A ride-share car stopped in the bustling district of the city.
The right car door opened, and Wen Yang stepped out first. Holding the door open, he waited for Ning Chu.
"Sigh..."
"Why the long face?"
Wen Yang looked at Ning Chu, who was shuffling her way out of the car, shifting awkwardly in her seat.
"What do you think?!"
Once out of the car, Ning Chu shot him an annoyed glare before scanning her surroundings.
It was a weekday afternoon, and though this was a lively shopping street, there weren't many pedestrians around. That eased her tension a bit.
She tugged at the hem of her short skirt, feeling it was too short.
Wearing a skirt was a completely different experience from wearing pants—it gave her legs freedom, but the sensation of wind brushing against her thighs left her feeling exposed and unsafe.
"Shall we just wander around first?"
Taking advantage of her distraction, Wen Yang reached for her hand, but she darted away as if she were a rabbit, jumping several meters in an instant.
"...Seriously?"
"I saw it coming!" Ning Chu huffed, glaring at him.
Her cheeks always carried a faint pink hue, and her attempt to glare at Wen Yang lacked any real menace. Instead, it made her look rather adorable.
Wen Yang was getting bolder and bolder!
This morning, he'd shamelessly asked her to "help him out," and now he was trying to hold hands with her as if they were a couple.
Dream on!
She hadn't even confronted him yet about tricking her into wearing this ridiculous outfit!
Ning Chu strode ahead without much interest in actually shopping, her wariness of Wen Yang cranked to maximum.
This protagonist was clearly accelerating his advances.
Her initial plan to keep Wen Yang's goodwill toward her at a balanced level—just enough that he didn't dislike her but not enough to fall for her—had completely failed.
And worse, she was starting to feel… off herself.
After only a few minutes of walking, Ning Chu couldn't help but glance back to check on Wen Yang.
Seeing his figure reassured her, calming the unease in her heart.
"The movie starts in an hour. See if there's anything you want to buy in the meantime," Wen Yang said, catching her gaze.
"What movie?"
"Uh… you'll see when we get there."
Ning Chu narrowed her eyes, scrutinizing him from head to toe.
This guy was being a lot bolder than usual today. She used to mock him for being a timid virgin.
Honestly, she preferred the shy, bashful Wen Yang—it was easier to deal with him.
"Bet it's some romance or horror flick..." Ning Chu muttered.
Wen Yang's expression stiffened, clearly giving himself away.
"Ha."
She rolled her eyes. Did he really think she wouldn't get it? She'd been a guy before, after all.
A romance movie would let him take advantage of the theater's intimate atmosphere, while a horror movie would give him an excuse to have her cling to him out of fear.
Keep dreaming!
The short skirt made her feel even less secure, so she slowed her pace, falling in step beside Wen Yang.
The passersby around them seemed to glance at her now and then, their eyes skimming over her legs or her pretty face. This attention made her uncomfortable and on edge, worried there might be some creep lurking among them.
"Do you want to buy another outfit you like?" Wen Yang asked, pointing to a women's clothing store not far away.
"No, no need," Ning Chu quickly shook her head.
"How about something to eat, then?"
"That could work."
It was a small snack shop you'd find in just about any city. The display was lined with potato spirals and skewers, and one look was enough to glue Ning Chu's eyes to the counter.
Although such snack shops were common, Ning Chu had never tried one before.
Especially the skewers—they looked as long as her forearm, with large chunks of meat that made her mouth water.
"How much for the skewers?" Wen Yang already had his phone out, ready to pay. "And a bubble tea too."
"It's already paid."
But Ning Chu, after glancing at the price board, had beaten him to it and paid first.
Wen Yang paused, staring at Ning Chu's slightly flushed cheeks.
Usually, when a guy went out with a girl, wasn't it the guy who paid? Why was Ning Chu rushing to cover the bill?
"Wen Yang! Look at this massive skewer~" Holding the huge skewer, Ning Chu's mood instantly lifted. She thrust it in front of Wen Yang like a trophy, her eyes sparkling as she took a big bite.
But then, her expression soured, and she shoved the skewer into Wen Yang's hands. "You eat it."
"Not tasty?"
"It's great~ I'm saving the good stuff for you~"
From her tone, it was obvious the skewer didn't taste good.
Still, Wen Yang wasn't one to waste food—his family wasn't wealthy, and he'd always been taught not to be picky.
"It's all seasoning, probably made of duck meat. No wonder it's so cheap..." Ning Chu muttered as she sipped her bubble tea. Then she spotted a savory pancake stall and excitedly ran over.
As she ate and drank her way through the street, her initial unease about going out in women's clothing and her vigilance against Wen Yang gradually faded.
"Hey! Meat-filled tangyuan! Oh my gosh, they have it here too!"
"Oyster omelet—do you want some?"
"Let's get a smoothie~"
Wen Yang had thought Ning Chu would be interested in clothes, accessories, or bags during their shopping trip and had borrowed money from Zhang Shaoqing just in case.
But to his surprise, she only cared about food and drinks. And every time she paid, she didn't even glance at him.
After walking the shopping street for half an hour, the only money Wen Yang had spent was the 30-yuan cab fare and two discounted movie tickets. Meanwhile, he was almost too full to move.
"It's about time to head to the cinema," Wen Yang said, calculating how he could spend the borrowed money. "The cinema's in the mall. After the movie, we'll grab dinner."
"Dinner?"
"Yeah."
"I'm already stuffed..."
"..."
Ning Chu had just finished a strawberry smoothie, let out a small burp, and glanced at the large mall in the distance. "Let's go watch the movie."
Wen Yang sighed and followed her, taking the opportunity to grab her hand.
For the second time, Ning Chu looked up in surprise, but this time she didn't even bother to struggle. She simply sighed and said, "Is this really necessary?"
She was too exhausted to stay on guard against Wen Yang's advances.
With a defeated sigh, she decided to address the issue head-on. "Wen Yang, I have zero interest in you... When I said I was your girlfriend before, it was just to help you out of that situation."
Wen Yang nodded, his hand firmly holding hers, as if afraid she might escape.
"I only see you as a convenient little helper," Ning Chu added with a sharp glance. "You're obedient, and you'll basically do whatever I ask."
"Mm, sure, sure."
Wen Yang kept nodding, wanting to see just how long this stubborn little tsundere could keep up the charade.
"..."
Ning Chu almost blurted out something about the plot in her frustration.
The protagonist in the novel wasn't this clingy! He treated girls with a casual, playful attitude, rarely getting emotionally attached. Even in those few moments when he did feel something real, he wouldn't cling so obsessively!
Why did it feel like he couldn't let go of her now?
"A little helper holding their boss's hand—it's perfectly reasonable, right?"
"It's not reasonable at all!"