The next day, the sun was shining bright when Alex's phone buzzed. It was Ling'er. "Where are you?" he asked.
"I'm at the front of Qian Mashup, I see you now!" Ling'er replied, her voice cheerful.
A sleek, black Bambargine G1 pulled up. Alex stepped out, a small smile playing on his lips. "Hello," he said, his eyes meeting Ling'er's.
Ling'er's jaw dropped. The Bambargine G1! It looked like a dream. "Is this... your car?" she stammered, her eyes wide with disbelief.
Alex chuckled. "Yep, it's mine. What do you think?"
"Wow! This car is amazing!" Ling'er exclaimed, circling the car slowly.
"Then let's head inside," Alex suggested, gesturing towards the restaurant entrance. As they walked, he lowered his voice. "Ohh Ling'er, you go in first. And when you enter the room, don't act like you know me, okay?"
"Okay," Ling'er agreed, a little confused. "But why?"
"I want this reunion to be unforgettable," Alex said with a mysterious wink.
"Alright," Ling'er giggled. "The room number is 102. See you inside!" She hurried into the restaurant.
Alex waited outside for a few more minutes. His friend, Ji-won, was also invited to this class reunion. Soon enough, Ji-won arrived, a wide grin on his face.
"Hey, Alex!" Ji-won called out.
"Long time no see!" Alex replied, clapping his friend on the shoulder.
"Yeah!" Ji-won agreed. "Let's go catch up with everyone." They both headed towards room 102.
As Alex stepped into the bustling room, a sudden notification flashed in his mind:
"Girlfriend Mission: Help Qing Ruo company from being bankruptcy and increase her interest value to 90 within 48 hours. Reward: +5 Strength Points, +50 State pt, and a 45% shares of Go-Go Driver agency"
Alex froze, his eyes wide. Help Qing Ruo? Our campus goddess? Lol! But those rewards... +5 Strength, +50 State points, and a huge share of Go-Go Driver? That's insane!
"Hey, Alex! What are you doing standing there? Come sit down!" Ji-won's voice pulled him back to reality.
"Ah, sorry! Coming!" Alex mumbled, trying to shake off his surprise. He walked towards the table where Ji-won was sitting. And there she was, right in front of him – Qing Ruo. A strange smirk crept onto Alex's face. This is going to be interesting.
Soon, the class president and the rest of their classmates filled the room, and the party began. Laughter and chatter filled the air. Suddenly, the class president, Seok, approached Alex.
"Who are you?" Seok asked, his eyes narrowed.
"Ohh, hi Class President Seok! It's Alex. You don't recognize me?" Alex replied calmly.
The room fell silent. "Really? You're the loser Alex? You've changed a lot," Seok said, his voice laced with disbelief.
"Yeah," Alex simply replied.
A smirk spread across Seok's face. "Alex, have you worn this suit... with your stomach?" he sneered, and a few people around him chuckled.
Just then, the restaurant manager entered the room, looking slightly flustered. "Excuse me, everyone. Whose black Bombergine G1 is parked in front of the entrance gate?"
A wave of shocked whispers rippled through the room. "A Bambargine G1? Who here could afford that? They're so expensive!"
"Definitely not anyone here," Seok said confidently.
But then, Alex spoke up. "Yeah, it's my car."
Every head in the room turned towards Alex, and then a wave of laughter erupted. "Lol! Is that your car? Stop joking, Alex!"
Alex calmly reached into his pocket, pulled out the car key, and tossed it to the restaurant manager. "Thank you, sir. Could you please bring the key back?"
The manager, looking bewildered, nodded. "Of course, sir."
Seok scoffed. "Where did you rent it from, Alex?"
"I didn't rent it. It's my car. Brand new. You can check," Alex replied, his gaze steady.
Suddenly, another system notification popped up in Alex's mind:
> [Qing Ruo] Interest value increase by +2 current value 2/100
Yes! Her interest increased, Alex thought, a flicker of satisfaction in his eyes. But it's still so low.
As the party ended and everyone started leaving, Alex's eyes followed Qing Ruo. She was already heading towards the exit. He quickly jogged after her.
"Hey! Classmate Qing Ruo, can we talk for a moment?" he called out.
Qing Ruo stopped, a hint of surprise on her face. "Yes? What do you want to talk about?"
"Classmate Qing," Alex said, his voice serious, "tell me truthfully, is your company going to go bankrupt?"
Qing Ruo's eyes widened, all traces of her usual composure vanishing. "H-how do you know that?" she stammered, her voice barely a whisper.
"I know," Alex said simply. "And I will help you with it."
"What?" Qing Ruo asked, completely taken aback. "But... why?"
"We're classmates, aren't we?" Alex smiled gently. "Let's talk while I drive you home. I'll give you a ride. Is that okay?"
Qing Ruo hesitated for a moment, her gaze searching his. Then, she nodded slowly. "Yes, let's go."
As they drove, Alex steered the conversation towards her company's troubles. "So, how much money do you need to save your company?" he asked.
Qing Ruo sighed. "I was thinking around 200 million... but that's probably too much for you. It's okay if you can't."
Alex chuckled softly. "No, it's not too much. I'll come to your company tomorrow and transfer the funds to you."
"Really?" Her voice was filled with disbelief and a hint of hope. "Thank you..."
> [Qing Ruo] Interest value increase by +4 current value 6/100
Alex pulled up in front of a beautiful house. "Hey, is this your home?"
"Yes, it is," she replied, a touch of surprise in her voice.
"Okay then. Bye, see you tomorrow. I'll come to pick you up," Alex said with a warm smile.
"Bye," she whispered, a grateful look in her eyes.
Alex watched her walk towards her house before driving off to his own.
The next morning, Alex parked his Bambargine G1 outside Qing Ruo's house and gave a short honk. She came running out, a slightly flustered look on her face.
"Sorry, did you wait for too long?" she asked breathlessly.
"No, I just got here. Come on in," Alex said, opening the passenger door for her.
She settled into the luxurious seat, and they drove towards her company. As they reached the towering building, they headed inside.
"Where do I need to make the payment?" Alex asked.
"Let's go inside, and then we'll sort it out," Qing Ruo replied, leading the way towards the elevators.
As they were about to step into an elevator, someone rushed out, bumping into Qing Ruo. She stumbled, about to fall, but Alex's arm shot out, catching her just in time. "Are you okay?" he asked, his voice laced with concern as he held her close.
She leaned into his embrace for a brief moment. "Thank you," she murmured, her voice soft.
> [Qing Ruo] Interest value increase by +15 current value 21/100
The man who bumped into her apologized profusely. "Sorry, young miss! It was my mistake."
"It's okay. Just be careful," Qing Ruo said gently before stepping into the elevator with Alex.
Oh, so her interest value is increasing rapidly with a bit of romance, Alex mused. This is going to be easier than I thought.
"Thank you again for saving me," Qing Ruo said, her eyes looking up at him with gratitude.
"Don't worry about it," Alex replied, leaning closer and whispering softly near her ear, "We're classmates, after all."
Her cheeks flushed slightly, and she gave him another small, heartfelt "Okay, I got it."
> [Qing Ruo] Interest value increase by +17 current value 38/100
I think I'm starting to figure out how to make Qing Ruo fall for me, Alex thought, a playful glint in his eyes.
He gently placed his hand on his cheek, looking at her with a soft expression. "Can we go out for lunch after this?"
> [Qing Ruo] Interest value increase by +20 current value 58/100
A shy smile touched her lips. "Yes, let's go for lunch."
The elevator doors opened, and they walked towards Qing Ruo's office. Once inside, Alex got straight to the point. "Can I have the credit card machine?"
She handed it over without hesitation. Alex swiftly transferred 200 million into her company's account.
"Host, your 56% mission is completed. You have only 10 hours left to complete the rest of the mission."
"It's done," Alex announced, handing back the machine.
Suddenly, Qing Ruo's face crumpled, and tears welled up in her eyes. She threw her arms around Alex, hugging him tightly. "Thank you, thank you so much!" she sobbed.
> [Qing Ruo] Interest value increase by +4 current value 62/100
Alex hugged her back, a comforting hand stroking her hair. "Don't worry, I'm here. And you promised me lunch, remember?"
She nodded, wiping away her tears. They left the office and headed to a nearby restaurant. After a pleasant meal, as they were leaving, Qing Ruo spoke up. "Can we get ice cream? I really want one."
"Sure, let's go," Alex agreed with a smile.
> [Qing Ruo] Interest value increase by +9 current value 71/100
They found a charming ice cream parlor. "Which flavor do you want?" Alex asked.
"Chocolate, please," she replied.
"Okay, I'll get that for you," Alex said, heading inside. He returned with two chocolate ice creams, handing one to Qing Ruo. "Here you go."
She took it with a grateful smile. "Can I ask you something kind of sudden?"
"Of course," Alex replied, taking a bite of his ice cream.
"Why did you help me?" she asked, her eyes searching his.
Alex looked at her honestly. "Well, you were always kind to everyone on campus. And, of course," he added with a gentle smile, "you're pretty too. When I found out your company was in trouble, I just couldn't stand by and do nothing."
Her face flushed a delicate pink. "Really? You think I'm pretty?"
"Yes, you are," he affirmed softly.
> [Qing Ruo] Interest value increase by +10 current value 81/100
Almost there, Alex thought, a triumphant feeling bubbling inside him.
"Hey, Classmate Qing," he asked casually, "do you have a boyfriend?"
She looked down, a shy expression on her face. "N-no, I've never really dated anyone."
"Oh, that's good," Alex said, a hint of mischief in his voice. He gently took her hand and backed her against a nearby wall.
"Wh-what are you doing?" Qing Ruo stammered, her eyes wide with surprise.
Alex leaned in close, his gaze locking with hers. He gently kissed her, a soft and tender kiss. When he pulled back, he whispered, "I like you, Qing Ruo."
Her cheeks were flushed crimson, and she looked at him with a mixture of shyness and something more. "I-I like you too, Alex," she confessed softly.
A wide smile spread across Alex's face. He then walked Qing Ruo home, his heart feeling lighter than ever.
> [Qing Ruo] Interest value increase by +15 current value 96/100
*"Host You spending over 200,000,000 in Qing Ruo so The 20% of the spended money will be sended to your original account."*
> Mission Completed!
> Rewards: +5 Strength Points, +50 State pt, 45% shares of Go-Go Driver agency
Just as he reached his own doorstep, Alex's phone rang. He picked it up, a cheerful "Hello!".