Wen Qian paced around her tiny apartment several times before finally deciding to place the desk on the balcony—because aside from that spot, she really couldn’t find any free space at all.
[Homework Progress… 20%… 50%]
[Mission — Homework (Completed)]
Reward: EXP +30, Intelligence +1
Wen Qian yawned. Before her stamina completely dropped to zero, she opened the system panel to check her EXP bar.
She was only a sliver away from maxing it out. Level 5 was practically within reach.
I wonder what job I’ll get next…
Curled up under her blanket, little Wen started spacing out sleepily.
When she played games, she always hoped to roll a job she hadn’t played before.
But in real life, now that she had to personally experience it…
She would really prefer to roll one of the jobs she’d already tried at least once.
…Yawn…
As long as she didn’t roll that accountant job again—the one whose ending was “going to prison”… that would be great…
The next morning, Lin Huai finally learned the answer to yesterday’s unanswered question—what happened to the desk.
When he saw Wen Qian dragging the desk back into the classroom, he didn’t even know what he felt at that moment.
It was simply… exactly the kind of thing she would do.
“You went back and forth carrying this desk around… just so you could bring it home to do homework?” Lin Huai pressed his fingers against his temple.
Every time he tried to understand her logic, his head pulsed like it was about to explode.
How was this any different from taking off your pants just to fart?
“Look at Chu Lingyu—he comes to school on time every day, but once he’s here, he just skips class and sleeps. Isn’t what I’m doing pretty much the same thing?”
Trying to make her deskmate understand, Wen Qian offered an example.
The moment the words left her mouth, not only Lin Huai looked stunned—
Even the rest of the class turned their heads to stare.
How dare she casually comment on Chu Lingyu?
In the corner of the room, the boy wasn’t sprawled on the desk asleep like yesterday. When he heard her voice, his brows tightened, and he stared at her for a long moment.
Everyone thought he was about to explode.
But instead, Chu Lingyu merely withdrew his gaze lazily and leaned back against the wall, looking utterly indifferent.
“Tch, what an act.” Ning Mingyue shot Wen Qian a sideways glance. “Right, Zhong Yin?”
“What on earth was He Ling thinking? She just took her out to say a few words? That’s not like her at all.”
Zhong Yin gave a gentle smile. “He Ling… probably has her own reasons.”
Her eyes dimmed slightly. “I heard He Ling already made it clear— Whoever dares to talk to her next will be…”
She didn’t finish, but the implication was strong enough.
Satisfied with the update, Ning Mingyue’s arrogant expression softened, and even her tone toward Zhong Yin became much nicer.
“Hopefully she learns her place soon. This kind of unrealistic delusion—”
“What’s unrealistic?”
The subject of their gossip suddenly appeared behind them, one hand on the desk as she tilted her head at them.
Ning Mingyue’s heart skipped a beat. Then anger and embarrassment surged up, and she glared at Wen Qian.
“Who allowed you to come near me!” she snapped. “You—”
Her sentence was abruptly cut off—not verbally, but physically.
Wen Qian reached out and pinched her cheek.
Ning Mingyue stared at her in shock.
What—?!
“How weird. Why isn’t there a mute button?”
The player manually interrupted the NPC’s speech.
She vaguely remembered seeing a mute button when she was exploring the system panel early on.
But now?
It was gone.
This NPC who constantly showed up as background noise was simply too loud.
It would be much better if she could just mute her for a while.
Still holding Ning Mingyue’s face, Wen Qian continued searching through the system panel for that mute button she swore she had seen before—
Completely ignoring the girl whose face was turning from pale to bright red.
“You—how dare you…”
With her cheek squeezed, Ning Mingyue’s voice came out warped and strange, doubling her humiliation and fury.
“Don’t talk. I’m doing something important.”
Wen Qian scolded her seriously, and to prevent the NPC from struggling, she grabbed the other cheek too—kneading her face like dough.
“Be good. Quiet.”
Ning Mingyue’s friend—who’d overslept and arrived late—walked into the classroom just in time to witness a scene more surreal than a dream.
The same Ning Mingyue who had complained about the “poor honor student” yesterday was now looking up with an oddly soft gaze…
While that very honor student was holding her face between both hands, murmuring something.
Friend:
“…Maybe I really did sleep too much.”
She froze at the doorway, unsure whether she should move.
Her seat was next to Ning Mingyue.
If she walked over now… would she be interrupting… whatever this was?
Just what happened between them in the short time she wasn’t there!?
“Wen Qian, what are you doing? Let go of Mingyue.”
Zhong Yin recovered from the initial shock faster than anyone.
She knew she couldn’t just stand by.
If she did nothing, Ning Mingyue would give her hell afterward.
And the gentle persona she’d carefully maintained would develop cracks.
“You want to try it too?”
A normal question sounded like a threat in Zhong Yin’s ears.
Instinctively, she glanced at Chu Lingyu—who was pointedly ignoring them.
No. She could NOT embarrass herself in front of him.
The friend at the door was even more stunned.
What does this have to do with Zhong Yin too!?
Did she really just walk into a different dimension?
“If you’re upset about something, I can apologize… okay?” Zhong Yin lowered her eyes pitifully.
No matter what Wen Qian said next, she could twist it to her advantage.
But Wen Qian simply… ignored her.
After searching forever and still failing to find a mute button, Wen Qian sighed.
“Looks like I really can’t make you shut up.”
She glanced at Zhong Yin’s strange expression, then at Ning Mingyue—who looked like she was about to explode.
Then she nodded to herself.
“Yeah. You’re definitely the more important one.”
Ning Mingyue choked on the curse she was about to spit out.
“Y-you—what do you mean by that!?”
“In the future, don’t be so loud. At least not while I’m still in the classroom.”
Wen Qian tilted her head, examining the NPC’s face, the red marks from her fingers still visible.
She couldn’t help but sigh.
This game really was easy on the eyes—
Even the vicious background characters were made this pretty.
“But honestly… you’re even cuter when you’re quiet.”
After hesitating for a long time, she finally decided to enter the classroom first—only to hear her friend spewing outrageous words the moment she walked in: …!
The player, who hadn’t managed to find the mute button and was about to leave in disappointment, suddenly paused as if remembering something. She looked thoughtfully at the NPC whose face still carried faint red marks.
“What’s your name?”
Wen Qian suddenly remembered she still had an unfinished task—introducing herself to classmates. And wasn’t this the perfect chance to complete it?
“Hello, my name is Wen Qian. Nice to meet you.”
Believing she had gone through all the proper steps, she waited for the other girl to respond.
Ning Mingyue was seething with anger, yet when she saw the hand extended toward her, she instinctively covered her face.
“…Ning Mingyue.”
A stalling tactic, a stalling tactic.
Wen Qian, who only wanted to shake hands politely, stared blankly when she saw Ning Mingyue cover her face. Then she simply reached out and patted the top of her head.
【Mission Progress: 4/5】
She turned and looked at the dazed unfamiliar girl beside them, casually saying, “Hi, classmate. Let’s get to know each other. I’m Wen Qian, and you are…”
“I’m Cheng Shuang.” The girl spoke quickly, almost like抢答 in a quiz show.
After speaking, she immediately took a cautious step back, afraid Wen Qian might pat her head the same way she had done to Ning Mingyue.
Wen Qian nodded and was about to say something perfunctory when a system notification sounded in her ears, breaking her calm expression.
【Mission Reward: EXP +20, Reputation +1】
【EXP full. Level up: Lv4 → Lv5】
【Congratulations, player has reached Level 5. The Pre-Profession System is now officially activated. More new gameplay awaits your exploration.】
【Randomizing profession… please move to a suitable outdoor area.】
Wen Qian had never expected these last experience points to be the final push she needed. With no time to greet her newly acquainted classmates, she quickly rushed out of the classroom.
Halfway there, she turned back, placed a hand on Lin Huai’s shoulder, and instructed him seriously:
“I’m going to skip class. If there’s homework, help me collect it. Thanks.”
Lin Huai didn’t know if he should question his desk mate’s attitude toward studying or marvel at how much she respected homework.
You’re skipping class—so why are you still this concerned about homework?!
“Hey.”
The voice beside him snapped Lin Huai out of his thoughts. Looking up, he was surprised to see Chu Lingyu standing by his desk.
They barely interacted. He had no idea why this young master suddenly wanted to talk to him.
“You’re called Lin…” Chu Lingyu frowned, unable to remember his name. “Forget it. If Bai Qi or anyone else comes looking for me later, block them.”
He spoke casually: “If you can’t block them, just say I’m in the lounge.”
Bai Qi was late today—good news for Chu Lingyu. But he was bound to come eventually. When he found Chu wasn’t in class, he’d definitely go looking for him.
Not wanting to deal with a clingy follower, Chu Lingyu decided to get someone to cover for him.
This Lin… Lin-something guy seemed experienced enough. He’d do.
The class monitor who somehow ended up covering for two people skipping class: “…Got it.”
Wen Qian originally wanted to wait for the system result in yesterday’s grove, but before she even got close, her sharp eyesight spotted student council members lurking among the trees.
Not wanting to trigger a chase event at such a time, she quietly retreated and hid in a dense garden instead.
Once the Pre-Profession System activated, the Part-Time Job System would open as well.
This was the main source of income in the game!
Different professions led to different part-time job paths, and the methods of earning money varied accordingly.
She could finally leave behind this life where even eating beef noodles wasn’t free!
Wen Qian waited eagerly for the system’s response—only to receive… a pigeon.
Looking at the white bird holding a letter in its beak with a floating【Mailbox】icon above its head, Wen Qian was once again stunned by the game’s creativity.
She silently accepted the letter. Along with it came a newspaper titled Academy Daily.
Was this what the system meant by “more features”?
Wen Qian put down the newspaper and opened the envelope first.
【Dear [Wen Qian]:
By the time you read this letter, you must already have expectations for your future. I look forward to the choices you’ll make. When your mother was still here, she always said…
I wonder if you want to become a doctor, a teacher, or maybe a firefighter. No matter what you choose, we’ll support you. That was also your mother’s wish.
—From your loving cousin’s uncle’s great-uncle’s son】
【Player has received a letter from a relative. Player is greatly encouraged】
【Random Profession Generated. Your profession is—】
【Beggar】
【Congratulations! You are now a Pre-Beggar. Hurry and write a letter to your relative to share this joy!!】