Survival in the Class: I'm the Only Boy on the Bus

Jiang Chen was rapidly typing on the virtual keyboard in the private chat interface with Wang Zhaodi:

[Morning: Still alive?]

When Jiang Chen sent out this message, the girls covered their mouths and chuckled, finding the sports committee member's straight-laced personality incredibly adorable.

Lu Wanzhou sighed and smiled wryly, rubbing her forehead.

"Xiao Chen... can you stop being so clueless? Couldn't you at least say 'good morning'?"

Jiang Chen coughed awkwardly, then stared at the private chat interface.

The public chat channel and private chat interface do not have the feature where a player's avatar turns gray when they die.

To find out if someone is still alive, you can only wait for their reply, but it's possible that one player has entered a dungeon, where the system's various functions cannot be used.

Therefore, players have reached a consensus: if a player doesn't reply to messages for a day, there's a high probability they've died...

All the girls in the carriage crowded around, craning their necks to stare at Jiang Chenqian's private chat interface.

Wu Maiduo gripped the Six Harmonies Spear in her right hand, her mouth nervously biting the nail of her left thumb.

Wen Ruyan crossed her arms, gently biting her lower lip, her eyes filled with worry.

Bai Nuonuo hugged the teddy bear tightly, burying her face in its back, with only one tuft of hair showing, drooping listlessly. She dared not look at her private chat with Wang Zhaodi.

The carriage was so quiet you could hear each other breathing.

A full minute passed before a message popped up in the private chat:

[Wang Xuemei: Chen...Brother Chen, I'm still alive...]

Jiang Chen breathed a slight sigh of relief upon seeing Wang Zhaodi's reply.

He had already saved Wang Zhaodi's nickname as "Wang Xuemei" in his contacts.

He was secretly glad that he hadn't saved any strange nicknames, otherwise he would have been mortified if all the girls were looking at him now.

When the girls saw Wang Zhaodi's reply, they all patted their chests, feeling relieved.

Bai Nuonuo was the most exaggerated, jumping around happily, and her ahoge (cowlick) also started to shake happily.

She even spun around in place with the teddy bear for several times until she was dizzy.

Then, whether it was intentional or accidental, this little girl...

Still feeling dizzy, she dodged Tang Yan, Lu Wanzhou, and Wu Maiduo, as well as other girls who tried to catch her, and landed squarely in Jiang Chen's arms.

Jiang Chen looked down at the dizzy Bai Nuonuo in his arms, his expression softening.

He reached out and gently ruffled her hair, brushing aside the unruly tuft of hair, before continuing to send messages:

[Morning: If given the opportunity, would you be willing to join us?]

The message had barely been sent when the girls gathered around again.

This time, Bai Nuonuo shoved her face right up to Jiang Chen's private chat interface, her eyes wide open, her happy ahoge (cowlick) swaying back and forth, slapping Jiang Chen's cheeks...

Bai Nuonuo can't stand seeing others suffer, especially after learning about Wang Zhaodi's family situation, she feels even more sorry for her.

Wang Zhaodi replied instantly:

[Wang Xuemei: Brother Chen, can I really join you guys?]

[Wang Xuemei: But I can't help everyone much... If that's the case... Won't I be causing trouble for Brother Chen and the senior students...?]

Jiang Chen looked at the two messages and tapped his finger on the virtual steering wheel:

[Chen: Don't overthink it. The 7 o'clock instance is your priority; just survive. We'll handle the rest.]

[Wang Xuemei: Okay, Chen Ge, I'll do my best.]

[Wang Xuemei: Brother Chen, I'll do anything you ask... laundry, cooking, driving, I can do it all! Driving all night is no problem either...]

[Wang Xuemei: I eat very little, just a little is enough... I don't need a seat, I can sleep on the floor...]

[Wang Xuemei: I...I will try my best not to cause trouble for everyone...]

Wang Zhaodi sent these messages very quickly, as if she was racing against time, afraid that Jiang Chen would change his mind. Her words were full of humility and worry.

The carriage fell silent.

The girls felt a lump in their throats when they saw Wang Zhaodi's humble words on the screen.

Lan Xingyao, unusually, didn't make any inappropriate jokes. She just pursed her lips and stared intently at the private chat interface.

Lu Wanzhou bit her lip, her almond-shaped eyes beneath her short pink hair slightly reddening.

Bai Nuonuo's eyes welled up with tears, her little nose twitched, and she tightened her grip on the teddy bear.

But the somber atmosphere didn't last long, and the girls' mood brightened up again.

Because regardless of Wang Zhaodi's character, at least she was willing to join.

Moreover, judging from her words, Wang Zhaodi is at least willing to contribute to the team.

Furthermore, Wang Zhaodi was unaware that Jiang Chen's team was a top-tier team of 43999, which might suggest that Wang Zhaodi wasn't trying to piggyback on Jiang Chen's coattails, but genuinely wanted to join his team.

Wen Ruyan loosened her tightly clenched lower lip, revealing a gentle smile.

Bai Nuonuo jumped up and down happily, then hugged Jiang Chen's arm and rubbed her head against his arm.

The restless tuft of hair also swayed, sweeping past Jiang Chen's eyes several times.

Jiang Chen was so dazzled by Bai Nuonuo's tuft of hair that he could barely see the private chat interface.

He smiled and withdrew his hand, taking out the golden contract from his spatial backpack.

The contract was a roll of parchment that gleamed with gold.

Jiang Chen held up the contract so that all the girls could see it:

"I've already bought the contract. After we clear the 7 o'clock dungeon, we can go find Wang Xuemei, right?"

Lu Wanzhou crossed her arms, tossed her short pink hair, and nodded haughtily:

"Xiao Chen is great, she even bought the contract. With it, the sisters can feel much more at ease."

Lan Xingyao peeked out furtively from behind Ying Feixue.

She wasn't as tall as Sakura Hiyuki, and she had to stand on tiptoe to put her arm around Sakura Hiyuki's shoulder, which was quite difficult, as if she were hanging on Sakura Hiyuki.

Lan Xingyao smiled mischievously:

"Oh, looks like our sports committee is going to have another contractor."

"White Snowflake, why don't you, the big contracted beast, teach the little contracted beast some tips on serving its master?"

After hearing Lan Xingyao's flirtatious words, Ying Feixue's cold cheeks flushed slightly.

She gripped the crimson katana tightly, and mimicking Lan Xingwan's gesture, raised her hand and gently tapped Lan Xingyao's head with the hilt of the sword.

The force was just right, enough to leave you dazed but not brain-damaged.

Lan Xingyao cooperated perfectly, letting out an "ouch" and falling backward while clutching her head, deliberately pretending to be in a lot of pain.

Ying Feixue deliberately turned her head away from Lan Xingyao, leaving Lan Xingyao with only a cold profile.

But she secretly glanced at Jiang Chen out of the corner of her eye and muttered to herself:

"It wouldn't be a problem to contract with a few more beautiful women, as long as my master can give me a place in his heart..."

"Just a little bit..."

After she finished speaking, her jade-like ears turned even redder, and her fair, long legs under her red horse-face skirt were slightly brought together, with the bells on her ankles making a 'ding-a-ling' sound.

Wu Maiduo knew that Wang Zhaodi was still alive and willing to join them, so she was finally less worried.

Among the girls, she and Wang Zhaodi had the deepest relationship.

After learning about Wang Zhaodi's family situation, Wu Maiduo saved money and gave Wang Zhaodi the prize money she won in the competition.

But Wang Zhaodi refused every time:

"Senior Maido, thank you... I... I have enough money, you can keep it for yourself..."

Wu Maiduo knew very well that Wang Zhaodi didn't have much money at all, except for the three hundred yuan that Teacher Fang gave her every month.

This silly girl eats only the cheapest vegetables and white rice in the school cafeteria every day.

Sometimes they don't even serve vegetables, just white rice, and ask the auntie to pour some sauce on it, then they just mix it together and eat it.

That's why Wang Zhaodi is so thin, as if she would fall over if the wind blew her away.

But Wang Zhaodi never complained. On the contrary, she felt that she was already very happy to have white rice to eat at school.

After all, she was often hungry at home.

Like Wu Maiduo, Wang Zhaodi is very hardworking and receives scholarships every year.

Unlike Wu Maiduo, Wang Zhaodi was not able to improve her life through the prize money from the competition.

Wang Zhaodi could only study desperately and use scholarships to pay her tuition.

As for scholarships?

Ha, those who need it can't get it, while those who don't need it get it all.

But those who have been caught in the rain always think about holding an umbrella for others.

Although Wu Maiduo and Wang Zhaodi are not in the same school,

However, whenever Wu Maiduo had free time, she would find various excuses to invite Wang Zhaodi out, and then use the prize money she won in the competition to feed the thin Wang Zhaodi.

Sometimes, Wu Maiduo would also use Wang Zhaodi's name to order various fruits, milk, and other things for Wang Zhaodi through online shopping.

Wu Maiduo sighed softly as she recalled Wang Zhaodi's frugal life during her university years.

The next moment, under the control of AI driving, the bus slowly slowed down and came to a stop.

Immediately afterwards, an AI female voice came from the cockpit:

[A copy has been detected. Proceed?]