A dim little light ball floated in the sky, and suddenly, as if sensing something, it flew straight towards a certain place. In this desolate little world, there was actually a living being. 977 approached and saw the man’s face clearly—excessively pale skin and lips, as thin and fragile as paper.

[Hello.]

[Hello?]

[Hello!]

After shouting three times, the man finally reacted. He slowly opened his eyes, with a hint of emptiness in his gaze.

[Would you like to sign a contract with me, become my host, and complete tasks together?]

“Hmm?”

Seemingly puzzled by these words, the man frowned slightly, showing a hint of confusion. But after a moment, he smiled.

“Sure.”

…

At eight in the evening, it was the time when the night market started to get lively. Near Tongwu Road, there were many vendors setting up stalls, and Ming Che was among them. He held a freshly bought plate of fried rice noodles, eating while observing his surroundings.

This was his first task world. The light ball, self-proclaimed as 977, had told him many things. In every task world, there was a protagonist who, on their path to growth, would always encounter unworthy people. After experiencing setbacks, they gradually became strong, eventually reaching the pinnacle of life and achieving a perfect ending.

What he had to do was quite simple. As a stepping stone on the protagonist’s path, he was there to make the protagonist experience some setbacks.

To make it easier for him to complete the task, the system would automatically generate an identity for him the moment he entered this world. However, as an outsider, people around him would have an impression of him, but it wouldn’t be too deep.

[Sorry, 977, could you explain the background of this world again? My head was hurting earlier, so I didn’t really listen to you.]

[No need to be so polite, host. It’s my duty.] 977 cleared its throat and began to explain.

The protagonist, Gong Wenlin, was a young master from a wealthy family with a troubled fate. He got lost as a child and lived a poor life for eighteen years, witnessing the warmth and coldness of the world and the treachery of human nature. 

\After graduating from high school, he was found by his family and brought back. Later, he met the protagonist Shou, whose warmth gradually melted his frozen heart, and the two eventually came together.

As for his current situation, his adoptive mother passed away early, and he lived with his adoptive father, who didn’t care much for him. As Wenlin grew up, his adoptive father’s attitude towards him became increasingly harsh.

In recent years, Wenlin’s adoptive father lost his job and relied on setting up a stall at the night market to earn some money. But recently, he met a group of card-playing friends and spent every day with them, leaving the stall to Wenlin, who was still a student.

During this time, Wenlin would meet someone who showed him a lot of care and concern, and Wenlin gradually opened his heart to him.

But he didn’t expect that the person approached him with a purpose. This person lured Wenlin to his home, intending to do something inappropriate to him. Fortunately, Wenlin fought back desperately and escaped his clutches.

[Host, that person is you.]

[So this is my script, huh? So, am I a scumbag?]

Ming Che slurped the last bit of noodles and opened the water bottle by his feet.

[To be precise, host, you have to play the role of a scumbag.]

“Boss, how much is this?”

Suddenly, a customer came by. Ming Che glanced at the item and quoted a price.

The first income of the day was in. Ming Che sat on a small stool, watching the crowd pass by in front of him.

A scumbag, huh? He didn’t have much experience with that.

[Host, the male lead is over there.]

977 reminded him.

Ming Che looked over. The eighteen-year-old boy appeared particularly lonely and silent, still wearing his school uniform, holding a small booklet, and looking down at it intently.

The night market lights had a kind of poor-quality glare, shining on the goods displayed on the stall. Ming Che thought that reading in such an environment would ruin one’s eyes.

He stared at the task target for a bit too long, and the other party seemed to notice, quickly glancing over.

Each stall sold different things. Ming Che’s stall had daily necessities like nail clippers, scissors, and makeup mirrors, while the neighboring stall sold handmade items that easily attracted girls.

Business was slow. An hour passed, and he only sold five items. Ming Che looked at the amount credited and began to doubt if he could really fill his stomach this way. Maybe he should sell something else.

Ming Che looked up and felt a drop of water fall on his face. He reached out to touch it and indeed felt some moisture.

The weather…

“It’s raining!”

Someone shouted, and on the narrow road, people who were leisurely strolling suddenly quickened their pace. In just a moment, the crowd in front of the stall dispersed quickly.

The rain came fast and fierce. The vendor next door complained about the inaccurate weather forecast while skillfully packing up the stall. Fortunately, Ming Che’s tricycle was parked nearby, so he directly loaded the items onto it.

[Host, the male lead over there…]

Ming Che sat in the driver’s seat, the rain cover above him being pounded by the rain. He saw the male lead’s busy figure. Since he was selling shoes, there were quite a few items piled up, and he was covering them with a waterproof cover.

Ming Che found an old umbrella in the car. The surrounding vendors were all busy with their own things, so no one would notice him.

“Need help?”

The boy who was packing up looked up when he heard this. Although there was an umbrella, the rainwater still dripped down his hair, causing a slight sting in his eyes.

Wenlin had a vague impression of this person and didn’t expect him to offer help. In the moment he was stunned, the other party shoved the umbrella into his hand.

“Let’s move it to my car first.”

Ming Che bent down, picked up the stacked shoe boxes, and walked towards the tricycle. Wenlin followed him, moving the umbrella over his head.

As soon as Ming Che placed the items on the car, Wenlin handed the umbrella back.

“I can do it myself.”

He ran in the rain, lifting the four corners of the mat used for the stall.

Forget it.

To finish quickly, Ming Che put away the umbrella and helped move the remaining items over. The back of the tricycle had no cover, so they had to use a rain cover to cover everything.

Ming Che opened the iron door of the driver’s seat. The space inside was just enough for two people. After the earlier hustle, they were both somewhat wet.

“Get in.”

Ming Che looked at the person still standing outside and pointed to the seat next to him.

The other side’s iron door was pulled open, and Wenlin got in. He was even more soaked, with water dripping from his hair, and the gray long-sleeved school uniform he wore was drenched.

Ming Che rummaged around in the car but couldn’t find anything that could serve as a towel. He turned the key to start the car.

“My place is quite close.”

Ming Che said just one sentence and drove directly to the neighborhood where he currently lived.

On the way, he kept an eye on Wenlin with his peripheral vision. He seemed quite natural, not anxious about being taken home by a stranger.

The neighborhood was reached quickly. Ming Che parked the car under a shed, opened the door, and got out. In the dark, the streetlights flickered with weak light. He opened the umbrella and looked at Wenlin standing beside him.

The sound of rain was loud, and he spoke up.

“I live here. Do you want to come up with me?”

Indeed, it was already kind enough to help. It was impossible to ask him to take him home.

Wenlin weighed his options in his mind.

“Or you could call your parents and have them pick you up.”

Wenlin nodded, took out an old phone with peeling paint from his pocket, dialed a number, and put the phone to his ear.

As expected, no one answered.

At 9:30, at this time, the buses had long stopped running. The boy’s face, after being in the rain, was a bit pale, and he clutched the phone tightly.

Tonight’s rain was fierce, showing no signs of letting up. Ming Che looked at him, “Let’s go, come to my place first.”

The umbrella in his hand was just enough to cover two people, and Ming Che led Wenlin back to his home.

The iron door had a vintage feel. Ming Che took out the key, and the lock components inside were a bit stuck, requiring force to turn and open.

“Come in.”

Ming Che opened the door, inviting the still uneasy boy inside.

Wenlin hesitated, glancing inside. The room exuded a warm atmosphere, making one lower their guard.

“You can wear this.”

Fortunately, there was a spare pair of shoes in the shoe cabinet. To be honest, Ming Che wasn’t very familiar with this home either. Most of his living knowledge came from 977.

Ming Che walked to the bathroom and turned on the water heater. Since it was a very old neighborhood, the appliances were decades old, and to take a shower, you had to turn it on in advance to heat up.

Suddenly coming to a stranger’s home, Wenlin was visibly restrained. He stood at the door, not making any further moves.

“Come over and sit.”

After Ming Che called him, Wenlin walked over.

Both of them were somewhat wet. Ming Che found towels in the room and handed one to Wenlin.

“Dry off first.”

“Thank you.”

Wenlin took it, feeling a bit uncomfortable being watched, while also keeping an eye on the other person.

His impression of this person was just a few glances when passing by, never having interacted before. He didn’t seem like someone who would appear at a night market stall. His skin was very fair, his figure slender, and his slightly pointed chin gave him a refined and delicate look.

“Want some water?”

Ming Che casually draped the wet towel over the back of a chair and turned towards the kitchen. The kettle was efficient, and in less than two minutes, the water was boiled. Ming Che found a glass in the cupboard and poured two cups.

The sound of rain was faintly heard from outside. Ming Che sat on the sofa, placing the cup meant for Wenlin on the coffee table, and began drinking his own.

In early spring, it’s easy to catch a cold.

Steam rose, leaving a layer of white mist on the glass. Wenlin picked up the cup, still maintaining his vigilance.

“By the way, you don’t know who I am, do you?” Ming Che’s lips finally had a bit of color. He looked at the person beside him, showing a gentle smile.

“Let’s get to know each other. I’m Ming Che, ‘Che’ as in ‘clear.'”

“Wenlin.” He introduced himself and then thanked him.

“Thank you for helping me pack up.”

Ming Che noticed the school name printed on his uniform.

“Still in school, huh? Do you have to go to school tomorrow?”

“No school tomorrow.”

Wenlin was in his third year of high school. Normally, schools would be strict at this time, but the school he attended was notoriously lax and indifferent.

Actually, with Wenlin’s grades, he could have gone to the best high school in the city. But because this school offered to waive his tuition, Wenlin came here.

“You should be able to take a shower now. I’ll find you some clothes.”

“Are you going to let me stay here?”

“It’s late. You can go back when the rain stops in the morning. But I don’t have an extra bed, just the sofa.”

Ming Che put down his cup and got up.

Wenlin was a bit shorter than him, so his clothes would definitely fit. But as for underwear…

Ming Che found a pair that looked unworn, wrapped it up, and brought it out.

In the living room, Wenlin still held the cup of water, and even after a long time, the water level hadn’t decreased.

Ming Che walked up to him.

“I left the clothes in the bathroom. You can go directly.”

Wenlin looked up at him, his expression awkward as he nodded.

Ming Che watched his back, finding it quite interesting.

‘This guy has a thin skin, huh.’

Wenlin didn’t take long to shower. He came out wearing the clothes Ming Che found for him, his face steamed red from the heat. The slightly long pant legs and sleeves were rolled up.

“Where’s the detergent? I want to wash my clothes.” He walked over, holding his clothes.

“Just throw them in the washing machine.”

Wenlin didn’t move, his voice suddenly getting smaller.

“I need to wash my underwear.”

Ming Che’s gaze drifted for a moment before he replied, “It should be on the balcony.”

“Thanks.” Wenlin added, “I’ll be quick.”

“No worries.”