The elevator chimed softly as its doors slid open. A cheerful couple stepped out, the man's arms heavy with shopping bags while the woman clung lovingly to his hand. Their laughter faded into the parking lot as Lin Quizu and Yang Kai entered the lift.
Yang Kai pressed the up button again and leaned casually against the wall.
Man, this world has so many things I never imagined in the Immortal World.
The elevator began its smooth ascent. Silence filled the small space, growing heavier with each passing second.
Breaking the quiet, Yang Kai glanced at Lin Quizu.
"Did you ever date?"
The question caught her off guard. Her eyes widened as she turned toward him.
"Why do you want to know?"
Suspicion flickered in her gaze.
What is he planning? If he thinks I'm an easy target, he's wrong.
Yang Kai, however, stayed calm.
The system said she has no dating experience. This could be my chance to win her trust.
He gave her a soft smile.
"Well, I don't mind if you don't want to tell me. We're still strangers, after all."
His tone was low, carrying a subtle hint of sadness. Lin Quizu studied him for a moment, then sighed and placed a hand on her head.
"Huff… I've never dated anyone in my entire life."
The elevator reached the ground floor. The doors opened with a gentle hiss, and the two stepped out into the bustling mall. Families laughed, kids darted between displays, and women chattered happily as they browsed storefronts.
Walking side by side toward the escalator, Yang Kai widened his eyes in mock surprise.
"Really? I thought you'd dated tons of guys!"
Lin Quizu wrinkled her nose in disgust.
"Do you think I'm the kind of cheap girl who dates anyone?"
She glanced at him, her curiosity piqued.
"What about you?"
They stepped onto the moving escalator. As it carried them upward, Yang Kai rubbed the back of his neck, feigning discomfort.
"Ah… well, I dated a girl once. But she dumped me for a rich guy."
Lin Quizu raised an eyebrow.
"Dumped you for a rich guy? What was her name?"
Yang Kai hesitated, pretending to search his memory. Lin Quizu frowned slightly.
What a shame… he doesn't even remember the girl who dumped him.
Finally, Yang Kai snapped his fingers.
"Oh, yeah—her name was Sen Ren."
His expression shifted instantly, anger flashing in his eyes as he growled,
"That woman… she'll regret it one day."
"Could she be Class 3D's Sen Ren?" Lin Quizu asked, her brows knitting in recognition.
Yang Kai's expression shifted to feigned surprise. "So you know her?"
The escalator reached the first floor, and the two stepped off. Lin Quizu moved gracefully toward the next set of escalators, her steps light but purposeful. Yang Kai followed close behind.
"Yeah," Lin Quizu said, her tone neutral. "She and I were once assigned to the same task."
Yang Kai barely reacted, brushing off the topic with casual disinterest. "Do you know where there's a good clothing shop? I want to buy some clothes."
Stepping onto the second-floor escalator, Lin Quizu tucked a strand of white hair behind her ear. "Yeah, it's on the second floor. I also need to buy a new bag, so I'll come with you."
Yang Kai smirked inwardly.
If the bag she wants is expensive, I'll buy it for her. That'll win me some favor—and maybe even earn me more from the system.
The escalator carried them upward. Seconds later, they arrived on the second floor. Lin Quizu led the way, heading toward a luxurious bag boutique with glass walls and soft golden lighting.
As they approached, she retrieved her phone from her small white bag decorated with a panda face.
Yang Kai's eyes lingered on the bag.
Ah, Qian Ruo calls her "Panda," and her bag has a panda face. So she really does like pandas.
Lin Quizu checked the time—4:02 p.m.—before slipping her phone back inside. She pushed open the boutique door and stepped in.
A saleswoman in a tailored uniform looked up. Her professional smile brightened the moment she recognized Lin Quizu. She gave a polite bow before exclaiming warmly,
"Welcome, Miss—oh! Little Panda, you've finally come again after so long!"
Lin Quizu froze, her cheeks flushing crimson. She shot the saleswoman a mortified look.
"Sister, don't call me by that name when I'm with a friend!"
The saleswoman blinked, then noticed Yang Kai standing behind her. With a graceful smile, she turned to him and greeted politely,
"So, you're Lin Quizu's friend. Nice to meet you."
Yang Kai offered the saleswoman a warm, polite smile. "I'm Yang Kai."
Across the boutique, two other saleswomen exchanged glances and began whispering, their voices low but not low enough.
"Hey, could he be Panda's boyfriend?" one murmured, her eyes flicking over Yang Kai from head to toe.
"No way," another replied, her tone dismissive. "She's like a fairy. Look at him—those cheap clothes, that plain face. He doesn't even look handsome."
A third voice chimed in, soft but sharp. "Yeah, he's clearly not her type."
Both Yang Kai and Lin Quizu heard every word. Yang Kai's expression didn't falter. He maintained a calm, pleasant smile, even as a flicker of irritation flared in his chest.
The saleswoman who had greeted them earlier stiffened. She spun on her coworkers, her voice firm. "Focus on your work."
But her own eyes betrayed unease. She, too, was starting to wonder—was Yang Kai just following Lin Quizu for her wealth?
She turned back to Lin Quizu, bowing her head slightly. "Miss Lin, I apologize for their behavior."
Lin Quizu's pale face had darkened with anger. Her fingers curled around her small panda bag. But before she could speak, a golden-yellow screen flashed before Yang Kai's eyes.
---
[Ding!]
[Host: The Playboy System cannot tolerate this insult.]
[Special Mission Started]
[Name: Bitches Got Wings, So I'll Cut Them]
[Mission: Make every saleswoman regret her words.]
[Reward: 1. Appearance +2 | 2. Longtian Tower's 100% Shares]
---
Yang Kai's lips curled into an almost imperceptible, wicked smile.
Appearance boost? That'll make things easier with Lin Quizu later.
But before he could act, Lin Quizu's voice rang out, sharp and furious.
"Do you really think friendship depends on background or lifestyle?"
The room went silent. The saleswomen froze, their faces paling under Lin Quizu's glare. The one who had greeted them stepped forward, flustered. She reached for Lin Quizu's hand.
"Miss Lin, I'm truly sorry for their inappropriate behavior."
Lin Quizu pulled her hand back, her expression stern, ready to continue her reprimand.
Before she could speak again, Yang Kai stepped in. He placed a gentle hand on her head, patting softly.
Lin Quizu's cheeks burned crimson, her eyes widening. The sudden touch sent a flustered heat through her chest.
Yang Kai turned to the saleswomen, his smile fading into a smug, challenging smirk.
"You think I'm Lin Quizu's boyfriend, don't you?"
The whispering saleswomen froze, shock flashing across their faces. Even Lin Quizu blinked in surprise at his bold tone.
Yang Kai's expression darkened, anger flashing in his eyes.
"You're wrong. I'm just her friend." His voice was calm but edged with steel. "And you also think I'm poor, right?"
He let the words hang for a heartbeat, then smiled—slow, confident, unbothered. From his pocket, he drew a pitch-black bank card, its surface gleaming under the boutique lights.
"I'll show you how rich I am," he said, his tone cutting like a blade. "Bring me every latest bag you have."
The boutique fell silent, the air heavy with disbelief. Even Lin Quizu froze, her white lashes trembling.
Every bag… that could cost nearly a million each. Even Father wouldn't let me spend like that, she thought, stunned.
The saleswoman who had greeted them instinctively stepped back, her face tight with unease. E-every bag? Is this guy insane?
The others exchanged nervous glances, equally shocked.
Lin Quizu was the first to find her voice. She looked at Yang Kai, her tone sharp but laced with worry.
"Hey, you don't have to do that. Do you even know how much that would cost?"
Yang Kai's reply was casual, almost bored.
"I don't know… maybe five or six million?"
His words dropped like a stone in water. Lin Quizu's eyes widened, and the saleswomen gasped quietly. To speak of such an amount so easily—it was staggering.