The sky was overcast, and the rain had been falling nonstop.
It was four in the afternoon. Tang Zhen stood by the roadside in a little white dress, matching white heels on her feet. Her silky hair fell smoothly down her back. She looked like a delicate, pitiful little white flower, waiting for her boyfriend to come pick her up.
Most passersby couldn’t help but glance her way.
Because she was simply too beautiful.
After turning down yet another guy who wanted to add her on WeChat, Tang Zhen let out a long sigh.
Today was the third day since she and Ren Yanjing officially became a couple. It was also three months before the male and female leads were supposed to meet. Her role was clear: she had to play the shallow, foolish, gold-digging ex-girlfriend.
October was already chilly. When the wind swept past, goosebumps instantly rose on Tang Zhen’s pale, slender calves.
She couldn’t help complaining, “It’s really cold…”
System 000 replied in its dopey tone:
【Host, hang on a bit longer. The male lead was stopped by a junior schoolmate. He’ll be here soon.】
Tang Zhen wrapped her arms tightly around herself, but she was still cold. In weather like this, she really should’ve worn a jacket. But today was her first real date with Ren Yanjing, and the system’s mission was for her to leave a deep impression on him.
She hadn’t put much thought into it—she’d just grabbed a dress from her closet. The style was simple, a cheap market stall piece that cost only a few dozen yuan. Yet on her, it looked like a luxury brand, instantly elevated.
Why wear only a thin little white dress? Of course, to complete the system mission and leave an impression on the male lead. If she dressed too warmly, what use would she have for him?
“Why did that junior stop him anyway?” Tang Zhen was starting to get impatient. Ren Yanjing wasn’t late yet, but under the system’s constant urging, she’d arrived at the meeting spot an hour early.
There were still twenty minutes before their agreed time. Was he really planning to arrive exactly on time?
【The junior asked him some questions about artificial intelligence.】
That was right. In this campus romance novel—one that had gone explosively viral on Qiezi and been adapted into multiple IPs—the male lead, Ren Yanjing, was a true academic god.
A student at the nation’s top-ranked university. IQ 190. His height matched his IQ—equally impressive. Only a sophomore, yet he had already founded his own research team, focusing on robotics.
Ren Yanjing was always busy, basically living in the lab. The only reason he even got a girlfriend was because he didn’t want to leave his college life full of regrets. I mean, come on—if you’re in college and not dating at all, doesn’t that feel wrong?
No matter how obsessed with academics someone was, they couldn’t be completely devoid of desire.
Tang Zhen stamped her feet lightly. Her white dress only reached her knees, and when the wind blew, the hem fluttered. The tip of her nose had turned red, and the corners of her eyes were tinged with watery pink from the cold. Paired with her moist eyes, she looked pitiful—like a cute, slightly clueless puppy that had lost its way.
While waiting at a red light, Ren Yanjing spotted that fragile figure by the roadside from far away.
Even at that distance, he seemed able to clearly see that clean, pale, beautiful little face.
His breathing paused for a fraction of a second. The instant the light turned green, he stepped on the accelerator. Seconds later, a black sports car came to a stop in front of Tang Zhen.
Tang Zhen noticed the car immediately. She casually glanced at the sleek, flashy sports car—she didn’t even know the brand—and then lost interest, looking away.
The car’s privacy was excellent; you couldn’t see anything inside through the tinted side windows.
Once it stopped, more curious gazes gathered nearby, people silently guessing who the owner was—or waiting for them to step out.
Tang Zhen was really about to lose patience. She wanted to duck into a café and sit down, but the system coaxed and pleaded, absolutely refusing to let her leave.
Every time she said she wanted to go, the system would whine softly:
【Host, please, just wait a little longer. The male lead is really almost here! I promise!】
Sigh.
Her 000 was way too good at acting cute.
And unfortunately, she fell for it every time.
“When is Ren Yanjing coming?” she asked.
【…Host, he’s already here.】
Huh?
Already here?
Tang Zhen looked down at her phone. 16:10. Oh—nice. Their agreed time was 16:30. He’d arrived early too.
She asked 000, “Where is he?” Just as she finished speaking, the driver’s door of the black sports car opened. A young man bent slightly and stepped out.
He wore a crisp, well-fitted white shirt, black casual trousers, and polished black leather shoes. A structured black trench coat draped over his tall, long-limbed frame—born to be a clothes hanger. Combined with his unfairly handsome face, even though this wasn’t Tang Zhen’s first time seeing him, she still couldn’t help whistling inwardly.
The male lead was damn handsome. In nineteen years of living, she had never seen a man this good-looking.
Instead of waiting for him to come over, she clicked her heels and hurried toward Ren Yanjing, tap tap tap. Without a word, she threw her arms around him, rubbing her cheek against his coat as she said coquettishly, “Why did you take so long?”
As she spoke, Tang Zhen glanced at her task panel.
Mission 1: First date—leave a deep impression on the male lead. (Completed)
Reward: +1 Life Value
Mission accomplished. At least freezing in the late-autumn wind for over half an hour hadn’t been for nothing.
Ren Yanjing stiffened slightly when she hugged him, clearly not used to such intimacy.
After a brief hesitation, he lifted a hand and gently patted the back of her head. His low voice was elegant and deep, like a cello. “Did you wait long?”
Tang Zhen was never the type to suffer in silence. Her mouth was sweet—sweet as honey, as sweet as she needed it to be. “I’ve been waiting for over forty minutes. I missed you too much. I just couldn’t stay in the dorm anymore, so I came early.”
Ren Yanjing lowered his gaze slightly, completely stunned by such blunt affection. He opened his mouth, then closed it again, saying nothing.
When Tang Zhen didn’t get a response, she couldn’t help asking the system, “What’s wrong with him? Why isn’t he saying anything?”
【Rookie elementary-school-level romance player. He hasn’t adapted yet.】
“So the male lead is this handsome and he’s never dated before?”
【Nope. He was a pure academics brain before. In high school he was busy with competitions and guaranteed admissions. When he first entered college, he didn’t plan to date either—thought it was a waste of time.】
Tsk. No wonder the male lead and the original female supporting character weren’t from the same world.
His world was filled with lofty pursuits—ideals, beliefs, goals. The female supporting character was shallow, wanting nothing more than a sweet campus romance. Meanwhile, the male lead was busy to death, completely unable to offer companionship. Even without the exceptional female lead appearing, their breakup was inevitable.
But that wasn’t Tang Zhen’s concern.
All she needed was to date him for three months—then break up.
She continued acting spoiled. “Don’t you miss me at all?”
Without a word, Ren Yanjing took off his black trench coat and draped it over her shoulders. “Let’s get in the car first.”
Tang Zhen, sharp-eyed, noticed his ears had turned red.
Not from the cold wind.
Oh my god.
The male lead was way too pure.