Chapter 18: She definitely has a problem.

Thanks to Qi Qian Cao, he couldn’t sleep well all night.

Worried that his ten million would turn into ghost money, Fang Wei could only send messages of concern over and over, from voice to calls, losing count of how many he sent or when he finally fell asleep.

He had a dream.

In the dream, Qi Qian Cao stuffed handfuls of pills into his mouth, smiling as she said she wanted to dig out his eyes.

And he couldn’t escape, because both as an ordinary person and as an Organization Cadre, Qi Qian Cao infiltrated every crack and corner.

When he woke from the dream, his back was soaked in sweat.

Fang Wei turned on his phone and saw a message from Qi Qian Cao, sent that morning.

She ignored all his worried inquiries from last night—whether she missed them or did it on purpose, he couldn’t tell—starting a new topic directly.

[Good morning, Boyfriend Sir～]

[No classes this afternoon. I’m waiting for you at the school’s Gourmet City]

No response to his previous messages.

She just started reporting the next steps on her own.

[Got in a taxi]

[It’s a Female Driver]

[Photo]

[Waited a long time to find a Female Driver]

[Got off]

[Waiting for you]

[Are you here yet?]

[Miss you]

[If you don’t come soon, I’m coming to find you]

This message was sent two hours ago, and now it was 3 p.m.

Fang Wei looked around.

Fortunately, Qi Qian Cao hadn’t actually turned into a ghost and run over to pry open his door.

Otherwise, he might as well go live on another planet.

He didn’t dare bring up what happened last night, afraid of provoking her.

He could only reply simply.

[There was something earlier]

[Are you still there?]

[I’m coming over now]

He didn’t know Qi Qian Cao as well as Xia Yuan Hua.

Xia Yuan Hua could at least be described as someone crushed by pressure, occasionally showing extreme behavior.

But Qi Qian Cao?

Her behavioral logic followed wherever the dream went.

She seemed to think all those strange actions were normal, but to others, she was a complete lunatic.

Fang Wei had no idea what went on in her head.

Sometimes, he really wished Mian Zi would send him a Reading Minds skill instead of a bunch of useless Trash Items.

He told himself that when they met today, he had to figure out Qi Qian Cao’s condition.

—

Your friendly neighborhood Hei Xiao-jun arrived at the university’s Gourmet City by taxi.

He had heard Xia Yuan Hua mention before that Nantong University and the neighboring Nan Tong Agricultural University each occupied half the Gourmet City, but the vibes were off.

If you saw college students wandering around, you could bet they were the idle types who spent all day shopping and singing KTV.

So, little Fang Wei, listen to your sister’s advice: as a top talent of Nantong’s Double First-Class, you should look down on students from agriculture 211 schools as if they were weeds.

If a 211 female classmate asks you to go to Gourmet City, never be stingy with your inner disdain!

This kind of talk was like his sister flicking abacus beads onto his face.

No wonder she told him not to run to Gourmet City.

Fang Wei looked around and saw a colorful sea of women.

Still, he wasn’t interested in those college girls caked with powder.

He spotted Qi Qian Cao sitting on the outskirts of the crowd at a glance.

She was as beautiful as ever today.

A brown hooded coat over a beige knit sweater, the loose coat accentuating her slender figure.

Brown and beige complemented each other, and the light-colored sweater’s doll collar wove a complex yet tidy bow at her chest.

Below, she wore a black tiered mini skirt that balanced the coat’s bulk, plus platform knee-high boots that highlighted her legs, with mid-calf socks rolled up to her knees, giving a sweet yet cool vibe.

Her aura was on point.

So much so that the passing boys and girls couldn’t help but glance her way.

Cute little creatures always attract attention, like the campus Cat Senior who’d been petted bald, or Qi Qian Cao now posing for photos with the girls.

She looked like a manga heroine brought to life, drawing girls nearby, while some thick-skinned guys tried to join in but were quickly pushed away.

“Hey, that handsome guy over there, come take a photo for us!”

Maybe it was the good looks, but a girl pulled Fang Wei, who was watching the show, over.

Sister, with so many guys here, you circled the crowd to grab me—hard not to overthink it.

Fang Wei felt a headache coming.

This girl clearly had her own little schemes.

“Handsome, use your phone to take it, then add me and send it later.”

Amazing, sister.

Your skills at fishing for little brothers are top-tier.

Of course, Fang Wei had no intention of agreeing to this roast chicken, because the main character had already noticed him and flashed over.

“Boyfriend Sir～”

Qi Qian Cao “hugged his arm”—hp-1.

“I’m here, I’m here. Don’t get so worked up.”

“Missed you.”

Qi Qian Cao’s sweet voice whined as she buried her little head against his clothes.

Her oversized coat covered half his small frame, and the girl’s scent wafted from within.

At that moment, the girls who’d tried to chat up Fang Wei realized the situation, and someone casually pulled him away to stand with this “little sister’s boyfriend”.

Qi Qian Cao clung tightly to him, scanning the crowd like a lioness among wolves, declaring her claim as she led him into Gourmet City.

Her pace was quick—even Fang Wei had trouble keeping up.

“Boyfriend Sir, ignore those people. They’re so gross, clinging to any guy they see, shameless.”

Just moments ago, Qi Qian Cao had been laughing with the girls, but now she’d become Zhou Gongdan, harshly criticizing the self-deprecating behavior of modern women.

If her little hand wasn’t busy trying to entwine their fingers, Fang Wei would have fully agreed with her words.

He stared at her 68% Corruption Value, wondering why Qi Qian Cao was so enthusiastic today.

I know you want to play Ai Si Ai Mu, but even galgames don’t have plot jumps like this.

Are you just here for the strangling CG?

Before Fang Wei could think more, Qi Qian Cao leaned into his arms.

She dug through her bag for her phone, revealing a shy smile like a girl in love for the first time.

“Boyfriend Sir was so concerned about me last night. When I turned on my phone this morning, I was shocked—so touched.”

Fang Wei thought, then why pretend not to see the messages?

He wanted to speed up and put some distance between them, but found he couldn’t move at all.

Qi Qian Cao clung to him, her gaze soft.

“Besides, I read every message. I even copied them into my notebook. They’re memories of me and Boyfriend Sir.”

She quickly pulled out a small, delicate notebook, filled with Fang Wei’s messages in various colors—overflowing with girlish charm.

Like the love poems a desk neighbor girl would write for a boy in high school.

Qi Qian Cao’s gentleness caught Fang Wei off guard.

She began chattering about her thoughts while writing the notebook, saying she felt so lucky to have found…to have discovered such an interesting Boyfriend Sir.

Did she slip up?

No, Fang Wei clearly heard those two words.

Qi Qian Cao hugged his shoulders, describing how happy the messages made her, how she felt like the happiest person in the world, how right it was to meet Boyfriend Sir.

It was hard to believe—they’d only met three days ago, and it was their second day as a couple, yet she was already using the word “back then”.

They walked together, like a couple who’ve been in love a hundred years.

University campuses had plenty of clingy couples, but none so publicly affectionate.

Fang Wei could even feel Qi Qian Cao’s grip on his arm tremble.

Her eyes drooped, her smile becoming increasingly twisted.

She said: “There aren’t many couples who’ve been in love as long as us and still keep the passion alive, huh?”

Fang Wei: ???

Long where?

Qi Qian Cao, are you sane?!

Her bizarre behavior made Fang Wei wonder if he’d made the wrong decision from the very start.

He started to regret it.

Because just then, the [Hypnosis App]quietly activated the time camera’s ability.

A dark image floated into his mind.

In a room without lights, the girl’s face glowed eerily in the phone’s blue light.

She wore a chilling smile, playing his voice messages on repeat.