Chapter 2: Why, How Could This Be?

“Tag energy? And creating tags?”

Another new thing appeared, and Xu Lin instinctively chose ‘Yes.’

[Available tags for creation: <?>, <Positive Role> (White)]

What was this now?

Xu Lin wanted to select it to see the details.

“Ugh…”

A dull pain surged through his head, leaving him dizzy and his chest heavy.

His vision blurred suddenly, as if an electric buzzing coursed through his mind.

When his sight returned, his head still felt heavy, and breathing became difficult.

“What’s happening to me…”

The system interface in front of him changed, displaying his information with a status bar below.

Currently, he had only one status, and it was negative.

[Heavy Girl Gravity Field]

Those affected by this status will feel mentally drained, unsettled, dizzy, and disoriented. Prolonged exposure may pose a life-threatening danger.

Ugh, so this is why I feel so bad right now?

Where did this negative status come from… Could it be from staring at the “Heavy Girl” characters next to Lin Shen Xue earlier?

Below the negative status, there was another line.

Negative status source: <Heavy Girl> tag.

“As expected…”

“Classmate, are you okay?”

Lin Shen Xue’s concerned voice came again, but hearing her made Xu Lin’s headache worsen.

At this moment, he had no energy left to respond to her.

What should I do now?

Just thinking made his head throb.

For now, it seems the only option is to use the tag creation!

Enduring the intensifying pain in his head, he opened the creation page.

He checked the information on the tags available for creation.

<?>, requires 200 points of <Heavy Girl> tag energy, effect unknown.

This wasn’t right—his energy was insufficient.

<Positive Role> (White), requires 20 points of <Heavy Girl> tag energy.

Tag effect: After application, it can be synthesized into a recovery item, capable of alleviating or removing Level 1 negative statuses, with a special effect against negative statuses caused by the <Heavy Girl> tag.

This was it!

It could only alleviate or remove Level 1 negative statuses?

He quickly checked the details of [Heavy Girl Gravity Field]. It was Level 1!

Perfect!

The dull pain in his head grew more intense.

He reopened the tag creation page.

This time, he didn’t hesitate, selecting <Positive Role>, choosing to create one, and starting the process.

[<Positive Role> (White) creation complete, quantity: 1]

[Remaining tag energy <Heavy Girl>: 80]

In his tag inventory, a <Positive Role> tag now appeared, glowing with white text.

Next was synthesizing an item? How to synthesize?

[Would you like to apply the <Positive Role> tag to ‘Heavy Girl’s Gift’?]

A system prompt sounded, and he instinctively looked at the mineral water bottle in his hand.

Next to it, a semi-transparent virtual button appeared.

[Synthesis Preview]

Xu Lin hurriedly clicked to check.

Two icons appeared.

The first was still a bottle of mineral water, and the second was a large question mark. Both had descriptive text below.

The text under the mineral water read: Relaxed and Refreshing Mineral Water, synthesis probability 0.99.

Effect: After drinking, it refreshes body and mind, relieving most abnormal statuses caused by Heavy Girl.

The text under the question mark read: Random Negative Item, synthesis probability 0.01.

Details: Unfortunately, your synthesis failed.

Yes, this was it!

Xu Lin wanted to select synthesis, but a sharp pain suddenly stabbed through his head, as if a steel nail had been driven into his brain.

His vision went black for a moment before light returned.

But when his sight cleared, the scene before him became distorted and chaotic, colors swirling wildly.

“Classmate, let me take you to the infirmary!”

Lin Shen Xue’s voice came again, but this time it sounded slowed down tenfold.

“Ah, am I… going to die?”

Xu Lin felt the world spinning, the ground beneath him melting, as if something was grabbing his feet, dragging him down into an abyss.

Darkness began to envelop him, with only a faint, distant speck of light remaining.

Panic surged in his heart, and he instinctively reached out to grab something to keep from falling into the void.

At that moment, the only tangible thing in his hand was the mineral water bottle.

Right, right, right, there’s this!

He looked at the bottle in his hand, realizing that his hand seemed impossibly far away.

Yet the system interface remained clear and close.

[Would you like to apply the <Positive Role> tag to this item?]

Yes.

Xu Lin didn’t hesitate for a moment.

[Synthesis Initiated]

‘Heavy Girl’s Gift’ + <Positive Role>

[Synthesis Complete]

[Congratulations, you have obtained: Relaxed and Refreshing Mineral Water (Blue)]

Success!

If he had hit that 0.01 probability and failed, he would’ve cried.

And it was blue quality!

As soon as the Relaxed and Refreshing Mineral Water was in his hand, the distance between his hand and himself instantly shortened.

Yet the dull pain in his head hadn’t fully subsided, and the colors before his eyes remained chaotic.

Without hesitation, Xu Lin twisted open the bottle and drank it all in one go.

The water was smooth and gentle, and as it reached his stomach, a warm sensation began to spread.

In the next moment, it surged to his head.

For a moment, it was as if he were bathed in the warm sun of winter, his entire body relaxed and refreshed.

The dull pain in his head vanished, and the scene before him became clear and bright, a hundred times more refreshing than a good night’s sleep.

This effect was incredible!

Having survived the ordeal, Xu Lin couldn’t help but smile with relief.

He looked at the now-empty water bottle in his hand.

The bottle no longer had any description—it seemed to have become an ordinary bottle.

“Classmate…”

Lin Shen Xue’s voice came from beside him, as if she wanted to say something, but several voices interrupted her.

“Hey, Third, did they call our names yet?”

Xu Lin paused and looked to his right.

Three guys, looking rushed and sweating, stood there.

His head now clear, he recognized them instantly.

They were his dorm mates.

Only then did he recall where he was.

In the earlier pain, it felt as though ages had passed, leaving him with an inexplicable sense of disconnection.

The teacher had called his dorm mates’ names.

They finally relaxed completely.

The dorm leader collapsed into a seat, exhaling, “Man, isn’t this supposed to be an easy class? Why didn’t they do roll call before or later, but today of all days?”

The leader looked at Xu Lin.

“Third, good thing you sent that message in time…”

Halfway through, his voice trailed off.

He pulled Xu Lin closer, lowering his voice.

“Holy crap, isn’t that Lin Shen Xue, the class beauty from the other class, sitting next to you? How’d you end up sitting with her?”

“…I’m telling you, she sat next to me on her own. Believe it or not?”

Xu Lin’s voice carried a hint of helplessness.

“Yeah, keep bragging!”

Xu Lin could only smile.

He was telling the truth.

But at this moment, he wished none of what had just happened was real.

The sensation just before drinking the mineral water was far too terrifying.

For the rest of the class, Lin Shen Xue, sitting beside him, didn’t speak again.

And after what had just happened, Xu Lin naturally didn’t dare talk to her either.

Only his dorm mates kept passing notes, chatting about him.

…

The bell for the end of class rang, and students began leaving.

Xu Lin had spent the entire class thinking about the system, wondering if it was an illusion.

But after some time, the system didn’t disappear, proving it was all very real.

Then he thought of the “Heavy Girl” characters next to Lin Shen Xue.

The system seemed to call them attribute tags.

He pondered the connection between the system and these things.

But he didn’t Dare look at Lin Shen Xue again, instead scanning the other students in the class.

Oddly, he didn’t see anything similar on anyone else.

He thought it might be because he could only see their backs, but even his dorm mates, sitting face-to-face with him, had nothing like it.

He spent the entire class trapped in various confusions.

From time to time, he sensed Lin Shen Xue casting concerned glances at him, which only added to his pressure.

He was afraid her “gravity field” would drag him under again.

Now, seeing most of the students had left, he instinctively wanted to leave too.

Suddenly, he remembered the mineral water bottle in his hand.

He glanced to the side, catching the edge of the Heavy Girl tag, then quickly averted his gaze.

Lin Shen Xue hadn’t left yet.

“Classmate Lin, thanks for the water earlier.”

Though drinking it directly would’ve been worse, at least it provided material for synthesis.

“How much was the water? I’ll transfer you the money.”

Xu Lin spoke quickly.

“No need, it wasn’t expensive.”

Lin Shen Xue waved her hand, giving a gentle smile and speaking in her soft voice.

“I insist.”

Xu Lin’s tone carried a hint of determination.

He didn’t know what was up with the Heavy Girl tag on her, but it was clearly dangerous.

So he instinctively wanted to keep his distance from her, avoiding falling into that negative status again.

It was best to clear all debts first.

“Alright then. The water was three yuan.”

Lin Shen Xue thought for a moment before smiling and saying.

She then took out her phone and pulled up a QR code.

“Shen Xue, let’s go!”

Someone called out to Lin Shen Xue.

“Coming soon.”

Lin Shen Xue responded.

Xu Lin quickly took out his phone and scanned her QR code.

“Then, classmate, I’ll head out first.”

Before Xu Lin could complete the transfer, Lin Shen Xue’s voice faded as she left.

“Okay.”

Xu Lin responded while operating his phone.

?

But then he noticed that the phone didn’t display a payment interface—it showed a friend request interface.

The nickname was a snowman icon.

A familiar avatar.

And below, there was no option to add as a friend.

She was already his friend!

Could it be…

All the conversations with Snowman from last night flooded his mind.

Along with what they said today.

“I successfully got close to the person I like!”

“I sat next to him.”

It matched. It all matched!

That meant Lin Shen Xue’s crush… was him!

Why? How could this be?