Chuyun looked at Su Minghao, suddenly sounding worried. "Xiao Haozi, didn’t you only like 2D girls? Always calling them ‘wife’ on your phone. When did you start liking real-life girls?"

"What’s wrong with 2D? Did it eat your rice?!"

Su Minghao’s eyes widened, his face flushing red as he stared at Chuyun. He rambled on—how you could love both 2D and 3D, how his anime wives wouldn’t mind him liking real girls, how both worlds were equally awesome. Then he ranted about being oppressed and trembling with rage, filling the classroom with cheerful energy.

But the happy mood didn’t last. The school bell shattered it, and Chuyun returned to his seat.

"Eh? Ch-Chuyun, why are you sitting here?" Han Youwei lifted her cute little face, looking adorably clueless as she stared at him in surprise.

"Well, you might not believe it—I’m your desk partner. What a coincidence."

Chuyun wondered if this was fate. Maybe after school, he’d even find Han Youwei lived in his neighborhood.

"Eh, really?" Han Youwei’s rosy lips parted slightly in shock. Her bright, crescent-moon eyes held a trace of disbelief, a hint of joy, and a blush of unspoken shyness.

"Really. We’re desk partners now. Nice to meet you, Han Youwei."

A faint dimple bloomed on Han Youwei’s exquisite face. Her joyful eyes sparkled like stars as she smiled at Chuyun. "Mm-hmm… Nice to meet you too, Chuyun!"

The pleasant atmosphere carried Chuyun through morning classes. By noon, classmates were heading to the cafeteria.

"Chuyun! Great news—I had insane luck yesterday. Dropped an S-rank dungeon map from an elite monster! Tonight, let’s team up to clear it. S-ranks often drop mythic gear!"

Just as Chuyun was about to ask Han Youwei to join him for lunch, Su Minghao’s voice cut in.

"S-rank dungeon?"

Chuyun froze. Since Tianming’s launch, S-rank dungeons had appeared fewer than ten times. They mostly dropped from mythic bosses—with only a 20% chance. Official data said elite monsters had a 0.0001% drop rate. Virtually impossible.

"Xiao Haozi, seriously? Don’t lie. You got it with a 0.0001% rate?"

Chuyun still doubted it. That probability was absurdly low.

"It’s true! I didn’t believe it either. But it’s real. I practically sacrificed my life grinding for it. Log on tonight and see. Gotta go!"

After Su Minghao left, Han Youwei leaned close, her face full of curiosity. "Chuyun, what game were you talking about?"

Her lazy, honey-sweet voice made Chuyun’s bones melt. Would she really like an ARPG?

Chuyun paused. "It’s called Tianming. Super popular right now."

"Oh, that one? I play it too. But I’m terrible at leveling and gear. No one takes me along."

"You play it? Han Youwei, join us tonight. You can just leech XP and gear from the side."

"By the way, what class? A healer?"

"Mm-hmm. A healer. But I don’t know how to play."

"Can you teach me, Chuyun? I’m so clumsy—I’ll never learn alone." Han Youwei’s face flushed red as she shyly met his eyes.

Hehe, playing with Chuyun tonight would be nice. Han Youwei was already lost in daydreams.

"Of course. I’m no healer expert, but I can teach you."

Chuyun hadn’t expected this adorably clueless girl to play Tianming.

"Oh, Han Youwei—here’s my QQ number. Add me. I’ll message you when we play." Chuyun scribbled it on paper and handed it over.

"Mm-hmm."

Han Youwei took the note carefully. She pulled out her phone and slowly typed the number.

"Ahem. Han Youwei sent a friend request."

Chuyun checked his phone, surprised. "Huh? Your username’s just your real name?"

"Mm…" Han Youwei blushed again, embarrassed.

"Alright. I’ll QQ you tonight. Let’s grab lunch first, Han Youwei." Chuyun spoke gently to the blushing girl.

"Mm-hmm…"

"Let’s go." Chuyun took Han Youwei’s soft, boneless hand and led her out.

The moment they left the classroom, Chuyun froze. Cold sweat beaded on his forehead. "Crap—I held her hand again? So naturally? Like instinct. What now?"

Meanwhile, Han Youwei’s face glowed with a beautiful blush. Her heart pounded wildly.

Eh? Why’s he holding my hand again? Mom said only close people do that. Is Chuyun close to me now? Why’s he stopped? Blushing, she whispered shyly, "Chuyun… let’s go."

"Ding! Han Youwei’s favorability +10."

"Current favorability toward Chuyun: 20."

Startled, Chuyun walked on, flustered but holding her hand. He calmed after a while. The system really added favorability for holding hands? Was it all real?

Wait—no. Chuyun remembered the tutorial quest’s final stage: intimate contact. Hadn’t that just happened? Why wasn’t it complete?

"Ding! Master, intimate contact requires an untouched area and must make the target blush with shyness to count."

"..."

What messed-up logic is this? Saving girls should mean healing and comforting—not this! Chuyun screamed inside.