My Sister Is Acting Strange - Chapter 2 - The Ridiculous System

“Wake up, sis, breakfast is ready,” Tang Huaijin knocked on Tang Yaoyao’s door.

“Just a little longer, it’s the weekend, no school,” came Tang Yaoyao’s lazy voice from inside.

“This is the third time I’m calling you. I have a part-time job to get to, and I’m going to be late,” Tang Huaijin replied, a bit exasperated.

“Alright, come in then,” a hint of laughter seemed to accompany her voice.

Tang Huaijin pushed the door open, but upon seeing the situation inside, he quickly turned around, his back awkwardly bent. “Tang Yaoyao! Can you treat your little brother like a normal man? Put something on!”

Tang Yaoyao giggled, covering her mouth, her enchanting eyes curving into crescents as she pulled up her strap to cover her alluring skin. “Help! I’m being harassed!”

“If you don’t want breakfast, then forget it,” Tang Huaijin, his face a bit flushed, stormed out.

Tang Yaoyao, still in disarray, laughed heartily behind him.

“Hey, wait for me.”

…

Having been teased all morning, Tang Huaijin was in a noticeably foul mood. The bus was crowded, leaving him standing with a sour expression.

But recalling his sister’s face, crestfallen as she was left to wash the dishes as punishment, he couldn’t help but chuckle.

This drew a sideways glance from an elderly man nearby, who pondered whether to offer his seat to this seemingly troubled young man.

Tang Huaijin’s part-time job was at a bookstore, owned by a slightly chubby, balding middle-aged man whose schedule was irregular, usually waking up in the afternoon.

The perk of working at a bookstore was the freedom to read. Tang Huaijin didn’t have many genuine hobbies, but he was keen on any money-making opportunity. Reading was perhaps his only non-utilitarian interest.

The bookstore was quiet in the morning, allowing Tang Huaijin to enjoy his peace, sitting with a book in hand.

It was “The Moon and Sixpence,” a book he had read several times and grown fond of.

He was currently more interested in the sixpence.

Ding.

His phone chimed.

And so did the bell at the door.

A customer entered-a girl in a plaid pleated skirt, wearing a white sweater under a gray blazer, with classic GM sunglasses on her face and a Chanel handbag in hand.

“Hello, welcome. Let me know if you need any help,” Tang Huaijin greeted with a smile.

The girl, her expression hidden behind her sunglasses, ignored him and began browsing the store on her own.

Tang Huaijin checked his phone to find a message from his middle school buddy, Liu Weihan.

He wanted him to download an app and give him a boost, a typical request that usually annoyed people, but among close friends, it was acceptable. After cursing him out, Tang Huaijin proceeded to download it.

“Hey, do you have, um…” the girl hesitated.

…Who calls someone “hey”?

Though slightly offended, Tang Huaijin chose not to mind, maintaining a professional smile. “What are you looking for?”

“Do you have… you know, the kind where girls like girls?” she asked awkwardly, a faint blush creeping up her neck.

Tang Huaijin paused, then quickly understood, smiling as he replied, “Oh, girls’ love books are on the bottom row of the northernmost shelf. We don’t have many of those.”

Just then, an indescribable sound blared from his phone, loud enough for both of them to hear.

Both froze. Tang Huaijin unlocked his phone to find Liu Weihan’s prank app at work. He’d heard of these before but never thought he’d fall victim.

The app wouldn’t close, and there was even an animated image.

That bastard…

Feigning nonchalance, Tang Huaijin shut down his phone, glanced at the girl who was now looking his way, and cleared his throat. “Are you buying any books?”

As long as I don’t feel embarrassed, the embarrassment is on someone else.

“Pervert,” she muttered with disdain, turning away to continue browsing.

Damn!

If not for his shoes, Tang Huaijin’s toes would have curled into the floor.

Having socially died on the spot, he dared not turn his phone back on immediately.

Already labeled a pervert, another incident would make him an unrepentant one.

“These,” she said, placing a few books heavily on the counter, standing at a distance as if avoiding his presence.

Tang Huaijin glanced at them. “Eighty, the payment code is on the wall to your right.”

“Cash okay?” she asked, pulling out a hundred-yuan bill.

“Sure,” he replied, taking the money and preparing to give her change.

“Keep it,” she said, avoiding his outstretched hand, quickly packing her books and leaving.

“Thanks for your patronage,” Tang Huaijin said with a wry smile, sitting back down.

What a day…

With the store empty, Tang Huaijin rebooted his phone, relieved to find it quiet. He opened WeChat to engage in some friendly banter with Liu Weihan.

“This thing won’t have a virus, will it?” Tang Huaijin fiddled with his phone.

“Of course not, it’s just a prank app, though it does come with some junk software. Just delete it; I got caught too.”

“So you sent it to me? I…”

“Haha, you didn’t open it in public, did you?”

“Of course not, I opened it in my room,” Tang Huaijin wouldn’t admit to his social death.

“Ah, same here, lucky us,” Liu Weihan replied, equally evasive.

“Get lost.”

After a friendly exchange, Tang Huaijin closed WeChat.

Checking his phone, he found no issues; it ran smoothly, likely just a harmless prank app.

Except for a bunch of useless junk apps-browsers, antivirus programs, and the like.

Tang Huaijin began deleting them one by one.

Huh, why won’t this one delete?

This particular app, nameless, stood firm in the center of his screen, its icon a moon against a black background.

Tang Huaijin tapped it open, revealing a line of white text on a black screen.

[Do you wish to experience a different life?]

[Yes] [No]

This feels straight out of a cheesy novel…

Tang Huaijin muttered, decisively tapping ‘No.’

Though not wealthy, he was happy with his life, especially with his sister around. Who needs a different life?

Just as his finger was about to hit ‘No,’ the options swapped places.

The colors were different, and though Tang Huaijin noticed the switch, it was too late; his finger landed on ‘Yes.’

“Whoosh.”

…The sound of his phone’s CPU frying.

Staring at the smoking phone, Tang Huaijin was heartbroken.

How many hours of work would it take to replace this?

Damn it! Even rogue software isn’t as bad as you!

Before he could curse the virus and Liu Weihan, a string of floating text appeared before his eyes:

“Welcome to the Perfect Life System.”

“This system will guide the host towards a perfect life.”

…

Tang Huaijin: “…”

Tang Huaijin: “?”

As his brain stalled, another blue-bordered message popped up in the system.

“Sudden Task: Help the mobile phone store owner off the stage.”

“Task Reward: Brand new phone”

“Failure Penalty: None”

“Please decide whether to accept within 3 minutes.”

What kind of nonsense is this…

A system?

Me? The chosen one?

After spending 2 minutes and 59 seconds processing this information, Tang Huaijin decided to accept.

It wasn’t just about the phone; Tang Huaijin was a helpful person.

Upon accepting, the task location appeared in his mind.

He recognized the place, not far from this street, often used for promotional events.

With the balding uncle taking over the shift, Tang Huaijin left the bookstore.

Arriving at the task location, the mobile phone store was indeed holding a promotional event, with a small stage set up and a banner hanging above.

“Ten-year anniversary sale, special raffle for new and old customers.”

The raffle had attracted quite a crowd, and the store owner, dressed in a suit, was enthusiastically announcing on stage.

Seeing the owner’s energetic demeanor, Tang Huaijin hesitated. The owner didn’t seem to need help…

Tang Huaijin pushed through the crowd to get a closer look at the owner.

Just as he reached the front, the makeshift stage began to creak ominously.

Tang Huaijin’s pupils contracted. Without time to explain, he grabbed the owner, who was speaking passionately, by the leg and yanked him off the stage.

Caught off guard, the owner fell to the ground with a thud, ready to curse, when a loud crash sounded behind him.

He turned to see the stage had collapsed, its steel framework broken, sharp beams piercing through the fabric.

Had Tang Huaijin not pulled him down, his fate would have been no better than the shredded backdrop.

The owner shivered, then turned back to Tang Huaijin with a grateful look.

…

After receiving the owner’s heartfelt thanks, Tang Huaijin, holding a brand-new phone, sat on the familiar Route 2 bus, contemplating life.

Ignoring the forty-something woman hinting for his seat, Tang Huaijin stared blankly ahead.

So that’s how task rewards work…

It felt like a dream.