The Weekend of the Archrival

The next day, Shen Nian arrived at the park early.

He still remembered the elderly man he’d met last time, who was now standing under a pavilion not far away, hands clasped behind his back, pretending to be a martial arts master.

Time to watch some square dancing.

If you’re going to exercise, the park is the place to do it. When you’re tired, you can always watch the aunties bust out their dance moves.

Next time, he’d drag Chen Dong along.

After his usual morning workout, the sun had just risen, and Shen Nian headed back, satisfied with the sweat he’d worked up.

Passing by a breakfast stall near his neighborhood, he stopped to buy some congee. After some deliberation, he decided to get a portion for Shen Yue too.

Sure, he’d spent his childhood getting kicked and punched by her, but she was still his sister. Letting her starve to death would be too cruel. If only they had flatbread, he’d have bought one and hung it around her neck like a necklace.

Back when they were in school, Shen Yue would at least help with washing rice and cooking. But ever since she started that damn job, she’d turned into a lazy caterpillar possessed by some sloth demon, spending entire weekends sprawled on the couch.

She wouldn’t eat unless she was literally starving.

The transformation from a lively human into a lifeless corporate drone—that was the horror of the 9-to-5 grind.

Shen Nian had once read a programmer’s online confession.

After starting his job, the 23-year-old began losing hair, developed stomach issues, and lost interest in everything. All he wanted was to clock out and sleep.

Pulling all-nighters until 2 AM, then showing up at 8 the next morning like it was nothing—just another day in the office.

The sheer resentment radiating off him could make ghosts shake their heads in pity. Who said China didn’t have horror movies?

Shen Nian decided then and there that he would become a boss someday.

Even if he accomplished nothing else, he’d go back to his hometown and open a small convenience store, living a carefree life. When it was time to restock, he’d hire a couple of kids to help, paying them off with five-yuan snacks.

He hadn’t even taken the college entrance exams yet, and he was already dreaming of retirement. Truly a role model for society, a shining beacon of the nation’s work ethic. Bravo.

A cleaning lady from the neighborhood sat on a bench, lazily scrolling through her phone. Piles of fallen leaves lay unswept on the sidewalk, crunching underfoot.

Watching a single leaf drift into the grass, a cool breeze slipping into his sleeves, Shen Nian realized—autumn had arrived.

After the passion of summer came the quiet restraint of fall. Autumn was just too domineering.

Wait—why did he suddenly sense murderous intent?

Shen Nian glanced sideways. There, perched on a brick ledge under a tree, was that damn cat again, paws tucked in, its slit pupils fixed unblinkingly on him.

“Hungry?” Shen Nian shook the half-eaten egg in his hand.

“Meow.” The cat’s eyes lit up, tiptoeing over eagerly.

There were still good cats in this world. Feeling charitable, Shen Nian broke off a piece and set it down.

The cat stared at the eggshell on the ground, deep in thought (cat brain galaxy expanding).

Wow. Just wow.

The cat hissed, then trotted back to its spot under the tree.

Shen Nian could only sigh. All he wanted was to help the little guy get some calcium. Was that so wrong? His kindness was wasted. Truly, his efforts were unappreciated.

He got home just as the clock struck seven.

He’d already finished his breakfast on the way back. Remembering his promise to visit Xia Yanchun early, he wasn’t joking around. After setting Shen Yue’s breakfast aside, he knocked on Xia Yanchun’s door.

“Xia Yanchun, your dad’s here!”

Inside, Xia Yanchun groggily opened her eyes, her entire being radiating misery.

Weekend. Couldn’t sleep last night. Woken up at 7 AM. Right now, she could probably tear apart a Level 2 zombie with her bare hands.

Even if her actual father showed up today, he’d better have a damn good explanation.

She yanked the door open, lips already curling into a snarl.

“Shen Nian, are you trying to die?”

“Whoa, who pissed in your cereal?” Shen Nian held up the breakfast bag like a peace offering. “Not here to die. Here to see you. Want some century egg and pork congee?”

“You…” Xia Yanchun’s anger deflated slightly, the rage in her stomach now with nowhere to go. “Fine. I’ll let you live… since you brought breakfast.”

“Here, take a whiff.”

Shen Nian cheerfully tugged at his shirt, releasing a wave of warm, sunbaked sweat—not exactly pleasant, but not sour either.

“Ew, gross!” Xia Yanchun wrinkled her nose, covering her face. “I can’t believe you actually worked out this early. What’s gotten into you?”

“Did you meet a girl or something?”

A high schooler sacrificing precious weekend sleep to exercise? That usually meant one thing: a crush.

The thought made Xia Yanchun’s brows droop.

Another poor girl had fallen victim to this world’s cruelty.

Just imagining being the target of Shen Nian’s affections was enough to make her feel suffocated.

“Nah. My type is a gentle, 165cm-tall older woman with D-cups. Haven’t found one yet,” Shen Nian answered without missing a beat.

“Wow, just outing yourself like that. Get lost.”

She moved to slam the door, her mood plummeting from bad to worse. If she didn’t kick him out now, she really would lose it.

But the Shen Nian of the past might’ve let her shut him out.

The Shen Nian standing before her now was eighteen, two months into his nofap streak, with reflexes honed to professional levels. The second Xia Yanchun tried to close the door, his foot shot into the gap.

“I bring you breakfast, and this is how you treat me? Xia Yanchun, you heartless—”

Damn. Love really was dead.

“I could’ve slept till noon!” Xia Yanchun huffed. Was three-yuan congee some grand gesture?

No thought, no effort—just an excuse to ruin her beauty sleep.

“I told you I’d come at seven. Shouldn’t have stayed up late.”

“I—ugh.”

Xia Yanchun glared, cheeks puffing, but in her distraction, Shen Nian slipped inside.

At 180cm, he now towered over her, the height difference almost oppressive.

Girls hit their growth spurts earlier, so back in elementary and middle school, Xia Yanchun had been taller. But now? The tables had turned. These days, she was just a little shrimp.

When you’re small and weak, even your anger is cute.

Xia Yanchun wasn’t exactly weak, but she was definitely cute.

“You mad?”

“No!”

“Adorable.”

“!”

“I brought you breakfast. Reward me with a peanut snack.”

Grinning, Shen Nian reached out to smooth her bedhead, then marched to the fridge.

…It was empty.

“Wait, where’s my peanut snack?”

“Ate it all!”

“You dare?! Give the congee back!”

“No take-backs!” Seeing him flounder, Xia Yanchun’s mood improved slightly.

After brushing her teeth and washing up, she sat at her desk, happily sipping the still-warm congee.

Her eyelids felt heavy. A nap was definitely happening later.

Still, this was all Shen Nian’s fault.

He lingered nearby, watching her eat. “Like feeding a puppy.”

“Say that again?” Xia Yanchun shot him a sidelong glare—adorably, of course.

“Kidding, kidding. Good?”

“…Not bad.” She nodded, a strand of hair tickling her cheek. As she reached to tuck it away, a warm touch brushed her ear—Shen Nian had already swept it aside for her.

“…”

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