Shi Feng lay sprawled on his dorm bed, one leg dangling over the side, lazily scrolling through his phone. The dorm room was dimly lit, the only source of illumination the faint glow of his screen.
On the screen was the latest chapter of a popular web novel—one of those typical "MC-gets-a-system-and-rules-the-world" stories. The protagonist had just used his system to gain some overpowered ability, sending the villain flying in one punch.
Shi Feng chuckled, his lips curling in amusement. "A golden finger that solves all your problems? If life were that simple, I wouldn't even bother going to class."
He tossed his phone onto the bed and stared at the ceiling. His mind wandered. Exams were around the corner, his wallet was practically empty, and he still hadn't figured out what to do with his life.
"I wouldn't mind a golden finger myself," he muttered to no one in particular. "At least I'd have a reason to get out of bed."
As if on cue, a crisp ding echoed through the room.
"Huh?" Shi Feng sat up, glancing at his phone. The screen had turned black.
A glowing panel suddenly appeared mid-air, hovering right in front of him.
---
[Congratulations, Host! You have activated the Wish System! Your golden finger has arrived.]
---
Shi Feng froze. He blinked once. Then twice.
"What… the hell is this?" he muttered, leaning closer to the mysterious panel. His hand instinctively reached out, but it passed through the screen.
The text on the panel shifted.
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[The Wish System allows you to fulfill others' wishes to earn Wish Points. These points can then be used to grant your own wishes.]
[System Overview:]
1. Small Wishes: Everyday desires (10 points)
2. Medium Wishes: Significant desires (20 points)
3. Large Wishes: Life-changing desires (50 points)
[Special Benefits for the Host:]
You can fulfill others' wishes without spending points.
Fulfilling a wish reduces its cost by 50%.
---
Shi Feng rubbed his eyes, convinced he was hallucinating. "Did I read too many novels? Is this some kind of dream?"
The system didn't care for his disbelief. Another notification popped up.
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[Welcome to the Wish System! Host currently has: 0 points.]
[First Mission: Fulfill a wish to activate your starting bonus.]
---
He stared at the floating text, his skepticism fading. It felt… real. Too real to be a coincidence.
"Well, either I've completely lost it, or I just hit the jackpot," Shi Feng muttered, a grin creeping across his face.
Before he could fully process the situation, another notification appeared.
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[New Wish Detected: Wu Tao wishes for a phone charger. Priority: Small.]
---
Shi Feng glanced over at his roommate, Wu Tao, who was pacing the room, muttering to himself.
"Where the hell is my charger? My phone's dead, and I have an assignment due tomorrow…"
Shi Feng smirked. "So, this is how it works?"
He opened his desk drawer, rummaging around until he found an old charger. "Hey, Wu Tao, is this what you're looking for?"
Wu Tao's face lit up. "You're a lifesaver, man! I owe you one."
---
[Ding! Wish Completed. You have earned 10 Wish Points.]
---
Shi Feng's eyes widened as the panel updated.
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[Current Points: 10. Congratulations on completing your first wish! Your Wish Bucket List has been unlocked.]
---
Curiosity piqued, he tapped on the floating panel, and a new screen appeared, listing his personal wishes:
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[Wish Bucket List:]
Small Wishes:
A new pair of sneakers (10 points)
Unlimited instant noodles for a month (10 points)
Medium Wishes:
A new gaming PC (20 points)
Improved cooking skills (20 points)
Large Wishes:
A luxury car (50 points)
Full financial freedom (50 points)
---
Shi Feng's jaw dropped. "So, I can use these points to grant my own wishes? This system is insane!"
The possibilities flooded his mind. He could climb out of mediocrity, escape the monotony of everyday life, and finally live the life he dreamed of.
"Alright, System," Shi Feng said, his grin widening. "Let's see how far this golden finger can take me."
For the first time in a long time, he felt a spark of excitement. His ordinary life had just taken an extraordinary turn.
---
The glow of the virtual panel faded, leaving Shi Feng alone with his thoughts. His gaze shifted to his roommate, Wu Tao, who was happily charging his phone, completely unaware of the system's existence.
Shi Feng tapped the air, and the panel reappeared.
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[Current Points: 10]
[Wish Bucket List Unlocked]
[Small Wishes: 10 points | Medium Wishes: 20 points | Large Wishes: 50 points]
---
His eyes darted to the Small Wishes section, landing on a particularly tempting option:
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[Unlimited instant noodles for a month - 10 points]
---
Shi Feng couldn't help but chuckle. "I've got 10 points, and my first instinct is to trade them for noodles. Am I really that predictable?"
He shook his head, suppressing the urge. If the system was real—and it certainly felt like it—then blowing his first points on noodles would be a waste. Instead, he decided to test the waters with another small wish.
But who else had a wish he could fulfill?
His gaze returned to Wu Tao, who was now sprawled on his own bed, scrolling through his phone. An idea sparked in Shi Feng's mind.
"Hey, Wu Tao," Shi Feng said casually, leaning against the edge of his desk. "Do you need anything else? You looked pretty stressed earlier."
Wu Tao sighed. "You wouldn't believe it, man. My laptop's been acting up all week. I've got an assignment due, and the stupid thing keeps freezing. I was just thinking about taking it to a repair shop tomorrow."
Shi Feng's eyes gleamed. A broken laptop? This was the perfect opportunity to rack up more points.
"Let me take a look at it," Shi Feng offered, trying to sound nonchalant. "Maybe it's something simple."
Wu Tao raised an eyebrow. "You? Since when did you become a tech expert?"
"Since never," Shi Feng admitted with a grin. "But hey, it's worth a shot, right?"
Wu Tao hesitated, then shrugged. "Alright. If you can fix it, I'll treat you to dinner."
Shi Feng pulled the laptop closer and powered it on. As expected, the screen froze within minutes. He tapped on the system panel, half-expecting a solution to pop up.
Nothing happened.
"Guess I'll have to do this the old-fashioned way," Shi Feng muttered.
He spent the next hour fiddling with settings, uninstalling suspicious software, and running diagnostics. Eventually, he pinpointed the problem: a bloated antivirus program hogging all the resources.
With a few quick adjustments, the laptop sprang back to life.
"Done," Shi Feng said, sliding the laptop back to Wu Tao.
Wu Tao's jaw dropped as he tested it out. "You actually fixed it?!"
"Piece of cake," Shi Feng said with a smirk, though he was silently congratulating himself for not messing it up.
---
[Ding! Wish Completed. You have earned 10 Wish Points.]
---
The system panel updated, showing his new total:
---
[Current Points: 20]
---
Shi Feng felt a surge of satisfaction. Two small wishes down, and he already had enough points for a medium wish.
"You know, I really owe you one," Wu Tao said, grinning. "How about I treat you to dinner tomorrow? My treat!"
"Sure," Shi Feng replied, hiding his amusement. He had essentially turned helping his roommate into a points-earning venture.
---
Later that night, after Wu Tao had gone to sleep, Shi Feng sat alone in the dark, staring at the system panel.
He scrolled through his Wish Bucket List again, his gaze lingering on one particular item:
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[Improved cooking skills - 20 points]
---
Shi Feng scratched his head. "Should I go for it?"
He had always been terrible at cooking. His attempts at instant noodles often ended with half-cooked, soggy disasters. Being able to cook properly would definitely improve his quality of life.
"Alright, let's do this," he muttered, tapping the wish.
---
[Are you sure you want to redeem 20 points for Improved Cooking Skills?]
[Yes] | [No]
---
Shi Feng hesitated for a moment, then pressed Yes.
A warm sensation spread through his mind, followed by a flood of information: recipes, techniques, flavor profiles, and knife skills. It was as if he had spent years training under a world-class chef.
When the sensation faded, Shi Feng felt… different. Confident.
"I guess there's only one way to test this," he said, heading for the tiny communal kitchen at the end of the hall.
---
Half an hour later, Shi Feng stood back, admiring his work. On the table was a perfectly cooked bowl of fried rice, garnished with green onions and sesame seeds.
He took a bite, and his eyes widened. It was delicious.
"This system is no joke," he muttered, savoring another bite.
---
As he cleaned up, Shi Feng's mind raced with possibilities. If fulfilling wishes could earn him points, and those points could unlock skills like this…
The potential was limitless.
For the first time, he felt like his life was moving in a direction. And while the journey ahead was uncertain, one thing was clear:
Shi Feng's golden finger was just getting started.
---
End of chapter 1