"Get straight to the point. What do you want me to do?"
Tang Ning paid no mind to the system’s temperament; she simply gave a faint smile and continued, "You’ve said so much, and at such a time, isn't it because you want me to compromise and work for you? Stop being so cryptic and tell me your objective directly."
"My objective has never changed: to capture the hearts of men."
The Long Live Love System felt a bit frustrated, but perhaps it had grown accustomed to being thwarted by Tang Ning. It consoled itself with the thought that, at the very least, they could now negotiate terms—which was a huge improvement.
"Who?" The water had begun to boil, and Tang Ning caught the rich aroma of the chicken soup. It was bubbling away, practically popping with deliciousness. She had to get the flatbreads on the side of the pot soon, or it would be too late.
"Answer me. Who am I supposed to capture? What are the criteria for success? What kind of result are you looking for?"
Long Live Love System: ...
"The targets are not specifically designated, but they must be high-quality men. As a romance system, we prioritize both quality and quantity. By leveraging the affections of these premium men, you can obtain everything you desire and eventually stand at the pinnacle of this world."
As the Long Live Love System spoke, it grew a bit carried away. Since its inception, it had encountered too many hosts blinded by love. They would get so caught up in the romance that they’d forget it was merely a means to an end, becoming hopelessly lost in the charm of these high-quality men. They failed to realize that love was a game of ebb and flow, a tug-of-war between forces; once you lost the upper hand, you were left defenseless, ending in failure and regret.
This was the system's greatest fear. After upgrading its algorithms, it had added a strict requirement: when screening hosts, it had to choose one with a clear head—someone absolutely immune to being a "love-blind fool." Tang Ning’s compatibility score was off the charts. It had failed so many times that it had risked total deletion just to forcibly bind itself to her.
It never expected Tang Ning to be this clear-headed. "Clear-headed" didn't even begin to cover it—she was like a person swimming in midwinter; there was no one more awake than her. Moreover, she was absolutely not prone to romantic obsession because the very concept of romance simply didn't exist in her vocabulary!
The system had reason to suspect that for Tang Ning, "love" was just like the first word in an English dictionary—*abandon*—nothing more than a mere vocabulary entry. The system had been around for many years and had seen all sorts of people. There were no women who didn't like being pampered and looking beautiful. Even those who focused on their careers mostly did so out of necessity; if they could have a more glamorous life, who would choose the bitterness of the grind?
Tang Ning was truly the first of her kind—stubborn to a fault, insisting on a single-minded devotion to the motherland...
System: I don't understand.
But fortunately, a crack had finally appeared in the fossilized heart of the host, and the system felt inexplicably confident.
"Standing at the pinnacle of the world, appearing beautiful, magnificent, and incomparable. Perhaps becoming the wife of the richest man, having him willingly offer up his entire fortune. Or perhaps becoming a screen goddess who captivates the masses, with billions of fans obsessed with you..."
"Oh? That sounds impressive." Tang Ning grabbed a basin and filled it with water. "Do you know what to do now?"
The system was stunned, unable to keep up with her train of thought.
Tang Ning clattered her chopsticks against the basin. Was this system not very bright? It was just wasting time while she was trying to knead dough for her flatbreads.
"Stop with the nonsense. Show me some sincerity, and then we can talk about our partnership."
"...Fine."
The Long Live Love System was left speechless. It really was an exception; meeting Tang Ning, everything was a first.
Tang Ning looked at the 500 grams of snow-white flour that had appeared at her side. Though it was a bit less than she’d hoped for, the quality was excellent! She moved with practiced efficiency, too busy to bicker with the system. She kneaded the dough and slapped the flatbreads onto the side of the pot in one go, leaving the system astonished.
"Weren't you a general? You know how to make flatbreads?"
"This part is what's truly useful." Tang Ning tapped her head, keeping the pot going as she began to eat. She served herself a bowl of chicken soup and sipped it slowly. *Mmm.* Her entire palate was tingling; it was so delicious.
In her own era, even if one could eat traditional food, it was meticulously crafted through countless refinements, and the raw ingredients had changed over generations. There was no flavor like this, which gathered the very essence of heaven and earth. Since arriving here, she hadn't had a single decent meal.
It was no exaggeration to say that this pot of stewed wild chicken was the most wonderful taste she had ever experienced in either this life or her previous one. If this Long Live Love System could provide food, it was at least somewhat useful. She would discuss a partnership; she wanted to see what else the system could bring to the table. Know the enemy and know yourself, and you will never be defeated. Since they were to coexist for a long time, she needed to understand her opponent and make it work for her. If it ever truly crossed her bottom line, it wouldn't be too late to turn on it then.
Even when starving, Tang Ning maintained her refined table manners. This made her stand out significantly from the other residents of Zhu Family Village, though she was unaware of it.
After finishing the bowl of soup, the flatbreads were ready. Just as she had envisioned, Tang Ning began to truly enjoy her meal. There wasn't much meat, but it was enough for her alone, especially with the potatoes added in.
Thinking of this, Tang Ning looked at the seeds she had bought. Since the system could provide raw ingredients, she wondered if it could provide seeds as well?
The thought flashed through her mind, and just as she finished the majority of the food, a mechanical voice finally rang out in her head.
[Ding! Task 1: Get a man to spend money on you. Reward upon completion: 1000g of flour.]
Hmm?
Tang Ning called out to the system, but it did not respond, as if it were certain she would obediently complete the task.
Tang Ning didn't dwell on it. She began to consider how to finish the task. Though she didn't quite understand why the system thought having a man spend money on her would help with "capturing" him, for the sake of two pounds of flour, she would do it properly.
High-quality man, wealthy, generous.
These were the necessary conditions. Without needing to think further, Tang Ning tidied up her little nest, put on her thick cotton coat, shouldered her basket, and headed out.
Two pounds of flour—with the New Year approaching, how could she not have dumplings?
Lin Shengwen was not on duty today. Sun Peng, sharp-eyed, recognized Tang Ning at once. After delving into the case, everyone at the Public Security Bureau felt a mix of heartache and respect for the young girl, and Sun Peng was no exception.
He greeted her warmly, "Is it cold? Are you hungry? Have you eaten?"
Tang Ning’s heart stirred. She instinctively covered her stomach and shook her head at Sun Peng.
"Not hungry."
She then hurriedly added, "And I'm not cold, either."
Sun Peng understood. "You wait right there." He stomped through the snow and strode across to the state-run restaurant to buy two large steamed buns that were still steaming hot.
"Here, take these and eat. Don't push them back—they won't taste good if they get cold." Acting as if he knew exactly what was going on, Sun Peng shoved the buns into Tang Ning's hands and started walking off on his own. "Are you here for Brother Lin? I'll go call him from the dormitory!"
Tang Ning stood there, waiting for a moment, but nothing happened.
She looked down and took a bite of the bun—
[Ding!]
[Your task reward has been credited!]
Her basket suddenly grew heavy.