At this, the System merely offered a cold reminder: [Instead of wasting time thinking about this, you’d better focus on managing yourself.]
Pulling up the novel’s storyline, the cold and unfeeling mechanical interface stared with absolute detachment at its assigned task: Cannon fodder Qi Ningze is about to encounter school bullying; please have the System prepare psychological counseling.
“When you run into Ke Feng tomorrow, I advise you to dress a bit warmer,” the System warned aloud.
Qi Ningze nodded obediently, clear and rounded eyes harboring a faint, lingering mist as the corners of his mouth tilted up slightly, making him look exceptionally well-behaved.
Early the next morning, bright sunlight filtered into the room through the small window, slowly waking up Qi Ningze, who was still fast asleep.
Qi Ningze rubbed his eyes, his gaze swimming with moisture. His soft, slightly wavy hair was an absolute mess due to his restless sleeping posture the night before, and his clothes were crumpled out of shape from being rubbed against someone all night.
He let out a yawn, the outer corners of his eyes lifting in a hazy display of seductive allure.
“System, I had a nightmare yesterday. I dreamt that an octopus was clinging tightly to me the entire time… and I couldn’t shake it off no matter what.”
Recalling the terrifying scene in his dream, Qi Ningze shivered, speaking with a limp, exhausted tone.
The System watched the replay of Yang Le’an holding Qi Ningze tightly all night in his sleep, and could not help letting out a dry “Heh.”
“Are you awake? Time to eat.” Hearing the commotion, Yang Le’an walked into the room carrying a steaming bowl of white porridge with his slender hands.
Unable to hide the excitement on his face, Qi Ningze quickly sat up. “I’m coming, I’m coming.”
So happy! Days where food is waiting right after waking up are simply wonderful.
After finishing breakfast, the two headed to school. By day, under the glaring sunlight, the poverty and shabbiness of the school became even more apparent.
Dilapidated gates, buildings that seemed like they had never undergone renovation, and unruly patches of dirty moss clinging wantonly to the walls.
Taking in this scene, Qi Ningze thought vaguely to himself: This place really doesn’t match Yang Le’an at all.
Yang Le’an excelled academically and possessed a great attitude toward studying; someone like him belonged in an aristocratic school, shining brightly before everyone.
This made Qi Ningze all the more determined to help Yang Le’an secure an invitation to a prestigious academy.
Stepping through the classroom door, Qi Ningze froze in a daze as he looked at his desk.
Black marker ink covered the reddish-brown surface in dense clusters of insulting phrases:
Gay people, go die!
You’re just a filthy bug living in a garbage dump.
Slut! Slut!
These words resembled razor blades, seemingly intent on shredding Qi Ningze into a thousand pieces. Staring at them, Qi Ningze stood frozen in place, at a complete loss.
Following that, his mind slowly conjured up the teachings of his seniors: “Xiao Qi, as cannon fodder, it’s completely normal for us to get bullied occasionally.”
“That’s right, that’s right! In my previous world, my identity was a vampire aristocrat, but the protagonist demanded I turn into a little bat and fly around entertaining him.”
“Exactly! So the best way to handle this situation is: play deaf and dumb!”
Watching Qi Ningze stand there in a daze, the System let out a deep, helpless sigh.
It had felt all along that Qi Ningze’s personality wasn’t suited for being cannon fodder at all. When attacked by others, he would only stand foolishly in place instead of fighting back.
Around him, the classmates cast malicious glances toward Qi Ningze, eagerly anticipating his reaction.
It’s definitely going to be pathetic, hahaha! Who asked him to be so ungrateful and provoke Ke Feng?
They had all seen Ke Feng’s lackey running over bright and early to scribble and scrawl all over Qi Ningze’s desk.
Malicious gazes converged upon him, but Qi Ningze kept his head lowered, leaving the System entirely in the dark about what he was thinking.
Under everyone’s curious gazes, Qi Ningze pulled out a pack of tissues and began slowly wiping down his desk.
Witnessing this, the crowd withdrew their gazes in disappointment, and a few even purposely let out a loud, mocking snort.
As for the messy scribbles smeared all over his desk, Qi Ningze thought to himself: How should I clean this up best later?
His wiping motions were unhurried, and he seemed completely absorbed in the task.
The booming bell began to ring, prompting the students to scurry back to their seats and put on an obedient, well-behaved facade.
Qi Ningze neatly arranged his textbooks and sat down properly in his chair.
The math teacher stepped into the classroom devoid of any emotional expression. “Today we are covering functions. Open your textbooks to page…”
As for Qi Ningze’s plight, the teacher simply bypassed it entirely, lecturing onward in his own world.
After class ended, Qi Ningze stared at the desk covered in black marker graffiti, a look of bewilderment clouding his fair, jade-like face as his ruby-red lips pressed into a tight line.
Lowering his voice, he asked the System: “Who drew all over my desk? Can you help me find out who it is, System?”
[Ke Feng,] the System replied without a trace of hesitation.
Qi Ningze’s gaze gradually lost its luster, and he lowered his head with a dejected, crestfallen expression.
He muttered under his breath: “What the heck… I actually thought he was a nice guy.”
Since Ke Feng had let him off so easily back then, Qi Ningze had assumed the other boy only looked fierce on the outside while actually being gentle on the inside. Who would have thought… he was this kind of person.
The System coldly reminded him: [Task plotline please endure it, Host.]
The spark of rebellion Qi Ningze had managed to kindle was instantly crushed flat by the System’s words.
Fine, fine. Everything is for the mission. Qi Ningze kept his head drooped, his pretty brows and eyes sagging as his obsidian-black eyes brimmed with infinite melancholy.
Suddenly seeming to recall something, Qi Ningze’s eyes lit up, transforming him back into a cheerful little puppy.
Unable to wait, he shared his brilliant idea with the System: “System, why is Ke Feng bullying me? As long as I figure out why he’s picking on me and fix it, he won’t have to bully me anymore, right?”
Those few simple words thoroughly shattered the System’s CPU. It never imagined its host would approach problem-solving with such a simplistic mindset.
Silent for a brief moment, the System reluctantly explained: [Ke Feng is bullying you because your persona dictates that you have a secret crush on Yang Le’an, and Ke Feng hates gay people. That’s it.]
I’ve never seen such a blockheaded human. I really want to capture him and study him.
Qi Ningze lowered his head in disappointment, his sparkling eyes instantly losing their original radiance and looking thoroughly lifeless.
After a short while, as if struck by inspiration once more, Qi Ningze radiated renewed vigor, pulling out a sheet of paper to scribble and sketch upon it.
Unable to contain its curiosity, the System covertly dispatched an eye-probe to inspect what Qi Ningze was writing.
“A Hundred Ways to Solve School Bullying?” Reading the title written in the notebook, the System’s CPU began spinning rapidly once more.
What is the host writing this stuff for? Maybe he wants to bully others and get them to draw away the hostility so he can sit back and relax?
Who would have thought the host actually had a brain? I always took him for a complete fool.
Opening up Qi Ningze’s panel and looking at the intelligence stats falling far below the average human baseline, the System sneered inwardly.