Even If There Were Dreams, They Would Be Vain

"Glug, glug~"

The sound of boiling water rose alongside the steam.

Su Cheng skillfully added handfuls of dried noodles into the pot, stirring gently to prevent them from sticking before lowering the lid. His movements were practiced and precise.

At three-fifty a pack, the noodles could last him six meals—second only to steamed buns in terms of cost-effectiveness, at least in his opinion.

After the opening ceremony, with no classes scheduled for the afternoon, he had returned straight home. Tomorrow marked the official start of the semester.

He hadn’t paid much attention to the student council president’s reminder. In his mind, hospitals were just another way to drain your wallet.

Besides, he knew his own body well enough. It was just exhaustion from overworking his brain these past few years. A few days of rest would set him right—no need to make a fuss.

And as for joining the student council?

He had no interest in bothering others or dealing with rich kids. Student councils sounded like something straight out of an anime plot anyway.

No way in hell was he going!

Soon—

A bowl of steaming yangchun noodles, garnished with scallions, sat on the coffee table in his living room.

A golden fried egg and a couple of blanched greens adorned the top, making it look as good as it smelled.

It wasn’t that he didn’t want to eat better—it was just that indulging too much would spike his blood pressure and leave him feeling awful. For now, noodles were the safer option.

A lack of exercise was to blame for this, of course.

So, after finishing this bowl, he decided he’d start jogging at night to get back into shape.

He turned on the TV, once again choosing anime as his mealtime entertainment.

"Huh, another isekai protagonist?"

"Ugh, and of course, he’s got a system."

Su Cheng’s expression darkened as he read the anime’s synopsis, irritation bubbling up inside him.

He despised system-wielding protagonists more than anything.

His face twisted with envy, teeth gritted, fists clenched—he was downright furious.

In short, he was pissed.

For no other reason than the fact that he didn’t have one!

"Just a slave to the system, that’s all!"

With a scoff, he switched to another anime—one without transmigration, reincarnation, rebirth, systems, or flashy magic and superpowers.

Just a simple, slice-of-life romance.

Titled The Angel Next Door Spoils Me Rotten.

"Isn’t this sci-fi?"

Su Cheng frowned at the summary, convinced it had to be a sci-fi series.

And as it turned out—

It was sci-fi!

Ding-dong.

Just as he resigned himself to watching it anyway, the doorbell rang, making his brow furrow.

Who in Flame City would be knocking? He didn’t know anyone here.

Still, he didn’t dwell on it. Setting his bowl aside, he headed to the door and swung it open—only to freeze at the sight of a radiant, golden-haired beauty standing outside, bathed in an almost ethereal glow.

One second. Two. Three.

Su Cheng stared, unmoving.

Then, his eyes widened in horror, his face stiffening. His lips trembled.

SLAM!

He slammed the door shut.

Slowly, he turned to the TV, where the anime’s golden-haired heroine stood at a doorstep in an identical scene.

His heart nearly stopped. Breathing grew difficult. Cold sweat beaded on his forehead.

Stripping away the 2D and 3D distinctions, the girl outside was a carbon copy of the anime character. For a moment, Su Cheng wondered if he’d been isekai’d again.

Wait, am I the protagonist of this anime?

No, the setting’s completely different.

What, did an angel just descend onto my doorstep?

"Maybe my brain’s fried. Blood pressure acting up again?"

After calming himself, Su Cheng chalked it up to hallucinations. He staggered back to the couch, picked up his bowl, and muttered between bites, "I really should get checked at the hospital. I’m starting to lose touch with reality."

Knock knock knock!

Just as he convinced himself it was all in his head, the knocking started again.

Su Cheng: "…"

Eyes narrowed, he set his bowl down once more and marched to the door, yanking it open with newfound defiance.

And there she was—the same radiant, half-foreign beauty.

He rubbed his eyes. No mistake.

"Who are you?" he demanded, forcing down his confusion, shock, and wariness.

"Your future wife."

The girl’s answer hit him like a truck. Su Cheng questioned whether he’d misheard—or if some psychiatric patient had escaped from the local asylum.

Future wife?!

What kind of nonsense is this?

"You expect me to believe that?"

Su Cheng steeled himself, putting on his sternest face.

"I know some things defy scientific explanation, but I have proof," she replied, her sapphire-blue eyes shimmering like stars. Her tone was earnest, almost convincing. "At least let me inside. Standing out here isn’t very hospitable of you."

Su Cheng studied her for a long moment before sighing and stepping aside with a reluctant gesture.

"Thank you." She smiled gracefully and stepped in—only to pause at the genkan, crouching down to inspect the shoe rack.

"Oh, right. My slippers wouldn’t be here yet."

Finding nothing, she pouted slightly before slipping off her shoes, revealing petite feet clad in black tights. She padded toward the living room—but froze at the sight of the plain noodles on the coffee table.

"I knew you wouldn’t eat properly!"

Her face flushed with anger, her delicate features twisting in frustration.

"What I eat is none of your business."

Su Cheng bristled at her audacity, his voice turning icy.

"Of course it’s my business!"

She snatched up the bowl, glaring as she shoveled noodles into her mouth. Between bites, she declared, "I’m eating this for you. In return, I’ll be taking charge of your daily life from now on."

She devoured the food like a woman possessed, her refined image crumbling with each messy slurp.

"Hey, are you insane?!"

Su Cheng lunged to stop her, snapping, "Quit it! I don’t need anyone ‘taking charge’ of me! Explain this ‘future wife’ nonsense or get out!"

"Hmph!"

The girl haughtily lifted her chin and continued wolfing down her food, slurping noodles while mumbling indistinctly, "Once I finish eating, I'll tell you everything."

"What exactly do you mean?" Su Cheng frowned, vaguely sensing that something about this situation felt off.

He didn’t know this girl at all.

True, he was familiar with one person who had golden hair—the twin-tailed senior from today’s opening ceremony. But while this girl also had golden hair, her hairstyle and aura were completely different. So, Su Cheng didn’t associate her with that tsundere senior.

Even their sock styles were worlds apart—the tsundere wore white thigh-highs, fitting a cute aesthetic.

This girl, however, wore black tights, exuding a mature and sexy vibe. Not to mention her long, straight golden hair. The differences were too stark for her to be that same tsundere senior.

Soon, she polished off the entire bowl of noodles.

Then, the golden-haired girl elegantly dabbed her lips with a tissue before looking up at Su Cheng, her expression slightly complicated. "Your cooking skills haven’t changed at all—still amazing enough to make someone want to swallow their own tongue..."

"Enough. Answer my question."

Su Cheng had no patience for word games. He stared at her intently and demanded, "Answer me!"

"Hmm..."

The girl tilted her head, thinking for a moment before finally speaking. "Actually, I’ve been reborn from the future."

The moment the word "reborn" left her lips, Su Cheng’s heart tightened slightly, and he fell silent.

Though he had already suspected as much, hearing it outright was still shocking—especially since this girl claimed to be his future wife.

Since he himself had crossed into this world, the concept of rebirth was easier for him to accept than it would be for an ordinary person. But acceptance didn’t mean blind belief. He’d sooner assume she had escaped from somewhere and would soon be dragged back by white-clad nurses wielding sedatives.

Unless she could provide solid proof.

"Let me introduce myself first. I’m William Henry Cornelia, your future wife."