Chapter 20: The Weight of a Key

Morning sun bathed the campus,spilling down across the grounds and filtering through white clouds to castlong shadows along the stone walks. Dew clung to grass, glimmering like bits of scattered silver, and the softthrum of life slowly insinuated itself into the air—cycling by, birds stirring, the brief ring of a giggle sounding from dorm windows.

Lin Feng was seated at a small table just outside the campus café, a hotcup of cheap black coffee in front of him. It was bitter, bordering on sour, but he liked the sting.

Facing him was Liu Xiaoyu.

She had her notebook out, pen idlyrotating in her fingers, though she hadnot written so much as one sentence in the past five minutes.

They were not really engaged in conversation.

And still, neither of them appeared towant to leave. 

Now and then, they would catch each other's eye—and then move away again a fraction of an instant too rapidly. Like two individuals creepingcautiously toward a query neither hadcourage to put forward.

"I hadn't expected to get a response," Lin Feng said at last, after what had become unbearable silence.

She smiled, subtle but rich. "I hadn't expected a reply."

He looked away, suddenly unsure. The coffee in his cup had cooled. "You don't talk to many people, do you?"

"No," she admitted. "But neither do you."

Lin Feng let out a small breath through his nose—half a laugh, half a sigh.

"Guess we're both weird, then."

"Maybe," she said, tilting her head. "Or maybe we're just… careful."

Between the Lines

The conversation turned soft. They talked about class. About professors. About the constant stress of deadlines and expectations. Liu Xiaoyu shared a story about how she once fell asleep in the library and woke up to find a stranger had left a cup of warm soy milk next to her.

She still didn't know who it was.

"Sounds like something you'd do," Lin Feng said.

"Do I look like the mysterious soy milk type?"

"Maybe."

Both of them smiled momentarily.

But the moment didn't last.

Lin Feng's phone buzzed in his pocket, and his mood shifted. He instinctively checked it—half-hoping for another system notice, half-dreading it wouldbe his mom calling again.

It was both.

[SYSTEM NOTICE]

Congratulations, Host. Your regularplay, emotional growth, and system dedication have reached a milestone.

You have logged in for 30 consecutive days, completed 5 main quests, and practiced sensible resource use.

Milestone Reward: "Foundation Gift"

1x Property Voucher – Market Value: ¥100,000

Position: Within 30 minutes of your current university

State: 2-bedroom apartment, newly renovated, full ownership (No mortgage, no surprise fees)

This is your first foundation reward. Don't squander it.

"Brick by brick, your future rises."

For a moment, Lin Feng did not move.

The message just rested there on his screen, the harsh light slashing into the darkness of the café canopy.

¥100,000.

He glared at the words over and over and over again.

An actual property. A house. His. With no strings.

His hands trembled infinitesimally.

Liu Xiaoyu saw it. "You alright?"

Lin Feng looked up, trying to smile. "Just… got news."

"Good or bad?"

He was shocked.

"Unexpected."

Walking Alone

After she'd disappeared into class, Lin Feng stayed back, walking aimlessly through campus. Everything felt a bit dreamlike, as if the edges of thingshad grown fuzzy.

A house.

He'd been raised in a village where entire families occupied one-roomhouses of brick and metal sheets. His parents had given up every indulgenceto bring him here. And he now possessed something they'd never imagined.

It didn't add up.

He hadn't earned it yet—not actually.

And yet… maybe this was just the start.

Claiming the Reward

Later in the day, he worked the system's procedure and took a bus out of town. It was a subdued ride, the kind where thoughts could unfurl.

He arrived at a residential complex built into the hills just at the outskirts of the main city district—a quietneighborhood lined with trees, neatsidewalks, and small parks between buildings. Not opulent. But secure. Quiet. Safe.

A middle-aged woman greeted him at the gate.

"You must be Lin Feng?"

He nodded.

She handed him a sealed envelope and a single silver key.

"Ownership papers. You can go on up and look at it—it's been thoroughlycleaned and prepared."

He looked at the key, its weight comfortable in his hand.

The Apartment

It was on the third floor.

Plain. New. White walls, wood floors. Two bedrooms. A small kitchen. A full bathroom. Sunlight streamed in through windows facing south, warming the living room.

He moved through it slowly.

Ran a hand over the counter.

Turned on the faucet just to hear the water run.

It was real.

And for the first time in weeks—maybe longer—he sat down on the floor and just… breathed.

He wasn't rich.

Not yet.

But this… this was his first real triumph.

System Prompt

[Optional Quest: Housewarming] Havea close friend come over to your new place. Reward: Increased Affinity + Relationship Boost (Unlockable Event)

Lin Feng scowled at the prompt, notsure if to laugh or groan.

He closed his eyes.

And thought of Liu Xiaoyu.