Chapter 1

I bolted upright.

I eyed him suspiciously.

Xie Qingyao noticed me moving.

He opened his sleep-clouded eyes, his voice rough.

“Want more?”

Then he caught my ankle with practiced ease and bent down to kiss me.

I jumped. The system was still here!

I hurriedly pushed him away, embarrassed and annoyed.

“Go back to sleep!”

He soon fell asleep again, his hand still resting firmly on my waist.

Look at that. He treated me like his precious baby. How was that not love?

I immediately challenged the result.

[System, you’ve got a bug, haven’t you? Even if his affection isn’t at a hundred, it should at least be ninety-nine!]

The system took offense.

[Our algorithm doesn’t make mistakes.]

[An affection score of zero means you’re a complete stranger to him.]

My heart jolted.

Wasn’t that practically the same as when we first met?

Back then, I’d just linked up with the system and was bursting with enthusiasm.

The court. The leafy shade. That aloof, divinely handsome face.

Xie Qingyao was the unquestionable center of attention.

With my utterly unselfconscious confidence, I slipped into the group bringing water and successfully made contact.

Xie Qingyao took the towel and water and offered a lukewarm thank-you.

I watched him wipe away his sweat, a thoroughly pleasing sight, and couldn’t have been more satisfied.

“Xie Qingyao, I like you. Go out with me.”

He frowned and looked me over.

Then he gave a faint scoff. “Sorry. You’re not my type.”

Ha. Didn’t believe it.

He simply didn’t know me yet.

For starters, my presence was exceptional, my features refined and well-defined, and my knowledge extensive.

If we spent a little time together—sorry, but he’d fall madly in love with me.

Later, I worked my way into his social circle with remarkable ease.

As far as every one of his friends was concerned, we were practically about to get married.

So every time he saw me, he was shocked all over again.

“How on earth did you get in?”

I answered innocently, “Your friends are so welcoming. They insisted on bringing me.”

Xie Qingyao: “…”

After my ninety-ninth confession, he took sick leave and hid at home.

Little did he know, his buddies had already given me his address in full.

The instant he saw me at his door, his gaze went blank and all the strength drained out of him.

“You’re wonderful. I’m the one who isn’t good enough. Could you please go torment someone else?”

It all clicked.

So that was the real reason he’d rejected me.

He had an avoidant personality.

Fortunately, I was a guiding partner.

We each compromised a little and added each other on WeChat.

I began healing him on WeChat every day.

Me: [I can see your vulnerability so clearly. Will you let me into your heart?]

Xie Qingyao: [No.]

Me: [You’re just refusing to admit it.]

Xie Qingyao: [?]

…

Me: [I really like you. Must I dig my heart out before you’ll believe me?]

Xie Qingyao: [Ha. Go ahead, then.]

Me: [I can’t. It still has to beat for you for the rest of my life.]

Xie Qingyao: […]

Even the most stubborn ice would melt before such irresistible sincerity.

Xie Qingyao finally agreed to be with me.

When it heard that,

the system fell silent again.

[Host, is it possible the male lead doesn’t actually like you? Maybe he only agreed because he ran out of options.]

[Being cold to you didn’t work, so he switched strategies to make you give up.]

I paused. [What strategy?]

The system answered with professional authority. [Aggressive affection.]

I thought it over.

Xie Qingyao really had changed a lot after we got together.

Before, he barely acknowledged me. Now he told me everything, sharing his life with abnormal enthusiasm.

He checked in before class, before meals, before parties.

It felt as if he spent his whole day doing nothing but sending updates.

Was that aggressive affection?

I pressed my lips together and stubbornly insisted, [I don’t believe it.]

The system said, [Then observe him. See whether all that enthusiasm is an act.]