A Young Woman's Heart

I guess it's because I've been too busy lately. I'm either practicing the piano, attending classes, or doing homework. I've spent my little free time reading novels, so I haven't had any time to go to the school's game room to play games.

"So it's only people from our school participating now..." Mo Xueyao muttered to herself. "I wonder how many people will actually participate?"

"I bet a lot of boys will participate!" The security guard heard her muttering to himself and laughed as he replied, "How about it, little girl, why don't you give it a try?"

"Hmm... I'll definitely participate and give it a try, but I probably won't get any rankings." Mo Xueyao said with an embarrassed smile. Although most of the other boys who like to play games don't have many credits, at least they will use them when they get them and often go to maintain their skills. Someone like her who hasn't played for a long time probably has forgotten how to use the skills.

Moreover, she had accumulated a lot of credits, but she was reluctant to spend them. She wanted to save up more so that she could exchange them for the most expensive reward—a pottery doll that looked exactly like Teacher Taiyin.

It seems that no one in the whole school has changed theirs yet.

Unlike traditional pottery figurines that have a slightly cartoonish feel, the points redemption interface features sample images that perfectly replicate the appearance of Taiyin, making it look like a little animated figure.

"I think the rewards for this game competition are pretty good. The champion can even get his own character in the game through the school."

"Uncle, you know about this too?"

"Haha—I still go to the arcade to play games all the time!" The security guard laughed smugly, the scar on his face starting to redden again. "You don't actually think playing games is a privilege for young people, do you?"

"No, no." Mo Xueyao quickly shook her head and carefully looked at the reward.

Rewards are given to everyone from fifth to first place, and they are quite generous, including snacks, stationery, books, and toys. In addition to a custom character, the first place winner will also receive a whole box of brand new Gundam model kits.

It seems the organizers knew that most of the participants were boys, and boys who like playing games would definitely not be able to resist the temptation of Gundam models.

Mo Xueyao also wanted to, but she knew very well what her skill level was in games. Although she loved playing, she was only slightly above average. She probably couldn't win the championship in the whole school.

"It seems like a lot of boys in our class play this game too..." Yu Shu said softly, "I only went to watch once."

"Hey, you went to the arcade to look at it?"

"Hmm... I saw it when I was passing by."

"Is it fun? It's really fun. Shall we go play there later?"

"Xiaoyao, aren't you going to practice anymore?"

"Anyway, there's still plenty of time..." Mo Xueyao scratched her cheek, "Exchanging points for a few game coins shouldn't be a problem."

"Go back to the classroom and put your bag down first," Li Wanyan said casually. "I haven't had breakfast yet."

"Ah, right, let's go back to the classroom first, Yu Shu, see you later!" Mo Xueyao waved her hand, rubbing her throat and swallowing, "I'm so thirsty..."

"Let's drink in the classroom." Li Wanyan watched Yu Shu walk into her classroom before stepping on Mo Xueyao's shadow and walking up the stairs.

It was still dark outside the window. At six o'clock in the morning, the sun had not yet risen, and the school was as dark as night.

Mr. Xue hadn't arrived yet, so only Mo Xueyao and Li Wanyan were in the classroom.

The two opened the bags of congee and steamed buns and sat down at the table to enjoy them.

These are authentic xiaolongbao (soup dumplings). They have thin skins and generous fillings. I don't know what's added to the meat inside, but it has a soft, chewy texture and is exceptionally sweet.

"Sizzle—" Mo Xueyao took a bite, and the juice inside immediately splashed onto the table.

"Thank goodness, it didn't splash onto my clothes." She quickly took out a napkin to wipe the oil off the table, but it still felt a bit greasy, so she had to pour some hot water on it and wipe it several more times.

"Eat slowly." Li Wanyan smoothed Mo Xueyao's long hair, which had already reached her shoulders. "Does your head still hurt?"

"A little better... Phew... I really do need to drink porridge in the morning... It warms the stomach..." Mo Xueyao muttered to herself, picking up a piece of pickled mustard greens and putting it in her mouth, making a 'crunch crunch' sound as she chewed.

"Don't drink next time."

"I know, I know—it's Nora here..." Mo Xueyao scratched her head awkwardly, "It's rare to see each other, so of course we have to have a drink...cough."

Li Wanyan shook her head helplessly: "She's going to Russia next month."

"Yeah, she probably won't be coming back this year. Maybe next summer or spring?" Mo Xueyao couldn't quite remember. "She said she'd buy some Russian specialties when she went back this time and bring them back next time! Hmm... what was that bread again?"

"Large bread?"

"I think so...? Yeah, she said she'd bring the most authentic ones." Mo Xueyao took another sip of hot congee. "Phew, it's so cold. When will the classrooms have heating?"

"Let's wait a while longer."

"Wait until it's zero degrees? By then it'll almost be holiday time." Mo Xueyao stuffed a whole steamed bun into her mouth, puffing out her cheeks as she chewed, trying to avoid splashing the oil onto the table again.

"It should be next month."

"Phew... Wan Yan has inside information?"

"Hmm." Li Wanyan did not deny it, "but it's not confirmed yet."

"Please, please turn on the heat, I'm freezing to death—" Mo Xueyao muttered between shivering. "Can we turn it on ourselves?"

"No, there's no power at all."

"Okay, oh, by the way, the band room isn't without heating, is it?"

"No."

"Oh no, I don't want to go to the band room this winter." Mo Xueyao finished the last of her porridge in one gulp, then patted her stomach contentedly and let out a loud burp.

"I went to the school's game room."

"Go."

Mo Xueyao took out her points card from her schoolbag and then quickly darted out of the classroom.

The free time I have in the morning isn't actually that long, especially when I'm playing games; it goes by in no time.

At the entrance of the game room, Yu Shu was already waiting. She was using her points card to operate the machine in the room, curiously browsing the other rewards that points could be redeemed.

"Yu Shu!" Mo Xueyao quickly walked to her side. "Is this your first time using this machine?"

"Hmm... How did Xiaoyao know?"

"I can tell from that huge stack of points redemption coupons you're holding," Mo Xueyao said, pointing to the stack of points redemption coupons in front of her.

After scratching off the silver coating on the voucher, you can see the serial number inside. Insert the card and enter the serial number to redeem it for points.

"You've saved up so many points but haven't redeemed them yet?" Mo Xueyao counted the points and found that she had almost two hundred points.

"Hmm... I haven't come to redeem it because I didn't have anything I wanted to exchange for."

"You didn't think that only stationery could be redeemed inside, did you?" Mo Xueyao teased with a smile.

"Hmm..." Yu Shu nodded shyly, "I didn't expect there to be so much stuff inside..."

“Yes, you can redeem stationery, toys, and even books.” Mo Xueyao poked at the designated reward. “I’m planning to save up my points to redeem this.”

"Hmm, that's expensive."

"Hehe, more or less, I should be able to afford it next semester." Mo Xueyao said smugly, hands on her hips. "Don't you think it looks great?"

"Yes, the picture is really well done, it looks exactly like the real person."

“Right, Yu Shu, don’t you really like plush toys? I remember there are plush toys here that you can exchange.” Mo Xueyao scrolled down the page. “Look! This is it. It’s a zodiac animal plush toy, and it’s even wearing the uniform of Yu Kong High School. This is pretty good. You can’t buy it outside.”

"Mmm..." Yu Shu's eyes lit up, and she nodded vigorously. "This... I like it so much."

"Then you can also buy these, gashapon toys, which randomly give you one, and they're a little cheaper than buying a specific figurine."

Can I get it by redeeming it now?

"It should work, right? I've never exchanged such a big item before." Mo Xueyao scratched her cheek. "Hmm... why don't you give it a try? Maybe you'll get a voucher, and then you can use it to exchange for something with the teacher?"

"Let me try... Then... then I'll change it?"

"Let's change it."

Exchanging for one of these figurines, even through gashapon toys, requires 100 points.

However, for Yu Shu, this temptation was simply irresistible, and she finally pressed the redemption button.

The images on the screen flickered and finally settled on one of the pictures.

It's a tiger figurine.

Then, the machine slowly dispensed a receipt-like item with instructions on how to use it—simply hand it to your homeroom teacher, who will then help you redeem it.

"Haha, your points have dropped a lot all of a sudden. Hmm... never mind, I'll exchange them for game coins." Mo Xueyao looked at the excited Yu Shu. "Don't rush... you still need to exchange them with the homeroom teacher. The earliest you can get the reward is this afternoon, right?"

"Um... um, Xiaoyao, do you want it? I still have a hundred points..."

"Ha, I'm not interested in that! You can keep it and exchange it yourself."

"Hmm... then let's change it next time..."

Yu Shu clutched the voucher tightly in her hand, as if she couldn't wait to go find her homeroom teacher.

She really loves these fluffy plush toys.

……

Chapter 174 The Old Man, the Child, and the Cat

Monday morning.

Students go to school, and adults go to work.

Shops along the street opened one by one, welcoming the fresh morning glow.

It was still early, and the children walked to school in the shadows cast by the still-lit streetlights. Several children chased each other, laughing and playing.

"Give that back to me!" a middle school girl said coquettishly.

"Hey, this isn't good for you. It doesn't taste good. I'll buy you something else to eat later."

"I don't want it, I want to eat this!"

"Okay, then catch me. If you catch me, I'll give me back to you~ and I'll even treat you to something else~!"

"Jiang Ting, if you keep being naughty, I'll tell your mother!"

"No way! If my mom finds out I'm dating, I'm doomed!"

"Hmph, who said you're in a relationship?"

"Hey, you don't have any?"

"I don't like you."

"You have to listen to girls in reverse when they say things."