The System choked for a moment, seemingly startled by Ruan Shiyu's shamelessness.
A moment later, the System spoke in a voice that sounded suspiciously like a slightly sluggish electronic tone: "Host, please forgive my frankness..."
"Huh? What?" Ruan Shiyu had already braced herself for the System to refuse.
Instead, the System said: "Forgive my frankness, but I have never seen anyone as brazen and shameless as you."
Ruan Shiyu: "..."
Stung by the System, she swallowed hard, forced out a dry laugh, and replied, "Same here. I've never seen such an uptight, unamused system like you."
After this mutual exchange of mockery between human and system, Ruan Shiyu suddenly collapsed onto the bed as if she had given up on life, wailing: "You told me I could make any request I wanted! I don't really want anything material, so what's wrong with asking you to make my little belly disappear?! Aren't you a system?! Aren't you a product of the future? If you can't even do this, what's the point of letting me make a request!"
Her argument was logical and well-founded; the System almost believed her.
"But weight loss and fitness are things the Host needs to do herself. While I can help you, if this continues, Host, you will develop a psychological dependency." Standing firm on its original stance, the System replied, "The Host may make a different request."
"You can actually do it?" Ruan Shiyu's eyes widened. She sat right back up, bringing her phone up to her face.
She had assumed the System was refusing because it couldn't do it, but it turned out the System had a remarkably full set of features! At this thought, a sly look crept into Ruan Shiyu's eyes, as if she were already dreaming up a hundred ways to exploit the System.
The System, hiding inside the glitchy app: Why is there a sudden chill down my back? Does a system even have a back? "Never mind." Yet Ruan Shiyu was a coward with more ambition than nerve; after her gaze grew sharp for a moment, she moved the phone away again and said, "I won't make things difficult for you. I don't really want anything right now, so can I save this wish? I'll use it whenever I think of something."
"Of course you can." The System let out a long sigh of relief. "Well then, good night, Host. It's time for you to sleep."
Ruan Shiyu glanced up at the clock and saw it was already half past ten. Since the System was already thinking about rewarding her, she felt too embarrassed to keep staying up late. She hung up the phone, tidied up a bit, and lay down on the bed.
Perhaps because she had slept so little the day before, Ruan Shiyu quickly drifted into a deep sleep.
Just before falling asleep, she vaguely thought about how today she had finished the monthly manuscript, gone to the gym to work out, and later even gone shopping for clothes...
So, a person could actually get this much done in a single day.
The next morning at six-thirty, a blood-curdling scream suddenly shattered the quiet of the apartment where Ruan Shiyu lived. Listening closely, it came from the bathroom.
The shouting ceased, plunging the room back into silence. A moment later, Ruan Shiyu came howling out of the bathroom like a banshee.
Wrapped in a bathrobe with her damp hair draped messily over her shoulders, she looked less like a living person and more like a female ghost.
Yet, with zero regard for her image, she rushed straight to the bedroom, scooped up her phone, and shook it desperately: "System! System! 3075 System! Wake up! Wake up!"
The System, hiding inside the phone: What should it do if it wants to swap its host? "Stop shaking, I'm about to fall apart."
These seven bold characters appeared on the screen, immediately followed by the System's call.
Once connected, that habitually rigid, emotionless electronic voice was now tinged with exhaustion: "Host, what kind of trouble are you trying to stir up now?"
Without the energy to entertain the System's barbed remarks, Ruan Shiyu felt like bursting into tears: "Tongtong! System Daddy! My hair has split ends! What do I do!"
The System: As a system, it confessed its inability to comprehend the obsession human beings—or certain young women, at least—had with the quality of their hair. So could the Host please stop shaking the phone?!
Despite its internal meltdown, the System forced back the urge to rip its data right out of the phone and asked with forced patience, "Host, slow down and tell me."
"Sob, sob, sob." Ruan Shiyu was heartbroken. "My hair used to be amazing—jet-black, glossy, flowing, and smooth! Who knows when it got split ends? I have a class reunion coming up in a couple of days! How am I supposed to face anyone? This is the only redeeming feature I have left on my entire body!"
Hearing Ruan Shiyu's final remark, the System almost nodded on the spot: Host, you certainly have a realistic view of yourself today.
Yet it was only a pitiful system; her host was already having a mental breakdown. If it provoked her any further, it would probably have to pack up and move.
Resigning itself to patience, the System said, "Host, you still have one wish remaining. Would you like to use this opportunity in exchange for a change in your hair quality?"
"Huh? There's such a trick?" Ruan Shiyu instantly stopped wailing. "How come this time you aren't saying that improving hair quality is something I need to achieve by adjusting my sleep schedule?"
The System: "So, does the Host want it or not?"
"Yes, yes, yes, of course I do!" How could Ruan Shiyu possibly refuse such a golden opportunity? She nodded repeatedly, terrified the System would change its mind.
The System fell silent. Just as Ruan Shiyu was about to ask, the System's electronic voice sounded from the phone: "Host has claimed the reward [Beautiful Silky Smooth Hair] in advance. We hope the Host will keep up the good work and complete more tasks."
Ruan Shiyu: "???"
Before anything had even happened, it claimed she had received her reward. Where was her reward? The System continued: "This reward is for going to bed early and waking up early. The Host's task lasts for one month. Since you have already claimed the reward, for the next month you must strictly follow the task's sleep schedule; otherwise, you will face very severe penalties."
Ruan Shiyu panicked: "Hold on, you said I've already claimed my reward, but where is it?"
Drid with contempt, the System's voice replied, "Can't the Host just take a look at her own hair?"
Prompted by the System, Ruan Shiyu hurriedly looked down, only to find that her hair had dried at some point. The texture genuinely seemed to have become smooth, and its overall length appeared to have changed as well.
"Eh? Is this my hair?" Ruan Shiyu scooped it up and inspected it closely, finding both the length and texture strangely familiar, resembling what she looked like a few years ago when she was still a student.
The System offered a timely explanation: "Using space-time replacement, the System directly swapped in the hair you had during your freshman year of college. While this method creates a qualitative leap in your hair quality, future maintenance depends entirely on you. If your daily routine and sleep schedule remain irregular, your hair won't just revert to its current withered, split-ended state—it could become even worse, leading to hair loss and thinning..."
The System's words made Ruan Shiyu's scalp tingle. She instantly clapped her hands over her head and blurted out, "Stop talking! I'll go to bed early and wake up early, okay!"
Hair loss was far too terrifying! If she really started balding, wouldn't that make her completely bald?
The System replied, "It's good that the Host understands."
With that, it hung up the phone.
Despite the System's brief parting words, Ruan Shiyu still felt a lingering sense of dread. She figured the penalty of hair loss was far more severe than any electric shock; she simply had to take good care of this hard-won silky mane of hers.
Yet once the panic subsided, Ruan Shiyu was thrilled. Cradling her recovered hair, she stood in front of the full-length mirror for a long time. Unable to resist, she styled her hair into an adorable look, carefully selected a pretty ribbon to tie it up, and changed into a nicer-looking athletic outfit.
Ruan Shiyu rarely dressed herself up with such care. Though she wore no makeup, her whole appearance felt completely refreshed.
As she stepped out the door, she ran right into Xu Xiangqian emerging from across the hall. Seeing the brand-new Ruan Shiyu today, Xu Xiangqian paused slightly before a smile touched the corners of his lips: "You look great today."
Receiving a compliment the moment she stepped outside made Ruan Shiyu blush with pleasure. She glanced at Xu Xiangqian and replied, "You look very handsome too!"
Xu Xiangqian always dressed simply, wearing his usual white athletic wear today. Simple yet unperfunctory, he looked completely ordinary, yet handsome from every single angle.
It was a far cry from Ruan Shiyu's previous lazy and perfunctory style.
This was probably the effect brought by different attitudes toward life, Ruan Shiyu mused with a sigh. Clothes really do make the person—dressed well, she was a pretty little beauty too! At this thought, Ruan Shiyu couldn't help breaking into a bright smile: "Let's go, shall we go for a run first, or have breakfast first?"
Such a spirited Ruan Shiyu made Xu Xiangqian feel both a little unfamiliar and a little delighted. He kept his gaze fixed on her for a long time, only realizing he was being impolite when Ruan Shiyu spoke.
Hurriedly giving a light cough, Xu Xiangqian looked away and said, "Let's go for a run first. It's not good to exercise after eating."
In high spirits, Ruan Shiyu readily agreed.
The two of them circled the residential complex, starting their daily morning jog one after the other.
They had set out quite early, but as they ran, more and more people began stepping out of the buildings—mostly office workers in a rush. Some caught sight of Ruan Shiyu and Xu Xiangqian, their eyes filled with a trace of envy.
To these nine-to-five workers, freelancers were the ultimate dream: eating and sleeping whenever they pleased, having time for morning jogs and staying up late at night without ever having to worry about waking up early the next day.
Although reality wasn't quite like that, the superficial beauty of it was enough to make anyone envious.
Seeing the looks on those people's faces, Ruan Shiyu felt a swell of pride. She had always considered her circumstances ordinary, forever envying this person and that, never realizing she was actually the object of other people's envy.
With that thought, Ruan Shiyu ran with even greater vigor.
Moreover, as she ran, another idea began to bubble up inside her—her fingers started itching with the urge to draw something.
This was a novelty for Ruan Shiyu. Ever since she became a professional manga artist, her inspiration had grown increasingly scarce. Aside from staying cooped up at home, she relied entirely on her previous serialized manga to make a living; it had been a very long time since she last felt this urge to draw something entirely of her own accord.
Inspiration could not be squandered. Just as they finished their morning run, Xu Xiangqian originally intended to invite Ruan Shiyu to breakfast, but she spoke up first: "I'm sorry, I might not be able to join you for breakfast today. I need to hurry back home."