Chapter Sixteen

Fake Couple.

For Su Cheng, this kind of relationship was utterly repulsive.

The two of them didn’t actually like each other, yet they were forced to play these hypocritical roles in front of the system, making Su Cheng feel extremely awkward.

But the problem was, he was already in too deep to back out now.

Gu Ruoxue was probably in the same boat.

A pang of melancholy suddenly washed over Su Cheng’s heart.

Although—

Being able to become Gu Ruoxue’s boyfriend was absolutely something worth bragging about and taking pride in.

Although he had no friends to brag to.

Just the thought of it alone felt like a dream.

After all, Gu Ruoxue’s looks and aura were on an entirely different level—especially her beauty, which seemed almost artificially crafted, ethereal and unreal, like something out of a fantasy.

He truly couldn’t find a girl more outstanding than her.

"First, go on a date, then become a couple."

This sentence lingered in Su Cheng’s ears, refusing to fade away.

The word "date" was entirely foreign to him.

How was this supposed to work?

Where were they even supposed to go?

Movies? Dinner? Shopping?

Was that the standard procedure?

It was such an unfamiliar yet intriguing concept.

Right now, the situation was this: even though he had no idea what to do, he would do his best to cooperate with Gu Ruoxue.

Whatever Gu Ruoxue decided, he would follow along without complaint.

That said, there were some places he absolutely refused to go.

For example—

Su Cheng came to a sudden halt, staring at the women’s specialty store filled with all kinds of intimate apparel. His face twisted into a mix of horror and embarrassment. "Uh… you can go in there by yourself."

Gu Ruoxue also stopped, gazing at him with clear, unreadable eyes before shaking her head slightly and stating matter-of-factly, "It’s completely normal for couples to go into these kinds of stores together."

"No need, I’ll just wait outside."

Su Cheng declined shyly.

Gu Ruoxue blinked her large, glistening eyes, seemingly amused by his reaction. "No. It’s not just women’s products in there. What I want to buy requires you to try it on before I can decide whether to get it."

"Y-you don’t have to buy anything for me. I don’t need anything, and there’s no point wasting money!"

Su Cheng glared at her through gritted teeth, his expression screaming that he’d rather die than step inside.

But Gu Ruoxue remained unfazed by his defiance and insisted stubbornly, "In my opinion, this is a crucial part of completing our mission."

"What kind of mission requirement is this?!"

"Really, it’ll be quick."

Seeing her alternate between soft and hard tactics—even framing it as a necessary step for their fake relationship—Su Cheng finally caved in defeat. "Fine… but make it fast."

"Mm."

Gu Ruoxue gave a slight nod before stepping inside.

Su Cheng frowned but quickly followed, sticking close behind her with barely a fist’s distance between them.

His biggest fear was being mistaken for a pervert and getting kicked out by the staff.

Once inside, Su Cheng made a conscious effort to keep his eyes from wandering, avoiding any suspicious movements while trying to appear as nonchalant as possible—like a regular customer.

Wait, a regular customer?!

Fortunately, since they were standing so close together, the staff probably did assume they were a couple. No strange looks were thrown his way—just a brief glance before their attention shifted to Gu Ruoxue, and a sweet-faced salesgirl approached them with a warm smile.

"May I help you with anything?"

"No, we’re just browsing."

Gu Ruoxue shook her head.

"Of course, feel free to look around."

The salesgirl promptly retreated.

Su Cheng exhaled in relief, but he was still restless, feeling like he was sitting on pins and needles as he shadowed his fake "girlfriend."

To his surprise, the store wasn’t just filled with women’s products. As they walked further in, he spotted some… unusual items, like silicone-based accessories.

This led his mind down a strange path.

He suddenly thought Gu Ruoxue might actually need something like this—if she used it, he estimated her outward appearance could increase by tenfold. Though, in essence, it’d just be padding fraud.

Public area: 99.9%, actual area:…

Just as his imagination ran wild, a sharp pain shot through his waist, making him suck in a breath. He turned his head.

Gu Ruoxue’s eyes had transformed into a pie chart—one part embarrassment, two parts disbelief, three parts confusion, and four parts fury.

Su Cheng gulped and quickly averted his gaze.

"Uh…"

"Shut up."

With that, she strode ahead, and he had no choice but to follow, now too terrified to let his thoughts wander again.

They walked deeper into the store until they reached a section that no longer carried standard women’s products but rather accessories—scarves, hats, gloves…

Gu Ruoxue picked up a scarf, examining it carefully before giving it a firm tug to test its quality.

In the end, she settled on a simple, elegant black wool scarf—understated yet refined.

Just as Su Cheng pretended to be oblivious, looking elsewhere—

"Bend down."

Gu Ruoxue held up the scarf, signaling for him to lean forward.

"Huh?"

Su Cheng feigned surprise, but she was already stepping closer, the distance between them becoming uncomfortably intimate.

Still, he obediently complied.

After all, this was part of the mission.

Not because he wanted to.

Right, just the mission!

Gu Ruoxue then rose onto her tiptoes, reaching up to wrap the scarf around his neck. Her voice carried a faint hint of allure: "I noticed you kept shrinking your neck outside, so I got you this to block the wind. Wouldn’t want you catching a cold."

The scent of her subtle fragrance, the softness of her tone, and the closeness of their bodies robbed Su Cheng of all coherent thought. He could only bury his flushed face into the scarf, utterly at her mercy.

After securing it, Gu Ruoxue took a step back to admire her handiwork before turning toward the checkout counter.

By the time Su Cheng regained his senses, she had already finished paying.

Now it was his turn to look around.

As the saying goes, one good turn deserves another.

His eyes immediately landed on a black beret. It looked like it’d suit Gu Ruoxue perfectly, so he grabbed it and turned away, planning to surprise her with it when she returned.

But to his shock, Gu Ruoxue seemed to sense his intentions and suddenly stopped in her tracks, eyeing him warily.

When nothing happened, he turned his head in confusion—

Only to find her standing there with her arms crossed, guarding herself like he was some kind of criminal. "What are you trying to do?"

"Uh…"

Su Cheng froze for a few seconds before awkwardly holding out the beret. "I, uh…"

"I think this would look really good on you."

Mustering his courage, he blurted out, "You always seem so cold. Wearing this would help retain warmth and keep you in a gentle state forever!"

In his panic, his words came out completely incoherent.

Gu Ruoxue remained silent for a moment, then looked up at him. After hesitating for a few seconds, she slowly extended her delicate fingers, attempting to take the hat.

But Su Cheng stubbornly raised his hand, refusing to hand it over.

Under her puzzled gaze, he stepped closer instead, gently placing the hat on Gu Ruoxue’s head himself. Softly, he murmured by her ear, "Consider this an exchange of gifts, then?"

"...Thank you."

Gu Ruoxue gave a slight nod of gratitude, then glanced at Su Cheng again. Seeing his flushed, embarrassed face, she couldn’t help but feel amused, along with a strange, indescribable emotion welling up inside her.

After adjusting the hat for her, he headed to the counter to pay. When he returned, however, he found Gu Ruoxue had already taken the hat off, standing still as she carefully combed her hair with her fingers.

Then, she discreetly checked her reflection in a hand mirror. Satisfied, she put the beret back on and looked toward Su Cheng—only to meet his gaze directly.

The two locked eyes for a few seconds before Gu Ruoxue awkwardly averted hers. With a soft humph, she turned and walked out first.

Su Cheng quickly followed.

They left the mall together.

Passing by a coffee shop, Su Cheng suggested they stop for a drink and a short break.

But Gu Ruoxue shook her head, her attention caught by the promotional sign outside a small bubble tea stand.

"Second Cup Half Price."

"Oh, you want bubble tea?" Su Cheng followed her gaze, surprised.

After all, this was something loaded with sugar and fat—not to mention packed with artificial additives.

He remembered how, when he’d bought coffee for her before, she’d always opted for black Americano.

The only difference between Americano and traditional Chinese medicine was that the latter could be covered by insurance!

"Yes."

Gu Ruoxue nodded.

She’d often seen girls her age buying drinks from places like this on their way to school, and curiosity had gotten the better of her.

"Wait here, then. I’ll get it."

Gu Ruoxue nodded again, watching him walk away before taking a seat at a shaded table nearby.

A few minutes later, Su Cheng returned with two cups of hot pearl milk tea. He placed one in front of Gu Ruoxue and kept the other for himself, taking a sip through the straw.

As he drank, he noticed Gu Ruoxue staring thoughtfully at the dark pearls floating in her cup.

Curious, he asked, "What’s wrong?"

"What are these black things inside?"

She tilted her head slightly before looking up at him.

The adorable gesture caught Su Cheng off guard. Seized by a mischievous impulse, he put on a serious face and explained, "This is called pearl milk tea. The black bits are pearls, made from tapioca starch."

"Pearl milk tea... tapioca starch?"

Gu Ruoxue glanced back at the cup.

Su Cheng nodded. "Yeah, the pearls are chewy and bouncy—really popular with girls."

Gu Ruoxue gave an understanding nod, inserted her straw, and lifted the cup to her lips with practiced elegance.

The next instant, her pupils dilated, her delicate face overtaken by shock.

Her mouth was instantly flooded with overwhelming sweetness—and worse, her first sip had sucked up one of the pearls.

She tentatively chewed a few times, only to confirm that the pearl was indeed soft, sticky, and unnervingly bouncy.

"What’s the matter?"

"Nothing. I just got a pearl on the first try."