He stole his best friend's photos and fell for a tycoon's heir through online dating.

Xia Ruo's heart, which had just relaxed, tightened again, and her fingers unconsciously gripped the hem of her skirt.

I had completely forgotten about it.

Yesterday, Zhou Siyan said she "bought a few more things" for herself, but today she's been busy with planning, working overtime, and eating, so she completely forgot about it.

The gift box is now lying on the table. What should she say?

She said it was a gift from her boyfriend? But she doesn't have a boyfriend.

She said she bought it herself? But where would she get so much money?

She stood frozen in place, her mind racing with various excuses, but each one was like a paper lantern, easily punctured.

"Wow—" Lin Wanzhi suddenly clapped her hands, her eyes lighting up.

"I understand! Did you ask Mr. Huo for an advance on your salary?"

Xia Ruo was stunned for a moment, then nodded hurriedly:

"Ah...yes...yes."

"Ruo Ruo, I have to say something to you!" Lin Wanzhi's expression instantly turned serious. She put her hands on her hips, her face tense.

"These things are nice, but they are really too expensive."

How can you spend all the money you worked so hard to earn on these things? It's even worse than overspending!

After she finished speaking, she suddenly changed her expression and leaned closer with a smile:

"Tell me how much it cost, and I'll buy it for you—consider it my onboarding gift!"

Huh? You can do that?

Xia Ruo opened her mouth, but before she could say "No need, thank you" out of her head, Lin Wanzhi had already taken out her phone and opened the calculator:

"Ruoruo, tell me, how much?"

"No need, Wanwan—" Xia Ruo's voice was almost trembling.

"These are actually... um... actually high-end counterfeit goods, not worth much money, I just wear them casually."

"Huh?" Lin Wanzhi's finger hovered above the calculator, her eyes wide, her expression as if she had heard something unbelievable.

"Ruo Ruo, how can we wear fake ones?"

No, no, throw it away now!

"We don't know what materials are used to make counterfeit goods. What if I have an allergic reaction?"

As she spoke, she reached out to take the gift box.

"No, no, no—" Xia Ruo pressed down on the gift box with one hand and protected it with the other.

"Wanwan, actually I didn't buy these to wear!"

Lin Wanzhi's hand froze in mid-air: "Then what are we going to do with it?"

"Just look at it!" Xia Ruo blurted out, her tone as certain as if stating a truth.

"Just for display?" Lin Wanzhi tilted her head, looking completely confused.

"Yes!" Xia Ruo took a deep breath and began to improvise based on the sentence she had just uttered.

"I bought the fake one to motivate myself—that I'll earn my own money and buy the real one!"

After she finished speaking, she even puffed out her chest, her peach blossom eyes filled with the determination that "I am very ambitious".

The air was silent for half a second.

"My Ruoruo is so determined!" Lin Wanzhi hugged Xia Ruo tightly, snuggling against her, her eyes welling up with tears.

"I want to buy my Ruoruo a gold-plated transparent box to put all these 'dreams' inside! Ruoruo is so wonderful—"

She released her grip, took a half step back, tilted her head to look at Xia Ruo, and smiled with her eyes crinkling: "My brother really got a good deal."

Xia Ruo: "..."

She opened her mouth as if to say something, but then swallowed it back.

Never mind. It's good enough if it gets away with it.

Who cares who benefits from her?

She lowered her head, quietly closed the gift box lid, and paused for a moment on the deep red leather surface with her fingers.

Cartier. A complete set.

Zhou Siyan, are you really not afraid of scaring me to death?

-

The next morning.

A ray of golden sunlight pierced through the gap in the curtains, like a thin ribbon, falling precisely on the girl on the bed.

Xia Ruo's eyelashes trembled slightly, and she slowly opened her eyes.

Still lingering in the exhaustion of the previous night, she habitually rolled over, wanting to stay in bed a little longer, but something just didn't feel right.

She rubbed her sleepy eyes, slowly got up, and glanced out the window—

He suddenly opened his eyes wide.

I hurriedly grabbed my phone and saw it was 8:20!

Her mind snapped from a state of confusion to a state of clarity, and she sprang up from the bed.

I'm late! I'm late!

Where's the alarm clock? She clearly set an alarm, why didn't it go off?

"Wanwan! Hurry! It's 8:30, we're going to be late!!!"

What?

Lin Wanzhi sat bolt upright in bed as if she'd been electrocuted, her hair a mess: "Huh? Huh? What time is it?"

"What are you standing there for? Hurry up and change your clothes and wash up!"

Lin Wanzhi jumped off the bed in a fluster, her slippers making a loud clattering sound on the floor.

In the washroom, they crowded around the sink, one brushing their teeth and the other washing their face, their elbows bumping against each other.

"It's all your fault! You insisted on trying to sell me your brother last night!" Xia Ruo complained as she put on her clothes, her voice muffled from inside her collar.

"No way! It's clearly the alarm clock's fault, it's the phone's fault! It didn't ring!" Lin Wanzhi mumbled, her hair still uncombed, biting her hair tie.

The two finished their fight in ten minutes, rushed out of the school like they were in a battle, hailed a taxi, and headed straight to the company.

"Master, please hurry! We're in a rush!"

The car merged into the morning rush hour traffic.

Xia Ruo kept checking her phone, the time jumping from 8:33 to 8:40, from 8:40 to 8:50—her heart rate soared along with the minutes.

Why is the traffic so bad?! I'm so anxious!

Xia Ruo wished she could grow wings and fly over there.

Finally—at the last minute, the two rushed into the company gate.

The time clock is right next to the front desk, and the red digital clock shows 8:59.

Lin Wanzhi rushed forward and pressed her finger firmly on the sensor area.

"Beep—" Check-in successful.

She rested her hands on her knees, bent over, and gasped for breath.

He turned around and gave Xia Ruo a "good luck" gesture, then hurriedly ran back to his workstation.

Xia Ruolao lagged two steps behind. Panting, she reached the time clock, her finger poised to touch the sensor—

"Xia Ruo".

A voice, neither loud nor soft, came from behind.

Xia Ruo's fingers paused.

Turning around, she saw Huo Sinian standing behind her without her noticing.

"Mr. Huo." She straightened up subconsciously, but the afterglow of her frantic run hadn't dissipated yet; her chest was still rising and falling, and her breath was coming out one breath at a time, with a slight hiss.

Zhou Siyan looked down at the girl and instantly understood.

I'm late!

She wasn't wearing makeup today.

Her face was clean and her skin was fair. Her peach blossom eyes, without the outline of eyeliner, had an extra layer of natural, unguarded softness.

Her face, which was undeniably alluring, now exuded an unconscious innocence.

She now exudes both innocence and allure.

Fine beads of sweat glistened on her forehead, and a few stray hairs clung to her skin.

Her mouth was slightly open, and she was breathing heavily. Her lips were a natural light pink, moist and full.

Damn.

He cursed inwardly. She was just too alluring.