Chapter 13

The next day, after finishing breakfast, Zhang Qiu packed his computer, slung his backpack over his shoulder, and headed out the door. He planned to go to the computer city during the day to put his skills to use, earn some money, and return to school in the evening.

However, just as he was about to leave the neighborhood, the system notification suddenly appeared: "20 meters ahead, a beauty (county-level, about to upgrade to city-level) has been detected."

Another beauty? Why haven't I noticed so many beauties in my neighborhood before?

It seems that beauties are not actually lacking in life; it's just that there are not enough eyes to discover them!

Zhang Qiu was quite satisfied with the system's criteria. The provincial beauty Lin Lai and the city-level beauty Su Yun, who were previously notified, both made Zhang Qiu very satisfied.

This time, it's a county-level beauty, and one who is about to upgrade to city-level. I wonder what she looks like? I don't know how beauties upgrade. Is it through plastic surgery? It shouldn't be, otherwise, it would be too unfair.

No matter what, let's see her first.

Just as Zhang Qiu was about to go forward to look for the beauty, a voice suddenly came: "Brother Qiu, you're here! It's been a while!"

Hearing this voice, Zhang Qiu was surprised for a moment, then his face lit up with joy: "Lanlan! It's really been a long time." Could she be the beauty the system notified?

A beauty appeared before him, with large eyes and a slightly round face, but not fat, rather very cute. Using a popular term nowadays, she was a "cute girl." This girl was none other than Lanlan, whom Zhang Qiu had mentioned. She was a childhood friend, named Ning Lan.

When Zhang Qiu was born, the family planning policy was strictly enforced, so most of the people of that generation in the countryside were only children, and even many other families had only one child.

Without siblings, children had to treat their good friends as siblings. Zhang Qiu and Ning Lan were such a pair of opposite-sex siblings, with a very close relationship, even surpassing many blood-related siblings.

However, when they reached high school, Ning Lan and Zhang Qiu did not attend the same school. With the tight schedule and the fact that they both lived on campus, they saw each other less and had fewer opportunities to meet. But their relationship did not cool down; instead, it seemed to become even closer.

Ning Lan walked over with a smile, skillfully hooking her arm around Zhang Qiu's. To an outsider, they might have looked like a couple, but the two were already used to it.

At this moment, the system reminded them of its existence again. "New task: New acquaintance — New hug. Obtain the first hug from your childhood friend after she has grown up. Reward: Proficiency in high school exams (county-level)."

Zhang Qiu's heart suddenly raced, and his body tensed up. What was normally a very natural action now felt somewhat intimate. At this moment, Zhang Qiu finally confirmed that the beauty the system mentioned was Ning Lan.

Feeling Ning Lan's well-developed, soft parts brushing against his arm, Zhang Qiu suddenly felt himself getting hard.

Zhang Qiu's sudden stiffness made Ning Lan feel something different. However, she didn't mind and even teased him playfully: "Brother, am I making you nervous by hooking my arm around you?"

"Ha, you're a big beauty! Then I must be a big handsome guy," Zhang Qiu said disdainfully. But Ning Lan laughed and said, "Brother Qiu is already a big handsome guy!" To be honest, Zhang Qiu had never really thought of this sister as a beauty before; at most, she was a bit cute.

But after junior high school, she had grown up, and now she did have a bit of a beauty's charm. Although she wasn't as goddess-like as Lin Lai or as maturely charming as Su Yun, she was at least a cute girl, a beauty in the making.

If she grows for another two years, after the洗礼 of university and the polishing of society, she will definitely become a big beauty. The system said she was about to upgrade. However, he couldn't admit it verbally; that was the fun of bantering: "Pfft! Even if I am a big handsome guy, you're not a big beauty."

"Brother Qiu, saying that makes me so sad," Ning Lan pouted, shaking Zhang Qiu's arm.

Suddenly, Zhang Qiu turned and laughed, "Yes, yes, yes! My little sister is getting prettier. Come, let me give you a hug!" As he said this, he opened his arms and hugged Ning Lan.

Ning Lan, caught off guard, stiffened for a moment, then her face turned slightly red as she pushed Zhang Qiu away. Zhang Qiu wasn't really trying to be intimate; he let go when Ning Lan gently pushed him.

The scene fell into a brief silence. Ning Lan was a bit shy; she didn't expect Zhang Qiu to use such an obviously intimate tone to tease her and actually hug her.

Although they had often "shoulder-tapped" each other under the guise of being siblings in the past, they were both young and innocent then, like real siblings. Unlike now, when Zhang Qiu really hugged her.

She could even feel her developing chest pressing against Zhang Qiu's, which was why she was a bit shy.

Zhang Qiu, on the other hand, was deep in thought. He hadn't heard the system's notification that the task was completed, which made him a bit uneasy. He silently checked the task status, and a window appeared in his mind, showing the task status.

"Task: New acquaintance — New hug (Completion: 1/2)."

Completion at 50%, what's going on? Is it because Ning Lan didn't hug me back?

After some thought, he concluded that the reason must be the one-sided hug. After all, he had ambushed her, and she was caught off guard, so it wasn't the same as a mutual hug between a couple.

Now that he knew the task was only half complete, he couldn't think of a good excuse to complete it. Although Ning Lan was his sister, he had to have limits, or it would cross the line and ruin their sibling relationship.

Regaining his composure, he saw Ning Lan's slightly red face and said with a smile, "What's wrong? Have you become so unfamiliar after so long? Don't you recognize your brother anymore? If you're upset with me, I can let you hug me back. No one will lose out."

As he said this, he placed his hand on Ning Lan's small, smooth shoulder, as he usually did.

"Of course not!" Ning Lan immediately countered.

She then realized what Zhang Qiu had said and spat, "Pfft! Brother Qiu, you're so bad, like a pervert in a movie! I'll tell Aunt Wang that you bullied me, and she'll spank you."

Aunt Wang was Ning Lan's term for Zhang Qiu's mother, Wang Sujian. Hearing his sister use his mother as a shield, Zhang Qiu immediately backed down. He immediately smiled and said, "I was just joking, wasn't I? I'll apologize to you. Don't tell my mom, I don't want to go into the exam with a bruise!"

"Not sincere!" Ning Lan rolled her eyes at Zhang Qiu.

"Alright, then what would make you feel better?" Zhang Qiu asked.

"Unless..." Ning Lan's bright eyes twinkled, and she placed a finger on her chin, thinking, looking incredibly cute.

"Unless what?" Zhang Qiu asked.

Ning Lan didn't answer but suddenly gave Zhang Qiu a disdainful look and said sternly, "Take your hand off first!"

Zhang Qiu was startled by her serious expression, realizing that it didn't look good to have his hand on her shoulder. He reluctantly let go and smiled slightly.

But as soon as Zhang Qiu's hand was off, Ning Lan's serious face turned into a mischievous smile, and she hooked her arm around Zhang Qiu's again.

"You have to accompany me shopping! And you have to pretend to be my boyfriend and take me to school!" Ning Lan made her decision.

"Okay... huh!" Zhang Qiu agreed to go shopping, even though he was inwardly groaning. But then he almost choked on the next part.

"Girl, isn't early romance strictly forbidden at school? Are you sure you don't want me to pretend to be your brother?" Zhang Qiu asked.

Ning Lan didn't mind: "You are my brother, so why pretend! You didn't hear wrong, I want you to pretend to be my boyfriend. The college entrance exam is coming up, and the school can't manage everything. Why should other boys be allowed to confess to girls without interference, but if I find a boyfriend, the teachers will interfere?"

"Lanlan, did something happen to you? Did someone bully you? Tell me, and I'll teach them a lesson!" Zhang Qiu said.

"No! You can't fight!" Ning Lan immediately stopped him, then said in a low voice, "Just pretend to be my boyfriend."

"Alright! I'll do as you say." Zhang Qiu agreed readily, thinking that Lanlan must have some troubles and he needed to help her. But then he had a mischievous idea and said with a teasing smile, "Lanlan, since we're boyfriend and girlfriend, shouldn't we act more like it, like giving each other a hug..."

"If you behave well, it's not impossible," Ning Lan said, her face turning red again, her voice soft and almost inaudible.

At this moment, the system notification appeared: "New task: Troubles of Youth. Help Ning Lan, pretend to be Ning Lan's boyfriend, and solve Ning Lan's troubles. Reward: Proficiency in high school exams (city-level)."

Lanlan must have some troubles! With the task as proof, Zhang Qiu was even more certain. But since Lanlan didn't want to say, he didn't press her. The truth would come out eventually.

With 5,000 yuan and two provincial-level skills, Zhang Qiu felt confident and wasn't worried about Lanlan's problems.

---

[AD begins]

[AD ends]