After pacing in his room for a while, Li Wei finally decided to clear his head. The apartment felt too quiet, too unreal—and the strange application sitting on his phone screen only made it worse.
A walk, he thought. A bit of fresh air might help.
The nearby park wasn't far—just across the cluster of residential buildings where most of the tenants began their mornings with exercise or idle chatter. He suspected Yunfei might be there too; she usually jogged around that time before heading off to work. The thought crossed his mind lightly, almost unconsciously, yet he couldn't quite shake it off.
He had known her for a while—exchanged greetings, small talk, and the casual familiarity of neighbors. But lately, something in him had begun to shift. Maybe it was the influence of that strange system, its silent suggestions and impossible missions. Or maybe it was simply the first time he'd had the space to notice someone.
He slipped his phone into his pocket, half-smiling to himself. "Curiosity, that's all," he murmured. "Just curiosity."
Downstairs, the morning air carried the faint scent of steamed buns and soy milk from the small shops below. Most of the vendors were still setting up, arranging trays and counting change. Li Wei thought about grabbing something to eat, but seeing the "Opening Soon" signs, he could only sigh and move on. His stomach grumbled, protesting softly.
The park spread wide before him—a patch of calm in the middle of concrete towers. A shallow pond mirrored the early sunlight, connected by a narrow stream that trickled toward the edge of the street. Trees arched overhead, leaves trembling in the mild breeze. There were old men practicing tai chi, women chatting on benches, and a few children chasing pigeons near the bridge.
He'd lived here for years and barely noticed how peaceful this place could be.
Stretching his arms, he began to jog slowly along the path, the rhythmic sound of his shoes brushing against gravel. It didn't take long for him to realize how unfit he'd become. His breathing grew uneven, his pace faltered, and sweat started to bead along his neck.
He slowed, catching his breath, then chuckled wryly. "Guess that 'Physique' stat wasn't lying."
Pulling out his phone, he opened the EdenLink interface. The display glowed softly in the sunlight, lines of text scrolling like quiet whispers.
Status
Name: Li Wei
Level: 1
Physique: 2 [Low]
Vigor: 1 [Low]
Charm: 2 [Low]
Spirit: 3 [Low]
Intellect: 2 [Low]
Ability Points: 5
Currency: 100 Cp
[Shop: Locked] [Quest: Open]
He stared at the screen for a moment, then laughed under his breath. "Five points, huh? Let's see what this really does."
He tapped the small plus sign beside Physique, watching as the number ticked up by one. A faint light pulsed through the display, and a tingling warmth spread faintly through his limbs—subtle, but unmistakable.
Curious, he started jogging again.
Five minutes passed. Then ten. Then twenty. Yet, instead of exhaustion, he felt light—stronger, steadier, his breath flowing easily. It was as though his body had remembered a version of itself that was younger, faster, and more alive.
"This is… unbelievable," he murmured, slowing to a walk. "One point feels like months of training."
He was still lost in thought when he spotted a familiar figure up ahead—a slender silhouette in motion near the bridge. The morning light traced her form, the easy grace of someone comfortable in their own rhythm.
Yunfei.
She was walking along the path, her ponytail swaying with each step. As she turned to greet someone across the park, her gaze caught his. Recognition lit her face.
"Brother Li?" she called out, smiling in surprise. "Working out this early—that's a first!"
Li Wei laughed, slowing to a jog as he approached. "Trying to keep up with you, I guess."
Her laughter rang out softly, blending with the sounds of the park—the rustle of leaves, the ripple of the pond, and the faint music from a distant radio.
And for a moment, standing there beneath the filtered sunlight, Li Wei couldn't tell whether the warmth in his chest came from the run—or from something else entirely.
"Yeah! I am quite out of shape. So, just a light jog in the park is a nice turn of events." Li Wei replied, looking at the girl, whose clothes were sticking close to her body. A little look of exhaustion on her face, but she had a healthy look on her exposed skin.
"Hmm, a good idea. With this mindset, I am sure you will find a nice job again." She was aware of Li Wei leaving his job, although it has not been that long since he left. But in the surrounding building, news shifts quite quickly around, especially for an active girl like Yunfei.
"Well, I already had one that has quite free working hours and is well paid; that would make me economically free to enjoy my life." Li Wei thought about the weird application in his smartphone; although it was a bit of a devious quest for them, from the ability point just now, he was sure that the application was a legit deal.
Although he will have a turbulent life having multiple sexual relations if he continues on that path, he could deny the fact that it was a tempting offer. And after seeing the result of the ability point, he had already decided to work on it.
After all, only an idiot would bypass a deal as good as this one.
"You look tired. Want to grab some juice with me? My treat," Li Wei said casually, falling into step beside her as they walked along the park path.
Yunfei glanced at him, a faint smile tugging at her lips. "Sure, why not?" she replied. Normally, she kept her distance from most men in the building, polite but reserved. Yet with Li Wei, it was different. She trusted him—not just because of the time he'd helped her move or the casual drinks they'd shared months ago, but because he'd never once overstepped boundaries. That quiet respect and consistency had earned her confidence, and so she followed willingly.
Li Wei, however, froze mid-step as he touched his pocket. A sense of panic flickered through him. He had only a few coins and a fifty-yuan bill on him—practically nothing by normal standards. He had nearly forgotten the world had changed. Here, one yuan was worth ten thousand credits, enough to buy any drink, any snack, practically anything in this park.
He exhaled slowly, letting the tension drain from his shoulders. "Adapt, adapt," he muttered to himself, shaking his head at his own lapse. "Right. Juice," he murmured, regaining composure.
The small stall ahead smelled faintly of oranges and sugar. A few patrons lingered, chatting quietly, the early morning sun glinting off the glass display. Li Wei stepped up, motioning to order two glasses of orange juice.
"Sir, here's your order," the vendor said, setting down a large, frosty glass with a faint clink.
Li Wei fished the single yuan coin from his pocket. In this new world, it gleamed like silver, almost alien in its weight and hue. He handed it over without hesitation.
The shopkeeper froze, eyes widening in disbelief. That simple glass of juice cost 20 credits, barely a fraction of the coin's worth. The shopkeeper's hands shook slightly as he held it. "Sir… do you have… smaller change?" he asked, his voice a mixture of awe and panic. "I don't have enough to return nine thousand nine hundred eighty credits… and it's early; fewer than three sales so far."
Li Wei blinked, glancing at the vendor with a faintly incredulous expression. Right. This coin. Worth ten thousand. Not a smaller denomination in sight. He ran a hand through his hair, laughing quietly to himself. "I… guess you don't," he admitted.
Yunfei, standing beside him, looked equally stunned. She rarely carried cash herself—her modest monthly salary of three to four yuan was usually transferred directly to her account, and she had never held a yuan coin in her hands before.
"Oh! Well… this is the smallest I have at the moment," the vendor added, his tone tinged with nervous surprise.
Yunfei glanced at Li Wei, her eyes widening in realization. Then she laughed softly, her warmth cutting through the awkward tension. "Brother Li, I can pay for these," she offered, reaching into her bag.
Li Wei paused, touched by her instinctive gesture. But the thought of letting her spend money for him—especially after everything—made him shake his head gently. "No, it's fine. Really. I've got this," he said with a faint grin. His thumb brushed the edge of the coin, a symbol of the strange fortune this world had given him.
The vendor still stared, utterly bewildered, as Li Wei lifted the glasses. The frosty condensation beaded along the sides, sunlight catching it like tiny prisms.
Li Wei handed one glass to Yunfei. Their fingers brushed briefly, a spark of ordinary, human connection that felt oddly grounding amidst the surreal morning.
"Thanks," she said, her smile genuine, eyes warm.