"One last question."
Shen Lang cleared his throat and awkwardly touched his nose, "So, when someone's favorability is maxed out, does that mean it'll be like those games?"
"Any person the host interacts with, once their favorability reaches 100, their final attitude will depend on the host's choices."
The system provided an ambiguous but heavily suggestive answer.
"Oh..."
Shen Lang awkwardly touched his nose, feeling like he had asked a childish question. If someone of the opposite sex has maxed out favorability but is still unwilling to play adult games with you, then either she's a lesbian, a relative, or has some physical issues.
Seeing that it was almost six o'clock, Shen Lang grabbed his phone and keys, planning to go downstairs to explore the neighborhood, get some dinner, and possibly find someone to chat with and earn some extra money.
This area was somewhat remote. Following the navigation, Shen Lang wandered around for a while before finding a bustling street filled with food stalls and vendors.
After a simple meal of fried rice, Shen Lang approached a vendor selling roasted chestnuts, planning to buy some to snack on while playing games later. This was the daily life of most single people—they had no specific demands for their meals. At home, they ate whatever their parents made; outside, they ate well if they had money and made do if they didn't.
The chestnut vendor was a dark-skinned uncle, energetically stirring the fragrant chestnuts.
Shen Lang struck up a conversation, "Boss, how much are the chestnuts?"
"20 yuan per jin. Just picked, want some, young man?" The uncle enthusiastically cracked open a hot chestnut and handed it to Shen Lang, "Here, young man, try one. It's really good."
Feeling a bit embarrassed, Shen Lang took it and tasted it. The flavor was indeed good, so he nodded, "I'll take 20 yuan worth."
Even if the chestnuts weren't tasty, Shen Lang would have felt too embarrassed to refuse the vendor's enthusiasm and would have bought some anyway. Many socially anxious and introverted people are like this. If vendors show them a bit of warmth, they can't bear to refuse and end up buying something they aren't particularly satisfied with.
"Alright, we have sweet, salty, and original flavors. Which one do you want?"
"Salty."
"Okay, I'll pack it for you."
The boss happily put down the spatula and began packing the chestnuts for Shen Lang.
[Ding! The boss's favorability towards the host has increased by 1 point, currently 1 point. Keep it up!]
With the system's prompt, Shen Lang noticed a heart above the boss's head. However, this heart was blue, and the favorability was only 1 point.
After a moment's thought, Shen Lang decisively said, "Boss, pack me 20 yuan worth of the original flavor as well."
"Oh, alright."
The boss smiled in surprise and began packing the original flavor chestnuts, his favorability towards Shen Lang increasing by another point.
Shen Lang realized that increasing someone's favorability didn't always require clever words. Just like this vendor—if you buy more of his chestnuts and let him earn more, his favorability towards you increases.
"That'll be 40 yuan in total. Just scan here."
"Okay, done."
Shen Lang smiled nonchalantly. Spending 40 yuan to earn 20,000 yuan was a great deal!
"Are you buying so many to share with your girlfriend?" The boss handed the two bags of chestnuts to Shen Lang and joked, "Ah, I really envy you young people nowadays, carefree and all."
"Haha..."
Shen Lang forced a laugh as he took the hot chestnuts. What was this old guy's problem? How could he joke around after taking your business?
Can't a single person eat 40 yuan worth of chestnuts by himself?!
"Boss, how much are your chestnuts?"
At that moment, Shen Lang's eyes lit up.
A slender, exquisitely beautiful girl, bouncing along, approached the vendor next to Shen Lang with a bright smile.
The girl had a beautiful oval face, fair skin, delicate features, and particularly alluring cherry-red lips. Her loose school uniform couldn't hide her graceful figure, radiating youthful charm.
Thump, thump...
Shen Lang felt his heart race and, nervously, he took a step to the side. This wasn't love at first sight; it was a reaction typical of most socially anxious people. When they encounter girls, especially cheerful and outgoing ones of their age, they instinctively avoid them. They might seem indifferent and aloof on the surface, but inside, they're extremely nervous.
It feels like a goblin living in a dark cave encountering a radiant elf outside. They long to talk to her but fear their own ugliness would repulse her.
Shen Lang was now that goblin, secretly watching the girl with his peripheral vision...
Shen Lang observed the cheerful and sunny girl from the corner of his eye.
Unfortunately, the girl didn't notice Shen Lang at all. She was chatting enthusiastically with the vendor, seemingly debating which flavor of chestnuts to buy.
Shen Lang turned to leave but stole another glance at the beautiful girl. She really was very pretty, with a sweet, sunny personality. Her every smile and expression made Shen Lang's lips curl up involuntarily.
In that moment, Shen Lang's mind, prone to wild fantasies, began imagining various romantic encounters with the girl.
This was the sad skill of most socially anxious, introverted single guys. They could always fantasize about having a beautiful girl to stroll with, play games with, and walk the streets with.
But in reality, where were those sweet encounters?
It was nothing more than grandiose fantasies to escape their less-than-ideal lives. When the dream ended, and reality returned to its dullness, they realized that their so-called youth was actually nothing special!
On his way home, Shen Lang began to regret it. He had a system now, yet he still didn't dare to talk to the girl.
If this were a modern romance novel, a protagonist as cowardly as him would definitely be ridiculed by the readers.
If only he had started a conversation, the system would have activated. Even if he wasn't smooth-talking, the system would have had his back.
But Shen Lang chickened out, years of being a shut-in making him too scared to strike up a conversation.
That popular saying on the internet came true for him: "Handsome guys have girlfriends, ugly guys have girlfriends, only cowards have no girlfriends!"
Shen Lang swore to himself, "If the heavens give me another chance, I will definitely go up and start a conversation, ask for her contact!"
At that moment, he suddenly heard a cheerful girl's laughter behind him.