Awakening Elementary School System in University
Chapter 3: The More You Like, The More Ambiguous

Chapter 3: Chapter 3: The More You Like, The More Ambiguous

’Hmm? This is a little flirtatious.’

Meanwhile, on a swaying public bus.

Chen Lin looked at the message on his screen. ’I haven’t even given out the candy yet,’ he thought, ’how is someone already throwing herself at me?’

’It’s a pity. She’s clearly a beauty—if she dressed up a bit, she’d at least be the prettiest girl in her department. Why did she have to get mixed up with math?’

’Doesn’t she know that stuff ruins people?’

Recalling Shen Yan’s disheveled hair and her shut-in appearance, as if she hadn’t left her room in a month, Chen Lin shook his head with a touch of regret.

[I have something to do tonight, too. I probably won’t be back at school until after ten. Let’s talk tomorrow.]

He sent a casual reply, and soon, Shen Yan wrote back:

[It’s okay, I can wait.]

"..."

’It’s not that you can wait, it’s that I don’t want to!’

’I’ve been busting my ass all day, and I have to go back and do math problems for you??’

’How can this woman have such low emotional intelligence?’

’Oh, right. That makes sense.’

’She is a math major, after all.’

[We’ll see when the time comes.]

After sending the dismissive message, Chen Lin put his phone away. He pushed Shen Yan to the back of his mind, deciding to focus on completing the Growth System’s mission first.

He was starting to understand where the problem lay.

This so-called Growth System was clearly more than ten years late.

Normally, it should have activated when he was six years old.

But for some reason, it didn’t show up until he was twenty and already a sophomore in college.

’Then again, maybe this isn’t such a bad thing.’

’Considering I probably wouldn’t have understood what a "System" was at six, it’s actually pretty good that it was late.’

’At least these missions are all easy to complete.’

"Hey, want some candy?"

After scanning his surroundings, Chen Lin locked onto a girl in the back row. With a sincere expression, he offered her a piece of fruit-flavored hard candy he had just bought.

But unexpectedly, she shook her head with a wary look, her eyes clearly saying—

’Don’t think I don’t know what you’re up to. That candy is definitely drugged!’

"Uh... okay then."

He awkwardly pulled his hand back. Chen Lin was about to explain that he had no ill intentions.

But then the girl suddenly said:

"But you can add me on WeChat."

"..."

’So are you scared of me being a bad guy or not?’

Stunned for a moment, Chen Lin took out his phone, opened his QR code, and let the girl scan it while turning to look at his handsome reflection in the bus window.

’Hmm, come to think of it, I probably don’t even need this 50% charm boost.’

...

...

「Half an hour later.」

Chen Lin got off the bus and, with his backpack on, walked into a somewhat dated residential complex.

He knocked on a door decorated with a "Fu" character sticker, stepped into the living room, changed into slippers, and casually asked the middle-aged woman beside him.

"Liu, how did Yaoyao do on her final exams this time?"

"Not bad, she’s improved a lot since last semester. She even got a 92 in math."

The woman replied with a smile, "Chen, this is all thanks to you."

"The school keeps saying we shouldn’t get tutors for our kids, but I thought, how could we not? Wouldn’t she fall behind everyone else?"

"Looking at it now, I’m glad I didn’t listen to the school. Otherwise, Yaoyao would definitely hate me when she grows up."

Muttering about her "brilliant decision," the woman walked Chen Lin all the way to her daughter’s bedroom, brought in a plate of sliced fruit, and then left with a beaming smile.

Chen Lin, on the other hand, looked at the little girl glaring at him with resentment, spread his hands, and said:

"Sorry, class is in session."

"Hmph!"

The little girl named Yaoyao reluctantly took out her textbook and grumbled under her breath, "I already got a 90, and I still can’t go out and play this weekend."

Chen Lin’s face hardened. "Play? What play? Elementary school is the most crucial stage of your life! If you don’t work hard now, your whole life will be ruined!"

Yaoyao retorted loudly, "But all the other kids get to go out and play!"

"Which is why their lives are already ruined."

Chen Lin shook his head sagely. "You can’t be like them. In the future, you have to get into a good university, find a good job, and then repay your parents."

"I..."

With her third-grader’s worldview, Yaoyao clearly couldn’t comprehend these words. She could only stare with wide eyes, not knowing how to argue back.

However, the woman eavesdropping outside the door became even more satisfied with Chen Lin.

’This Chen is really good!’

’You don’t find many responsible young people like him these days!’

Nodding, the woman felt completely at ease and went back to the living room to continue watching her TV drama.

When Chen Lin heard her leave, he lowered his voice and said:

"Alright, next week I’ll make an excuse, say I’m taking you to the library for class, and we’ll go out and play for half the day."

"Really?"

"Of course it’s real. When have I ever lied to you?"

"Yay! Chen is the best!"

"Shh, keep your voice down! Don’t let your mom hear you!"

"Oh, oh..."

Yaoyao quickly covered her mouth and glanced nervously at the door.

Just then, Chen Lin remembered something.

"Here, have a piece of candy."

"Thank you, Chen~"

Probably because she would get to go out and play next week, Yaoyao immediately took the candy with delight.

"It would be great if I could marry Chen when I grow up~"

"???"

Chen Lin froze at her words, instantly panicking.

"Whoa, hey, don’t do this to me!"

...

As it turned out, Yaoyao’s comment was just her being playful.

Though there was no telling where she’d learned it.

A little over two hours later, Chen Lin successfully completed the day’s tutoring session and walked out of the bedroom.

"Liu, I’ll be heading back now."

"I gave Yaoyao a little homework. After she finishes, you can take a picture and send it to me to check."

"Okay, I’ll send it to you tonight."

The woman stood up from the sofa and saw him to the door. "Be careful on your way back."

Chen Lin nodded. "Yeah. Liu, you should also take Yaoyao out to play sometimes. A good balance of work and rest is much more effective."

"Okay... Oh, right, Chen, wait a moment."

Just as Chen Lin was opening the door, the woman seemed to remember something. She quickly called him back, ran into the kitchen, and soon came out carrying a large box, a "snack gift pack."

"Chen, take this!"

"Huh? I can’t accept this."

"Why not? You can take it back to school and share it with your roommates!"

"Really, it’s fine. You should keep it for Yaoyao to eat."

"What’s she gonna eat? Eating too much is bad for her... Ah, that’s not what I meant. Anyway, just take it!"

"I..."

"..."

Three minutes later, under Yaoyao’s resentful gaze, Chen Lin finally walked out of the apartment building carrying the box of snacks.

The snacks weren’t particularly expensive, but this was the first time the woman had given him anything in the six months he’d been tutoring.

It was hard to say whether it was because of Yaoyao’s improved grades or because of his "Little Love Saint" aura.

’A 50% increase in charm to all members of the opposite sex... that feels like a very "case-by-case" effect.’

’After all, anyone with a basic knowledge of math knows that a "percentage" doesn’t represent an "absolute value".’

’It’s like if your salary is only a thousand. Even if it doubles, that’s just an increase of a thousand.’

’But if your salary is ten thousand, even a 20% increase is still an extra two thousand.’

’So... does this mean the more a woman is interested in me to begin with, the more attractive I become to her?’

’That seems to be the logic.’

Looking at the messages on his phone screen, Chen Lin fell into deep thought.

Shen Yan: [Once you’ve confirmed a time, remember to let me know.]

Shen Yan: [Are you busy?]

Shen Yan: [If you’re coming back too late and are worried about the dorms closing, I can book a hotel room near the school first and wait for you there.]