The sun dipped below the horizon, and night descended.
A flicker of clarity flashed in his eyes. Tang Zhiyuan released his arm from around Xu Qian's, his expression still cold. After a long pause, he spoke, "What is there to like about me?"
Xu Qian's gaze flickered. She was stunned. "I... My actions are only for the mission."
The dim, yellowing streetlight illuminated his face, rendering his expression dark and inscrutable.
[Ding, Tang Zhiyuan's affection level -5, total affection level 26.]
Xu Qian sighed inwardly, gritting her teeth. Everything for the mission!
In the dim light, she subtly turned her head. After a moment's hesitation, she reached out and hugged Tang Zhiyuan. The embrace was light; he could have easily broken free with a slight movement. Yet, he remained frozen there, lost in thought.
The soft streetlight highlighted the smooth sheen of Xu Qian's hair. After a long while, she looked up. His handsome, indifferent face showed no change, only his eyes were dark, like a pool of thick, unresolvable ink.
"I won't give up."
Xu Qian stood on her tiptoes and lightly kissed his chin. She released him and turned to leave, not looking back.
[Ding, Tang Zhiyuan's affection level +5, total affection level 31.]
Xu Qian's lips curved upward slightly. She hadn't had instant noodles in ages.
In the past.
Xu Qian woke up early to prepare lunch, hoping to surprise Mr. Tang. The dishes were simple: spicy shredded cabbage, stir-fried tiny shrimps, and cola chicken wings. They were arranged neatly and attractively in a bento box, whetting the appetite.
After finishing, she opened the newly bought book, "How to Pursue Handsome Guys," and studied it with relish.
She left precisely at 11 o'clock. The sun was shining brightly.
Xu Qian squinted as she sat in the taxi. F City's skyscrapers stood tall, its prosperity undiminished. But soon, it would be reduced to ruins.
She arrived at F University at precisely 11:30.
"Ring ring ring."
The dismissal bell rang. Tang Zhiyuan was wearing a black turtleneck sweater and black trousers today, making him appear even more aloof.
Xu Qian stood up and waved at him.
"Mr. Tang, I brought lunch. Will you do me the honor?"
Her eyes crinkled into crescent moons as she smiled. Her hair was tied in a ponytail, her neck slender. She wore a simple white dress, white sneakers, and carried a white insulated bag.
The sunlight caught the ponytail on her head, radiating an aura of youthful vitality.
Tang Zhiyuan's deep, ocean-like eyes instantly became unfathomable. He strode forward, grabbed Xu Qian's wrist, and pulled the girl into a secluded corner of the campus.
"What exactly is your purpose!" His voice was cold, tinged with a hint of chill.
"I just like you."
The book said that if she was persistent enough, that was all there was to it. No need for reasons.
"Stop lying. Like me? You've been following me since the first time we met."
"I like you, and I want to understand you. Isn't that right?"
Tang Zhiyuan's cool gaze fixed on her. His perfectly chiseled features were expressionless. "It's for money, right? You should have gone to my brother, not me." He had grown up in that kind of family. Money was not important to him, but for many, even the best relationships crumbled before money. This was his first lesson in life.
[Activating Tear Device.]
Xu Qian tried her best to widen her eyes to make her tears look more genuine. She squeezed out a few words through gritted teeth: "So in your heart, I'm that kind of person. No matter how hard I try, I'm just a poor person, and I shouldn't even think of touching a noble man like you?"
Xu Qian looked up, her eyelashes fluttering. Tears, unable to wait, streamed down from her eyes, tracing paths along her delicate face.
"Tang Zhiyuan, I'm so disappointed in you." Xu Qian covered her eyes, but tears flowed through her fingers. She placed the insulated bag on the ground and turned to run away.
Tang Zhiyuan's eyes lowered, and he stood frozen. After a long while, he bent down and picked up the white insulated bag from the ground.
Back in his office, Tang Zhiyuan opened the little rabbit lunchbox and was stunned. Although the dishes were simple, they were filled with thoughtfulness. Because of the insulated bag, the food was still warm, emitting a faint steam.
A middle-aged professor glanced over as he passed. "Oh, Teacher Tang, you're so lucky. Your little girlfriend brought you this?"
"No," Tang Zhiyuan replied stiffly.
The middle-aged professor gave him a knowing look and patted his shoulder. "Alright, I'll eat at the cafeteria. You enjoy."
Tang Zhiyuan raised his left hand and rubbed his temples, exhaling deeply. He considered himself to have excellent self-control and never to be aggressive, but today...
At the gate of F University, during the dismissal period, the area was crowded. Xu Qian's exquisite appearance immediately drew the attention of a large crowd.
"Hey, look, why is she crying like that?"
"Did some scumbag cheat her?"
"She's so beautiful. If she were my girlfriend, I wouldn't break up with her even if I were beaten to death."
"Have you no shame! Someone like you, do you think she'd fancy you?"
"..."
Xu Qian's dark eyes were calm, clear yet misty. She wiped the tears from her face with a tissue, but they continued to flow uncontrollably.
[What's going on? Why aren't the tears stopping?]
[Ding, the Tear Device's duration is thirty minutes.]
[...Activate the Bronze Mirror.]
In the bronze mirror, Tang Zhiyuan was burying his head in his meal.
Xu Qian's lips twitched. Her voice was light and airy, "Heh, I can't deal with you yet."
Tang Zhiyuan was wrong. She definitely wasn't approaching him for money. She was doing it for... her life.
In her past life, she had sacrificed her body and herself, all for the sake of her and Xu Nian surviving the apocalypse.
And in this life, she was striving for herself and Xu Nian. It was just that in this life, she wanted to live brilliantly and comfortably. That, was enough.