Chapter 2: Not Even a Scrap of Dirt to Eat

"Where's my drink?" Ai Xiaomei walked up, saw that Yang Fan's hands were empty—he hadn't bought her a drink—and immediately gritted her teeth in anger.

Yet to everyone watching, even this expression was beautiful. Many, realizing their own loss of composure, kept sneaking glances her way despite pretending to take group photos.

If Yang Fan won't buy you a drink, we will!

Of course, that was just their fantasy. Glancing at Yang Fan, most people probably cursed him in their hearts, their eyes tinged with envy.

"I haven't gone to buy it yet," Yang Fan replied calmly. No one knew better than he did just how much of a handful Ai Xiaomei could be.

"Then go buy it!"

"I'll go, I'll go!" Xu Tao, standing nearby, instantly dashed toward the campus convenience store.

Ai Xiaomei was thoroughly satisfied. She shot Yang Fan a glare. "You should learn from his sense of responsibility!"

Yang Fan snorted. "You have the nerve to say that? Where's your sense of responsibility every time you take advantage of me?"

Watching Zhang Chen and Wang Jie beside him, their eyes wide and unblinking, Yang Fan cleared his throat. "Xiaomei, let me introduce you. This is Zhang Chen, this is Wang Jie, and the one who just ran to buy your drink is Xu Tao. The three of them were my roommates throughout my four years at university."

"Hello, I'm Ai Xiaomei."

In an instant, she transformed from a little imp into an elegant young lady, holding tightly to Yang Fan's hand as she greeted Zhang Chen and Wang Jie.

"Xiaomei, you... hello," they both stammered in unison, swallowing nervously.

They were under tremendous pressure in the presence of such a beautiful girl.

Yang Fan couldn't help but purse his lips. Weren't you guys always giving me tips about being bold, meticulous, and thick-skinned in chasing girls?

Xu Tao left quickly and returned even faster. When he handed Ai Xiaomei the expensive drink, Yang Fan gave him a more thorough introduction.

But Ai Xiaomei didn't seem interested in them. After happily sipping her drink, she sat quietly to one side.

"Yang Fan, she's really your sister?" Xu Tao and the others couldn't help sidling over to ask.

"Of course she's my sister. My own sister said we were about to be dirt poor, so what's the point looking for a girlfriend? That's why I turned it down," Yang Fan explained, tying up the loose ends of the past, so his buddies wouldn't keep obsessing over it.

The past was past; life had to go on. Yang Fan saw Bai Tiantian leave as if she couldn't bear to face anyone, while Liu Haoyu shot him a fierce glare before departing.

Yang Fan glanced at them one last time, smiling. Life is like a play, and all depends on acting. These two were as convincing as could be.

Pretending to be aloof goddesses while secretly being each other's lovers, and Liu Haoyu—son of a wealthy family—had dated at least a dozen girls, yet acted as though he genuinely pined for Bai Tiantian.

"Glare at me all you want! Your dad's my backer. You have the nerve to be upset about me stealing your dad's little lover?"

As for Liu Haoyu possibly causing trouble, Yang Fan wasn't worried at all. Did they really think Ai Xiaomei was an easy target?

This girl might not excel at anything else, but causing trouble was her default setting. Still, as long as she didn't target him, she was a good kid.

Today, Yang Fan had truly experienced Ai Xiaomei's mysterious abilities. Before, he’d had no money to give her, so no one had dared let her cause trouble. But after today, it felt as if a door had opened for him.

A path to becoming strong...

"Who needs a girlfriend? Having a superpowered little sister is more than enough."

This thought flashed through his mind, then Yang Fan froze. Had Ai Xiaomei brainwashed him?

"Come, let's take a graduation photo with our dorm! Once we're done, those who have interviews should hurry off, and those who are broke can continue being broke," someone called.

Yang Fan had just taken a sip of his drink and nearly spat it out. What a bunch of friends—always rubbing salt in his wounds.

Xu Tao and the others had interviews that afternoon. Although there were still six months before official graduation, everyone except those planning further studies had started job hunting.

Yang Fan, too. Once he left campus and entered society, he rented a shabby basement room, delivering parcels by day and writing proposals by night. Thanks to Ai Xiaomei's sudden arrival, his three months’ savings were spent by this little troublemaker in just two days.

Another week, and he'd truly be flat broke. That was his biggest problem now—he couldn't just ask his parents for money, could he?

He sighed heavily. Ai Xiaomei, by contrast, was carefree. Hearing about the fun of taking photos, she immediately joined in.

That year, Yang Fan was twenty-two. And in the midst of his despair and uncertainty, his handsome features were captured forever in the graduation photo.

"Handsome, but can you eat on looks alone?"

He parted ways with Xu Tao and the others at the gate of Tianning University, agreeing to meet everyone for dinner the following night, then strolled home with Ai Xiaomei.

"Xiaomei, you were really happy today, weren't you?" Yang Fan asked, his mood sour. He hadn't earned any money, and was now in debt.

"Of course! When we get home, you owe me an IOU for two thousand yuan."

Yang Fan's eyelid twitched. Just how obsessed with money could she be to still remember the IOU?

"Fine, let's settle accounts, Ai Xiaomei. Food, lodging, those clothes, your phone—which one didn't I buy for you?"

"How is that the same? You're my brother—of course it's your duty to buy me those. But a debt is a debt," she retorted.

"I..." Yang Fan was exasperated. The worst part about arguing with a girl was this: when you tried logic, she’d talk about feelings; when you talked about feelings, she’d switch to logic.

And she always acted as if she didn't understand what he was saying. Yang Fan knew this pattern all too well.

The IOU was a topic he never wanted to revisit. Now it was time for serious matters.

"Ai Xiaomei, I remember when you first arrived, you mentioned something about points and treasures. What was that all about?" Yang Fan asked. The past few days had been a blur of chaos—how could he remember?

"They're sister development points. When the points reach a certain value, you can unlock treasures."

"Then explain it properly!"

Ai Xiaomei smacked him lightly. "Brother, I told you to study hard, but you never listen."

"There are three ways to earn sister development points. First: daily accumulation—you get one point per day. Second: interaction, meaning you can earn points through activities with me, like feeding me, taking me shopping, going to amusement parks..."

"Stop. Make it simple," Yang Fan interrupted. The examples she gave were all things she wanted for herself. Feed her? Go shopping? He’d like that life too—if only he had the money.

Ai Xiaomei nodded vigorously, as if convinced that Yang Fan had agreed to all her terms.

"Interaction points are random—you might get one, or you might get a hundred. The third way is through evaluation. My mood is assessed weekly: sixty is passing, and for every point above, you get extra points; below sixty, points are deducted."

"I..." Yang Fan was stunned. There were deductions, too? So to pass, he’d have to keep Ai Xiaomei happy all the time? What kind of life was that?

"And what are the points for?"

"Points can unlock skills, rent treasures, or enter the lottery."

Yang Fan nodded. Unlocking skills needed a huge number of points—more than he dared even look at. As for renting treasures or spinning for prizes, Ai Xiaomei had shown him those before.

"Let me see the treasure catalog and the lottery wheel again," he said.

Ai Xiaomei pointed, and suddenly, in Yang Fan's mind, a prize wheel and a catalog appeared.

He set aside the wheel and opened the catalog with a thought.

"Negotiation Mastery—effect lasts five minutes; rental price: twenty thousand yuan or one thousand points."

"Psychological Insight—effect lasts five minutes; rental price: twenty thousand yuan or one thousand points."

...

Yang Fan’s heart raced. How could he not appreciate their value? There were even skills like detoxification and gem setting, covering almost every aspect of human society—and even supernatural abilities that existed only in imagination.

But the rental prices were astronomical. Right now, he couldn't afford any of them. Even the cheapest—like Memory Eye, which lasted five minutes—would put him deep in debt.

Even with an IOU, you could only use one per week, and only for the first tier items. The highest-value treasures couldn't be obtained on credit at all.

He sighed and looked at the prize wheel. Each spin cost ten points. The prizes were things like physical enhancement potions and basic self-defense techniques against muggers and thieves.

Those, at least, could be learned. Yang Fan always thought of himself as a model citizen. Catching a thief now and then—he wondered if there would be a reward for that.

Then his gaze dropped to the bottom of the wheel—and he exploded. Ai Xiaomei wasn’t just mischievous, she was outright extorting him! Every spin guaranteed five minutes of Memory Eye. That meant something worth ten points was being sold for a hundred.

By the standard of fifty points per thousand yuan, that was a tenfold markup.

"Ai Xiaomei, can you tell me how you turned something worth two hundred yuan into two thousand?"

"When both sides are willing, what does it have to do with me?" Ai Xiaomei replied calmly.

Yang Fan was utterly defeated. Ever since Ai Xiaomei entered his life, not a day had gone by without her driving him crazy.

"Look, there's a mall ahead. Let's go shopping!" Ai Xiaomei ignored the way Yang Fan was staring at her.

"No, I don't feel like it."

"Come on, brother, go with me. Don't be angry. I'll even act cute for you," Ai Xiaomei pleaded, blinking her eyes.

Yang Fan tried to calm himself. With a sister like this, what could he do? But after just a few steps, he remembered how little money he had left.

"Ai Xiaomei, we need to talk seriously. Do you realize that if you keep shopping without restraint, we won't even have dirt left to eat?"