Chapter 16: Childhood Friend Mo Tong Requests Cohabitation!
[Daily Settlement]
[Jiang Ruoxi’s favorability yesterday: 38 (+2), Su Wanwan’s favorability yesterday: 55 (+11)]
[Total points earned: 93 points]
[Current Godfather Points: 248 points]
Favorability steadily rising, points harvested abundantly.
Jiang Yuan rubbed his chin, calculating.
At this current rate of increase, by competition day on Saturday he’d have enough for 500 points to activate the next talent’s quest chain.
The next day, the alarm rang and Jiang Yuan rolled out of bed, washed up, and headed out.
Morning class was a major—”Introduction to Esports.”
Jiang Yuan walked into the lecture hall, found his usual spot in the back row by the window.
Shortly after sitting down, several familiar faces gathered around.
“Yuan, morning!”
A girl wearing black-rimmed glasses with slightly curly hair and a lean build sat next to Jiang Yuan. She was the class brain and data expert, Liao Zhizhi.
She said quietly: “I just quit the club. Does the girls’ team need an analyst?”
“Yes.”
“Good, send me the president’s WeChat.”
Next to them, a guy with grandma-gray dyed hair and earrings who looked somewhat rebellious, Liu Shuai, leaned over: “Brother Yuan, does the girls’ team still need people? I can help too.”
“Are you really there to help? I’m too embarrassed to call you out!”
“Hehe.” Liu Shuai scratched his head: “We’re all bros…”
Another guy in a checkered shirt who looked honest and straightforward, Senior Zhang Ye, said: “Brother Yuan, lots of people in our class plan to watch the internet café tournament. Go for it!”
“No problem.”
The class atmosphere was great. Only Ruan Junzhe sat alone in front, silent.
Jiang Yuan glanced at his back, feeling something was odd, but didn’t say anything.
The morning classes passed quickly.
At noon, Jiang Yuan was about to go to the cafeteria with his roommates when his phone rang—it was his mom.
He answered: “Hello, Mom.”
“Son, have you eaten yet?”
“About to go eat. What’s up?”
“You and Tongtong haven’t been in touch much lately, have you?”
Mo Tong?
Jiang Yuan was startled.
This was his childhood friend—they’d played together since wearing split-crotch pants.
Same elementary class, same middle school, same high school too.
Their relationship was incredibly close, closer than real siblings.
Being neighbors, their families were also very close. The elders used to joke: “You two should just get married when you grow up. You know each other inside and out anyway—perfect match.”
“…We haven’t been in touch much. I’ve been pretty busy lately. What’s wrong?” Jiang Yuan asked.
“That child’s cat had kittens, and it’s inconvenient to keep them in the dorm, so she wants to move out.”
“Oh, that’s good.”
“Good? What’s good about it? She’s a girl living alone off-campus—how can we feel at ease? You go rent a place with her.”
Jiang Yuan paused, shaking his head: “No.”
“Go ahead,” his mother said. “Tongtong is so innocent—if you don’t go, we’re really worried someone might take advantage of her.”
Jiang Yuan still shook his head: “Not going. Too much trouble.”
“I’ll give you an extra two thousand in living expenses every month if you go.”
“…”
Hesitating even one second would be disrespectful to that money.
“Mom, don’t worry! Taking care of Tongtong is my responsibility! I guarantee she’ll live comfortably and happily!”
After hanging up, Jiang Yuan was thrilled.
This wave—this wave meant his living expenses just doubled!
So awesome!
That afternoon’s major class, Jiang Yuan basically let everything go in one ear and out the other.
Finally when the dismissal bell rang, Jiang Yuan packed up and rushe