The system was completely dumbfounded.
It was still reeling from the shock of the -2 drop when Xing Shi, also stunned by the wild fluctuation in favorability, failed to catch the juice bottle.
Then, as Xing Shi and Fu Xiuning both instinctively tried to grab it, they ended up missing the bottle and accidentally grabbing each other’s hands.
The juice hit the floor with a dull thud.
Immediately after, the favorability score, which had dropped into the negatives, began skyrocketing upward.
As the system stared blankly at the incessant notification sounds, it froze in disbelief. It wasn’t until the sounds finally stopped that it came back to its senses. Seeing the final score, it screamed, “Ahhh! 10 points! It’s 10 points!”
“You were right—accidental contact is the key! You’re a genius!”
“He’s so awkward, but he really loves you!”
“I just want to go to the system group chat and spam ‘You’re all trash!’ memes, hahahaha!”
The two who had just silently come to a mutual understanding let go of each other’s hands, quickly suppressing the emotions in their eyes.
Xing Shi said, “Shut up.”
The system immediately went quiet but continued celebrating internally, its energy practically ready to burst out and dance.
Fu Xiuning glanced at the juice on the floor.
Xing Shi hadn’t screwed the cap on tightly, so it had spilled everywhere.
Fortunately, it was only a small bottle, so the mess wasn’t too extensive.
Fu Xiuning picked up the bottle and tossed it into the trash. Xing Shi turned to get some paper towels, and the two quickly cleaned up the spill. Afterward, Xing Shi retrieved another bottle of juice from the fridge, handed it to Fu Xiuning, and sat back down next to him.
The system, still jittery from the previous scare, warned, “This time, don’t drink his juice. Stick to your own.”
Xing Shi protested innocently, “I didn’t think he’d be so particular—he flipped out over one sip of juice.”
Fu Xiuning, holding the freshly opened juice, glanced over at Xing Shi.
He hadn’t expected this kid to pick a topic he could hear but then immediately bring it in front of him as a trap.
He’d long since stopped placing any expectations on people’s behavior. Countless hosts had schemed against him to his face, and he’d remained indifferent to even the most venomous plans.
But he couldn’t deny that when he’d heard Xing Shi talk about drugging him, he’d felt a flicker of disappointment—albeit fleeting. He’d quickly realized Xing Shi had no reason to do such a thing right now.
Still, it had been too late. His brief hesitation had given him away. Xing Shi’s subsequent actions—proving the juice was untainted—along with the system clarifying it was all hypothetical, made it clear that Xing Shi had figured out his secret and was testing him.
This kid sure knew how to stir things up.
And, admittedly, he was sharp.
Fu Xiuning took a sip of juice, thinking back to the 1-point increase tied to Yu Shu’s incident. That must’ve sparked Xing Shi’s suspicion. Considering how often this kid had been buzzing around him lately, Fu Xiuning glanced at him again.
Xing Shi caught the look and couldn’t help but ramble to his system. “I don’t think he really loves me. He loves the juice more. If I fell into a river with the juice, he’d definitely save the juice first.”
Fu Xiuning: “…”
The system countered firmly, “No way. He absolutely loves you more!”
Xing Shi sighed. “Let’s hope so.”
Fu Xiuning, unfazed, picked up a book from the side and ignored him.
Xing Shi scooted closer. “Bro, stop reading. Let’s talk about life.”
Fu Xiuning asked, “Talk about what?”
Xing Shi thought for a moment and decided to dig for some answers. “I don’t know… Oh, by the way, this desk in my room—your assistant bought it, right? I really like it. Can you ask where they got it so I can buy one later?”
Hearing the mention of his assistant, Fu Xiuning turned to meet Xing Shi’s curious gaze and replied, “If you like it, just take it. But instead of worrying about desks, you should focus on your studies. I’ve looked through your class notes, and you’ve got mistakes in there.”
Xing Shi’s heart skipped a beat. Class notes?
So, Fu Xiuning had gone to get his handwriting analyzed? When had he started suspecting him?
Judging by how the favorability score had climbed to 2 points, Fu Xiuning must’ve confirmed he was the “original host.” Which meant Xing Shi’s long-standing suspicions and that flash of intuition at the airport were correct—he really had returned to this world.
He said, “Got it. I’ll fix them.”
Fu Xiuning wasn’t sure how much Xing Shi remembered in his “amnesiac” state, but his reaction now suggested he understood the hint. Fu Xiuning continued, “Stay out of trouble at school. Don’t cause any issues. Is Lin Kecheng still bothering you?”
Xing Shi replied, “Not really, but since his leg was broken because of me, I occasionally check on him so people don’t call me cold-hearted. Ugh, people like him are such a pain. Are there others like him at school? I’ll steer clear.”
Fu Xiuning said, “As far as I know, just him.”
Xing Shi understood. That meant Lin Kecheng was the only host at their school, and the long list of names Lin Kecheng had previously sent him was fake.
He said, “I hope there won’t be any more in the future.”
Fu Xiuning met his gaze and gave a quiet “Mm.”
The next day was Monday, and both had morning classes.
As Fu Xiuning drove onto campus, nearing the teaching building, Xing Shi reached for the seatbelt buckle, preparing to get out.
But as they approached the final turn, Fu Xiuning suddenly slowed the car.
A wheelchair shot out from a side path, narrowly skimming the car’s hood before crashing into the curb. The person and the wheelchair toppled over.
Xing Shi winced. “Hiss…”
The system exclaimed, “Yikes…”
Fu Xiuning stepped on the brakes, looking mildly regretful.
If this had been in the past, he would’ve simply run the person over. But now, he had to leave this situation to Xing Shi.
He said, “Looks like it’s Lin Kecheng.”
Xing Shi instantly switched to “concerned fool” mode, unbuckling his seatbelt and rushing out of the car. “Senior, are you okay?!”
Lin Kecheng had fallen hard. He’d used his arm to break the fall, leaving it both painful and numb. His already broken leg seemed to have hit something again, sending sharp pains through his nerves.
His face twisted in agony. “I’m fine… Ah! Don’t—don’t grab my arm!”
Xing Shi retracted his hand. “Should I call an ambulance for you?”
Lin Kecheng gasped for air. “No need.”
It was class time, and many students were walking by. Several hurried over to check on the commotion.
Lin Kecheng noticed Fu Xiuning getting out of the car and quickly adjusted his expression. When Fu Xiuning approached, Lin Kecheng gave an apologetic smile. “Sorry, senior. I was rushing to class and got careless. I hope I didn’t scare you.”
Fu Xiuning looked down at him with his usual gentle expression but made no move to help him up. “Are you alright?”
Lin Kecheng forced a pained smile. “I’m fine.”
Fu Xiuning said, “Don’t push yourself. If it’s serious, go to the hospital.”
Lin Kecheng chuckled bitterly. “I think I’ll manage. Ah… I’ll just head to the infirmary first.”
Slowly, he sat up with the help of a few onlookers, who eventually carried him into Fu Xiuning’s car.
The car turned around and headed toward the infirmary.
Naturally, Xing Shi, ever the “kind fool,” tagged along.
The system observed the entire scene and asked, “Is he trying to scam you?”
Xing Shi said, “More like he was hoping Fu Xiuning would hit him. If it looked like an accident and he didn’t hold Fu Xiuning accountable, it might create opportunities for Fu Xiuning to check on him or care for him, giving them more chances to interact.”
The system scoffed. “What an ugly scheme.”
It perked up. “Can I send that to the group chat? Let me curse him out.”
Xing Shi stopped it. “Not yet. Wait for the right moment.”
The system trusted him. “Alright!”
Lin Kecheng’s plan had indeed been to risk injury for the sake of creating an “accidental” connection with Fu Xiuning.
He’d spent years trying to make an impression on Fu Xiuning to no avail. Aside from earning 1 point when he became a department head, he’d made no progress. Desperate, he’d decided to take a bolder approach.
But he hadn’t expected that, despite carefully timing and positioning himself, not only did his plan fail, but he ended up with even more injuries. Worst of all, this type of stunt could only be pulled off once. A second attempt would definitely raise suspicion.
Frustrated and in pain, his mind raced with wild guesses. “Did Xing Shi warn him?”
The system remained rational. “We don’t share location data, so Xing Shi wouldn’t know where we are. If he needed to reach us, he’d just send a message instead of wasting energy to track us. It’s unlikely he tipped Fu Xiuning off.”
It added, “From where you were, it’s possible Fu Xiuning saw something out of the corner of his eye and slowed down.”
Lin Kecheng exploded. “Damn it!”
The system urged, “Calm down.”
Desperate for progress, Lin Kecheng couldn’t calm down. By the time they arrived at the infirmary, he had barely managed to compose himself. Then he remembered something. “Has Xing Shi sent any messages?”
The system replied, “No.”
Lin Kecheng grew uneasy. “Should we send him an explanation? Say we just wanted more interaction with Fu Xiuning to help with the strategy and identify other hosts.”
The system agreed it was necessary.
After all, if their plan had succeeded, things would’ve been fine. But now, not only had it failed, it had left them looking pathetic. No one wanted a useless ally.
It quickly drafted a sincere-sounding message and sent it.
As Xing Shi helped transfer Lin Kecheng to a wheelchair and pushed him inside, he listened to his system relay the message.
The system commented, “Sounds pretty convincing. They’re even playing the humble card. What should we reply?”
Xing Shi said, “Don’t.”
The system immediately closed the chat.
Lin Kecheng waited for a long time without receiving a response. He glanced over at Xing Shi, who was looking at him with a concerned expression, as if completely unaware of the message.
Suspicious, Lin Kecheng asked his system, “Did you send it?”
The system, now flustered, replied, “I did.”
Lin Kecheng was about to ask his system to send another message when the school doctor came back with his diagnosis. The injuries were more severe than expected, and the doctor suggested he go to the hospital for an X-ray.
At that moment, a reply finally arrived from the other side.
The message: ?Heh.?
Lin Kecheng and his system immediately felt their scalps tingle. They didn’t need to guess—it was the system speaking.
Another message followed: ?Stop staring at my host. We’ve already agreed that you’re to communicate with me directly from now on to avoid treating him like an idiot again. Do you know what he just said? He said you’ve injured yourself again, and he’s worried you’ll be inconvenienced, so he wants to help you share the burden of confirming the names on the list. I didn’t even have the heart to tell him that you did this to yourselves.?
?Last time, you sweet-talked my host with promises of clear and timely communication. Is this what you call sincerity? Amazing. You’ve managed to cause trouble even with a broken leg. All we asked was for you to confirm a list of names—was that really so hard for you to handle??
Lin Kecheng quickly responded: ?We’re working on it!?
The reply came swiftly: ?Working on it? Forgive me if I can’t tell. All I’ve seen is you nearly throwing yourself under Fu Xiuning’s car. Can you honestly claim you’d be just as efficient injured as you would unscathed? You haven’t even figured out who the enemy is, yet you’re already stumbling over yourself to cause a scene. Let’s just end the alliance here—you’re on your own.?
Lin Kecheng hurriedly typed: ?This was a mistake!?
The response was merciless: ?A mistake? Don’t insult the word.?
System 99 gleefully added, “This is what you call ‘ugly people causing trouble’!”
It was ecstatic. “Hahaha, this is so satisfying!”
Xing Shi directed it to keep going until Lin Kecheng and his system finally promised to confirm the list within a short timeframe. Only then did Xing Shi let them off the hook.
After wheeling Lin Kecheng out, Xing Shi turned to Fu Xiuning and blinked. “Senior, is your class important? If you can’t skip it, you should head back. I’ll take Lin to the hospital.”
Lin Kecheng also looked at Fu Xiuning, hopeful for some interaction. At the very least, Fu Xiuning staying would make the day less of a disaster.
But his hopes were dashed. Fu Xiuning didn’t just want to avoid dealing with him himself; he didn’t want Xing Shi to handle it either. He called the student council president, briefly explained the situation, and asked her to send a few students who weren’t in class to help out.
When the reinforcements arrived, Fu Xiuning handed Lin Kecheng off to them and left with Xing Shi to return to the teaching building.
He asked Xing Shi, “Are you heading back to the company after class, or will you wait until noon to leave with me?”
Xing Shi replied, “I’ll go back on my own.”
After a moment’s thought, he added, “The forecast says it’ll rain tonight. If it rains heavily, I might stay at the dorms.”
Fu Xiuning gave a slight nod. “Alright.”
The two parted ways halfway, heading to their respective classrooms.
As usual, Xing Shi focused on his classes and training. After being added to the student council and friends’ chat group during the recent gathering, he soon saw updates about Lin Kecheng’s condition in the group. The diagnosis: soft tissue contusion, fairly serious, requiring a period of rest and recovery.
Following the crowd, Xing Shi sent a polite message of concern before turning off his screen, silently hoping Lin Kecheng would behave himself from now on.
The weather forecast was accurate—it began to rain that evening.
Although it wasn’t as heavy as predicted, Xing Shi decided to return to the dorms for the night.
Yu Yi was overjoyed. As soon as Xing Shi stepped through the door, Yu Yi shut it behind him and exclaimed, “Finally! I’m not alone anymore.”
Xing Shi laughed. “Doesn’t Feng Zifan come hang out with you?”
Yu Yi replied, “Sometimes, but everyone’s been coming back late lately. By the time we’re all settled, it’s bedtime.”
Xing Shi hummed in acknowledgment and gestured for him to take a shower first.
After they both finished washing up, Xing Shi came out toweling his hair and saw Yu Yi playing on his phone. “Been reading any good novels or watching any anime lately?” he asked.
Yu Yi nodded. “Yeah, a few. Want me to recommend some?”
Xing Shi said, “Sure. I’m in the mood for something fantastical—like superpowers, magic, or leveling up by defeating monsters. A protagonist who starts out as a nobody and becomes a master. Anime would be ideal.”
Although Yu Yi wasn’t into that genre himself, he offered, “Let me look for some.”
Xing Shi asked for the name of the platform Yu Yi was using and joined him in the search. At the same time, he instructed his system to help find suggestions.
The system multitasked as it searched. “Why are you suddenly into this genre? Got something in mind?”
Xing Shi replied, “Just feeling inspired.”
The system was confused. “Inspired by what?”
Xing Shi said seriously, “Look at Fu Xiuning. He’s busy all day but still takes time at night to read and better himself. Meanwhile, all I do is sit next to him, play on my phone, or distract him. It’s so shallow.”
The system didn’t follow. “… Watching anime makes you less shallow?”
Xing Shi reasoned, “At least it gives the impression I have hobbies. If I find something good, I can share it with him. Watching together would give us more common ground.”
The system immediately agreed. “You’re right!”
True to its efficiency, the system found options faster than either of them.
Xing Shi was just searching for the titles it suggested when Feng Zifan showed up, causing Yu Yi to pause his search.
Feng Zifan saw Xing Shi sitting in a chair and greeted him with the same sentiment as Yu Yi. “Wow, it’s been a while since we’ve seen you here.”
Yu Yi nodded vigorously in agreement.
Xing Shi chuckled. “It hasn’t been that long.”
Yu Yi asked curiously, “Are things settled at school now?”
Feng Zifan paused, sensing something odd.
To him, it didn’t seem like Xing Shi was tied up with school. Their training sessions ran late every day, and Xing Shi’s trips back to school were even later. What could possibly be keeping him so busy? Besides, the dorms were far more convenient than a college dorm with a curfew.
Still, he held back from prying. Although Xing Shi was friendly and easy to talk to, he wasn’t the kind of person who easily shared personal details. Only someone like Yu Yi could casually ask him questions like that.
Xing Shi hadn’t revealed the truth before because it seemed like a hassle.
But since they already knew about Fu Xiuning looking out for him, adding one more piece of information didn’t seem like a big deal.
He said, “There’s nothing going on at school. I’m staying at Fu Xiuning’s place now.”
Feng Zifan and Yu Yi were stunned. “???!?!”
Seeing their shock, Xing Shi explained briefly, “My dad’s an elder in his family. He found out I signed with his company and told him to look after me, so I moved in.”
Feng Zifan clicked his tongue. “Wow… So you’re related?”
Xing Shi replied, “No, we just happen to know each other. I only found out recently.”
He added, “Anyway, that’s the situation. Don’t spread it around.”
Both nodded quickly.
That night, Xing Shi slept in the dorms.
The environment was slightly better than before, but his instincts, honed in high-risk situations, ran deep. He was still easily woken by noise.
The next morning, he walked into the dining hall yawning and took the opportunity to ask his system for a Level 2 punishment.
The system was startled. “Huh?”
Xing Shi said, “I’m sleepy.”
The system suggested, “Just start training later. You’ll wake right up.”
Xing Shi countered, “But I’ll still feel sluggish. If I’m not sharp, I can’t train well. If I’m in a good mood, I’ll look better too. And isn’t that the whole point? We’re using my looks to win over Fu Xiuning, right?”
The system was speechless.
Xing Shi pointed to the 10-point favorability score. “Just look at this.”
The system gave in. “Fine.”
Three seconds later, Xing Shi felt the familiar surge of energy coursing through him. The pain was lighter this time, but he still couldn’t absorb the toxin.
He pondered talking to Fu Xiuning about it later and carried his breakfast tray to find a seat.
Last night had been spent chatting with Feng Zifan and Yu Yi, leaving him no time to address more pressing matters.
During class breaks, he finally searched for the anime titles provided by the system and Yu Yi. Soon, he found one that matched his criteria perfectly. The only downside was the childish art style, overly simple voice acting, and amateurish fight scenes—it was clearly made for kids.
The system noticed him staring and suggested, “Just pick another one. This one’s a no-go.”
Xing Shi replied earnestly, “I think it’s great.”
The system was baffled. “?”
It glanced at the screen showing a bear holding a magic stone and let out a confused, “Huh?”
Xing Shi watched intently. “I really like it.”
The system endured two more minutes of this before a thought struck it: Was its host’s appreciation tied to his amnesia?
Ever since Xing Shi arrived in this world, his life had revolved around classes and training. Apart from eating, he had no real leisure activities. Watching anime today was a first for him.
The system felt a pang of pity. “Sweetie, let me find you something good to watch.”
Xing Shi replied, “No, just this one.”
The system tried persuading him a few more times, but it didn’t work, so it begrudgingly let him be.
Xing Shi spent the whole day watching the anime, ignoring the perplexed looks from the system and Feng Zifan’s group. That evening, after showering and changing into comfortable clothes, he eagerly went to find Fu Xiuning in the living room. “Bro, I watched this amazing anime today. I have to share it with you!”
The system froze. “What?! Don’t! This one really won’t work!”
Xing Shi immediately argued back. “Says who? It’s great!”
The system panicked. “He’ll think it’s childish! Trust me, let’s pick a different anime to share, okay?”
Xing Shi firmly said, “No.”
The system gave up, internally muttering about how stubborn he was.
Xing Shi sat cross-legged on the sofa and asked, “Do you have a tablet? My phone’s charging, and I didn’t bring my own tablet.”
Fu Xiuning went to the study, retrieved a tablet, and handed it to him. Xing Shi immediately opened the search bar and typed: The Magical Bear’s Adventures.
When the first episode started playing, Xing Shi began explaining the plot with enthusiasm. “This is a magical world, and this little bear can do magic. But to use it effectively, he needs to charge up first. You get it, right?”
Fu Xiuning understood immediately.
He had long wanted to figure out the extent of Xing Shi’s abilities, and this clarified it: Xing Shi could absorb energy.
Fu Xiuning gave a light nod, intending to look away. But Xing Shi stopped him.
“Wait, I’m not done yet! You have to watch with me for a bit to really get it,” Xing Shi insisted.
Fu Xiuning asked, “What’s the rest of the setup? Just tell me.”
Xing Shi shook his head. “Nope, you have to experience it for yourself.”
Left with no choice, Fu Xiuning sat down beside him and began watching.
The system was utterly baffled. It silently observed, watching Fu Xiuning sit through three episodes without complaint. Now it was starting to question itself. Was it the one with bad taste?
When Fu Xiuning made it to the fifth episode, Xing Shi turned to him and asked, “What do you think?”
Fu Xiuning, who only noticed the energy-charging concept, calmly looked at him and waited for the explanation.
“Isn’t it pretty good?” Xing Shi asked, pulling up the episode list. “The first few episodes don’t show much. The bear doesn’t charge up very often, and the magic is basic. But I heard it gets really cool later. The problem is, there are 86 episodes, and it takes so long to get to the exciting parts. So slow, right?”
Fu Xiuning immediately understood what he meant. The energy he received from alliances was still too little, and he was dissatisfied with the slow progress.
This could be resolved easily.
When systems leave their hosts, they release a significant burst of energy—essentially all the energy they have left. Fu Xiuning didn’t know if Xing Shi could absorb it, but it was worth a try. Removing a system would also be beneficial in itself.
He glanced over the names of the remaining hosts and settled on Lin Kecheng.
Among them, Lin Kecheng was the only one who knew Xing Shi was a host. He was petty, prone to stirring up trouble, and ultimately useless.
Fu Xiuning looked back at Xing Shi and said, “You can just skip to the later episodes.”
Xing Shi wasn’t sure if this was a subtle hint. “Really?”
Fu Xiuning nodded.
“Okay, let’s do that,” Xing Shi agreed, before asking, “Do you think it’ll get exciting later on?”
“Probably,” Fu Xiuning replied.
Xing Shi’s eyes brightened. “So you think this anime isn’t bad either, right? I watched it all day today, and they kept saying I was being childish.”
He grew visibly moved. “Bro, we really are kindred spirits. Even our tastes are the same. You’ll keep watching it with me tonight, right?”
Fu Xiuning: “…”
So this is why you dragged me through five episodes before talking about the real issue?
The two stared at each other in silence.
One was eagerly trying to persuade, while the other was seriously considering just letting him fend for himself.
The system, having endured all five episodes alongside them, finally chimed in. “Why are you hesitating?”
After questioning Xing Shi, empathizing with Xing Shi, and eventually becoming like Xing Shi, the system reluctantly admitted the show wasn’t that bad after all. “The end credits are rolling—next episode!”
Xing Shi snapped out of it and reached to tap the screen.
Fu Xiuning shifted the tablet slightly upward, and their fingers inadvertently brushed against each other.
Xing Shi immediately withdrew his hand and tapped on the next episode.
The system caught the moment and immediately switched to its professional mode. “Accidental touch!”
It waited. “Why isn’t there a favorability increase?”
Xing Shi speculated, “Maybe he saw me reaching for it this time.”
The system countered, “Really? But he saw you reaching for the juice bottle last time, and it still worked.”
“Maybe the contact area was too small,” Xing Shi suggested.
The system considered this and conceded. “That could be it.”
Xing Shi’s gaze flicked to Fu Xiuning’s hand. He couldn’t resist adding, “Sigh, men are all the same. Once they’ve had a taste of a grand feast, they can’t stomach simple dishes anymore.”
The system agreed. “True.”
Fu Xiuning: “…”
Excellent. Now that the secret was out, the incessant chatter was even worse.
