C18 Pretend to be My Boyfriend

Ruan Shiyu quickly waved her hands, trying to refuse, but Mrs. Qian had already pulled Xiangqian away. With no other choice, Shiyu stepped inside. Just as she took a step in, Mrs. Shih said, "I won't go in with you. I've got soup on the stove at home. I'll head out now!" Before Shiyu could protest, Mrs. Shih was already gone in a flash.

Left to her own devices, Shiyu entered the Hsu home and sat obediently on the couch, waiting for Xiangqian to come out. Something felt off; everything was spiraling out of her control.

Mrs. Qian was busy with something and took a while before letting Xiangqian out of the room. She then dashed to the kitchen, exclaiming that the pot was about to burn.

Feeling a bit awkward, Shiyu stood up from the couch, only to see Xiangqian emerge in a crisp white suit, the pants perfectly pressed without a wrinkle, and his cuffs adorned with elegant cufflinks. This outfit seemed a bit too formal, considering he was just giving her a ride!

But she had to admit, Xiangqian, with his natural good looks, appeared even more striking in this attire. Standing beside him, Shiyu felt a bit self-conscious, and said, "Sorry for troubling you again."

"It's no trouble," Xiangqian replied nonchalantly. He seemed to find the buttoned-up suit a bit restrictive, so he loosened his tie, giving him a more relaxed and effortlessly handsome appearance.

"Let's go," he said after adjusting his tie, taking the lead as they walked out. Shiyu followed, and they headed downstairs. Xiangqian went to get the car while Shiyu waited by the building entrance. It wasn't long before he pulled up beside her.

As Shiyu got into the car, she noticed Xiangqian frowning at his ankle. It seemed that while fetching the car, he had stepped in a puddle, leaving faint marks on his pristine pants.

It wasn't very noticeable, but Xiangqian seemed to care a lot.

Seeing Shiyu notice him, Xiangqian said, "I told my mom not to change into this outfit, but she insisted."

Regardless, Mrs. Qian meant well for her. Shiyu grabbed a tissue from the side and bent down to help Xiangqian wipe off his pant leg. The raindrops had just splashed on, so it was still possible to clean them off.

Xiangqian hadn't expected Shiyu to do something like this and was momentarily stunned. Watching her bun as she leaned down, he couldn't help but want to reach out and give the little tuft on her head a playful squeeze.

Shiyu, however, didn't notice Xiangqian's inner thoughts. After finishing with his pant leg, she looked up, tossed the tissue away, and grabbed another to wipe her hands, saying, "Sorry for the trouble."

This was the second time Shiyu had apologized. Xiangqian responded with a soft acknowledgment, his gaze lingering on Shiyu's hands.

Maybe all artists have such beautiful hands. Shiyu's seemed almost unlike her own, with fair, delicate skin and distinct, slender fingers that reminded him of the elegant descriptions in old literature.

The previously ordinary atmosphere shifted suddenly. Xiangqian quickly looked away. What was going on with him lately, noticing details he'd never paid attention to before?

Yet, Shiyu remained oblivious to all this. After wiping her hands, she sat quietly in her seat, staring out at the rain.

The car fell silent, with only the soft patter of rain against the window.

Before long, they arrived at the hotel entrance. Xiangqian parked by the curb but didn't say anything. Shiyu seemed to have forgotten she needed to get out, remaining silent.

But eventually, she had to leave. Xiangqian hesitated for a moment before saying, "You..."

Just then, Ruan Shiyu suddenly turned around and said, "You..."

Their voices overlapped, and Ruan Shiyu quickly said, "You go first."

Hsu Xiangqian just smiled lightly, "It's nothing important, you go ahead."

His smile was exceptionally charming, causing Ruan Shiyu to pause for a moment, blinking as she tried to gather her thoughts. "I... I want to ask you for a favor."

The rest was hard to say, and Ruan Shiyu looked down, silent for a moment before speaking softly, "Could you... could you pretend to be my boyfriend?"

"Boyfriend?" Hsu Xiangqian immediately frowned.

Afraid he might misunderstand and dislike her, Ruan Shiyu hurriedly explained, "I don't mean it like that. I mean, just pretend... I..."

With a sigh, Ruan Shiyu felt a bit dejected, "I won't force you if you don't want to. It's just that my ex-boyfriend will be at the reunion, and I... I feel a bit uneasy, so..."

"So you want me to pretend to be your boyfriend?" Hsu Xiangqian finished her sentence for her.

Ruan Shiyu nodded, feeling her request was a bit much. He had already done her a favor by bringing her here; how could she ask him to do this too?

She was about to say never mind when she heard Hsu Xiangqian say, "Sure."

"What?" Ruan Shiyu thought she might have misheard. "You agreed?"

Seeing her surprised expression, Hsu Xiangqian's mood suddenly improved. He pressed his lips together slightly, a hint of amusement in his eyes. "Aren't you getting out?"

"Okay, okay, I'm getting out!" With Hsu Xiangqian's agreement, Ruan Shiyu felt instantly relieved. She quickly opened the car door and was about to step out.

However, Hsu Xiangqian pulled her back, and she fell back into her seat.

Confused, Ruan Shiyu turned to look at him, only to see Hsu Xiangqian's eyes filled with helplessness as he handed her an umbrella.

Only then did Ruan Shiyu remember it was still raining outside. She chuckled awkwardly, took the umbrella, and got out of the car, opening it as she went.

In the car, Xiangqian closed the door and rolled down the window, saying to Shiyu, "You head up first. I'll go park the car."

"Oh, okay. We're meeting in Suite 2 on the eighth floor. If you can't find it, just give me a call," Shiyu instructed before Xiangqian drove off toward the parking garage. She stood for a moment, then headed inside.

Just as she reached the hotel entrance, someone called her name, "Well, if it isn't Shiyu!"

The voice was dripping with sarcasm, and it was all too familiar. Shiyu frowned instantly and turned to see Chu Li.

Chu Li was dressed in a striking red gown, her figure alluring and makeup flawless. Her eyes were full of disdain as she looked at Shiyu. "Weren't you supposed to be holed up at home, meditating or something? What brings you out to a class reunion? Aren't you afraid our mundane ways will rub off on you?"

The sarcasm was blatant, and Shiyu clenched her fists, ready to fire back. "I'm not worried at all. After all, I'm not like you. Do you really think you can affect me?"

Chu Li's expression shifted, her perfect makeup slightly contorting. "Shiyu, you really don't know what's good for you. Did you think I was welcoming you? Look at yourself! It's been years, and you've let yourself go. You've aged. You shouldn't hang around us; people might mistake you for my aunt!"

"Sorry, that's not your decision to make," Shiyu retorted, her smile icy. "You weren't the one who invited me to this reunion, and I'm not leaving because of you. Don't think you're that important!"

With that, Shiyu turned and walked into the hotel. She wasn't about to let someone like Chu Li ruin her mood.

The rivalry between Shiyu and Chu Li went way back. They had been classmates since their freshman year, both studying design with a talent for drawing. But Shiyu excelled academically. Back then, she wasn't a homebody, and her good looks had earned her a large following at school.

At that time, Chu Li was doing a live painting stream, but no matter how hard she tried, her follower count remained unimpressive. To gain fame, Chu Li began to mimic Ruan Shiyu's art style. Over time, people started calling her "Little Ruan Shiyu."

Being imitated is rarely flattering, regardless of the reason. Ruan Shiyu had tried several times to talk to Chu Li to stop this behavior, but Chu Li ignored her, and eventually, tension grew between them.

It's ironic that back in the day, Ruan Shiyu was leagues ahead of Chu Li, but at this reunion, seeing Chu Li's flawless makeup, Ruan Shiyu felt a pang of inadequacy.

"Ugh! What do you mean I can't compare? It's all just layers of makeup. Once that's off, she's nothing. She can't hold a candle to my natural beauty," Ruan Shiyu muttered to herself in the restroom mirror, trying to boost her confidence.

With Moo Xiaoxiao absent and no one else to reassure her, Ruan Shiyu turned to her phone. "System, don't you agree?" she asked.

A notification chimed, and Ruan Shiyu almost fainted from frustration when she read it. The system replied, "Having confidence is good, but don't get too narcissistic."

Ugh! This system always sides against her, only knowing how to critique!

Gritting her teeth, Ruan Shiyu washed her face, pulled out a long-unused makeup kit, and applied a light touch before leaving the restroom.

She used to think that staying home all the time made appearance unimportant, and over time, she became complacent. But hearing Chu Li's words made Ruan Shiyu finally understand what Moo Xiaoxiao had been trying to tell her.

It's about standing up for oneself. Ruan Shiyu was no less than Chu Li, so why let her mock her freely?

Room 802, Suite 2 was already buzzing with chatter when Shiyu arrived. Most of her classmates were there, and as she walked in, a wave of puzzled expressions greeted her. It wasn't surprising; Shiyu had missed the last few gatherings, and after all these years since graduation, it was only natural that some had forgotten her.

Unfazed, Shiyu greeted everyone with a warm smile. In an era where makeup was the norm, natural beauty was rare. Shiyu had applied just a touch of makeup to freshen up, standing out with her natural elegance among the heavily made-up crowd.

Someone immediately remarked, "No wonder Shiyu was the goddess of our college! After all these years, she hasn't changed a bit!"