Jiang Wensong couldn't help but laugh at his expression. "We've got you covered for studying, what are you afraid of with just a mere final exam?"
“Yes, I’m not afraid with you guys here.” Wang Zehao had just mustered his courage when he heard the other person gasp for breath.
"—It tests what."
"Damn, Song'er, are you even capable?" Wang Zehao was a little sad, and Jiang Wensong poured him a glass of water when he saw this.
"Don't worry, don't worry, we'll help you with your studies."
"I'm going to the restroom." Xu Youqing lifted the thick curtain and went out.
Xu Youqing was the only science student in the room, and no one was paying attention to her progress.
Since she came in, she hasn't turned the page of the physics problem in front of her, only writing the word 'solution' on it. She has read the problem from the beginning several times.
My mind was completely preoccupied with the struggle between myself and the system, and I had no idea where the system had just come from.
However, the system was clearly unaware of the Xuanwu tattoo incident that morning.
Xu Youqing had only asked casually, but the system's response was too strange, so she simply resorted to trickery and coercion to get the answer.
Xu Youqing and Grandpa Jiang in the courtyard exchanged glances. Seeing that the sunlight had shifted to the front, she pushed the old man forward again so that he could see the sun again.
Instead of going to the bathroom, he went into the kitchen, leaned against the door frame and looked towards the main house, where he saw Xiang Yu lift the curtain and wave.
When Xiang Yu walked over, Xu Youqing noticed his expression and raised an eyebrow, saying, "Are you in a bad mood?"
"No."
Since the other party denied it, Xu Youqing didn't ask any more questions and went straight to the point.
"This morning, because that old man was related to my constellation, I asked the system about him." Even now, the hideous scar on the old man's back is still lingering in her mind.
Are you aware of the tragic events that occurred between the stars?
[Author's Note: Gu Chen: What's wrong with my boyfriend?]
No angst, no angst, I'm the loving mother here.
Chapter Seventy: A Missed Opportunity is Like That Alligator Snapping Turtle in the Documentary
Chapter Seventy: A Missed Opportunity: Just Like the Alligator Snapping Turtle in the Documentary
"What serious incident?"
On the day the gathering was scheduled, Xiang Yu had only heard from the system that a serious incident had occurred between the constellations, but he had no idea what the specifics were.
“The system’s selection of constellations has a certain degree of randomness.” Xu Youqing looked into his eyes and said seriously, “The system cannot determine the constellations’ so-called ‘morality,’ so it has set up a morality index to regulate their behavior.”
Xiang Yu was a smart man; he roughly knew what the other person was going to say next when Xu Youqing said this.
After thinking for a moment, Xiang Yu said, "But Xingxiu isn't necessarily a good person."
Xu Youqing nodded and continued, "If a star constellation cannot pay the required moral index each month, it will be close to its previous near-death state."
"For survival." Xiang Yu guessed what the so-called 'malicious incidents among constellations' meant: "Stealing the moral index of other constellations?"
“Back then, there was a mechanism for sharing morality indexes among the constellations, which the system called at the time.” Xu Youqing paused, then continued, “Borrowing life.”
The word 'borrowing a life' seemed to carry the flavor of some kind of sinister deal. Xiang Yu frowned slightly upon hearing this and remained silent in thought.
“The old man who fell into the water during the day was the Xuanwu constellation that Xiao Luo and I knew before,” Xu Youqing continued. “According to the system, he contacted other constellations under the pretext of ‘borrowing life,’ and somehow managed to bypass the system’s supervision and steal the moral index of the other constellations.”
The relationship between the constellations and the system is one of mutual assistance. The system uses the constellations as its physical form to obtain moral indexes, and the constellations use this to continue their lives. At a certain point in their lives, the system unbinds them, and the constellations that are unbound are reborn.
However, this life-ending point comes at the cost of the death of one of the constellations.
Xiang Yu said, "The index has gone to zero."
Xu Youqing nodded slightly, and then continued, "There is also natural death from old age, natural power, and the system's ability is not yet great enough to defy the heavens and preserve the constellations."
Xu Youqing gripped the handle of the kitchen door, feeling the smooth metallic texture. The door was being pushed and pulled back and forth. She considered whether to close the door and speak, "Do you know what happened to the first four constellations?"
"I haven't looked into it." Xiang Yu realized that his communication with the system was indeed limited; at least, he seemed to know less than the system.
Xu Youqing let out a breath, trying to appear relaxed, and released the doorknob, intending to speak with the door open. "Apart from the one from earlier in the day, of the other constellations, two are dead and one is paralyzed." She continued, "The system wanted to investigate at the time, but it had already been unbound, and the coordinates of the first few constellations were lost in an instant. Later, it was bound to the five of us again, so it stopped bothering with it. You know the system, a brainless robot; you can't reason with it—"
System: Xuanwu (Turtle) Constellation, please watch your words.
-Xu Youqing: Do you even have a brain?
System: ...No.
The system currently has voice permissions open between Xiang Yu and Xu Youqing, meaning Xiang Yu can hear everything said.
""
Xiang Yu roughly understood why the system sometimes told him it didn't want to go to Xuanwu's side.
He couldn't win an argument with the siblings and ended up pleasing them completely.
When the system fell silent again, Xu Youqing continued, "You can't talk about feelings with it, and it's just a business relationship with the constellations. Objectively speaking, it really doesn't owe the constellations anything."
Therefore, the system is not obligated to bear the responsibility for the deaths and injuries of the constellations.
-System: The 'Life-Borrowing' incident is of great importance. For several years, the main system has been searching for the culprit, but to no avail.
-System: Now that the two constellations have already encountered him during the day, please help the main system capture him.
-System: As a thank you, you will be exempted from 30% of your morality score next month.
It seemed like a good deal, and Xiang Yu was about to agree when Xu Youqing suddenly stopped him with a look.
-Xu Youqing: Fifty percent, including Xiao Luo's share.
System: Impossible.
-Xu Youqing: Then Baihu and I won't go, and we refuse to provide the coordinates.
-system:?
-System: White Tiger Constellation, I'd like to hear your opinion.
Xiang Yu stared at Xu Youqing, who was constantly winking at him, without hesitation.
-Xiangyu: Listen to Xuanwu.
-system:
System: Transaction completed.
System: Avoid associating with Xuanwu as much as possible in the future; she's a very malicious person.
-System: Even her brother isn't as much of a capitalist as she is.
These two sentences were whispered by the system back into Xiangyu's mind, for fear of being overheard.
"A lot of people around me said this morning that they saw that old man in the park when they exercised in the morning." Xu Youqing was in a good mood because of the system reward. She went to the kitchen, grabbed a napkin, took a bite of a fried dough stick, chewed and swallowed. "I wonder if he will go to exercise this afternoon. Are you free this afternoon? Let's go and stake him out."
He took another bite, thought for a moment, and said, "Don't tell Xiao Luo, I'm afraid there might be danger." Then he took another bite, and the whole fried dough stick disappeared without a trace amidst the sound of chewing.
Xiang Yu was a little confused. He watched as Xu Youqing reached for the steamed buns on the table again, eating them one after another while talking. He couldn't help but widen his eyes.
Although I know it's impolite to think like this, Xu Youqing's eating posture is somewhat similar to what was mentioned in that documentary.
What was it that they were talking about again?
Oh, alligator snapping turtle.
Xu Youqing hadn't eaten all morning and was starving. Ignoring the people around her, she ate two baskets of small steamed buns and four fried dough sticks until she was stuffed.
I found a tissue to wipe my mouth, then grabbed a glass and poured myself a glass of water, only to find Xiang Yu still standing next to me.
"Are you bringing your family with you this afternoon?" The water was a little hot, so Xu Youqing took a sip, put the blanket on the cutting board, and gestured towards the main house.
Xiang Yu's eyes flickered slightly as he thought about what had happened inside the room, and his heart felt as if it were being gripped by a strong hand.
It's hard to let go of.
He shook his head.
"Classmate." Gu Chen called out from the yard when she saw that her boyfriend had gone out to make a phone call and hadn't returned for a while. She then found him in the kitchen.
"Hey, are you hungry?" Gu Chen walked in and noticed there was another person in the kitchen. He couldn't help but squint his eyes.
"You two talk, I'll leave." Xu Youqing knew what Gu Chen was thinking just by looking at him. A wise person knows when to yield. She took her cup and walked towards the main house. Seeing that Grandpa Jiang had been waiting outside for a while, she lifted the curtain and let her younger brother push the old man inside.
Jiang Wensong moved faster than Xu Youluo. Xu Youqing was the last to enter, and before closing the curtain, she glanced at the kitchen.
I always felt that Xiang Yu was in a bad mood when Gu Chen was mentioned.
From this angle, the two people in the kitchen are too close together, as if they're about to kiss at any moment.
Only Gu Chen and Xiang Yu remained outside the room. Wang Zehao knew without a doubt that the two of them were huddled together. When he saw Xu Youqing lift the curtain and look in that direction, his heart skipped a beat. He rushed over, afraid that she would see something she shouldn't.
"Sister Xu, why don't you close the curtain? It's awfully cold outside... What are you looking at?"
When Xu Youqing saw Wang Zehao approaching, she appropriately loosened the curtain, shutting out everything that was happening inside the courtyard.
"nothing."
[Author's Note: Gu Chen: Why isn't my boyfriend smiling at me anymore?]
Xu Youqing: The White Tiger is too obedient; it needs to learn to bargain.
Final exam week is here, so I'll be taking a break until Christmas. Good luck to all my school-aged friends on your exams!
Chapter 71 I shouldn't have been so awkward about being left out.
Chapter 71: In the End: I shouldn't have been so awkward.
"Let's go back."
Xiang Yu walked towards the kitchen exit, but Gu Chen blocked her way.
"My deskmate," Gu Chen cupped Xiang Yu's face in his hands and asked, "Are you in a bad mood?"
Xiang Yu was stared at like that, the other person's expression was so serious, and he could even feel the warmth of Gu Chen's palms on both sides of his cheeks.
Xiang Yu's eyes flickered slightly, then he lowered his gaze and shook his head. "No."
"Don't lie to me." Gu Chen smoothed out Xiang Yu's slightly furrowed brows with his thumb, leaned in and kissed her, coaxing her softly, "If you're in a bad mood, tell me."
Xiang Yu's mind was in turmoil; he had never felt anything like it before and couldn't describe it. He nodded casually, turned around, and walked out of the kitchen toward the main house.