But now, a newly introduced romance target had somehow reached an 80 favorability rating with the NPC?
Even Zhou Yanxing was only at… eighty!
“Everything else is irrelevant now. The most important thing is this—you have to find a boyfriend and let them know it’s official. Make them give up,” the system urged anxiously. “Once a favorability rating surpasses ninety, an irreversible plotline and character setting will be triggered. As for what that plotline is—I can’t tell you,” the system added. “That’s a directive from a higher level. Even the main system isn’t privy to it.”
The red light in the robot’s eyes dimmed, while Chi Zhan fell into deep thought.
Why would Seven’s favorability toward him be eighty?
They’d only met once.
There was absolutely no reason for romantic feelings.
Granted, Seven had later sent him a custom-made keyboard—a rare and thoughtful gift—but that alone didn’t explain anything. Chi Zhan had even started suspecting the system’s algorithm was off. After all, it claimed Cen Chi had high favorability for him too, yet Cen Chi had just said today that he already liked someone else and had decided to go on a date with them. And after Chi Zhan had told Zhou Yanxing he had a boyfriend, Zhou had been furious at first but was now calmly asking who it was. Clearly, he wasn’t invested anymore.
Were all romance targets this fickle about their feelings? Chi Zhan didn’t know. But he did know that players could court multiple men at once, harbor feelings for several people at the same time. So setting up romance targets to fall for a heartless Sea King-type scumbag… actually kind of made sense?
In that case, he’d set Seven and Cen Chi aside for now—no need to overthink.
Chu Xingxiao’s favorability wasn’t that high either.
Since they were still just friends, there was nothing to worry about.
Yes, looking at it this way, the situation was more than half resolved. As long as he brought a boyfriend over to show Zhou Yanxing, everything would be fine.
Secretary Chi efficiently “solved” all the problems, and could finally enjoy his sick leave in peace.
These days, aside from daily massages at the clinic, having lunch with Cen Chi, heading home to watch TV, and playing a few games, life was calm and uneventful.
Chu Xingxiao had returned to school. Chi Zhan occasionally saw breakfast left hanging on his door handle, but the person himself was never in sight.
Zhou Yanxing hadn’t come by again, either.
But that peace Chi Zhan thought he had… was just an illusion. Beneath the still surface, hidden currents continued to churn.
Life flowed by in cycles, the days flipping past the calendar like quiet pages. In the blink of an eye, it was already late December.
On the final day of his leave, during a massage break, Chi Zhan casually asked Cen Chi, “So… how’s it going with that person you like?”
Cen Chi didn’t bother correcting the phrasing from “like” to “someone who fits,” just smiled gently. Still, there was a hint of melancholy in his eyes as he shook his head and replied, “Not very well. It seems like… he doesn’t really like me.”
Chi Zhan hadn’t expected that. For a moment, he didn’t even know how to respond.
“How is that possible… I mean, you’re practically perfect.” Chi Zhan did his best to console him. If they were in a manga, there would definitely be a big tangled mess hovering above his head. “Maybe he likes someone else? That’s not your fault. The next one will be better.”
“He probably doesn’t have anyone he likes.” Cen Chi peeled off his disposable medical gloves and sat down on a nearby chair, meeting Chi Zhan’s gaze across the massage table. “He just… doesn’t like me. Ah-Zhan, have you ever liked someone before? If liking someone doesn’t lead anywhere, does that mean you just stop liking them?”
Except for that one time at Chi Zhan’s place, Cen Chi had worn gloves every time. That had settled Chi Zhan’s suspicions.
Maybe he’d just forgotten to bring gloves that day.
Chi Zhan furrowed his brows, puzzled, and thought carefully.
“I’ve never liked anyone before, but I feel like… if you really like someone, you should hold on, right? If you give up that easily, was it even real? Unless you’re absolutely sure there’s no chance, then yeah, maybe let go.”
As he spoke, it suddenly hit him—Cen Chi was in love with a player. One who didn’t reciprocate, and might already be seeing someone else, or worse, a Sea King-type. He quickly amended,
“But it’s not always like that. Some people are pretty… flaky. They might like two or three people at once. In cases like that, maybe it’s better not to hold on too tightly.”
“Really?” Cen Chi seemed genuinely surprised. “I always thought your idea of love was very… steadfast. I didn’t expect this from you.”
“That’s not my personal belief,” Chi Zhan said hastily. He really wanted to tell Cen Chi not to fall too hard for a Sea King, or he’d only get hurt. But he’d promised the system he wouldn’t reveal too much.
“But I can’t let go,” Cen Chi murmured, voice soft with sorrow. “I never thought I’d fall for him this deeply. Even if I want to let go… I just can’t.”
Chi Zhan was genuinely moved by that.
Was this what redemption looked like for a former player? Pity Doctor Cen seemed to have fallen for a scumbag in the end.
Chi Zhan was incredibly curious who it was, but he wasn’t an NPC in Cen Chi’s world and couldn’t see his Favorability Panel. Otherwise, it would’ve been obvious.
“Hey! Doctor Cen is with a patient, you can’t just go in—” the nurse’s warning wasn’t even finished before the door swung open. Fortunately, Cen Chi reacted quickly and tugged his shirt down, or Chi Zhan would’ve been exposed.
Standing in the doorway was a boy who looked barely twenty. After pushing the door open, he scanned the room and, spotting Cen Chi, dropped his confrontational tone and said with a wounded look,
“Doctor Cen, I’ve been waiting for you forever. You still haven’t come out. How much longer?”
Cen Chi looked at the boy and replied in his usual gentle tone—but his words were for Chi Zhan.
“Ah-Zhan, I need to take care of something. I’ll be back in a bit.”
Chi Zhan nodded. Cen Chi led the boy to another room, and the nurse came in to clean up the equipment. Seeing Chi Zhan, she smiled.
“Mr. Chi, will you be coming in tomorrow? Every time you visit, Doctor Cen’s mood gets so much better.”
“I’m all healed up. Back to work tomorrow—if I don’t show up, my boss will dock my pay,” Chi Zhan joked.
The nurse chuckled.
“Mr. Chi, you’re so funny.” Then she added, “Oh, and the person who brought the cat last time? He came again. Poor Doctor Cen looked completely resigned.”
