Days of sunshine and warm breezes had wrapped X City in cozy warmth, yet Zhou Zhiyi—seated not far from the window—ignored the outdoors. He brazenly scanned the classroom, seemingly oblivious to being labeled a pervert.
"What are you staring at, pervert?"
A girl stomped over, cheeks flushed pink beneath her usual porcelain skin. She looked cuter than ever.
"Are all who look at you perverts? Fine, I’ll stop."
"Smooth talker!" She spat the words softly. "How’d you do on the exam?"
"If I scored well, would I hide it from you?"
Zhou Zhiyi shrugged, eyes tracing the lively girl before him—Qin Huan. Like a novel’s heroine, she radiated an aura of her own: delicate features, a curvy figure, and effortless charm. Boys flocked to her wherever she went. She treated everyone with sunny warmth, making many mistake it for special interest. But confess? Rejection was guaranteed.
"Hmph. Like we’re even close."
Qin Huan’s textbook tsundere act left Zhou Zhiyi frozen mid-seat.
"Fine. If you won’t tell me, I won’t ask."
Her face tinged pink again. Or was it his imagination?
"What about Wu Feng’s score?"
*Wu Feng… Again with Wu Feng…*
*Why does everything good happen to him?!*
"Same as always. Solidly average. Exactly 500 points." Zhou Zhiyi glanced at Wu Feng, slumped asleep beside him. No waking him now. He sighed. "Still better than you, Mr. Failure."
"Your tongue’s gotten sharper, Sunshine Girl."
The nickname slipped out—the one boys whispered about. Sunlight chose that moment to spotlight Qin Huan’s snow-pale skin.
*Seriously? This is absurd!*
"Only for thieves like you." She pouted, mischief dancing in her eyes.
*Damn, that’s unfairly cute.*
Before Zhou Zhiyi could react, the bell shattered the moment. Students flooded to their seats—not from love of learning, but fear of standing in the hallway.
"Hmph! Got nothing out of you after all!" Qin Huan huffed, swishing back to her seat. A trail of delicate fragrance followed—nothing like harsh perfumes, but something dangerously addictive.
*Wait. What am I thinking?*
Zhou Zhiyi slapped his own cheek, snapping himself out of the fantasy realm. A silvery laugh chimed to his right.
"Zhou Zhiyi, you’re amusing. Slapping yourself now?" Liang Yunqi covered her petal-pink lips, laughter like wind chimes. Her beauty alone kept his irritation in check.
"Just… motivating myself." He redirected his frustration, punching Wu Feng’s head. "Wake up, idiot."
A hothead might yell, *"The hell? Who hit me?!"*
But not this guy. Because…
"Mmm… Class already?" Wu Feng lifted his sleepy head, blinking at the voluptuous teacher on stage.
*Predictable. Like a puppet.* Zhou Zhiyi’s smile didn’t waver.
"Obviously. Or would Liu Yongxue be up there?" he hissed. "Qin Huan ambushed me—I didn’t nap. Cover for me."
"You dare sleep in *her* class? Respect." Wu Feng mimed a kung fu salute. "Go ahead. I’ll watch."
Zhou Zhiyi face-planted onto his desk. No fake note-taking poses—he knew the teacher would catch him anyway.
Sleep dragged him back to a month ago.
A bright afternoon. Zhou Zhiyi sprinted to school—late, thanks to an overslept lunch nap.
"Stupid alarm! Why didn’t you wake me?!" He cursed at his watch like a drunk who’d lost his last coin.
"Was it really the alarm’s fault?"
A clear, melodic voice cut through the alley ahead. Zhou Zhiyi skidded to a halt. Around the corner stepped a golden-haired beauty.
*Golden hair? In our country? This only happens in manga—wait, sorry, this IS a novel. Dyed?*
"You’re…"
Questions swirled in his head, but he kept his face neutral. *She spoke to me—I should know her.* Yet her face drew a blank.
*How could I forget someone this stunning?! Damn it!*
Trapped, he resorted to the worst possible move: asking directly. In a galgame, his affection points would’ve plummeted to -100.
"Who am I? Doesn’t matter." She waved a hand. "Call me… a god."
"Oh, so you’re—"
Zhou Zhiyi blurted automatically, desperate not to offend—then froze.
*Wait…*
*She said she’s a god?*
"You’re a god?" He gaped at her poetic face like a brainless doll.
"Problem?"
*Problem?* Her tone was utterly matter-of-fact.
*Problem?! Of course there’s a problem! Gods don’t exist—and definitely not as golden-haired girls!*
"Hah… Joking, right?"
"Must I prove it? How troublesome." She pointed at the distant sun, muttering under her breath. Zhou Zhiyi squinted upward, determined not to miss a thing.
*So bright…*
Then—darkness. The sun vanished as if erased. Clouds gathered like mischievous children ready to play.
"Rain?"
Cool droplets kissed Zhou Zhiyi’s cheek, spreading fast. The sunny afternoon twisted into a downpour. Pedestrians scattered like startled rats. Makeup ran down women’s faces, revealing hidden truths.
Yet the golden-haired girl stood untouched—as if summoning storms was mundane.
*No… not untouched.*
Her soaked clothes clung transparently to snow-white skin, leaving little to the imagination.
"Hey! Proving you’re a god doesn’t require stripping! You’re drenched!"
"So what?"
"So what?! Are you airheaded?!"
If he’d had a jacket, he’d have tossed it to her—affection points be damned. But in this heat? Only one option left…
"You’re a god! Can’t you conjure dry clothes? Everything’s visible!"
"Does it matter? Humans started naked, didn’t they?"
*She’s got a point. I’m speechless.*
Zhou Zhiyi surrendered. "Fine. I believe you’re a god. Why are you here? You wouldn’t seek out someone ordinary like me for nothing."
"Bingo!" She flashed a victory sign. "Simple: I’m giving you an identity tag."
*Identity tag?* His mind raced. *World-saving duty? A girl-charming aura?*
"Wolf? Seer? Guardian? You know, *Werewolf* roles?"
"It’s not called Guardian—"
"Close enough!" She huffed. "I’m giving you a role like that. But you’ll be… the Second Lead."
"*Second Lead?!*" Zhou Zhiyi stiffened. *Acting? An idol drama?*
"Yes. The Second Lead." She nodded. "I’ll bestow a Fate Mark upon you. Your duty: support the protagonists."
"An idol drama? Me?"
"Idol drama? How quaint." She smiled. "Do you *look* like idol material?"
"Must you mock me?!" He grimaced. "What *is* this?"
"Think of this world as a novel. I’m the author."
*Oh no.*
"I’ve cast you as the Second Lead—the best role after the protagonist. Your job: fulfill your duty. Support the main characters."
"*Duty?*"
*Second Lead… duty…*
*Holy crap. I’m a side character?!*
"Help the male lead make friends. Hang out with him. That sort of thing."
"So I’m his babysitter?"
"Not exactly." She hesitated. "You don’t even know who the protagonist is."
"What kind of crap is that?!"
"Sometimes, you’ll receive my commands. You *must* obey them."
She patted his shoulder, her soft lips brushing his ear. Sweet breath sent shivers down his spine.
"But you’re interesting. Some commands will be… optional."
"Optional? Like a galgame?"
"Similar." She seemed relieved. "Choose wrong, though? Consequences are yours."
"Hey! Why am *I* responsible?!"
"Time’s up. I’m leaving." She glanced skyward, flashing a sunbeam-bright smile.
"Goodbye."
She vanished into the downpour, leaving Zhou Zhiyi drenched, late, and utterly bewildered.
*Great. Soaked AND late? Seriously?!*
Zhou Zhiyi yelled at the top of his lungs, but not a single person paid him any heed. Helplessly, he ran toward the school...
