325. The Simp!
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On a weekend evening, thanks to Chen Yao’s robust recovery abilities, the swelling in his cheeks had finally gone down quite a bit.
At this rate, he estimated he’d be fully healed in just another week.
Lin Nan, heartache etched on her face, checked her bank card. After just a week of school, she barely had a little over a thousand left.
Tonight, however, she finally unlocked her new magic! Gritting her teeth, she ripped off the sanitary pad stuck to her body, shaking with discomfort.
After a long hiatus, putting on underwear again felt like getting a second chance at life.
Who knew that just three days without underwear could stir up so much trouble?
She opened the locked bedroom door and shouted at Chen Yao, who was engrossed in Zelda on the couch, “How about a run at school?”
“Run? It’s that time of the month; how can I exercise?” Chen Yao replied, eyes glued to the screen.
“I’m fine!” Lin Nan could hardly wait to test how much stamina her new magic could give her.
Back then, she could barely manage one lap—around 400 meters—before her legs went wobbly, and her body turned fuzzy. Sure, she could grit her teeth and push for a second lap, but that kind of stamina felt like a d*ath sentence.
But now, she had a brand new magical ability!
Chen Yao looked up at Lin Nan and was stunned, eyebrows slightly furrowed. “Why do you seem… different today?”
“Different how?” Lin Nan coyly stepped closer, standing right in front of Chen Yao, and twirled around. “What’s changed?”
With the unlocking of her magic came a physical transformation, and every change made her slightly prettier.
“Seems like… you aren’t as frail as before?” Chen Yao scratched his head. He couldn’t pinpoint the change—she just looked healthier compared to her usual scrawny self.
Lin Nan darted to the mirror, scrutinizing her reflection. She felt the same as Chen Yao; something was different, but she couldn’t quite put her finger on it.
Could it be… she had muscles now?
She flexed her bicep, still flat as a pancake, and rubbed her soft little belly—all squishy and well-padded.
Maybe she had lowered her body fat percentage a bit?
After pondering for a moment, her bare bones of a brain grew tired of this train of thought; as long as the magical unlock brought good changes, that was enough.
“Let’s go run!”
In a flurry, Lin Nan zipped to Chen Yao’s side and grabbed his arm. “Let’s go, let’s go!”
“Don’t rush, I’m finishing up my boss fight! Got some good loot!”
“You can’t beat it! You’ve been at it for three hours! I reckon your weapons have broken down before you even bring it down!”
After some contemplation, Chen Yao realized this was probably true. “Okay, I’ll gear up after this and then we’ll finish it. Let’s go!”
He tossed the controller on the couch and slipped on his shoes, following Lin Nan out the door.
It felt like Lin Nan’s figure was improving day by day.
His eyes trailed down her legs, which were wrapped in denim, up to her round, pert backside that swayed ever so slightly as she walked.
Too bad it’s all for show!
“I’m running three laps today!” Lin Nan completely missed his gaze, still elated about her new magic.
“Just don’t trip again,” Chen Yao cautioned. “If you get tired, just stop. No need to force it.”
“I got this! No tripping this time!”
Chen Yao couldn’t comprehend how such a tiny frame could possess such ridiculous physical strength, yet still slap him across the face like it was nothing in a moment of panic.
Thinking back on that moment made his cheeks sting anew.
At the school’s Grand Playground, Lin Nan took her role very seriously, squatting, jumping lightly, stretching her legs.
Her serious expression nearly made Chen Yao burst out laughing.
“Want to run together?”
“Duh!”
Lin Nan shot him a glare, “Let’s see who finishes two laps first! Loser treats to McDonald’s!”
As soon as she finished, she shot off like a rocket, leaving Chen Yao momentarily dumbfounded. He quickly dashed after her.
Sure, she could magically boost her stamina, but her physical fitness was still terribly lacking.
Despite starting strong, barely a few dozen meters in, Chen Yao easily caught up to her.
Lin Nan looked down at Chen Yao’s strides. Sure, he might not have the best proportions, but his legs were still longer than hers.
For every two of Chen Yao’s strides, she had to take three to keep pace.
How is that fair?!
Chen Yao noticed Lin Nan suddenly picking up speed, slowly overtaking his previous pace. He scratched his head, confused, and started trailing behind her leisurely.
No matter how fast she ran, Chen Yao remained comfortably a meter behind her.
After all, he’d been playing basketball for years; last year, during team competitions, he had a gym teacher as a coach, running several thousand meters every morning.
Before long, Lin Nan was huffing and puffing, her pace faltering just after a single lap.
Chen Yao quickly noticed her struggle, decided to breathe easier, and feigned being more out of breath than he truly was.
With a glance back at Chen Yao, who seemed equally fatigued, Lin Nan’s spirits soared; she quickly activated her magic.
A fresh surge of energy flowed through her body, easing the soreness in her legs and stabilizing her ragged breaths, making her footsteps stronger.
Her stamina was suddenly restored, but her muscleless body still throbbed.
Even with unlimited stamina, she doubted she could manage more than a couple of laps—otherwise, she risked muscle tears, not to mention that throbbing soreness would soon kick in, making it impossible to continue.
To Chen Yao’s surprise, Lin Nan’s speed seemed to surge once more.
The two laps flew by quickly. As Lin Nan dashed past the finish line, she collapsed onto the ground, panting.
With a grimace, she rubbed her calves—the intense soreness left her feeling like she could barely move.
Chen Yao exhaled, sitting down with a look of disappointment. “You ran way too fast! Are you trying to qualify for the Olympics or something?”
“Of course!” Lin Nan puffed, nearly breathless.
“You’re amazing.” Chen Yao put on an admiring face, though after two laps, he wasn’t even sweating—only a slightly faster heartbeat to show for it.
“Hmph!” Lin Nan, oblivious to her own condition, plopped on the ground, hands on her hips, chin held high in triumph. “McDonald’s! I want a McChicken!”
“I’ll treat!”
Just then, a pair of long, snowy white legs unexpectedly stepped between them. Looking up, they saw Lilith, who had appeared out of nowhere.
Lilith held a cola, radiating confidence. “Hmph! Simp!”
Chen Yao narrowed his eyes, glaring angrily.
Those legs!
