“Wen Qing, please sit for a while and have some tea snacks. There are three plates in front of you. Choose: First plate/Second plate/Third plate.”

The timid immortal, of course, saved the game as usual.

[You’re saving even this?]

[Playing without spending a dime is so tough.]

[…You’re amazing.]

[Tired, can I top-up for you?]

[The progress is so slow, you could play this forever.]

Turns out, Song Hao’s caution paid off. By constantly loading and saving the game, he figured out the effects of the three plates of snacks:

First plate, Water Chestnut Cake, Fatigue -1

Second plate, Osmanthus Cake, Literary Talent +1

Third plate, Poria Cake, Fatigue -3

“Resting once can reduce fatigue by 5, so adding literary talent is more worthwhile.” On his fourth load, Song Hao ate the Osmanthus Cake, successfully gaining +1 Literary Talent.

He thought he could gain some attributes while attending the banquet in the front yard, but ended up with nothing, just joining the fun.

However, before leaving, Wen Qing gifted him a food box containing all three types of snacks. Choosing to accept it, Wen Qing’s favorability increased by two points.

“Getting snacks and increasing favorability, he’s really a good person,” Song Hao said, touched.

After returning home, he immediately took out the snacks from his backpack and clicked to consume them. The system prompted: “You used Water Chestnut Cake x1,” but there was no change in attributes. Eating the other snacks had the same result. Song Hao was greatly disappointed; it seemed you could only gain attributes once.

Moving on with the storyline, after Yuan Hao reported good news to his mother, the system popped up the next stage task.

“Task: Successfully enter the academy. Conditions: Earn 500 money for tuition within three days (top three get a 40% discount).”

“Action Locations Overview:

Yuan’s House: Study/Copy Books/Rest

Back Mountain: Xing Er/Herb Gathering

Market: Bookstore/Pharmacy/Snack Stall

Wen’s House: Wen Qing”

“Great, more action locations. Let’s try each one to see their effects.” The save-loading immortal rolled up his sleeves, ready to go all out. Twenty minutes later, he summarized:

[Yuan’s House]

Study, Literary Talent +2, Fatigue +2;

Copy Books, Obtain Hand-Copied Book x1, Fatigue +2;

Rest, Fatigue -5

[Back Mountain]

Xing Er, Xing Er Favorability +4, Tong Grass x2, Fatigue +2;

Herb Gathering, Physical Strength +1, Fatigue +3, Tong Grass x3~5, chance to obtain high-grade herbs.

[Market]

Bookstore, Buy Four Treasures of the Study to increase Literary Talent/Sell Hand-Copied Books, price varies;

Pharmacy, Buy Medicine/Chat with the Pharmacist’s Daughter Yun Ling/Sell Herbs, one Tong Grass for 10 money;

Snack Stall, Rice Wine Balls, 10, Fatigue -3/Spring Noodles, 20, Literary Talent +2/Braised Duck, 50, Fatigue -5, Physical Strength +1/Osmanthus Wine, 80, Literary Talent +5/Buddha Jumps Over the Wall, 300 money, Literary Talent +10, Physical Strength +5.

[Wen’s House]

Wen Qing, Wen Qing Favorability +2, chance to eat snacks, attributes mostly increase Literary Talent or decrease Fatigue.

“Visiting Wen Qing’s house increases favorability, doesn’t increase fatigue, and randomly boosts attributes…” Song Hao felt purified, seeing an angel in the bloody hands of capitalism, sincerely exclaiming, “He’s really a good person.”

[Second time praising today]

[You’re acting strange]

[Could it be love?]

[Shipped [Heart x1]]

[Hey, does this game have a female lead?]

“Thanks for the heart, boss~ I’m just expressing my admiration. Let’s continue analyzing. The new options are all related to money. Copying books and gathering herbs can both earn money, and the market snack stall can be used to buy attributes.”

Since the attributes were getting complicated, Song Hao simply opened Excel, created a new spreadsheet, wrote attributes in rows, events in columns, added an action count item, entered formulas, dragged to copy, and finally summed it up, a whole skilled corporate routine, leaving the comment section with mixed feelings.

[Are you working???]

[Bro, are you serious, bro, you…]

[My mom caught me playing on my phone, I said I was watching a computer science course, she believed it and even brought me a plate of fruit.]

[Scratching head]

[Actually, the first top-up is three bucks, and you get 3000 money]

“The first place gets a discount, meaning you need to earn 300 money in three days. Herb gathering can refresh, with a maximum of 5 herbs each time, that’s 50 money… Xing Er? Not considering Xing Er, each time you choose her, you can only gather up to three herbs.”

[Remember this is a harem game?]

[Heartless Path]

[Ignoring the beginner female lead]

[Who understands the gold content of Xing Er’s 4 favorability points]

[The anchor is already immersed in his penny-pinching art]

Song Hao ignored all that and continued analyzing,

“Copying books can also earn money, but selling takes time, and the amount is uncertain. Three days total nine actions, herb gathering can only be done during the day, so we’ll do it six times.

Oh, herb gathering can increase physical strength, that’s a new value, let’s secure it first. One time is 50, six times is 300 money, just enough for tuition.

Three times at night, one time copying books to try luck, one time going to the market to sell hand-copied books, one time selling herbs, and chatting with Yun Ling to gather information.

Let me input the action count and see… nice! The fatigue value adds up to exactly 20, totally feasible.”

[[Applause][Applause][Applause]]

[Hint: Yun Ling is a romanceable character]

[No intention of flirting, only a desire for money]

[Immersive work experience]

[I want that spreadsheet [Lollipop x1]]

“Thanks for the lollipop, boss~ Follow my account, Big Big Big Big Sweet Potato, I’ll upload live stream highlights, and put the spreadsheet link in the description.”

Song Hao confidently implemented his plan,

On the first day, during the day he gathered herbs, Tong Grass x10, at night he copied books.

Copying books was really copying, having to control the brush within the designated grid, writing the book title. Song Hao cursed the officials, struggling to control the mouse, trying to keep the strokes within the grid. The writing was ugly, but he managed to finish it.

On the second day, during the day he gathered herbs, Tong Grass x10, at night he strolled around the market, selling the hand-copied book.

On the third day, during the day he gathered herbs, Tong Grass x10, White Wei Zi x1, White Wei Zi seemed like a rare herb. But before he could sell the herbs at night, his mother called him to her bedside. She looked weak but took out a cloth bag from under her pillow, containing 500 money.

“This is the tuition I’ve saved for you, take it to the academy tomorrow, and study hard, don’t worry about home.”

“Mother…” Yuan Hao’s eyes filled with tears, speechless for a long time.

“Mother is so good, the tuition is sorted. But I still need to sell the herbs, maybe keep some for later use. Mother, don’t worry, I’ll definitely find the Golden Teng Flower to save you!”

Song Hao went to the pharmacy, sold 20 Tong Grass, earning 200 money. Chatting with Yun Ling, he found out she was urgently buying White Wei Zi, offering 50 per herb.

“Yun Ling: I’ll take as many as you have, just bring them to me.

Yuan Hao: Okay, I’ll keep an eye out.

※ Yun Ling Favorability +3″

“Got some business intel, we don’t lack money now, let’s let her worry a bit more, see if the price goes up later.”

[You’re really impervious to both oil and salt]

[White Wei Zi is obviously a gift to increase Yun Ling’s favorability, right?]

[Harem game! This is a harem game!]

[She’s already at 3 favorability, and the anchor is still thinking of selling at a high price]

[Xing Er gives 4 favorability at once, so Yun Ling’s face control level is relatively low]

Song Hao then went to the bookstore and found out the book had been sold, the owner said someone appreciated it and paid 500 money.

“Wow!!! I’m rich!!! I have 1200 now!”

[???]

[What luck, to randomly get such a benefactor]

[I’ve only sold for 100 at most]

[Envy]

[Very entertaining]

Song Hao slicked back his hair, very suavely, and paid the tuition on the second day, successfully entering the academy. He also received the Four Treasures of the Study and a uniform issued by the academy. The dean even specially asked his daughter Kong Mengxue to personally deliver a handwritten calligraphy piece to the top five, showing great importance.

“New Action Location: Academy – Lecture Hall/Wan Shu Pavilion/Martial Arts Field

Task: Pass the provincial exam within a year, become a successful candidate

Conditions: Literary Talent > 150, Physical Strength > 30″

And the action count changed to three times a month, 36 times a year. Song Hao, as usual, became the master of saving and loading, tweaking his blinding Excel.

“The lecture hall is for attending classes, once a month, fixed Literary Talent +5, Fatigue +2, this is nice, saves me from grinding repeatedly;

Wan Shu Pavilion costs 100 money each time, Literary Talent +10, can meet the dean’s daughter, but 100 is too expensive, not considering;

Martial Arts Field Physical Strength +2, Fatigue +4, not cost-effective, I can gather herbs to add 1 Physical Strength, sell the herbs for money, buy roasted duck at the snack stall, add another 1 Physical Strength, and reduce fatigue, gathering herbs is still better.”

“Calculating this… 12 times attending classes, 12 times gathering herbs, 12 times left. Literary Talent is short by a few points, can casually read a few times or buy at the snack stall, luckily I have money, thanks to my benefactor~”

“Eh? Why is this easier than the beginner village, feels not too hard, can pass easily.”

[Because you don’t pursue the female leads…]

[Officials would never expect someone to play like this]

[Don’t like any of the three?]

[Not dating really saves money, learned something]

[Playing the eunuch route, be honest]

Indeed, Song Hao finally realized what he’d been ignoring while playing for so long—the female leads, this is a harem game after all!

But… where the female leads are, either the values are low, or the thresholds are high, visiting Wen Qing’s house is still better.

Song Hao declared, “I won’t settle for rural places, I’ll be an emperor in the future, I should marry a minister’s daughter at least.”

Though he was so cocky at the moment, he soon encountered the first trigger event in the academy—campus bullying, and the one being bullied was Wen Qing.

“Zou Hui, fifth place in this academy exam, nephew of the Jinping Mansion magistrate, arrogant and narrow-minded, admires the dean’s daughter Kong Mengxue.

Zou Hui ordered his men to surround Wen Qing, ‘Hand over the dean’s handwritten calligraphy.’

Wen Qing frowned and replied, ‘We both have the dean’s handwritten calligraphy, why resort to such robbery?’

Zou Hui stood with arms crossed, impatient, ‘Ha? Can’t you see the situation? If you don’t want a beating, be obedient.’

Wen Qing stared at Zou Hui and suddenly laughed, ‘Are you really after the dean’s calligraphy? Or just finding an excuse to bully others.’ With that, he threw the calligraphy scroll on the ground, spread his hands, ‘Suit yourself.'”

“Whoa, bro, you’re so tough! Aren’t you afraid of getting beaten up!” Song Hao clicked through the plot rapidly.

“Zou Hui sneered, clearly enraged, ‘A bit of cleverness, what’s so great about that old man’s writing. The dean wants to choose a husband for Miss Kong in the academy, giving you some hardship in advance, so you know what thoughts to have and what not to have.’

Wen Qing incredulously said, ‘Are you going to beat everyone in the academy?’

Zou Hui: ‘Not really, just beating those ranked higher than me. I’ve already dealt with the third and fourth, a pair of male lovers, couldn’t be bothered with them. Today I’ll beat you, tomorrow it’s that Yuan Hao.'”

Song Hao was initially intrigued by the male lovers part, but then realized he was part of the gossip, “Huh? I’m going to get beaten too?”

“Zou Hui ordered his men, one on each side, to grab Wen Qing and press him against the wall, about to attack when they heard a noise from the bushes behind.

Zou Hui: ‘Who’s there!? Come out!’

You’ve been discovered, at this moment you will:

Step forward/Also a male lover/Slip away”

“What kind of lousy options are these, I have 6 Physical Strength, who am I afraid of, step forward!” Song Hao swung the mouse and clicked!

“Yuan Hao stepped out from behind the bushes, seriously saying, ‘It’s better to come early than late, Yuan has delivered himself, and will never sit by and watch your despicable acts!’

Zou Hui disdainfully said, ‘Don’t cry too loudly later.’

After speaking, Zou Hui raised his fist and hit Yuan Hao squarely in the face!

※ Physical Strength -1

Then tripped Yuan Hao, stepping on his back!

※ Physical Strength -1″

“Hey hey hey, what’s going on! Why am I not fighting back!” Song Hao anxiously slammed the mouse.

“Zou Hui: ‘A weakling, daring to show off!’ He gathered strength and kicked Yuan Hao, sending him rolling a few meters away.

※ Physical Strength -2″

“Damn! Retreat, retreat, no more fighting, don’t let me die here! Load, load!” Song Hao angrily loaded the game, returning to the moment he was discovered.

Wen Qing was so righteous, running away would be too cowardly, and he still planned to visit for attributes later.

So, only one choice remained.

“Yuan Hao stepped out from behind the bushes, hurriedly saying, ‘Stop! Wen Qing is my lover!'”