Snowbound (1)

Lucien walked straight past the God of Love. Only at the very end did he softly say, "It's different."

This time, his reason for wanting Zhen Liu to fall in love with him was different.

As for how it was different, Lucien did not say. He was simply brimming with confidence as he embarked on yet another grand campaign for love—he had decided to pay off Zhen Liu's debts for him!

The God of Love followed Lucien into his car, even more question marks appearing over his head. "What necessary connection is there between repaying debts and making the other person fall in love with you?"

Gratitude was not the same thing as love, my friend.

Had he not seen this trope in countless period dramas? When they saw someone attractive, they would blurt out, "I have no way to repay this kindness; I am willing to offer myself to you." But if the person was unattractive, it became an empty promise of, "I cannot repay your kindness in this life; in the next, I'll work like an ox or horse for you."

"Repaying the debt naturally isn't the point. The point is the contract that comes afterward!" Lucien felt there was no way this could go wrong. "These past few days, I've studied quite a few human romance novels on literary websites. I think one particular type is especially suitable for Zhen Liu and me—contract dating, living under the same roof."

Get him in the car first, then buy the ticket afterward. I paid off his debt, and he pretended to be my boyfriend for a while. That wasn't too much, right? If we kept pretending, wouldn't the fake become real? The contract was fake, but the feelings would be real!

He truly was a little genius at romance.

The lowly God of Love offered online consultation: "My friend, you do know that although there are subconscious projections, not every novel depicts real events from other worlds, right?"

Especially not this kind of nonsense romance trope.

Most authors who wrote this kind of thing were single themselves.

Lucien raised an eyebrow and looked back, scrutinizing his theoretical friend, whose divine domain was love and beauty but who had never dated either. "As if you aren't single too." What would a single person know about love!

The God of Love exploded with rage.

Ahhh, to hell with you!

Good advice could not save a fool determined to die. I'd just wait and see how you died!

Author's note:

Nonsense mini-theater:

God of Love: Heh, what a joke. The God of Love doesn't understand love.

When Zhen Liu received Boss Qian's invitation for the second murder mystery game, he happened to be on a break at the café. He replied to Boss Qian's WeChat message in the staff lounge, saying he would definitely arrive on time.

This time, Jin Zhuang had organized the gathering and had specifically left Zhen Liu a message asking whether he wanted to come along.

Naturally, Zhen Liu could not refuse an opportunity to make money.

Working part-time with Zhen Liu was his classmate and good friend, Xiao Qian. Zhen Liu worked to stay alive, while Qian Xiaoqian worked...

"To stay alive too, boohoo." The delicate-looking young man wore the standard uniform suit beneath a barista apron. Half-sprawled over the table, he rubbed his face against it and rolled around. His left eye seemed to spell out "life is," while his right said "not worth living." He muttered, "My uncle is too much, way too much. I'm never going to like him again. I'm already a college student, a college student! Why do I still have to be forced out to work because I did badly on my exams? What kind of human suffering is this?"

Qian Xiaoqian had always aspired to be a laid-back young man, but sadly, he lacked the ability to make it happen. His family had the means to support him comfortably, but they absolutely would not allow him to become completely useless.

"Don't final exams just require a passing grade?"

Zhen Liu sat beside him and stroked the tuft of shedding hair sticking up from his friend's head. Then he mercilessly stated a fact. "But you didn't pass."

As the only person in the entire department to fail every subject, everyone else had makeup exams at the beginning of the semester. Qian Xiaoqian, meanwhile, was spreading his wings on the brink of being expelled.

Qian Xiaoqian cried even louder. He had clearly prepared cheat sheets and worked very hard at cheating, only to be completely wiped out because he copied from the wrong lines. It was enough to make listeners sad and onlookers weep. Too miserable—truly too miserable.

Zhen Liu did not even know how to comfort him. Copying from the wrong line in one class was an accident, but doing it in every class...

In the end, Zhen Liu could only say, "I heard this murder mystery game is faction-based. I haven't played it before, but if there are factions, there should probably be at least two winners, right? Do you want to come? We can team up."

"Okay!" At the thought of money, Qian Xiaoqian finally perked up.

After Qian Xiaoqian returned behind the counter to share mutual affection with the coffee machine—his good companion for the rest of the summer—Zhen Liu also put on his standard professional smile and headed toward the few tables of customers in the café during that time slot.

Before Zhen Liu looked up from the ordering terminal at the customers, he happened to hear those seated in a booth discussing... domineering

CEOs

novels?

"Why is it that whenever the poor but beautiful protagonist works part-time to support themself, it's always at a bar or a café? Don't Pizza Hut and Starbucks deserve a mention?" One person with a very pleasant voice was ranting furiously. "Those chain restaurants pay by the hour and are especially welcoming toward college students looking for part-time jobs, aren't they?"

"Because those places pay very little per hour. Try multiplying that by eight hours. Even office workers would cry hearing it—there's no exploitation quite like that," another person hit the nail on the head.

Zhen Liu silently agreed. That was exactly why he had not taken a job at a fast-food restaurant. The cost-effectiveness was too low.

Then he heard that person continue, "Besides, fast-food restaurants sound so lacking in style. Why would a wealthy top go to a place like that? If he doesn't, how is he supposed to have an encounter with the protagonist? Even Starbucks can't keep up with how intensely wealthy tops in modern boys' love novels compete to outdo one another."

Zhen Liu: "???"

Though he was utterly confused, Zhen Liu still unconsciously followed the other person's train of thought. Then this café probably isn't suitable for a domineering CEO either. It's a café built around butlers and maids as its selling point. If a CEO came here, readers would probably scream, "Something's not right with you."

Then, at that very moment, the decidedly-not-right Lucien looked up and saw Zhen Liu.

Their gazes met unexpectedly in the air.

Zhen Liu: "..." There is definitely something wrong with you.