I Can Still Salvage It

Shen Mian is a seventeen-year-old high school sophomore who has shared a lifelong bond with his childhood friend and neighbor, Pei Zhiyi. Their families are close, having lived in adjacent courtyards, and they have grown up inseparable. Shen Mian is an academic underachiever with a lively personality, while Pei Zhiyi is a top student known for his calm, cool demeanor. Their relationship is characterized by deep platonic affection, with Shen Mian often relying on Pei Zhiyi for academic help and emotional support. The story begins with an inexplicable event during a summer homework session when a cold electronic voice, identifying itself as the Love Brain System Model 007, enters both of their minds. The system declares a 100% compatibility match between the two male students, labeling them as destined lovers and initiating a binding contract to unite them romantically.

The core conflict arises when the system reveals a lethal secret: Shen Mian has an early-stage glioma in his brain, a condition that would be fatal within six months if left untreated. The system offers a cure in the form of Ten Complete Pills, which can be exchanged for one thousand points earned by completing romantic missions. These missions range from basic tasks, such as holding hands and sharing a bed, to more intimate acts like kissing and dating. Shen Mian initially rejects the premise, insisting on his heterosexuality and the purity of his brotherly bond with Pei Zhiyi. However, upon confirming the tumor diagnosis at a private hospital, he is forced to accept the system’s terms. Pei Zhiyi, who has harbored a secret, unrequited romantic love for Shen Mian since childhood, immediately agrees to the mission, viewing it as his only chance to be close to Shen Mian while saving his life.

As the narrative progresses, the two navigate the absurd and increasingly intimate demands of the system. They begin with simple tasks like holding hands under desks and sharing a bed, which Shen Mian treats as mere chores to survive. However, the dynamics shift during a special mission requiring Pei Zhiyi to dress Shen Mian in a short dress and kiss his ankle. This task forces both characters to confront the blurring lines between their fabricated romance and their genuine emotions. Shen Mian remains largely oblivious to Pei Zhiyi’s true feelings, interpreting the intimacy as a necessary sacrifice for his survival. In contrast, Pei Zhiyi’s internal monologue reveals a deep, possessive obsession that the system acknowledges and encourages. His infatuation level, tracked by the system, rises with each interaction, indicating that his feelings are far from performative.

A key turning point occurs when the two are assigned to share a double dormitory room at school, placing them in closer proximity with peers who are also entangled in similar system-driven relationships. Shen Mian discovers that his new roommates’ neighbors, Lin Jia and Gu Weizhou, were the system’s original intended pair before Shen Mian and Pei Zhiyi were selected. This revelation highlights the arbitrary yet manipulative nature of the system, which feeds on emotional intensity and possessiveness. Despite the external pressures and the strange tasks, the daily interactions between Shen Mian and Pei Zhiyi deepen their bond. Shen Mian’s health improves physically, but the psychological weight of his condition and the secret they keep from their families creates an underlying tension. The story moves toward a complex exploration of whether the system’s manufactured romance can evolve into genuine mutual love, or if Pei Zhiyi’s one-sided devotion will remain unreciprocated as the six-month deadline approaches.