Friends

The morning classes went by smoothly, and Lin Xiao found himself settling into the rhythm of the new school.

When the lunch bell rang, he grabbed his lunch and headed outside, looking for a quiet spot to eat.

Finding a tree at the edge of the schoolyard, he sat down and opened his lunch. As he ate, he reflected on the day's events, feeling a mix of satisfaction and lingering curiosity about the girl.

As Lin Xiao sat down to eat his lunch under the shade of a tree, he was approached by a group of students.

Leading the pack was Zhang Wei, a tall and energetic boy with a friendly smile. Beside him was Li Na, a bubbly girl with a penchant for gossip, and Wang Lei, a quiet but observant student who often surprised others with his insights.

"Hey there, Lin Xiao, mind if we join you?"

Zhang Wei asked, his voice filled with genuine warmth.

Lin Xiao looked up, surprised but pleased by the invitation. "Uh, sure, go ahead," he replied, gesturing to the space beside him.

Zhang Wei and his friends settled down, introducing themselves one by one. Lin Xiao also introduced himself. 

"What kind of games do you like to play Lin Xiao?" Zhang Wei asked.

Lin Xiao grinned, thrilled to talk about his favorite games with his new buddies. "Yeah, RPGs and strategy games are my favorite. I get super into exploring new worlds and doing quests"

Zhang Wei's eyes widened. "Oh, that's awesome! Did you check out the new MMORPG that came out? People are going nuts over it. I've been playing too, but I'm stuck at level 30. The job change quest is a real pain."

Lin Xiao's excitement bubbled up. "I've heard about it! I haven't had the chance to jump in yet, but I will definitely try it,"

"Yeah, you should! Once you finish the tutorial, you can add friends. Be sure to add me," Zhang Wei chimed in, flashing Lin Xiao a friendly grin.

"Of course!" Lin Xiao replied eagerly, a smile spreading across his face. "I'll make sure to add you once I get started. We can team up and do some quests together."

After observing Zhang Wei and Lin Xiao's conversation, Li Na and Wang Lei finally decided to join in.

As the conversation unfolded, Li Na and Wang Lei were curious about Lin Xiao's interests beyond gaming.

"So, Lin Xiao, what other hobbies do you have?" Li Na asked politely, though her interest seemed fleeting.

Lin Xiao smiled warmly.

"I enjoy reading and playing chess," he replied, his eyes brightening at the mention of his favorite pastimes.

Li Na's enthusiasm waned at the mention of reading, but Wang Lei leaned forward, intrigued.

"Chess, huh? I'm part of the chess club. You should come by sometime. We have a match scheduled for this Friday," he offered eagerly, extending an invitation to Lin Xiao.

Lin Xiao's eyes sparkled with interest at the mention of the chess club.

"Oh, there's a chess club in school? That's awesome! I'd love to join," he replied eagerly, accepting Wang Lei's invitation without hesitation.

As the conversation veered away from her interests, Li Na's attention started to wane.

Observing the shift, Zhang Wei, always one to stir things up, prodded her with a mischievous grin.

"Come on, Li Na, enlighten us with some fresh gossip. You're practically the school's gossip guru," he teased, prompting Li Na to perk up with a mischievous glint in her eyes.

Li Na leaned in, a conspiratorial gleam in her eyes, as she prepared to dish out the latest gossip.

"Well, you won't believe what I heard about Wei Ming and Xiao Mei. Apparently, they've been sneaking off to the abandoned school building during lunch breaks!" she exclaimed, her voice barely above a whisper.

The group gasped in disbelief, leaning in closer to catch every word of Li Na's scandalous tale.

"And get this," she continued, a mischievous grin spreading across her face, "rumor has it that they're planning to take their relationship to the next level on the school trip if you know what I mean"

Li Na's revelation sent shockwaves through the group, their eyes widening in surprise as they processed the scandalous news.

Zhang Wei's eyebrows shot up in amazement, while Lin Xiao and Wang Lei exchanged curious glances.

Lin Xiao couldn't help but feel a bit bewildered; he didn't know the people involved, but the idea of such antics at their age seemed a bit extreme to him.

Li Na chuckled mischievously, clearly enjoying the attention her gossip was garnering. "I know, right? The school trip is going to be so interesting," she remarked, a twinkle of excitement in her eyes.

Lin Xiao's interest piqued as he listened to Li Na's gossip about the upcoming school trip. "Wait, there's a school trip coming up?" he interjected, his curiosity evident in his tone.

Li Na nodded eagerly.

"Yes, it's the annual school trip to the countryside. Rumor has it they're planning some exciting activities this year, like hiking, camping, and even a bonfire party!" she exclaimed.

Lin Xiao's eyes lit up with excitement at the prospect of such an adventure.

"That sounds amazing! I've never been on a school trip before," he admitted.

"Hey, you should join us! We're planning a ghost hunt during the trip," Zhang Wei exclaimed with enthusiasm.

Lin Xiao's eyes widened at the unexpected invitation. "A ghost hunt?" he repeated

"Yeah! We're heading to Broken Sun Mountains. It's said to be one of the most haunted places in the country," Zhang Wei explained, excitement evident in his voice.

Lin Xiao was surprised. He thought to himself, since he had something unimaginable like a system, what if this world also had ghosts? The idea made him a little afraid.

"Just talk to Mr. Chen, he's the one handling the school trip," Zhang Wei added, encouraging Lin Xiao to join in.

As the lunch break came to an end, Lin Xiao exchanged numbers with Zhang Wei, Li Na, and Wang Lei, feeling a sense of excitement about the new friendships he was forming.

[Public Speaking Daily Mission Completed + 0.5 Charisma Rewarded +10 Exp]

Lin Xiao's eyes widened in surprise as he read the notification. "Huh? That counted as public speaking, nice," he muttered to himself, a small grin spreading across his face.

It seemed that even the small interactions in class were recognized by the system.

With 20 experience points under his belt, Lin Xiao calculated that he needed another 80 to level up. "That's not too bad," he mused, feeling optimistic about his progress.