Chapter Thirty-Two: A New Character Emerges!

Fang Yue’s slightly shy expression was immediately caught by Chen Feng. That delicate bashfulness indeed stirred something in him, and his gaze lingered on her for a moment before he shifted his eyes away. Though he felt something for Fang Yue, it was only a protective instinct, not the kind of affection one would call love.

By the time they left together, most of the students had already gone home. Chen Feng and Fang Yue rode their bicycles slowly down the quiet path. All of a sudden, Fang Yue spoke, "Chen Feng, do you like me?"

A cough! A cough!

Chen Feng was instantly flustered, coughing awkwardly as his face flushed red. "Why would you say that?"

"Just tell me first—do you like me or not?" Fang Yue’s cheeks were tinged with pink as well. She had never imagined she would bring up such a topic with Chen Feng, but deep down, she couldn't suppress the urge to know if he really did like her.

At that moment, Chen Feng seemed to revert to his old, quiet self and fell silent.

"Chen Feng, answer my question!" Fang Yue glared at him, a little exasperated.

"I, well..." Chen Feng stammered, "You’re really pretty, and you’re so good at studying. I’m sure there are so, so many people who like you. I, I..."

"All you need to do is answer me—do you like me or not?" Fang Yue was nearly hopping with frustration. This guy had seemed so bold just a moment ago, but now he looked as timid as a coward.

A bead of cold sweat broke out on Chen Feng’s forehead. Suddenly, he almost wished he could go back and fight another three hundred rounds with those bodyguards instead. Facing Fang Yue’s burning gaze, he had no idea what to do.

Seeing his hesitation, Fang Yue felt her anger surge. She had already laid everything out, and yet he was still like this.

After a long pause, Chen Feng finally stammered, "I don’t know. I’m not sure how I feel about you. I don’t want anyone to bully you, because you make me feel like I have some worth left."

Fang Yue was taken aback. She hadn’t realized that trailing after Chen Feng every night had helped him hold onto that last shred of self-esteem.

At that moment, Chen Feng looked up at Fang Yue and spoke seriously, "Actually, I should thank you. It’s because of you that I feel I still have some use. Fang Yue, I don’t know how to describe my feelings right now. This is all so sudden for me, and I haven’t thought about these things at all. So, could you give me a little time?"

The night breeze brushed by, and Fang Yue gently tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. She knew that with Chen Feng’s reserved nature, getting him to admit he liked her was impossible for now. Maybe it really would take time. After a slight pause, she said, "Let’s... let’s go home."

"Alright, alright," Chen Feng nodded.

The rest of the way was silent.

When he got home, Chen Feng flopped onto his bed.

Usually, he would exercise before sleeping, but tonight, he found himself unable to fall asleep.

Fang Yue had actually asked him if he liked her.

For a moment, Chen Feng felt something sweet rise in his heart. In the past, he had always been too insecure, only fantasizing in his mind and relying on imaginary wives to satisfy his physical needs. He had never imagined that a girl would like him, nor that he could ever have the charm to win one over.

Even now, having lost weight and grown taller, he felt the same. Insecurity isn’t something that can be changed overnight. He had changed a lot, but some things deep within couldn’t be so easily altered.

Still, there was no denying that the current Chen Feng had gained a man’s charm. He had become a campus sensation. If in the past he was just a chubby guy who made people cringe, now he was leaner, taller, his grades had skyrocketed, and he played an impressive game of basketball. He was no longer the awkward, pudgy boy who watched his goddess from afar.

Moreover, Chen Feng had never really thought about whether he should pursue a girl. More often, his mind was focused on improving himself, losing weight quickly, earning more achievement points, and using his abilities to make his family’s life better.

Everything else was secondary, or rather, he simply hadn’t considered it. With enough strength, wouldn’t beautiful girls throw themselves at him anyway? Since obtaining the Great Extraction System, his ambitions had grown.

A man’s ambition and ability go hand in hand. Chen Feng didn’t want a life of simply marrying, having children, and living out his days in dull stability. It wasn’t that he looked down on Fang Yue; it was just that such things weren’t his priority. He was planning for his future.

The events of tonight had caught him off guard and left him at a loss.

With a sudden turn, Chen Feng leapt up from bed and began practicing Wing Chun in his room. Gradually, with each breath, the chaos in his mind faded away.

He practiced for over an hour before he finally stopped, noticing it was already past one in the morning.

Yet Chen Feng felt completely refreshed, not the least bit tired—always full of boundless energy.

"Never mind. I’ll just take things as they come. If I really do fall for Fang Yue, then why not marry her?" With a laugh, Chen Feng brushed away all distractions and lay down to sleep.

At that moment, the voice of the Great Extraction System suddenly sounded in his ears.

"Host, it’s May first. A new hero has emerged. Would you like to extract?"

Only now, past one in the morning, did the system remind him. It seemed almost considerate, waiting until he’d finished his practice to avoid disturbing him. Time had passed so quickly—May had arrived before he knew it. He wondered who the extraction candidate would be this time.

Chen Feng was filled with anticipation!

(A new extraction character is about to be revealed. Who do you think it will be?)