JUST as Luo Yan had guessed, a certain someone's vinegar jar really did almost turn over.

Shen Ji Yun didn't have any reaction when Luo Yan and that dragon started fighting. He was simply admiring his rabbit's great battle sense. But after the Duke of Hearts announced that the fight at the Winter area was over, the crease on his forehead just became deeper and deeper.

First it was that flying heart. What was that about? It's almost like giving a flying kiss or something. Shouldn't that be considered as harassment? What was the game devs thinking? Maybe he should talk to Brother Zhao so he could modify that shameless duke.

Then right after, that annoying dragon started acting weird around Luo Yan. He couldn't understand the other's action. It didn't help that Su Yuqi said something at that moment that made him frown even further.

= a few minutes ago =

"Why was he acting like that?" Bai Ze asked, curious as to why this calm and collected dude was suddenly being such an awkward mess.

"Maybe because he's awestruck by Luo Yan's beauty," Su Yuqi said in that indifferent tone of hers. But the next thing she said had a tinge of playfulness. "Wouldn't it be interesting if he turned out to have a secret crush on Luo Yan?"

Four pairs of eyes turned to her direction, each with varying degrees of emotions.

Yu Jiao had a complicated gaze while Bai Ze looked shocked, as if he couldn't believe that that would truly be the case. Surprisingly enough, Luo Ren and Shen Ji Yun both looked at her coldly. Su Yuqi found that quite amusing.

"Please refrain from saying confusing things involving my brother," Luo Ren said, his voice icy.

Su Yuqi wasn't really affected by that and just leaned back comfortably on his chair. "Of course. You must know I'm only joking. But even if what I said turned out to be the truth, I don't see anything wrong with that. Or does this elder brother think that Luo Yan doesn't deserve to be admired, males or females otherwise?"

Luo Ren narrowed his eyes at the pink-haired little girl with fluttering butterfly wings behind her back. She looked like some harmless fairy. But even with that outer appearance, he could feel that at this moment that could hardly applied to her. Especially with that sly glint in her eyes.

That look certainly matched his real appearance. But with her current game avatar, it just made her look scarier. Because a child would never have such an expression.

[Xiao Jin, ah, you sure do know how to pick them.] he could only think at that moment.

But he didn't back down and just continued staring coldly at the girl. Su Yuqi did the same.

The ones who felt uncomfortable by this sudden situation were Bai Ze and Yu Jiao. Whom both quickly tried to smoothen out the situation.

"Brother Ren, Su Yuqi didn't mean anything by that. She simply has a very, very, sharp tongue. Offending people is kind of a habit of hers," Bai Ze said.

Su Yuqi glanced sideways at Bai Ze. "Oh, really? I'd rather think I'm just honest. If you're offended by my honesty, then that could only mean that you're guilty in some way or the other."

"Su Yuqi-!"

"What? I'm not referring to your cousin." Su Yuqi smirked at Bai Ze. "I'm talking about you. Since you so often get 'offended' by what I said."

Bai Ze only felt his blood pressure rising, if that was even possible in this holographic world.

Yu Jiao, on the other hand, pulled Luo Ren's sleeve to get the other's attention. "Brother Ren, p-please don't be mad."

Luo Ren's attention was of course caught just as his sleeve was. He gazed down at the 'handsome young man' sitting beside him. Yu Jiao's sharp eyes were blinking at him, they were twinkling and shining. How could he resist that?

The annoyance he felt disappeared like a bubble.

He smiled at Yu Jiao. "I'm not mad, Jiao Jiao. Just a tad bit annoyed. But since you tried hard to comfort me, I shall refrain from feeling so."

Yu Jiao, for some unknown reason, felt her cheeks heating up. She let go of Luo Ren's sleeve and looked down, not really knowing how to respond. [What's wrong with me?]

Both Bai Ze and Su Yuqi stopped bickering and looked at the two.

Bai Ze was confused by the expression on his older cousin's face. It was soft and gentle, unlike how he usually was. It's his expression whenever he looked at Lou Yan. Yet now he was looking that way towards Yu Jiao. Does he think of her like a little sister? No, he felt like it should be different. But in what way?

Su Yuqi only smiled with interest. [These Luo brothers are truly amusing.]

That seemed to be the end of the matter, but there's one person who was still affected by what Su Yuqi had said earlier about Dragnar having a crush on Luo Yan.

Yes, it's Shen Ji Yun.

===

Shen Ji Yun understood that the possibility of Su Yuqi being right was quite high. After all, his rabbit was more than worthy of everyone's admiration. What if that Dragnar truly had a crush on Luo Yan? Would that guy be his first official rival? If that was the case, then he definitely wouldn't back down.

And then he heard Luo Yan directly asking the dragon if the reason he was acting so awkward was because he found him pretty. He clenched his fists, nervous as to what the dragon's answer would be. But then the other just scoffed and said that Luo Yan was thinking too highly of himself.

Shen Ji Yun should be satisfied with that answer. But he only felt irritable. His only thought then was 'how dare this guy scoffed at Yan Yan's beauty?'. He shook his head and sighed.

Ah, he truly was already at a point of no return.

After hearing that his brother was already one of the four in the Winter area who could go to the finals, Luo Jin became more enthusiastic at sniping the other players in his area.

He should also try his best, right?