Sparkle
During the break, Lin Xiao decided to head outside to the playground for lunch. The fresh air and open space might help clear his mind.
Zhang Wei and the others had invited him to join them, but he declined, feeling a bit off today.
As he walked across the schoolyard, he found a quiet spot under a large tree and sat down, opening his lunchbox.
The familiar sights and sounds of the schoolyard felt strangely distant, as if he were still trapped in the surreal, frozen landscape of the dungeon.
He couldn't shake the feeling that real life was somehow less real than the dungeon he had just left.
He took a deep breath, trying to ground himself in the present moment. "Come on, Lin Xiao," he muttered to himself. "You're back. This is real."
He started eating, watching his classmates laugh and play. The normalcy of their interactions seemed almost alien to him now.
The weeks he had spent in the dungeon, facing life-threatening cold and leading villagers to survival, had changed his perspective.
"Hey, mind if I join you?"
Lin Xiao looked up to see Chen Manyao standing nearby, holding her lunch. He blinked in surprise but quickly nodded and said confidently for some reason. "Sure, have a seat."
After Lin Xiao allowed Chen Manyao to sit beside him, she asked, "How are you doing? And why didn't you greet me earlier? I thought we at least had a relationship where we could say hi to each other."
Lin Xiao felt a pang of guilt. "Sorry about that," he replied, not offering an explanation.
He wanted to change the topic quickly. "Do you have any book recommendations?"
Chen Manyao's face lit up with excitement. "Books? Oh, I have so many to recommend!"
As she started listing her favorite books, Lin Xiao found himself drawn to her enthusiasm. For some reason, all the background noise faded away, and even Chen Manyao's voice seemed almost unintelligible, like she was talking in slow motion.
He noticed the sparkle in her eyes, the same sparkle he saw when he first met her in the pet shop.
It was mesmerizing.
"...and that's why I think you'd really enjoy it," Chen Manyao concluded, looking at him expectantly.
She then noticed his trance-like stare and blushed slightly. "Is there something wrong with my face?"
Lin Xiao snapped out of his daze, feeling embarrassed. "No, nothing at all. I was just... thinking about your recommendations. They sound really interesting."
Chen Manyao's blush deepened, but she smiled. "I'm glad you think so. If you ever want to borrow any of them, just let me know."
"Thanks, I appreciate that," Lin Xiao replied, genuinely grateful.
He realized that despite his hectic life, moments like these brought a sense of normalcy and connection that he desperately needed.
The bell rang, signaling the end of the break. As they stood up to head back to class, Chen Manyao gave him a warm smile. "See you in class, Lin Xiao."
He nodded, feeling a bit more grounded. "Yeah, see you in class."
Looking at her walking back to class, Lin Xiao couldn't help but smile.
He got up from the ground and started walking back to the class.
...
...
Lin Xiao returned to the classroom, his mind still buzzing from his conversation with Chen Manyao.
As he walked in, he noticed her already seated and engrossed in a book. She looked up and smiled at him, a genuine smile that warmed his heart.
He smiled back and nodded slightly before heading to his seat.
Unbeknownst to him, Li Na observed their interaction with a keen eye, though she chose not to comment. She simply watched, filing away the observation for later.
Soon, the next teacher arrived, and the class settled down. Lin Xiao found himself slipping into a trance, his thoughts drifting away from the lecture.
He pondered his future and the path he should take.
Should he continue to operate in the shadows, gradually honing his skills and tackling dungeons on his own? Or should he reveal his abilities—excluding the system, of course—and attract both enemies and allies who might covet his power? The answer seemed clear to him: staying low-key was the safer, smarter choice.
It would allow him to avoid unnecessary conflicts and build his strength quietly.
While Lin Xiao was lost in his thoughts, Zhang Wei and Li Na were whispering to each other, their heads close together.
They seemed completely absorbed in their own world, sharing secrets and smiles.
Meanwhile, Wang Lei sat nearby, visibly uncomfortable with their growing intimacy. His discomfort was palpable, a stark contrast to the relaxed atmosphere around him.
The teacher's voice droned on, but Lin Xiao was only half-listening. His mind was preoccupied with the many decisions he had to make.
He glanced around the room, taking in the faces of his classmates—some familiar, some not. He wondered how many of them had their own secrets, their own burdens to bear.
Soon the class ended and the P.E. class started, Lin Xiao once again 'forgot' to bring his P.E. clothes and he quickly got them from the place Zhang Wei told him about.
Lin Xiao quickly changed into his P.E. clothes from the stash Zhang Wei had told him about.
Walking towards the field, he remembered he needed to talk to Li Jun about the basketball tournament.
He was curious about the team's composition and the strategy they planned to use.
As he reached the field, he noticed the P.E. teacher had already started making the students do stretches.
After a few minutes of leading them, the teacher left again, leaving the students to their own devices.
Lin Xiao couldn't help but wonder what the P.E. teacher's role actually was, considering he never seemed to teach them anything substantial.
Soon, Lin Xiao spotted Li Jun, the basketball team captain and approached him. "Hey, Li Jun," he called out, "I wanted to talk to you about the basketball tournament. I'm interested in joining the team."
Li Jun's face lit up with excitement. "Finally some great news, Lin Xiao! We could really use someone like you. But," he added, "we still need to test you again. If you can win today's match, you'll be part of the team."
Lin Xiao nodded, feeling a mix of anticipation. "Alright, let's do it. I'm ready."