Love, Gun, Cupid

The young man shrugged: "If everyone lip-syncs, wouldn't our department be completely silent? Someone has to do this, so why not me?"

Chapter Twenty-Four: Miracles Happen with Great Force

Lin Jiade's expression seemed genuine. Jasmine looked at him for a few seconds before replying, "If I were in there, I would also choose to take advantage of the chaos."

"It doesn't matter, I don't mind."

Lin Jiade said with a smile, "There are so many weirdos in university. This may be the freest time of your life. Apart from your studies, you can do whatever you want with your time: some people spend their youth in bed, some people are occupied by their mobile phones and computers, some people do outdoor sports, and some people go to the library or work part-time."

You always have a choice.

The following photos don't feature Lin Jiade, or rather, Lin Jiade isn't the main subject. Instead, there's a beautiful figure boating on the artificial lake, the suffocating mosquitoes in the student dormitories built against the mountain, the pentagonal teaching building under the morning sun, the art building brimming with humanistic atmosphere, the basketball court with some signs of rust, and a rainbow passing through the square fountain…

The vibrant life captured in the photographs flooded Jasmine's vision, and most importantly, these colors came from the ordinary and were within reach.

Jasmine felt her heart pounding, and Lin Jiade sensed her longing as well. He pressed his advantage and said, "Want to come to our school? Think about it, you can spend four years here, free and happy."

There are many eccentric people here, with all sorts of unusual hobbies. Even the most niche interests can find like-minded people. And unlike the nearby apartment buildings, no one at the university expects you to fit in; you can live independently and freely.

Lin Jiade flicked the textbook in his hand: "So, you have to study hard. The better the university, the freer and happier life there is."

Jasmine nodded slowly, then asked softly, "Do you think someone like me... still has a chance?"

“In my opinion, this is your only chance. You hate this neighborhood, you hate your neighbors, you hate your high school, and you’ve always wanted to escape from here, but you don’t know where to escape to, right?”

"You...know?"

“I had similar feelings when I was in my second year of high school. Seeing you reminds me of myself back then, which is one of the reasons why I’m helping you.”

Lin Jiade looked down at the textbook: "Of course, I don't know anything about it. I just assumed that's what you thought and then said it. On the football field, sometimes even if a player isn't sure, he'll still force a shot, just guessing and gambling on the possibility."

My situation is similar now. If I'm right, that's great; if I'm wrong, well, in your eyes I'm probably just some kind of fool or barbarian, so it won't get any worse.

"sorry."

"Okay, I accept. To make up for the hurt I've suffered, you'd better study hard."

Lin Jiade's eyes sharpened: "Today's tutoring subject is math. You know what my major is, right? There's no room for compromise on this. No one's getting any sleep until we finish the teaching schedule I've set!"

At 10 p.m., Lin Jiade returned with an empty thermos and saw Du Juan lying on the sofa, her long hair covering her back, surrounded by a lazy and charming aura... languid and captivating, she made Lin Jiade's heart flutter.

Lin Jiade's breathing quickened. Although he knew that Du Juan was someone he could not offend, he couldn't help but have inappropriate thoughts about her—such as Du Juan becoming his girlfriend.

Truly beautiful things don't necessarily need to be undressed to arouse desire; sometimes, being covered by clothes is even more alluring. The allure of visual perception is fleeting, like lightning, while the allure of imagination is as enduring as a flowing river.

Therefore, the real temptation lies in the imagination.

“I understand,” Lin Jiade said solemnly.

"Ok?"

Du Juan put down her phone, turned over and stretched. Her clothes were rolled up, and her navel, which should have been exposed, was covered in a blinding golden light that stung his eyes. His peach dream vanished completely.

Lin Jiade was very fortunate that Du Juan was protected by holy light magic. As a hot-blooded 19-year-old boy, he was easily tempted to try to repay his kindness in a special way when he lived with his beautiful but self-protective benefactor.

“It looks like things are going well,” Du Juan said. “Normally, you would be home by 9:30.”

"Yes, it went smoothly. Today I completed my plan and motivated Jasmine to study. Then I put a pain mask on her and stuffed it full. I didn't expect her to make such an interesting expression."

"Wait, what did you stuff in there?"

“Mathematics knowledge,” Lin Jiade replied matter-of-factly. “Her math is even worse than her Chinese, which happens to be one of my stronger areas. I hope that through my tutoring, she can improve by forty points. That’s not unreasonable, is it?”

Is it difficult?

Lin Jiade's voice was somewhat cold: "If it were easy, I wouldn't be the one forcing her to study."

High school math is still within the scope of elementary math. Those with talent can learn quickly, and even those without talent can achieve miracles through hard work. However, people are naturally lazy and always find various reasons to relax and escape.

So I pushed her to improve. She had to practice the types of questions she learned repeatedly, and memorize and practice the types she didn't know. She didn't need to fully understand them; getting the points was enough.

"Does this seem to deviate from the original purpose of learning?" Du Juan said.

"For Jasmine, studying wasn't about acquiring knowledge, but about escaping this place she loathed. I told her that the better the university, the freer life, and the more eccentric people there are. People like her would thrive there instead of being ostracized as monsters."

With hope, even though I was stricter than the teachers in public schools, making her uncomfortable, she still gritted her teeth and persevered.

I'm a rather blunt person, and you expect me to understand her delicate inner thoughts is beyond my capabilities, so I'll just let her follow my own pace.

Anyway, just like football, studying can also produce miracles through sheer effort.

Lin Jiade was overjoyed with his progress, but Du Juan remained calm. After the young man cleaned the thermos, she patted the spot next to her, and Lin Jiade sat down. The worn-out sofa creaked pitifully.

"If you work hard all year and improve your grades to the point where you can get into a good university, then she will leave the nest like a fledgling bird, leave this place, and never come back."

Du Juan looked at Lin Jiade: "But this wasn't your original intention. Tutoring was just an excuse for you to observe her. The feeling I get now is that you've already developed feelings for her."

Lin Jiade touched his cheek: "Do I?"

"I am Cupid, after all, you can trust me on that. So, don't get your mission wrong."

“I’ve never forgotten,” Lin Jiade replied. “Can we still arrange the blind date in my dream? If possible, I’d like at least three times a week.”

Football match prediction bonus chapter

At 3:4 AM Beijing time on April 4th, the 30th round of the Premier League will feature Arsenal vs. Liverpool. Join our reader group to vote for your favorite team. A bonus chapter will be added if the home team wins, and no bonus chapter will be added if the home team draws or loses.

We will be holding single-match prediction contests periodically, following the above procedure. These will include the top five European leagues, World Cup qualifiers, the European Championship, and the Copa America.

Chapter Twenty-Five: Blind Date in a Dream II

Du Juan looked surprised: "With this kind of enthusiasm, if you don't like Jasmine, I'll just drop out of Cupid Academy."

Lin Jiade laughed and said, "Then you can consider dropping out of school. I've been thinking about it. Jasmine was injured and stayed at home, so she's already missed some of the lessons compared to others. To catch up, she'll have to double her efforts."

Where does time come from? Time comes from dreams. This time, please set up a library scene. In my dream, I'll teach Jasmine, so neither of us wastes any time, and we can even strengthen our relationship. How romantic!

"If I were Jasmine, I would really cry for you." Du Juan pretended to wipe her eyes. "I already want to cry. The first blind date was a soccer game, the second blind date was a tutoring session. This isn't just hard mode, this is hell mode."

Lin Jiade retorted, "Jasmine's situation isn't suitable for dealing with things in the conventional way either. When facing something inhuman, you have to use extraordinary means."

"Ugh."

After Lin Jiade fell asleep, Cupid worked rather laxly in his dream. She held his hand and used props to decorate his dream into the shape of a library.

"The idea is good, but you should know when to stop interacting with Jasmine," she said.

"What are you thinking? I'm just teaching her, it's a scenario suitable for all ages!"

Du Juan gave him a strange look: "I mean the amount of information. It's fine if it's just for entertainment, but if it's for learning, the more you learn in your dream, the more headaches you'll have the next day, and it might even disrupt your normal study progress."

"There's such a setting?"

"You should be grateful for these settings, otherwise, back in ancient times, magic researchers could have evolved into new species by accumulating advantages, while ordinary people without abilities would have ended up like Neanderthals or people from 'From the New World'."

Du Juan thought for a moment and added, "It's fine if you study in your dreams, but don't try to use this method to compete for school scholarships; it's against the rules."

"I never intended to compete for this before I began my magical research."

Lin Jiade whispered, "Some of the students in our department come from impoverished areas. They can get tuition fees through interest-free loans. Apart from poverty subsidies and limited part-time jobs, they have to rely on these to cover their living expenses."

“They won’t thank you for it; they’ll take it for granted.”

Lin Jiade shrugged: "They deserve this. The significance of scholarships is different for me and for them. Even if I wanted to get a scholarship, I'm afraid I still wouldn't be able to outperform them in the end. I don't have that kind of conviction."

Miss Dujuan, and you?

Cupid brushed a strand of hair behind his ear and replied, "I have always been number one. I have a happy family life, and my parents' background can help me eliminate competitors and enter a prestigious school when the grades are equal."

Because I have both money and free time, my resume is quite impressive; I've received numerous certifications and awards in talent competitions. My life can probably only be described as smooth sailing.

Lin Jiade expressed his envy: "This is truly a life like that of gods, I'm so jealous."

Du Juan laughed and said, "There's no such thing as a perfect life. Some people hate me to the core and would love for me to die so they can make room for me. My coming here is also their doing. You're just a rat in the sewers, all you can do is things that smell like sewers."

"Do you know someone is targeting you?"

"Of course, no circle is monolithic. Some people are sisters on the surface, but behind my back they bring in losers to deal with me."

Du Juan leaned back against the back of Lin Jiade's chair, her body heat and some of her touch emanating from through the openwork back. Cupid's long hair fell onto Lin Jiade's neck, bringing a ticklish, empty feeling, and an indescribable fragrance.

“You must work hard, but don’t forget who you are working hard for, and think about whether those people are worth your effort,” she said.

A faint sound came from the back of the chair, and the sensation of the cuckoo's touch vanished. Lin Jiade knew she had disappeared from his dream.

Soon after, Jasmine appeared, wearing slippers and a black short-sleeved dress that reached her knees. Her ivory arms and calves were exposed, and her slender figure made Lin Jiade frown.

Jasmine looked around, glanced down at her clothes, then at Lin Jiade and the tutoring materials in her hand, her eyes slightly confused. Either Cupid had altered her common sense, or she was faking it; Lin Jiade believed it was the former.

Lin Jiade wasn't good at lying, so he just said the facts: "I haven't been here long, and I'm just killing time anyway. Want to come and study together?"

Jasmine looked out the window, the cross-shaped window frame dividing her face from her body. She saw the stadium outside, the school building, and then the blue phantoms floating on the other tables. She asked, "Do you recognize this place?"

“This is my dream. Of course I remember it. This is our school library, but I’m not sure of the exact location… I’ve only been here once,” Lin Jiade said.

"Judging from how hard you push me to study, I thought you were a good student."

Lin Jiade felt that Jasmine's words were sarcastic. He explained, "I've been here before, but apart from people preparing for graduate school entrance exams, I've seen couples using this place as a dating spot."

They weren't arguing, but seeing the way they communicated with such unspoken understanding through their eyes, and their sweet expressions, do you know how I felt sitting across from them?

Jasmine looked around: "Those blue phantoms must be the couple. You're jealous of them, so you refuse to materialize their images in your dreams."

"That seems like a valid explanation, but this dream isn't something I can completely control."

Jasmine pointed to herself: "If we sit together, from an outsider's perspective, would we look like a couple showing affection?"

Lin Jiade's first thought was "Jasmine likes me," but Jasmine's expression was extremely calm, which made him give up on the idea.

"We don't count. Couples can't hide their eyes. When you watch them from an outsider's perspective, you feel a bittersweet feeling. We don't have that kind of tacit understanding that would spoil other people's appetites."

"Are you seeking this kind of understanding?" Jasmine asked.

"Maybe so, after all, I haven't figured out my own feelings yet."

"I don't understand either; I haven't had that experience. If you ever understand, please tell me."

Lin Jiade looked at Jasmine, who was sitting beside him, leaning to speak to him. The sunlight gave her a vibrant look, her hair was gilded with gold, her eyes were bright, and her lips were luscious, like fruit glistening with dew.

Lin Jiade wasn't a lolicon, but at least for this moment, a longing arose in his heart, making him want to hug Jasmine and kiss her lips.

He moved slightly closer to Jasmine, who seemed not to understand what he was doing. They drew ever closer, crossing the line of social distance. Meanwhile, behind Jasmine's back, a black claw replaced her pale fingers, reflecting the sunlight into a chilling gleam.

Chapter Twenty-Six: Promiscuity

Lin Jiade was unaware of the danger he was in. He could already feel Jasmine's breath and see the lingering downy hair on her face, a sign of her youth. She was so adorable… no, wait.

Lin Jiade suddenly remembered what Jasmine looked like in real life without the beautifying filter. He suddenly sat back down, and Jasmine also let down her guard against him.