkness concealed her flushed face.

She hurriedly grabbed a handful of popcorn and stuffed it into her mouth, chewing mechanically, finding it tasteless.

The courage I had just mustered deflated instantly, like a balloon punctured by a needle.

All of this was quietly observed by Lin Jingyi, who was sitting on the other side of Shen Shaoting.

A hint of envy flashed in her eyes, envying Shen Shaoting for always daring to think and act.

And what about myself? I can only wait passively, wrapping my thoughts up layer by layer.

She couldn't help but recall that night at the bar, when Chen Fei took her back to 801, a night so quiet that only the sound of breathing could be heard.

If I had been just a little braver back then, even if it was just saying a hint, would the outcome have been different?

This thought was like a tiny thorn, pricking her every now and then, not fatal, but causing a lingering pain.

"ah--!"

Suddenly, Meng Sixian let out a short scream!

On the screen, a homeless man who was lying down suddenly sat up without warning. Meng Sixian was startled and almost instinctively hugged Chen Fei's arm tightly with both hands, shrinking her whole body and burying her face in his shoulder.

This sudden close contact startled Chen Fei. He could sense that Meng Sixian was genuinely frightened, so he subconsciously patted her arm gently and whispered to comfort her, "It's okay, it's all fake, the camera's rolling."

Shen Shaoting and Lin Jingyi, who were standing next to each other, exchanged a knowing glance with complicated expressions.

Shen Shaoting mouthed to Lin Jingyi, "Get out?"

Lin Jingyi nodded immediately.

Shen Shaoting nudged Chen Fei's other arm, trying to sound natural: "Brother Fei, Jingyi and I are going to the restroom."

Chen Fei, focused on the plot, nodded: "Okay, be careful."

Shen Shaoting and Lin Jingyi crouched down and quickly left the theater, leaving the remaining two people alone.

The corridor outside the theater was quiet and empty, somewhat similar to the terrifying atmosphere inside.

The two walked to the window at the end of the corridor. Shen Shaoting took out a cigarette case from her pocket, handed one to Lin Jingyi, and lit one for herself.

The flickering flame from the lighter briefly illuminated their faces, each lost in their own thoughts.

"I almost bumped into him just now." Shen Shaoting exhaled a smoke ring, her voice somewhat dejected. "But when he suddenly moved, I didn't dare to reach out again. I was afraid that if he dodged or showed a disgusted expression, we wouldn't even be able to be friends anymore."

Lin Jingyi took a drag of her cigarette, the smoke swirling in front of her eyes: "You're lucky. I don't even have the courage to ask. We've been out of school for so long, just hanging around outside, unlike those girls who follow the rules of school and work. Have your parents contacted you since you started working?"

Shen Shaoting's eyes darkened: "Contact? They only contact you when they need money. After they find out I'm out there making a living, they just pretend they don't have a daughter anymore, and they're happy with their peace and quiet."

She flicked off her cigarette ash and asked, "And you?"

Lin Jingyi took a deep drag on her cigarette, as if trying to inhale all the bitterness into her lungs:

"Pretty much. Look at Sister Sixian, she studied hard, graduated and got a job. Although she may have suffered some grievances, which ordinary person hasn't suffered some grievances while working?"

The thought that she has a home to return to when she's tired makes me feel insecure... With our family circumstances, the chances of success are too low.

If you had money and a choice, would you choose to be with a frivolous young man or a man with a normal family and a respectable job?

Shen Shaoting didn't answer. She silently finished her cigarette, then lit another one. The answer was obvious.

Late at night, people tend to get emotional.

The two men smoked, leaning against the cold windowsill, watching the few cars passing by on the road.

The red taillights left long red lines in the thick darkness of the night before disappearing into the distance.