Her lips were vividly colored. He wondered how much lipstick he’d get a taste of if he bit them.
Shen Lan’s eyes flickered. He lowered his gaze, suppressing the desire that always inexplicably rose whenever he saw her. He always wanted to touch her.
If it weren’t for all the people here, he might have actually gone over and had a taste.
"I bought you a new lipstick." Shen Lan took a lipstick out of his Space Ring and handed it to Jiang You.
Jiang You’s gaze fell on the lipstick Shen Lan had produced. Its packaging was luxurious and elegant; one could only imagine how expensive it must have been.
She reached out and took it, tossing it into the pen holder on her desk as casually as if it were some cheap trinket. "Mm, thanks, boyfriend."
Shen Lan watched her casual action and raised an eyebrow slightly.
’A lipstick worth tens of millions might not be a big deal to her,’ he thought, ’but this is something I carefully picked out for her, and she just tossed it into a pen holder.’
"Girlfriend, just going to toss the gift your boyfriend gave you in there so casually?" Shen Lan’s tone was nonchalant as he looked at her lazily, but his strange emphasis on "the gift your boyfriend gave you" made it clear he cared a great deal.
"Then what do you want me to do?" Jiang You’s tone was haughty.
"Put it in your Space Ring." Shen Lan stated his demand directly. "Wear this one next time."
He stared at her lips for a moment before shifting his gaze to her eyes. "I want to see it."
Looking at him, Jiang You felt a flurry of panic and confusion.
’There have been several times I’ve felt like we’re really dating, like we’re a real couple who won’t break up at the end of the month.’
"I know." Jiang You casually reached in, took out the lipstick she had just tossed aside, and put it in her Space Ring.
Now, Shen Lan sat beside her, watching her, his eyes tinged with warmth and delight.
The young man’s warm gaze rested upon the young woman.
The young woman, with her proud and elegant posture, was busy applying her makeup.
A handsome man and a beautiful woman—it was a picture-perfect scene.
But to some eyes, this scene was rather jarring.
Xu Che gripped his pen, motionless. His dark hair fell over his face, and his black eyes were filled with a bleak chill.
He wore a cheap school uniform, cheap shoes, and used the cheapest pen...
In every way, he was no match for the young man at the top of the pyramid.
And he would never be worthy of possessing that proud young woman.
This realization made even breathing painful for Xu Che.
He gripped the pen even tighter, the pressure of his writing indenting the paper of his workbook.
The warmth and beauty of their scene only seemed to highlight his own loneliness and desolation.
Jiang You was applying her makeup, completely unaware that Shen Lan was staring at her so intently she could barely continue. Her mind was split between her mission and the man planted right beside her.
Shen Lan watched her, then suddenly grabbed her wrist. "You’ve already put on so much lipstick. Still applying more?"
Jiang You froze, then realized what he meant. She picked up a makeup remover pad and wiped the lipstick off.
Even without it, her lips remained a fiery, vivid red.
Jiang You decided to ignore it. She had a mission to complete.
"Boyfriend, I have to go out for a bit." Jiang You stood up and called to Yu Lin and the others. "Xiao Lin, let’s go."
Hearing this, Shen Lan didn’t get up. He remained seated, blocking Jiang You’s path. He looked up at her, his tone seemingly casual but laced with a scrutinizing edge. "Where are you going? To do what?"
Jiang You: ...
"To find my fiancé," Jiang You said bluntly, looking down at him. "Do you want to come?"
Shen Lan paused. He looked at her for a while without speaking.
Her followers, having heard Jiang You’s call, had already stood up and were waiting off to the side, but they didn’t dare approach or speak.
Shen Lan slowly rose to his feet, suddenly towering over Jiang You. He let out a soft chuckle. "Alright, let’s go together. When we find the chance, let’s get engaged too."
’That way, I’ll be her fiancé too.’
Jiang You’s eyes flickered. ’There’s only half a month left until the end of the month. I wonder if we’ll really break up then.’
’It’s too soon to be talking about engagements.’
Although Jiang You thought this, she didn’t say it out loud.
"Let’s go." Jiang You pushed him. He yielded to her touch and moved aside, and she walked straight out.
Shen Lan glanced after her and followed.
Her little followers hurried to follow as well.
Jiang You walked ahead. Shen Lan took a few long strides to catch up, grabbing her hand. His long, slender fingers were cool to the touch. He said slowly, "What’s the rush? Are you that eager to see your fiancé?"
’He always pretends not to care, but his words betray how much he really does.’
Jiang You: ...
She wasn’t in a hurry to see her fiancé; she was in a hurry to complete her mission.
Her fiancé was diligently grinding in the Secret Realms every day, but the Healer he was taking with him wasn’t her.
The system had issued a mission: go act unreasonably and slap her fiancé.
"That’s right, I’m in a hurry to see him," Jiang You snorted coldly. "He dared to go grind in the Secret Realms with another Healer behind my back. I’m going to teach him a lesson."
When Shen Lan heard this, the last dregs of jealousy in his heart dissipated. "Alright, then."
Jiang You walked a few more steps, then stopped. "Xiao Lin, come and lead the way."
Yu Lin froze for a second, but she quickly understood.
Sister You’s fiancé was Xie Heng, a second-year in the Combat Department.
And right now, all the second-years were grinding in the Secret Realms.
Yu Lin quickly figured out the direction and led Jiang You toward the entrance of the second-year Secret Realm.
As Jiang You followed Yu Lin, she realized one of her followers seemed to be missing.
"Where’s Xiao Yu?" Jiang You asked.
That would be Chen Yu. It seemed she hadn’t come to class today either.
She had only just noticed.
Hearing this, Lin Xue explained, "Oh, she’s dating someone now. She’s with her boyfriend, so she didn’t come."
Jiang You nodded, appearing to have only asked casually.
They arrived at the entrance of the selection hall for the second-year Secret Realm.
Just as Jiang You was about to walk in, Shen Lan pulled her hand.
"What are you doing?" Jiang You was forced to stop and turned to look at him.
"Marking my territory," Shen Lan said, seemingly offhand, as he pulled Jiang You in front of him.
He unpinned the golden rose brooch from his chest and fastened it to the clothes at Jiang You’s waist, where it dangled like a charm.
Jiang You froze, silent for a moment. ’Shouldn’t this golden brooch be for the female lead?’
She frowned, her tone disdainful. "What am I going to do with your brooch? It’s useless. And even if you were going to give it to me, why pin it to my waist instead of my chest? What’s that supposed to mean?"
"Your waist is beautiful. I wanted to pin it here." After fastening the golden rose brooch to her clothes, Shen Lan also gave her waist a little squeeze. He looked down at her, his voice low and ambiguous. "Baby, your waist is so slender."
Jiang You stiffened, the tips of her ears turning red. She slapped his hand away. "I get it!"