“My girlfriend and I met when we were very young. We were basically childhood sweethearts, like the kind you see in anime.”

As we walked through the crowded pedestrian street, the “boss” beside me began talking about his past.

“Uh, do you usually watch anime? Do you know what ‘childhood sweethearts’ means?”

I nodded. “I do!”

Bi Xinxue had never watched anime, but I’d seen plenty.

Although this world’s names and timeline were somewhat different from those of my previous world, most anime and novels were more or less the same in both.

That was both good news and bad news.

The good news was that I didn’t need to watch a huge number of anime and movies just to learn this world’s memes and familiarize myself with its plots.

The bad news was that the popular anime, movies, and novels were the same in both worlds.

So, if I wanted to write a book in the future, I’d have to create something original. I couldn’t plagiarize novels like the protagonists in those wish-fulfillment stories, copy *Battle Through the Heavens* or *Lord of Mysteries*, and get rich overnight.

“It’s just… Well, we grew up together. We were really, really close friends.”

As he spoke, the young man beside me kept looking as though he didn’t quite dare to meet my eyes.

His gaze occasionally drifted toward my chest, but most of the time, he looked away evasively.

“When we were little, we lived in the same courtyard. Her family lived right below mine. There was a huge patch of grass beneath the building, along with quite a few trees and abandoned houses.”

“Whenever school ended, we’d play downstairs together until it was time for dinner. After eating, we’d run back out and play together again.”

“That was how things went. We got into the same middle school and even ended up in the same class. Our relationship grew even closer.”

“Then, during our final year of middle school, I confessed to her. She accepted, too, and we promised to get into high school and college together.”

“Uh, Xiaoxue, are you listening?”

“I am.”

I tilted my head slightly and smiled. “It sounds like you two shared some very sweet memories.”

“Yeah. Before all this, everything really was sweet…”

The young man let out a long sigh.

“Then we went to high school. We were still in the same school, but not the same class. Around our second year, she started changing.”

“I remember it was May twentieth. She came to find me and said there were lots of couples in her class. On that day, all the boys gave their girlfriends gifts.”

“Some gave them 520 yuan in cash. Others gave them expensive imported chocolates or imported cosmetics.”

“That was when I realized that, on certain holidays, boyfriends were expected to give their girlfriends presents.”

“I couldn’t afford 520 yuan back then. I really couldn’t. My family only gave me 1,000 yuan a month for living expenses. If I spent 520 on a gift, I wouldn’t have anything to eat for the rest of the month.”

“So I gave her little toys instead. Or 52 yuan.”

“She wasn’t very happy, but she didn’t really blame me. She knew what my family situation was like.”

“Later, when we went to college, my family increased my allowance to 2,000 yuan a month. She started asking me for gifts more and more often.”

“Every fourteenth of the month counted as Valentine’s Day. May twentieth and May twenty-first were both holidays, too. Then there was her birthday, the anniversary of our confession, and even April Fools’ Day, the Qingming Festival, Singles’ Day, June 18th, and Double Twelve.”

“If I forgot and didn’t give her a gift, she’d get angry, delete me, and block me. Then I’d have to go to her classroom, find her, and coax her for ages.”

“I’d have to buy even more gifts before she’d add me back.”

By then, we had already reached the center of the pedestrian street.

Bathed in the setting sun, I watched the crimson light from the west slant across the young man’s somewhat thin body. It cast a long, lonely shadow over the beautiful cobblestone road.

“She often called me out to hang out like this. We’d visit clothing stores or walk around the pedestrian street.”

“Sometimes she paid for her own cosmetics. But for clothes and meals, I usually paid.”

“Sometimes, I really didn’t want to go out with her. It was just… way too expensive.”

“I stopped playing games because of her. Sometimes, I even skipped dinner. Whenever I got hungry, I’d go back to the dorm and watch anime.”

“We argued about it all the time later. She said I wasn’t man enough.”

“She said boys on Weibo could surprise their girlfriends almost every day. They could accompany their girlfriends while shopping and keep their relationships sweet.”

“I couldn’t do any of that. She said I didn’t make her feel secure at all.”

At that point, the young man beside me stopped walking.

He turned around and looked at me with a bitter smile.

“Xiaoxue, tell me… Was this really my fault?”

Yes.

Looking at that pitiful face—which would probably score around six out of ten if men were graded out of ten—I silently thought to myself:

Your biggest mistake was not knowing how to say no.

Love has never been a one-person affair.

If one side gives unconditionally while the other only enjoys the benefits, that isn’t love.

That’s a transaction.

Love is growing old together and hearing your other half affectionately call you “old man” or “old woman” every day.

It isn’t emotionlessly hearing, “520 yuan has been credited to your Alipay account.”

Even those pretty boys who live off rich women have to put up with things like “rich lady pleasure balls” and “rich lady pleasure fire”…

“Of course you didn’t do anything wrong!”

Although that was what I truly thought, I still put on an admiring expression.

“Mr. Zhiming… You’re a very gentle person.”

“You…”

When he heard the word “gentle,” the young man froze.

Then, his face lit up with delight as he looked at me.

“You really are a fellow otaku!”

No, no. I can’t take being called an otaku. Please stop insulting me.

“Huh?”

I tilted my head slightly and pretended to be confused.

“What does ‘otaku’ mean?”

“It means people who watch the anime you’re always watching. If you like anime, you’re an otaku.”

As if he’d discovered some priceless treasure, the young man raised both hands.

He seemed about to grab my arms, but then he remembered something and held himself back.

“Is this your real personality? Or are you putting it on for me because I’m your boss?”

“Hmm…”

I thought for a moment instead of answering directly.

“Mr. Zhiming, do you not like me this way?”

“No, no, of course not. This is pretty good.”

The young man hurriedly waved his hands.

“I’ve watched quite a few videos of gaming companions before. Those girls can have several different personalities.”

“I respect your profession. You’re fine like this. Just pretend I never asked.”

“Would you like some milk tea?”

He pointed toward a milk tea shop nearby and gave an awkward smile.

“My treat.”

“No need.”

I took my phone from my bag and glanced at the time.

“We have less than three minutes left, you know? Are you sure you don’t want to talk about why you broke up?”

“Oh, right… Sorry, I got off topic.”

The young man walked back over.

“The reason we broke up was what I just said. She hated that I couldn’t accompany her when she went out, and that I couldn’t buy her gifts during holidays.”

“I told her I really didn’t have any money. Then she asked why other guys on Weibo could go out and get part-time jobs when they were broke, but I couldn’t.”

“We argued and argued, and eventually broke up.”

“Only a few days ago did I find out that she’d gotten together with one of my high school classmates.”

“That classmate used to be one of my best friends. We used to skip class together and play games at internet cafés.”

“I really never thought they would…”

“Mm. I understand now.”

I lightly brushed aside my bangs, which had been blown by the wind and were tickling my cheek.

“So, how would you like me to act at the class reunion later?”

“Just act the way you did earlier.”

This time, “Liang Zhiming” answered almost without thinking.

“Now I feel like simply bringing you to the reunion gives me tons of face. You’re so much prettier than my ex-girlfriend.”

“Did you know? Before we broke up, she always mocked me for still watching anime at my age.”

“She called me a shut-in. She said anime was only for people with delusions who couldn’t find girlfriends.”

“She even said that if we ever broke up, no girl would ever like me.”

The young man clenched his fists.

“After meeting you, I want to prove to her that she’s wrong. Girls like the ones in anime really do exist in real life!”

They don’t.

They really, really don’t.

While silently pitying this “Liang Zhiming,” I nodded again.

“Then… shall we come up with a story for how we met?”

“How we met?”

“Mm. Mr. Zhiming, what hobbies do you have?”

“Does watching anime count?”

“What else? Preferably something more interactive.”

“Mobile games? I often play battle royale games with my roommates. Do you know them?”

“I do. *Game for Peace*. It’s a mobile game.”

I took out my new phone, found *Game for Peace* in the app store, and tapped the download button.

“Then my story will be this: Six months ago, you and your roommates formed a three-player team and matched with me, a random player.”

“I secretly added you as a friend afterward. I liked you, so I kept watching you from the sidelines and spectating your games.”

“Two days ago, I found out you were also in Vanilla City. Then I learned your girlfriend had dumped you, so I confessed.”

I showed “Liang Zhiming” the download bar on my phone.

“My name is Ji Xiaoxue, like Himekawa Koyuki, the protagonist of *Magical Girl Raising Project*.”

“Ji Xiaoxue. Is that okay?”

“Y-You confessed to me?”

It was obvious that the young man had become flustered after hearing that.

“A cute girl like you… confessed to me?”

I pretended to look confused.

“Is that not allowed?”

“Of course it is! Ahaha, I bet my classmates will be insanely jealous.”

“A beautiful girl like you taking the initiative to confess to me…”

“Ding-dong!”

Almost at the same time, both my phone and the young man’s phone rang.

【Your rental order, scheduled from 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. on October 23, 2030, is now active.】

【This order lasts three hours. After deducting the platform’s operating fee, your estimated income is 147 yuan. If you have any questions, please call customer service.】

“Has it… started?”

Clearly, Liang Zhiming had received the notification from the Flower Raccoon app as well.

“Mm.”

I took a deep breath where I stood.

This is work. This is work…

At that moment, I frantically consoled myself inside my head.

It’s nothing serious. He got dumped and wants revenge and comfort. You’re short on money and want to earn some.

You’re both getting what you need.

You’re Bi Xinxue now. You’re a girl. You’re no longer that middle-aged man with a tragic life.

You’re both getting what you need. You’re both getting what you need…

Hang in there. Since you’ve been given a second chance at life, live it properly.

Bi Xinxue, you can do this.

After taking a second or two to calm myself, I walked over to the young man and gently linked my arm with his.

“You’ve read the user guidelines, right?”

“Mm.”

My movement made the young man start stumbling over his words.

“I-I read them all. We… We can’t have overly intimate physical contact with a rental girlfriend.”

“We can’t kiss or hug, and definitely can’t… have any improper thoughts. I know all that.”

“Then…”

I forced myself to squeeze out a cute smile.

“This is Ji Xiaoxue. I look forward to working with you!”