Ruan Shiyu closed her instant messaging app and wiped the sweat from her forehead. She had been avoiding her editor for days while missing her deadlines, and the editor’s persona had taken such a bizarre turn—despite being a five-foot-three cute girl, she insisted on being addressed as a "handsome man."
But, oh, the relief of finally submitting her manuscript! She glanced at the calendar on her desk and realized it was only the 20th. There were still ten days left in the month.
She used to wait until the very last day to begrudgingly turn in her work. Little Mango knew her habits well, which was why she started chasing for manuscripts so early every month.
Feeling light as a feather, Ruan Shiyu headed back to her bedroom, threw herself onto the bed, and let sleep take over. Just as she was drifting off, a digital voice rang out beside her: "Host, your exercise task is incomplete. You are about to be penalized. Three, two, one..."
"Wait, what? Hold on!" Ruan Shiyu bolted upright, looking around in terror, only to find the room completely silent. There was no sign of any digital voice.
It had been a hallucination. The System hadn't called her at all.
Ruan Shiyu let out a long breath, sat back down on the bed, and muttered to herself, "That System has me going crazy."
Even so, after that little episode, she no longer felt like napping. She still had to resolve the situation at the gym.
She crawled out of bed, went through the rare effort of cooking herself lunch, and, without needing the System to urge her, took the initiative to head to the gym.
When she arrived, Shi Qianjin was standing by the first-floor counter, talking to someone. He looked very surprised to see her walk in.
Ruan Shiyu felt a bit awkward. She waited nearby for him to finish his conversation before stepping forward timidly. "I’m sorry, could I borrow a moment of your time?"
Shi Qianjin recovered from his surprise and nodded quickly. "Of course."
They went to a corner of the gym. Thinking back on her previous behavior, Ruan Shiyu felt deeply embarrassed. Looking down at her toes, she whispered, "I’m sorry about before. Working out was my own choice, and I shouldn't have lost my temper with you just because of an exercise task. I’m truly sorry!"
Shi Qianjin hadn't expected her to come back, let alone apologize. He waved his hands frantically. "No, no, no, I was at fault too. I’m just... "
He scratched his head sheepishly and gave a shy smile. "I can get a bit stubborn when it comes to fitness. It was wrong of me to keep you from your lunch."
Ruan Shiyu had been regretting her actions for a while, and hearing him say that made her feel even more ashamed. He was clearly a kind person, yet she had lashed out at him simply because she couldn't complete her own tasks.
"I’m sorry."
"No, there's no need to apologize," Shi Qianjin said with a hearty laugh. "We were both in the wrong. If you’re still willing to work out here, I’ll help you design a new fitness plan—one that will definitely be within your limits! If you’d prefer not to, I’ll speak to the boss and have your gym membership refunded."
Seeing how considerate he was being, Ruan Shiyu quickly said, "Of course I want to keep working out. Coach Shi, thank you."
"In that case, let's go. Let's take a look at your new plan."
Ruan Shiyu followed him upstairs. Shi Qianjin pulled out a sheet and handed it to her. "I was thinking about it yesterday. You must have been inactive for a long time, which is why you're a bit malnourished. Running is good for your physique, but it can be boring, and jogging requires a lot of perseverance. Look, I've arranged this and this for you..."
He explained the program in detail. Many of the exercises were things Ruan Shiyu had never even heard of. Faced with something new, her curiosity was piqued, and by the time he finished, she was eager to get started.
"Coach Shi, can we start now?"
Seeing her full of energy, Shi Qianjin smiled. "Sure, it’s afternoon, the perfect time to exercise. Let’s start with the spinning bike."
Ruan Shiyu followed him without hesitation. She cooperated with every exercise that afternoon, and Shi Qianjin looked on with a satisfied expression.
Two hours later, Shi Qianjin said, "Alright, your task for today is finished. You can head home and rest."
"Oh? That's it?" Because she had taken several breaks, she didn't feel particularly exhausted, and she was surprised to hear that the session was over.
Shi Qianjin gave a shy smile. "If you're feeling okay, we'll see each other again tomorrow."
"Oh, yes, definitely." Ruan Shiyu climbed off the equipment and said, "See you tomorrow."
Before she could even finish the sentence, her phone rang. She offered an apologetic smile to Shi Qianjin, walked out into the hallway, and answered. "Hello? System, what do you need now?"
Mu Xiaoxiao’s surprised voice came through the receiver: "Are you holed up at home going crazy again? What system? Since when did I change my name to 'System'?"
Ruan Shiyu stiffened. She quickly forced a flattering smile. "Oh, Xiaoxiao! I didn't check the caller ID. I thought you were a classmate of mine named Xi Tong—like, Xitong. Not a system!"
As she spoke, sweat beaded on her forehead. That was a close call!
"Really?" Mu Xiaoxiao sounded skeptical.
"Really!" Ruan Shiyu nodded firmly, almost convincing herself in the process.
"Fine, I'll let it slide this time. You're free now, aren't you? I'm coming to pick you up."
Ruan Shiyu blinked, confused. "Wait, you didn't say why you were looking for me! Besides, I'm not at home right now."
"Not at home?" Mu Xiaoxiao sounded stunned. "Where are you? Did you actually go to work?"
"No," Ruan Shiyu said with a wry smile. "Didn't you help me get a gym membership? I'm at the gym!"
There was a long silence on the other end. Just as Ruan Shiyu thought the call had dropped, Mu Xiaoxiao’s shocked voice shouted: "You actually went to the gym on your own?!"
The volume was so high that Ruan Shiyu had to pull the phone away from her ear. It was just a gym; why the big reaction?
"I'm about to drive," Mu Xiaoxiao said. "I'm hanging up. Wait for me downstairs."
"Wait, hold on..." Ruan Shiyu called out, but Mu Xiaoxiao had already hung up. She resignedly put her phone away.
As she turned to leave, she saw Shi Qianjin standing not far away, a smile on his face. Ruan Shiyu blushed instantly. She didn't know how long he had been there or how much of the conversation he had overheard.
Fortunately, Shi Qianjin didn't mention the call. He stepped forward and said, "Here is your workout sheet. I noticed you forgot it, so I brought it down to you."
"Oh, thank you!" Ruan Shiyu took the sheet and said sincerely, "My friend is coming to pick me up, so I should head out."
"Okay, see you." Shi Qianjin watched her leave.
Ten minutes later, outside the gym.
As soon as Ruan Shiyu stood still at the intersection, a red car pulled up in front of her. The window rolled down to reveal Mu Xiaoxiao’s refined face.
"Hey, beautiful, are you getting in or what?" Mu Xiaoxiao laughed.
Ruan Shiyu smiled at her friend and jumped into the car. "When did you get a new car, Miss Mu?"
The Mu Family had their own independent wealth. Mu Xiaoxiao was a true heiress and had a good job, so she was always generous with her spending. Ruan Shiyu occasionally teased her about it, but Mu Xiaoxiao didn't mind. "It’s not mine, it’s my mom’s. I’m just borrowing it for fun."
She started the car, made a turn, and drove back in the direction they had come from.
In the car, Ruan Shiyu was still confused. "You still haven't told me where we're going."
"To buy you some clothes, of course!" Mu Xiaoxiao said as if it were obvious. "There's a class reunion in two days. You aren't planning to go looking like that, are you?"
Mu Xiaoxiao gave her a disdainful look. Ruan Shiyu clutched her outfit, protesting, "What's wrong with what I'm wearing!"
She was just wearing a simple white T-shirt and sweatpants for the sake of working out! Simplicity was beauty, wasn't it? Mu Xiaoxiao didn't answer, but her look of disdain only grew.
Ruan Shiyu glanced at her friend. Miss Mu was wearing a beige dress that hit just above the knee, revealing long, elegant legs, paired with a matching pair of delicate, low-heeled shoes.
She was the complete opposite of Ruan Shiyu’s style.
The girl who, moments ago, had believed that "simple is beautiful" now couldn't even raise her head. Still, she wanted to make a final stand. "I was just working out... I couldn't exactly wear what you're wearing, could I?"
"Enough, stop making excuses," Mu Xiaoxiao said, sounding a bit exasperated. "It’s not like I haven’t known you for years. How long has it been since you updated your wardrobe? The last thing you wore out was something I dragged you to buy when you were still in university."
Ruan Shiyu spent most of her time at home drawing; she had more loungewear than formal clothes. Since she rarely went out, she had no interest in new clothes, and even when she did buy them, she prioritized comfort over aesthetics. She really didn't have many nice dresses like the one Mu Xiaoxiao was wearing.
Everyone loved beauty, and Ruan Shiyu was just a bit lazy and timid. Hearing Mu Xiaoxiao put it like that, she actually felt a bit self-conscious.
Seeing that Ruan Shiyu had gone quiet, Mu Xiaoxiao added, "Today, I'm going to make you look absolutely stunning! You’re going to blow everyone away at the reunion and make all those boys who never confessed to you regret it!"