A Super Jackpot

The effect was also unexpectedly good.

[Friendship Points from Tang San +10.]

Su Yun couldn't help sighing again. As expected of the protagonist!

Hearing Su Yun's question, Tang San took a deep breath.

"Um..."

"You left in such a hurry just now that you dropped your handkerchief. I picked it up. Here, it's yours."

After speaking, he let go of Old Jack's hand, took the handkerchief from his pocket, walked over to Su Yun, and carefully held it out.

Looking at the handkerchief Tang San offered, Su Yun's expression grew somewhat complicated. Tang San was now humble and polite, nothing like someone who kept threatening people with the Way of Seeking Death.

"Okay, thank you."

Taking the handkerchief, Su Yun's voice was already calm. Though he had accepted wearing women's clothes, he still had his limits.

He might wear women's clothes, but his heart was that of a man. He would never sell his looks or flirt with anyone just to earn Friendship Points.

Cold.jpg

Seeing Su Yun take the handkerchief, Tang San breathed a sigh of relief, a smile appearing on his face.

"You're welcome."

Then Tang San pressed his advantage.

"Um, I'm really sorry!

I seem to have actually forgotten your name.

I know it's a bit presumptuous, but I'd like to get to know you again."

After speaking, Tang San looked at Su Yun expectantly.

Su Yun even saw hope and pleading in his eyes.

Was it really that serious?

Su Yun unconsciously touched his own cheek.

Just then, Old Jack beside them couldn't help bursting into laughter.

"Little San!

It's only been a little while, and you don't recognize Xiao Yun anymore?

Didn't she come looking for you to play just the other day?"

"Xiao Yun?"

Hearing Old Jack, Tang San murmured in confusion, his brows knitting as he tried to remember. Then, as if suddenly recalling something, he opened his eyes wide and stared at Su Yun.

"You're Su Yun... Yun?"

At that, Su Yun didn't answer. He simply kept staring at Tang San, expressionless.

Tang San's expression was remarkably varied, shifting from shock to surprise, then to disbelief.

Wasn't Su Yun a boy? Aside from his long hair, his features had only been pretty enough to call him delicate.

Looking at the beautiful girl before him, who seemed as flawless as a porcelain doll, Tang San found it truly difficult to connect the two of them.

Remembering how Su Yun had asked him to play before, and how he had been lukewarm and kept her at arm's length, Tang San suddenly understood why she was so cold now.

A hint of guilt and regret welled up inside him. All he could do was offer a stiff apology.

"I'm sorry, I... I..."

Tang San didn't know what to say next.

Was he supposed to say that he hadn't thought much of Su Yun before, but now that he knew she was a girl, he regretted it?

As a fellow man, Su Yun instantly got what Tang San was thinking. An idea even popped into his head.

If he gave Tang San an opening right now, he might even earn another batch of Friendship Points.

But was that really okay? It would break his vow to wear women's clothes without flirting.

At that moment, Su Yun's thoughts were once again locked in a fierce struggle.

In the end, gazing at the System Mall and all the lottery tickets, Su Yun finally made his move.

"I should be the one apologizing.

I was the one who kept pestering Little San Gege before and wasted your time.

It's only natural that Little San Gege was annoyed with me and pretended not to know me."

After speaking, she gently bit her lip, putting on a stubborn look, then slowly lowered her head. She looked so forlorn.

Su Yun didn't know the art of tea, but he was a man, and men understood men best.

When faced with misunderstandings and conflicts, most men chose to solve the problem. If the other person avoided them and acted cold at such a time, it would only wear away their guilt and gradually make them angry.

So Su Yun's words not only gave Tang San an opening to explain himself, but also deepened his guilt.

Sure enough, hearing those words made Tang San's already guilty conscience swell, and he even became a little flustered.

"I didn't!"

Tang San hurriedly waved his hands.

"It's mainly because you changed so much from before."

Actually, Tang San had wanted to gloss over the question of why he'd ignored Su Yun before.

But as he looked at the girl in front of him, he inexplicably told a lie.

"Actually, it wasn't that I didn't want to talk to you before. I'm just not very good at socializing."

Afraid Su Yun wouldn't believe him, he added,

"If you don't believe me, you can ask Grandpa Jack. I don't have any friends in Soul Saint Village."

Old Jack, standing nearby, nodded gently when he heard this.

"Xiao Yun, Little San's telling the truth!

He really doesn't have many friends. Most of the time, he has to look after his drunkard of a father, too."

Normally, if Old Jack spoke about Tang Hao like that, Tang San would never have taken it well. He would only have spoken up in his father's defense.

But today, Tang San didn't say a word. He looked at Su Yun expectantly.

His expression seemed to say: See? Grandpa Jack said it too. I didn't ignore you on purpose.

Hearing this, Su Yun gently tucked the hair from her face behind her ear. Her eyes curved into crescents as she revealed a bright, sunny smile.

"Alright~

Then I'll forgive you, Little San Gege.

Let's introduce ourselves again. My name is Su Yun."

After speaking, she held out a hand as fair as jade to Tang San.

In that instant, Tang San felt the clamor around him fade away. The world held only him and the girl before him.

Backlit by the morning sun, the light perfectly outlined her exquisitely beautiful profile, while a faint golden edge rimmed the tips of her hair.

That magical smiling face was like the first warm ray of sunlight to pierce the clouds when the ice and snow of early spring first began to melt—so warm, so comforting.

Tang San could clearly hear his hopeless heart give a mighty thump in his chest, as if it had been struck hard by something both soft and powerful.

Taking a deep breath, Tang San tried to act as if nothing could disturb him, and held out his hand too.

"My name is Tang San!"

Meanwhile, Tang San had already sworn to himself,

"I'll protect that smile."

As their hands met, Su Yun could feel how nervous Tang San was, because his palm was drenched in sweat.

[Friendship Points from Tang San +30.]

[Friendship Points from Tang San +30.]

[Friendship Points from Tang San +40.]

...

Looking at the new notifications on the System panel, Su Yun fought to contain his excitement and kept smiling!

One smile had earned him a whole 100 Friendship Points. It was a super jackpot! This proved beyond a doubt how wise and brilliant his decision had been!

They'd successfully broken the ice.

The two began chatting normally, and by the time they reached Spirit Hall, their relationship had already taken a big step forward.

By then, seven children had gathered at the entrance. With Su Yun and Tang San, who had arrived last, there were nine in total.

The moment the two arrived, they drew everyone's attention. More precisely, it was Su Yun who drew their attention. The village children didn't think much of Tang San, after all, and they began whispering among themselves.

"Who's that girl? She's so pretty!"

"Yeah, but why is she here with Tang San?"

"Are they related?"

"No way! How could Tang San have such a pretty relative!"