C15 Her Beautiful Hair Went Straight down

The system seemed to choke for a moment, as if Ruan Shiyu's shamelessness had startled it. After a brief pause, the system spoke in a slightly stunned electronic voice, "Pardon me, but..."

"Hmm? What?" Ruan Shiyu was already prepared for the system to refuse.

Instead, the system said, "Pardon me, but I've never encountered someone as shameless as you."

Ruan Shiyu: "..."

She swallowed hard, then managed a dry laugh, "Well, I've never met a system as cheeky as you."

After exchanging jabs, Ruan Shiyu suddenly flopped onto her bed in defeat, shouting, "You said I could ask for anything! I don't want much materially, so why can't you help me get rid of my belly? Aren't you a system from the future? If you can't do even that, what's the point of asking for anything?"

Her argument was so convincing that the system almost believed it.

"But losing weight and getting fit is something you need to do yourself. I can assist, but if I do it all, you'll become dependent," the system insisted. "You can ask for something else."

"You can do that?" Ruan Shiyu's eyes widened as she sat up, bringing her phone closer.

She thought the system refused because it couldn't do it, but it turns out it's quite capable! With this realization, Ruan Shiyu's eyes sparkled mischievously, already plotting a hundred ways to exploit the system.

The system, hiding behind its software, suddenly felt a chill. Can a system even feel a chill?

"Never mind." However, Ruan Shiyu was all bark and no bite. After a moment of sharp contemplation, she moved her phone away and said, "I won't trouble you. I don't have any requests for now. Can I save this wish for later?"

"Of course," the system sighed in relief. "Well, goodnight, you should get some sleep."

Ruan Shiyu glanced up at the clock and realized it was already 10:30 PM. Even the system was hinting at rewarding her for the day, so she felt guilty about staying up any longer. Reluctantly, she hung up the phone, tidied up a bit, and then lay down on the bed.

Having slept so little the previous night, Shiyu quickly drifted into a deep sleep. Before she fully succumbed to slumber, she hazily thought about how she had finished this month's illustrations, hit the gym, and even went shopping for clothes all in one day. Who knew so much could be accomplished in just a day?

The next morning at 6:30, the quiet of Shiyu's home was suddenly pierced by a scream that could wake the dead. It came from the bathroom. After the scream, the house fell silent again until Shiyu burst out of the bathroom, wailing like a banshee.

She was wrapped in a bathrobe, her wet hair hanging over her shoulders, giving her a ghostly appearance. But she had no time to worry about how she looked. She dashed to the bedroom, grabbed her phone, and shook it frantically. "System, system! Wake up! Wake up!"

The system, hidden within the phone, thought to itself: What if it could just switch users?

"Stop shaking me, I'm going to fall apart," appeared on the screen, followed by a call from the system.

When she answered, the usually emotionless electronic voice sounded tired. "Host, what kind of trouble are you causing now?"

Shiyu was too distraught to care about the system's snarky comment and felt like crying out loud. "System! My hair has split ends! What do I do?"

The system, unable to comprehend why humans—or some girls, in particular—were so obsessed with their hair, wished she would stop shaking it. Despite its internal frustration, the system resisted the urge to extract its data from the phone and patiently asked, "Host, can you explain slowly?"

"Whimper, whimper." Ruan Shiyu was really upset. "I used to have such great hair—shiny, smooth, and sleek! Now it's all split ends, and I've got a class reunion in a few days! How am I supposed to face everyone? My hair was my only redeeming quality."

Hearing Shiyu's last comment, the system nearly nodded in agreement: Today, the host truly knows herself. But it was just a humble system, and the host was already on the brink of a meltdown. If it pushed her any further, it might really have to relocate.

The system patiently suggested, "Host, you still have one wish left. Would you like to use it to improve your hair?"

"Huh? Is that even possible?" Shiyu paused her sobbing. "Why didn't you say before that I could fix my hair by adjusting my routine?"

System: "So, do you want to or not?"

"Yes, yes, of course!" Shiyu couldn't pass up such a good opportunity and nodded quickly, afraid the system might change its mind.

The system went silent, and just as Shiyu was about to ask, her phone suddenly emitted the system's electronic voice: "Host has claimed the reward [Beautiful Hair, Smooth as Silk]. Keep up the good work and complete more tasks."

Shiyu: "???"

Nothing had happened yet, so where was her reward?

The system continued, "This reward requires you to go to bed early and wake up early. Your task lasts for a month. Since you've claimed the reward, you must strictly follow the schedule for the next month, or you'll face severe consequences."

Shiyu was taken aback: "Wait a minute, you said I already claimed the reward. Where is it?"

The system's voice was laced with disdain: "Can't you just look at your own hair?"

Prompted by the system, Shiyu quickly glanced down and realized her hair had somehow dried and genuinely felt smoother. It even seemed like the overall length had changed.

"Wait, is this my hair?" Shiyu held up the strands, examining them closely. The length and texture seemed familiar, reminiscent of her school days years ago.

The system chimed in, "We've replaced your current hair with how it looked in your freshman year of college. This method can improve your hair's quality, but you'll need to maintain it. If you don't stick to a healthy routine, your hair could revert to being dry and split, or even worse, you might experience hair loss."

The thought made Shiyu's scalp tingle with fear. She quickly covered her head and exclaimed, "Stop! I'll go to bed early and wake up early, I promise!"

The idea of losing her hair was terrifying. She couldn't bear the thought of going bald.

"As long as you're aware," the system replied before ending the call.

Even though the system didn't say much, Shiyu was still a bit shaken. The threat of hair loss seemed more severe than any other punishment. She resolved to take good care of her newly restored hair.

After the initial panic, Shiyu felt delighted. She admired her regained hair in the mirror for a long time, styling it playfully and choosing a pretty headband to match. She also changed into a nice set of sportswear.

Shiyu rarely put so much effort into her appearance. Even without makeup, she looked refreshed and vibrant.

As she stepped out, she ran into Xiangqian coming from the opposite direction. He paused, taken aback by Shiyu's new look, and then smiled, "You look great today."

Receiving a compliment right out the door made Shiyu blush with happiness. She glanced at Xiangqian and replied, "You look handsome too!"

Xiangqian always dressed simply, and today was no exception with his white sportswear. It was understated yet not careless, and he looked good from every angle.

Unlike her usual casual demeanor, Ruan Shiyu was feeling quite different today. It must be the effect of a new attitude towards life, she mused. Clothes really do make the person; dressed well, she could pass for quite the beauty!

With this thought, Ruan Shiyu couldn't help but smile. "Shall we go for a run first, or grab breakfast?" she asked.

This spirited version of Ruan Shiyu was a bit unfamiliar to Hsu Xiangqian, yet it brought him a small joy. His eyes lingered on her for a while until her voice snapped him back to reality, making him realize he was a bit lost in thought.

Clearing his throat, Hsu Xiangqian quickly looked away and replied, "Let's go for a run first. It's not ideal to exercise after eating."

Ruan Shiyu, in high spirits, readily agreed. The two of them began their usual morning exercise, jogging around the neighborhood, one behind the other.

They left home early, and as they ran, more people began to emerge from their homes. Most were office workers, rushing about with hurried expressions. Some glanced at Ruan Shiyu and Hsu Xiangqian with a hint of envy in their eyes.

These nine-to-five workers often longed for the freedom of a freelancer's lifestyle—being able to eat and sleep as they pleased, exercise in the morning, and stay up late without worrying about an early start the next day. Although the reality might not be as rosy, the appearance of such freedom was enough to inspire envy.

Noticing their looks, Ruan Shiyu felt a surge of pride. She had always considered herself average, often envying others, not realizing she was someone others envied too.

With this realization, Ruan Shiyu ran with even more vigor. As she continued, a new idea sparked in her mind, her fingers itching to draw something.

This was a refreshing feeling for Ruan Shiyu. Ever since she became a professional comic artist, her inspiration had been dwindling. Her days were mostly spent at home, relying on her previous comic series to make a living. The urge to create something new hadn't surfaced in a long time.

Inspiration can't wait. After finally finishing his morning run, Xiangqian planned to invite Shiyu to breakfast. However, Shiyu spoke up first, "Sorry, I can't have breakfast with you today. I need to hurry home."