C3 Signing in Again Perfect Physique

With an unexplainable flutter in his chest, Howard made his way back to his dormitory. He took a quick shower and then sprawled out on his bed to rest, all while delving into the new system he had acquired.

Perfect Life Sign-In System

Host: Howard

Appearance: 75

Skills: Advanced High School Knowledge, Basic Computer Skills, Proficient in Cooking

Owned: Private seaside villa in Todmorden

Sign-In Count: 0

Inventory: Villa Deed of Ownership

"System, how do I increase my sign-in count?"

The system was straightforward, with the essential details immediately apparent.

There were two ways to accrue sign-in counts. The first was a daily refresh at midnight, which couldn't be carried over to the next day. The second was through completing missions triggered by unexpected events in life, which awarded a set number of sign-ins and other bonuses. These could be saved and wouldn't reset if forgotten in a day.

Got it.

You had to sign in once a day, or else you'd lose the chance.

And then there were the mission rewards.

The scope of 'sudden events' was quite broad, but Howard wasn't one to push his luck. Content with his lot, he realized that with this system, he was already ahead of 99% of humanity.

"Howard, oh, you're back!"

His roommate burst in just as Howard was wrapping his head around the system, brandishing a takeout dinner. "Kid, call me 'Dad' and dinner's on me!"

Dad, my foot!

Howard rolled his eyes, snatched the meal, and sent Wang Yang twenty yuan with a terse, "Thanks!"

"Hey, no sweat. Now spill it—when did you and the campus queen become an item? And does she have any friends for us? You promised we'd stay single together, but you bailed early, so you owe us!"

Wang Yang teased with a mischievous grin.

Beat it!

Howard rolled his eyes again, took his dinner to his desk, and devoured it in record time. Afterward, he let out a satisfied sigh, "Ah, that hit the spot. I'm back among the living!"

"Now that we've eaten, let's have a proper chat, shall we?" Howard was met with three pairs of eyes that were filled with anticipation, resembling abandoned puppies, which made his scalp prickle. He said with a hint of annoyance, "Stop looking at me like that. There's really nothing going on between Senior Sister and me..."

You expect us to believe that?

The trio eyed him skeptically, expressing their dissatisfaction, "If you don't want to talk about it, just say so. Why lead us on?"

What else could he do when no one believed the truth?

"Really nothing?"

After a lengthy pause, Howard seemed to accept that Lu An wasn't lying and questioned him once more.

"I'm not one to boast, but if the campus beauty were truly my girlfriend, I wouldn't wait for someone else to spill the beans. I'd march right into the broadcasting room and announce it to the entire school. What could anyone do to me then?" Howard said, his lips curling with a touch of scorn. "If it's true, it's true; if it's not, it's not. There's nothing to hide!"

Indeed.

The three friends nodded in agreement, then clapped Howard on the shoulder, "Well, you're in for it now. The whole school is buzzing with rumors that you're the campus beauty's boyfriend. A bunch of upperclassmen are raging on the Tieba forum, threatening to tear you to shreds and feed you to the dogs!"

'What the heck!'

'Can't be true!'

Howard hesitated before opening his laptop and logging onto the school's Tieba forum. Sure enough, the top post was about the campus beauty delivering water to her boyfriend during military training.

The photo analysis was convincing.

After examining the photo, Howard couldn't help but applaud, "Tsk tsk, it's a real shame this person isn't a paparazzo. Starting with a single picture and spinning a whole narrative—impressive. It's so convincing, I'm almost envious of the guy in the picture!"

'Come on!'

Wang Yang's mouth quirked in disbelief. "Don't get too envious. The commenters are ready to flay you alive!"

"Let them be. Whether or not there's anything between Senior Sister and me, what can they do? At most, they'll just rant online. Who she dates is none of their business," Howard retorted, utterly unfazed.

"Wow, that's impressive!" Zhou Hao exclaimed, giving a thumbs up before playfully flipping his bangs. "Man, when will I find a girl of my own?"

"You need to be rich for that. Without money, you'd have to be as good-looking as Howard," Fang Long, the tallest and seemingly most straightforward of the bunch, teased, almost making Zhou Hao spit out his drink. "Come on, don't be so harsh with reality!"

They joked and laughed until eleven o'clock before they all called it a night, collapsing into their beds and soon filling the room with snores.

Howard was no different.

He slept until five in the morning.

But it wasn't a natural wake-up.

It was his subconscious internal clock that roused him.

He had remembered that today was the day to check in.

As the time arrived, his instincts naturally woke him.

Check-in time.

Howard opened his eyes, shook off the last vestiges of sleep, and mentally checked in.

Ding! Check-in successful. You've earned the Perfect Physique.

The Perfect Physique offers a comprehensive enhancement of your looks, strength, and overall body conditioning for a month.

Quite the reward.

As soon as he got it, Howard felt a burst of energy within him. His belly seemed to shrink, and his looks noticeably improved to an 85 - strikingly handsome.

Because morning exercise started at six.

After getting ready, Howard woke his three roommates and they all headed downstairs for a walk.

By chance, as he arrived at the sports field, he bumped into Fredia. Before he could speak, she approached with an apologetic expression. "Um, Junior Brother, I think I misspoke earlier and caused you some trouble, getting you scolded and threatened on the forum."

"No worries!" Howard dismissed with a nonchalant wave of his hand, eyeing the perspiring Fredia with curiosity. "Senior Sister, do you always get up this early for training?"

"Absolutely," Fredia replied with a confident smile. "Your body is your most valuable asset in the struggle!"

She wasn't wrong.

Howard, recalling his fainting spell during military training, touched his nose sheepishly. "A weak body certainly makes it hard to do big things."

"Haha, so how about joining me for another couple of laps?" Fredia suggested, her large eyes twinkling with a hint of hope.

Today, Junior Brother Howard seems even more handsome than before!

His charm has become utterly captivating!

Oh my!

Just being near him makes her heart race.

Would he turn down such an invitation?

No way!

Howard would never refuse.

If he's set on pursuing Senior Sister, he can't miss any chance to bridge the gap between them.

Junior Brother is truly wonderful.

Fredia's smile radiated joy.

In that instant, Howard felt as though spring had arrived, and the world burst into vibrant color.

Yet, he couldn't help but tease her.

Senior Sister, you're supposed to be the aloof campus beauty. How can you be this adorable?

Oh no!

Stop looking at me like that!

It's so embarrassing!

Fredia, feeling flustered, raised her little fist and gently tapped her disheveled chest. The surprisingly solid sensation turned her cheeks even redder. With a pout and a playful huff, she said, "I'm going to run ahead—catch me if you can!"

"Alright!"

Howard's smile was soft and tender as he followed in swift pursuit with his long strides.

This must be what they call love at first sight. From the moment they met, their mutual attraction was undeniable, drawing them irresistibly together.