Chapter 18 – Campus Arc: A Glamorous Romance – The Cinderella Sweetheart’s Endless Love (18)
The system took a full three days to repair before it was finally released.
“Tang Tang, I’m back~” the system greeted affectionately.
“Qiu’er~ You’re all better now~” Bai Tang exclaimed in delight. Then, he suddenly paused. “Wait, what did you just call me?”
“Tang Tang! After my repairs, I’ve become even more human-like. Both the male and female leads call you that, so isn’t it fine if I do too?” The system’s glow dimmed slightly, as if it was feeling down.
“No, I like it! I’m really happy that Qiu’er can understand me better now,” Bai Tang’s soft and sweet voice instantly comforted the system, lifting its spirits. It perked up and said, “Tang Tang, regarding the question you asked last time about your heart feeling sore and tingly, I’d like to ask you a few questions to help you find the answer.”
Bai Tang nodded. “Go ahead.”
“How many times has this happened, and who was the person involved?”
“Just once. It was with the male lead.”
“Have you ever felt a special kind of emotion toward anyone else?”
“No.”
“When you’re around the male lead, does your heart race? Do you feel particularly dependent on him?”
Bai Tang couldn’t help but recall his first meeting with Hudson. He had never seen someone as handsome as him before. From the time he nearly drowned to all the other incidents afterward, Hudson was always by his side. Even when they watched horror movies…
The male lead was actually really good to him. He patiently helped him with homework, watched horror movies with him, picked out the tastiest snacks for him, and even stayed with him when he was scared at night…
“If you saw the male lead treating someone else the same way he treats you, how would you feel?”
Feelings…?
Bai Tang imagined the scene—Hudson, usually so cold and distant, treating someone else with warmth and care, holding them close while watching a movie, peeling sunflower seeds for them, holding their hand when they went out…
“It feels stuffy… right here.” Bai Tang clutched his chest. “I’m not happy, Qiu’er. I feel really uncomfortable.”
“Tang Tang, you’ve fallen for the male lead,” the system concluded.
“Really? This is what liking someone feels like?” Bai Tang was confused. This was the first time in his squirrel life he had ever felt this way, and he couldn’t quite understand it. “Even when I left the other little friends in the forest, I was really sad. But… this feels different.”
“Heart fluttering, joy, jealousy, possessiveness—you have them all.” The system provided him with an explanation. “That’s how it’s described in books.”
Then… did that mean Hudson also liked him? Did that mean…?
“Tang Tang, read more books and newspapers. Only then can we complete our missions better,” the system advised. After a pause, it ruthlessly shattered Bai Tang’s fantasies. “But, Tang Tang, you have to restrain yourself. You’re not allowed to fall for a mission character.”
“There are still so many worlds ahead of us. If you fall for someone from one of those worlds, you’ll only end up getting hurt. Their entire lifetime is just that—one lifetime. But you… you have countless worlds waiting for you.”
Bai Tang didn’t hear the rest of what the system was saying. His face instantly turned pale. Following the system’s logic, he realized that one day, Hudson would be gone. No one would be there to accompany him anymore. No one would spoil him like Hudson did. There would be no one named Hudson in the world ever again. His heart clenched in pain.
Large teardrops fell to the ground, shattering upon impact.
The system sighed. It’s better to say this sooner rather than later. Liking someone hurts for a moment, but loving someone… that pain lasts a lifetime. And Bai Tang’s lifetime was hundreds—perhaps even thousands—of years longer than an ordinary human’s.
That night, after finishing his student council duties, Hudson returned to his dorm, took a shower, and turned on his computer. He waved at Bai Tang, who was curled up in the corner looking gloomy.
“Tang Tang, come watch a movie.”
Author’s Note:
System: Hu Hansan is back again~!
NVM, Hudson’s significant, overinflated confidence was well deserved. He didn’t even really have to seduce him!