Chapter 3: Fiancés?

[ShuShu Has Candy: Brother, I’m sorry. My finger slipped earlier, so I really didn’t manage to hit the like button.]

[I’ve fixed it now~]

[Brother is so handsome. I fell in love at first sight~]

[Yu: Did something happen yesterday?]

The moment Tang Shu saw that message, she couldn’t suppress the smile tugging at her lips.

The fish had taken the bait.

Now came the next step.

Flirt.

Flirt as hard as possible.

Flirt until he became convinced she couldn’t live without him.

Until he thought she’d want to cling to him forever.

[ShuShu Has Candy: It felt like Brother didn’t want to build a relationship with me.]

[You always seemed so distant and cold…]

[So I thought maybe I was bothering you.]

[That’s why I decided I wouldn’t send you good morning messages anymore.]

The reply took a long time to arrive.

[Yu: …You weren’t bothering me.]

[I’d thought we were already building a relationship…]

The moment Tang Shu read those words, she immediately sat upright in bed.

Did this mean she was already halfway successful?

[ShuShu Has Candy: Really, Brother?]

[You don’t find me annoying?]

[Yu: Mm.]

[Not annoying.]

[ShuShu Has Candy: Then, Brother, what exactly is our relationship now~?]

[Yu: Fiancés?]

Tang Shu had barely read the message when she heard Xu Jiayu calling out.

“ShuShu, are you awake?”

“We have class this morning!”

Tang Shu glanced at the time.

7:45 a.m.

She was about to be late.

Clutching her phone, she jumped out of bed and rushed through her morning routine.

Then she headed to class with Xu Jiayu and Yang Xi.

When they arrived at the classroom, Shi Manman waved enthusiastically at them.

Tang Shu sat beside her.

Shi Manman immediately produced two steamed buns and a cup of soy milk.

“ShuShu, I brought breakfast for you.”

Then she handed breakfast to the other two as well.

Tang Shu accepted it happily and began eating.

Soon, she was chatting with everyone.

Completely forgetting about the message she’d left on read.

America, a bar.

Shi Zhiyu sat with a wine glass in one hand, slowly swirling the liquid inside.

His phone was in his other hand.

His brows were tightly furrowed.

Again and again, he refreshed the chat window.

Still no new messages.

Had he said something wrong again?

Song Yan had been chatting happily with others nearby.

When he noticed his friend’s expression, he couldn’t help walking over.

Just a while ago, Shi Zhiyu had looked delighted.

Now he looked utterly dejected.

Dating really seemed more difficult than surviving heavenly tribulation.

Song Yan dropped into the seat beside him.

“I say, Zhiyu, is this really necessary?”

“What happened this time?”

“You even asked me to take photos of you today.”

“And then you posted them on Moments.”

“Don’t tell me that was for your online girlfriend to see?”

Shi Zhiyu tapped his phone screen.

The display lit up.

Then darkened.

Then lit up again.

His lips pressed into a thin line.

“She’s my fiancée.”

Song Yan rolled his eyes.

“You haven’t even met her.”

“How is she already your fiancée?”

“Are you engaged?”

“Have you met in person?”

“Have you confessed?”

“And you’re already calling her your fiancée?”

“What if she’s ugly?”

Shi Zhiyu’s voice was low and calm.

“It doesn’t matter.”

“I won’t care what she looks like.”

“As long as it’s her.”

Song Yan patted his shoulder.

“Confirmed.”

“You’re hopelessly love-struck.”

“When you end up falling flat on your face, I’m definitely going to laugh at you.”

Shi Zhiyu brushed his hand away.

“That won’t happen.”

“She likes me a lot.”

Song Yan made a face.

“When you say that, do you honestly believe it yourself?”

Shi Zhiyu drained the rest of the wine in one gulp.

A few drops trickled down his throat along his Adam’s apple.

Setting the glass down on the table, he stood.

“I’m leaving.”

“I’m going home to think about how to pursue my wife.”

“I’m not like certain single dogs who can only entertain themselves.”

Song Yan curled his lip.

She wasn’t even replying to him anymore, and he was already calling her his wife.

One day, he was definitely going to trip and fall hard.

After her first class ended, Tang Shu finally took out her phone.

There were several unread messages.

[Yu: ?]

[Why aren’t you replying to me?]

[Are you in class?]

[Reply when you see this.]

Tang Shu checked the time.

10 a.m.

Which meant it was around 10 p.m. on Shi Zhiyu’s side.

[ShuShu Has Candy: Fiancés?]

[Isn’t that a little too fast?]

[We’ve never even met.]

[And yes, I was in class just now.]

[I have classes all morning.]

A reply came almost instantly.

[Yu: You want to meet?]

[ShuShu Has Candy: No.]

[Yu: .]

[Why?]

Tang Shu’s fingers paused.

Because this was just a mission.

The task never required her to meet the target.

Only to flirt with him online and then dump him.

If they met in person, how was she supposed to dump him?

More likely, she’d end up getting slapped.

[ShuShu Has Candy: Because I want to date Brother first.]

[I want us to become closer before meeting.]

[Yu: Okay.]

[Dating is fine.]

[ShuShu Has Candy: Then does that mean we’re boyfriend and girlfriend now?]

[Yu: Mm.]

Joy immediately flooded Tang Shu’s heart.

Great.

Another step forward.

Without hesitation, she took a screenshot and sent it to the contact saved as Aunt Qiao.

[ShuShu Has Candy: Auntie, your son and I are officially boyfriend and girlfriend now.]

The reply came almost immediately.

Aunt Qiao sent a thumbs-up emoji.

[Aunt Qiao: ShuShu, you’re amazing.]

[That’s exactly how it’s done.]

[Once he falls in love with you, dump him hard.]

[Let him know the consequences of never coming home.]

[ShuShu Has Candy: Auntie, do we really have to be that ruthless?]

[Aunt Qiao: It’s fine.]

[If he gives you trouble, I’ll protect you.]

[Don’t be scared, ShuShu.]

A transfer notification immediately popped up.

¥100,000 transferred.

[Aunt Qiao: This month’s salary.]

The moment Tang Shu saw the money, her eyes practically curved into crescents.

[ShuShu Has Candy: Thank you, Auntie.]

[I’ll keep working hard.]

[Aunt Qiao: Good!]

[Keep it up, ShuShu!]

Tang Shu felt her motivation surge once more.

The money had arrived.

Time to begin a new round of work.

[ShuShu Has Candy: Brother, good night.]

[Go to bed early.]

[If you stay up too late, your body will become weak.]

[And I’ll feel heartbroken for you~]

When Shi Zhiyu read the message, he immediately spat out the mouthful of water he’d just drunk.

Fortunately, he lived alone.

Otherwise, someone would definitely have been sprayed.

The phrase dating had already left his mouth dry.

That was why he’d gotten up to pour himself some water.

Weak?

Did she just imply he was weak?

He glanced down at himself.

His kidneys were perfectly healthy.

Very healthy.

In two months, he’d definitely let her see for herself whether he was weak or not.

[Yu: Not weak.]

[I can stay up for two straight nights without a problem.]

But no reply came.

Forget it.

He should just go to sleep.

If he really became weak and got looked down on, that would be troublesome.

Jiang City, the Shi Residence.

Qiao Yaxin looked at the chat screenshots Tang Shu had sent her.

Her face was covered in delighted smiles.

“Hahaha.”

“I knew that brat was just pretending to be aloof.”

“You think your mother can’t handle you?”

Shi Hengjun had just returned home when he heard his wife’s laughter.

“Honey, what’s got you so happy today?”

The moment Qiao Yaxin saw her husband returning home for lunch, she immediately rushed over.

“Old Shi!”

“Our son is dating someone now~”

Shi Hengjun looked puzzled.

“He actually has time for romance?”

“That’s because the girl is ShuShu.”

“The daughter of Qingrou, the friend I mentioned to you a few days ago.”

Qiao Yaxin waved her phone excitedly.

The smile in her eyes couldn’t be hidden.

Shi Hengjun nodded in understanding.

“Oh.”

“So it’s that little girl.”

“We should invite her over sometime.”

“Let everyone get to know each other better.”

“At least our son’s lifelong happiness will finally have some hope.”

Qiao Yaxin immediately agreed.

“That’s a great idea.”

“When she comes over, I’ll take lots of photos and send them to him.”

“Let’s see if he’s still willing to stay overseas after that.”

Shi Hengjun gently patted her head.

“He already said he’ll return to China after graduating this year.”

“Hmph.”

“He says that every year.”

“And every year he delays it again.”

“Now that the girl he likes is right here, I refuse to believe he can stay calm.”

“If all else fails, I’ll just adopt ShuShu as my goddaughter.”

“The first time I saw her, she felt strangely familiar.”

“Her personality and appearance are so much like her mother Qingrou.”

“Gentle.”

“Well-behaved.”

“Even if she doesn’t become my daughter-in-law, I’d be perfectly happy treating her as my own daughter.”

Shi Hengjun laughed helplessly.

“Our son is definitely going to hold a grudge against you.”

“Then I don’t want him anymore.”

“I’ll just marry into ShuShu’s family and stay with her instead.”

Reaching out, Shi Hengjun pulled his wife into his arms.

“You’re my wife.”

“And you’re still thinking about running off to someone else’s family?”