They Hated Me in My First Life, But Now I Have the Love System
Chapter 114 - 114 Crowded

Chapter 114: Crowded Chapter 114: Crowded For nearly an hour, she lay there on the cold ground, trying to summon the strength to move.

The night sky stretched above her, calm and indifferent, while her body felt like it had been trampled by a stampede.

Finally, with great effort, she pushed herself up.

Step by agonizing step, she dragged herself back to her room, careful not to be seen by the early rising servants.

What should have been a quick walk took an hour, each movement a battle against exhaustion.

The moment she stumbled into her room, she didn’t even make it to the makeshift bed.

She collapsed onto the floor and was out cold within seconds.

Nnenna woke up groggily, her body feeling like it had been weighed down with stones.

As her vision cleared, she turned her head and saw the small clock on the wall.

12 p.m.

Her eyes widened in shock.

She had never slept this late before!

Panic surged through her as she tried to sit up, only to be met with a sharp, searing pain radiating through her entire body.

“Ah!” She gasped, collapsing back onto the bed.

It felt like her muscles had turned into solid rock overnight.

Her arms, legs, and even her back throbbed with an ache so deep she swore even her bones were protesting.

Every movement sent a wave of soreness through her, as if her entire body was punishing her for last night’s relentless training.

Her muscles were stiff and inflamed, most likely Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness (DOMS), the painful aftermath of pushing her body beyond its limits after years of little to no strenuous physical activity.

The microscopic tears in her muscles from all that running, punching, kicking, and riding were now making themselves known in full force.

Her joints ached too, a reminder that she hadn’t moved like that in years.

Her legs especially felt like they had been filled with lead, making even the thought of standing unbearable.

Her body was in recovery mode, trying to rebuild stronger muscle fibers, but for now, all she felt was misery.

She groaned, forcing herself to roll over.

‘How am I supposed to leave the castle like this?’ Even lifting her arms felt like lifting a mountain.

But she had to move.

She thought of quitting but banished that thought in seconds.

Gritting her teeth, she slowly pushed herself up, every motion stiff and agonizing.

She had made a promise, to herself and to Teacher Rose.

Quitting now wasn’t an option.

When she was finally able to get up, she put on her disguise and slipped out of the castle through the secret passage.

She headed straight to the old man, just as she had promised.

As she approached the familiar tree, she was taken aback by the transformation.

The once quiet spot was now filled with life.

Customers sat at cheerful wooden tables, chatting and laughing as they enjoyed their meals.

A few men moved swiftly between them, serving food, drinks, and various accessories that complemented the dishes.

Nnenna felt like she was in a dream.

The entire place was buzzing with energy, a stark contrast to the previous day.

More people had probably heard yesterday and came over today.

She scanned the area and spotted the old man a bit further behind the tree.

He was busy, but she called out anyway.

“Grandpa!” she greeted as she came closer.

“Good afternoon!

I can see things are going very well!” Her voice carried both surprise and admiration as she took in the lively atmosphere.

“Ah, it’s you!” the old man exclaimed, his face lighting up as he motioned for her to come closer.

He reached out, gripping her hands warmly.

“Come, my dear young friend.” Nnenna smiled, but before she could say anything, he continued excitedly, “Yes, things are going very well!

I even got my kids to help out.” Her eyebrows lifted in surprise.

“Wow, I didn’t know you had kids!” she said curiously as if she didn’t know already.

“Oh yes, I have three boys,” the old man said, his voice thick with emotion.

“When I got home last night and told them everything that happened, including about you, they were so shocked.

After we counted all the profits, they decided to abandon whatever they were doing before… things I knew weren’t good.” His eyes glistened as he spoke.

“They came back to help me here until they can get back on their feet with something legal.” Tears welled up in his eyes as he shook his head in disbelief.

“I don’t even know how all this happened,” he murmured, his voice shaking.

“Thank you, child.

Thank you for everything you’ve done for me and my family.” Nnenna stood there, momentarily stunned.

‘So this is what the love system meant,’ she thought.

A genuine, positive reaction had set off this chain of events.

She smiled softly to herself.

“I’m glad I could help, Grandpa,” she replied warmly.

“I just came to check in like I promised I would.

Since everything is going great, I’ll be on my way now,” she added, taking a step back.

“Wait, wait!” the old man called after her, hurrying closer.

“I made sure to reserve some dishes for you, so please take them with you.” Nnenna immediately shook her head, waving her hands.

“No, I can’t.

It’s better to serve them to customers and earn more money,” she reasoned.

But the old man was firm.

“No, I prepared these especially for you.

If you don’t take them, I will not be happy,” he insisted, crossing his arms.

She hesitated, then sighed, relenting.

“Okay, okay, I’ll take them.” He beamed, handing her a neatly packed food flask.

She accepted it with a grateful nod.

“I promise to bring it back in the future,” she said sincerely before turning to leave.

As Nnenna turned to leave, a sudden commotion caught her attention.

People were shouting, their voices tense and urgent.

She looked toward the source of the noise, but at first, she couldn’t see anything.

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