The Top Student's Two-Faced Deskmate 1

Time pressed the pause button, and his consciousness fell into boundless darkness.

When consciousness returned, Lin Zhi opened his eyes to find himself in an ordinary living room.

The space was small, with all furnishings visible at a glance. A poster of a male celebrity hung on the wall, and there weren't many books on the bookshelf—mostly manga and novels.

The original owner must have been quite young, Lin Zhi judged mentally.

System No. 01 asked considerately: [Host, do you need some more time to buffer before receiving this mission?]

Lin Zhi had strong adjustment abilities and had long been prepared, so he didn't need buffering. Yet, he spoke: [Alright, before you introduce this mission, could you explain the situation you understand once more?]

During the seven-day stay in the last world, Lin Zhi had already asked System No. 01 once and sorted through the details. He wanted to make sure System No. 01's database hadn't updated with information he didn't know about. For caution's sake, he asked again.

System No. 01 felt somewhat guilty about deceiving the host unknowingly and explained what it knew once more.

It was still Redemption System No. 01, with the mission to save with the Host the Mission Target who would walk toward self-destruction.

All Mission Targets were essentially one person who had split multiple personality fragments with self-destructive tendencies inside him. To avoid a fatal outcome, he had designed this self-rescue.

To more clearly demonstrate the healing effects, each personality fragment had different illnesses. When these conditions were cured, it meant that personality was pulled back from the brink of self-destruction and would then merge with the main body, whole.

When all fragments merged, it also meant the designer—the main body itself—was healed. He would awaken from the depths of the spiritual world and be given successful mission completion – with all the rewards he desired.

The subtext was: if he didn't wake up, everything was for nothing.

However, this meaning was essentially similar to System No. 01's original version. If the mission couldn't be completed, it would just disappear. After successfully accumulating energy points, it could be revived.

Lin Zhi was very curious about this designer. Though he didn't know how the other party managed all of this or how they brought his soul here, since the other party had such capabilities, they should be able to make him revive or even achieve immortality.

Lin Zhi: [Still uncertain about how many personality fragments there are?]

System No. 01 said apologetically: [Yes.]

Because System No. 01 had initially said that ten energy points would mean the mission was completed, Lin Zhi had previously asked if there were only ten fragments, thinking he only needed to visit ten worlds to complete missions. But System No. 01 had given him an uncertain answer.

Lin Zhi: [Still random worlds, and you don't know where to go after completing one mission?]

System No. 01 buried its head even lower: [Right.]

System No. 01's tears flowed like rivers as it cried internally. The Host is so kind, cute, and capable, yet I deceived them. And I'm so useless too. Will the Host hate me?

Lin Zhi had no intention of blaming the system. After all, in his eyes, it was just an updated AI. He was looking at the person behind it and pondering deeper questions.

This was a self-rescue, yet the system didn't have much intervention capability. It also emphasized that he, the Host, couldn't collapse his persona to avoid being detected as out of place. This suggested these personality fragments were completely independent in their own worlds—so independent they even rejected the main body's existence.

Then would these personality fragments sense each other? Would they reject each other? Could they appear in the same world?

Lin Zhi felt System No. 01 probably didn't know either, at least not the current version of it.

Moreover, was System No. 01 really the Redemption System No. 01? Were there systems before or after it? These questions floated through Lin Zhi's mind before he pushed them down.

The information he currently had was insufficient. Perhaps after completing a few more missions, he'd discover something. Or perhaps the truth was simply this.

Withdrawing from his thoughts, Lin Zhi sensed System No. 01's dejection and said warmly: [You can transmit the file to me now. We need to cooperate well and work hard together in this world too.]

System No. 01, encouraged by the Host, immediately perked up: [Mm!]

Wuuu, the Host is truly too good. He's definitely a kind angel!

A faint smile appeared on Lin Zhi's face. Everything demanded a price, let alone resurrection.

Even if this were an endless chain of missions, Lin Zhi wouldn't mind. After all, the endpoint he pursued wasn't a rebirth. While doing these missions, he had already possessed life.

These missions weren't difficult or burdensome for him; they were even quite interesting.

With this relaxed and pleasant mindset, Lin Zhi began organizing the mission details in his mind.

This was also a place with roughly the same technological level as his original world. The original Host was a third-year student at a public middle school.

This time, the Mission Target he needed to heal was his deskmate, Song Jiazhu.

Song Jiazhu was an absolute academic god who entered No. 9 High School as the top scorer in the entrance exam. Since enrollment, he had consistently ranked first in all major and minor exams, often representing the school or competition classes in competitions, achieving excellent results.

He was an absolute gem; everyone who saw him would sigh with admiration—a white jade with a slight flaw.

Because Song Jiazhu was mute, unable to speak.

Moreover, he didn't have a wealthy background. Compared to his classmates, he was even somewhat poor. He never attended any class gatherings and always ordered the cheapest option at the cafeteria.

Classmates privately said that perhaps because No. 9 High School offered higher scholarships and was willing to provide Song Jiazhu with free school district housing for three years, he came here.

Others speculated Song Jiazhu might be an orphan; no one had ever seen his parents pick him up during his two years in school, and no one ever attended parent meetings.

Everything these people said was correct. Lin Zhi didn't need to ask the Mission Target's heart knot because the file was clear.

Song Jiazhu wasn't born mute; he could speak. But at eight years old, his parents died in a home robbery. When police arrived, they found the young boy under the bed.

Because he witnessed his parents' deaths firsthand, the doctor diagnosed him as suffering temporary voice loss from brain trauma. After that, Song Jiazhu never spoke again—until ten years later, today. He was now eighteen years old.

After his parents' death, he lived with his uncle.

When his uncle had remarried, the household became inherently discordant. There was an older male cousin and cousin from his uncle's original marriage, a younger cousin brought by his new aunt, and a small younger cousin from the couple's own child.

With so many people, the young, parentless, non-speaking Song Jiazhu hadn't been spared bullying.

In middle school, Song Jiazhu began boarding school. In high school, he left his uncle's home and came to No. 9 High School several districts away to continue his studies.

The file was vague about this part, merely glossing over it, but combined with the current situation, Lin Zhi could roughly imagine what had happened then.

No. 9 High School adjusted class compositions every half semester and seating arrangements every month. It was early October now, and the original Host had only recently become Song Jiazhu's deskmate.

The original owner’s grades were decent—good enough for the best Zhiyuan Class at No. 9 High School—but his grades were only lower-middle in the class, so theoretically he shouldn't have been seated next to the top student.

However, Song Jiazhu's deskmate last month was a chatterbox. Song Jiazhu asked the teacher if he could have a quieter deskmate, so the original owner was moved next to him.

Lin Zhi picked up the mirror on the desk and looked at the face reflected in it.

At eighteen, the face was more youthful.

Compared to Lin Zhi's own teenage years, this face had softer facial lines, emphasized innocence, and weakened the sharp, angular lines of youth. With slight modifications, dressing as a girl would seem completely natural.

Lin Zhi sighed softly. In theory, the opening this time wasn't worse than last time. Though there was no contractual relationship, meeting someone new would help him establish the image he wanted with the Mission Target. The problem was that Song Jiazhu had encountered him cross-dressing, seemingly following another boy outside a bookstore yesterday.

Lin Zhi sighed again, his expression complicated.

On the surface, the original owner was a quiet teenager. Privately, however, he had perverted characteristics and a cross-dressing fetish.

He liked the Class President from the next class. Knowing that person usually played ball on Sundays, he would cross-dress and follow him to cheer, then secretly tail him after the game.

But they didn't know each other. The original owner had never initiated contact or confessed; he only dared to observe from afar, mixed in with the crowd.

System No. 01 said quietly: [Every character we enter is the optimal choice for getting closest to the Mission Target. Host, if you're upset, you can just scold me.]

Lin Zhi: [It's fine. Actually, it's not bad.]

Since Song Jiazhu already knew the deskmate had two sides, his upper limit for performance increased. He wouldn't be easily suspected of breaking character.

System No. 01 became even more moved, secretly blew a kiss to the Host, then spoke: [Then I'll issue this world's mission!]

[Host, our mission this time is: guide and console the Mission Target! Make him feel the beauty of life and speak again!]

Since Lin Zhi already knew the details, he didn't mention the medical miracle aspect.

[Alright.]

Lin Zhi looked at the small mole on his wrist and walked around the room, familiarizing himself with the original owner’s life.

The original owner’s parents had gone abroad for work transfers in the past two years. The original owner had an older brother two years his senior who had gone to university in the capital, returning only during winter and summer breaks. He essentially lived alone.

This created space for his hobby—he could freely try on clothes and practice makeup at home without fear of discovery.

Lin Zhi opened the large wardrobe. One side hung school uniforms and men's clothes; the other side held various women's outfits, mostly youthful schoolgirl styles, with a few revealing outfits the original owner had impulsively bought, but never dared wear out.

The drawers contained many black or white stockings and girl-style socks. Lin Zhi took a deep breath and slowly closed the drawer.

The next morning, Lin Zhi changed into his school uniform, shouldered his backpack, and entered high school.

When he arrived at the classroom, the seat next to him was still empty.

A few minutes later, System No. 01 spoke: [The Mission Target is entering the teaching building!]

[Host, are we going to use love to redeem him again this time?]

Since it had worked last time, System No. 01 thought this method was excellent.

But Lin Zhi didn't give a definitive answer: [Let's see after I meet him.]

Though essentially one person, they were actually different individuals. Lin Zhi wasn't certain whether this personality fragment would attract him, whether he would feel something.

If not, friendship or even being rivals would be good choices.

About two minutes later, a slender boy in a blue-and-white school uniform walked through the door carrying books.

His skin was very pale—a sickly, lifeless white. His eyes were bright and clear, his features refined and striking. His back was very straight, his posture like growing bamboo.

He made eye contact with Lin Zhi for a moment, then sat down next to him calmly.

He didn't mention yesterday's incident or show any desire to communicate.

If Ming Yao's inability to be easily touched was because he had drawn an unbridgeable ravine between himself and others, then Song Jiazhu's inability to be approached was because he had sealed himself off from others with a transparent barrier.

Though Lin Zhi already had an answer in his mind, to be safe, he asked once more: [Is he pure?]

Even though he knew this person and Ming Yao were essentially one individual, the body standing before his eyes was not.

His extreme cleanliness obsession hadn't been cured by Ming Yao; if anything, it seemed worse.

Because his standard had become concrete, with a real example before him, he found it even harder to compromise.

System No. 01: [Yes! But, Host, didn't you already know they're essentially the same person? Why ask again?]

Lin Zhi: [Asking the first time means I like purity. But asking a second time—do you know what that means?]

System No. 01: [What does it mean?]

Lin Zhi curved his lips into a smile: [It means I really do like him.]