She's a Passerby, But Can See the Protagonist's Halo-Chapter 164

Yan and the other three went to watch an old movie. With limited options during the summer season, they opted for a classic re-release. Though they could always rewatch films at home, the immersive visuals and surround sound in a theater made for a far better experience.

By the time they finished the movie and descended to the third floor, Wen Xin had already taken over the shift from Sister Zhang, the mini-train operator. Her chest bag slung in front, she stretched lazily as she walked toward the group.

"Off work now!" Wen Xin's face was alight with unrestrained excitement and curiosity.

"So, where are we going for barbecue?"

Due to Ning City's urban sanitation campaigns, finding open-air food stalls or barbecue streets within the city had become incredibly difficult. While chain barbecue restaurants in malls were an option, they always felt like something was missing.

Barbecue skewers just tasted more authentic at those grubby roadside stalls.

"Sanli Bridge. The owner there has been serving us since we were kids. Back then, he’d be grilling in front while the city inspectors chased him from behind. After years of that, he finally opened a proper shop."

"Northeast-style barbecue—super authentic!" Da Bao chimed in eagerly.

Wen Xin's eyes sparkled. "That sounds amazing! Hopefully, it hasn’t been diluted by Ning City’s tastes. It’s so hard to find good barbecue these days."

"Nowadays, no matter where I go, I feel like everywhere else has better food—well, except Hangzhou," she added with a laugh.

"Guess that makes us easy to please, coming from a culinary wasteland," Yan quipped.

The group of five naturally split into smaller clusters as they walked. At the moment, Da Bao could only watch wistfully as the three women ahead discussed the recently concluded Olympics.

They were all forces of nature.

They hit the subway right at rush hour, but luckily, it wasn’t the weekend. The small barbecue shop still had seats available when they arrived.

After ordering via QR code, they waited for the food. For unfamiliar acquaintances, this lull could be awkward, but Wen Xin was different—she was talkative, easygoing, and completely at ease.

The two guys sat across the table, while Wen Xin was sandwiched between Yan and Xiao Bao.

"Wow, Tan Dabao, I’m the one having dinner with your family, but you look even more nervous than me!" She grinned at the flustered Da Bao, who was staring down at the table.

Yan noticed Da Bao’s neck turning red, his words stumbling slightly from tension.

"I just feel like barbecue isn’t the most… dignified meal."

Under the withering glare from his older sister, Da Bao hunched his shoulders.

He hadn’t expected his first meal out with Wen Xin to be barbecue. Weren’t first meetings supposed to be more formal—nice Western restaurants or fusion cuisine, somewhere with a proper ambiance?

First impressions mattered, and barbecue wasn’t exactly elegant.

"Who cares about dignity when eating barbecue? The point is to enjoy the food!"

"When you’re out with friends, what matters is the food and the company, right?" Wen Xin tilted her head slightly.

Da Bao’s face flushed deeper as her gaze landed on him. Then, she added:

"Tonight, I’m posting on my socials—'Hanging out with the genius squad for some barbecue, flexing hard.'" Wen Xin swayed playfully.

Yan bit back a laugh, exchanging amused glances with Xiao Bao.

They watched as Da Bao’s expression yo-yoed with Wen Xin’s words.

This guy was done for.

Completely wrapped around her finger.

As the skewers arrived one after another, Zhu Jue realized he was practically useless today.

Refilling drinks? Someone else jumped to do it.

Using serving chopsticks to slide meat off skewers for others? Someone else was already on it.

If someone else was handling things, he was happy to sit back and enjoy the VIP treatment.

Though, to be fair, he and Da Bao usually shared these tasks—but today, Tan Dabao was especially eager.

"Hey, Wen Xin, are you Mongolian? Did you grow up playing the horsehead fiddle?" Xiao Bao asked.

"Yeah, my mom is. I haven’t been back to the banner in ages because of school."

"The Naadam Festival is so much fun—you guys should come sometime."

"I remember Ka Ka went to Hajitara recently. Wonder how far that is from Wen Xin’s hometown." Yan pulled up a map to check.

The evening flew by—Wen Xin enjoyed the food, the conversation, and especially the sight of a genius like Tan Dabao acting like a lovestruck fool.

"I live near Baiziwan, just a short walk from the subway. If you escort me home and then go back, how long would that take?" Wen Xin asked as they entered the station.

"It’s late—just worried about safety," Da Bao said, glancing at the darkening sky. It was already 9 p.m.

The moment the words left his mouth, Yan, Zhu Jue, and Xiao Bao, eavesdropping from behind, burst into laughter.

In all of China, only Xinjiang, far on the other side of the country, could rival Ning City’s security presence.

Wen Xin shoved her hands into her pockets, chest bag in front, looking effortlessly cool.

"No need. By the time I get home, my dad should be back from work too—he’ll pick me up."

"If you’re so keen on playing escort, there’ll be plenty of chances once school starts."

With a wave, she turned and stepped onto the descending escalator, light as a butterfly.

Wen Xin didn’t look back, but Da Bao’s dazed face slowly turned toward his siblings.

"Did I hear that right?"

His sister shrugged, his younger sister giggled, and only his brother gave him a straight answer. freёwebnoѵel.com

"You heard right."

"She’s giving you an opening, and you still didn’t get it? Dabao, you’re hopeless." Tan Xiaobao mercilessly pinched her brother’s ear.

"Let’s go home."

The night air carried the first hints of autumn coolness, perfect for a leisurely walk. By the time they reached home under the moonlight, Tan Dabao was still grinning like an idiot—though he spent most of the walk staring at his phone.

"Zhu Jue, the men in our family are beyond saving," Yan sighed.

"A proud family tradition," Zhu Jue replied, lips quirking.

Even gods have desires, and geniuses are still human.

And that first flutter of young love? It comes for everyone.

......

Wen Xin exited the subway and unlocked a shared bike, leisurely starting her ride.

Truthfully, walking home from the station took only about ten minutes, but Wen Xin loved cycling at night. Taking a slightly longer route, she could stretch the ride to a full ten minutes—just enough to earn a little extra experience points.

The streets were quiet, the breeze cool and refreshing.

Best of all—this was her little adventure, complete with bonus rewards.

Even ​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌‍for a short ride, Wen Xin carefully selected a bike that felt just right, adjusting the seat to the perfect height.

A good steed was essential for the challenge ahead.

Once on the bike path, she mounted smoothly, one foot on the pedal, the other poised on the ground—ready, set, go!

The moment she started pedaling, the world transformed.

Golden coins materialized mid-air along the path. As Wen Xin rode through them, a cheerful ding! sounded with each one collected.

"Ding!"

"Ding!"

"Ding!"

Up ahead, another cyclist appeared, their head labeled Lv. 1—just an ordinary commuter heading home.

Wen Xin pedaled faster, overtaking a Level 1 passerby.

[You have surpassed a Level 1 cyclist! Cycling experience +1. Please maintain a safe distance and ride responsibly!]

Ringing her bell, she turned a corner, passing through a purple treasure chest as the sound of coins clinking into her virtual pouch filled her ears.

"Beep beep—"

A car honked from behind, and Wen Xin moved closer to the curb.

[You successfully avoided an oncoming vehicle! Cycling experience +5. Excellent safety awareness!]

The special navigation voice in her ear, almost like a narrator, and this uniquely gamified commute made every bike ride a delight for Wen Xin.

Collecting coins, opening treasure chests, gaining experience, and leveling up buffs—this was her favorite mini-game!

If she weren’t under eighteen and unable to register as a delivery rider or courier, Wen Xin would have already been racing around on her electric scooter, delivering food and packages at full speed.

But since she wasn’t of age yet, her current "flash delivery" tasks had to be completed via subway, bicycle, and good old-fashioned legwork.

Once she turned eighteen and got her driver’s license, driving would surely be just as fun.

After a short ten-minute ride, she arrived at her apartment building and parked her bike in its usual spot. Her dad was already waiting for her under the streetlight.

"Dad! How many times have I told you? Just go upstairs after work. I’m not a kid anymore—it’s just a short walk," Wen Xin couldn’t help but nag the moment she saw him.

"No matter how old you are, you’re still my kid. Not even eighteen yet, little grown-up. You think you don’t need me to pick you up?"

"If you didn’t have to work overtime and could just come home on time to have dinner with Mom and then pick me up, I wouldn’t complain," Wen Xin shot back.

"Soon, soon. Once this project launches, things will settle down."

"Did you have fun at your part-time job today? Was the barbecue with your friends good?"

Hearing her dad’s smooth subject change, Wen Xin could only sigh and reply, "Yeah, it was great. Next time, let’s all go together."

After showering at home, Wen Xin checked her rewards from today’s short cycling challenge. The treasure chest had yielded a medium stamina potion—nothing major, just small daily rewards that added up over time.

Lying in bed, she finally got around to replying to her messages.

Though she hadn’t triggered any quests from Yan tonight, it had still been a pleasant evening.

Wen Xin had to admit—when a tall, handsome, intelligent guy from a well-off family spent two months chatting her up with sweet nothings, it was only natural to develop a bit of a crush.

Especially when that guy was considered a genius by everyone around her. A little vanity was inevitable.

At first, it had just been him giving her detailed, caring advice about university applications and majors. Back then, Wen Xin assumed it was just part of the admissions team’s job. But even after she submitted her choices, he stuck around like glue, sending daily check-ins and random, quirky conversation starters.

Their chats could jump from math problems to philosophical debates in one breath, then pivot from dinner plans to secret cooking tips the next.

It took Wen Xin over a month—and multiple attempts on his part to invite her out for meals, movies, and homemade cookies—before it finally clicked: Wait, is this guy actually trying to chase me?

Was this just typical straight-guy logic, or was a genius’s way of flirting just… different?

Still, seeing him flustered over something she said was kind of amusing.

Face buried in her pillow, her fingers flew across her phone screen. Before she knew it, her game’s bedtime challenge reminder popped up, and Wen Xin hurriedly typed a quick "goodnight."

How had an hour and a half slipped by so fast?

She turned off the lights, closed her eyes, and prepared for sleep as today’s life summary automatically began.

[Day 6,190 of Wen Xin’s life.]

[Today’s cycling challenges: Overtook 17 riders, avoided 3 oncoming vehicles, dodged 1 wrong-way cyclist, opened 2 treasure chests. Total earnings: 329 coins, +41 cycling XP.]

[In today’s random side quest, Wen Xin chose to cover a shift driving the mini-train at XX Mall, completing 18 laps around the third floor and serving 66 customers. +18 amusement train driving XP, +6 charisma, +300 yuan, +300 coins.]

[Wen Xin practiced the horsehead fiddle for 30 minutes this morning. +5 morin khuur XP.]

[...]

[Day 6,190 of Wen Xin’s life—complete! Another fulfilling day!]