Lu Mingfei: Don't call me a loser, call me a hero.

Lu Mingfei never expected that his trip to buy a game console would lead him to stumble upon a shocking secret that would break the hearts of all the girls at Shilan Middle School!

That is Chu Zihang, the lone wolf, the silent eagle, the pinnacle of Shilan, the answer to choosing a partner, the eternally unmelting iceberg, the top of the list of those who deserve to be killed, the legendary heartbreaker who taught countless girls what unrequited love is!

If Shilan Private Aristocratic Academy were a visual novel, then Chu Zihang would undoubtedly be the most difficult character to win over, a classic example of an aloof and popular character.

This school has never lacked girls who are willing to fight for love, but so far none of them have dared to try to conquer Chu Zihang, this towering mountain.

It wasn't that I was afraid of falling into the abyss if I failed to climb, but rather that this iceberg was too majestic and treacherous; even just getting close could result in being frostbitten by the escaping cold air.

Knowing that the task is futile, rather than futilely swinging an ice axe and destroying the iceberg's pristine beauty, it's better to let it remain beautiful on its own.

So the girls reached a consensus—to silently protect the best Chu Zihang, and no one should be allowed to tarnish him.

But this super iceberg that had never been set foot on before was actually breached by outsiders right under Lu Mingfei's nose!

The amount of information from that one glance was so overwhelming that my brain's CPU almost couldn't process it.

He pinched his arm hard, wincing in pain, to make sure he wasn't dreaming—

Chu Zihang has really been won over!

Back when the school forum was holding a poll to select the most despicable characters, some people commented that Chu Zihang was sent by the Creator to make other boys question their existence.

Because you can never surpass him in any dimension, and you can't even imagine what kind of girl he will marry in the future.

Lu Mingfei really couldn't imagine it, after all, the most beautiful girl he had ever seen was Xiao Tiannv, who was undoubtedly a school beauty in terms of looks alone.

Even she paled in comparison to the man beside Chu Zihang.

That face was flawless, like a fairy from a comic book stepped into reality; even a fleeting glimpse was enough to make it unforgettable.

Lu Mingfei dared to use the chubby boy's online girlfriend as a guarantee that there was absolutely no such person at Shilan Middle School; otherwise, it would be hard to explain why Chu Zihang hadn't been smuggled into a sack while walking at night.

"If this news gets out, will I be silenced?!"

Lu Mingfei huddled inside the arcade, too afraid to leave.

It wasn't that he was afraid of being seen by Chu Zihang. Given Lu Mingfei's presence at Shilan Middle School, even if he swaggered past Chu Zihang, the latter might not recognize him.

Who would care if a foxtail grass by the roadside was peeking at them?

He was mainly afraid of his own mouth.

What if I accidentally let it slip when I turn around and tell the literary society?

Although the club president never said she liked Chu Zihang, which girl at Shilan High School hadn't had feelings for Chu Zihang?

This is just like the sun rising in the east; it's a natural law.

Even if Chen Wenwen is a literary beauty, the kind of girl who would hold an oil-paper umbrella in a rainy alley like a lilac, she is still a girl from Shilan Middle School.

After agonizing over his thoughts for a while, and still not seeing Chu Zihang and the girl who seemed to be his girlfriend pass by the arcade entrance, Lu Mingfei finally couldn't resist peeking out.

As it happened, their eyes met those of Chu Zihang, who was walking to the store entrance and about to enter.

"..." x2

Lu Mingfei's breath hitched, and a thousand thoughts raced through his mind: should he pretend not to know her and leave with a cold expression, or should he smile slightly and act as a friendly passerby, letting her through the door?

But before he could make a decision, his gaze involuntarily drifted upwards, fixing on the heads of Chu Zihang and the girl next to him.

On the top of their heads, there was a large exclamation mark, making it impossible for them to go unnoticed.

At the same time, a game notification sounded in Lu Mingfei's mind:

[Hero has been detected interacting with a main storyline character; the Bond System has been activated!]

Heroes can recruit story characters as allies by increasing their affinity with them!

[Note: Raising the favorability rating to 50 or higher will grant you one chance to draw a random prize.]

Bond system?

Main storyline characters?

Can I enter a prize draw by increasing my favorability rating?

And there are tasks that constantly require you to choose one of three options...

Dude, I was just kidding, but is this really a visual novel?!

Lu Mingfei was playing cricket games last night, which is unreliable. How can a good-for-nothing like him be savior? The one who should be chosen is Chu Zihang.

It now appears that he misunderstood.

A handsome, aloof man like Chu Zihang is definitely no match for Ga La Ge Mu; she's usually the one who gets won over.

However, Lu Mingfei doesn't have time to study this sudden bond system right now, nor does he have time to check other people's favorability.

Because Chu Zihang and the enchanting girl next to him were following his gaze and looking up at their respective heads.

To avoid being seen as crazy, and also to test the reliability of the bond system, even though Lu Mingfei wasn't sure if the other person would respond if he spoke to them, he still took the initiative to speak:

"What a coincidence, Senior Brother Chu! You brought a girl along too?"

As soon as he said it, he wanted to slap himself.

What does "也" mean? Do you say "也" just because you have a girl with you?

And I've said it so many times, you have to call her "sister-in-law" when you're out in public!

The atmosphere froze slightly, and Chu Zihang's eyes showed a hint of surprise.

He originally thought that Lu Mingfei was deliberately diverting their attention so that he could sneak away, but he never expected that Lu Mingfei would take the initiative to greet them.

Chu Zihang glanced behind Lu Mingfei, then quickly looked back at him and nodded.

"You are... Lu Mingfei?"

Now it was Lu Mingfei's turn to be stunned: "You...you recognize me?"

So shocked that they even used honorifics.

He was just a good-for-nothing; what merit did he have to be remembered by Chu Zihang?

Chu Zihang's brain was used to memorize all kinds of formulas and English words; every kilobyte was incredibly precious.

If remembering such useless information takes up brain memory and causes lag and instability when crossing a narrow bridge, then Lu Mingfei would be to blame even if he committed seppuku!

Chu Zihang didn't know how to answer, so he could only nod in response.

Of course he knew Lu Mingfei, a notorious loser at Shilan Middle School who consistently ranked at the bottom of his class and had a crush on the president of the literature club so much that the whole school knew about it.

And it would appear in his memories every night.

With that man, on that night when the rain was pouring down...

Lu Mingfei was flattered and subconsciously wanted to say something obscene to relieve the pressure of being noticed by such an important person.

But the beautiful, fairy-like girl next to Chu Zihang, hands on her hips, spoke up in dissatisfaction, reminding him that there was another living person present:

"What do you mean, 'little sister'? You should call her 'senior sister'!"

Lu Mingfei was startled by the shout and looked away from Chu Zihang's face, then froze.

I only caught a glimpse of her from a distance, and all I knew was that she was pretty.

But now, upon closer inspection, he realized that there really are people in this world who are this good-looking.

What does it mean to be stunningly beautiful? What does it mean to be flawless? What does it mean to be beautiful from every angle?

The answer to everything can be found in this slightly chubby face.

"Senior sister, you're really beautiful. No wonder you were able to win over senior brother." He readily gave a thumbs up, praising her from the bottom of his heart.

The moment he uttered those words, two system notifications popped up in front of him:

[Chu Zihang's favorability +5, current favorability 30 (Friendly)]

Xia Mi's affection level +10, current affection level 10 (first meeting)

Hmm, what's going on? You can increase favorability with just one sentence?

Lu Mingfei blinked, feeling somewhat incredulous.

But what's even more unbelievable is how his initial favorability towards Chu Zihang was so high, reaching a staggering 25!

Lu Mingfei glanced at Chu Zihang with considerable surprise, trying to discern something from his perpetually expressionless face.

But the latter's face was always covered with thick snow and ice, so there was no trace of emotional change. It was as if the increase of 5 points in favorability was a bug in the game.

Could it be that something happened between Chu Zihang and me, and I just accidentally hit my head and lost my memory?

Lu Mingfei thought of those melodramatic romance dramas where characters frequently suffer from amnesia, and tried to put himself in their shoes.

Unfortunately, whether you put yourself in the man's or woman's shoes, it's all disgusting.

Unless Chu Zihang is deaf and hard of hearing, there's no way anything could happen between them.

Chu Zihang assumed Lu Mingfei was speculating about his relationship with Xia Mi, and shook his head to explain:

It's not what you think.

The senior sister named Xia Mi nodded in agreement: "That's right, we're just friends."

Lu Mingfei rolled his eyes inwardly, feeling that these two were treating him like a fool.

With the crucial moment of fierce competition approaching, it's hard to believe that Chu Zihang would put aside his studies to spend time with a girl in an arcade. Who would believe there wasn't something going on between them?

Moreover, the fact that someone of the opposite sex has become Chu Zihang's friend is already huge news!

He wanted to complain but couldn't bring himself to say it. Maybe they were planning to make it official after the exam. If he said something now and ruined their relationship, wouldn't they have someone come after him later?

He was just a loser, but he couldn't withstand the wrath of Chu Zihang's fan club.

Those girls might have the desire but not the courage to deal with a love rival, but they would have no qualms about taking action against a talkative loser.

So Lu Mingfei wisely didn't pry, only praising his senior brother and sister as a perfect match, saying that they had misunderstood each other.

Then, with a smooth steer, she shifted the topic to Xia Mi's identity: "Senior sister, are you also from Shilan Middle School?"

If it's just that they went to different schools in their senior year of high school, she should have made him call her "senior sister".

"My name is Xia Mi, and I'm the president of the dance club." Xia Mi introduced herself confidently, then added with a smile:

"If you want to watch girls dance, junior brother, your senior sister can help you get in through the back door."

"So it's Senior Sister Xia Mi. I've heard so much about you. I'm Lu Mingfei from Class 1, Grade 11."

Upon hearing this person's title, Lu Mingfei immediately understood why the dance club hadn't fought over Chu Zihang's birthday party invitation.

With such a beautiful president who has an ambiguous relationship with Chu Zihang in charge, how can anyone else compete?

They're not even in the same league.

To be honest, Lu Mingfei didn't really have any impression of this dance club president.

Logically speaking, a beauty of this caliber should be the center of attention wherever she goes.

If a student goes out for a stroll during the long break, the entire school building must remain silent for three seconds as a sign of respect.

But the truth is that before Xia Mi introduced herself, Lu Mingfei didn't even know that there was such a person at Shilan Middle School.

Could it be that she's having a secret, ambiguous relationship with Chu Zihang, and doesn't want to be too obvious, lest she be targeted and sacked by the girls?

Lu Mingfei was so curious he was practically scratching at his own tinplate, but he knew the survival strategy of ordinary people well: sometimes the more you know, the faster you die.

He wanted to live to see tomorrow's sunrise, so he politely declined the invitation to join the company.

"Thank you for your kind invitation, senior, but I'm already a member of the Literature Club, so I can't join the Dance Club anymore."

They were just being polite. The dance club certainly doesn't need any more members. Someone as uncoordinated as him would only be good for running errands.

He would rather run errands for Chen Wenwen alone than for a group of people!

Xia Mi nodded indifferently, glancing behind him: "Weren't you here at the arcade to bring a girl? Where's she?"

She remembered that Lu Mingfei used the word "also" when he greeted her earlier.

From this sentence, Lu Mingfei knew that this senior sister did not know much about the ecosystem of Shilan Middle School, otherwise she would not have thought that a loser like him was qualified to bring a girl out to play.

No girls at school were willing to talk to him, let alone ask him out on the weekend.

However, this senior sister is quite interesting. If Chu Zihang is the ice and snow of winter, then she is the warm sun of spring. The two of them together are like opposing climates, which reminds Lu Mingfei of Teacher Zhao Zhongxiang:

Spring has arrived, the ice and snow have melted, all things are reviving, and it's time for the animals to...

No! Now is not the time to analyze other people's dating patterns!

One of them is the star of tomorrow's birthday party, and the other is a VIP guest. Lu Mingfei doesn't want them to meet Chen Wenwen tomorrow and tell her that he brought a girl to the arcade for a date.

Even if he jumped into the Pacific Ocean, he still wouldn't be able to clear his name.

So he quickly clarified, "I didn't bring any girls. I actually came to buy a PS2, but the arcade didn't have any, so I'm planning to check out the computer mall in the CBD."

After saying that, he wanted to slap himself again. How could he have confessed everything before the other person even asked?

Are you here to buy a game console or to confess to a crime?

Knowing that saying too much would only lead to mistakes, Lu Mingfei worried that his nervousness might cause him to spill the gift that the club president had worked so hard to prepare, ruining the surprise. So he quickly lifted the curtain and, like a doorman, stepped aside to invite them in:

"Please come in, senior brothers and sisters. I have other matters to attend to, so I won't disturb you any longer."

The other person is clearly out on a date to relax, and it's not appropriate for him to be a third wheel, so it's best for him to leave first.

Xia Mi watched his flustered appearance, the corners of her mouth curved slightly, but she didn't say anything.

She had become accustomed to the immense pressure her appearance placed on teenage boys.

This reaction was acceptable; at least he didn't stutter to the point of being unable to utter a complete sentence.

Moreover, the only reason she was willing to talk to this boy was because Chu Zihang, being a man of few words, knew his name and had become somewhat interested.

However, Chu Zihang called out to Lu Mingfei just as he was about to leave:

"Want to come to the party tomorrow?"

Upon hearing this, Lu Mingfei lifted his foot to leave but froze in place, hardly believing his ears.

Am I right?

Other clubs get invitations delivered by the student council, but if you want to be a representative to attend a birthday party, you have to participate in the World Martial Arts Tournament first.

As for me, Lu Mingfei, I am just an ordinary person with no outstanding qualities, yet I was able to receive a personal invitation from Chu Zihang.

If word got out, wouldn't he be hunted down and put on wanted posters by his female fans?

In that instant, Lu Mingfei's right brain began to imagine various ways he would die after things were exposed, while his left brain was fantasizing about being invited to Chu Zihang's birthday party.

Under the crystal chandelier, people clinked glasses and chatted, surrounded by the most popular figures in the academy vying for Chu Zihang's affections. Meanwhile, he and Chen Wenwen enjoyed the night view on the balcony, sipping grape juice and occasionally exchanging glances, their affection seemingly endless.

Just thinking about Lu Mingfei makes me feel like I'm about to have a brain orgasm.

He wanted to agree immediately, but when he looked down at his wrinkled T-shirt, the sneakers he had worn for three years with almost worn-out soles, and the backpack in his arms containing three years' worth of savings that he had barely scraped together a thousand yuan, he realized he was wearing.

He had no formal attire, no gifts, and had never interacted with high society.

It was a world that didn't belong to him at all, filled with people like Chu Zihang and Zhao Menghua who were born to stand in the light, raising their wine glasses and chatting and laughing, talking about studying abroad and going to the Alps for summer vacation.

Even if he manages to squeeze in, he'll only be moving from one corner to another, still only able to secretly peek at the happiness of others.

A deep-seated inferiority complex was poured over Lu Mingfei like a bucket of ice water. He shook his head, about to refuse, but then the game popped up again:

[The story character Chu Zihang has sent you an amazing birthday party invitation. Please select—]