Chapter 8: Grasp

If my life’s only goal was to survive, then I would be happy every single moment.

But once I demand anything more, I fall into an endless abyss.

Yet people aren’t born from cracks in stones; from the moment of birth, they already carry too much.

(I’m so hungry………………I really want to eat something………………)

(No no no, that must be Ni Tong’s scheme, I absolutely can’t be fooled!)

(But……she’s the only classmate who buys me things……)

(₤……)

Meng Siyu sat in her seat, enduring the dual torment of body and mind.

Her heart desperately craved that uniquely personal care.

But the long-standing views of this world, along with her own disgust, made her resist that temptation.

When this push and pull became suffocating, a wicked thought suddenly popped into her head.

(What if……I just pretend to accept her kindness?)

(After all, she’s so rich, and didn’t she say she awakened some Love System? That can give Cash Rewards.)

(If she dares to make any inappropriate requests, I’ll refuse immediately.)

(Yeah, that’s it!)

Once this evil idea emerged, she couldn’t stop it.

Meng Siyu didn’t like girls, but having been so isolated for so long with no friends in real life, it was hard to resist the feeling of being cared for.

Although her rational mind told her it was immoral, a bad child’s behavior, what could she do?

The cruel reality was driving her insane; nothing mattered anymore………………

“Um……………can I eat these?”

“Of course, these are all for you. Eat as much as you want.”

“By the way, that Love System you mentioned—is it real?”

“Of course it’s real. I’m the least likely to lie.”

“So……what do we have to do to complete a Mission and get the reward?”

“Actually, we just completed one Mission: the requirement was to become good friends, reward 100 yuan. Since it’s done, here’s 50 yuan for you.”

Seeing her kindly hand over 50 yuan in cash, Meng Siyu’s eyes widened, stunned in place.

Though her rational mind told her this was impossible, another voice inside kept repeating, “What if? What if? What if it’s true?”

Meng Siyu was already biting her lip hard, summoning all her courage, clenching her fists, planning to play along with Su Moli as long as no overstepping demands came.

But………..

But………..

She hadn’t even done anything yet.

This real money was enough to cover two weeks of her breakfast, yet she gave it to her so casually?

The surreal feeling made her doubt reality, as if it were a fragile dream she’d wake from any second.

“Is this……………really for me?”

“Really?”

“Can I keep it?”

Meng Siyu kept asking, staring at Su Moli’s sincere eyes, suddenly feeling a prick in her nose as if tears wanted to spill out.

“Alright, take it. The teacher’s coming soon.”

Seeing Meng Siyu on the verge of tears, Su Moli teasingly urged her, then slipped the 50 yuan into her pants pocket.

“……”

Meng Siyu wanted to thank her, but with so little experience talking to others, her mind went blank and she simply froze silently.

【Congratulations, Mission completed, Full-Body Sensitivity +1】

In an instant.

With the rise in her whole-body sensation, the world became clearer.

Her five senses sharpened, even the feeling of fabric rubbing against her inner thigh grew more distinct.

Just as Su Moli was about to make her next move………………

The system maliciously interrupted.

【Are you really willing to share half the money with her?】

“Yeah, I don’t lose anything anyway. Those male leads in romance novels treat the heroine’s love like a tool to make money. So selfish.”

“So, I’m just sharing fairly.”

【But she only sees you as an ATM, just acting for show. She doesn’t actually like you.】

“That’s fine. Someone who’s been through Nine-Year Compulsory Education like her can’t change her true nature—she’s a good person.”

“The more she takes, the more tortured she feels inside. By the time she realizes it, she’ll be trapped.”

【You sound even more evil than those mercenary male leads.】

(Hehe, great! With this fifty yuan, I can eat barbecue and drink cola again ( ^o^ ))

(I didn’t expect making money to be so easy. Maybe I can earn 50 a day from her, that’s 1,500 a month. Two months and I can buy a new phone, then gaming won’t lag anymore.)

(But………………is this really okay? After all, it’s 50 yuan~)

(Why do I feel so guilty? She gave it to me willingly, and someone this generous must be rich, right?)

(But……why do I feel so sad inside? Is it self-hatred?)

After taking a sip of Assam Milk Tea, the sugar woke up the nearly starving Meng Siyu.

She looked at the 50 yuan in her hand and slowly grew disgusted.

Not disgusted with the money itself, but disgusted with her own ugly body.

Why have I become so bad?

I wanted to be a good person.

Why?

Why?

Why?

At the breaking point of her inner pressure, almost unable to endure, Meng Siyu resolutely shoved the 50 yuan back into Su Moli’s hand.

“Here! I don’t want it!”

“Don’t come looking for me again. I won’t play along with you!”

“But money once given, how can it be taken back?”

Seeing Meng Siyu’s painful and resolute expression, Su Moli refused to accept it.

After all, she had barely established a connection—how could she cut it off so easily?

“Stand up!”

“Teacher’s here.”

Seeing the Chinese Teacher walk in, class monitor Chen Wenwen immediately stood up and loudly greeted, followed by the other students.

“Good morning. Thank you for your hard work, everyone. Please sit.”

“Open your books to page 62. Today we will learn about…………”

With the teacher’s arrival, everyone began focusing on the lesson.

Meng Siyu, sitting at the back, was interrupted by the sudden change.

She hadn’t handed the money back to Su Moli, and that crushing guilt still weighed heavily on her heart.

Life will always find a way, and pressure must be vented.

FALL……

“Hm?”

As Su Moli was trying to concentrate but realized she didn’t understand anything, she suddenly felt her left hand being pulled up and placed somewhere soft and warm.

“???”

Su Moli turned her head in disbelief and saw her left hand had, without her knowledge or consent, moved to Meng Siyu’s thigh!?

What the heck!

Does my hand have a mind of its own?

How did it just lock onto her thigh by itself?

This terrified Su Moli.

“Um……………how is it?”

Seeing Su Moli look at her, Meng Siyu turned her head away, too embarrassed to meet her eyes.

Her face flushed, voice trembling like a tiny mosquito, she nervously asked about the feeling.

“How what? What are you doing?”

Seeing Meng Siyu’s shy expression, Su Moli immediately understood, her eyes curved into mischievous crescents, smiling knowingly.

“You……………I………………this….ah ah ah……OHO”

Already thin-skinned, Meng Siyu’s mind went blank when Su Moli asked why.

Her CPU fried, smoke seemed to billow from her head.

What else could it be?

Of course, because Meng Siyu accepted Su Moli’s kindness, her inner morality tortured her, wanting to return the favor but was interrupted and refused.

So the only way left to repay is with her body?

Since Su Moli was a girl, touching her thigh should be enough to make amends, right?

Meng Siyu thought this all to herself, completely ignoring that the Chinese Teacher had already noticed them, frowned, and called out with a stern but gentle tone.

“You two! What are you sneaking around doing down there?”

“Stand up and explain right now!”

This book only requires 100 words on the shelf to occasionally get recommended so everyone can see it.

But is my writing really good enough for 100 readers?