The drive back from the picnic had left Jiang Yue oddly warm inside. She could still hear her family's laughter echoing in her head, Zixuan's dramatic commentary, Tessa's lemonade catastrophe, and the moment when Li Zhenkai—Mr. Cold, Ruthless, CEO-extraordinaire—admitted to caramel cement.
Her lips curved unconsciously at the memory.
Beside her, Zhenkai's hands tightened slightly on the steering wheel. His gaze flicked her way, then back to the road, then back again, as though he were rehearsing something in his head.
The car rolled to a stop outside her apartment building. She reached for the door handle,
"Yue." His voice was low, steady, yet… tense.
She froze. "Hm?"
"I have something to tell you."
Her heart gave a traitorous skip. "Okay…?"
He turned the engine off. The silence that followed was heavy, charged. For once, his usually unreadable face betrayed hints of conflict, something restless in his eyes, as if words were clawing their way out of him.
> [System Alert: !!! CONFESSION FLAG DETECTED. Probability of emotional outburst: 89%. Host, prepare to blush.]
Jiang Yue's fingers tightened on the seatbelt strap. She wasn't ready for this. Not yet.
But before Zhenkai could even open his mouth
"YUEYUEEEE!"
The shout came from the sidewalk.
Lucas, her childhood neighbor and unofficial big brother figure, was jogging toward them with a wide grin. He was holding a grocery bag and waving as though she'd just returned from a three-year voyage.
Jiang Yue slapped her forehead. "Oh no…"
Zhenkai's jaw tightened.
"Fancy seeing you here!" Lucas leaned against the car window with infuriating casualness. "What are the odds? Yue, your mom said you were at the park today. Was it fun?"
She forced a smile. "Yeah, Lucas. Very fun."
Zhenkai's hand flexed against the steering wheel like he was two seconds from snapping it in half.
> [System Alert: Cockblock detected. Suggestion: neutralize threat.]
[System Tip: Neutralization methods include: (1) Running away with ML, (2) Pretending Lucas has contagious disease, (3) Stuffing him with barbecue until he leaves.]
"Lucas, I—" she began, but he was already rummaging through his bag.
"Here! I got extra mango pudding. Thought of you." He thrust it through the window, completely ignoring Zhenkai's frosty presence.
"Thanks…" she muttered weakly.
By the time Lucas finally waved goodbye and disappeared into the building, the charged atmosphere inside the car had dissolved into awkward silence.
Zhenkai's confession attempt: Interrupted, Round One.
---
Attempt Two
The next day, Zhenkai invited her to visit one of his company's charity events, a fundraiser gala set in the lobby of a luxury hotel. Jiang Yue, dressed in a pale blue gown, Tessa insisted on styling her in, felt like she had stepped straight into a magazine spread.
Glittering chandeliers. Marble floors. A sea of sharp suits and gowns.
And there, standing beside her, Zhenkai, handsome enough to stop conversations, the chill of his aura softened only by the faintest warmth he reserved for her.
"Stay close," he murmured.
"As if anyone would dare kidnap me here," she muttered.
> [System Alert: Mission activated.]
Mission: Hold ML's hand for 30 seconds. Reward: Access to hidden confession boost.
Her eyes widened. What?!
> [System Explanation: Physical contact increases emotional bond points by 17%. Do it, Host. For science.]
Before she could argue, Zhenkai reached for her wrist, gently guiding her away from the bustling crowd toward a quieter corner by the grand staircase. His touch lingered longer than necessary.
Her heart thudded. Was he—?
"Yue," he began again, his voice low, almost vulnerable. "There's something I've been meaning to say."
Her breath caught. This was it. This was the moment.
"Zhenkai…" she whispered.
And then—
CRASH.
A giant promotional banner advertising the fundraiser's sponsors suddenly came loose from its stand and toppled forward, landing just a few feet from them with a dramatic thud.
Gasps rippled through the crowd. Staff members scrambled to pick it up.
Jiang Yue blinked. "…Did the universe just throw a sign at us?"
Zhenkai's expression darkened. "Fate can shove it."
> [System Alert: Confession attempt, Round Two—FAILED.]
[System Note: Host, maybe he should try again tomorrow. Preferably indoors, away from banners.]
Jiang Yue pressed her lips together, trying not to laugh at his murderous scowl. "Maybe fate's rejecting you."
His glare turned on her. "Fate has terrible taste."
---
Later that Evening
Back at her apartment, Jiang Yue flopped onto the couch and buried her face in a pillow.
The system materialized in her vision like a smug emoji.
> [System Alert: Two failed confession attempts detected. Probability of third attempt tomorrow: 62%.]
[System Bonus: New mission unlocked!]
Mission: Make ML smile twice in one day. Reward: Early sneak peek at his hidden stats.
She groaned. "Why do you sound like a dating sim?"
> [System Innocent Tone: Because I am one. Now go, Host. Charm your brooding iceberg until he cracks a grin.]
She buried her face deeper. "This is my life now…"
But even as she complained, a smile tugged at her lips. Because underneath all the chaos, all the interruptions and meddling system antics, one truth rang clear.
Li Zhenkai was trying.
And maybe, just maybe, okay not maybe, she really wanted him to succeed.