TMLSG -Chapter 4 I’ll Keep You Company Next Time

Earlier, when the system said the male lead was a rich second-generation heir, Tang Zhen didn’t really have a sense of it.

Even when she sat in the passenger seat of the male lead’s flashy black sports car, she still didn’t really feel it.

But when he brought her to a jewelry store and said, “Pick whatever you like,” she finally felt a little bit of what it meant for him to be a rich heir.

Although Tang Zhen was supposed to play a shallow, materialistic supporting female character, she herself wasn’t really like that—she didn’t have high material desires.

Having never seen much of the world, this was her first time experiencing being brought straight into a jewelry store and allowed to casually choose a gift.

She waved her hand, smiling with two sweet little dimples. Her pure, delicate face looked a bit shy. “No, it’s fine.”

The jewelry here clearly wasn’t cheap. She didn’t like taking advantage of others for nothing and couldn’t return a gift of equal value to the male lead, so it was better to refuse.

Before Ren Yanjing could say anything, the sales clerk spoke up. “Oh, girls really should wear some accessories, especially pretty ones like you.”

“Your boyfriend is so generous, I’m jealous! Do you like earrings, necklaces, or bracelets?”

“I see you have pierced ears too? Want to take a look at some earrings?”

With that, the clerk enthusiastically brought out a few stylish earrings suitable for a young girl.

But Tang Zhen still didn’t want them.

Ren Yanjing tapped the counter lightly with his knuckles, his tone calm. “Look at the bracelets.”

The moment he saw her wrist in the photos on social media, he had wanted to bring her to buy a bracelet. Her wrist was bare, with nothing on it.

He remembered that his cousin wore a bracelet and a charm bead on one wrist and a jade bangle on the other. His cousin had said that young girls liked stacking accessories.

The clerk led them to the bracelet and bangle counter.

Ren Yanjing immediately picked a delicate bracelet shaped like a four-leaf clover. It was small and exquisite, made of red carnelian, bright and eye-catching.

He asked the clerk to bring the bracelet out.

Wearing white gloves, the clerk carefully fastened the bracelet on Tang Zhen’s wrist. The red color made her fair skin look even more translucent. Her wrist seemed perfect for this color of bracelet; it looked like a piece of art, complementing her naturally.

Ren Yanjing quickly said, “This one. Don’t take it off.”

Tang Zhen blinked. “Huh?”

Before she could react, Ren Yanjing had already paid. She leaned over to see the amount, but he had already put away his phone.

Tang Zhen couldn’t help but scream in front of 000, “Is the male lead really this decisive?!”

【Yes. He has money, so paying is easy. It’s a matter of three seconds. But Xiao Zhen, this bracelet looks absolutely stunning on you. The male lead really has good taste.】

“How much is the bracelet?”

【Over six thousand, I guess. It’s fine—nothing for him. For a first gift, the male lead’s choice is actually quite suitable.】

It wasn’t cheap, but not too expensive either.

Over six thousand was a lot for Tang Zhen, but if she worked a bit and did some part-time jobs, she could probably pay it back. Of course, one or two months wouldn’t be enough—it would take about three months.

But by then, they would probably have broken up.

“Should I act a little coquettish to show my thanks?” She actually liked being a bit playful.

【Sure, Xiao Zhen, you really suit being coquettish.】

“But he’ll be the female lead’s guy later.”

000 didn’t care. 【So what? At least for now, he’s your boyfriend. Enjoy the moment—don’t overthink it. The ending doesn’t matter; what matters is being happy now.】

Right.

For now, she was officially Ren Yanjing’s girlfriend. A girlfriend should have the privileges of a girlfriend.

She stepped forward, hugging Ren Yanjing’s right arm, leaning her face against him, and sweetly said, “Ren Yanjing, you’re so nice~”

The lights in the jewelry store were bright, making her eyes sparkle. Those little dimples were unbearably cute.

Ren Yanjing’s lips curved slightly. “As long as you like it.”

“I love it so much. Because it’s from you.” Sweet words flowed naturally and sincerely from Tang Zhen’s soft lips.

Just as Ren Yanjing was about to speak, his phone started ringing loudly. Tang Zhen cooperatively let go of his arm. He answered the call, listened for a while, and only said two simple sentences.

One was: “Got it.”

The second was: “I’ll be back right away.”

As soon as he hung up, he looked at Tang Zhen and said, “I’ll take you back to school.”

Tang Zhen knew the date was over, but she still deliberately asked, “Is something wrong?”

“Yeah, there’s a problem in the lab. I need to go fix it.”

Tang Zhen made an “oh” sound.

Ren Yanjing hesitated for a moment, patted her head, and said, “I’ll keep you company next time.”

Tang Zhen was about to reply “Okay,” when suddenly the system alarm went off with a series of beeps.

Before she could even realize it, Mission Three popped up: Prevent the male lead from returning to the lab.

Tang Zhen: ???

“000, are you serious?” Could a normal person even do this? He really had something urgent—he wasn’t brushing her off, nor was he lying.

【Absolutely serious. As serious as it gets.】

【Xiao Zhen, remember your character! You’re supposed to be a shallow, vain, and superficial supporting female character~】

A supporting character with no ambitions or goals, only wanting romance. A pretty “flower vase” like this trying to cling to the male lead when he plans to cut the date short—it’s normal behavior, right?

Not acting spoiled or coquettish would actually be weird.

Tang Zhen silently walked out of the jewelry store with Ren Yanjing.

“What happens if I don’t do the mission?”

【Xiao Zhen, after you break up with the male lead, I’ll leave. Your accumulated life points will remain as they are. One life point equals half a year of lifespan.】

Tang Zhen: “So I’ve accumulated a year’s worth of life points now.”

【Correct.】

“Then I choose to skip the mission.”

【Xiao Zhen, nooo~ I still want you to live a long life!】

But she didn’t want a long life in this way.

【Xiao Zhen, missions will get harder and harder. If you refuse this mission, you’ll have to complete the next one!】

There was actually such a rule!

“What about the mission after next?”

【For that one, you can choose whether or not to do it. But I still suggest you complete every mission, since the reward is life points.】

Tang Zhen understood: out of every two missions, she must complete at least one.

In the end, she still couldn’t overcome her own feelings—she didn’t try to forcibly keep the male lead. Fine, the next mission can be as hard as it wants. She’d deal with it when it appeared.

Whether before or after entering the story, Tang Zhen had been an ordinary student. She attended a mid-tier university, picked a standard accounting major, and after graduation would work as an accountant—enough to get by.

It was just that the male lead’s world was so vast and magnificent.

He had ideals and ambitions; he wanted to usher in a new era of robotics. Around him were a group of outstanding, like-minded companions. This was clearly beyond what an original supporting character could understand.

Tang Zhen didn’t understand robots, but she deeply respected a young man with dreams like him.

Because of people like them, the world would only get better.

She didn’t understand robots, but at the very least, she didn’t want to hold him back.

If she did, she would look down on herself.

So, she chose to let the male lead go back.