Chapter 10: Write a Thousand-Word Essay

“Fine, eight cents each. That’s the absolute lowest—I’m really not making any money!”

“If you weren’t buying so many, I’d never give you this price. No one else can get them this cheap!”

“Two cents cheaper~~~”

Ning Ning drawled thoughtfully, dragging out the words.

“The price really can’t go any lower! How about this—if you’re serious, I’ll throw in ten pearl hair ties for free. I usually sell those at five cents each, so that’s worth fifty cents already!”

The stall owner tried to win her over, holding the hair ties out for her to see. Ning Ning pulled one to test the elasticity, found it decent, and finally nodded.

“Alright, give me sixty of these. That makes four yuan and eighty cents.”

She rounded the total neatly, keeping twenty cents for bus fare back with Lin Xiao.

“Great, I’ll pack them for you! Trust me, you won’t regret it. You can resell them for a good price. If business goes well, come find me again—I’m Zhao, and I’ll give you another discount next time.”

Boss Zhao happily stuffed sixty hair clips and ten hair ties into a bag. His grin stretched so wide the wrinkles on his face deepened.

“Mhm.”

Ning Ning smiled faintly, her pale face glowing with satisfaction. What she enjoyed most was the sense of achievement, no matter how small.

“Ning Ning, you really bought so many? Can you even sell them? That’s five whole yuan—gone in one go!”

Lin Xiao worried aloud, a little distressed on her behalf.

“It’s fine. Every business needs capital. If you can’t risk five yuan, how will you ever make fifty thousand?”

Ning Ning’s calm tone nearly frightened Lin Xiao out of her wits.

“Fi–fifty thousand? Ning Ning, I wouldn’t even dare dream of having that much money! You’d never finish counting it!”

Her friend was stunned.

“Then start imagining it now. One day, we’ll have it.”

As soon as Ning Ning’s confident words landed—ding—the system chimed again:

“Task One progress +2. Current progress: 32.”
“Task Four progress +10. Current progress: 46.”

Ning Ning glanced sideways at Yue Chi, who had been silent and almost invisible the whole time. She couldn’t understand why his progress bar was climbing faster than Lin Xiao’s. Was he competing?

“Why are you staring at me?”

Yue Chi raised his brows, puzzled.

Ning Ning took her time looking him up and down before replying.

“Brother Yue Chi, do you want to buy something? Your clothes and accessories are so stylish—you must’ve brought them back from the capital, right?”

Her tone was casually flattering.

“Not really. I don’t need anything.”

“Good. Then let’s go home.”

She had been waiting for him to say that. The moment he did, she grabbed her things and pulled Lin Xiao away, not hiding her impatience.

…

Ungrateful little brat.

Yue Chi followed at an easy pace. Instead of being annoyed, he found himself oddly amused. After all, even a calm, still heart sometimes needed a little stir to feel alive again.

By the time they returned—first by bus to the town, then on foot back to the brigade—it was already dusk. The sky was painted with brilliant red clouds. Ning Ning and Lin Xiao walked arm in arm up front, while Yue Chi followed a short distance behind. Ning Ning tilted her head and smiled at something Lin Xiao said; Lin Xiao gazed back at her with open admiration. Yue Chi, meanwhile, drifted into thought, staring at the wild bushes glowing under the evening sun. The fading light bathed all three of them in warmth.

If the scene froze at that moment, it would have been a perfect countryside portrait: harmonious, tender, and almost romantic. After all, all three of them looked good—Ning Ning was beautiful, Lin Xiao was cute, and Yue Chi was noble and handsome.

Unfortunately, the picture was broken by an intruder.

“Brother Yue Chi, you went out with Ning Ning and Lin Xiao?”

Xing Yuan frowned, his tone accusatory.

“Mm. Is there a problem?”

Yue Chi had been about to deny it, but changed his mind—why bother? He lifted his gaze calmly.

“You said you were busy. This is your ‘business’? Hanging around with them? Since when are you so close with Ning Ning?”

For them, he even turned down helping him review for exams? Xing Yuan’s chest burned with frustration.

“Excuse me, but why do you think you’re closer to Brother Yue Chi than anyone else? Everyone calls him brother—what makes you more special? Please write me a one-thousand-word essay on the matter. Proper format required.”

Ning Ning snapped her fingers sharply, cutting in and redirecting the tension with a polite but pointed challenge.

…

Is she insane? A thousand words? In proper format? Xing Yuan gritted his teeth, swallowing down his roar of frustration.

“I was talking to Brother Yue Chi. Who asked you to butt in?”

Ah yes. The male lead, Xing Yuan, in full chauvinist mode. This was classic him—no surprise at all. Now it was clear why his surname was Xing (“punishment”)—because reading him felt like being tortured.

“Fine then, I’ll ‘butt in’ with my eyes. You missed some eye gunk.”

Ning Ning lifted her chin coolly, gesturing at him. Xing Yuan’s face twitched. Grinding his teeth, he spat three words:

“Im–pos–sible!”

“Don’t believe me? Then fine. But your mouth isn’t clean either—you’re spraying filth.”

What was in his eyes was eye gunk. What came out of his mouth, everyone could guess. Ning Ning always had a talent for delivering the sharpest barbs in the calmest voice. Xing Yuan was about ready to explode, his face shifting from green to purple. To make matters worse, Yue Chi fanned the flames:

“Xiao Yuan, we’re all neighbors. There’s no need to pick fights. To me, you, Ning Ning, and Xiao are all the same—you’re my younger brother and sisters. But you keep picking on Ning Ning. That’s petty. You’re a man. Don’t bully women.”

“And honestly… she’s right. You really didn’t clean up.”

Yue Chi added the last bit gently, with a pause just long enough for the full shame to sink in.

“Pfft—haha!”

Ning Ning and Lin Xiao burst out laughing, leaning on each other for support.

Humiliated, Xing Yuan rubbed at his eyes, then stormed off, his expression dark.

From now on, if he ever asked Yue Chi for help again, he’d be a dog! He’d get into college on his own! And Ning Ning? She could forget about ever being with him!

Oh, so he’s still entertaining that fantasy? Guess yesterday’s humiliation wasn’t enough.

“Task Four progress +1. Current progress: 47.”

Ning Ning quickly hid her smile, puzzled. That didn’t add up. After being roasted by her and Yue Chi, Xing Yuan’s pride should’ve taken a big enough hit to give at least +5 progress, maybe +10. Why just +1?

Even a glance from her could score +3. A word with Lin Xiao could earn +10. What was wrong with this system?

“Why are you staring again? Is there something on my face?”

Yue Chi asked with a laugh, realizing that Ning Ning never bothered to hide her stares.

“There is.”

“Oh? What is it?”

“…A little bit of handsomeness.”