He is my Boyfriend

Full from a feast of food and drink, it was well past two in the afternoon when Cao Shengmin and The photographer finally left the Hutong Restaurant.

Originally, Cao Shengming had planned to return to the hotel for a rest, but thinking that a walk might help with digestion, he decided to take a stroll by the lake instead.

"No matter how tough life gets, one must maintain a sense of ritual," he mused thoughtfully. "Take this walk, for example. Sure, the sun is blazing hot, but that won't stop us from keeping a leisurely and relaxed pace."

Suddenly, his eyes lit up.

"Hey, check out that pretty girl over there—she's been sneaking glances at me for a while now… F**k! Move aside, don't block my view—"

The photographer stood speechless.

At that moment, the girl who had been peeking at Cao Shengming actually started walking toward them.

"Bro, she's coming this way!"

"I see her."

Cao Shengming straightened up, excitement flickering in his eyes. "Listen, I'll give you 20 yuan later. Don't come back tonight—go crash at an internet café."

"???"

The photographer looked stunned. "Bro, isn't this a bit unethical? I'm a professional photographer. I have a duty to follow you all day. I can't just abandon my responsibilities—"

Cao Shengming looked at him in disbelief. "If that's how it is, I might just have to set up a VIP viewing section in the livestream!"

…

The girl looked to be in her early twenties, her figure curvy in all the right places. Long, silky hair cascaded down her back, and her large, expressive eyes shimmered like water, brimming with a delicate charm.

"Do you believe in love at first sight?" Cao Shengming asked.

"Brother, to be honest, I don't."

"Yeah, me neither," he sighed, adjusting his collar. "But right now, I really can't think of any other phrase to describe this overwhelming feeling of jealousy."

"!!!" The photographer was stunned. "Bro, I just realized—you're actually quite poetic!"

"Shh, don't make noise. She's here…"

The girl hurried toward Cao Shengming, looking up at him with a pitiful expression. "Big brother… h-hello, can you do me a favor?"

Her voice was sweet, like a lark's song in spring. That single "big brother" was enough to make Cao Shengming's heart flutter.

Summoning his most manly demeanor, he lifted his head, puffed out his chest, and with an air of righteousness, cleared his throat before declaring in a deep voice:

"My parents taught me to always help others when I'm out and about. So, dear girl, whatever you need—just say the word! As long as it doesn't cost me money, it's no problem at all… Even if you need me to sleep with you!"

The girl: "…"

The photographer: "…"

The livestream chat: "…"

"…I just…"

The girl swallowed nervously. "There are these guys… They've been following me for a while. I don't know them, and I'm really scared. Could you pretend to be my boyfriend?"

Hearing this, Cao Shengming immediately straightened up, his expression turning serious.

"What?! This kind of thing still happens in broad daylight? In our peaceful and civilized society?!"

He placed a reassuring hand on his chest. "Don't be afraid, girl. There's no need to pretend—I'll be your real boyfriend. And if you need me to do boyfriend things for you tonight, I won't hesitate!"

The girl: "…"

The photographer: "…"

Livestream chat exploded.

—[(laugh-cry emoji) Bro, your intentions are way too obvious…]—

[(crying emoji) He just wants to sleep with her, what's the big deal?!]—[Hahahaha, that throat-clearing noise had me crying…]—

[(covering eyes) I have a question… What exactly are "boyfriend things"?]—[Unclogging the sink.]—

[??? Pfft! You technically said nothing, but somehow said everything!]—

[One thing's for sure—this girl is really pretty.]—

[(rolling on the floor laughing) Can we please stop bringing up his summer job in Syria?!]

…

The girl led the way, and after walking just a few steps, they ran into a group of men by the riverside.

There were at least seven or eight of them.

The leader stood at a towering 1.9 meters, his bald head gleaming in the sunlight. His arms—thicker than Cao Shengming's calves—were covered in intricate dragon tattoos.

The men flanking him were no less intimidating—most stood around 1.8 meters, their muscular frames exuding sheer power. Even the scrawniest among them looked like he weighed at least 170 pounds.

"Ah… this…"

The photographer swallowed hard, tugging at Cao Shengming's sleeve. "Bro, maybe we should… leave?"

"Stay calm!" Cao Shengming whispered back through gritted teeth. "Remember—Zhuge Liang once scared off an entire army with just a clever plan. Now it's my turn to handle this situation with composure."

"Bro, are you sure about this?"

"Of course! This is the kind of moment that could make history. How can we back down now?"

Just then, the girl stepped forward boldly and pointed at the group.

"I've had enough of this! Stop following me! My boyfriend is here, and let me tell you—he's a tenth-degree black belt in martial arts! He's a national champion and has even won an international gold belt in freestyle fighting! If you don't back off, he'll take you all down with one hand!"

She delivered her lines with such conviction that it seemed like she was standing in front of Tyson himself rather than Cao Shengming.

For a long moment, Cao Shengming was silent.

Then he turned to her and whispered, "Sis, if you're going to brag, could you not involve me?"

"Relax," she murmured back. "I'm just bluffing. They won't dare to fight."

"Are you sure?"

"Trust me."

Before she could finish speaking, the bald-headed leader narrowed his eyes at Cao Shengming, sizing him up. Then he let out a sneering laugh.

"This little twig is your boyfriend?"

"Haha…" Cao Shengming chuckled awkwardly before turning to the girl.

Then, he looked at the bald guy.

And with a straight face, he said, "Brother, you've got the wrong idea. I don't know this girl."

Bald guy: "…"

The girl: "…"

Photographer: "…"

The livestream completely lost it.