“Damn!”
Early the next morning, Song Yu was jolted awake the moment he opened his eyes, the system was practically plastered against his face, scaring him half to death.
“System, have you lost your mind?!”
He scrambled toward the wall, patting his chest as he caught his breath, heart still pounding.
[Host, you completed the side mission just like that?]
“Ah.” Song Yu sat up straight. “Yeah, I did. What about it?”
The system interface flickered twice, followed by a sound of utter disbelief.
[I just went back to report, and it’s already done??!]
The shock in its voice was so intense that Song Yu almost didn’t recognize it as the system.
“You went back to report?”
The system flickered a few more times, seemingly scanning through all its records, no host had ever completed a timed side mission on the very first day.
It seemed to glitch for a moment before reverting to its usual mechanical tone.
[Yes, Host. To improve mission efficiency and monitor real-time changes in the plot, we systems periodically return to the main system to report.]
“Then…” Song Yu suddenly leaned forward and grabbed the system. “If I go OOC while you’re away, you won’t be able to detect it?”
[Please abandon such dangerous thoughts, Host. Even when the system’s consciousness is absent, its functions continue to operate.]
Song Yu listened without showing any reaction on his face, simply releasing his grip on the system.
So the OOC standards really have changed.
Before he could dwell on it further, his phone, tossed beside the pillow, buzzed with a notification.
It was a message from the homeroom teacher in the class group chat, informing everyone that the textbooks had arrived. Two students, along with the study committee member, were needed to help move them. To ensure fairness, the selection would be done by lottery.
Study committee member? Wasn’t that Cheng Yao?
But… Song Yu stared at the words “lottery” and suddenly felt a sense of foreboding. His luck had always been terrible.
But now that he was in a different world, surely he couldn’t still be this unlucky, right?
He clicked into the lottery page and tapped quickly.
The result appeared, a glaring red character: Selected.
Song Yu held his breath, slowly closed his eyes, and felt as though his soul had left his body.
I knew it.
He exited the class group chat page, tossed his phone aside, and rolled around on the bed, letting out two frustrated roars.
“What’s wrong with that! What’s wrong! What’s wrong with me having a bit of good luck!”
[Host]
“What?!” Song Yu lifted his head angrily, completely unaware that his elbow was pressing down on his phone.
[According to the system’s calculations, your current emotional state is referred to as “impotent rage.”]
“?”
[In response to the main system’s directive to evolve with the world, the system has been cramming overnight. Is the current calculation correct?]
“…Not at all, thank you.” After venting, Song Yu calmed down and resigned himself to washing his face and brushing his teeth. Just as he was pulling off his shirt, he suddenly noticed that his phone screen was still lit.
He leaned in to take a look.
The phone screen was frozen on a chat window.
There were only two simple messages.
[I’m Song Yu.]
[I’ve accepted your friend request. We can start chatting now.]
The timestamps showed they were sent around 8 p.m. the previous night. Aside from that, there was only a video call record lasting about five minutes.
Staring at the simple profile picture, a plain pair of sunglasses against a white background, Song Yu suddenly felt too nervous to look at the name. A bad premonition washed over him again.
Maybe it’s someone else, right?
With hopeful eyes, he glanced upward. Sure enough, there was only a single, simple letter: L.
That was Lu Qiwen’s WeChat name. After hurriedly adding him as a friend last night, Song Yu hadn’t decided on a nickname and left it as is, so he remembered the name clearly.
Song Yu: “…”
“System.”
[Yes, Host.]
“When did I make a video call to the school bully!?”
[Five minutes ago.]
Song Yu obviously knew when it happened, the time was right there, glaring at him. What he really wanted to ask was how he had ended up making that video call!
“I’m going to sleep first. You can go now, Plot System.” Song Yu’s legs trembled as he knelt shakily on the floor.
[Don’t worry, Host. According to my calculations-]
“Nothing will happen?”
[At most, you’ll get beaten half to death. It’s fine.]
Song Yu didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. That rigid system had actually learned to crack a cold joke.
But then he remembered he had made the video call around 8 a.m. What if the other person was still asleep…
Song Yu couldn’t bring himself to laugh anymore.
Now he genuinely felt like he was about to get beaten half to death.
Trembling, Song Yu changed his clothes, but even after arriving at the classroom to move books, he still hadn’t received any reply from Lu Qiwen.
Could it be that Lu Qiwen had accidentally tapped “answer” too?
…
“Song Yu, Song Yu.”
Hearing his name, Song Yu instinctively looked up and saw Cheng Yao watching him with a worried expression.
“What’s wrong?” Song Yu stuffed his phone into his pocket.
“You just looked a bit off. Are you feeling unwell? Maybe you should go back?”
“No, no, I was just spacing out. So, where are we going to get the books?”
“There’s another classmate.”
“Another one?” Only then did Song Yu remember he hadn’t checked the group chat messages since being selected. Just as he was about to ask who it was, he spotted a flash of bright red behind Cheng Yao.
Song Yu: “…”
I must be seeing things, right?
Zhang Qizhi looked irritable, traces of sleepiness still lingering on his face. “What are you standing around for? Hurry up and go.”
He walked ahead of the two without waiting for a response, holding a small mirror and muttering quietly, “How did I get so tanned after just a week of military training? How am I supposed to meet him for dinner later?”
Noticing Cheng Yao and Song Yu’s gazes, Zhang Qizhi put away the mirror, shot Song Yu a disdainful look, and finally turned to Cheng Yao.
“Why bother having classmates come get the textbooks ourselves? Couldn’t we just pay someone to do it?”
“Don’t tell me you can’t afford it, Cheng Yao.”
His tone was unmistakably malicious.
Song Yu immediately tensed up.
After all, in the original novel, the protagonist Cheng Yao was portrayed as extremely sensitive. Not to mention, Zhang Qizhi had publicly pointed out Cheng Yao’s illegitimate status before.
Cheng Yao shook his head, his expression firm. “Since these are the textbooks we need for our own classes, we should be the ones to organize them.”
Song Yu scrutinized him inside and out, over and over, but couldn’t detect even a hint of sensitivity or inferiority in Cheng Yao.
Zhang Qizhi choked back his words, clutched the mirror tightly, snorted coldly, and turned away.
When they reached the classroom, a long line had formed, so the three of them waited a while before entering.
Since there weren’t many people in the class, some textbooks were only needed by four or five students, after filling both suitcases Cheng Yao had brought, Song Yu and Zhang Qizhi only needed to carry about ten books each to have everything.
“Let me push one for you,” Song Yu said, unable to bear watching Cheng Yao’s slight frame pulling two suitcases. He took one of the suitcases, placed the ten textbooks on top, and began pushing it forward.
His movements were swift and decisive, leaving Cheng Yao no time to refuse.
Zhang Qizhi stood behind them, holding his books, his eyes burning with almost tangible anger.
“Hey!”
Both of them turned around.
“You!” Zhang Qizhi tilted his chin toward Song Yu. “Put my books on there too and push them.”
Song Yu pretended not to hear him.
Zhang Qizhi stomped his feet in frustration, but as the two walked farther away, he had no choice but to quicken his pace.
Suddenly, as if noticing something, he flashed a particularly scornful smile. “Whose suitcase is this?”
“Why is the luggage tag a country cat?”
“It’s so ugly.”
“Looks like a stray from who knows where, not like our Elizabeth.”
Song Yu took a closer look and realized it was the tag on Cheng Yao’s suitcase, featuring an orange cat with chubby cheeks and a tilted head.
How adorable!
A cute cat!
Cheng Yao frowned. “This is our cat, Wang Cai. He’s very well-behaved.”
“Song Yu, tell me, isn’t it just plain ugly?” Zhang Qizhi seemed taken aback by Cheng Yao’s repeated rebuttals, growing increasingly agitated and desperate for validation.
Song Yu hadn’t expected Zhang Qizhi to stoop so low as to insult someone’s pet. Just as he was about to retort, the system suddenly popped up with a notification.
[Side Quest: Please mock the protagonist’s cat.]
Song Yu: “…”
System, you really have no shame.
Both of their gazes were now fixed on Song Yu.
Song Yu felt as if he were sitting on pins and needles.
Not far away, two others carrying textbooks emerged from the adjacent teaching building. Jiang Yuanheng hugged his books contentedly. “Even though the exchange student paperwork was a hassle, I’m officially your classmate now.”
“Huh? What are you looking at?”
“Your cat’s fur is so fluffy, but it looks a bit messy, needs more fish oil! And those tear stains under its round eyes are hideous, a clear sign of vitamin deficiency. I’ll recommend some good supplements later.” Song Yu stared at the photo, doing his utmost to mock it.
Cheng Yao blinked. “O-okay.”
“And its plump figure looks so huggable…” However, Song Yu found himself getting lost in admiration. Only when he glanced at the system interface did he hurriedly add, “Pfft!”
“It looks unhealthy!”
“I’ll send a running wheel for it in a few days.”
At this, Cheng Yao couldn’t help but laugh, though he still wanted to defend his cat. “He’s just fluffy, not fat. Fluffy.”
“I’ll bring you to meet him next time.”
Song Yu checked the quest page and, sure enough, it showed as completed.
It seemed that as long as his words contained derogatory terms, it counted as mocking.
Zhang Qizhi suddenly let out a few mocking laughs from the side.
Only then did Song Yu recall that the novel had mentioned the Zhang family being business partners with the Song family. So, didn’t that mean he had just pissed off the Zhang family’s precious darling?
Song Yu wasn’t worried about angering the Song family, but if he managed to offend the Zhang family as well, he might as well forget about staying in City B.
But then, to his surprise, Zhang Qizhi seemed to nod in satisfaction. “Well said!”
“What’s the use of being well-behaved? My Wang Cai could bite it to death in one go!”
With that, he tucked his textbook under one arm, pulled out his phone, and flipped to a photo.
It was a long-haired Maine Coon with a solemn expression on its elongated face, a mix of maturity and a hint of sleaziness.
Song Yu fell silent.
So, Zhang Qizhi really thought he was insulting him?
And seriously, what kind of decent person names their cat Wang Cai…
“Hahaha, very, very majestic.”
Zhang Qizhi immediately puffed up with pride and shot a provocative glance at Cheng Yao.
“Hey there~”
A voice suddenly cut through the three of them.
“Mind if I join you?”
Song Yu didn’t recognize the voice and turned to look.
Lu Qiwen came to a stop, watching as the usually puppy-like beta stiffened upon seeing him, those bright, watery eyes widening gradually. A flicker of mischief stirred in his slightly annoyed heart. He rolled his tongue piercing and asked:
“Mind?”
Song Yu realized Lu Qiwen was addressing him and guiltily lowered his head, shaking it while stammering, “N-no, not at all. It’s an honor.”
Lu Qiwen couldn’t see his expression clearly, but his mind vividly replayed the image of this beta lying in the backseat last night, stubbornly clinging to him. Especially those light-colored eyes, shimmering like water under the moonlight, unexpectedly beautiful and mesmerizing.
Some unspeakable, wicked thoughts hidden deep within swelled like a balloon.
Lu Qiwen leaned in closer, raising a hand to gently pinch the back of Song Yu’s neck. He lazily lifted his phoenix eyes, his gaze sweeping past Cheng Yao, who had been staring intently at Song Yu. “You don’t seem very welcoming.”
Although a beta’s glands are shriveled and atrophied, for some reason, when Lu Qiwen’s warm fingertips brushed against them, Song Yu couldn’t help but hunch his shoulders. “It tickles.”
Jiang Yuanheng stood to the side, his face screaming: Who are you? Do I know you? Why is this guy acting all threatening toward Yaoyao?
“Don’t move.” Lu Qiwen clicked his tongue. “You remember what you did to me last night, right?”
Song Yu immediately froze, then grinned at him. “What did I do?”
“How would I know?”
Lu Qiwen’s fingers slid from the back of Song Yu’s neck to his cheek, applying slight pressure. “You should at least remember waking me up early this morning.”
The alpha’s features were strikingly handsome, and his usually irritable expression now wore a playful smile, making him look like an otherworldly enchantress.
“Hey, hey, hey.” Song Yu looked up with teary eyes. “I know, I know! I just pressed the wrong button!”
“I really don’t know how it happened!”
“Hmph.” Lu Qiwen let go, crossing his arms. “If you’re trying to seduce me, this method is still too childish.”
Song Yu pouted, covering his cheeks, completely oblivious to what Lu Qiwen was saying. He lowered his head and muttered softly, “Why does he like pinching my face so much?”
“Do you know that pinching someone’s face often makes them drool in their sleep?”
“Honestly.”
Seeing Lu Qiwen block Song Yu, Cheng Yao couldn’t help but worry and wanted to step forward to ask, but was stopped by Jiang Yuanheng, who also took his suitcase. “Let’s go, let’s go, we’ll ignore those two.”
“But, but…” Cheng Yao looked back. Jiang Yuanheng narrowed his eyes, reached out his long arm, and pulled him into his embrace. Leaning close to his ear, he whispered something that immediately captured Cheng Yao’s attention, causing a blush to spread across his face.
“You, don’t say such things here!” He glanced around before pushing Jiang Yuanheng’s face away.
Zhang Qizhi, holding his books, widened his eyes as he looked back and forth between Cheng Yao and Jiang Yuanheng.
Anyone with roots in City B would surely recognize them. Zhang Qizhi was so shocked he couldn’t help but tighten his grip on his textbook.
Cheng Yao, Cheng Yao had connected with the Jiang family?!
Seeing that Cheng Yao had already walked away, Song Yu, holding his suitcase, was about to move forward when Lu Qiwen pressed him down.
Song Yu: “?”
“What are you doing?”
He had already been pinched back earlier, what more did he want?
The next moment, Lu Qiwen placed his own textbook on top of the suitcase as well.
Song Yu: ??
Bro, isn’t that a bit too much?
Song Yu’s big eyes practically spelled out the word “accusation.”
However, Lu Qiwen took the suitcase from Song Yu’s hands. He lifted his phoenix eyes to look at Song Yu’s puffed-up face and sneered twice. “What are you thinking?”
“Nothing!” Song Yu grinned and quickly handed the suitcase over to Lu Qiwen. “I’m moved to tears, truly grateful for your kindness, big brother.”
Lu Qiwen gave him another suspicious look.
The five of them walked back to Song Yu’s evening study classroom in a formation of front, middle, and rear. Along the way, Zhang Qizhi became unusually quiet.
After putting away his textbooks, Song Yu, mindful of his recent rebellious behavior, obediently followed Cheng Yao to escort the two downstairs.
Before leaving, Lu Qiwen gave Song Yu an indecipherable look. “You really like cats, but I hate them.”
Once they were farther away, Jiang Yuanheng asked, “Since when do you hate cats? I didn’t know that.”
“Didn’t your brother raise a golden tabby?”
Lu Qiwen: “I’m hinting to him that we’re not compatible.”
Jiang Yuanheng: “…”
Hmph.