NOVEL NEXT Chapter 8
Chapter 8: Let’s Go Drink:
On the bed, Qin Luo’s body was slightly trembling. He had held back for a long time, finally managing not to laugh out loud. He had professional training and usually wouldn’t laugh easily. But he couldn’t help it—the system had given him so much.
Especially when he saw the system notification indicating an extra 100,000 yuan in his bank account, he had to take several deep breaths to calm down. Even so, he couldn’t stop the corners of his mouth from curving upward uncontrollably.
“This was totally worth it…” he murmured to the wall.
Three months of effort had finally paid off, making him feel like a veil had been lifted from his eyes. However, after the joy subsided, a wave of sadness washed over him.
Yes, he was happy now. There was the joy of receiving the system’s reward and the strange satisfaction of Ji Yan actively seeking him out. But he had to admit that, despite his well-spoken words, there was still a sense of regret in his heart.
Three months ago, he had just acquired the system and was exploring its functions when he suddenly encountered Ji Yan at school. Qin Luo would always remember her from that day. On the sunlit campus pathway, she wore a white T-shirt and a beige pleated skirt, with a pair of pristine sneakers. Her legs were slender and fair, and she looked stunning.
Like many male classmates around him, Qin Luo was drawn to Ji Yan, both by her charm and the system’s prompt. The system’s function was to select a target with a distinct persona and then find ways to make that person act against their persona, thus earning Qin Luo rewards. The basic condition for selecting a target was that the person had to have a distinct persona.
Not everyone had a distinct persona. While people were different, most tended toward being ordinary. Only a girl like Ji Yan stood out in a crowd, like a fairy radiating natural light, catching the system’s attention immediately.
Thus, Qin Luo had a reason to approach Ji Yan. The system had chosen her as the target, but that was just a reason Qin Luo gave himself to get close to her. The truth was, Qin Luo really liked her; it wouldn’t be wrong to call it love at first sight. But he was very self-aware and began confessing without any real hope of success. He didn’t expect Ji Yan to really be with him, but through the multiple confessions, his feelings for her inevitably grew.
What he initially saw as a means to obtain system rewards had somehow become a burden. So today, three months later, he chose to let go. Even if Ji Yan had come to like him and was ready to accept his confession, Qin Luo no longer wanted to pursue it. It wasn’t that he didn’t like her anymore; he was simply disillusioned. Thus, the last non-confession was his way of explaining things to himself.
Even so, the regret was inevitable. This wave of gain wasn’t without loss. After all, it was his first love, which ended before it even began, inevitably bringing sadness. However, Qin Luo had always been clear-headed. Once he decided to give up, he wouldn’t go back. It wasn’t that he hadn’t tried; he just didn’t want to keep knocking on a door that wouldn’t open.
Even if that door was almost broken down, needing just one more knock to open, there was no point in continuing. Because there was someone inside that door.
This wave of sadness came quickly but also faded fast. Not only because Qin Luo had a very correct attitude from the beginning but also because the system’s rewards were simply too tempting. As an ordinary person without any special experiences, apart from being quite handsome, he had nothing extraordinary. Now, with the system, he was poised to reach the pinnacle of life. Though the process was emotionally taxing.
Qin Luo sighed, adjusted his mindset, and went to the bathroom to take a shower. After showering, he looked in the mirror and noticed a subtle change in his appearance. He couldn’t pinpoint what had changed, but he just looked different. Or more precisely, he looked more handsome. This was clearly the effect of his increased appearance, charm, and charisma stats.
Qin Luo felt very satisfied. He dried his hair with a towel and returned to the dormitory. His three roommates, who had been silent all this time, instinctively looked at him when he came out and were slightly taken aback. It might have been a delusion, but they suddenly felt that Qin Luo, fresh from the shower, seemed particularly handsome.
Qin Luo felt their intense gazes and immediately became alert. His three roommates awkwardly looked away. After drying his hair, Qin Luo found a clean set of clothes and changed. As he admired himself in the mirror, he grew more and more satisfied, finally snapping his fingers and calling out to his three silent roommates, “Let’s go, drink’s on me.”
His three roommates exchanged glances and, without saying a word, began gathering their things to head out.
…
Compared to the boys’ 404 dormitory room quickly regaining its cheerful atmosphere, the girls’ 606 dormitory room remained shrouded in a heavy, gloomy mood. After returning, none of the four girls spoke.
The moment Ji Yan returned, she threw herself onto her bed, lying there motionless and silent. Her lifeless demeanor worried her three roommates, but they didn’t know how to comfort her, so they quietly stayed with her in the dormitory.
Hao Meng took out her phone and sent a flurry of messages to Wang Chen.
Hao Meng: What’s Qin Luo thinking?
Hao Meng: Does he really not like Ji Yan anymore?
Hao Meng: Ji Yan was actually ready to accept his confession, really!
No matter what she sent, there was no reply. Just as Hao Meng was getting anxious, Wang Chen finally responded.
Chen: It’s Ji Yan who hurt Brother Luo, not the other way around.
Hao Meng pursed her lips, not agreeing or trying to explain. She just wanted Qin Luo to sit down with Ji Yan and talk things out, at least not end such a sincere relationship so abruptly. But when she sent another message, it was met with a big red exclamation mark.
Hao Meng froze, and Shi Yulu and Jia Ting sighed beside her. The dormitory’s atmosphere grew even more oppressive.