When Shen Lang parked the Valentine's Day gift from his landlady in the underground parking lot, he headed to the convenience store at the neighborhood entrance to buy a pack of cigarettes.
Since he now had such a nice car, Shen Lang decided to give the Mercedes his landlady had previously bought to his parents.
Shen Lang's family was doing well. His parents were in good health and financially stable.
Unless there was a major issue at home, his parents wouldn't ask Shen Lang for money, except for the occasional indulgences.
Recently, he had been playing social software every night, and his bank account was nearing a surplus of over ten million.
He planned to use this money to start a side hustle that would earn more than writing novels.
As Shen Lang's finances improved, even if his nine-room villa was exposed, it wouldn't raise too many eyebrows.
He hadn't decided what to do next, but he was leaning towards something in the internet sector.
After paying at the convenience store, Shen Lang felt a tug on his clothes.
Turning around, he saw Li Liusu, smiling shyly at him with a heavy shopping bag full of fruits and vegetables.
Shen Lang, holding his cigarettes, looked at her amusedly, thinking how she moved so silently like a ghost.
After a sweet Valentine's Day, Li Liusu seemed hesitant, unsure of what to say to Shen Lang.
Usually, Shen Lang would break the ice, and they'd start chatting naturally.
Now, with Shen Lang just looking at her, the socially awkward Li Liusu felt a bit flustered, wondering if she had done something wrong.
After a few seconds of awkward silence, Li Liusu nervously lifted her shopping bag and asked tentatively, "I just bought some groceries. How about we have fish for lunch?"
"Haha, you're something else," Shen Lang laughed, finally breaking the ice as he took her hand and left the convenience store.
"What did you buy?" Shen Lang glanced into the heavy bag, seeing it was filled with ordinary groceries and a cleaned carp.
"Next time, don't go shopping alone," Shen Lang gently squeezed the marks the bag had left on Li Liusu's fingers. "When I'm free, I'll take you out myself."
"Okay, I got it," Li Liusu obediently replied, slowly squeezing Shen Lang's hand back with her soft fingers.
Hand in hand, they reached the neighborhood entrance, where a guy sitting on a stone block and playing on his phone caught Shen Lang's eye.
It was his childhood friend, Zhao Zikang.
"Shen Lang, why didn't you answer my messages? The security at your entrance wouldn't let me in..."
Zhao Zikang looked up to see Shen Lang holding hands with Li Liusu, ready to greet him when he noticed that the girl with Shen Lang wasn't Zhuhai University's campus beauty, Su Lexuan.
Instead, it was an unfamiliar girl who was just as pretty!
"I forgot my phone," Shen Lang quickly recovered from his momentary panic and smiled as he introduced them.
"Kang, this is my girlfriend, Li Liusu. Liusu, this is my childhood friend, Zhao Zikang, also a Zhuhai University graduate."
The reason Shen Lang could introduce them so calmly was his trust in his close friends and childhood pals.
Despite their playful teasing, Shen Lang believed they would have his back when it came to serious matters.
It was a different kind of situation: friends suggesting breaking up, while bros suggested making up.
"Hi there," Li Liusu greeted Shen Lang's friend earnestly.
"Hey there," Zhao Zikang nodded repeatedly, his mind racing with questions.
"You go ahead," Shen Lang let go of Li Liusu's hand, handing her the shopping bag.
Li Liusu nodded and asked, "Are you coming back for lunch?"
"Whoa, you're living together?!" Zhao Zikang was stunned by Li Liusu's question, realizing they had been together for a while.
It had only been a few months since Shen Lang met Su Lexuan, and now he had another pretty girl?
Damn, Shen Lang, you're too much!
Shen Lang put an arm around Zhao Zikang's shoulders, laughing, "No, I've got things to do at noon. I'll be back for dinner."
"Okay," Li Liusu said, not thinking much of it, as she headed into the neighborhood.
"You're too much, man!" Zhao Zikang said as soon as Li Liusu was out of sight. "Isn't the campus beauty enough for you?"
When a friend sees another friend juggling two relationships, they feel the same mix of envy and pity for the girls. But because of their friendship, they won't expose the two-timing.
"Oh, come on, Kang. I know, I'm a scoundrel," Shen Lang laughed, offering Zhao Zikang a cigarette and lighting it for him. "How did you know I lived here?"
Shen Lang hadn't even told Su Lexuan his address. Only his family knew.
"I ran into your mom on the way," Zhao Zikang replied, taking a puff.
"Oh, I see," Shen Lang nodded, then asked, "Did you come all the way here because something's up with your girl, Qianqian?"
Zhao Zikang looked surprised. "How did you know?"
"Come on, you usually message me when something's up. For you to come all this way, it must be important."
Shen Lang explained, "Since it was Valentine's Day yesterday, it must be about a girl."
"Man, it's like you have a system or something," Zhao Zikang complained. "I barely recognize you after just a few months."
"Haha, you're funny, Kang," Shen Lang laughed it off. "So, what's up?"
Zhao Zikang looked conflicted. "I confessed to Qianqian again yesterday."
"So, she rejected you again?" Shen Lang teased. "I told you, the more you chase, the harder she'll be to catch."
"No, I was planning to confess one last time and give up if she said no. I'd just focus on making money."
Zhao Zikang stubbed out his cigarette, looking serious. "But she agreed."