He still had to keep trying

The feeling Chen Yuan had when Xu Lele bought him clothes and shoes was eerily similar to when Lin Shutong bought him medicine back in the day.

First, they give you a taste of sweetness, then they play hard to get—like flying a kite. You take a step forward, they take a step back; you take a step back, they move forward.

Over time, you become their obedient follower.

"Damn! This familiar move, this familiar tactic, it's terrifying!" Chen Yuan thought, suddenly realizing the pattern.

"I'm just trying to spend some of that simping money, not actually become your simp. Can you please give me a break?"

As he was getting his hair cut, Chen Yuan finally woke up to the reality of the situation.

He decided he wouldn't casually invest his emotions anymore. Spending money? Sure. Going on dates? Fine. Buying things? No problem. Flirting? Why not? But falling in love? Absolutely not!

One thing was certain: Tony, the hairstylist, was a genius.

When Chen Yuan's messy hair was transformed into a trendy style, and his flip-flops, shorts, and T-shirt were replaced with the high-end outfit Xu Lele had carefully selected,

he looked like a completely different person.

Chen Yuan wasn't unattractive to begin with; he just didn't bother taking care of his appearance. In reality, his looks were quite good.

Now that he had a makeover, he looked as stylish as a top-tier internet celebrity.

Xu Lele was almost stunned. The transformation was so drastic that it felt like he was a different person.

Xu Lele: Affection +5

Xu Lele: Affection +5

Xu Lele: Affection +5

Before long, Xu Lele's affection for Chen Yuan had risen to 83 points—a remarkably high level. At this stage, a girl might even start pursuing you.

To Xu Lele, Chen Yuan was now a hidden gem.

When she first met him, he didn't seem like much, but the more she got to know him, the more she discovered countless admirable qualities.

First, Chen Yuan was wealthy yet low-key.

He had managed to keep a low profile throughout three years of college, blending in like an ordinary person.

Second, he was devoted and loyal—loving a girl so much that he silently cared for her for three years. As a rich second-generation heir,

he even humbled himself by bringing breakfast to her dorm every morning. That was incredibly gentle and considerate.

And to top it all off, this guy was actually handsome?

With just a bit of grooming, he looked even better than those internet heartthrobs, and he had a more enduring charm.

Thinking back to how Lin Shutong was in the Gucci store earlier, clearly liking a particular bag but being denied by her boyfriend with various excuses,

Xu Lele suddenly wondered if Lin had lost her mind. She had the best right in front of her and yet, she chose to let it slip away.

"How about we grab something to eat?" Chen Yuan suggested. Before he knew it, it was already 9 PM, and he hadn't eaten dinner yet.

If he didn't eat with Xu Lele, he wouldn't be able to use his "simping money." The balance on his personal card was barely over 200 yuan. If he didn't use the simping fund for a meal, he'd be left starving.

"Sure!" Xu Lele agreed readily.

After leaving Qianda Plaza, the two of them headed to an upscale restaurant. The meal was quite enjoyable, and despite Chen Yuan's ravenous eating, Xu Lele didn't seem to mind—in fact, she found him handsome no matter what he did.

By 11 PM, Chen Yuan and Xu Lele had wrapped up their date and exchanged contact information.

"Whoa, where did you go today?

And what's with the new stylish outfit?" Chen Yuan's roommate, Zhou Haiquan, asked with a knowing look.

"I went on a date."

"With who? Lin Shutong? Man, I really think you should move on. Lin Shutong clearly sees you as just a tool—a long-term meal ticket.

She only comes to you when she needs something, and when she doesn't, she's off flirting with other guys. You're not even on the same level as her. It's time to let go."

"No, not Lin Shutong. I went on a date with Xu Lele today."

"What? Xu Lele? Come on, don't exaggerate. She's one of the three beauties of the Art Institute. Her standards are sky-high. Would she really go on a date with you?"

"Dude, you're getting a bit too cocky lately. I think you need to stop getting hung up on one girl. When it comes to dating, it's not all about looks.

Find someone who's a good match for you," their dorm leader, Cao Jinyan, advised earnestly.

Just then, Chen Yuan's phone buzzed. He thought it was a message from Xu Lele, but when he checked, it was from Lin Shutong instead.

"Chen Yuan, are you awake? I didn't mean to say those things to you today. Please don't be mad at me, okay?

I just didn't want Jun Kai to misunderstand, so I said some harsh words. It actually hurts me too. Can you forgive me?"

Here we go again. Chen Yuan nearly threw his phone in frustration. It was this kind of hot-and-cold behavior that had turned him into a simp over the years.

In the past, Chen Yuan would've been upset, Lin Shutong would've coaxed him, and within a couple of days,

he'd be back to being her devoted follower, completely wrapped around her finger. She had always had him under her control.

But now...

Well, he still had to play the role. After all, the system was bound to this simp relationship. There was no way around it.

"No problem, I forgive you. As long as you're happy, I'm willing to do anything for you!" Chen Yuan typed and sent the message without a second thought.

In dorm room 503 of the girls' dormitory, Lin Shutong paused when she read Chen Yuan's reply. Even she thought she had gone too far today and assumed it would take a few days to get Chen Yuan to cool down. But he forgave her instantly.

"Could he just be saying that out of anger?" she wondered.

Not that she really cared if he was upset or not—she was more interested in finding out where he got all that money.

"Chen Yuan, I'm sorry. I'm in a difficult situation too. My mom is in the hospital, and we need 50,000 yuan for her treatment.

I had no choice but to turn to Jun Kai for help. If I didn't act that way in front of him, he wouldn't have lent me the money! I really am sorry."

"Ding dong!"

[Chen Yuan: Transfer of 50,000 yuan. Click to confirm receipt.]

Seeing the transfer message, Lin Shutong was stunned. She hadn't actually intended to scam 50,000 yuan out of Chen Yuan.

She just blurted out one lie to cover another. But to her shock, he transferred the money without a word.

This was 50,000 yuan, not just 50! Thinking about how the guy she genuinely liked, Huang Junkai, wasn't even willing to buy her a handbag, she couldn't help but feel a twinge of bitterness.