Meanwhile, Su Yan had opened the system. He read over the tasks on the main page but couldn’t see anything like what Nie Chang had described. Where was the task? Or could it be …

Su Yan narrowed his eyes and looked up, suspicion written in his face. Nie Chang wouldn’t have lied to him, would he? Just when he pondered that possibility a new line of text popped up: [Variations; Questline: Genre basics]

Su Yan’s eyebrows shot up. That might have to do with the novel in his library! Maybe the task had been displayed late? That never seemed to have happened before but then again he hadn’t known what kind of tasks he would get so maybe he just hadn’t noticed. He clicked on the title and was faced with the description of the new task.

[Each literary genre has its own rules and tropes but no genre has definite boundaries that can’t be changed. Instead, there is a certain amount of variation to a genre and overlaps with other genres are bound to happen.

As a writer of bl stories, you should know some of the most common routes an idea could take. You may take these as inspiration but don’t feel too constricted by them. At the end of the day, you are the person that decides how your story will develop and that can redefine the boundary of the genre.]

Su Yan pursed his lips and turned to Nie Chang. "You were right. It’s really part of a new task. It’s even a taskline."

Nie Chang took a relieved breath. Ah, thankfully, that had been the case! Otherwise, wouldn’t Su Yan have gotten even angrier at him? "Well, it was to be expected … So, what’s it about this time?"

"Mn …" Su Yan looked at the description again and scratched his head. "I’m not too sure. It has something to do with genres but I thought that the genre was bl? But now the system is saying that the genre isn’t defined or something?" He showed the phone to Nie Chang and got a contemplative look in return.

"Well, I guess it’s just like with your stories."

"Eh?" Su Yan blinked and slipped the phone into his pocket, turning around to Nie Chang as if nothing had happened before. "What does that have to do with my stories? They’re both bl! They obviously are! It’s about two men who fall in love. What else could it be if not bl?"

"How about we talk about that on the way home?"

"Uh. Sure."

Nie Chang nodded and pulled the car back onto the road. Part of his attention stayed on Su Yan though. Never mind that he still had to answer his question, he also had to be prepared in case his darling pulled another stunt.

His caution was justified. A moment later, Su Yan reached out and pulled at his sleeve.

"So, what about the stories now? What did you mean?"

Nie Chang smiled and glanced at him. "Not the sleeve."

"What sleeve?"

"My sleeve. I’m driving. Don’t pull at my sleeve or we’re going to crash."

"Then talk to me!" Su Yan let go of his sleeve though.

"About your stories, well, naturally, they’re bl. But they aren’t just bl, are they? Aren’t they also xianxia?"

Su Yan blinked. "Isn’t that just the setting?"

"I don’t know. You’re the author. But as a reader, I would have thought they are. I mean look at your first story: There are deity sects and demonic sects and the main characters are cultivators that get drawn into the fight. Sure, there isn’t any actual cultivation going on but, well, you only had five thousand words. I’m sure if you had been allowed to write more, then you would have let them cultivate, right?"

"Uh … probably." Su Yan looked in the other direction. Was he really this transparent?

Nie Chang chuckled. "Well, you’ve written xianxia before. It’s nothing strange. But now think of what you’ve said after we visited your parents. Didn’t you take that photo of Yuan Hai in case the system wants you to write something different next? That would count as a variation of the genre, wouldn’t it?"

Su Yan blinked. His boyfriend made too much sense! He turned back around and examined his handsome profile.

Nie Chang tried to concentrate on the street but with Su Yan staring at him like this he had trouble to stay focused. "Alright, darling, what’s with my face?" This wasn’t even the first time he was staring at him!

Su Yan leaned against the dashboard and continued to look at him. "I just noticed that you’re really …"

Nie Chang waited but still didn’t get to hear the end of the sentence after half a minute. "Handsome?" he prompted.

"No."

"No?" Nie Chang’s brows raised.

"Well, you are but … I thought you’re really smart."

"Oh? And you only noticed that now? Didn’t we go to school together?"

Su Yan blinked. "Yeah but that doesn’t mean anything. That’s … that’s a different kind of smart."

Nie Chang’s lips curved up. "Then what kind of smart did you discover just now?"

"The kind where you’re able to figure out everything from just hearing a few words about it or taking a glance at it. Let’s be honest, I should know a lot more about this than you but you’re still able to understand it faster than me. That’s unfair, isn’t it?"

"Mn." Nie Chang smiled and pulled the car to the side. They had reached Su Yan’s apartment so he could finally pay him his whole attention. "Look at it this way, darling: Since I’m your boyfriend whether it’s my handsomeness or all the kinds of smarts I have it’s all yours too." He leaned over and kissed him.

Su Yan smiled happily. "Then you have to help me figure out everything else in the future too!"

"Naturally. And now let’s go in. Or do you want to spend the night in the car?"

Su Yan slapped his chest in response. "Stop teasing me and get your things!"

"Mn." Nie Chang took his bag and followed him inside with a happy smile.