I Can Still Salvage It

Shen Mian had long figured out how to prepare the lunchbox full of love.

Although he wasn’t particularly good with studies, he had a lot of experience in exploiting loopholes in rules.

Early the next day, he took a detour to the convenience store and bought a lunchbox, specifically choosing a pink one with small floral patterns that had a lively spring feel. After washing it clean, he grabbed Pei Zhiyi and rushed to the cafeteria like a wild horse.

They arrived early, and there weren’t many people in the cafeteria yet. Shen Mian went straight to the No. 6 counter, where the most delicious food was served. He leaned his slightly flushed and adorable face against the counter and said to the auntie, “Auntie, I want a portion of spare ribs, stir-fried shrimp, and a vegetarian dish with three ingredients, along with two servings of rice.”

The auntie was enchanted by Shen Mian’s cuteness and intentionally scooped an extra spoonful of braised spare ribs.

Shen Mian thanked her and then pulled Pei Zhiyi to find a quiet spot by the window. He immediately got busy, first dividing all the dishes in half and neatly arranging them in the lunchbox. Then he added the white rice and finally took out a small tube of tomato sauce from his pocket, squeezing it onto the rice to create a crooked and twisted heart shape.

The entire process was smooth and seamless, done in one go.

Shen Mian was quite satisfied with his creation and pushed it in front of Pei Zhiyi, proudly saying, “Try it, it’s all your favorite dishes.”

Pei Zhiyi stared at the ugly heart shape on the rice and felt that it was the most carelessly prepared love-filled lunchbox he had ever seen.

Apparently, system 007 felt the same way.

Pei Zhiyi could even sense the frustration in its electronic voice.

“That’s basically cheating! Have you watched too many idol dramas? Which love-filled lunch box looks like this?” Pei Zhiyi said.

Shen Mian stuffed a piece of spare ribs into his mouth and argued with 007 in his mind, “This is how my homemade love-filled lunch box looks. Besides, I personally drew that heart shape. What right do you have to say it’s not a love-filled lunchbox?”

He also wanted Pei Zhiyi to stand on the same side as him. “Bro, tell me honestly, do you think my lunchbox is good?”

Pei Zhiyi picked up a shrimp with his chopsticks. He couldn’t taste whether it was made with love or not, but he could taste that the cafeteria had put too much salt on it.

However, he couldn’t stand to see Shen Mian’s pouty face and decided to change sides without hesitation. “I think it’s good.”

Shen Mian became even more proud. “Of course! I’m not bragging, but in my life, only my brother Pei can eat something made by me.”

system 007 was shocked by the shamelessness of those two and deeply reflected on its own perception of the host.

It couldn’t help but recall the dating points it had reluctantly gave out for free because of Shen Mian.

Shen Mian always insisted that sitting with Pei Zhiyi in the library was a date, attending classes together was a date, and going home together was an even more special date. So, there was no need to go out specifically, and the weekly dating points should be transferred to their accounts accordingly.

007 was so confused and irritated by his arguments that its coding was becoming chaotic. However, there was no reason to refute, so reluctantly, a score of 2 was given to that date.

Now, Shen Mian seemed to have developed a habit of taking advantage, even taking advantage during random tasks.

At that moment, 007 finally experienced the wickedness of humans. No wonder the predecessors always warned it to be cautious of Earthlings before going on missions.

Regrettably, it was too late for regrets.

Seeing that 007 remained silent, Shen Mian provoked it again.

“Don’t be stingy. You’re a legitimate and fair system. You can’t withhold the host’s salary. It’s just 3 points. Just give it to us.”

007 felt hopeless but had no choice.

Reluctantly, it announced that the mission was approved and gave 3 points, then sank into the depths of its consciousness, shutting itself away.

Shen Mian was delighted, feeling that even the ribs in the bowl tasted better. After eating for a while, he started acting spoiled with Pei Zhiyi, saying, “Brother, I want to eat your salt and pepper spare ribs. The ones made at school are not as delicious as yours.”

He always made a mess of the kitchen whenever he cooked, but Pei Zhiyi was a master of household chores and made food that was even better than many restaurants. During the summer vacation when Shen Mian stayed at Pei Zhiyi’s house, he gained five pounds in just ten days.

Pei Zhiyi agreed, “I’ll make it for you this weekend.”

Satisfied, Shen Mian returned to the classroom. Before class started, he calculated the points he had accumulated with Pei Zhiyi. It had only been a little over a week, but he already had more than ten points. Those points were considered good, but he felt like a stingy treasure hunter, holding onto his meager coins and thinking they were pitifully few. So, he decided to bother 007 again.

He vigorously signaled the system in his mind and eagerly asked, “It’s been so many days. Why don’t you give me a special mission? Is there any condition we must fulfill before receiving a special mission?”

007 ignored him at first. The task allocation was not determined by it; it only retrieved them from the database based on the needs. But it checked the task panel and found that there was indeed a special mission that week.

007 looked at the prominently highlighted line and the score that followed, and its previously withdrawn mood was comforted to some extent.

With a sinister tone, it replied, “Replying to the host Shen Mian, there will be a special mission this weekend. Please claim it promptly.”

However, Shen Mian felt that the system’s service spirit was quite good and responsive.

“Okay, I’ll wait for it.”

It wasn’t until the weekend that Shen Mian realized the wicked intentions of that system. It was simply vindictive.

They only had one and a half days off in their sophomore year, so when the system announced the task, Shen Mian was still at school. He and Pei Zhiyi were waiting in line at a bubble tea shop near the back gate of the school. The shop was crowded with many girls, and a girl wearing a white skirt and boots stood out and frequently looked in their direction.

Shen Mian was self-aware. Although he was good-looking too, Pei Zhiyi had always been the one that girls liked more since childhood. So he tiptoed and leaned towards Pei Zhiyi’s ear, saying, “Wanna bet? That girl is definitely looking at you.”

While saying that, he nudged Pei Zhiyi with his elbow, smiling and appearing genuinely happy for him.

Pei Zhiyi glanced at him, pressed him down without much joy, and said, “It’s your turn, go get the bubble tea.”

Shen Mian picked up the bubble tea and walked out with Pei Zhiyi. The girl in the skirt looked in their direction again.

For some reason, a sudden intuition arose in Pei Zhiyi’s mind. The girl wasn’t looking at him but at Shen Mian.

He discreetly blocked Shen Mian.

After they had dinner, they returned to their dormitory. It was already Friday, and they didn’t have evening self-study. They would only have half a day of classes the next day before the break.

After Shen Mian finished taking a shower, he lay on the bed to do his homework. Pei Zhiyi forced him to correct the mistakes from that week’s assignments. Shen Mian grumbled and reluctantly complied, pouting while reading out the questions.

Pei Zhiyi had already finished most of the weekend’s homework, so he wasn’t studying at the moment. Instead, he was browsing shopping websites on his phone. He remembered that Shen Mian had a particular figurine he liked, which was about to be released, so he planned to buy it as a surprise for Shen Mian.

It was at that moment that the voice of System 007 echoed in their minds. “Special mission, please note that the host must decide within one minute whether to accept or decline.”

Shen Mian became alert, immediately blurting out. “Accept, accept, accept!”

Pei Zhiyi also stopped looking at his phone and focused on listening to the task.

A trace of pleasure couldn’t be restrained in 007’s flat voice. “Mission: Host Pei Zhiyi must choose a set of dresses for host Shen Mian, personally dress him in it, and kiss Shen Mian’s ankle. This mission is worth 40 points, so please choose carefully.”

Shen Mian’s smile froze on his face.

Trembling, he turned to look at Pei Zhiyi and asked blankly, “Brother… what did it just say?”

Dress??

Pei Zhiyi was also caught off guard, a rare astonishment showing on his usually calm face.

But the system didn’t give them any time to think. Beep beep beep, a prompt sounded. “Thirty seconds remaining. Host, please select whether to accept or not.”

Shen Mian was on the verge of collapse. “What kind of stupid mission is this? What manly man would like to wear women’s clothing?!”

He felt like jumping off a building.

However, 007 remained unmoved and continued to prompt, “Fifteen seconds remaining.”

To make matters worse, it projected and magnified the 40 points in Shen Mian’s mind, blatantly taunting him.

Shen Mian was on the verge of tears as he looked to Pei Zhiyi for help. “Brother…”

“Five seconds remaining.”

Pei Zhiyi pinched the bridge of his nose and made a decision in the final three seconds. “Accept.”

007 fulfilled its wish and announced, “Confirmation of host accepting the mission. Now revealing the task conditions: Shen Mian must wear a dress that does not exceed 45cm. The task must be completed within three days.”

After saying that, it disappeared and didn’t appear again for the whole night.

Leaving Shen Mian and Pei Zhiyi staring at each other.