"Ahhh, Princess Yueyue, be careful!!!"
A sudden cry cut through the noisy crowd, drawing every eye.
Everyone froze mid-action, turning toward the source—only to be instantly captivated by something far larger.
Golden ginkgo leaves carpeted the path thickly. At its center stood a towering human pyramid, blocking all view.
Perched atop it was a petite girl. Her mouth kept blurting "Waaah!" while her legs trembled slightly.
The boys clustered below watched her swaying figure, voices rising in panic:
"Be careful, Suzhan Yue!"
"If you fall, Yue, I won’t survive!"
"If anything happens to you, Yueyue, my heart will shatter with you!!!"
"It’s fine, everyone, really don’t wor—"
Suzhan Yue flashed a reassuring smile, but the distraction made her foot slip.
Gasps erupted. The girl teetered wildly at the pyramid’s peak, then toppled backward—destined for a hard landing.
Time froze.
Not metaphorically. Leaves hung suspended mid-fall. Wind-stirred clouds stilled. The bustling crowd locked in place.
Only Cheng Yu felt different.
As the girl fell, Cheng Yu sensed time halt. His limbs turned leaden, immobilized—but his mind raced freely.
Before his eyes, text materialized mid-air:
【The girl is about to hit the ground. You choose:】
【Option A: Rush forward, catch her princess-style. Reward: Guaranteed postgraduate spot in Computer Science】
【Option B: Shout a warning to others. Reward: Superpower "Reading People"】
【Option C: Shove the guy ahead to break her fall. Reward: Authentic Bandai Gundam model】
【Option D: Pretend you saw nothing. Reward: +1 random stat point】
Hmm…
Tough call.
Cheng Yu weighed the options. Option A’s reward tempted him—but he was Law major, not CS. Probably tied to *her* major.
Makes sense. Only CS departments had so few girls treated like national treasures.
Option B intrigued him—actual superpowers? "Reading People" meant instantly grasping others’ thoughts. Perfect for navigating college politics.
But Option C…
A Gundam. *Authentic* Bandai.
What guy could resist that? Who wouldn’t crave a real Gundam model?
Ugh. All three options were fire… Cheng Yu agonized, comparing them endlessly.
Then, silently, he chose D.
Time snapped back. Wind brushed Cheng Yu’s cheek. The crowd surged. Sound crashed in—
*Oof!*
The girl landed hard on the ginkgo-leaf cushion. Rubbing her tailbone, tears welling, she sat surrounded by frantic boys:
"Suzhan Yue, are you hurt?"
"Yue, did you get injured?!"
"Princess Yueyue, you *must* be okay!!!"
"I’m… sore, but fine! My fault for losing balance. Don’t worry!" She forced a sheepish grin, sticking out her tongue.
The boys erupted louder:
"KYAAAAH PRINCESS YUEYUE IS SO CUTE!!!"
"Our department flower, Yue, never disappoints!!"
"Just breathing the same air as Suzhan Yue in this classroom is a blessing from my past ten lifetimes!!!"
"CS boys, SHUT IT! We’re trying to film here!"
A teacher’s roar cut through the chaos. The commotion settled.
Cheng Yu sighed as a notification chimed in his head:
【Task complete. +1 Reflex stat awarded.】
His gaze drifted to a woodcutter’s axe leaning against a tree nearby. *If I’d chosen A… caught her like a prince…*
*Yeah. These fanatics would’ve sacrificed me to the chadao by now.*
*Guess I dodged another chadao ending?*
He pulled out his phone—not to use it, but to stare at his reflection on the dark screen. Silently, he called:
*Hey, System.*
Beside his reflection (which he saw as *devastatingly handsome, suave, and irresistibly cool*), text appeared:
【Name: Cheng Yu Lv.1】
【Gender: Male】
【Age: 18】
【Stamina: 14 (Barely functional)】
【Intellect: 21 (Barely sentient)】
【Combat: 5 (Pathetic)】
【Reflexes: 45 (PUBG 29-kill god)】
【Luck: 35 (Find a lost wallet while shaving)】
【Charm: 51 (Super Idol’s smile isn’t as sweet as yours)】
【…】
Cheng Yu’s eyes lingered on the "Lv.1" behind his name.
He stared. Hard.
It refused to become "Lv.2."
Sighing, he pocketed the phone, muttering under his breath:
"This time… I won’t fail again.
"After living a hundred lives, I won’t fall to the chadao blade once more."
