The morning sun crept through the curtains of Li Cheng's dorm room, slicing golden lines across his face.
He blinked awake, half expecting to still be inside that endless divine realm. But the first thing he saw was his cracked phone, flashing a notification:
[Monday — 8:00 a.m.] Class starts in 15 minutes.
"...So the gods gave me power, but not an alarm clock upgrade," he muttered, springing from bed.
His roommate, Fatty Zhao, snored like a broken trumpet. "Bro, five more minutes… the teacher's on leave…"
Li Cheng smirked. "Yeah? Then she's leaving for heaven.
"He grabbed a slipper and— thwack!
[Critical Hit!] +1 Mood Point.
Fatty Zhao shot up. "You—! Oh. You're glowing again."
Li Cheng checked the mirror. His red eyes shimmered faintly; his skin carried a subtle golden hue. Yesterday's battle with the Administrator hadn't been a dream.
[System Notice]
Daily Sign-In available!
"Sign in," he said lazily while brushing his teeth.
[Ding!] Daily Sign-In Reward — 'Golden Confidence Aura' (12 hrs).
Effect: +50 Charm, +20 Luck, automatic background music when making entrances.
"Background music? You've got to be kidding me."
But the moment he stepped outside, the sound of faint heroic trumpets echoed from nowhere. Students turned; girls blinked, whispering.
"Who's that? He's… glowing."
"Is that the same Li Cheng who got dumped by Lin Xiaoyu?"
"No way! He looks like a movie star now!"
Li Cheng smiled, walking through the crowd as if the campus were his red carpet. For once, the whispers didn't sting—they fed him.
Classroom A-201
Professor Wang was already lecturing when Li Cheng strolled in ten minutes late.
The entire room froze.
"Mr. Li," the old professor said dryly, "you're late again."
Li Cheng bowed slightly. "My apologies, professor. I was delayed—by destiny."
The class erupted in laughter. Even Professor Wang cracked a grin.
"Sit down, you little comedian."
As Li Cheng walked past, a familiar perfume drifted through the air—floral, expensive, nostalgic.
He turned his head. Sitting in the third row was Lin Xiaoyu, the girl who'd crushed his heart and his dignity.
Her makeup was flawless; her diamond earrings sparkled. And beside her sat a smug-looking man in designer clothes—Zhou Wei, the campus rich kid.
The one who used to call Li Cheng trash.
Zhou Wei leaned back with a smirk. "Yo, isn't this the guy who tried to buy Xiaoyu bubble tea for a week and still got dumped? What brings you here, Mr. Destiny?"
The class chuckled.
Li Cheng's eyes gleamed, a sly grin curling at his lips.
"Ah, Zhou Wei. Still wearing that discount cologne from your dad's company? I can smell the failure from here."
The laughter flipped sides instantly.
Zhou Wei's grin stiffened. "You—!"
Li Cheng continued, casually setting his books on the desk. "Oh, and Xiaoyu, I see you're keeping your taste consistent. Still like middle-aged wallets disguised as boyfriends?"
The class gasped.
Even Professor Wang coughed violently. "Ahem! Quiet down, all of you!"
Lin Xiaoyu's face flushed scarlet. "Li Cheng! Don't talk nonsense!"
Zhou Wei slammed his desk. "You think you can insult me and get away with it?"
[System Trigger: Face-Slap Opportunity Detected!]
Mission: Humiliate Zhou Wei publicly.
Reward: ¥10,000 + 'Silver-Tongue Buff'.
Li Cheng smiled inwardly. "Perfect timing."
The Face-Slap
During break, Zhou Wei swaggered over with his little entourage.
"Hey trash, how about a bet? I'll give you 1,000 yuan if you can solve this advanced economics problem. Fail—and you crawl under the desk and bark like a dog."
Li Cheng blinked. "That's your idea of fun? You must be the reason evolution slowed down."
Students snickered.
He stood, walked to the board, and without glancing at the book, wrote an entire page of formulas—the correct answer, ending with a flourish.
The professor, who'd been watching quietly, stood and clapped.
"Excellent work, Li Cheng. That's the most elegant solution I've seen in ten years."
Zhou Wei's jaw dropped.
Li Cheng dusted his hands. "So, about that barking—want to do it now, or should I fetch a leash?"
The room exploded in laughter.
[Ding!] Mission Complete!
Reward: ¥10,000 + 'Silver-Tongue Buff'.
Charisma +30.
Zhou Wei's face turned crimson. He pointed, trembling. "Y-you—!"
But Li Cheng was already walking away, whistling the heroic trumpets of his aura.
Cafeteria Encounter
At lunch, Li Cheng sat with Fatty Zhao, eating noodles.
Fatty leaned over. "Bro, you embarrassed Zhou Wei so bad the school forum's exploding. Everyone's calling you 'Prince Cheng, the Comeback Legend'!"
Li Cheng chuckled. "A fitting title. I should start charging royalties."
Suddenly, a shadow loomed over the table. A girl with waist-length black hair and sharp blue eyes stared down at him.
"Li Cheng, right?" she asked, voice calm but curious. "You made quite a scene today."
Fatty Zhao choked on his noodles. "G-goddess Mei Ling is talking to you!"
Mei Ling—the top beauty of the Business Faculty, rumored to be the daughter of a powerful corporation. Cold, distant, unreachable.
Li Cheng looked up, smiling faintly. "Guilty as charged. And you are?"
She arched an eyebrow. "The one who's about to invest in your future."
"Huh?"
She handed him a sleek card. Mei Enterprises – Talent Acquisition Division.
"I've been watching you since the Freshman Forum," she said. "You have potential. Join my startup project. I'll triple your current income."
Fatty Zhao's jaw hit the floor.
Li Cheng twirled the card between his fingers, pretending to think.
[System Alert!] Hidden Quest Unlocked!
'Join the Goddess's Company or Reject Her Pride'.
Choice A: Accept the offer → New Storyline: 'Business Empire Arc'.
Choice B: Reject her politely → Affinity +10 (Mei Ling).
Choice C: Flirtatious Rejection → Unlock 'Romance Branch'.
Li Cheng grinned inwardly. Oh, choices, choices…
He met her gaze and said lightly, "How about we discuss this over coffee, Miss Investor? I don't sign contracts without seeing the fine print—or the pretty face."
The cafeteria erupted in cheers.
Mei Ling blinked, surprised, then… smirked.
"Confident. I like that. Tomorrow at 5. Don't be late."
As she walked away, Fatty Zhao clutched his heart. "Bro… you just flirted with the goddess CEO!"
Li Cheng sipped his soup calmly. "Just doing my daily sign-in task: Slap Egos, Collect Opportunities."
Evening Dorm Scene
Later that night, as he lay on his bed, the System glowed.
[Ding!] Daily Summary:– Face-Slap Successful (Zhou Wei).– Reputation +200.– Affection (Mei Ling) +5.– Upcoming Special Event Unlocked: "Cultural Festival Showdown."
Li Cheng exhaled. Life was turning around fast.
But deep in his mind, he heard that same soft voice from the divine realm:
"Still enjoying your mortal games, Li Cheng?"
He sat up abruptly. "That voice again…"
"Soon, I'll meet you in person," it whispered. "Don't disappoint me."
The connection vanished, leaving only the faint hum of the System.
Li Cheng rubbed his temples. "Great. Flirting goddesses in the sky, business goddesses on Earth. At this rate, I'll need a schedule."
He smiled to himself, staring out the window at the city lights.
"Tomorrow," he murmured, "the real show begins."