In the end, it was all for naught.

Still smelling of barbecue smoke, Qu Shiyao collapsed onto the sofa as soon as she entered the apartment, unceremoniously propping her long legs up on the coffee table.

She opened the comment section of the system novel's backend, her fingers flying across the page as she passionately argued with several boisterous fans of the original work.

[Host...] The system peeked out cautiously, its voice low and hesitant: [You really... don't like that fish at all?]

Qu Shiyao, who had just silenced a troll, paused slightly upon hearing this, then continued typing even more furiously without looking up:

"She can cook, has a sweet tongue, maintains a great figure, and is good-looking. Who wouldn't like her?" The tone was casual, like commenting on a pretty cake in a shop window.

[Hmph!] The system flashed in dissatisfaction, puffing out its cheeks: [Host! You know perfectly well that the 'like' I'm talking about isn't that kind of liking!]

"Stop!" Qu Shiyao finally looked away from the screen and glanced helplessly at the system.

"Tongzi, what kind of person do you think I am? Am I the kind of person who would act out a melodramatic romance novel just because I fall in love with a man?"

System: [...] Hmm, it seems that's not the case.

"Even if we take a step back and assume the worst," Qu Shiyao shifted to a more comfortable slumped position, her voice clear and calm.

"Even if I do have feelings for Yi Yu, so what? I'll go home when I need to. I have parents and friends in the real world; I'm not some parasitic plant that can't survive without anyone."

She paused, then gave a more direct analogy, "It's like when you play a game and you encounter an NPC you like, what's wrong with interacting with them a bit more? Are you going to give up on completing the game just because of an NPC?"

The system was somewhat convinced by this analogy, but it still stubbornly retorted: "My previous hosts said something similar, and in the end, they all ended up the same way..."

"That's because they're clueless!" Qu Shiyao interrupted decisively.

"A person must first be themselves, and then someone's daughter, wife, or friend. If you don't even love yourself and tie your entire life's value to being loved, then your value is in the hands of that person!"

She looked out the window at the gradually thickening night, where a few stars stubbornly twinkled.

“I knew someone like that in high school. She was so desperate for a scumbag who couldn’t control his lust that she ended up swallowing half a bottle of sleeping pills in her rented room.”

The system instantly went dark, and a sense of helplessness surged through the data stream: "...Then, what happened next...?"

Qu Shiyao scoffed, her face showing no trace of sadness or reminiscence, only pure disdain:

"Later? I permanently deleted her from my friends list. A person who doesn't even cherish herself and is willing to give up her life for a piece of trash doesn't deserve to be my friend, Qu Shiyao."

She even raised her hand to brush her bangs aside, took out a small mirror to examine herself, and spoke with a hint of narcissism in her tone.

"She's been with me for so long and hasn't learned a single good quality from me. Her taste in men is so terrible, she's really lowering the standard of my social circle!"

System: [...] It doesn't know if it has good judgment, but it hasn't seen much of the host's excellent qualities.

"What's wrong?" Qu Shiyao seemed to hear the system's complaints about her. She looked at the system with a gloomy face and threatened, "Do you have a problem with me?"

A chill inexplicably surged into the system's core, terrifying the system's lackeys into instantly kneeling in fear.

[How could that be? My host is so beautiful and charming, loved by everyone, and flowers bloom for her. She's a master of makeup and a great bartender. She's practically unparalleled in this world.] Utterly shameless.

Integrity? What's that?

"So even if I really like Yi Yu, I won't give up going back, understand?" Qu Shiyao gave it a reassuring look to stop it from worrying about this all day.

Okay. The system reluctantly accepted this logic, but another problem arose:

[So, host, you accept his food all day long, yet you don't like him... isn't that a bit... immoral?]

The system hesitated for a moment, too embarrassed to say the words "fish farming".

"Isn't it only natural that whoever pursues should make the effort?"

Qu Shiyao spread her hands, blinking her innocent big eyes, "Is there a problem with enjoying the sincerity of a suitor?"

The system seemed to have grasped something, its tone tinged with uncertainty: "So... host, you're accepting his pursuit? But you haven't rejected him?"

"Cough!" Qu Shiyao coughed tactically, her eyes drifting towards the ceiling.

"Don't put it so harshly. This is called... meeting someone you click with in another world and experiencing the feeling of love, is that so wrong? Life is short, so enjoy it while you can!"

[So... host, you already have me! And you want other fish too?!]

The system instantly transformed into a dramatic figure, looking like a little person on the verge of tears: [Heartless man! Scumbag woman! You toyed with my feelings!]

"Stop!" Qu Shiyao was exasperated and cut off its performance immediately. "System, when have we ever had an improper relationship that goes beyond that of a pure host and system?"

System: [...] Is this the key point?!

It choked, its data stream paused, and then began to churn wildly in its sea of ​​consciousness: [I don't care! I won't stand for it—! Host, you've abandoned me after starting this—!]

Qu Shiyao ignored the system's tantrums and turned her gaze back to the window.

The night was gentle, and a light breeze was blowing. Hmm, it was perfect weather for lying down.

-----------------

The hustle and bustle of the barbecue stalls had long since subsided, leaving only a few scattered tables.

Yi Yu hummed a little tune as she deftly cleaned up the mess of cups and plates.

Seeing Sister Shiyao tonight put him in a much better mood.

He subconsciously looked up at the night sky; a nearly full moon hung high, its soft light shining down.

"Hmm?" Yi Yu paused in wiping the table, her gaze falling under the chair at table number 7.

A simple women's handbag lay there quietly.

He walked over and picked it up, looked at it carefully, and it looked somewhat familiar...

"Wait—! This is my bag!" A panting voice came from afar.

Shi Qingqing was out of breath from running, her hair was all messed up, and she rushed to Yi Yu, holding her knees and panting.

Yi Yu paused for a moment, then flashed a bright smile and handed over the bag: "Is this Sister Shi Qingqing? Here, you left your bag here."

"Th...thank you!" Shi Qingqing took the bag, still panting heavily, her whole body in a state of disarray.

It took her a while to notice that Yi Yu was still wearing her work apron. "You haven't left work yet?"

Yi Yu glanced at her phone: "There are still 20 minutes left, sis, are you going to call a taxi?"

"Yes, I just called." Shi Qingqing nodded and plopped down on the empty stool next to her. "I'll wait here for a bit."

It was late at night and the area was deserted, with only a few scattered tables remaining.

Seeing her sitting alone, Yi Yu turned around, poured a glass of warm water, and handed it to her: "Have some water."

Then I pulled up a stool and sat down quietly, not too close to her.

Shi Qingqing held the warm water cup, her gaze sweeping over Yi Yu's youthful face, which now seemed somewhat nervous, and suddenly a thought struck her.

She took a sip of water and slowly said, "Kid, trying to trick me into telling you about Shi Yao, huh?"

Yi Yu's face flushed red instantly, her fingers unconsciously twisting the hem of her apron. She lowered her head, her voice muffled and tinged with embarrassment:

"I...I just wanted to ask, do you know what kind of guy Sister Shiyao likes?"

He mustered his courage and looked up, his eyes filled with trepidation. "This...can I say?"

"Wow!" Shi Qingqing chuckled, putting down her water glass. "If you like it, just go and ask! This hesitant manner is unmanly!"

"That won't do!" Yi Yu's brows furrowed immediately, her tone serious and somewhat urgent.

"What if Sister Shiyao doesn't like my type? What if I ask her directly and she rejects me? Should I keep pestering her? Wouldn't that make me a clingy, obsessive person? I can't put her in a difficult position!"

A hint of surprise flashed in Shi Qingqing's eyes as she looked at the young man in front of her again.

I thought it was just the innocent flutter of adolescence, but I didn't expect it to be such a thoughtful and proper thing to be done.

She put away her earlier joking intentions.

"Well..." Shi Qingqing recalled the absurd criteria for choosing a partner that Shi Yao had listed before, and looked at Yi Yu, saying that he only met half of them.

She cleared her throat and gave a more fundamental answer: "Shiyao, deep down, probably likes genuine people."

"Real?" Yi Yu repeated, puzzled. The word was too vague.

"Just be yourself."

Shi Qingqing explained, her tone becoming more serious, "Don't try to change anything just to please her. You can pretend for a while, but not forever. You'll get tired of pretending for too long, and even Shi Yao, who is so smart, will find it tiring to watch."

"Be who you are. If you get along, she will naturally see your good qualities. If you don't get along, no matter how much you change yourself, how long can you maintain that?"

"Uh," Yi Yu's expression instantly turned somewhat strange. He recalled the plan the strategist had given him, and something seemed off. He hesitated and asked:

"So, do you think Sister Shiyao likes... um... those fair-skinned, very well-behaved, puppy-like guys?"

"Pfft—! Cough cough cough...!!!"

Shi Qingqing spat out the mouthful of water she had just drunk, choking and bringing tears to her eyes.

Yi Yu was startled and hurriedly grabbed a tissue and handed it over.

It took Shi Qingqing a long time to recover. While wiping the water stains from her mouth, she looked Yi Yu up and down at his tanned skin.

The focus lingered on his slightly pale complexion for a few seconds, his expression indescribable: "Where did you get that conclusion from?"

"Isn't that...?" Yi Yu felt uneasy under her gaze, and her voice became even weaker.

"My friend said that Sister Shiyao usually likes the kind of cute, cuddly type that evokes a protective instinct..." Her voice trailed off.

Shi Qingqing: "..." When people are extremely speechless, they really do lose their words.

She carefully recalled the standards Shiyao had mentioned before. Although they were outrageous, they did not include the "puppy-like" type.

Shi Qingqing reached out and patted Yi Yu's shoulder, looking at him sympathetically: "Kid, listen to my advice, has your friend ever been in a relationship?"

"No..." Yi Yu's mind went blank, and her head was buzzing.

Just then, Shi Qingqing's phone rang; the car she had called had arrived.

She stood up and gave Yi Yu a look of pity and encouragement: "You're fine as you are now, really. If Shi Yao didn't like you, she would have turned away your lovingly prepared breakfasts a long time ago."

She opened the car door, and before getting in, she leaned out again and added earnestly:

"Also, I sincerely suggest that your friend go and have a real relationship soon!" With that, the car sped away.

Yi Yu stood still, the evening breeze ruffling the stray hairs on his forehead.

He lowered his head, silently took out his phone, opened his chat history with Zhao Henxi, and stared at the series of confident strategies, falling into a silent existential crisis.

It seems it's time to have a serious talk with Henxi.