Forced into a romantic relationship

Chapter 63 People's physiques cannot be generalized
Zhong Yin and Zhong Ling were stunned because Han Zhou was right; Zhong Ling had indeed said the words "beautiful and dignified sister".

This is incredible.

No one knows her sister better than Zhong Yin. It might have been a little better before, but now Zhong Ling is practically mute. When there are strangers around, she only opens her mouth but makes no sound. Even when she's so close, she can't hear what the other person is saying. She can only hear the whirring of the fan. How does this guy hear her?
Hit by accident?

Zhong Yin couldn't understand it, so she threw the half-eaten rib into her bowl, temporarily putting aside her plans to pursue Han Zhou's mockery, and asked urgently, "Can you hear what my sister is saying?"

Zhong Ling was also somewhat dazed, her clear eyes filled with confusion.

Han Zhou smiled without saying a word, intending to keep him in suspense. However, Zhong Yin not only gripped the soup spoon tightly again but also pressed his chopsticks down hard, as if to say that he wouldn't eat unless he answered. It was simply unreasonable.

He could only say dejectedly, "No wonder you don't like this username. You don't look beautiful or dignified at all."

Zhong Yin frowned slightly, ignoring his complaints, and said, "Answer my question."

Han Zhou pretended to ponder for a while, seemingly unsure himself, and hesitated before saying, "If I concentrate fully... I might be able to hear some of it."

Zhong Yin, of course, didn't believe it. If this guy's hearing were really that good, his sister wouldn't have mistaken him for deaf that day. So he narrowed his eyes and said, "Do you think I'd believe that?"

"You won't believe me even if I tell you, so why did you ask me?"

Han Zhou sighed, then his expression turned serious, and he said solemnly, "You should know that people's physical constitutions cannot be generalized. It's not surprising that my hearing might improve under extreme anger... Wait, where are you going?"

Zhong Yin sneered, "Go to the kitchen and get a cleaver. I want to see how much your hearing improves when you're even angrier."

Han Zhou's heart tightened. Seeing that the woman didn't seem to be joking, he quickly chuckled twice and said, "No, no, no, I was just joking. I wasn't angry at all; I was happy."

Zhong Yin stopped and turned to look at him: "Don't change the subject. How did you know what my sister said? Did you guess?"

"Heared with the ears."

"to be honest."

Han Zhou said helplessly, "I really heard it. You can try if you don't believe me. Let my senior say one more sentence, and I might be able to hear it again."

Zhong Yin stared at him for a while, then sat back down and nodded, saying, "This method is indeed the simplest."

She gave Zhong Ling a look, reminding her, "Just say anything, but make it a little longer this time."

Zhong Ling was also curious whether Han Zhou could really hear her, so she quickly moved her lips. Zhong Yin leaned closer to listen carefully, but could only hear a tiny, faint sound; she couldn't make out the content at all.

She observed Han Zhou's expression, only to find that his expression suddenly became somewhat strange, as if he was suppressing a laugh, occasionally glancing at her as if making some kind of comparison.

His furtive appearance, coupled with that panda eye on his face, made him look especially irritating.

She frowned and said, "What are you laughing at?"

Han Zhou said with a straight face, "I heard from my senior that 'Beautiful and Elegant Sister' is the second online name your uncle gave you. The first one was 'Big Face Sister,' which is in the same series as 'Big Eyes Girl.' However, you hated that name, so you changed it to 'Beautiful and Elegant Sister,' but you still don't like it."

After he finished speaking, the room fell into a brief silence, with only the whirring of the fan remaining.

Zhong Yin quickly looked at her younger sister, whose blank expression mirrored her own. Clearly, Han Zhou was right again; he could actually hear what his sister was saying!
Even without seeing her sister's reaction, Zhong Yin knew that Han Zhou wasn't lying, because only her family knew about her two online names. Even if he wanted to find out beforehand, he wouldn't be able to find anyone to ask, so it was only possible that the other party had just overheard it.

But how is this possible?

While the two were still in a daze, Han Zhou asked with some confusion, "But Sister Yin, why did Uncle call you Big Face Sister? Your face isn't that big."

Zhong Yin and Zhong Yin look alike; both have oval faces, and neither of them has a large face.

Before Zhong Yin could speak, Zhong Ling, who had come to her senses, subconsciously opened her mouth to explain. Han Zhou immediately realized what was going on and couldn't help but laugh as he looked at Zhong Yin: "I didn't realize you used to be a fat person."

Zhong Ling's mouth was slightly open as she stared blankly at Han Zhou.

This time she was completely convinced. It wasn't a coincidence; this person... no, this junior student really could hear her.

Zhong Yin looked at Han Zhou with a scrutinizing gaze, frowning as she asked, "How did you do that?"

Han Zhou coughed: "I said, in a state of extreme anger..."

Zhong Yin sneered and got up to walk towards the kitchen.

"and many more!"

Han Zhou quickly stopped her, feigning ignorance and pondering for a long time before explaining, "If you insist on asking me how I did it, I don't know either. Maybe it's a special talent..."

"Exceptionally gifted?"

Zhong Yin frowned, not believing it at all, but she couldn't think of any other explanation.

Han Zhou nodded and continued, "Besides, I couldn't hear it very clearly either. I had to concentrate fully to barely make out a part of it. It was more like half listening and half guessing."

His face was a mixture of surprise and doubt, as well as a hint of joy and pride that said, "So I'm that awesome," as if he was discovering his talent for the first time today.

However, this was obviously an exaggerated performance, and the truth had nothing to do with any so-called talent.

Han Zhou was able to hear the bell's sound entirely due to his current state—

"Leave it to fate."

The reason he chose "Leave it to fate" from the three random states was not only because he valued that this state could increase the probability of triggering the mission, but also because he immediately sensed the potential of this state.

"Leave it to fate" means to accept the arrangements of heaven and destiny to decide the future, and that one's destiny is not in one's own hands.

If we remove two strokes and change "listen to fate" to "listen to human fate," can its meaning be translated by analogy and understood as fate being in one's own hands?
That was Han Zhou's first thought when he saw this situation.

The thought that this status could even interfere with fate prompted him to add it to the status bar without hesitation.

Unfortunately, although he defined "subject to fate" as he initially intended, the status bar's judgment failed.

Han Zhou's assessment was that this definition might be a bit too extreme, allowing someone to interfere with fate. Such power would likely exceed the limits of the status bar, or even the current three-level status bar limits.

Regarding this point, the description of the temporary state solidifier clearly mentions that the number of states it can solidify is limited. Similarly, the status bar itself is also likely to have limitations and cannot assign an extraordinary definition to a certain state without limit.

Interfering with fate is considered incredibly powerful even in fantasy novels. It might not be impossible to actually do it, but you'd probably need to upgrade the status bar to a higher level, which is impossible with the current one.

According to Han Zhou's analysis, the scope of influence that the level 3 status bar can currently affect seems to be limited to himself. It can adjust and modify himself, but this power cannot be applied to others for the time being, let alone to fate.

So he failed.

It's worth mentioning that during the process of modifying the status, if it fails to assign a definition to a modified status, the status bar will provide some adjustment directions. So, Han Zhou adjusted it back and forth, and the strength of the "Leave it to fate" ability was reduced lower and lower until he finally settled on a new definition.

"Fate is in your own hands: You can choose any part of your body to strengthen your physique. The function of that part will be greatly enhanced. Cooldown time: 3 hours."

The difference between deciding one's fate and deciding one's own body is quite significant, but Han Zhou is still relatively satisfied.

Both consume four points. The "Leave it to fate" ability is somewhat similar to "On the verge of death" ability, but their focuses are different, each with its own advantages and disadvantages.

"On the verge of death" represents a comprehensive improvement in physical fitness, and the effects are very significant and intuitive. However, it is inferior to "being at the mercy of fate" in one aspect: this improvement cannot affect the five senses. After all, no matter how strong a person's physical fitness is, their hearing and vision will not be significantly improved as a result.

"Leave it to fate" is different. Although the strengthening can only be limited to a certain part of the body, its application is obviously much broader.

Vision, hearing, smell, taste... the enhancement of these senses is something that "being on the verge of death" cannot achieve, and it can truly make Han Zhou a "superman" to a certain extent.

Furthermore, this enhancement can even affect organs such as the heart and digestive system, resulting in different effects—something the "dying" state cannot achieve. Moreover, each enhancement has only a three-hour cooldown, meaning a single modification can enhance up to eight different body parts, undoubtedly offering many new experiences.

Hmm... a completely new experience.

Moreover, Han Zhou's plan is very clear: in order to save points and maintain his body, the "on the verge of death" state will soon be solidified, and the solidified state cannot be modified within a month, which is equivalent to entering a long-term cooling-off period.

Therefore, the new state of "submitting to fate" can be said to have come at a very timely time, and even to a very crucial time, because Han Zhou now needs strong hearing to hear the sound of the bell.

Moreover, there are other ways to modify "leave it to fate".

Han Zhou was certain that once he demonstrated that he could hear Zhong Ling's voice, the sisters' attitudes toward him would change significantly.

Although Zhong Ling speaks almost silently, she always habitually opens her mouth to speak, which means that she has never given up her desire to express herself verbally—if someone can hear what she says, it would most likely be a pleasant surprise for her.

As for Zhong Yin, it's simple. She's a sister-obsessed girl. If Zhong Ling is happy, she'll definitely be happy too. If her sister can reduce her loneliness or even resolve some of her inner conflicts by having another person, then she will definitely not interfere too much with Han Zhou and Zhong Ling's interactions.

Simply put, this might make him a special person in the eyes of the two sisters, and could even affect how he gets along with them.

Of course, Han Zhou's guess is that the Zhong sisters' attitude will change. As for the specifics, we'll have to see how things actually turn out. But for now, the results seem pretty good.

Despite Han Zhou's repeated proof, Zhong Yin still found it hard to believe. After all, it was simply too magical for someone to have such hearing. But the facts were right in front of her, and she had no choice but to believe them.

And she had to admit... she might need this kind of "magic".

She looked at Zhong Ling, whose eyes were unusually bright at that moment. Zhong Yin understood the meaning of that look—she had the same look when she received a Barbie doll from her father on her birthday as a child; it contained an indescribable joy and anticipation.

If we disregard the fact that she can't speak, Zhong Ling is actually a very normal girl. She wants to express herself and naturally hopes that someone can hear her.

Since she couldn't raise her voice, she naturally pinned her hopes on other things, such as whether someone had such good hearing that even a voice as deep as hers could be heard and they would smile at her... No, it didn't matter if they didn't smile, as long as they could respond like normal people chatting.

Looking forward to a response.

This is perfectly normal for ordinary people, but for Zhong Ling it is an unattainable wish. She is an abnormal person, and if she wants a response, she may need to find someone who is equally abnormal.

Clearly, Han Zhou at this moment is her "Barbie doll".

Zhong Ling stared at Han Zhou in silence for a long time before suddenly asking nervously, "Junior...junior, can you really hear me?"

She was terrified, worried that the other person would just bury their head in their food and stop responding.

Zhong Yin looked at her. Although she couldn't hear what her sister was saying, the other's expression made her feel particularly sorry for her. It was an expression of worry and disappointment.

"Sure, senior."

Han Zhou had originally intended to pretend that he could only hear it occasionally, but after seeing that look in his eyes, he answered decisively.

Seeing Zhong Ling lower her head, he couldn't help but chuckle and said, "Are you reciting a tongue twister? No need to try, I can definitely hear you. People's constitutions really do differ..."

"Don't let me hear that last sentence again!"

Zhong Yin coldly interrupted him, saying in a commanding tone, "Hurry up and eat, let me see how much this glutton can eat."

But... are there really such big differences in physical constitution between people?
She touched the hearing aid by her ear; if she could, she would love to have extraordinary hearing.

They are clearly sisters, and the younger sister's voice is so beautiful, so why can't I hear what she's saying clearly at all times?

……

After dinner, Zhong Yin went to the kitchen to wash the dishes, leaving Han Zhou and Zhong Ling alone in the living room.

Zhong Ling seemed to want to say something, but didn't know what to talk about. However, Han Zhou already had a plan. After chatting for a few minutes, he suggested, "Senior, although I can hear your voice, sometimes I can't hear it very clearly. How about we practice?"

"Exercise?" Zhong Ling was taken aback, then asked in a soft, sweet voice, "How do you exercise?"

"Just treat it as a little game."

Han Zhou took out his phone, opened the playlist on the music player, handed it to the other person, and said with a smile, "Like this, in a moment I'll close my eyes, and you can just say any song title on this list, and I'll see if I can hear you all clearly."

Zhong Ling looked at the shattered screen of her phone and asked doubtfully, "Will this help improve my hearing?"

"It's possible for me."

Zhong Ling didn't think much of it. Instead, she smiled gently. No matter what, it was a long-lost feeling for her to be able to communicate normally with people. Even if the game wasn't fun, she was willing to play it.

For some reason, she suddenly thought of something: she and her junior both used phones with cracked screens. Was this some kind of fate?

"it is good."

Han Zhou was overjoyed and quickly closed his eyes: "Then let's begin."

That's right, that's his plan. Of course, there's a song called "I Want to Fall in Love" on his playlist. As long as Zhong Ling says it, the unlocking task will be completed naturally!

Zhong Ling began reciting the song title.

""Lonely"."

""one person"."

"Can We Meet Again?"

"Together".

"The Ends of the Earth"

"..."

Zhong Ling casually read out the song titles, and Han Zhou repeated them one by one, but his expression became strange as he read them.

I hadn't noticed before, but now I realize that most of his playlists are songs that express loneliness and longing for love. They're fine on their own, but when strung together, they sound like a tragic story...

Zhong Ling probably felt the same way. Her voice was hesitant at first, but then it became more cheerful, and she finally said the words that Han Zhou wanted to hear.

"I Want to Fall in Love"

As soon as he finished speaking, a row of text appeared in front of Han Zhou's eyes.

[Keyword triggered, target character Zhong Ling has been unlocked, 10 points gained]

【Daily Task 1 (Zhong Ling): Reap 10 "Curious" rewards to earn 1 point】

【Daily Task 2 (Zhong Ling): Collect 10 "No" statements to earn 1 point】

[Side quest unlocked: The target character, Zhong Ling, has never shed a tear. Make her cry her heart out. Completing the quest will earn you 40 points and allow you to extract one enhanced skill from the target.]

Han Zhou was stunned for a moment. The first two daily tasks were fine, and even felt quite simple, but what the heck was this side quest?

Having a good, heartfelt cry... does crying from being hit count?
Five thousand words in one chapter. The May Day holiday is over, time to suffer some more!

It's roughly finished, but I feel my writing skills are lacking. I'm not quite able to accurately describe Zhong Ling's feelings, but I'll try to adjust it.

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(End of this chapter)