My System Forces Me to Live off Women-Chapter 85 - 83: Farewell and Surrender

Amidst the laughter and chatter, Li Peifeng sat down, and Xiong Miaohai even praised him for his good answer.

"Your deconstruction is perfect, humorous with a touch of absurdity, and a little blank space amidst the absurdity, apart from being a bit disgusting, it’s flawless. Keep it up!"

Laughter erupted again.

Li Peifeng glanced around, looking at this group of classmates both familiar and unfamiliar.

There are twenty-three people in the class, some in the same major as him, and some in related majors that also need to take this course, with a gender ratio of one to five.

That’s right, including him, there are just four boys.

Relationships with graduate school classmates are even more distant than those during undergrad, some classmates Li Peifeng can’t even name, they’re just acquaintances from the same classes.

During the first year of grad school when courses were frequent, it was okay, but by the second year, relationships had grown even more distant, to the point of being too lazy to greet each other even if meeting on the street.

Except for Shen Liao, the class president, Li Peifeng wasn’t very familiar with anyone else, let them laugh if they want.

The joys and sorrows of people are not connected, I just find them noisy.

In Xiong Miaohai’s lecture, Li Peifeng imagined himself as a pile of manuscript paper, hoping for time to sprinkle some moss over him.

As for the Zhao Qingge thing, he couldn’t deal with it for now, he’d talk about it in the future. Anyway, there’s still a month until the interview for doctoral transition, let the road come as the car arrives at the mountain.

"Okay, that’s it for today."

Until class ended, Li Peifeng lazily folded himself up, the stack of manuscript paper, and grabbed the back desk mate Shen Liao who was trying to escape.

"Little Liao!"

"Hey, you shouldn’t say that, it’s like you’re cursing!"

"Cut the crap, prepare to die!"

Shen Liao’s eyes rolled quickly: "Alright, alright, I’ll treat you to dinner, give you a welcome feast."

Li Peifeng hesitated slightly, then remembered that he’d bound a system that couldn’t eat men’s food, only live off others. Thus, he tightened his grip, grinning maliciously: "Save your money for your next life."

"There’s a girl! There’s a girl!"

"Girl, my ass! Can she treat us?"

"Are you crazy, letting a girl treat?"

"What’s wrong with a girl treating? Men and women are equals! Why can’t a girl treat? That’s discrimination against women, I..."

"Buzz buzz~"

The silenced phone vibrated twice, making Li Peifeng withdraw his powers and let go of Shen Liao to take a look.

[Happy Family]

Xu Manning: "@Little Bitch, class is over, where are you? Your mom and dad are calling you home to cook!"

Wu Wenyue: "You @’d the wrong person, you should @Big Son."

Xu Manning: "Isn’t it all the same?"

Li Peifeng: "Meet at the Second Teaching Building."

Xu Manning: "OK."

Wu Wenyue: "You guys go first, there’s some data, I’ll be half an hour late."

Li Peifeng snorted, pondering what status meant? No matter what you call me, as long as I give an order, you all have to listen! When we meet, I’ll have you call me Dad!

Turning his back, Li Peifeng walked away without looking back, waving: "Bye bye."

Shen Liao was stunned: "There’s really a gathering today, you’re not going?"

"What’s all the fuss about?"

Li Peifeng turned back, puzzled: "A gathering is just two times, one at the beginning of school, one at graduation. We’ve already done the one for starting school, and graduation’s still far away."

"It’s not a class gathering."

Shen Liao explained: "It’s a combined gathering from several majors, led by Marxism College. Our literature major, history, and music girls are involved. Over thirty people have signed up so far."

Li Peifeng was amazed: "So many people? For what purpose? What’s the theme of the gathering? Getting a partner or getting a partner?"

"What kind of talk is that!"

Shen Liao’s tone carried some reproach: "Have you forgotten what day it is today? Is there really nothing else worth gathering for besides romance?"

Li Peifeng scoffed: "Go on, tell me, what could be more important than reproduction, than finding a partner? And what’s today?"

Shen Liao pushed up his glasses, his expression solemn and dignified, somehow exuding a hint of sacredness: "Today is International Day for the Eradication of Poverty!"

"What could be more important than finding a partner? Of course, it’s—eradicating poverty!"

"Goodbye!"

Li Peifeng immediately turned and left.

"You’re really not going?" Shen Liao called out from a distance: "It’s just to discuss post-graduation employment issues, share tips on how to make money and eradicate poverty."

"Our country’s battle against poverty has been completely victorious! Don’t talk nonsense here, I didn’t hear anything!"

Li Peifeng’s long legs ran even faster.

...

The older one gets, the more complex human relationships become.

During undergrad, Li Peifeng might have gone to such gatherings to join in the fun.

Graduate school? Forget it!

Li Peifeng had no interest whatsoever; going would mostly be a waste of time, offering little meaningful interaction, plus there were two enchanting beauties waiting for him at home.

And to take it a step further, if they happened to meet a notorious woman at the gathering who wanted to settle scores, seeking a showdown or whatnot, should he not refuse, he’d feel guilty, and refusing would put them in an awkward position.

In front of the Second Teaching Building, Xu Manning stood quietly in her black Burberry coat, arms crossed, ignoring the passersby glancing at her.

When that man appeared at the doorway, Xu Manning’s originally calm expression instantly brightened up, with a smile on her lips, eyes, and even her eyebrows.

"Did you miss me?"

There were too many students around, so Li Peifeng remained reserved and restrained, not rushing forward to embrace her. He simply patted her on the back and then took her hand.

"Let’s go, home!"

Xu Manning didn’t answer, but her smiling face already said it all. She walked back with a light step.

On the way, she occasionally asked about Li Peifeng’s business trip, and he skipped over the book club, carefully choosing what to share. He then felt a bit regretful about someone missing.

"Why is Wenyue late today?"

"One of her experiments seems to be at a critical stage, so she’s quite busy."

Xu Manning looked a bit worried: "On the other hand, she’s preparing for her PhD, so the pressure is quite high. We should talk to her when she’s back."

"Yeah."

Li Peifeng nodded with a furrowed brow.

While chatting, they first stopped by the supermarket in front of their apartment complex to buy some groceries before heading home.

And as soon as they got home, Xu Manning couldn’t hold back any longer.

With a "bang," she slammed Li Peifeng against the door, hugged him, and said fiercely, "Did you forget to say something just now?"

"What?"

"What’s up with your beautiful fan girl?"

Xu Manning’s eyes were sharp, looking ready to interrogate him until he confessed.

Li Peifeng looked at her with a smile: "What could be going on? Sure, she’s a fan, but you believe she’s a beauty just because I said so? You think this is a drama? She’s just an ordinary person. I just had her help me buy some local specialties for you guys. You should be thanking her."

"I hope so," Xu Manning grumbled, holding onto him, watching intently, as if ready to target the artery on his neck if anything seemed off...

Chomp.

Before she could make a move, Li Peifeng took the initiative.

"Mmm."

Xu Manning’s face turned a little red, and she closed her eyes.

"Did you miss me?" Li Peifeng found time to ask the question again.

"Yeah." Xu Manning responded through her nose, softly.

Li Peifeng wasn’t satisfied: "Say you missed me, come on!"

Xu Manning, half-coquettish, half-impatient: "I missed you, hmm, I missed you. Is that okay?"

"That’s more like it."

At home, naturally, coats had to come off to change into sleepwear.

So they helped each other take off their coats, in perfect sync, a bit hurriedly.

"Now that Yueyue’s not here, you’re bullying... me." Xu Manning actually played hard-to-get, with a look of disdain: "Annoying!"

Li Peifeng laughed and asked, "Then if I don’t bully you, will you watch me bully her when Yueyue’s back?"

"You dare?!" Xu Manning’s blush deepened, and she seemed genuinely angry: "If you dare in front of me, I’ll..."

Well, what would she do? Li Peifeng didn’t let her finish, so who knows.

A few dozen seconds passed.

"To my bedroom." Xu Manning’s cool eyes also showed some tenderness, like peach blossoms: "You owe me that time, you need to make it up!"

Li Peifeng’s eyes lit up: "I’ll make it up with interest!"

It had been over a month since they last saw each other, not too long, but there was a hint of urgency and anticipation.

Since the beginning of the month, when Wu Wenyue hadn’t moved into this apartment yet, Xu Manning wanted to be with Li Peifeng, but they were interrupted by a phone call and hadn’t been able to get together since. Plus, he had just returned from a week-long business trip...

A short separation is like a newlywed period.

"You..."

Li Peifeng let out a satisfied laugh and began to question Xu Manning...

"Did you just call me a little b**** in the group chat?!"

"Yes!"

"And now who’s the little b****?"

Xu Manning cried in mock humiliation: "Mmm, I’m the little b****, I am!"

Is that offensive? Not really.

It’s a warm kind of affection, with tenderness mixed in, hiding both the bitterness and sweetness of time and distance. 𝐟𝗿𝐞𝚎𝚠𝐞𝚋𝕟𝐨𝚟𝐞𝕝.𝕔𝕠𝚖

Is that offensive? Not really.

...

"Wait a second."

Xu Manning blushed, "I need to ask Yueyue when she’ll be home."

Li Peifeng watched as she picked up her phone and was surprised: "You’re going to make a call?"

"Yeah." Xu Manning gave him a charming look: "Shut up! I just don’t want her to see too much if she comes home early."

"Ding ding ding~~"

Xu Manning’s phone rang with the dialing tone for a voice call, and Li Peifeng felt a tightness in his chest, as if each ding was kicking straight into his heart;

"Manning, you’re playing for real, huh!"