He tricked the female lead into becoming his boyfriend, but then went on to criticize the male lead.

Tang Tongtong, who was standing to the side, couldn't stand it anymore. She leaned close to Sang Jiuning's ear and whispered her complaints, her tone full of helplessness and heartache:

"Oh no, I've figured it out completely! You've completely developed a love-struck mind!"

"Six hundred and eighty thousand! She just handed it over without even blinking?! Women in love really do have zero IQ!"

"With this 680,000, wouldn't it be better to eat our way through all the delicious food in the city, buy ten sets of high-end skincare products, and go on a trip? Why waste it on a string of beads? I really don't understand!"

Her complaints were neither too loud nor too soft, just enough for the clerk tidying up the counter next to her to hear.

The clerk smiled gently and kindly helped to smooth things over: "Miss, you can't say that. Ordinary agarwood can be found everywhere, but top-grade Qinan is extremely rare, only once every thousand years. It is made up of the essence of heaven and earth and has always chosen to reside in those who are destined to find it. Agarwood is easy to obtain, but Qinan is hard to come by. To be able to encounter it and accept it is a rare and precious fate."

"This young lady gave this gift with sincerity, and her heartfelt sentiment is most precious. She and her boyfriend will surely be together forever."

These words warmed Sang Jiuning's heart.

Soon, the clerk finished packing, and the exquisite, high-end black gift box, wrapped in a delicate ribbon, landed heavily in Sang Jiuning's hands.

Sang Jiuning carefully held the gift box, as if she were holding a whole warm and sincere heart. Her eyes were filled with tenderness, and her steps became lighter.

"Let's go, Tongtong, let's go back."

The two walked out of the elegantly decorated agarwood shop side by side. As soon as they stepped out of the mall's main entrance, a cool autumn breeze blew in their faces, carrying the faint fragrance of osmanthus blossoms from the street.

Sang Jiuning was happily stroking the gift box in her hands, already imagining Wen Zhaoci's expression when she received it. The next second, a gentle yet slightly deliberate female voice suddenly rang out: "Jiuning? Tongtong? What a coincidence, you're shopping here too?"

Sang Jiuning looked up at the sound, concealing the gentle smile in her eyes, and gazed at the source.

Not far away, Su Qingyan, dressed in a white long-sleeved dress, black leather shoes, and white socks, stood there with a gentle and elegant demeanor. She was carrying an exquisite shopping bag, her eyes crinkling with a tender smile as she looked at them.

Su Qingyan's gaze swept lightly over the exquisite gift box in Sang Jiuning's arms. The gift box was well-packaged, with luxurious edges, but it was impossible to tell what was inside.

She quickly looked away and spoke in a gentle and natural tone: "I came here to choose the costume for the school anniversary performance. Several people in my class signed up to participate, but in the end, only I was chosen to perform on stage."

There was a hint of superiority in her words, and she spoke as if she were the one everyone expected. In the eyes of others, she was outstanding in both appearance and academics, and was undoubtedly a chosen one.

After saying that, she smiled slightly and took the initiative to invite them, "It's getting late. If you're going back to school, why don't we walk together?"

No sooner had she finished speaking than a bird suddenly flew through the air, its wings flapping as it passed over Su Qingyan's head. A clump of bird droppings fell unexpectedly, landing squarely on the top of her dark hair.

An eerie silence instantly fell over the scene.

Sang Jiuning's gaze paused slightly, and her lips unconsciously tightened: ...How can Su Qingyan memorize this?

Tang Tongtong, standing beside her, suddenly suppressed her laughter, her cheeks puffing out slightly. She repeatedly told herself: "I absolutely mustn't laugh out loud. It would be too impolite to make a joke in front of others."

Su Qingyan's gentle smile froze for a moment, but fortunately, the reminder from System 438 immediately rang in her mind, reminding her to maintain her aloof goddess persona and remain calm and composed no matter what happened, without losing her composure.

She suppressed her embarrassment and maintained a calm and composed demeanor. She calmly took out a wet wipe from her bag and carefully wiped the stains off her head, her movements elegant and without a trace of panic.

"Looks like we won't be able to go back to school together. I need to go to the nearby barbershop to get my hair done first." Su Qingyan said goodbye calmly after tidying her hair.

"Okay, you go ahead and get busy." Tang Tongtong quickly replied, afraid that she might burst out laughing on the spot.

Once Su Qingyan's figure had walked away and completely disappeared from sight, Tang Tongtong could no longer contain herself. Her shoulders trembled slightly, and she couldn't help but burst into laughter.

"Haha, Ningning, I'm not kidding. Since the start of the semester, Su Qingyan's luck has been really bad. She's had a constant stream of bad luck."

Sang Jiuning blinked gently and nodded in agreement: "That's right, our luck is really bad."

The sun slowly sank below the horizon, and twilight gradually enveloped the campus.

As night fell, the quiet laboratory was brightly lit.

Carrying the gift box of bracelets, Sang Jiuning walked briskly to the busy Wen Zhaoci's side.

The young man wore a simple solid-color shirt. His profile was sharp and cold, and his eyes were clear and aloof. He noticed the person who came next to him and slowly raised his eyes to look.

Sang Jiuning's eyebrows curved into crescents, her eyes sparkling with playful light. She gently raised her hand to shield his eyes and said softly, "Aci, close your eyes first."

Wen Zhaoci obediently closed her eyes, her long, thick eyelashes drooping down and casting a light shadow on her eyelids.

Sang Jiuning smiled sweetly, with a hint of undisguised pride, and slowly took out the exquisite gift box, making light, cheerful noises as she did so.

"Okay, you can open your eyes now!"

Wen Zhaoci opened her eyes in response, and the first thing she saw was the girl's bright eyes, her rosy lips, and her bright and cheerful smile, lively and vibrant.

"Dang dang dang daàng~ I specially bought this as a gift for my boyfriend. Come and see if you like it." Sang Jiuning's tone was light and cheerful, with a sweet upward curve at the end of her voice, as she looked at the other person with great anticipation.

Wen Zhaoci reached out and took the gift box. She gently lifted the lid with her fingertips, revealing a string of purple agarwood beads with a warm luster and a dark purple glow.

With his extensive knowledge, he immediately recognized the considerable value of this sinking-grade purple agarwood. Such a price was insignificant to him, hardly a rare item, but for Sang Jiuning, who was still a student, it was an enormous expense.

Her deep eyes darkened slightly as she pondered to herself, "This money must have come from the Fu family."

I don't know if it's Sang's mother or Fu Yanchen.

Seeing that he remained silent for a long time, Sang Jiuning felt a little uneasy and tilted her head slightly to ask, "Why aren't you saying anything? Don't you like this gift?"

Wen Zhaoci immediately composed herself, the deep thought in her eyes vanished, replaced by a tender and affectionate look, and proactively raised her wrist.

"I really like it, baby. Can you help me put it on?"

Upon hearing this, Sang Jiuning instantly put aside her concerns, her smile growing even brighter as she carefully took out the bracelet and gently slipped it onto his slender, well-proportioned wrist.

The dark, oily agarwood beads clung to her skin, subtly shimmering with an elegant purple light when exposed to body heat, making the boy's well-defined hands appear even whiter and more beautiful. His cool demeanor was enhanced with a touch of gentle charm, exactly as she had envisioned, complementing each other perfectly.