Dawn broke crystalline over the presidential suite.
Lu Yuan awoke to find Cheng Xiao coiled around his arm like ivy, her leg draped possessively across his torso. Morning light gilded her sleeping features—a Renaissance muse caught mid-dream.
Her eyelids fluttered open, meeting his heated gaze. "Lu-ge, you're terrible~" she mumbled, cheeks blooming peony-pink.
"Terrible how?" His fingers traced the dip of her waist.
"Just…terrible." She buried her face in his shoulder, muffling giggles.
Post-shower, as Cheng Xiao towel-dried her hair, Lu Yuan proposed: "Shopping today? Your wardrobe needs upgrading."
Her eyes lit like fireworks. "Really?!"
The Bentley's leather seats still held winter's chill when they arrived at Joy City Mall. Breakfast first—Cheng Xiao's chopsticks danced between shrimp dumplings until her face paled.
"Lu-ge…" Her whisper trembled. "My…visitor arrived early."
"Visitor?" He scanned the restaurant.
"Not that kind!" She hissed, mortified. "My cycle!"
Comprehension dawned. "But you're twenty! Shouldn't you track these things?"
"It decided to surprise me!" Tears pooled as she gestured frantically at her stained jeans. "I'm…I'm sitting in a crime scene here!"
"Stay put." Lu Yuan was already striding toward the mall's labyrinthine corridors.
——
The feminine hygiene aisle might as well have been a shark tank. Six women froze mid-shelf comparison, eyes tracking the intruder. Lu Yuan's neck burned under their scrutiny.
Two packaging types dominated the section: "Zero Feel" vs. "Ultra Absorb." His hand hovered like a malfunctioning drone.
"Need help, young man?" A matronly clerk materialized, her smile equal parts amusement and pity.
"I…my girlfriend…"
"Call her." The clerk winked. "We don't bite."
Cheng Xiao's giggle through the video call stabilized him. "Either works! They're just marketing gimmicks."
"Gimmicks?!" He grabbed three boxes of each, fleeing under muffled laughter.
——
Returning to find Cheng Xiao sipping ginger tea with military posture, Lu Yuan tossed the shopping bag triumphantly. "Mission accomplished."
Her next words detonated softly:
"Lu-ge."
"Hmm?"
"Make me yours."
The chopstick between her fingers trembled. "Officially. Permanently."
Silence pooled like spilled ink.
"You realize what that means?" Lu Yuan finally spoke. "No dating apps. No solo club shifts. My rules become your commandments."
Her nod held tectonic certainty. "I've been adrift too long. Anchor me."
The system flickered:
[Loyalty Tier Upgraded]
[Cheng Xiao: Loyalty Level 10 (Absolute)]
[Reward: 3-Star Lottery Token (Entertainment Industry)]
As Cheng Xiao rose to change clothes, Lu Yuan's mind raced. This wasn't mere dependency—it was a soul's surrender. He'd acquired not a mistress, but a disciple.
The game's stakes just redrew their boundaries.