Saturday, in Nanling, Jiangsu Province.The alarm blared at twenty past six, yet Qin Zixin remained utterly inert, not wanting to stir an inch.The previous night, she had fallen headfirst into a new game, having stumbled upon a post on a resource site sharing assets for ‘Minecraft V1.7’. ‘Minecraft’ had originally debuted in 2009, then known as ‘Cave Game,’ before being introduced as ‘Minecraft’ with an initial Traditional Chinese translation. However, its rudimentary early versions offered little incentive for anyone to click the download button.
By contrast, ‘Minecraft’ 1.7 was a significant improvement, with numerous discussions about the game proliferating on Tentacle+, several of which had garnered considerable popularity. Notably, the recently released monster girl mod had soared past fifteen thousand views on Tentacle+ within just two days of its launch.While Qin Zixin harbored little interest in survival and crafting, her fascination with monster girls was profound.
Despite this, she had spent the entire night in creative mode, planting and harvesting sugarcane and wheat. Though filling several large chests with sugar and bread sounded incredibly dull, it held an inexplicable allure, and only when the system prompted her to go to bed at half past twelve did she realize how much time had slipped away.
The alarm continued its insistent ringing.She yearned to snatch a few more moments of sleep, yet dreaded the thought of waking up only to find it was already noon. The school’s disciplinary actions held no fear for her; her primary concern was the potential wrath of Tang Yuyu. Better to endure, she reasoned, for freedom awaited after the day’s six classes. That evening, she would consult guides and delve into the game’s mechanics.
‘No, what should I play during the holiday? I can’t just stick to one game!’
Still half-asleep, Qin Zixin’s thoughts raced when it came to playtime. She felt that limiting herself to a single game would be a betrayal to her other titles, rendering her short holiday incomplete.A profound sense of choice paralysis washed over Qin Zixin.
‘[Tonight, should I play Civilization or Minecraft? System, tell me, you pick one, and I’ll listen to you.]’
Qin Zixin haphazardly kicked off her blanket. Her oversized T-shirt, having ridden high due to her restless sleep, revealed her soft, plump breasts, which lay languidly, exuding an undeniable allure. However, her demeanor was far from that of a delicate ‘young lady’; still seemingly half-awake, she stretched into a long yawn, smacked her lips, and scratched her belly.
‘[I choose the wipe of the sun’s glare!]’
The system, employing its most exquisite local dialect, made the choice for Qin Zixin. This ‘elegant speech’ caused Qin Zixin to smack her lips again. She reluctantly dragged herself out of bed and prepared a bowl of fresh shrimp and fish board noodles with coffee for breakfast.
Her palate was light; she disliked overly strong flavors. Among Master ____’s instant noodles, besides the fresh shrimp and fish board flavor, there was also a mushroom stewed chicken option.
However, that one contained a heavy artificial fragrance that Qin Zixin couldn’t tolerate, always feeling it had a distinct asphalt-like aroma.While her instant noodles steeped, Qin Zixin shed her oversized T-shirt, tossing it carelessly onto the floor.
Unhindered by fabric, her plump breasts, now unfettered, swelled proudly like moons. Her rosy, dewy nipples swayed with captivating grace, harmonizing with the surrounding blush of pink, creating an entrancing spectacle akin to a pair of shyly budding, about-to-bloom flowerets.
Yet, the girl was not fully awake; her current posture—slumped shoulders, half-open lips, and a vacant expression—bluntly undermined the aesthetic.Only after she had washed up and finished breakfast did her spirits lift somewhat.After rummaging through her wardrobe for a moment, Qin Zixin selected a white lace-embroidered silk lingerie set, pairing it with a pastel pink striped silk slip dress.
However, the dress’s neckline plunged rather low, and the deep cleavage was undeniably eye-catching. As she observed the girl in the mirror, Qin Zixin’s lifeless eyes gradually focused. Concluding that it was indeed a bit too revealing, she added a semi-transparent, sleeveless chiffon silk blouse. Once dressed, she carefully retrieved her watch from beneath her pillow and fastened it on.
Before heading out, she slipped on a pair of transparent sandals and chose a white sun hat to wear. Suddenly recalling something, she turned back. The osmanthus flowers at school had bloomed these past few days, their scent overwhelmingly potent. Knowing the fragrance would inevitably tickle her nose, Qin Zixin, still wearing her outdoor sandals, walked into the living room and retrieved a mask from a drawer, putting it on.
Now, with her already revealing attire complemented by a mask, she bore a resemblance to certain ‘virtuous and independent women’ online who seemed poised to ‘complete a mission,’ as if ready to shed their clothes at any moment. Her unintentional actions imbued her outfit with an alluring air of mystery, inviting scrutiny.
But how could this oblivious girl know that while sheer stunning beauty delivered an instant impact, the veiled allure, like a pipa half-hidden, gently teased the heartstrings?As Qin Zixin waited for the bus at the intersection stop, it was precisely the time when several nearby middle and high schools were beginning their morning readings.
By the time she arrived, there were already around twenty people on the platform, about fifteen or sixteen of whom were students waiting for their rides. She felt the scorching gazes from all around her, but she had long grown accustomed to them.
Most of the students hailed from Nanling City No. 1 High School next door, an easy distinction to make since No. 1 High School mandated uniforms. The remaining students, not in uniform, were likely from Nan Shi High, as bus route 107, after Nan Shi High, directly served Nanling No. 1 High School.
Owing to Qin Zixin’s remarkably striking figure and appearance, she had become quite a figure in the high school circles beyond Nan Shi High. At Nanling No. 1 High School especially, Qin Zixin and her cousin, Tang Manwen, were frequent fixtures in popular discussion forums. Many No. 1 High School students now had the chance to commute with Qin Zixin, and candid photos of her taken on the bus had already circulated on Nanling No. 1 High School’s BBS. Barely half a week into the new semester, unauthorized photos of Qin Zixin had repeatedly become trending topics on No. 1 High School’s Tieba forum and BBS.
Threads concerning Qin Zixin on No. 1 High School’s forums were invariably filled with vulgar and lewd comments, particularly from certain individuals who brazenly declared their intent to aggressively pursue her. The Tieba forum was somewhat better, as teachers genuinely monitored it year-round.
However, No. 1 High School’s BBS lacked oversight, allowing everyone to post anonymously, resulting in a level of depravity comparable to the infamous Gongba forum at its most offensive. Many ill-mannered users on the BBS, emboldened by the anonymous platform, spoke without restraint.
Numerous ‘experts,’ upon seeing her captivating, alluring face and voluptuous, graceful figure, would initially scoff, dismissing them as heavily Photoshohopped. Yet, after encountering more photos and her middle school posts, they would instantly transform into fawning sycophants.
As Qin Zixin stood alone in the corner of the bus stop, she noticed a boy taking pictures of her with his phone. The fellow was quite stout, dressed in the Nanling No. 1 High School uniform, and possessed a chest even larger than Zhang Wanbai’s. He stared straight ahead, maintaining a facade of uprightness, likely believing he was well-hidden.
However, the camera flash illuminated, otherwise, given Qin Zixin’s hazy state, she probably wouldn’t have noticed.Qin Zixin felt a flicker of annoyance. She narrowed her eyes, feigning a brief nap, and secretly fixed her gaze on him. Judging by the phone’s back cover, the wretched fat boy was using a Samsung Galaxy S4 for his surreptitious photography. The S4 had only been released in April 2013.
While new stock was plentiful and didn’t require a premium, it still cost at least four to five thousand yuan. Even in 2023, this price would not be a trivial sum to casually spend; even working adults might hesitate to purchase it, let alone a high school student.Qin Zixin’s thoughts drifted to her own phone, a cobbled-together, no-name brand likely costing less than a thousand yuan, and a pang of bitterness welled within her.
‘[System, look at the phone that pervert is using to take pictures of me!]’
‘[If you’re upset about being photographed, go confront him. Complaining to me is useless.]’
‘[I know you’re a coward; who would ask you for help with something like this! My point is, even a pervert like him has a good phone.]’
‘[Hmm?]’
‘[Mine is still cobbled together!]’
‘[Hmm?]’
‘[Can I… ?]’
‘[No.]’
The system was momentarily speechless. This little rascal had been whining for ages, all with the underlying motive of getting a new phone. If she could already cause so much trouble with her current shoddy device, what would happen if she had a good one?
‘[I hadn’t even finished speaking, hmph, so petty. I assembled my phone myself; its hardware isn’t inferior to his!]’
‘[I know, but you’re still not getting a new one.]’
Qin Zixin sighed, well aware of the system’s obstinate nature.
‘[Damn it, you stubborn dog, are you completely unyielding?]’
‘[Yes, I’m not replacing it for you. If you’re so capable, go ask Tang Yuyu.]’
Qin Zixin swallowed hard. She knew that asking her mother for a new phone wouldn’t just be asking for trouble; it would be asking for a beating.
‘[Fine, I’d just get a beating if I asked Mom.]’
‘[If you simply rank in the top thirty of your class, getting a new phone would be easy. Your mom has plenty of savings.]’
‘[Can you please say something realistic? I’m last in class, not top thirty. You’re dreaming.]’
Internally, Qin Zixin rolled her eyes with gusto, yet she seemed rather proud of being the last-ranked student in her class. Next to her, the phone’s flash continued to illuminate, the portly student from Nanling No. 1 High School still surreptitiously taking pictures.
‘[Hey, what if I go threaten him and force him to give me his phone?]’
‘[If you have the guts, go ahead. I’ll watch to see if you dare. Threaten him? Besides being verbally bold with me, what other part of you is bold?]’
‘[Then I must mention my great collection of halberds from my previous life!]’
Qin Zixin adopted a smug, mischievous expression, as if savoring a long-held memory, but the system merely felt a prickle of unease, an embarrassment akin to ants crawling all over its body.
‘[Stop with your great halberd collection! You don’t have a damn halberd collection! Say you have that thing again, I dare you!]’
Qin Zixin blinked. It seemed the system had been triggered. Next to her, the phone’s flash flickered once more. Qin Zixin glanced at the student from No. 1 High School who was photographing her. With his foolish expression and round-rimmed glasses, Qin Zixin immediately pegged him as someone who would post troll content on Tieba forums.Qin Zixin stepped forward, approaching the boy.
The stout boy, sensing Qin Zixin’s proximity, deliberately straightened his posture. The flash illuminated again. The foolish stout boy still didn’t notice, continuing to stare straight ahead with an honest, guileless expression.
“Hey! Your phone’s flash is still on.”
Qin Zixin crossed her arms over her chest, eyeing the foolish peeping tom with disdain.
“Huh? What candid photos? I wasn’t taking candid photos! I don’t know what candid photos are.”
The boy’s realization was slow, and his face held a foolish expression, an ineffable simplemindedness etched onto his plump features. Even though Qin Zixin hadn’t actually mentioned ‘candid photos,’ he blurted out the phrase three times, practically screaming ‘nervous’ with his expression. His face flushed a deep liver-red, and large beads of sweat sprang from his forehead. He fumbled to hide his phone, but verbally, he remained in denial.
Qin Zixin was no stranger to stubborn denial; she herself often displayed such stubbornness when facing Tang Yuyu. She merely shot him a fierce glare with her apricot-shaped eyes before dismissing him. She wasn’t petty; if others wanted to take her picture, so be it. The appreciation of beauty was universal, and she was no ‘delicate fairy’ to constantly rail against the male gaze.
The boy, however, stared at her with longing eyes, his expression somewhat dazed. What she didn’t realize was the immense impact her soft, almost petulant, chiding had on a young man. A girl who was both pure and enchanting, yet mischievous and quirky, posed an irresistible temptation to any adolescent boy with a normal inclination. Her self-perceived defiant glare, to him, was nothing short of a flirtatious, meaningful glance.