— And as it turned out, Meng Wange’s remaining three data points had indeed been hidden for a long time.
The afternoon sunlight was no longer so glaring. Behind a thin layer of clouds, it emitted a faint halo and slanted through the window into the classroom, casting long shadows over everything inside.
A breeze blew in from the half-open window, bringing a lazy warmth that made one feel drowsy.
Su Wanli propped her chin with one hand, while the fingertips of her other hand held a black gel pen, slowly spinning it between her fingers.
“Ha… yawn…”
Her gaze did not fall on the physics teacher on the lecture platform, who spoke at a slow pace. Instead, as if attracted by a magnet, it uncontrollably drifted to Meng Wange beside her, and to that translucent virtual panel.
Appetite: 8
②?: 57→79
Sleepiness: 21
â‘£?: 48
â‘¥?: 0
‘Well, it’s normal for the appetite value to stay low after lunch.’
‘As for Meng Wange’s sleepiness value, it gradually fluctuated as the class progressed. Occasionally, when Su Wanli herself was about to fall asleep, this value would jump twice, as if resonating with Su Wanli’s own state of mind.’
‘…So, half a day has already passed, and what do the remaining options mean anyway!!!’
‘As for that data that has remained at absolute zero from the very beginning, forget it. Su Wanli has temporarily given up exploring it.’
‘What about the rest?’
‘The fourth data does often fluctuate a tiny bit, but it stays within a range of seventy to eighty. No clue about that for now.’
‘Then, as expected, I should focus on the second data, right?’
‘This value increased slightly in the morning, dropped very low during the meal, but rose back to around fifty on the way to school, almost the same as now…’
‘Ever since the moment Meng Wange saw me at my door, so what exactly is this?’
‘In any case, just attending class won’t cause any effective fluctuation in the data panel. During the next break, I’ll take more actions, order Meng Wange around, make this value change as dramatically as possible, and then deduce its true name based on the pattern of change.’
‘The system already said this data does not represent a sense of achievement, but it decreases when I scold her and increases when I praise her…’
‘Could it be… her satisfaction with herself? Or her level of excitement?’
‘That feels plausible. I’ll start acting based on that!’
Ding-ling-ling
After the class bell rang, before the physics teacher’s footsteps could even leave the classroom door, Su Wanli immediately stood up from her seat, crossed her arms over her chest, and walked arrogantly to Meng Wange’s front.
[②?: 52→54 (+2)]
‘…Huh?’
Even though she didn’t know what was happening, Su Wanli still followed her original plan. She bent down, tapped the surface of Meng Wange’s desk, and gave an order in a tone that brooked no argument—
“Meng Wange, go buy me a drink from the convenience store next to the cafeteria.”
Meng Wange looked up, her face wearing its usual gentle smile.
“Very well, Miss Su. What would you like to drink?”
[②?: 54→58 (+4)]
Su Wanli furrowed her brows with practiced ease.
‘The plan seems to have gone wrong.’
‘But maybe the intensity isn’t enough. I’ll find a way to make things harder for Meng Wange.’
“…Whatever, just pick something. But not too cold, not too hot, not too stimulating, not too mild. Preferably something milky, but not too greasy.”
“Understood.”
Meng Wange nodded obediently to Su Wanli and prepared to get up.
[②?: 58→62 (+4)]
Hss…
Su Wanli rubbed her temples in confusion, then raised her hand to stop Meng Wange, waving at her.
“Wait. Suddenly I don’t feel like having a drink. Come sit next to me and recite a couple of poems for me.”
“…Um, very well?”
A faint trace of surprise flickered in Meng Wange’s eyes, but she obediently pulled out a poetry book from her desk and dragged her chair over to Su Wanli.
“Miss Su, would you like me to read an ancient poem or a modern one?”
“Page twenty-three, line three.”
“Understood. ‘Withered vines, old trees, crows at dusk… a small bridge over flowing water, people’s homes… an ancient road, a west wind, a lean horse… a heartbroken man at the end of the world.’…”
Amid Meng Wange’s cool voice, Su Wanli looked at the data panel again.
[②?: 62→64 (+2)]
‘…Damn it!! Why does it keep adding up!!???’
‘So this is a value that increases when I bully her?’
‘Then is this Meng Wange’s internal anger level?’
Su Wanli immediately held up a finger to stop Meng Wange from continuing to read. After a moment’s thought, she used her fingertip to lightly lift the black-and-white silk hair ribbon tied behind Meng Wange’s head.
“Oh? That ribbon in your hair, Meng Wange… it looks pretty good, doesn’t it? It really suits you.”
‘I praised her so obviously this time. It should definitely go down!’
[②?: 64→72 (+8)]
‘…Why!?!?!’
Su Wanli, growing increasingly anxious, gritted her molars in frustration.
She yanked the ribbon off Meng Wange’s head, weighed it in her hand a couple of times, then turned her back to Meng Wange and gestured.
“This ribbon is mine for now. Put it on me.”
“…Very well, Miss Su. What kind of hairstyle would you like?”
Without a moment’s hesitation, Meng Wange naturally walked behind Su Wanli and gently lifted the ends of her hair.
[②?: 72→80 (+8)]
‘…’
‘Weird… it’s weird…’
‘What’s going on?’
‘No matter how unreasonable my request, or how much I praise her, Meng Wange’s second data keeps increasing.’
‘So…’
‘Is this data actually representing the level of interaction between Meng Wange and me?’
‘As long as there is interaction, this number keeps growing?’
[Sorry, Host. The system has already tried that for you. The truth seems not to be the case. Please continue your efforts and work hard to understand the heroine’s true feelings.]
‘…’
Feeling Meng Wange’s fingertips brushing through her hair, Su Wanli let out a silent sigh. While enjoying the heroine’s service, she pondered her next move.
But, whether deliberately or accidentally, Meng Wange’s fingertips lightly brushed across Su Wanli’s nape, sending a soft, ticklish sensation through her. Su Wanli couldn’t help but shrug her shoulders, and a disordered breath escaped from her nose.
“Hmph… M-Meng Wange, be careful.”
“…Yes.”
[⑥?: 0→5 (+5)→0 (-5)]
‘Hm?’