Chapter 13: Taking Things This Far?
After saying goodbye to Aunt Qiqi Mei, Wen Nan hurried toward the teaching building. He had barely stepped onto the stairs when a system prompt sounded in his mind.
9527: [Your newbie gift pack 3-hour trial period has ended.]
9527: [Your charm value has reverted to the initial value: 4/100. Please be advised.]
Wen Nan paused in his tracks.
Had it ended so quickly?
A faint itching sensation returned to his skin and bones—he was back to his original appearance.
He had never checked the mirror, so he wasn’t sure just how handsome he’d become with a full charm value. To be fair, he was already good-looking, known as the Peng Yuyan of Peach Blossom Garden. Using his original looks for romance shouldn't pose any problem.
However, the scene he’d acted out on the playground earlier—cornering Little Pepper and kissing her forcibly—was certainly off the table now. Without the boost of maxed-out charm, a forced kiss was no different from harassment; it wouldn’t soothe the girl’s emotions, but would likely result in a double assault from both girls.
Therefore, when meeting the final target later, he must stay restrained, keep his distance, and avoid any improper actions.
With these thoughts, Wen Nan continued up the stairs.
“Ah—”
Just as he reached the third-floor landing, a piercing, agonized scream sounded, making Wen Nan’s heart tighten.
What was happening?
He followed the direction of the sound and turned toward the teachers’ office on the other side. Peering through the window, he saw, from afar, Fatty slumped over a desk, presenting his backside in a rather flamboyant pose...
Smack!
“Ah—”
Smack!
“Ah—”
Smack!
“Ah—”
Each time the homeroom teacher’s cane struck with force, Fatty shrieked like a rubber chicken.
Wen Nan: ...
He felt as though he’d witnessed something he shouldn’t have...
Fatty’s chosen theme—was he playing so wild?
Wen Nan didn’t understand, but was deeply shocked.
Ultimately, he decided to respect everyone’s unique proclivities, quietly stepping away from the office window and leaving this beautiful night to Fatty and the teacher in solitude.
...
...
[hhh]
[hhhhhhhhh]
[hhhhhhhhhhhhhhh]
[I can’t take it, why does Fatty’s style look like this?]
[He seems to have chosen the strict, married homeroom teacher? Isn’t that supposed to be a ghost girl?]
[Not a ghost girl, a neutral NPC.]
[How does one end up so miserable pursuing a neutral NPC?]
[You’re all too young to understand. Sometimes, people are scarier than ghosts. A married teacher with an unhappy family, a stagnating career, and entering menopause is far more terrifying than a school beauty ghost!]
[Too tragic. Anyone from the neighboring stream? Did Fatty just get beaten all night?]
[Just came from next door. I can tell you responsibly—yes!]
[The whole night, just getting beaten like that!]
[Not even the pose changed, always the downward dog!]
[hhh]
[hhhhhhhhh]
[Isn’t his backside going to bloom?]
[Is that even a question? He’s running a bet on whether he’ll be beaten to death, odds are up to 11.38—what do you think?]
[Actually, it wasn’t so bad at first. His newbie pack was maxed out for armor, tough skin, and he could take hits.]
[But the maxed armor trial just ended.]
[Tragic.]
[Too tragic.]
[Which stream is Fatty’s? I want to place a bet.]
[It’s the first one next door, “Small but Cute” stream. Don’t let us slow you down.]
[Going, let’s check it out.]
[I’ll keep camping in the pro’s stream.]
[Not interested in that sort of masochism.]
[Watching the pro’s steady performance is more fun.]
[Same here.]
[Camping.]
[Camping.]
[Of the four targets so far, there’s one three-star, two three-and-a-half stars, and one four-and-a-half stars—all rare high-level ghost girls for the newbie trial zone. The last one, who knows what level she’ll be?]
[Might break through to five stars.]
[Five stars? No way, that’s only for intermediate maps and above.]
[Who knows, anything can happen in the pro’s stream.]
[That’s true.]
[Camping.]
[Camping.]
...
...
Wen Nan’s meeting place with his last target—the cool, cunning top student—was at the back door of their classroom.
Passing the front door marked “Grade 12 (Class 2),” his gaze swept across the empty classroom and instantly spotted the figure sitting at the desk by the back door.
At that moment, the system’s voice sounded in his mind.
[Name: Yu Shujun (Little Jun)]
[Role: Cool and cunning academic ace]
[Background: Yu Shujun has always been a top student. Whether major or minor exams, her grades are always ranked first in the year and have never slipped to second place.
She is completely uninterested in anything except studying. Apart from attending classes, taking exams, completing assignments, and participating in Olympiad competitions, her high school life holds no other activities.
She is not only immune to romance, but also to friendship.
She always keeps to herself—no lover, no friends, nothing that might distract her from her studies.
She doesn't participate in extracurricular activities, classmates’ dinners, or social gatherings. She doesn’t care about current events, doesn’t follow celebrities, doesn’t watch dramas. Her life is so simple it borders on dull—study, study, and more study.
Her life plan is crystal clear; as long as she follows it step by step, she believes she will smoothly become a winner in life.
So, your appearance unsettles her.
This unease stems from loss of control—her life begins to spiral out, her trajectory starts to derail.
During the final sprint in senior year, the homeroom teacher implemented a one-on-one support program in the class. You are Yu Shujun’s assigned mentee.
Being forced to carve out extra study time to assist you, the “problem student,” is already enough to annoy her.
But what truly frightens her is that her own heart is growing uncontrollable.
She is beginning to develop feelings for you, irresistibly, growing fonder by the day.
She hates this feeling of losing control, wants to distance herself from you, yet deep down, she can’t help wanting to get closer, to have more opportunities for intimate contact.
Caught in this emotional conflict, she sticks to her original plan and invites you to the classroom to explain today’s test paper.]
[Difficulty of pursuit: ★☆]
Seeing this background introduction, Wen Nan was slightly stunned.
One and a half stars?
Such a low difficulty?
Not that Wen Nan was obsessed with high difficulty, but the previous four targets were all at least three stars. He’d assumed that all the girls in this trial map were at least three-star level.
Still, easier was something Wen Nan welcomed.
With that in mind, he stepped to the back door of the classroom and called out, “Little Jun.”
The girl looked up at him.
Seeing her face, Wen Nan was struck dumb.