Although the rain gradually tapered off, the journey back was not all that smooth.
“Oh no!”
Xia Xianxian could not help but cry out.
The sudden downpour had turned the dry earth muddy and difficult to traverse. The bicycle wheels ran over a puddle, and the mud splattered everywhere along with the rotating tires.
Meng Wenzhou looked back to see Xia Xianxian looking like a little monkey sprouted out of the mud.
Although he had been very careful to avoid the puddles, Xia Xianxian still got splattered with quite a bit.
Sitting on the back seat, she lifted her feet as high as possible to maintain her center of gravity, while gripping the frame tightly with both hands. This appearance of hers was truly both pitiful and amusing to look at.
Seeing that the turned-around Meng Wenzhou was even more disheveled than herself, Xia Xianxian sighed, returned her feet to a normal riding posture, and said to Meng Wenzhou with resignation, “Forget it, just ride normally. Let’s get back early to clean up.”
“We’re almost at the village entrance. I poured hot water into the thermos flask before leaving the house. We can wash up once we get back, so bear with it a bit longer.”
Xia Xianxian behind him had completely wilted, letting out a listless murmur of agreement.
Once they returned home, Meng Wenzhou’s cleanliness compulsion kicked in again, and he washed his hands with cold water.
After mixing the hot and cold water for Xia Xianxian in the room, he rushed back to the kitchen in a flurry. Without waiting for the water in the pot to heat up, he scooped a ladle of water and poured it directly over himself from the top down.
“Meng Wenzhou!!!”
Right after the ladle of water was poured, Xia Xianxian’s tragic cry rang out.
Thud!
The room door made a loud noise!
“What’s wrong?”
Meng Wenzhou was still wearing those filthy clothes, and the water on his face hadn’t even been wiped dry as he rushed inside in a hurry.
He only saw Xia Xianxian crouching on the floor with a face full of grievance, tears swirling in her eyes ready to fall, looking up at Meng Wenzhou pitifully.
“I… I… my stomach hurts.”
After saying that, she lowered her head again, remaining completely motionless.
Meng Wenzhou seemed to understand somewhat. With flushed ears, he asked tentatively, “Do you still remember where the things you need to use are placed?”
Lowering her head like a quail, she said in a small voice, “That one was used by someone else.”
This mannerism of hers was truly both pampered and pitiful, yet Meng Wenzhou happened to adore her looking this way.
He helped her up while placing his own clean towel onto the bed.
Stroking Xia Xianxian’s head, he said tenderly, “Don’t be afraid, I’m here. Wash your hair and take a bath first. I promise that by the time you’re done, I’ll have a clean one ready for you to use.”
After Meng Wenzhou went out, Xia Xianxian’s tears still flowed continuously.
Her body used to be in excellent condition, with her monthly relative always reporting on time, and she had never felt this uncomfortable before.
The physical discomfort caused the grievance of being away from home to erupt instantly.
“System, help me exchange for some sanitary pads.”
The first thing Meng Wenzhou thought of after stepping out the door was the Feather-for-Candy Barter System.
…Sizzle…
[Host, this item exceeds your current living environment. It is recommended to exchange for items of the same period: ‘menstrual belts’ and ‘specialized toilet paper.’]
“Is this available in the Lucky Wheel today?”
[Yes, does the host wish to draw now?]
Meng Wenzhou nodded, and a Lucky Wheel blind box immediately appeared on the light-screen panel in front of him, divided into 8 equal parts containing only numbers from 1 to 8 without any actual item names.
With the system’s assistance, Meng Wenzhou naturally drew the item he wanted.
“Place the things directly in the room.”
[Understood, Host.]
Xia Xianxian was wiping her face when she saw a brand new menstrual belt and a stack of pink toilet paper appear out of thin air on the bed.
Knock knock…
Meng Wenzhou’s voice came from outside the door: “Xianxian, is it convenient for me to come in?”
Xia Xianxian piled all the dirty clothes into the corner of the wall, then shouted outside, “Come in.”
Meng Wenzhou still looked unkempt, very different from his usual self.
He carefully carried the freshly brewed brown sugar ginger tea and placed it on the table.
With a flushed face, Xia Xianxian watched him busying himself around the room, murmuring, “Just leave the things there, I’ll clean up myself.”
This was her feeling embarrassed. Meng Wenzhou turned his head and looked at Xia Xianxian with a smile.
“It’s all effortless chores. Don’t I usually do the work around the house anyway? Hurry up and lie down in bed.”
Xia Xianxian lay under the quilt, burying her head inside. Only after a good while did she poke her head out from the quilt again.
“System, what is Meng Wenzhou doing right now?”
A faint sound of static current drifted through her mind.
[Host No. 1’s privacy mode has automatically initiated.]
Xia Xianxian nodded. It was rare for Meng Wenzhou, with his massive cleanliness compulsion, to look this disheveled today; he definitely needed a good wash.
Lying down with nothing to do, she casually chatted with the system.
“Where did that menstrual belt and toilet paper come from?”
[Drawn from the Lucky Wheel.]
“Hmm? I bet our kind and lovely System helped out, right?”
…Sizzle…
[This was drawn by the host independently and has nothing to do with the system.]
The crackling sound of static current in her mind betrayed the system’s true thoughts.
“System, you’re too cute, I simply like you too much!”
A system that was so tough-talking but soft-hearted was much more humanized than when it first arrived.
[×&%￥#@……]
“Hahahahaha!”
Before even entering the door, Meng Wenzhou heard Xia Xianxian’s laughter.
He raised an eyebrow—resurrected on the spot so quickly?
“What are you laughing at that’s making you so happy?”
Teasing the system, of course!
Afraid that she would blurt it out, the system immediately took over the conversation.
[The judgment result from the main computer is out.]
“How is it?”
[This mission indeed violates the principle of fairness.]
[However, since it was actively requested by our system under a voluntary state…]
“What? Then we got shortchanged for nothing?” Xia Xianxian grew anxious upon hearing this.
[But because the host raised an objection to this mission, the mission has ultimately been canceled.]
“Don’t worry.” Meng Wenzhou patted Xia Xianxian’s head.
[However, regarding the matter of binding two hosts simultaneously, it has cleared the official channels with the main computer. From now on, missions will be divided into two modes.]
[Single-Player Mode: The host needs to work hard to complete it independently.]
[Double-Player Mode: Both hosts need to complete it together. Of course, the rewards are also doubled.]
[Once enough points are accumulated in the future, upgrades can be performed~]
“Well, alright then.”
Sigh, Xia Xianxian let out a sigh.
The wonderful days of eating, sleeping, and watching Meng Wenzhou do missions were gone, never to return.
“You don’t look surprised at all.”
“Mm.” Meng Wenzhou rubbed his chin. “It’s alright. My main goal in filing the appeal was to test the rules, and this result isn’t too bad.”
[Then you were tricking the system before!!!] The system shifted from its electronic tone back into a child’s voice.
“No, think carefully about what I said last time.”
“I said that system was shortchanging us, which wasn’t wrong, right?”
“I also said the main computer is very fair and wouldn’t wrongly accuse your predecessor, right?”
[Mm.]
[Wait, no! Wasn’t there supposed to be compensation and rewards?]
“Haven’t we cleared the official channels now? The main computer didn’t hold it against us and even mapped out a detailed upgrade route—isn’t that the greatest benefit?”
Xia Xianxian also chimed in to help: “Exactly, look at how much the main computer protects you; we didn’t even get any substantive rewards! You never have to worry about the main computer discovering the mistaken binding or utilizing a loophole to add a binding ever again.”
Although it still felt somewhat strange, the system was nonetheless persuaded by the two of them.
[Alright then.]
…Sizzle…