There were three classes that morning. In the first one, Evan chatted with Emily and Lena, but after that, he actually paid attention. He listened, took notes, the whole deal.
Honestly, knowledge is useful. Somewhere along the way, people started saying studying is pointless, and lots of folks jumped on that bandwagon. Evan just didn't buy it. He always felt knowledge mattered.
Now, with the system and plenty of money, he could easily slack off. He could pull out his phone, play games under the desk like Jack and Ryan right next to him. He had every excuse.
But he didn't.
For him, having knowledge—even if he couldn't use it—just felt different. There's a certain confidence that comes from knowing things, from having your head full instead of empty.
So he kept studying, even put his phone on silent. A couple of times, Grace glanced back and caught him, head down in his books, totally focused. It made her see him in a new light, maybe even start to accept him.
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By the end of the third period, Jack tossed down his phone. "I'm done. Not in the mood."
Ryan shot him a look. "What's up with you?"
Jack groaned. "What do you think? Grace still hasn't accepted my friend request. Am I invisible or something?"
He looked genuinely annoyed. Even though he'd been playing games, he kept checking his phone, hoping Grace would finally add him. Nothing. Every time.
No wonder he was frustrated.
Ryan was about to say something, but Nathan jumped in first.
"Seriously? You really think Grace noticed you?" Nathan couldn't help but laugh a little. "Come on, Jack, having dreams is fine, but you gotta know the line between dreams and wishful thinking. You think Grace has a crush on you? Are you nuts?"
He went on, shaking his head. "Look at yourself—neither tall nor handsome. Why would she notice you? I don't even want to imagine it."
Jack snapped back, not hiding his irritation. "Did I ask for your opinion? And how do you know what Grace thinks? You're not her."
Nathan just pursed his lips and fell silent. But it was obvious—he was sure Grace hadn't noticed Jack . Anyone could see that.
Who was Grace, anyway? From day one, everyone agreed she was the prettiest girl in their department. During classes, boys from other classes would come just to catch a glimpse. She wasn't just good-looking, she was poised, organized, and you could tell she came from a wealthy family. Girls like her have high standards.
Nathan liked her, too—who wouldn't? But he didn't even dare think about chasing her. The distance between them felt like a canyon.
But Jack ? He was actually thinking about it. That was just ridiculous.
Nathan just sighed and kept his thoughts to himself, but his face said it all.
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The bell rang—finally, class was over.
"Who did you lunch with?" Anna asked, her curiosity getting the better of her. Her other two roommates didn't say anything, but you could tell they were just as interested.
Grace had spent most of the first month sticking with them—never making plans with anyone else. So yeah, everyone wanted to know.
"It's Evan, from our class." Grace lifted her hand and pointed over at him.
She didn't act nervous or secretive at all. It was just an honest answer, like she genuinely didn't see any reason to hide it.
"Evan?" For a second, Anna and the others just stared. Then they followed her gaze and spotted Evan.
"Grace, wait... you mean you actually went a date with Evan?"Anna's eyes went wide. She swallowed, still looking shocked.
Her two roommates didn't look any less surprised.
To them,Grace was the beautiful, organized one—always put together. Plenty of guys chased after her, but she'd never said yes to any of them. They used to joke that maybe there just wasn't a guy in the whole school who could catch her interest.
But now she was with Evan during lunch?
"Yeah, he's the one ," Grace said. She looked at her three roommates, saw their stunned faces, and couldn't help but give a helpless little smile.
Was it really that shocking?
Her feelings were perfectly normal. It's just that she hadn't met anyone she liked before. Now that she had the chance, why not go for it?
She'd grown up believing that if you wanted something, you should take the initiative.
"Grace, can I ask you something?" Anna leaned in, grabbing her's arm and lowering her voice. "Do you like Evan?" She snuck another glance at him as she spoke.
The other two joined in, waiting for her answer.
"I don't exactly like him yet," Grace said after thinking it over. "But I want to get to know him. If we get along, maybe we'll start dating."
Hearing that, all three roommates looked even more surprised.
She didn't say, "I like him," but her answer said plenty.
She wasn't against getting closer. If things worked out, she'd give dating him a shot.
Anna made a little "hiss" sound under her breath.
"Alright, enough with the questions. I'm heading out. Let go eat in the cafeteria,"
The three roommates exchanged looks, still a little stunned.
They'd never guessed that Evan would be Grace's type. But the more they thought about it, the more it made sense.
Anna found herself glancing at Evan again. He wasn't the most handsome guy, but he had an easy, pleasant look and a calm way about him. Totally different from the restless boys in their class. He just seemed like someone you could rely on.
Honestly, a guy like that was a good match for the her friend.
Anna watched him for a second, then pressed her lips together, feeling a strange little pang of disappointment.
-----------
Buzz.
My phone lit up and vibrated out of nowhere.
Evan pulled it out. Jasmine. She asked if he'd eaten, throwing in a little playful tone.
"Evan, who's texting you? Why aren't you answering?" Jack poked his head over, curious. He'd spotted Evan staring at his phone, not typing back, and couldn't help himself.
"It's nobody." Evan shook his head, then stuffed the phone back in his pocket.
Jack just shrugged. "Come on, let's play a couple rounds." He didn't seem to care much.
"Yeah, Evan, join in. Jack and I suck without you," Ryan chimed in, half laughing.
Evan waved them off. "Nah, you guys play. I've gotta head out."
"Out? Where to?" Both Jack and Ryan looked at him like he'd grown a second head. It was lunchtime—no one just left at noon.
"Some work." Evan just said nothing more, and slipped out the door.
"So mysterious," Jack mumbled, then grabbed his phone. "C'mon, , I'll carry you to Ryan!" He winked, starting up a game.
Ryan shook his head. "Not playing."
Jack blinked at him. "No?"
Ryan scrolled on his phone. "Nah. We always lose together. Why bother?"
Jack cursed under his breath, gave up on gaming, and started doomscrolling Instagram instead.
—
Evan stepped out of the dorm and headed toward the school parking lot. He'd made up his mind— Yeah, the dorm was easy enough. But easy came with a price—noise everywhere, constant interruptions, other people's routines crashing into his own. He tried to tune it out, really gave it a shot, but some things just aren't worth putting up with.
What he wanted was space. Real space. His own spot, somewhere he could actually hear himself think. A place to work without someone blasting music down the hall, to live by his own clock. No more midnight YouTube marathons playing through thin walls. No random people wandering in. No awkward conversations he never asked for.
Just quiet. That's it.
His phone buzzed while he walked, but Evan left it in his pocket. This wasn't about anyone else. It wasn't a snap decision, either—it was the one clear thing in his head.
Getting an apartment? It wasn't about looking fancy. It was about taking charge.
His time. His space. His life.
By the time he hit the parking lot, he'd already made up his mind.
He was done second-guessing.
Evan got to his car and swung the door open, sliding into the driver's seat. The world outside faded away as he shut the door behind him. For a second, he just sat there, hands loose on the wheel, breathing in the hush.
Buzz.
Buzz.
Evan glanced down.
Three notifications.
Emily.
Lena.
And Jasmine.
He opened Emily's message first.
Emily: Where are you? I tried calling.
Evan: Heading out for a bit. I'll be back tonight.
Jasmine: Have you eaten yet?
I just passed by the cafeteria… the food didn't look very tempting today.
Thought I'd check on you.
Evan: Yeah, already ate.
Campus food's hit or miss anyway—half the time it's a gamble.
You should grab something decent too.
Jasmine: Me too. Let's go together next time.
Evan: Sure. Talk later.
Lena.
Her message was short and neutral, exactly like her.
Lena: Are you free this tonight?
Evan raised an eyebrow slightly, then replied.
Evan: Depends. Why?
Lena: Hey Evan! Today was my first day at the job and I survived
I was thinking… maybe we should celebrate with dinner? Also, my friend Lara wants to join us. Is that okay?
Evan:Congrats on surviving your first day
Yeah, dinner sounds good. Send me your office address and I'll come to pick you up. And sure, Lara can join.Pick a place and time, and I'll be there.
Then he puts his phone away, suddenly silence. This was what he'd been after. .
He started the engine. Right away, that familiar notification popped up in his mind—quiet, almost understated, like it didn't want to interrupt.
[System Notification]
Life Quality Decision Detected.
Evaluation: Positive.
His face stayed the same, but his eyes sharpened. So the system paid attention to choices like this, too.
[Reward Issued]
Lifestyle Optimization Bonus: 50,000 RMB
Funds transferred to linked account.
No bells, no flashing lights, nothing over-the-top. Just the facts.
Evan let out a slow breath, lips twitching in the tiniest hint of a smile. "Finally," he whispered.
This wasn't some wild lottery win or fantasy payout. It was real money—enough to actually do something, to move ahead without second-guessing himself.
The system wasn't tossing rewards at random. It wasn't about greed. It was about direction.
Evan shook his head and thought he need to get the license plate. The car still has a temporary one."
He'd already finished Lena's "first kiss" mission, so the license plate—triple nine, all in a row—was just sitting there, ready.
He was free today. Why not? Grab the plate.
He eased out of the parking lot and onto the street, heading for that spot near campus where students usually rented places. He already had one in mind—clean, safe, quiet, and best of all, his own. Independence, that was the real prize.
His thoughts didn't wander. He wasn't running from anyone. He was just carving out his own space.
Now, with money coming in—not a flood, but steady—Evan saw it clearly: the system didn't drag him forward. It answered when he chose to move.
And this? This was just the start.
********