"This is what I need!" Bai Chuanxia ran his finger over the screen, his gaze fixed on the lines and dots in the Status bar that marked every part of his body.
In his eyes, these represented hope—the hope of survival.
He calmed his emotions with a deep breath and began to strategize for an aggressive approach. Who could resist a beautiful, busty, cheerful, and easy-going older sister? His body was flawed before, but now that he saw hope, he had to move forward, whether for love or for life itself.
Mizukui arrived at the hospital at three in the afternoon, a cigarette unlit in her mouth.
"You're in a good mood today." Mizukui walked to the bedside, hands in her pockets, and familiarly picked up the manuscript from the nightstand to flip through it. "Another hot-blooded theme? Where do you plan to stop this time?"
"I plan to finish this one," Bai Chuanxia said, looking at Mizukui. She was 179 cm tall, with black, medium-length shattered hair, wearing a brown leather jacket over a T-shirt, dark denim jeans, and riding boots—she looked like a model who had just walked off a fashion runway.
Mizukui paused her action of flipping the manuscript but quickly resumed. "At least the editor won't have to beg me on their knees to continue the serialization this time. The complaint letters at the editorial department are stacked up to fill a meeting room. You've been branded the most atrocious manga artist in history."
"But as long as I start a new one, they'll keep reading while complaining," Bai Chuanxia smiled. He didn't just stop; he abruptly paused at the most thrilling point, which was truly frustrating—like being cut off right at the climax.
"It's surprisingly good," Mizukui pulled a chair over, sat down casually, and continued flipping. "I really don't know how you come up with these ideas."
"Let's not talk about that today." Bai Chuanxia signaled he had something important to discuss. After Mizukui put down the manuscript, he said seriously, "I plan to pursue Hashimoto Arina, and I need your help."
If he had a choice, he wouldn't want to publicize this, but given his current physical condition, he couldn't do anything without help.
Mizukui scrutinized him as if seeing him for the first time. "Are you serious?"
Bai Chuanxia was equally serious. "Do I look like I'm joking? You're experienced in pursuing women. What advice do you have?"
Mizukui didn't speak, staring at him for a while. "Does it have to be Hashimoto Arina? If you're just horny, your manuscript fees are enough to choose any style you like."
"This is love, not a trip to the red-light district," Bai Chuanxia pouted. "Quickly suggest a practical plan."
Mizukui stared at him, thinking for a moment. "There's only one possibility: I go after her first, and then I date you. This way, by rounding up, it's equivalent to you indirectly dating her."
Bai Chuanxia seriously examined Mizukui. She was handsome, but her usual gender-neutral attire made him only think of her as "cool." Also, her chest was noticeably full, unexpectedly well-endowed—at least a C-cup.
Mizukui noticed his gaze drifting toward her chest and didn't flinch. "Are you seriously considering the feasibility of that?"
"Of course not." Bai Chuanxia had merely had a thought: if this brother didn't talk, I could almost be interested.
"In any case, it's impossible," Mizukui said, showing none of the traditional East Country need for tact or subtlety. "The identity difference between doctor and patient is already very difficult, not to mention you two are at least six years apart in age."
"Boys at this age always get interested in mature older sisters. She just happened to appear in your life at this stage, and you've mistakenly labeled it as love."
"Men are very devoted; they always like young and beautiful women."
Mizukui's words made Bai Chuanxia feel dizzy. Just as she said, he had chosen the most difficult target to conquer this time. If he had known, he might have just used Mizukui's photo. Maybe for the sake of their brotherhood, he could get some excitement, and perhaps the conquest would be completed that way.
"Sigh," Bai Chuanxia sighed softly. He knew that it was a secret hope in his heart that compelled him to input Hashimoto Arina's photo.
Seeing his dejected expression, Mizukui didn't press further. She felt her pocket, pulled out a small card, and placed it on the nightstand. "Home service here might be allowed in the hospital."
"Get out, get out, get out." Bai Chuanxia waved her away. After all that talk, he had gained nothing except the confirmation that the task was hopeless.
Mizukui didn't stay long. She put the cigarette back in her mouth, picked up the manuscript, and said, "I'm leaving. Call me if you need anything."
Bai Chuanxia watched Mizukui leave. His goal had been achieved: planting a seed in her mind so he could ask for help later when needed.
He opened the app to study it. Hashimoto Arina's current Affection Level for him was 76. If he collected it now, he would get 76 Affection Points. Since each target could only be collected twice, he had to save one collection for when the Affection Level was maxed out to avoid wasting points. He could only use the other extraction to buy items during the conquest process.
76 points was an awkward number. The initial hairstyle in the Hair section, Carefree Golden Shattered Hair, which gave +10 Married Man Affection, was frankly useless to him right now. If he upgraded to Flowing Golden Medium Hair, he could increase Hashimoto Arina's Affection by 10 points, but that would cost 80 points.
The Music and Photography skills only required 10 points, but he didn't believe Hashimoto Arina would increase her Affection Level beyond 76 just because he could sing well or take good photos. The Stamina Potion in the Item section was useful, but it was a one-time item.
If he didn't absolutely have to, he didn't want to exchange for any item. That was because if he could complete the conquest by himself, he would gain 100 full points, which was exactly enough to exchange for the Minotaur Heart. A healthy heart was something he dreamed of possessing.
With ten or more palpitations a day, and sharp pain when his emotions flared, he was at risk of sudden death during the conquest process if he didn't quickly exchange for the heart. He was racing against time.
His inability to leave the hospital bed was his disadvantage. First, he had to figure out a way to create more opportunities to interact with Hashimoto Arina. Second, he needed to wait for an opportunity and be patient. In films and TV shows, the "Huang Mao" (the co-opter) always appeared when the female lead was emotionally vulnerable.
He picked up his pen and drawing board again. The previous works he had drawn—Bleach, Naruto, Saint Seiya—were all mainstream shonen series. Although Hashimoto Arina had praised them, she wasn't particularly enthusiastic about following them, and she hadn't pressed for updates after he stopped. Clearly, they weren't her cup of tea.
He had to draw a manga that interested her to create more topics and opportunities for them to meet. Bai Chuanxia began sifting through his memories. After careful comparison, he finally wrote the title of his new work on the drawing board: Tsuki ga Kirei (The Moon is Beautiful).
This was a story about the first love of middle school students, a poignant, realistic, and innocent romantic drama closely mirroring the fresh experiences of junior high. It meticulously portrayed the awkwardness, mutual efforts, and subtle emotions between the main characters.
Of course, he wouldn't completely copy the plot, using it only as a reference while making some modifications. The female protagonist would be modeled after Hashimoto Arina.
Soon, an image of the female protagonist, eight parts similar to Hashimoto Arina, leaped onto the paper under his pen. The girl smiled innocently, her face collecting all the beauty in the world. Various versions of Hashimoto Arina had been simulated countless times in his mind; now he was merely bringing a picture he had long completed in his head into reality.
Bai Chuanxia's drawing skills had improved dramatically after transmigrating. This wasn't some kind of magical benefit. When a person knows their days are numbered and, due to kidney issues, doesn't have the distractions of women, they devote themselves entirely to drawing. This mindset, where every day could be his last, greatly advanced his artistic skill.
Bai Chuanxia held up the manuscript. The girl was beautiful and pure, but somehow, she was subtly alluring.
"Sigh." He sighed softly, erased the chest area, and drew it a circle smaller. Looking at it again, it truly became the shape of a first crush. But he felt that this version of Hashimoto Arina had lost her soul.
"I hope she likes it." Bai Chuanxia took a deep breath. Enduring the weakness in his arms, he began to rapidly sketch and color the manuscript. Like a pianist, a tender romance began to unfold on his drawing board with a brisk rhythm.