You said you hated men, why are your eyes now full of love?

As evening approached, the floating glow in the sky faded, and the descending twilight carried a hint of dark blue.

Walking out of the shop, Ji Mu stretched his hands behind his head, feeling relaxed and satisfied.

"I'm so full."

A beef cheese burger, chicken wrap, popcorn chicken, five chicken wings, and a cup of iced cola.

A total of five items, this classic combo was definitely the right choice.

Next to him, Ruan Qingqing smiled, "I'm stuffed too.”

He touched his waist and abdomen, feeling his slightly swollen belly.

At first glance, it wasn't obvious; only a very close inspection would reveal the subtle bulge.

[Host, aren't you going to give her a little rub?]@@novelbin@@

The system perched on the boy's head teased mischievously.

[You made her belly swell, shouldn't you take responsibility?]

Ji Mu didn't bother to reply to the system's deliberately misleading words. "Go work for UC Browser tomorrow."

He looked at the girl next to him.

She looked small, but her appetite was surprisingly good.

No wonder her physical development was enough to outshine girls of the same age.

"Your fighting strength is impressive today, almost catching up with me," he praised sincerely.

"N-no, not really..."

Ruan Qingqing stammered, "I was just too hungry today. I'll be more careful next time."

The boy's teasing was casual and without any special meaning, but she still felt embarrassed.

"Careful? Why be careful?" Ji Mu asked, tilting her head in confusion.

Ruan Qingqing shrugged her shoulders, her voice deep and soft.

"It's just that as a girl, eating so much isn't very ladylike."

"Whether someone is ladylike has nothing to do with how much they eat. Even if it did, it would be about their eating manners," Ji Mu said nonchalantly.

"You silly goose, your eating manners were much more ladylike than mine."

Compared to his ravenous, starving appearance, the girl's slow and careful chewing exuded elegance and serenity.

She resembled those Western nobles who maintained perfect dining etiquette.

Gradually convinced, the girl hesitated, "Really?"

"Of course."

Ji Mu shared his opinion, "Being able to eat well is a blessing. It's a good thing, keep it up."

Ruan Qingqing didn't say anything, her fingers playing with a few strands of hair that had fallen across her chest.

Compliments again...

It wasn't the kind of flattery with an ulterior motive.

It was more like a casual remark, but one that conveyed genuine sincerity.

But...

It is often these simple and unadorned compliments that can most directly cause emotional fluctuations.

Under the streetlight, the boy stood in front of the notice board, the light accentuating his tall and upright posture, with an indescribable sense of nonchalance that especially attracted people's attention.

Ruan Qingqing watched him from the side, her wandering thoughts gradually spreading.

Ji Mu was like a lot of other boys.

He liked to play games, daydream in class, and sometimes even openly sleep during class.

But he was also different from other boys.

He wasn't arrogant and never looked down on anyone.

Despite his remarkable talent and academic achievements, he didn't have the superiority complex that often comes with such strengths.

Perhaps that was one of the reasons she liked him.

"I just checked, and the seat..." Ji Mu turned his head halfway through his sentence and noticed that the girl was staring at him blankly, obviously lost in thought again.

She really is a silly goose.

He waved his hand helplessly in front of her.

"Wake up, stop daydreaming."

Ruan Qingqing's thoughts returned, her face still showing a trace of dazed confusion. 

"What?"

"Look here."

Pointing to the number 20 bus on the board, Ji Mu explained again.

"This bus will take you close to your home. The trip takes about an hour."

The girl didn't move, her soft voice barely audible, "Mm."

The disappointment was too obvious, even Ji Mu noticed it.

"What's wrong, don't you want to go home?"

Ruan Qingqing's expression stiffened, then she softly denied, "No."

Ji Mu glanced down at her without pointing out the obvious lie.

After all, it's rare to go out during the holidays, and no one wants to go back early.

He could understand her feelings a little.

His gaze shifted elsewhere, noticing the LED display on the approaching vehicle showing the bus number. He reminded her.

"Your bus is here."

As soon as he spoke, the bus pulled up to the stop.

The screeching sound of the wheels coming to a stop seemed to be a constant reminder.

Ruan Qingqing remained silent.

Her heart felt like it was wrapped in a tangled mess of yarn, each strand intertwined yet tightly bound, causing a dull ache with every slight pull.

Why does it feel like... today passed so quickly?

Unspoken disappointment enveloped her in the twilight.

Like a fallen leaf from a branch, silent and unnoticed by anyone but herself.

She slowly stepped onto the bus, and perhaps it was the courage of their impending brief separation that made her suddenly turn around.

The boy who was still standing was confused, "Did you forget something?"

Ruan Qingqing shook her head.

Her hands, hanging at her sides, quietly clenched the hem of her skirt.

"Mu... Mumu."

Adjusting the slight bitterness rising in her chest, she managed to smile.

"See you the day after tomorrow."

"Mm, see you the day after."

By the bus stop, a few leaves drifted leisurely, swirling in the air before landing on the roots of trees, only to be accidentally stepped on by passing pedestrians.

"Oh, silly goose."

All the noise of traffic seemed to be blocked out, and she heard only the boy in her line of sight say,

"I had a great time today."

Slam!

The doors at both ends closed quickly as their conversation ended.

Any unspoken words were completely cut off and isolated outside.

Under the night sky.

The soft evening breeze blew through the air.

Through the small transparent glass window, Ruan Qingqing leaned against the edge and gazed at the tall and slender figure.

It was only when the bus started and the distance blurred the edges of the stop that she reluctantly looked away.

Today... was really nice.

Her tightly clenched hand on the railing loosened a bit, her palm sweaty and sticky, just like her current feelings.

She felt both depressed and happy, her emotions a tangled mess she couldn't quite articulate.

Inside the bus, the occasional announcement of "Please be careful when turning left" played, and the seemingly aged overhead lights cast a warm glow that wasn't as bright as it used to be.

Ji Mu...

Ruan Qingqing's slender figure was hidden in the dim light, silently mouthing someone's name in her heart.

Just two short syllables.

But they represented all the deeply buried secrets she had never spoken.

"You young people have such a good relationship."

The old man sitting next to her noticed her dazed expression and teased her with a laugh, "Are you reluctant to leave your little friend?"

Ruan Qingqing's eyelashes fluttered, her porcelain white skin turning rosy under the light.

"No, I'm not."

She was reluctant.

But he wasn't her boyfriend.

————

[Wow, wow, wow! Ruan Qingqing's dislike rating dropped by another five points!]

Meanwhile, as Ji Mu walked back, he heard the system reporting the good news in his mind.

[Amazing, host! Today's goal has been exceeded, with a total decrease of eight points.]

Currently, the female lead's favorability toward males is fixed at -35. Not bad, not bad at all.

Ji Mu remained indifferent.

"You can always trust the god of friendship."

As he always said, making friends was something he had mastered perfectly.

[No wonder you're the host, easily accomplishing what those guys with low emotional intelligence couldn't.]

The system, ever perceptive, chimed in support.

[You really know how to make friends.]

Ji Mu spat the toothpick he was holding into the trash can and raised his hand modestly. "Basic skills, nothing to brag about."

[👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻]

[Host, from Ruan Qingqing's initiative to change the way she addresses you today, it's clear that she already considers you a good friend.]

The system has started to analyze the current situation.

[Our next goal is to move from a good friendship to an even closer bond.]

[When you two become intimate soul mates, that will be the moment when Ruan Qingqing completely eliminates her aversion to men!]

"In other words, we must continue to treat our target as well as possible.

Ji Mu continued smoothly, "After all, making friends is not as complicated as dating. Only when they feel my sincerity will they reciprocate."

"Am I right, System Strategist?"

[Absolutely right!]

The system was very satisfied.

Its judgment was indeed correct.

The chosen host not only had a high intelligence, but also an extraordinary understanding.

In a short time, he had gained a truly loving female friend.

What is pure friendship?

This is true pure friendship!