The next day, at the school sports festival, 6 a.m.
Shen Nian had just returned from the park. On the way, he got distracted watching two stray dogs fight—ninety-three glances too many—which made him a little late.
After casually collecting his laundry and showering, Shen Nian changed into his class uniform.
For some reason, the uniform felt a bit shrunken. He stood in front of the mirror and checked himself out. Honestly, the outfit had a pretty youthful vibe.
Buzz buzz buzz!
Usually, it was Shen Nian waiting for Xia Yanchun, but today, she was the one pinging him. His phone lit up with two "poke" notifications from her. Shen Nian immediately replied with a sticker, slipped on his shoes, and headed out.
Xia Yanchun had been waiting outside for a while. Shen Nian was running late today—no surprise, he’d probably gone for his usual workout.
Why did he work out so much anyway? His build was perfectly healthy, neither too thin nor too heavy.
Not that she wanted to be some controlling weirdo, but she was genuinely curious about his motivation. What kind of high schooler sacrifices precious sleep to exercise in the morning? That’s just bizarre.
Shen Nian wasn’t the type to fuss over his appearance either. He’d just throw on whatever and call it a day. As he stepped out, Xia Yanchun couldn’t help but give him a once-over.
"Looking almost presentable for once."
"Wow, insulting me right out the gate, huh?"
"Take these two punches as my apology."
"Wow, hilarious. I get insulted and beaten? What am I, your simp? My lawyer and I won’t say another word until you show me those legs."
Ugh, this awful woman had zero manners. He ought to turn her into a cream puff.
Shen Nian glanced at Xia Yanchun too.
Her white blouse hugged her waist, and her short skirt swayed, revealing slender knees. Her skin was as pale as porcelain soaked in cool water, and her ponytail, tied with a red ribbon, bounced with every movement.
Same as always—her fresh-faced beauty needed no makeup. When expressionless, she resembled a freshly peeled lychee, exuding a subtle, sweet aura.
Damn it, bros… I’m genuinely into this one.
"Damn, not bad."
"Like I needed you to tell me?" Xia Yanchun flipped her hair. She was a certified cutie, after all.
"Could you not be so full of yourself? I was just being polite." Shen Nian scoffed, sneaking another peek at her exposed calves. Heh.
"Let’s go. I don’t have time for you."
"Hold up, I got you breakfast."
The sun had just risen. Shen Nian stayed close to Xia Yanchun, itching to fiddle with her hair—a daily habit he couldn’t shake.
Damn, this hair’s got frostbite or something.
Xia Yanchun sipped warm soy milk through a straw, then suddenly tilted her head.
Her fluffy ponytail slipped through Shen Nian’s fingers. He frowned. "What?"
"Help me carry my chair to the field later."
"You’re really treating me like your errand boy, huh? We’re both adults. If you’re asking for a favor, show some sincerity, sis."
"? Why do you sound so creepy right now?"
"Do I?" Shen Nian rubbed his chin. Wasn’t his persona supposed to be "sunny, happy-go-lucky guy"? Since when was he creepy?
Talk about stereotypes. Sure, he was a bit of a horndog and had survived a few personal disasters, but deep down, he was still a radiant, cheerful dude.
"‘Show sincerity’ doesn’t mean ‘strip.’ Buying me a bottle of water would’ve been enough. Xia Yanchun, your mind is filthy."
"You’re the filthy one!" Xia Yanchun glared. "You’re the one who left me with a terrible impression!"
"What impression?"
"Perverted degenerate."
"Where’s the ‘degenerate’ part?"
"?"
Oh, so you’re just ignoring the "perverted" bit?
During homeroom, the school administrators held a brief assembly, granting students a luxurious 25-minute extended break. Xia Yanchun used the time to buy an ice-cold Coke and plopped it on Shen Nian’s desk.
Shen Nian returned from the bathroom, looking grim. "Who took a dump on my desk?"
"Take it or leave it." Xia Yanchun crossed her arms. "I already bought it. Whether you drink it or not, you’re still carrying my chair."
"Extortion, huh? Drinking Coke is no different from eating sh—"
Their front-row classmate, Ma Mingfan, perked up instantly, spinning around with an unsettling grin. "I love eating sh—! I love it! Give it to me if you don’t want it!"
Shen Nian: ?
Xia Yanchun: ?
Chen Dong: ?
Even Chen Qiuyu, who’d just walked over to refill her water bottle, slowly turned her head.
What kind of explosive confession was this? Were all guys this hardcore?
"Ahaha, I meant cola! You all knew that, right? Hah, yeah, the one Shen Nian’s holding."
"Stop looking at me like that. C’mon, you know I meant cola, right?"
"I don’t eat sh—! Let me explain!"
"Bro, I believe you." Chen Dong’s eyes were profound as he gave Ma Mingfan’s shoulder a solemn pat.
"Believe my ss! I can see the judgment in your eyes!"
"HAHAHAHAHA!"
Xia Yanchun was at a loss. How could guys just casually say they loved eating sh—?
After two study periods, the break ended, and the assembly broadcast rang out. Xia Yanchun stood at the podium to brief everyone on the schedule, then instructed the class to line up as rehearsed and follow the other grades downstairs.
As class monitor, Xia Yanchun led the procession, holding their class placard. Each grade marched in orderly lines, pausing at the stage to face the administrators and chant their slogans.
Freshmen and sophomores had to prepare extra performances, mostly dances. This was when the back-row elites stepped up.
Iron Mountain Charge! Lightning Five-Strike Whip! Even the emcee couldn’t hold back laughter, though they still had to praise the performances with forced enthusiasm.
"Next up is Class 5 of Grade 10! With spirited strides and unwavering determination—"
"Grade 10, Class 4! Grade 10, Class 4! Psych! We’re Class 5!"
"Class 5’s slogan rings with conviction, declaring their resolve to dominate the sports festival… Next, we welcome Class 6 of Grade 10!"
"Ahhh Class 6! Ahhh Class 6! You’re just Class 5 plus one!"
"Class 6’s passionate chant embodies the boundless energy of youth—"
Shen Nian: ???
Where was the "conviction"? Where was the "boundless energy"?
Funny? All I see are abstract memes incarnate, stone-faced administrators, and an emcee on the verge of cracking. If they laugh on air, their career is over! (Sobs)
Who wrote these slogans? Next time, make them submit for approval first.
The sophomores and juniors kept it normal—all "championship" this and "hard work" that. Pure, unfiltered positivity.
This year’s freshmen had suffered enough cleaning duty. Next year, let the sophomores take over.
Yan Xi reminds you: Due to Tomato Novel’s daily 3M+ traffic overwhelming the servers, we now recommend switching to other sources provided by fellow enthusiasts.
grated, and just when he finally managed to get into an elite academy, he discovered that he actually had a system, and the way to earn rewards was extremely ridiculous. So for the sake of rewards, he had no choice but to start acting ridiculous as well. Su Cheng: "It's nothing but system quests after all." But later, what confused Su Cheng was that while he was already quite ridiculous, he never expected those serious characters to gradually become ridiculous too. And the way they looked at him became increasingly strange... (This synopsis doesn't do it justice, please read the full story)
invincible power, Gu Changge transmigrates into a fantasy world, bound to a sign-in system that grants him cultivation rewards and various peerless treasures daily. While others struggle desperately to break through their cultivation realms, he has long since reached the pinnacle of the Great Dao, becoming a reclusive Emperor whose true strength even he himself cannot fathom. Originally planning to lie low and retire peacefully on Purple Bamboo Peak, the system suddenly issues a new task — take on disciples. With no other choice, Gu Changge casually picks up a few disciples: The eldest disciple, born with a War God Constitution, is thrown a copy of "War God Stratagems" by him, and ends up conquering the Nine Heavens and Ten Earths, becoming a peerless War God who sweeps across the cosmos. The second disciple, possessing a Chaos Sword Body, can break all techniques with a single sword, his swordsmanship unmatched throughout history. He points his sword at the heavens: "My master said, the sword and the man stand together. If the sword perishes... my master will give me another one." The third disciple, a reborn Empress who returns to her throne, her elegance and grace overshadowing all beings. And without anyone noticing, his own sect, the Qingxuan Sect, has become the number one sect on the continent. Looking at these unbelievably formidable disciples, Gu Changge, holding the "Primordial Purple Qi" he just signed in for, falls into deep thought: — Wasn't this supposed to be a peaceful retirement? How did I become the ultimate master?!
] [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!"
agon king storylines. At the start, I obtained the "Ultimate Lackey System" - the more I act as a lackey, the stronger I become. What else could I do? I chose to become the personal henchman of the ultimate villain, Su Muwan. I provoke all sorts of chosen ones, snatch away their opportunities, and commit every evil deed imaginable. You ask who's behind me? Hmph! You're not worthy of knowing my lady's name! ...... ....... I am Su Muwan, the eldest daughter of the Su family. Since childhood, I've possessed extraordinary talent in martial arts, which led to my arrogant and domineering personality in my past life. I was even foolish enough to repeatedly challenge those favored by heaven, ultimately resulting in a tragic death. In this life, I must behave and absolutely cannot walk the same path again!! However... SLAP!! "So you're the Dragon King, huh?!" When I saw my little lackey swagger over and viciously slap the Dragon King who was hiding his identity, I felt my heart sink. Su Muwan's suspended heart finally died as she watched Qin Luo, her utterly loyal lackey, standing before her. She fainted on the spot from shock. Heaven is determined to destroy me!! (Pure love 1v1, light-hearted, no angst, single female lead, villain, reincarnation, lackey)
