Chen Zhi walked out slowly with his hands in his pockets.
He was the first student to walk out of the exam center gates.
Outside the school gates, the media reporters who had been waiting for a long time instantly swarmed forward.
Cameras and microphones were shoved right into Chen Zhi's face.
"Student! Student! As the first examinee to walk out of the exam hall, how are you feeling right now?"
A female reporter, her face full of excitement, almost shoved the microphone into Chen Zhi's mouth.
The red light on the camera behind her was blinking. At this moment, it wasn't just the local city network; it might even be a live broadcast for the provincial television station.
Chen Zhi stopped in his tracks, blinked, and looked at the camera in front of him.
He adjusted his slightly wrinkled collar and revealed a textbook smile that was three parts mocking, three parts aloof, and four parts nonchalant.
"My feelings?"
Chen Zhi faced the camera, his tone flat. "Not bad, I guess. Mostly, the AC inside was a bit cold, so I wanted to come out and get some sun."
The female reporter froze for a moment, clearly not expecting this answer.
Weren't they usually supposed to say things like "I'm finally done" or "I want to thank my parents and teachers"?
"Then... do you think this year's questions were difficult?" The female reporter didn't give up, trying to dig up a viral soundbite. "Especially math. A lot of students reported that the calculations were very heavy."
Chen Zhi sighed, looking thoroughly disappointed.
"Difficult? I thought it was pretty basic."
"I saw similar questions on my scratch paper back in my sophomore year. If that's called difficult, then I suggest the exam committee step up the intensity a bit next year, otherwise there's really no way to separate the top students from the rest."
Anyway, I'm already done with the exam.
Even if they put Goldbach's Conjecture on next year's test, that's the underclassmen's problem.
As soon as he said this, the surrounding parents were in an uproar.
This kid's ego was way too big!
The female reporter's mouth twitched, feeling like she had run into a tough customer.
But this was exactly what the ratings needed! This kind of arrogant student would definitely make the trending topics once broadcast!
She excitedly continued to press: "Student, seeing how confident you are, your usual grades must be very good, right? What's your estimated score? Do you have any universities in mind?"
The smile on Chen Zhi's face faded a little, and he suddenly let out a long sigh.
His expression was lonely and desolate.
As if he had just experienced some major setback in life.
"Actually, my grades aren't that great." Chen Zhi shook his head, his tone low. "I performed averagely. I'll probably only be able to get into a niche school that admits just a few dozen students a year."
Hearing this, the female reporter felt a weight lift off her chest.
So he was just bluffing!
It seemed he bombed the test and was just making excuses.
"It's okay, student, everyone has their own path." The female reporter quickly switched to the tone of an understanding older sister, trying to comfort this "disappointed" examinee. "Actually, besides top-tier universities, many vocational and technical colleges are also good choices. Every profession produces its own masters, after all..."
Chen Zhi gave her a weird look.
"Vocational college? Who said I was going to one of those?"
He scratched his head, looking innocent. "I meant, with my score, I'll probably only barely make it into Peking University."
Female reporter: "..."
Cameraman: "..."
Surrounding parents: "..."
The female reporter took a deep breath, fighting the urge to smash the microphone into this boy's face.
"Then... do you have anything you want to say to the next batch of students?" the female reporter asked her final question through gritted teeth, just wanting to get rid of this menace as quickly as possible.
Chen Zhi didn't answer.
Because he saw a figure standing outside the crowd.
Lin Wanwan.
She had clearly just finished her exam too, wearing a baseball cap and a mask.
But those eyes peeking out were currently curved into crescents, staring at him brightly.
She was holding a comically large bouquet of sunflowers in her arms, probably snatched from her waiting father nearby. She had jogged all the way over, beads of sweat still hanging on her forehead.
And on the steps on the other side.
Pei Ningxue had also come out.
She didn't rush over like Lin Wanwan. Instead, she stood at a high vantage point, holding her phone, pointing it in Chen Zhi's direction.
The next second.
The phone in Chen Zhi's pocket vibrated.
He took it out to look.
[Bad Woman: Congratulations on finishing the college entrance exam, my good son. Although you're ugly and delusional, I still wish you a bright future.]
There were two attached photos.
The first was a close-up of Chen Zhi's smug face spouting nonsense in front of the camera just now, clearly a candid shot she had just taken.
The second photo...
Was a picture of Chen Zhi sleeping on his desk.
In the photo, Chen Zhi was sleeping so soundly he was almost drooling, and a huge, ugly-cute turtle had been drawn on his face, with the word "Bastard" written next to it.
When the hell was this taken?!
Chen Zhi's eyelid twitched, and he looked up at the steps.
Pei Ningxue waved her phone, the corners of her mouth curling up, and turned to walk away with the crowd, hiding her merits and fame.
"Student? Student?" the female reporter was still calling out.
Chen Zhi gently pushed the reporter aside. "Excuse me, coming through, family is here."
He walked straight toward Lin Wanwan.
"How did you do on the exam?" Chen Zhi walked over and asked with a smile.
Lin Wanwan didn't answer.
Like a summer breeze, she crashed right into Chen Zhi's arms.
The giant sunflowers were squished between them, making a rustling sound. Lin Wanwan buried her face in Chen Zhi's chest and took a deep breath. It was a familiar scent that made her feel at ease.
"Chen Zhi!"
Her voice was muffled, carrying a hint of a nasal tone, but mostly an irrepressible joy.
The surrounding parents and students all turned to look.
On this day full of farewells and relief, such a passionate embrace was always particularly eye-catching.
Lin Wanwan looked up.
She reached out and unhooked one side of her mask, revealing a small face that was unadorned by makeup but still stunning. Because of her excitement, her cheeks were flushed red.
In those eyes hid the passion of the entire summer, reflecting only Chen Zhi's shadow.
"Chen Zhi!" she announced loudly, her voice crisp. "The moment the final bell for the college entrance exam rang, it's no longer considered forbidden puppy love!"
Through a gap in the crowd, Li Zhiyi also squeezed out, holding two bottles of water, looking at this scene somewhat at a loss.
Chen Zhi took a deep breath.
The romantic battlefield might be late, but it would never be absent.
But he didn't care.
Summer had just begun.
Seeing that Chen Zhi wasn't speaking, Lin Wanwan wrinkled her nose in dissatisfaction and lightly punched his chest. "Hey, Chen Zhi, why aren't you saying anything? What am I to you now?"
Chen Zhi smiled and reached out to tuck Lin Wanwan's messy bangs behind her ear.
"You're my superstar."
] [Lone Wolf, No Male Gaze] [Protagonist is pursued early on; extreme protagonist-stans, stay away!] The "Carnival Paradise" descends and slowly devours the real world in the form of a game. By chance, Zhu Yan awakens the talent [Roleplay], becoming one of the first beta players. He thought he could develop safely, but after clearing the first instance, he is branded by humanity as the chief culprit behind the game's spread—a traitorous villain. A villain? Who would ever... become one! He'll be the villain! From then on, Zhu Yan is not only a player but also a lackey for the Carnival Paradise. Between the straight path and the crooked path, he chooses the con. With his left hand, he dons the villain's mantle, staging scenes within instances, infuriating players who decry him as a despicable traitor, all while the game happily promotes him. With his right hand, he joins the non-human organization "Fangcun Mountain," which opposes the Carnival Paradise, transforming into a mysterious player who slaughters game bosses, earning cheers of "Long live the expert!" from fellow players. Gradually, Zhu Yan rises to become an S-rank human player in Fangcun Mountain's archives, while also being the Carnival Paradise's certified top game Boss. But when the final war erupts and both major factions place their hopes in him— Players tag his various aliases: "Experts, this offensive depends on you." The Carnival Paradise's supreme Boss throws an arm around his neck: "Bro, you're the iron, I'm the steel; you can't let me down again!"
ions, keeping it grounded and realistic】 After quitting his job, office worker Su Yang accidentally binds with the "Enjoy Life System." As the name suggests, simply by indulging in life's pleasures, he can earn random rewards from the system—no need to spend money on beautiful women or grovel before anyone. Just enjoy, and the money follows, making it all about effortless fun. The system comes with a scanning feature, allowing him to establish a favorability bond with women rated 85 points or above. Every 20-point increase in favorability unlocks additional rewards. After suffering through over twenty years of hardship, Su Yang trembles with excitement, his dull eyes suddenly gleaming with newfound hope. "Enjoy life? How hard could that be?"
ine. During your journey, you save an abandoned baby girl and become her elder brother】 【You rely on each other, becoming each other's support】 【At the end of the simulation, you shield the now-grown girl with your life, sacrificing yourself to block numerous demonic cultivators. You die, and the light in the girl's eyes fades】 …… 【Second Simulation: You are transported to a world where steam and magic coexist】 【You immerse yourself in the study of magic, obsessed with its research. One day, while out, you encounter a half-blooded demon girl wandering the streets. You take her in as your student】 【You teach the demoness what it means to be human, show her the beauty of the world, and nurture her into a miracle that surpasses even the gods】 【At the end of the simulation, you die of old age in front of the nearly immortal demoness due to your mortal lifespan】 …… One simulation after another, one encounter after another. Xu Xi suddenly felt something was off: "Wait, you said you're coming to the real world to find me?"
he colors of other people’s emotions. Light red meant anxiety. Gray meant exhaustion. Orange meant excitement. Yellow... meant repression. At the same time, he could gain unlimited control over one of those colors. Pale cyan: relaxation. Using this ability, he started offering “two-yuan hugs,” spending an afternoon exchanging emotional-color experiences with others. Then came his final female customer of the day— a girl whose emotional color was pure black... —— A week later, Xu Chuan had become skilled at using pale cyan—Relaxation—treating it like a bottle of menthol balm whenever he needed it. That was when he discovered he had unlocked another unlimited emotional color: Purple, the color of fear. So these emotional colors refresh every week? Fine, I take it back—I’ll never call you useless again... —— Much later, after Xu Chuan had accumulated countless emotional abilities, one night, he suddenly found himself inside someone else’s dream. There, he could use the emotional colors he possessed to paint. And in her dream, he painted her a shower of pink shooting stars, spreading across the depths of the night sky...
