On the third day after classes officially began, Xu Ming completed the Side Mission issued by the system and successfully received a massive reward of 200 Points.
This time, instead of immediately converting the Points into cash, he decided to save them for emergencies.
That morning, Xu Ming rode his small electric scooter to school as usual.
After parking it in the designated school parking area, Xu Ming had barely walked away when someone familiar arrived right behind him. However, he didn’t notice and continued toward the teaching building.
By the time Xu Ming entered the classroom, more than half of his classmates had already arrived.
After putting down his schoolbag, he casually pulled out the homework he hadn’t finished. Then he lightly tapped Zhao Xiaomin, who was sitting in front of him, and said, “Hey… Group Leader, let me borrow your homework.”
Zhao Xiaomin nodded as though she had expected this and handed it over without hesitation, “I knew it… Here, take it.”
Xu Ming thanked her, “Thanks.”
He immediately picked up his pen and hurriedly began filling in the missing answers.
Tap, tap, tap…
Xu Ming had barely started writing when footsteps suddenly sounded in the aisle ahead.
However, he didn’t bother looking up. He remained completely focused on copying the homework.
Only when a blurry figure reached the desk in front of him and sat down did Xu Ming realize that the newcomer was Lin An.
He had thought Brother Cheng had arrived.
After putting down her schoolbag, Lin An discreetly glanced at Xu Ming from the corner of her eye.
A faint trace of disdain flashed deep within her eyes.
He’s doing it again…
As expected… He’s really useless…
After observing Xu Ming for the past three days, Lin An’s impression of him had changed slightly.
By now, she was basically certain that he hadn’t intentionally given her that wrinkled textbook before.
The reason was simple.
This boy sitting behind her was just like many of her previous back-row classmates. He was relatively introverted and had an extremely weak presence.
Normally, he only interacted with others when borrowing homework or when a teacher assigned some kind of group activity. Otherwise, he remained as quiet as stagnant water.
Xu Ming, who was still busy copying his homework, knew absolutely nothing about Lin An’s private thoughts.
Fortunately, he couldn’t read minds. Otherwise, he would have immediately asked, Are you seriously crazy? What the hell did I even do to you? Why are you judging me for no reason?!
…
Time quietly passed, and in the blink of an eye, it was the break after the third class in the afternoon.
With school nearly over, the system, which had remained silent for quite some time, suddenly issued another mission.
[Ding! Side Mission issued.]
[Side Mission: Accompany the protagonist to Zhongsheng Vocational High School and prevent the protagonist from getting into a conflict with others.]
[Completion Reward: 200 Points.]
Huh?!
The sudden mission left Xu Ming confused.
After freezing for two and a half seconds, he finally reacted. His mind immediately started racing as he considered what to do.
So that’s how it is…
That means Brother Cheng is going to the vocational school next door after school?
After carefully analyzing the situation, Xu Ming thoughtfully glanced at his deskmate, Zhou Cheng.
Then…
Should I invite him myself?
Or should I secretly follow him after school?
While Xu Ming was still thinking, Zhou Cheng suddenly spoke beside him, “Hey, Xu Ming, wanna go hang out after school?”
Zhou Cheng patted Xu Ming on the shoulder and asked with a grin, “Want to check out the vocational school next door after school? I’ve got a good buddy over there.”
Then Zhou Cheng lowered his voice and revealed the knowing grin of an experienced playboy as he added, “I heard the girls over there are… really pretty.”
“This… Sure.”
Xu Ming paused thoughtfully before nodding with a smile.
He hadn’t expected things to work out so perfectly. He had just been wondering how to invite Zhou Cheng when the opportunity delivered itself straight to him.
…
After school, Xu Ming rode his small electric scooter with Zhou Cheng sitting behind him as they headed toward Zhongsheng Vocational High School.
Along the way, Zhou Cheng continuously shared stories about his “good buddy,” along with all kinds of bizarre rumors from the vocational school.
Zhou Cheng said, “My buddy told me there’s this massive sucker in his class who’s been chasing a girl from our school for two years. After all that time, he hasn’t even managed to hold her hand…”
He burst into laughter and continued, “I nearly died laughing. Isn’t that guy the definition of a complete sucker? Hahaha…”
Zhongsheng Vocational High School wasn’t far from Nanyue No. 3 High School, only a few hundred meters away.
Riding the electric scooter, the two reached the school entrance in less than five minutes.
Xu Ming followed Zhou Cheng into the vocational school. At a glance, he noticed quite a few students playing basketball on the courts.
The atmosphere here really was somewhat different from their own school.
The students appeared much freer, and many dressed in distinctive styles that strongly expressed their individuality.
Xu Ming suddenly remembered something from the original novel.
If I remember correctly, during this part where the protagonist visits the vocational school…
He gets hit in the head by a basketball while passing the basketball court…
And then…
Heh… It’s actually kind of funny.
Looks like I’d better keep an eye out.
After sorting through the relevant memories, Xu Ming became extremely vigilant as they approached the basketball court, carefully watching for the incoming accident.
“Brother Long, the ball’s coming! Catch it!”
“Wait, I can’t! Pang Wen, I’m being blocked!”
On the basketball court closest to Xu Ming and Zhou Cheng, several boys were locked in an intense game.
Suddenly, a boy named Pang Wen threw the basketball.
He apparently intended to pass it to his teammate.
However, his teammate was being blocked by a player from the opposing team and couldn’t catch it in time.
As a result, the basketball flew straight past him.
Worse still, it was heading directly toward Xu Ming and Zhou Cheng on the nearby walkway.
“Hey, Brother Cheng…”
“Stop!”
Just as the basketball was about to come flying toward them, Xu Ming called out and stopped Zhou Cheng in time.
“Huh?! What’s wrong?”
Hearing Xu Ming, Zhou Cheng immediately stopped walking.
He half-turned around and looked at Xu Ming in confusion.
At that exact moment, the basketball shot past Zhou Cheng’s cheek.
Whoosh!
Huh?!
Feeling a gust of wind sweep across his face, Zhou Cheng instinctively looked toward the flying ball.
“Holy shit! Fuck… Where the hell did that ball come from?!”
Zhou Cheng cursed in shock, “That almost smashed me right in the head! Fuck!”
At that moment, Pang Wen walked over from the nearby basketball court and called out, “Hey, bro, pick up the ball for us.”
There wasn’t the slightest trace of embarrassment on Pang Wen’s face, nor did he offer any apology.
Seeing that the basketball had rolled quite far away, Pang Wen simply told Zhou Cheng and Xu Ming to retrieve it for him as though it were perfectly natural.
This…
Xu Ming frowned and glanced at him.
Just as Xu Ming was about to walk over and pick up the basketball, Zhou Cheng stopped him.
Zhou Cheng said, “Hey, Xu Ming, forget it. Let’s go. Just pretend we didn’t hear him.”
Zhou Cheng glanced at Pang Wen as though he were looking at an idiot, then called Xu Ming along and walked away without another thought.
Seeing that they hadn’t picked up the ball as he wanted, Pang Wen quietly cursed behind them, “Fuck… Would picking up a damn basketball kill you? Who the fuck are you trying to act tough for?!”
[Ding! Side Mission completed. Points have been issued. Host, please check your rewards.]
Nice!
Money secured!
With another 200 Points credited to his account, Xu Ming immediately felt much better.
He followed Zhou Cheng into one of the teaching buildings at Zhongsheng Vocational High School.
Just as the two were about to head upstairs, a boy leaning against the wall near the corner suddenly waved at them and called out, “Hey, Brother Cheng! Over here! I’m here!”
Zhou Cheng greeted him with a smile, “Heh… Akai, you bastard. You really made me search everywhere for you.”
Akai…
Is this Zhou Kai, the third male lead?
While Xu Ming was thinking, Zhou Kai turned his attention toward him and asked, “Hey, Brother Cheng, who’s this…?”
Zhou Cheng introduced him with a grin, “He’s my deskmate, Xu Ming. I asked him to come along.”
Zhou Kai nodded, “Oh, I see… Got it.”
…
Xu Ming followed Zhou Cheng and Zhou Kai around the vocational school for a while.
After they had wandered around the campus and it began getting late, Xu Ming simply said goodbye to the two and headed home.
However, what he hadn’t expected was that this casual trip would bring him an unexpected reward.
[Ding! Hidden Mission completed: Befriend the third male lead.]
[Reward obtained: 100 Points.]
[Points have been issued. Host, please check your rewards.]
The sudden electronic voice startled Xu Ming so badly that he nearly lost his grip on the scooter’s handlebars.
Good grief…
That counts too?
Fine, fine…
That’s another 1,000 yuan in the bag!
Sweet…
…