[New Info in the Bio added.]
[GOU MANCHU'S ARTISTIC ABILITIES:
Because he doodles a lot, he is good with inking and tracing.]
[SHU CHUANLI'S ARTISTIC ABILITIES:
Animated drawing, the most proficient in all of the love interests when it comes to art.]
[SHE HAORAN'S ARTISTIC ABILITIES:
He is good in everything assigned to him, has a perceptive eye for colors]
[MA JIANYU'S ARTISTIC ABILITIES:
Comes up with many character design ideas.]
[HU CHUNTIAN'S ARTISTIC ABILITIES:
None. He makes a good reference subject though.]
"What are these artistic abilities for?" Mo Aini scratched his head. "Aren't we already doing a musical?"
[You will learn soon enough.]
Mo Aini shrugged and went inside his dorm room. He entered this route inside a hospital elevator, though he don't know how the hell he got there. He also noticed that the system has more personality now than it did before, though it still spoke in a frank and business-only manner.
"Hi, Gou Manchu." He greeted his roommate and he entered. "You look so gloomy. What's wrong?"
Gou Manchu was holding several pieces of paper with many printed words and red marks. He looked up at Mo Aini. "Oh, where did you go, Ai? The monthly examination papers had been sent. I got a lot of Cs and Ds again, Art History is really hard."
"The monthly exams?" Mo Aini doesn't recall having those during Gou Manchu's route. "Did we have them in our first month?"
"The first half of the first semester was Performing Arts. The examination was more about the application in theater or dancing. That's why we joined the Theater Club, remember? Though it's weird that you always wear a hoodie and mask every time we go to the clubroom." Gou Manchu looked really baffled that his friend doesn't remember this. "The play was a big part of the grading system. A month had passed since that, and we're now focusing on visual arts."
Mo Aini blinked. "Then the play is already over?"
"Yes. Our next project for the club in collaboration with the Visual Artist Club would be 2D animation. There's even a chance for it to join the Shuaige Animated Film Festival if we do well." Gou Manchu said.
'Shuaige Animated Film Festival? The writers of this otome are really lazy', Mo Aini thought.
Gou Manchu placed his hand on Mo Aini's forehead. "Ai, are you alright? We were just oriented about this during the club meeting a few days ago."
"I'm alright, I'm just forgetful sometimes." Mo Aini gently pushed his hand away. He faked an idle laugh. "Also, please don't call me Ai. It makes me feel uncomfortable since we're friends."
"Oh, I've been calling you Ai for a long time now but you never really said anything about it, so I thought it was okay." Gou Manchu frowned, but respected his friend's wishes. "What do you want me to call you?"
"Umm... Mo-gongzi would be nice." Mo Aini had already gotten used to that, so he stick with it.
"Alright, Mo-gongzi!" Gou Manchu said.
Mo Aini scratched his head, it felt like he was meeting Gou Manchu all over again. "Man, 2 months in school had passed since the first day? Time sure moves fast."
"Yeah. I've forgotten about my crush on Mo Jiagei since then. I'm rooting for Shu Chuanli to finally admit his feelings, the whole Theater Club had been seeing them as a CP since they performed The Song of the Mermaid Princess and the Vengeful Prince. But Shu Chuanli didn't make any moves, he was too shy." Gou Manchu said.
Mo Aini rubbed his chin thoughtfully. 'So that means this route's story takes place after the play. They all have different storylines, not just an alternative repetition of the other.'
"Someone should help him, but I'm not an expert when it comes to these things. Shu Chuanli also seems to be busy whenever I try to talk to him. I guess he's really focused on his studies." Gou Manchu scratched his red hair.
Mo Aini said in his head: 'He's just scared of big, burly men like you, bro.'
"Well, I need to be motivated to study like him too. I have a sports scholarship, but I can't fall back that much, I'm just going back and forth from Class B to Class C every month." Gou Manchu set the papers down and went to his desk to study.
Mo Aini checked his own desk to see his own exam papers. They were all Fs.
"It's no different from real life, so I'm not even disappointed." Mo Aini said to himself.
He didn't study and just waited for Gou Manchu to fall asleep so he could talk to the system. The system would pause the world when it talks to him, but it irks him every time that happens because it felt like something out of a horror movie. Everyone stops in time like a mannequin and it just doesn't feel right.
Gou Manchu sleeps like a baby, with his colorful dim light that he uses to have a good night's sleep. Mo Aini usually wants to sleep in complete darkness, but he didn't complain to Gou Manchu and just let it be. The dim light casts soft shadows on the handsome red-head's face, making it look more angelic and pure like a kid's, so Mo Aini was satisfied.
Gou Manchu reminded him of the cousins he babysits whenever relatives come to visit. He always feels a sense of protection towards him, like he was a little brother from another life. Though that baby brother is a lot bigger and bulkier than him.
When he was sure that Gou Manchu was snoozing peacefully, he asked the system: "What was that all about? Theater being part of the grading system? Animation? Exams that involve Art History?"
[Nushen Academy is a prestigious arts and performance school, one of the most elite in China.]
"Why didn't you say so earlier!? I never realized that it was actually that kind of school, I could have paid more attention to the classes!"
[It does not help the plot whether or not you take your studies seriously on Gou Manchu's route. But it does now.]
"What do you mean by that?"
[You'll find out tomorrow.]
"This son of a devil system! Trying to make everything a mystery. You're useless!" Mo Aini shouted.
[Thank you for the feedback.]
Mo Aini frowned. "You're sassing me now, huh? What did I ever do to you to get this treatment!? I've been a good Cupid so far!"
The system did not answer.
"Fine, guess I won't ask you anymore and figure out all the shady mysteries for myself. Fucking hell, I signed up to be a matchmaker for my sister, not a detective." Mo Aini buried his head on the covers and slept.
----------------
Mo Aini went to Class D as usual, and when he opened the door....
"Why are you sitting on that chair!?" He yelled and caught the attention of all his classmates.
He was talking to Hu Chuntian, who was sitting beside his seat again! His feet were raised on the desk and he was chewing on a cinnamon stick since he can't smoke inside the classroom. His hands were on the back of his head with a lazy expression.
He raised an eyebrow at Mo Aini. "This is my chair, what are you yapping about?"
"That's Shu Chuanli's chair! Where's Shu Chuanli?" He looked around the room for the green-head glasses otaku, but he was nowhere to be seen. He was never late either since his first day when he got into the room last and got reprimanded by the teacher.
A female student gave Mo Aini a worried look. "He's in Class A now. You must miss him so much that you were used to him being your seatmate. Don't worry, my best friend got moved to Class A too. If we do well, we could see them again next month."
"Moved to Class A?" Mo Aini was really confused, and the system explained.
[Nushen's class system is not per year, semester, or quarter, but per month to give students more motivation to study well. If they can experience being in a higher class for one month, they would want to try harder to stay in that class or reach to Class A. ]
"Then, Shu Chuanli got high scores this month? I see, his bio did say that he could have been in the top ranks if he wanted to."
[Mo Jiagei inspired him to get to Class A. The route starts here, where they could spend more time together not only as members of Theater Club but also sharing the same class.]
Mo Aini grumbled and clicked his tongue. "Tsk. So I'm stuck with this bastard all over again. Wait. If they're both on Class A, I won't have much opportunity to play Cupid on them. How am I supposed to earn points now?"
[That is why we told you that you must take your studies seriously in this route. If you join them in Class A next month, you will have more chances to help Mo Jiagei reach a Good Ending.]
"But for the rest of the month, I'm stuck with Hu Chuntian as my seatmate, right?"
[Right.]
Mo Aini sat on his chair, his face downcast. "I hope he doesn't give a damn about me in this route, and I won't have to give a damn about him as well."
The system disappeared, and the classes have started. Mo Aini was determined. The topic for today was Renaissance Period art. He did really well in Art History in college, this would be a piece of cake.
The teacher discussed a few art pieces and their respective creators, and Mo Aini already knew about all this. He was active in class and raised his hand for every single question. The teacher and his classmates were impressed.
"I didn't know you were actually so smart in Arts, Mo Aini." The student sitting in front of him told him.
"Yeah, everyone has their own expertise. I'm just lucky this time." Mo Aini humble bragged.
Hu Chuntian stared Mo Aini up and down, and suddenly grabbed his worksheet!
"Hey, what was that for!? Give it back!" Mo Aini tried to wrestle his paper from him, but Hu Chuntian just smirked.
"If you're so smart, why don't you let me borrow your answers from now on?"
------------------------------------------
Read The Mafia Boys' Contract Marriage which is joining WPC right now XD
I know it's shameless of me to advertise like this but I'm desperate :)))) Plus it'll be a pretty fun book, I guarantee you.
If you're a fan of mafia, criminal investigations and detective stories, please check it out and support it.
PS: It will also be a whole lot more spicier than any of my books so far cough cough How much spice? You'll see.