"Wake up!"

Bai Ziyi waved her hand gently before Yun Mingxin’s eyes.

No one noticed the deep mischief hidden in her gaze.

Today, Bai Ziyi looked exceptionally lovely in a snow-white, long-sleeved summer blouse.

Beneath it, she wore loose gray-black harem pants—a style most couldn’t pull off. Yet on her, they didn’t accentuate flaws. Instead, they gave her an air of pure, ethereal beauty.

If anyone ever asked why the same pants looked so perfect on her, Yun Mingxin would’ve said: *Long legs just defy logic.*

Her outfit finished with simple white sneakers that matched her perfectly.

Most importantly, a sliver of flawless ankle peeked between her pants and shoes.

Yun Mingxin couldn’t help but stare. He’d always been weak for that glimpse of skin.

With strangers, he’d wish for crop tops and denim shorts—the skimpier, the better.

But for girls he cared about—even just a little—he hated the thought of others seeing too much. It felt like losing something precious.

*If anyone should see it, it should only be me.*

A selfish thought, he knew.

He felt especially guilty about Bai Ziyi.

She fell squarely into that "cared about" category.

Men always craved possession over women they were close to. For them, an exposed ankle was the absolute limit he’d allow others to see.

And honestly? It stirred something in him.

Her entire outfit today hit every note of his unspoken preferences.

*How strange.*

"Let’s go!"

Bai Ziyi grabbed Yun Mingxin’s hand without warning.

He moved like a puppet on strings, dragged along.

Their fingers had somehow tangled together.

Yun Mingxin froze. He could feel every degree of warmth from her skin.

He’d held girls’ hands before—Zhan Mengxi’s, Su Xiaoyue’s—but always as the initiator.

This passive touch was new. Different.

The park buzzed with people. Many watched them with warm, approving smiles.

Bai Ziyi’s silver hair drew eyes, but it was their combined good looks that held attention.

"Um…"

Yun Mingxin hesitated before speaking.

Bai Ziyi turned, her clear eyes shimmering with concern. "What’s wrong?" Her lips parted slightly.

"Our hands…" He gestured awkwardly at their clasped fingers, expecting her to blush and let go.

*She has a crush on someone else, after all.*

Instead, Bai Ziyi giggled softly. "Did you forget why you’re here today?"

"To help you?" he answered automatically.

"Exactly!" Her smile was bright and pure. "You’re helping me by playing the male lead in my novel. Which means… you’re pretending to be my boyfriend."

"Huh?"

Her laughter bubbled over at his stunned expression.

"And boyfriends hold hands. Right?"

Yun Mingxin searched for an argument but found none.

*It’s not like I’m losing out… whatever.*

Though… why did this feel like *he* was the one being groped? Like some pervert’s cheap trick?

*Who’s really getting the short end here?*

A flicker of paranoia hit him—*is my innocence in danger?*—but Bai Ziyi was already pulling out her phone.

She snapped photos of them together. At first, he resisted. Then he noticed her habit: after every shared moment, she’d jot notes into her phone’s memo app.

*She’s serious about writing this novel.*

Seeing her dedication, he stopped protesting. They wandered, glued together.

Their high-end visuals and obvious closeness drew stares.

People groaned about "dog abuse" while refusing to look away—classic protesting-but-couldn’t-look-away energy.

Even Yun Mingxin, a seasoned flirt, felt his cheeks burn under the attention.

Bai Ziyi, whom he’d pegged as slightly antisocial, remained utterly unfazed.

They drifted aimlessly. At landmarks like the wishing fountain and the Scholar’s Temple, Bai Ziyi lingered.

Yun Mingxin also witnessed her terrifying wealth.

Even as a soon-to-be millionaire, he’d never seen money spent like this.

At one stall, she bought every last "love-blessing incense stick"—fifty yuan each. A thick bundle filled her arms.

*(Wholesale price: ten for one yuan. Should I become a monk?)*

But remembering Bai Ziyi’s casual extravagance, he shrugged it off.

Dusk painted the sky as they finally slowed on the pedestrian street.

Their hands stayed linked.

The initial thrill had faded into discomfort.

*Yeah, I’m holding a beauty’s hand—but sweaty palms, man.*

The heat had pruned his skin white and wrinkled.

Warm yellow streetlights caught Bai Ziyi’s silver hair, making it glow.

The walk ended too soon. At the crossroads, she finally released him.

Yun Mingxin flexed his stiff, pale hand.

"Thank you. I had fun," Bai Ziyi said, her smile like a spring breeze.

"One last request!"

Before he could ask, a scented breeze swept past. Her soft body pressed into his chest.

She hugged him tightly.

His mind went blank.

*Does fake-dating require this much commitment?*

*Am I NTR-ing the guy she likes?*

*…Why does this feel secretly thrilling?*

*Brother Cao… I get it now.*