I, who advocate giving up, feel like a disqualified person

Conversely, personal honor seems to be linked to the collective. For example, if a person from [a certain South] does something shameful, it seems to represent the quality of the entire [a certain South] population. For another example, if a person from a certain country shines at the Olympics, he becomes a hero who brings glory to the people, and no one will care whether he is from [a certain South] or not.

For me, the feeling of having my personal honor and disgrace tied to the collective was too irritating, so I decisively gave up on integrating into any group.

Even in class, the best approach is to refuse group activities and avoid or minimize contact with other people. After all, where there is contact there will be friction, and I don’t want anything bad to happen in my life because of contact with others.

Well, this kind of thinking can be understood as pure selfishness. I don't think I'm that great. I'm just an ordinary person, so selfishness is natural. Besides, selfishness is human nature. If I integrate into the collective, I won't be able to be selfish as I please.

"So? Is this the reason why you don't join the club?" Liu Yan asked with a frown after hearing what I said above.

Although I was surprised by Liu Yan's first question after hearing my speech, which was a sarcastic one, I still nodded in response.

"Alas, it's true that those involved are often confused, while those who are watching can see things more clearly." Liu Yan shook his head with a playful smile. "Yesterday you were trying to persuade me to join a club, but today you're trying to give up on the group. Seriously~! Didn't you say that joining a club would make you popular?"

It seems that this guy is fine. He can cheer up just because of my words, and he even decided to join the club. It's really good news.

"I'm different from you. I don't want to be popular, so I naturally have no intention of joining any club." I responded, and then asked him, "So, which club do you want to join?"

"Hehe," Liu Yan's eyes showed a happy look, and he snapped his fingers. With a "pop!" sound, a triangular object appeared in his hand. Judging from the material, it should be plastic. However, I don't know what this object is called or how to use it.

And how did this thing come about?

"Ah, could it be the magic club?" I guessed based on his actions just now.

"No," he laughed, "You were really fooled by this magic trick, right? Actually, this is what I learned when I visited the magic club after we parted yesterday." After saying this, there was a hint of pride in his smile.

I see, but...that's not the point, right?

"And what? What on earth is this plastic triangle used for?"

Liu Yan did not rush to answer, but took the object and pretended to play a musical instrument.

"Could it be a guitar?" I asked.

"GOOD! You have a good understanding! That's right, from today on, music will open the door to the world of love for me." After saying that, he performed a set of playing movements, and then hummed a song that he didn't know if it was out of tune, imitating the sound of the guitar.

"........"

Looking at Liu Yan in this state, I have no idea what to say. In this situation, I can only leave him to the mercy of the Lord and hope that his luck will not be too bad.

I unconsciously looked to the right and saw that Rinquanchuan was still sitting in his seat reading a book, but the book had been changed.

I wonder which club Rinquanchuan will join? Thinking about it, judging by how much she enjoys reading, it's probably the literature club. But maybe she doesn't enjoy discussing things with others, so maybe she'll just go home...

While I was thinking, Liu Yan's voice suddenly rang in my ears: "Rinquanchuan, what club are you planning to join?"

You've really had enough! People ignore you but you take the initiative to provoke them. Don't you think being hit isn't enough?

Having said that, I don't think Rinsenkawa would say anything offensive about such an ordinary topic.

"......." Lin Quanchuan slowly turned around, glanced at Liu Yan, then glanced at me, but the topic he opened his mouth was not about the club: "Oh my, did you do it? Let this pervert regain his spirit, ah... oh yeah, I almost forgot you too, um, now it makes sense, it really is true that birds of a feather flock together."

What's the point of this self-congratulatory attack right off the bat? I wanted to retort, but I held back and asked the same question:

"What club is Rinizumikawa-san planning to join?"

"I don't want to tell you perverts about me, but since we're classmates, I'll tell you," Rinquanchuan replied, "I joined the tea ceremony club."

How should I put it? This is truly unexpected. Is Rinquanchuan actually interested in the tea ceremony? I glanced at Liu Yan, but he didn't seem too concerned. He just said "hmm" in response and went to ask someone else. It seemed like he was trying to get others to join the club with him.

Ah, it’s great to be young.

The above is the topic about the club during lunch break. I thought everything was fine today, but I didn’t expect that after school in the afternoon, the senior would show up at the door, and he brought two strangers with him, a boy and a girl, who were probably second-year seniors.

"Hey, Sheji, I have something to talk to you about."

Suddenly I remembered... he seemed to have mentioned asking me to join a club before. Even though I didn't agree, he definitely seemed to be trying to win me over.

"If it's about the club, please forgive me for not being interested, Senior. Please find someone else."

The string of rejections seemed a bit excessive.

Just as the senior was about to speak, the woman standing to his left... well, let's just call her the senior, was clearly dissatisfied with what I said: "You are so rude! Our team leader came to talk to you personally, and he is your senior, and you actually gave me a cold shoulder with just one sentence..."

"You're too excited. This doesn't seem like a senior at all."

"But..."

"Stop talking." The senior interrupted the female senior. "I know what you mean. Sorry... for disturbing you."

After saying that, he waved and turned away.

"Hmph," the female senior glared at me and followed the senior's pace.

Only the boy who came with my senior was left. He smiled at me and said, "I don't dislike straightforward people. Well, I'm sorry to bother you, but Haozi won't give up so easily."

After saying that, he walked away slowly.

Watching the harmonious backs of the three people walking away in the distance... Someone like me definitely wouldn't fit in with this already established group. Rather than causing them trouble, it's better to just give up.

"You think it's too simple..."

So, please forgive me for selfishly giving up on my own initiative, senior.

Give up being tough, soft things will catch people off guard

Chapter 6: Give up being tough, soft things will catch people off guard

It is September now. According to the seasonal division, it should have been autumn a month ago. However, I don’t know whether it is because of global warming or the wish I made last winter that "next winter will not be cold" that has affected this year's autumn. Even now, the summer heat has not dissipated.

After five long days at school, I can finally stay home and enjoy some cold drinks and great human technology like computers and air conditioners. It’s such a blessing.

A few days ago, I had planned to update my novel as soon as I got my day off, but as soon as I got home and faced the soft sofa and the games I hadn't played for many days, this idea was quickly abandoned.

There is no way. Life is short. The most important thing is to enjoy it while you can. The word "effort" belongs to geniuses and those who are about to become geniuses. I am just an ordinary person. What I should do is to be a loser peacefully.

So, right now, I'm sitting in front of my computer in my pajamas. I have no idea what I look like, but I feel like I give off a very strong, loser vibe. I'm pretty sure no one will visit me on my day off, and my parents haven't always been very strict with me, so I wake up a little after nine in the morning, unwashed, and eat breakfast while playing games in my room.

Just when I was killing people in a row and was about to become a god, there was a knock on the door of the room. "Hello, Sheji, a friend is looking for you." It was my father's voice.

Although it was a little hard to believe that a friend would come to see me, I couldn't rule out the possibility, so I replied, "Let him come in first."

"Are you... sure?" My dad's tone seemed to be asking me to think twice, but the game I was playing was at a critical moment, so I naturally couldn't quit midway to meet my so-called friend. After weighing the pros and cons, although he might see my useless side, I didn't mind. Because I was a loser to begin with, it didn't matter if others knew about it. So I replied, "Yes, sure, let him in."

"I don't care." Dad muttered and opened the door, "Come in." Then the sound of dad coming downstairs came.

Along with the sound of the door closing, a shy voice sounded in my ears.

"Well...well...sorry to bother you..."

Because I was too shocked, I accidentally pressed the wrong skill, which led to our team's instant defeat in the team battle. However, at this time, I didn't care about winning or losing the game.

I was first shocked by the female voice I heard, and when I looked towards the source of the voice, I was even more shocked that I had no idea who this woman in front of me was. She was wearing a nearly pure white cream dress, had silver hair draped over her shoulders, and had a mysterious blush on her face.

"Ah... who are you?"

Although I was shocked, I still had to find out the identity of this woman first.

"Huh? Oh, ah, I...I am..." I saw her take out a card from her bag in a panic and handed it to me with both hands.

I guessed it was a business card... I took it and took a look. It was indeed a business card. Looking at the words on it, I subconsciously read them out:

"Yan Xiaoye...Editor-in-Chief..."

"..." I looked at her. Her face still had a hint of childishness, and she wasn't very tall. Aside from her surprisingly large breasts, she looked like a high school or middle school student. No wonder Dad mistook her for my friend. But could she really be an editor-in-chief like that?

"Um...yeah...ma'am?" I tried to address her as such.

"Ah, no need to be so formal, just call me Xiaoye."

"Okay, Xiao...Xiaoye, even though I've already guessed it, I still want to confirm. Who are you the editor-in-chief of?"

"Ah, I don't know the exact name, but the pen name is... uh... Ling something Sheji..."

It’s [Lingcun Sheji], which is my pen name. It seems that the person in front of me is indeed my editor-in-chief. It feels so troublesome.

"That's me," I admitted my identity. "But I'm curious, how did you find this place?"

"Oh, that's right. You promised an update last time, so our company released the announcement. But now that the update deadline is approaching, the promised manuscript still hasn't arrived. We had no choice but to ask someone to investigate your IP address..."

"Hey! Isn't this illegal?"

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry, but I really have no choice... because..." Her voice became more and more aggrieved, as if she was about to cry.

"Ah, alright, alright, calm down. It's my fault for delaying the manuscript after all." The author actually tried to comfort the editor-in-chief, "Let's forget about the address investigation..."

"Thank you...thank you..." Xiaoye thanked me while wiping the corners of his eyes.

"..."

How did such a weak girl become the editor-in-chief?

"I will send the manuscript within the deadline. You don't have to worry at all. You can go back now."

"No, the editor-in-chief said that if I don't receive the manuscript today, I don't have to come to work tomorrow..." Then, tears flashed in her eyes, "This is my first job... I've only been working for less than a month... I'm still just an intern..." Her voice and head lowered lower and lower, and it seemed like she was about to cry.

I had no choice but to take some tissue paper and put it next to her, then sat in front of the computer, turned off the game that had been displaying "Battle Failed" for a long time, opened the file and started writing the novel.

Afterwards, Xiaoye gradually calmed down and watched me write quietly beside me. Tsk, although I hate the feeling of being forced to write, I can't stand a girl crying in front of me, let alone such a weak girl.

So it's all a gimmick! They deliberately let an editor like this rush the manuscript. It's hard for most people to have the heart to fire her or insist on delaying the update. It seems I really underestimated the company's methods of urging manuscripts. Well, it doesn't matter. Having a young woman as my editor-in-chief is enough to make up for my dissatisfaction.

At 8:34 pm, I finally sent out the manuscript and breathed a sigh of relief. Xiaoye also breathed a sigh of relief and stood up to go back. "I'm sorry to bother you today. I apologize if this has caused you any trouble."

"Well, you're welcome, Mr. Editor," I replied. "It's getting late, so I'd better see you off. Please wait outside."

Xiaoye didn't refuse, nodded, and went downstairs first.

So, after changing my clothes and tidying my hair, I walked out the door and saw Xiaoye standing on the street waiting for me.

"Sorry for the long wait. I'm sorry to have made you come all the way here just because I was lazy."

"It's okay. Isn't this what the editor-in-chief should do?" Then we walked together towards the street in the distance.

After a moment of silence on the way, Xiaoye spoke first: "I'm surprised. I thought the author of this kind of work would be a middle-aged uncle, so I initially mistook your father for the author. Later I realized I was wrong."

"Ha, that's right." I didn't know how to answer.

"The food your mother cooked was delicious. I'm really touched that your family cared so much about me, a stranger, and specially prepared a meal for me."

"It's no big deal. I can't let you watch us eat."

"That's not the case. You and your family are very gentle."

"Well...I guess so." I scratched my head and said nothing more.

"Mr. Sheji is so gentle and a great writer. He must be very popular in school, right?"

"Well, on the contrary, I don't think I'm that popular."

"Huh? No way?" Xiaoye suddenly stopped, turned around and stood in front of me, but because of her height, I had to lower my head to see her.

At that moment, she was looking at me intently with her large eyes, which seemed even brighter under the streetlight. This look made me feel strangely nervous. I couldn't help but turn my head to the side, and then she stretched out her hands and placed them on both sides of my face, forcing me to turn my face towards her, and she also moved her face closer.

"If your face isn't facing me, I won't be able to see clearly, right?"

Ah... so close... I can actually feel the heat on my face.

"What? You're obviously quite handsome," she smiled and released her hands from my face. "Although academics are the most important, you still have to remember to enjoy your youth!"

Although I really wanted to tell her that I had long given up on the word youth, looking at her pure and beautiful smile, I swallowed back what I wanted to say.

The word "give up" really doesn't belong to her.

"Well, goodbye, Mr. Sheji." Xiaoye stopped a taxi and said goodbye to me when he got in the car.

"Well, I may cause you trouble again in the future, so please bear with me, Editor."

I saw her making an "OK" gesture to me through the car window with a smile. I also smiled and waved to her and watched her go away.

For the first time in my life, I felt like I had something I wanted to protect, and it was Xiaoye's smile. Ha, as expected, soft things are not just a means of prompting submissions; even a smile can catch people off guard.

If we give up our stubbornness, maybe the community isn't that bad after all?

Chapter 7: If I give up my stubbornness, maybe the club isn't so bad after all?

If Sephiroth hadn't slapped me awake from my deep sleep today, I might not have made it to school before the bell rang.

By the way, Sephiroth is my cat.

However, since I got up too late, after making sure I was dressed in my school uniform, I gave up on tidying up my hair which was a mess from sleeping with my head covered at night.