All I wanted was to eat my dumplings in peace.
That's it.
But no - Chen Bao had to ruin it, as usual. Strutting across the cafeteria like he paid rent here. Flashy hair. Stupid grin. Confidence built on years of being just barely above average.
He slowed down as he passed my table and leaned in with that look - the one that said "I'm about to make your day worse."
"Still failing biology, Ye Zhen?" he smirked. "Must be hard not knowing where the brain is."
I didn't answer. But internally?
I regret not kicking him in the shin last week.
Suddenly - the world glitched.
The air shimmered like heat off pavement. My vision flickered, and a translucent blue screen popped up right in front of me. I thought maybe I'd gone insane. Then I read it.
[⚠️ REGRET DETECTED]
Type: Petty, Justified, Emotionally Cathartic
Target: "Did not kick Chen Bao in the shin.
"Activate Regret Correction Protocol?
▸ Yes
▢ No
▢ Yes, but add flair
"What the hell…" I muttered.
Across the table, my sister Ye Lin glanced up, eyebrows raised. "Why are your pupils glowing?"
Before I could respond -
[REGRET SYSTEM ONLINE]
Hello, Slacker. This is your first corrective regret. Try not to die.Rewinding timeline to optimal regret point…
Reality buckled.
Chairs dragged in reverse. Voices rewound into gibberish. Dumplings flew backward into their bowls like reverse popcorn.
My tray zipped back into my hands. I blinked -
I was standing again. Just like that, I was back to the moment before Chen Bao said a word.
This time, I didn't wait.
I stepped forward and kicked him.
Right in the shin.
It was clean. Crisp. Maybe even art.
Chen Bao yelped - loud - and collapsed like his Wi-Fi had cut out. He grabbed his leg and rolled on the floor. The cafeteria gasped. One guy shouted, "Yo!"
Someone dropped a bao bun. It bounced. Twice.
I casually sat down and picked up a dumpling.
[REGRET CORRECTED ✅]
+10 Regret Points Earned
Skill Unlocked: Petty Combat Style – LV1Title Earned: Shin-Kicking Strategist
New Shop Offer: Baozi's Premium Shin Guards (Limited Time Only)
I turned to Ye Lin, casually chewing. "Did… I just get rewarded for kicking someone?"
She blinked. "You're glowing again. What did you do?"
"I fixed a regret."
"By assaulting a classmate."
"It was karmic alignment." I sipped my juice. "Totally legal in alternate timelines."
She opened her mouth. Closed it. "You're going to abuse this power."
"Absolutely," I said, with the calm certainty of a man whose only goal was to nap through life with maximum efficiency.
I smiled to myself as the system screen faded.
First regret fixed. First reward earned.I had no idea what this system really was.But one thing was clear:I regretted everything - and it was about to make me unstoppable.