The thrill of what had just happened still lingered in Shen Jiang's chest. As he sipped the beer, even the slight buzz couldn't distract his mind from the blue screen that hovered quietly in the back of his vision.
Spend money on females.
Rebates scale with beauty.
It sounded like something straight out of a fantasy novel—or worse, a gacha game cheat. But it had worked. That mysterious system had already credited him more than what he'd spent.
Jiang couldn't help but feel a small rush of happiness. 3x for one, 5x for the other—it was insane. The only problem? Actually mustering up the nerve to take advantage of it.
He glanced at the two girls who had unknowingly triggered the effect. They had already stepped out of the bar.
Li Xinyi had entered a sleek car, and for a second, Jiang found himself wondering—Was she actually from a wealthy family? Her quiet demeanor hid it well.
Yu Xiao, meanwhile, stood near the entrance, gazing off into the night.
After a beat of hesitation, Jiang decided.
"Maybe I can walk her back to the dorm," he thought, already moving forward to catch up.
"Oh! Classmate Jiang," Yu Xiao turned toward him, a little surprised. "About the money—I'll pay you back tomorrow in class. Or give me your number and I'll send it tonight."
Jiang waved it off with a shrug and a faint smile.
"No need. I'm heading back to the dorm too. I'll walk you there—it's late, after all."
Yu Xiao raised a brow slightly but nodded with a faint grin.
"Thanks. Let's go—before that idiot comes out. He's been trying to date me all night. It felt like I was suffocating."
They started walking down the dimly lit sidewalk together.
"You mean Wang Bo and his gang?" Jiang asked with a knowing smile.
Yu Xiao chuckled. "Yep, those clowns."
There was a rare sense of shared understanding in her voice.
"Wang Bo shows off way too much. Sure, he's rich—makes him seem like boyfriend material to some people—but he's unstable. Arrogant. Not worth the trouble, honestly."
Her tone was light, but Jiang could sense the irritation underneath.
For a moment, they walked in silence—two students from modest backgrounds, caught in the crosshairs of the overconfident rich kids around them. But at least tonight, they were on the same wavelength.
"Ugh, it's totally annoying..."
As they strolled along the quiet path back to the dorms, Yu Xiao gradually revealed herself to be more of a chatterbox than Jiang expected. Surprisingly, he didn't mind.
Though normally not the talkative type, Shen Jiang found himself genuinely enjoying the conversation.
With every shift in her tone, every subtle twitch of her expression, she pulled his attention in. Her lips, her eyes, the way she smiled when she was irritated or amused—he found himself silently captivated.
From the side, it struck him again: this girl really did live up to the title of 'class beauty.'
And the fact that she was walking beside him, casually chatting, made his heart beat a little faster. A thrill that—deep down—he knew he never would've felt without that mysterious power nudging him forward.
Still, whatever the reason, he was here. Talking to her. Laughing with her. And that was more than enough.
"Haha, that was fun," she said with a relaxed sigh, brushing her hair back behind her ear.
Then, turning to him with a playful grin, she added:
"Though... I can't date you. But let's be friends, Classmate Jiang."
Her tone was light, teasing—but sincere.
Jiang gave an exaggerated sigh and smiled back.
"Is that so? Feels like I just got dumped without ever confessing."
They both chuckled, the moment easy and oddly comforting.
Then, after a quiet pause, her expression turned more serious.
"It might sound weird…" she began softly, eyes fixed ahead.
"But what I really want is safety. Reassurance. I mean, yeah, I like branded things and nice stuff—who doesn't? But more than that, I want to be with someone who makes me feel stable. Like I don't have to constantly look over my shoulder."
She glanced at him briefly before continuing.
"Maybe that's greedy. Wanting both comfort and connection."
"What do you think?"
There was no hint of pretense in her question. Just quiet vulnerability.
Shen Jiang looked at her, and for a moment, all thoughts of rebates and systems disappeared.
"I don't think that's greedy at all," he said gently. "Honestly, I respect that. Most people hide what they want—they act like love is all poetry and fate. But we both know life's messier than that."
"And yeah," he added with a wry smile, "everyone loves money. The idea that love alone can solve everything—that's something that looks good in movies. Real life's… different."
Yu Xiao looked at him again, her expression softening—not in flirtation, but in understanding.
"Thanks, Jiang."
And for a while, they just walked, not as boy and girl or beauty and nobody—but just two people who understood each other a little more than before.
As they walked out of the shopping center, Shen Jiang found himself in unfamiliar territory—not emotionally, but materially.
He never paid much attention to luxury brands, trends, or seasonal fashion lines. Honestly, he hadn't even known half of the names Yu Xiao had been casually dropping during their conversation.
She, on the other hand, was like an encyclopedia—rattling off details about what was in, what had just gone out, and which items were worth their price.
Then, her steps came to a sudden halt.
At the center of a display stood a pair of Louis Vuitton handbags, perfectly lit and framed in glass.
Shen Jiang turned to look, eyes following her gaze.
"They look nice," he said quietly from beside her.
Yu Xiao gave a small nod, a glint of something deeper flashing through her eyes—desire, maybe, or a quiet determination.
"Yeah… that's the real deal. Crazy expensive. But I plan to buy one someday."
She turned to him with a gentle smile, a soft dream flickering across her face before she turned back to admire the bags once more.
There was something about that moment—her expression, the longing in her voice—that made Jiang speak without fully thinking.
"Then… if I were to gift you one of those," he began, voice low, "would you consider going out to eat some good food with me?"
Yu Xiao turned, surprised—not just by the question, but by the steady look in his eyes.
He wasn't joking.
She stared at him for a second before answering.
"You can, sure… but don't do it to show off." Her voice softened. "You might find someone better than me."
Shen Jiang gave a small, self-deprecating smile.
"Guess even with all this effort, I still can't manage a single date."
His tone was quiet—not bitter, but with enough weight to make her falter.
Yu Xiao looked a little flustered. "No, that's not what I meant..." she hurried to say.
"It's just—I know a bit about your family situation. I didn't want you spending that kind of money on me. I'd feel awful if it put pressure on you. That's all."
For a moment, Shen Jiang was silent. Then he smiled again—this time more naturally.
"But what if I told you I'm not as poor as you think?"
He leaned a little closer, eyes still on her.
"Let me gift you that bag. And in return..." he paused, the corner of his lips lifting, "promise me just a small date. Tomorrow."
Yu Xiao blinked, caught off guard again—not by the offer, but by the calm confidence behind it.
And this time, it didn't feel like a joke. Or a test.
It felt real.