She’s Just Too Hard to Win Over [Quick Transmigration] - Chapter 7

The moment Ning Xue walked through the door; a familiar digital chime echoed in her mind.

[Target’s affection +5. Current total: 5. Mission progress: 5%.]
[Finally, the progress bar moved! Looks like all your hard work paid off, Host!]

Though it was just a mechanical voice, Ning Xue could still hear the excitement in its tone.

She smiled faintly, calmer than before.

Earlier that afternoon, she had been thrilled after all, Jing Ling had kept her at arm’s length for so long that she thought it would take ages to see any results. So when the affection value finally budged, even by just one point, she’d been overjoyed.

But now… five points didn’t mean much.

It could be sympathy. Or gratitude. After all, Jing Ling had waited for her in the freezing cold. Anyone would feel something after that.

Still, Ning Xue thought she’d played her role well three parts sincerity, seven parts fragility just enough to stir anyone’s heart.

Just as she was thinking that, she sneezed.

Alright, maybe not entirely acting. She’d actually caught a cold.

Her mother was the only one home. When Chen Jing saw her, she rushed over immediately.
“Why are you back so late? You don’t look well are you sick?”

“Something came up and I was delayed. I texted you,” Ning Xue said, putting down her bag.

Chen Jing blinked. “My phone broke. I didn’t see your message.”

Ning Xue glanced around. “Where’s my brother? He’s not home yet?”

“Your brother went out to look for you,” Chen Jing said with a sigh. “That boy never listens insisted on taking the e-bike out in this cold.”

Ning Xue froze for a second. “I didn’t see him. Maybe we missed each other. You should eat first; I’ll grab a coat and go pick him up.”

“Leave him be. He’ll come back once he realizes you’re fine.”

Even so, Ning Xue called Fang Ningcheng. The phone rang for a long time, but he didn’t answer. She sat at the table hungry, but not in the mood to eat.

She was worried.
What kind of idiot rides an e-bike on a freezing night?

A few minutes later, the door opened, and his voice came tumbling in before he did.
“Mom! Couldn’t find her anywhere! Do you think she got kidnapped? Maybe we should call the police!”

When he spotted Ning Xue sitting safely at the table, he grinned.
“Ah, there you are! I thought some trafficker had snatched you!”

He was wearing nothing but his thin school jacket, face and nose bright red from the cold, his hands practically blue.

Ning Xue stayed silent for a beat before saying dryly, “If anyone gets kidnapped, it’d be you. You’re the kind of fool they can trick in two sentences.”

“What? I’m not stupid! I’m smart!” he said, rubbing his hands and sitting down.

Chen Jing gave him a sharp glare. “Go wash your hands first. They’re filthy.”

Fang Ningcheng groaned but obeyed.

“Don’t use hot water,” Ning Xue called after him. “It’ll sting later.”

He chuckled. “Well,my little sister’s growing up, starting to care about her big brother now.”

Ning Xue rolled her eyes, but a small smile crept onto her face.

So this was what a warm family felt like.
Not bad, actually.

Halfway through dinner, Fang Ningcheng suddenly shouted, making both mother and daughter jump.

Do you want to die?!” Chen Jing scolded.

He grinned mysteriously. “Guess what? I stopped by the lottery shop and bought a scratch ticket. And guess what happened?”

Before he could finish, Chen Jing smacked him several times hard.

I told you! If you buy another lottery ticket, I’ll break your legs! You think my words are just air?.

Fang Ningcheng ducked behind Ning Xue, yelping, “Mom! Wait, just hear me out!”

Chen Jing was fuming, but he quickly opened his phone and held it out.
“Look, look at my wallet balance!”

Her eyes widened. Ten… thousand? You where did you get all that money? Did you rob someone?.

Ning Xue glanced at the screen and already had a guess.

“You won fifty thousand?”

He nodded proudly, chest puffed out.

Chen Jing stared in disbelief. “You’re serious? From that scratch ticket?”

“Of course!” he said, beaming. “Didn’t I tell you? My luck was bound to turn around!”

Ning Xue: …

Yeah, right. You should be thanking me, not your nonexistent luck. Winning five yuan would’ve been a miracle for you otherwise.

Could this be connected to Jing Ling’s rising affection value? The timing was uncanny.

Fang Ningcheng was still riding his wave of confidence. “I’ll buy another one tomorrow! Maybe I’ll win fifty million this time!”

Ning Xue ignored his daydreaming and kept eating. The ticket he’d bought at noon couldn’t have been lucky back then, Jing Ling’s affection was still zero.

Cluelessly overconfident.

“Mom,” he said after a while, “I’ll transfer forty thousand to you. I’ll split the remaining ten thousand with Xue’er, sound good?”

Chen Jing was stunned. “Give it to me? No, keep it you earned it.”

She felt torn. It didn’t feel right taking money she hadn’t earned, even if she desperately needed it.

“What’s mine is ours,” he said cheerfully. “I’ll keep five thousand; that’ll last me ages!”

He fiddled with his phone. “Huh, looks like I can only transfer twenty thousand a day. I’ll send the rest tomorrow.”

Chen Jing sighed. “Don’t bother, my phone’s broken anyway.”

“Perfect!” he grinned. “Saturday’s the day after tomorrow let’s go buy you a new one. And we can all go shopping! You and Xue’er deserve some new clothes. Don’t worry about the money, Mom my luck’s finally back! I just know I’ll win again!”

Ning Xue could only stare at him, speechless.

You’d better keep that bragging to a minimum, kid, or I’ll have to keep working hard just to make your big talk come true.

Still… she couldn’t help but wonder if five points of affection were worth fifty thousand, what would ten points be worth? A hundred thousand?

The system did say that unexpected good things would happen. Maybe it would be even more than that. A little hope couldn’t hurt.

Meanwhile, just one wall away, in Jing Ling’s home.

The room was almost bare. Aside from a coffee table and a single couch, it looked like no one actually lived there.

Jing Ling sat on the couch, unzipping her backpack. When she saw what was lying right on top, she froze.

The ointment tube she’d thrown into the trash yesterday was sitting neatly on her textbook. The twisted metal had been carefully smoothed out.

A small note was wrapped around it.

Remember to use it.

She stared at it for a long time, then quietly placed both the note and the ointment into the very bottom of a drawer.

Earlier that day, she’d been in a foul mood because of that phone call. But now… somehow, it didn’t feel so bad anymore.

This person kept stubbornly trying to be her friend maybe she really did mean it, at least a little.

Should she go find her tomorrow, walk to school together?

Jing Ling’s gaze softened slightly, a faint ripple of unfamiliar emotion flickering in her eyes.

Sure enough, Ning Xue came down with a fever that night.

Chen Jing made her some cold medicine and added an extra blanket. By morning, her fever had broken, leaving just a stuffy nose and a small cough.

“It’s not serious. You don’t have to miss class,” Chen Jing said.

Fang Ningcheng had cooked a pot of soft, warm porridge and practically forced her to eat a bowl. She broke into a sweat and immediately felt lighter.

“I’ll head out first,” she said.

“If you start feeling unwell, come home and rest, alright?” her mother reminded her.

“Got it.”

Just as she opened the door, she froze Jing Ling was standing outside, hand raised as if she’d been about to knock.

Their eyes met, both of them caught off guard.

Jing Ling opened her mouth as if to say something, but hesitated, then pressed her lips together and looked away awkwardly.

Morning! You came to walk me to school? Ning Xue smiled, lips curving playfully.

That smile was too bright almost dazzling. Jing Ling’s eyes flickered, her voice coming out stiff and uneven.

Just passing by.

Ning Xue chuckled softly but didn’t reply. She stepped out, closing the door behind her, and lightly bumped Jing Ling’s shoulder.

Let’s go. Hopefully next time, you’ll actually be passing by for real.

Jing Ling’s expression stayed calm as always, her face an unreadable mask.

A second later, the system chimed in Ning Xue’s mind.

True Feelings

The moment Ning Xue walked through the door, a familiar digital chime echoed in her mind.

[Target’s affection +5. Current total: 5. Mission progress: 5%.]
[Finally, the progress bar moved! Looks like all your hard work paid off, Host!]

Though it was just a mechanical voice, Ning Xue could still hear the excitement in its tone.

She smiled faintly, calmer than before.

Earlier that afternoon, she had been thrilled after all, Jing Ling had kept her at arm’s length for so long that she thought it would take ages to see any results. So when the affection value finally budged, even by just one point, she’d been overjoyed.

But now… five points didn’t mean much.

It could be sympathy. Or gratitude. After all, Jing Ling had waited for her in the freezing cold. Anyone would feel something after that.

Still, Ning Xue thought she’d played her role well three parts sincerity, seven parts fragility just enough to stir anyone’s heart.

Just as she was thinking that, she sneezed.

Alright, maybe not entirely acting. She’d actually caught a cold.

Her mother was the only one home. When Chen Jing saw her, she rushed over immediately.
“Why are you back so late? You don’t look well are you sick?”

“Something came up and I was delayed. I texted you,” Ning Xue said, putting down her bag.

Chen Jing blinked. “My phone broke. I didn’t see your message.”

Ning Xue glanced around. “Where’s my brother? He’s not home yet?”

“Your brother went out to look for you,” Chen Jing said with a sigh. “That boy never listens insisted on taking the e-bike out in this cold.”

Ning Xue froze for a second. “I didn’t see him. Maybe we missed each other. You should eat first; I’ll grab a coat and go pick him up.”

“Leave him be. He’ll come back once he realizes you’re fine.”

Even so, Ning Xue called Fang Ningcheng. The phone rang for a long time, but he didn’t answer. She sat at the table hungry, but not in the mood to eat.

She was worried.
What kind of idiot rides an e-bike on a freezing night?

A few minutes later, the door opened, and his voice came tumbling in before he did.
“Mom! Couldn’t find her anywhere! Do you think she got kidnapped? Maybe we should call the police!”

When he spotted Ning Xue sitting safely at the table, he grinned.
“Ah, there you are! I thought some trafficker had snatched you!”

He was wearing nothing but his thin school jacket, face and nose bright red from the cold, his hands practically blue.

Ning Xue stayed silent for a beat before saying dryly, “If anyone gets kidnapped, it’d be you. You’re the kind of fool they can trick in two sentences.”

“What? I’m not stupid! I’m smart!” he said, rubbing his hands and sitting down.

Chen Jing gave him a sharp glare. “Go wash your hands first. They’re filthy.”

Fang Ningcheng groaned but obeyed.

“Don’t use hot water,” Ning Xue called after him. “It’ll sting later.”

He chuckled. “Well,my little sister’s growing up, starting to care about her big brother now.”

Ning Xue rolled her eyes, but a small smile crept onto her face.

So this was what a warm family felt like.
Not bad, actually.

Halfway through dinner, Fang Ningcheng suddenly shouted, making both mother and daughter jump.

Do you want to die?!” Chen Jing scolded.

He grinned mysteriously. “Guess what? I stopped by the lottery shop and bought a scratch ticket. And guess what happened?”

Before he could finish, Chen Jing smacked him several times hard.

I told you! If you buy another lottery ticket, I’ll break your legs! You think my words are just air?.

Fang Ningcheng ducked behind Ning Xue, yelping, “Mom! Wait, just hear me out!”

Chen Jing was fuming, but he quickly opened his phone and held it out.
“Look, look at my wallet balance!”

Her eyes widened. Ten… thousand? You where did you get all that money? Did you rob someone?.

Ning Xue glanced at the screen and already had a guess.

“You won fifty thousand?”

He nodded proudly, chest puffed out.

Chen Jing stared in disbelief. “You’re serious? From that scratch ticket?”

“Of course!” he said, beaming. “Didn’t I tell you? My luck was bound to turn around!”

Ning Xue: …

Yeah, right. You should be thanking me, not your nonexistent luck. Winning five yuan would’ve been a miracle for you otherwise.

Could this be connected to Jing Ling’s rising affection value? The timing was uncanny.

Fang Ningcheng was still riding his wave of confidence. “I’ll buy another one tomorrow! Maybe I’ll win fifty million this time!”

Ning Xue ignored his daydreaming and kept eating. The ticket he’d bought at noon couldn’t have been lucky back then, Jing Ling’s affection was still zero.

Cluelessly overconfident.

“Mom,” he said after a while, “I’ll transfer forty thousand to you. I’ll split the remaining ten thousand with Xue’er, sound good?”

Chen Jing was stunned. “Give it to me? No, keep it you earned it.”

She felt torn. It didn’t feel right taking money she hadn’t earned, even if she desperately needed it.

“What’s mine is ours,” he said cheerfully. “I’ll keep five thousand; that’ll last me ages!”

He fiddled with his phone. “Huh, looks like I can only transfer twenty thousand a day. I’ll send the rest tomorrow.”

Chen Jing sighed. “Don’t bother, my phone’s broken anyway.”

“Perfect!” he grinned. “Saturday’s the day after tomorrow let’s go buy you a new one. And we can all go shopping! You and Xue’er deserve some new clothes. Don’t worry about the money, Mom my luck’s finally back! I just know I’ll win again!”

Ning Xue could only stare at him, speechless.

You’d better keep that bragging to a minimum, kid, or I’ll have to keep working hard just to make your big talk come true.

Still… she couldn’t help but wonder if five points of affection were worth fifty thousand, what would ten points be worth? A hundred thousand?

The system did say that unexpected good things would happen. Maybe it would be even more than that. A little hope couldn’t hurt.

Meanwhile, just one wall away, in Jing Ling’s home.

The room was almost bare. Aside from a coffee table and a single couch, it looked like no one actually lived there.

Jing Ling sat on the couch, unzipping her backpack. When she saw what was lying right on top, she froze.

The ointment tube she’d thrown into the trash yesterday was sitting neatly on her textbook. The twisted metal had been carefully smoothed out.

A small note was wrapped around it.

Remember to use it.

She stared at it for a long time, then quietly placed both the note and the ointment into the very bottom of a drawer.

Earlier that day, she’d been in a foul mood because of that phone call. But now… somehow, it didn’t feel so bad anymore.

This person kept stubbornly trying to be her friend maybe she really did mean it, at least a little.

Should she go find her tomorrow, walk to school together?

Jing Ling’s gaze softened slightly, a faint ripple of unfamiliar emotion flickering in her eyes.

Sure enough, Ning Xue came down with a fever that night.

Chen Jing made her some cold medicine and added an extra blanket. By morning, her fever had broken, leaving just a stuffy nose and a small cough.

“It’s not serious. You don’t have to miss class,” Chen Jing said.

Fang Ningcheng had cooked a pot of soft, warm porridge and practically forced her to eat a bowl. She broke into a sweat and immediately felt lighter.

“I’ll head out first,” she said.

“If you start feeling unwell, come home and rest, alright?” her mother reminded her.

“Got it.”

Just as she opened the door, she froze Jing Ling was standing outside, hand raised as if she’d been about to knock.

Their eyes met, both of them caught off guard.

Jing Ling opened her mouth as if to say something, but hesitated, then pressed her lips together and looked away awkwardly.

Morning! You came to walk me to school? Ning Xue smiled, lips curving playfully.

That smile was too bright almost dazzling. Jing Ling’s eyes flickered, her voice coming out stiff and uneven.

Just passing by.

Ning Xue chuckled softly but didn’t reply. She stepped out, closing the door behind her, and lightly bumped Jing Ling’s shoulder.

Let’s go. Hopefully next time, you’ll actually be passing by for real.

Jing Ling’s expression stayed calm as always, her face an unreadable mask.

A second later, the system chimed in Ning Xue’s mind.

[Ding! Target’s affection +1.]

*********