At Yan City University of Technology, in the boys' dormitory, Zhang Wensheng was staring at his phone, eyes green with envy as he looked at the travel updates posted by his goddess on her Moments. He jumped out of bed in frustration, hesitated for a while, but didn't muster the courage to send her a message. Instead, he angrily pounded his pillow and opened the forum app.

In the automotive and romance sections, he posted: "Sincerely asking, what car is this? Let me give up."

The post read: "The girl I’ve had a crush on since high school turned down my movie invitation but went on a road trip with someone else. I want to know where I lost."

He attached a photo of the car interior, which Zhao Yaqian had taken, showing the glove compartment filled with snacks. The post quickly garnered many replies.

【Needing Resignation: "Nice legs! Worthy of being called a goddess!"】

【Ice Cream: "Looking at the leg length, this girl must be at least 175 cm tall! Perfect for basketball."】

【Gym Guy: "Those legs are too good to waste on anything but a tricycle."】

All the comments focused on praising the legs, despite the photo only showing a pair of slender and straight legs. It still attracted a lot of attention.

Zhang Wensheng quickly replied, "Guys, please focus on the main point. What car is this?"

After a while, some serious netizens joined the conversation.

【Rocket Husky: "The interior looks unfamiliar, it must be modified. The owner has good taste; it looks nice."】

【Almost Believed It: "Strange, the layout looks familiar, but I can't recall it."】

【High Temperature: "Look at the B-pillar and the glove compartment. Isn't this my beloved Wuling Hongguang S? Interior.jpg"】

Zhang Wensheng zoomed in on the photo, comparing it carefully. Indeed, the layout matched the one Zhao Yaqian had posted. It was likely the same model.

"Wuling Hongguang S?" He searched for the model on Douyin, checking its details and price. Instantly, he felt relieved.

Fortunately, it wasn't a fancy car. Zhao Yaqian, such an outstanding girl, had high standards. The guy she was with didn't seem exceptionally handsome and drove a 50,000 yuan Wuling Hongguang. There's no way he'd win her heart.

Feeling more confident, Zhang Wensheng liked Zhao Yaqian’s post and commented, "Qianqian, you're as beautiful as ever! Who did you go with? The Wuling Hongguang has lots of space. Take me next time! I've been taking photography classes, and my skills are top-notch!"

After admiring her pictures for a while, Zhang Wensheng deleted his forum post, feeling that those commenting were just excited about nothing.

...

At Tiankuo Garden, the Wuling Hongguang slowly came to a stop outside Building 6, Unit 2.

After a day out, Zhao Yaqian sat quietly in her seat, a faint smile on her lips. In the dim light, her exposed skin appeared exceptionally fair. Her smooth hair framed her delicate face, cascading over her chest as she slept sweetly.

Tang Song didn’t wake her immediately. He repositioned the car to ensure it didn't block anyone else, then turned off the engine.

Without the engine noise, the car became dark and quiet, filled with the faint sound of her breathing.

Tang Song adjusted the seatback, breathing in the faint scent from his beautician friend, and looked around curiously.

This was a typical old residential area, not very large, with six-story buildings without elevators. The buildings looked a bit old, and the greenery, facilities, and property management were lacking. Vehicles of all types were parked haphazardly.

However, the area had its advantages: it was in the city center, had convenient transportation, had well-developed surrounding facilities, and was in a school district. A 100-square-meter two-bedroom could be bought for around 1.5 million yuan.

Tang Song’s gaze grew distant. His parents had always hoped he would buy a house in Yan City, settle down, get married, and have children. Given his salary and family conditions, if everything went smoothly, he could buy a second-hand apartment in such an old community by the age of 30, with a 30% down payment and a mortgage.

If his family’s finances allowed, they might even get a car, as Brother Guo did. But this was all assuming nothing went wrong—no illness, job loss, girlfriend issues, borrowing gone bad, or stock market crashes. His family background meant he had no risk cushion. Any setback would significantly delay his plans.

Like his senior year in college, when his father lost his job, and his mother was hospitalized with pneumonia, plunging the family into debt. He gave up his dream of grad school in the capital, submitted resumes, interned, worked hard, and became a full-time employee to shoulder the family’s burden.

During those toughest days, Heartthrob Simulator appeared on his computer, becoming a crucial outlet for stress.

Over the past three years, Tang Song worked hard, took side gigs, lived frugally, and helped pay off family debts, saving over 40,000 yuan. His mother had fully recovered, and his father’s hardware store was gradually getting back on track.

Accepting reality, he left the capital and returned to Yan City, finding a decent job close to his parents, where housing was more affordable. He thought life would continue like this, ordinary and steady, until the game became real, and the system arrived, completely changing his life trajectory. For original chapters go to novｅlfire.net

Every morning, he feared it was all a dream, so his first task was to smile and check the system interface.

“Ding-dong ding-dong—” The phone rang, breaking the car's quiet atmosphere.

“Hmm.” Zhao Yaqian slowly opened her eyes, initially confused, then quickly alert. She grabbed her phone from her bag and answered.

“Hey, Ting Ting.”

“I’m…,” she looked outside, “I’m downstairs. I’ll be right up!”

“Yes, I know.”

“Got it, really got it!” She glanced at Tang Song, “Bye.”

Hanging up, she looked at Tang Song, who explained, “I saw you sleeping so soundly and didn’t want to wake you.”

“Thank you, Brother Song.” She hesitated, looking at Tang Song’s face, “My room is a bit messy, and I have another roommate who…”

Tang Song raised his hand, smiling, “I understand. You’re tired; go get some rest. I won’t bother you.”

Relieved, Zhao Yaqian picked up her bag, ready to leave, “Then, I’ll go now. Be careful on your way home and let me know when you get back.”

The car door opened, and she waved, “Bye-bye~”

“Wait.” Tang Song got out, calling after her. He opened the trunk and packed the remaining fruits, snacks, and drinks into a big bag.

“I’ve been on a diet lately and won’t eat these. Could you take them for me?”

Surprised, Zhao Yaqian hesitated, “You paid for everything today. I already feel bad enough. How can I take more?”

“Please, take them. I bought them for you.” Tang Song handed her the bag.

Their fingers lightly touched, sending a tingling sensation through her.

Blushing, she accepted, “Thank you, Brother Song!”

“Bye~” Tang Song smiled, and got back in the driver’s seat.

As he closed the door, the window rolled down, revealing his smiling face. In the dim light, Zhao Yaqian suddenly thought her programmer friend looked pretty handsome! With proper skincare, he'd be a real heartthrob.

“Bye~, drive safe,” she said, turning to enter her building.

A heavy stomp triggered the sensor light in the stairwell.

...