Elias gulped, his mind racing as he swiftly searched for a perfect reply. ''Well…"
Noticing Elias's hesitation, Emily's eyes narrowed even more intensely, asking, "Was it because you weren't interested in this event and simply lied so you could spend time with me?"
Hearing her words, Elias exhaled tiredly, "I had to think of something to get you out of that bookstore. And this event was the only thing that came to mind."
Emily folded her arms together against her chest, looking at Elias. "Humph! Though I expected this was the truth, considering your demeanour before you bought the ticket. Still, it's a bit disappointing knowing that I'm the only one here having fun," she sighed. "I even rushed down here because I thought you would feel wrong spending time alone."
"I don't mind. I told you before, didn't I? I bought this ticket to spend time doing what you love together. As long as you're having fun, I don't mind staying here even until the clock strikes noon," Elias said, knowing he wasn't lying. He would walk three kilometres back and forth if it could drastically increase her affection level.
So his words were even an understatement.
[ Update! Emily's affection for you has increased by 1% ]
Elias's eyes widened slightly, stunned. He didn't expect such words would effectively increase Emily's affection for him.
"Well, I'll enjoy it more if you're also having an amazing time, just like I am. So, how about this? For our next date, we will do something that you would enjoy?" Emily said, her beautiful, warm hazel eyes fixed on Elias.
"Deal," Elias nodded. Despite his reasons for all of this, he couldn't help but feel warm in his heart that Emily was the kind of woman who ensured she could give back every ounce of affection she received.
'Maybe?' Elias thought before swiftly shaking the thought out of his mind, 'No, it's too dangerous for me to begin thinking like that!'
He had a goal; diverting from it would bring even more disastrous consequences. It would cause Emily to see through the untruths, which would inadvertently lead to a break-up that would be far more catastrophic and heart-wrenching than he had initially planned.
"So, what do you enjoy the most?" Emily asked, her expression anticipating his response.
Elias's mind raced as he tried to come up with an answer. "I enjoy going on cruise tours. The joy and peace of travelling around the world in comfort and style have always resonated deeply with me," he responded, his thoughts still churning.
Initially, he had considered mentioning more simple hobbies he enjoyed, but he realized that doing so would limit the potential gains from his cashback system. So, he chose something grand where his cashback system would genuinely shine.
Nevertheless, he wasn't entirely lying. He had once experienced a family cruise tour while his family was relocating, and it had been one of the few times he felt at home while travelling. It has stuck with him as one of his best memories. He had always wanted to experience it again, but due to his family's financial circumstances, it remained an unfulfilled dream.
Contrary to Elias's expectations, Emily's eyes widened involuntarily.
Such a fancy hobby!
She had thought he might say something like playing golf or attending sports events, things she could easily arrange. However, for a young woman like Emily, who had only recently arrived in Cradle Lake City a few years ago, a hobby like a cruise tour sounded like spending thousands of dollars for fun while crossing continents.
Emily quickly regained her composure, her brows twitching as she gulped, wondering if she had made a mistake by asking Elias this question.
How could she possibly cover the expenses of such a hobby without feeling her heart bleed?
Emily couldn't hold herself back and asked, "Do you have any other hobby?"
Hearing her words, Elias put on a pondering expression before responding, "We could go shopping. Buying new things makes me excited, and it's a hobby of mine–– An expensive hobby, I admit. But after I buy them, I usually give them away to others and enjoy the smiles they bring to their faces, so you could say that I love the joy it brings to others." His tone made him sound as though he was happy to reveal one of his hobbies and ashamed of sharing them simultaneously.
Emily's eyelids twitched even more fiercely. 'Isn't that compulsive buying disorder? How is that a hobby? Isn't that an addiction?' Emily thought, opening her mouth to speak but closing it back shut.
From his hobbies alone, she understood that her boyfriend was far more successful than she had previously assumed. So, who was she who had to count each dollar before paying for groceries, tell someone with two lavish hobbies that his latter might be an addiction?
Between a millionaire spending his money lavishly on expensive paintings and collections and a small business owner with the same hobby, people would most likely be worried that the latter had a mental condition.
She had even heard that at the higher stages, like a billionaire, people would see every word of your spoken word as a breath of wisdom.
So, for someone like Elias, whom she already ascertained was a Young tycoon, she knew that she couldn't speak against his hobbies as they might as well be another form of charity if anyone chose to look at it from such a perspective.
"I meant a less fancy hobby?" Emily said, her teeth clenched, choosing to be more specific.
Elias brushed his hand against his nose, feigning ignorance. "Let's see. We could walk or take a tour around the city. Because I work a lot, I don't have a sole hobby that I enjoy more than the others. I do whatever makes me happy at the moment. So this is the cheapest that I could think of."
At one time, Elias walked a distance across the city because he didn't have the money to take a taxi to return home quickly. Over time, he did this to let out some steam, calming his mind while looking at the beautiful Cradle Lake City around him.