Lin Tianyu's eyes lit up, the golden light of the 99% progress bar flickering faintly at the corner of his vision.
Of course.
He almost laughed aloud.
How could he forget the basics?
In almost every cultivation or fantasy novel, the system never appeared at the beginning. The protagonist would first awaken some trash-tier attribute, a useless class, or an ability so weak it invited ridicule. Only after being labeled a failure would the real opportunity arrive.
Then came the mockery and insults
Classmates sneered. Teachers sighed in disappointment. The so-called geniuses looked down from their pedestals as if the gap between them was heaven and earth. The protagonist endured it all, swallowing humiliation in silence.
And just when everyone was certain he was finished, the system would activate.
From that moment on, it was nothing but steady ascension and relentless face-slapping.
Lin Tianyu had always thought it was almost laughably predictable.
But now that he was the transmigrator standing in the middle of the trope, he wondered what it would feel like to pretend to be a pig to eat the tiger.
He grabbed a bottle of water to drink and organised his thoughts. Just as he was about to sink deeper into thought,
The infirmary door creaked open, drawing him from his thoughts
"Tianyu!"
A familiar voice rang out.
Lin Tianyu turned his head and saw two figures rushing in.
One was a tall boy with messy hair and sharp features, his expression full of worry.
"Idiot, you scared us to death," the boy said. "Nosebleeding in class? What are you, some frail scholar now?"
Lin Tianyu was silent for a while. " Right, this is a parallel world, that meant that apart from the world rules and changed reality, the same relations would exist, though certain details would be affected."
As for the boy who just entered, it was his best friend, Zhao Ming. Unsurprisingly, it was the same face, same voice, even that same annoying tone.
"Who knew where this guy disappeared to after college? I never imagined we would meet again like this, " Tianyu thought, his mind in disarray.
" Yo dude, I know I am handsome, but can you stop staring at me like that? I don't swing that way."
" Cough...Cough. Hearing Zhao Ming's statement, Lin Tianyu choked violently, the water in his mouth spraying out as he bent forward.
His chest tightened as he slapped the bed, coughing so hard his eyes watered.
"Hey! What are you doing?" Zhao Ming jumped back in mock shock. "Are you trying to drown yourself in the infirmary?"
Lin Tianyu waved a hand weakly, still coughing, his throat burning.
"Idiot… talk less," he managed to squeeze out.
Zhao Ming stared at him for a second, then snorted. "See? I knew you were fine. Still alive enough to insult people."
Lin Tianyu finally steadied his breathing, gripping the bottle tightly.
Parallel world or not…Some things really never changed.
He lifted the bottle again and almost choked once more, because from the corner of his eye, he finally noticed a second figure standing quietly to the side. Zhao Ming's broad back had blocked her from view earlier, making her presence easy to miss.
But what made him almost choke was not the surprise he had, suddenly seeing a second figure who had been standing there like a ghost, it was who that figure was and the unspoken feelings he had for her.
Noticing the quiet tension, Zhao Ming stepped to the side.
Lin Tianyu saw her clearly now.
She stood there in a neat school uniform, pressed cleanly without a single wrinkle. The skirt fell to an appropriate length, her sleeves buttoned properly, giving off an air of restraint and discipline. Nothing about her was flashy, yet it was impossible to ignore her.
Her features were delicate, refined rather than striking, the kind of beauty that grew more captivating the longer one looked. Her long hair was tied back simply, without accessories, revealing a calm and gentle expression.
Three words: Beautiful but modest.
Despite coming from a powerful and wealthy family, she carried herself without arrogance. No cold pride or deliberate distance, though she didn't actively flaunt it; she just had the air of someone from a noble, dignified family.
Xu Qing.
Lin Tianyu's fingers tightened unconsciously around the bottle.
In his previous life, she had always been just out of reach.
She came from an extremely wealthy family, a 500-year-old noble household, the kind whose name alone carried weight in business, politics, and society in the Imperial Capital.
. Back then, Lin Tianyu was nothing more than a middle-class nobody, ordinary and invisible, buried in mediocrity. Though he was aware of the feelings they had for each other, he was too self-aware; you could say he was a coward, but that's just what he was.
Even now, in this parallel world, the distance was the same. Her family's influence still ran deep, and her aura carried that same nobility.
But things were no longer the same; he was about to awaken, and a system still stuck at 99 per cent and loading.
In short, three years to the east, three years to the west, don't look down on this poor youth.
Xu Qing stepped inside.
She carried a small paper bag in her hands, her steps were light, and she carried a calm expression. When she saw Lin Tianyu sitting upright, relief flickered briefly in her eyes before she composed herself.
"You're awake," she said.
Her voice was still the same.
Lin Tianyu swallowed.
"Yeah," he replied. "Sorry to worry you."
Zhao Ming glanced between the two, sensing something, then grinned. "I'll go buy snacks. Try not to die again while I'm gone."
Without waiting for a response, he slipped out.
The room fell quiet as he left.
"I heard you got a nosebleed in class and you fainted," Xu Qing said softly, stepping a little closer. Her voice carried concern, but it was quiet, almost hesitant.
"It's nothing serious," Lin Tianyu replied, forcing a casual tone, though his throat still felt dry from the earlier coughing fit.
She tilted her head slightly, eyes narrowing in that thoughtful way she always did. "You shouldn't push yourself. Even if you're strong… sometimes you still need to take care of yourself."
Lin Tianyu felt his chest tighten. Strong… take care of myself… Her words hit him harder than any training ever could. He swallowed, trying to hide the rapid thump of his heart.
"I… I'll be fine " he said finally, the room settled into an awkward silence again, as many things were left unsaid.
Xu Qing didn't push further. She gave a small nod, her gaze lingering on him for a heartbeat too long before she stepped back. "Just… don't scare us like that again."
He nodded, " Thanks, I will get better "
" Stronger too, so I will be able to stand by your side". He silently vowed.
Xu Qing placed the small paper bag on the table and gave him a faint smile.
"I got apple slices," she said simply, then turned and left, her steps quiet, elegant, and deliberate.
Lin Tianyu was stunned as he watched her back. He immediately picked up the paper bag and popped an apple into his mouth.
" They taste sweeter than usual" A smile formed on his lips gradually.
The crisp juice filled his mouth, but it wasn't just the fruit; it was the feeling of receiving care from a loved one that seemed to fill his heart with warmth, making the apple taste sweeter.
The taste of love? He thought, and his heart thumped in a way that had nothing to do with the sugar. He grinned foolishly, not noticing that Zhao Ming had walked in, a trace of disdain on his lips as he looked at his love-struck friend.
" He even got apples from Xu Qing; she almost interacts with no boy in the school except Tianyu. My looks are on par with his, even better, yet...sigh. I don't believe I won't manage to find a girlfriend before I graduate "
Zhao Ming leaned against the doorframe, smirking. His eyes fell on the paper bag, then back at Lin Tianyu, who was still chewing slowly, savouring the taste.
"Apple slices, huh?" Zhao Ming said, voice dripping with mockery. "Looks like someone's living the high life recieving love from a certain someone, while I'm out there getting snacks for him."
Lin Tianyu froze mid-bite. His fingers tightened around the bag.
" Relax, I am not going to take it " Zhao Ming swaggered in and sat down.
" By the way, the nurse said you could leave. Do you want me to help you up?"
" Nah, I am good, let's go ", Lin Tianyu responded. Getting up, he dusted his uniform; the bleeding had been minimal, and none landed on the white uniform.
So two figures headed towards the dormitory, with Zhao Ming teasing, while Lin Tianyu occasionally summoned the system page to see if there were no changes, a new era had arrived for him; how much he could make of it, he did not know, but he knew hw could no longer return to the life of mediocrity.