Forced into a romantic relationship

Chapter 232 Who taught you to date like this?
The setting sun casts its slanting rays, its afterglow still warm.

Han Zhou pushed his stroller on his way back to school, pondering his future plans.

In terms of efficiency alone, making money by setting up a stall by oneself is too slow. It would be great if there was a way to trigger the "Master of Cooking" effect without having to be physically present...

Besides earning money, accumulating points is still a top priority. I need to do as many tasks as possible whenever I have free time to level up my status bar to the next level as soon as possible. Thinking about it, it's quite busy...

While I was pondering, a figure suddenly blocked the road ahead.

With a slight lift of his eyes, Han Zhou knew who it was the moment he saw the slender figure and the astonished looks from passersby.

It was Wang Lengqiu, whom I had just seen at the hospital not long ago.

The girl stood in the street after dusk, the soft light of the streetlights shining on her face. She was wearing a slightly oversized light pink sweatshirt, but even so, it couldn't hide her slender and shapely figure.

It's hard to imagine that the other person was once ridiculed for being too fat.

"you……"

Before Han Zhou could speak, Wang Lengqiu asked first, "Are you setting up a stall?"

She looked at the small cart in front of Han Zhou with a curious gaze. Her voice, just like her name, was like the early autumn that followed the end of summer, carrying a slight coolness and clear, pleasant sound.

"Ah."

Since the other party was very polite, Han Zhou couldn't ignore her, so he replied in a cold tone, "I'm working part-time, just finished my business, and am about to go back to eat some cornbread."

He tried to let Wang Lengqiu know that he was a poor wretch who could only afford cornbread, and to nip in the bud the strange thought of wanting to date him that he didn't know if it had survived to this day.

"Working while studying, that's amazing."

Unexpectedly, Wang Lengqiu did not understand his meaning at all, or perhaps she understood but did not care, and praised him in a flat tone, "I would never do part-time work while studying."

This tone might sound sarcastic or sarcastic on other people, but it doesn't feel that way on this girl.

Seeing that the other party had no intention of making way, Han Zhou had no choice but to take over the conversation and say, "It's not that I'm particularly powerful, after all, we need to eat."

"Haven't you eaten yet?" Wang Lengqiu looked at him suspiciously, her eyes gleaming as if she had seen some kind of opportunity. "I haven't eaten either."

Do we mean the same thing when we say "eat"...?

Han Zhou was afraid that she would say something like, "Why don't we go eat together?" so he said without changing his expression, "I've already eaten."

“But you just said you were going back to eat cornbread.” Wang Lengqiu stared at him.

"I mean……"

What is a steamed corn bread?

"...It's a steamed bun."

"Steamed buns?" Wang Lengqiu thought for a moment. "Are they tasty?"

"That depends on what the side dishes are..." Han Zhou said, raising an eyebrow in surprise, "Haven't you tried it before?"

The girl was even stranger than he had imagined.

Of course, it's not because the other person has never eaten steamed buns before.

"Never eaten."

Wang Lengqiu shook her head, seemingly feeling that it wasn't right to keep blocking the way, so she walked over and stood beside him, saying in a matter-of-fact tone, "Then let's go, I'll treat you to some steamed buns."

Han Zhou was taken aback and quickly refused, saying, "Thank you, but I've already eaten and I'm not hungry now."

"You just said you had just closed up shop and were going home to eat cornbread. How could you have had time to eat?"

Wang Lengqiu looked directly into Han Zhou's eyes, seemingly puzzled, "Why did you lie to me?"

She remained expressionless, but her pitiful face, coupled with her emotionless words, immediately made Han Zhou feel a pang of guilt.

However, if he could bear to deceive Guzheng, deceiving this stranger who wasn't even a friend was no big deal, so he insisted, "I really have already eaten."

He hadn't forgotten the girl's purpose; he wanted to get rid of her as soon as possible, even if she disliked him.

“You’re lying to me,” Wang Lengqiu said with certainty.

"No."

"Have."

"No."

"Have."

"Not really."

"there must be."

"……All right."

After a brief silence, Han Zhou shrugged and said in a perfunctory tone, "Then I'm sorry."

His words carried a hint of impatience, as if to say, "I'm lying to you, so what can you do about it?"

However, Wang Lengqiu seemed completely unconcerned about his deception or his annoying apology, and gently shook her head.

"It's okay, then I'll take you to eat steamed buns."

[Daily Task 2 (Wang Lengqiu): Obtain 1/10 of the target ten 'It's okay' phrases to earn 1 point]

Han Zhou was taken aback, and suddenly gained a new understanding of the girl in front of him.

They lack tact or awareness of the atmosphere, and when communicating with people, they speak ramblingly, sometimes even uttering phrases that are incomprehensible to others...

Perhaps this is why the girl was treated as mentally ill?

But the more this happens, the more troublesome it becomes.

He sighed inwardly, and then heard Wang Lengqiu continue softly, "Thank you."

It took Han Zhou two seconds to realize that this was probably a thank you for the umbrella from a few days ago.

"You're welcome." He shook his head, intending to end the conversation there. "I have things to do, so I'll head back to school first. You can go and do your own thing too."

After saying that, she pushed the cart toward the school.

It's a pity he can't run while pushing this thing, otherwise he would have sped up and run like crazy.

"it is good."

Wang Lengqiu seemed completely oblivious to the implied dismissal in his words, and silently followed beside him. At first, she stared at the cart for a while, seemingly considering whether she needed his help.

Han Zhou hesitated, then ultimately chose to ignore it.

Fortunately, apart from following him, Wang Lengqiu did nothing else and hardly spoke along the way, behaving very well.

Even so, Han Zhou still felt somewhat uncomfortable. You see, Wang Lengqiu was not only outstanding in appearance, but also a celebrity at Lin University. As more and more students came onto the road, he noticed that the gazes directed at him were becoming more and more intense, most of them filled with surprise.

However, Wang Lengqiu was completely oblivious to this, staring blankly ahead, when he suddenly asked, "By the way, do you know where I can buy steamed buns?"

"...They're available in the cafeteria."

"Let's go to the cafeteria together later."

"I told you, I have things to do."

Wang Lengqiu thought for two seconds and said, "It's okay, then tell me where your dorm is, and I'll bring the steamed buns downstairs to your dorm."

[Daily Task 2 (Wang Lengqiu): Obtain 2/10 of the target ten 'It's okay' phrases to earn 1 point]

Han Zhou looked at her in surprise, thinking to himself, "We're all adults, can't you understand the hidden meaning in my words?"

"What's wrong?" Wang Lengqiu looked at him in confusion. Perhaps thinking he didn't understand, she patiently explained, "It's okay. My roommate's boyfriend often comes downstairs to the dormitory to bring her food. The dormitory supervisor won't say anything."

[Daily Task 2 (Wang Lengqiu): Obtain 3/10 of the target ten 'It's okay' phrases to earn 1 point]

The dorm supervisor wouldn't say anything, but the problem is you're not my girlfriend...

Wang Lengqiu's daily tasks were surprisingly easy to complete, but Han Zhou only felt a headache: "Can I say that I don't want to eat steamed buns right now?"

"Sure, no problem, I'll bring it to you tomorrow."

[Daily Task 2 (Wang Lengqiu): Obtain 4/10 of the target ten 'It's okay' phrases to earn 1 point]

“…I don’t want to eat steamed buns this month.” Wang Lengqiu was silent for a moment, took out her phone to check the date, and said seriously, “Then I’ll send them to you next month.”

Han Zhou took a deep breath: "Why do you insist on giving me steamed buns to eat?"

"Because I wanted to treat you to a meal," Wang Lengqiu said, puzzled. "What's wrong?"

"nothing."

Han Zhou fell silent.

Who exactly said this guy doesn't like to talk?

After walking for a while, he finally couldn't help but ask, "Um... you don't still want to pursue me, do you?"

"Ah."

Wang Lengqiu nodded frankly, "However, you said we could only be together after I turned into a stick figure, and I won't pursue you until then."

I clearly said that you could pursue me after you turn into a stick figure, not that we should be together... Never mind.

Han Zhou felt helpless: "Has this always been how you pursued other people?"

Wang Lengqiu nodded first, then shook his head, giving an irrelevant answer: "I've heard people say that if you really want to pursue someone, you have to be thick-skinned and persevere even if you get rejected, so you won't regret it in the future."

"That's called persistent pestering." Han Zhou suddenly remembered that guy named Liao Xinyu and said with a wry smile, "You might just get disliked."

"If you like someone but can't be with them, then it's no different from being disliked."

Wang Lengqiu gazed into the distance and said something very seriously, then seemed to suddenly realize something and asked in confusion, "Do you mean you hate me?"

"...Not really."

Han Zhou didn't say "I hate you" against his will, because the other party's meaning was already very clear. Even if he clearly expressed that he hated her, she would still insist on "clinging to him relentlessly".

"That's good."

Wang Lengqiu withdrew her gaze, thought for a moment, and said, "Actually, I didn't really want to treat you to steamed buns. No... I did want to treat you to some, but my main purpose was to spend more time with you."

She seemed to think Han Zhou was a clueless blockhead, and made a point of explaining her motives.

"..."

I'm really curious who taught you to date like this...

Han Zhou twitched his lips.

To be honest, he really couldn't understand the girl in front of him.

He was quite certain that Wang Lengqiu didn't really like him. Love at first sight could be ruled out, otherwise, given the frank attitude she was showing, she would have confessed to him the very first time they met.

It's even less likely that he would suddenly fall in love with her because of some kind of opportunity. The two of them had only met a few times. The only opportunity that could be called was when he helped hold the dog for a while. But it's impossible for the other person to develop feelings for him because of that.

If that's the case, then forget about dating this guy, he wouldn't even dare to be friends with him. Han Zhou doesn't dislike people who like animals, but he can't accept someone who likes animals to the point of forgetting themselves.

So……

Why is this guy so determined to pursue me?
Han Zhou was completely baffled. Fortunately, his words that day had an effect. The girl was indeed preparing to become a stick figure and wouldn't bother him before that. Today's meeting was just a coincidence, not something she did intentionally.

Relieved, he suddenly felt a little worried again—

It's important to understand that Wang Lengqiu's thoughts cannot be fathomed by ordinary thinking. Just as mushrooms represent umbrellas, this stick figure probably also has some specific meaning.

"Head on fire"... What if this means some kind of self-harm? Wouldn't that affect the girl's physical and mental health?

Given this guy's "relentless pursuit" approach to relationships, it's not impossible that he might resort to self-harm.

Han Zhou didn't want to cause irreparable harm to a girl because of his unintentional words, so he carefully considered his words.

“I said… Senior Wang Lengqiu.”

“Call me Qiuqiu, or Qiuqiu,” Wang Lengqiu corrected earnestly.

Han Zhou pretended not to hear and tentatively asked, "Can you tell me what 'stick figure' means?"

Wang Lengqiu seemed a little confused by his meaning and gave him a strange look: "A stick figure is a stick figure."

His eyes held a bewildered look, as if to say, "Don't you understand that you're a stick figure yourself?"

Han Zhou didn't want to dwell on this topic, so he took a deep breath and asked, "What kind of terrible process does it take to become a stick figure?"

"A terrifying process...what do you mean?"

"For example, applying potassium chlorate and manganese dioxide to the head..."

"Need not."

Wang Lengqiu seemed to understand what he meant and shook her head, saying, "It's not scary."

"Is it dangerous?" Han Zhou pressed.

"It's not dangerous, it just takes a little time."

"That's good." Han Zhou was relieved and continued, "So, how much time does it generally take?"

"I'm not too sure about that either, since I've never been a stick figure before and have no relevant experience."

Wang Lengqiu spoke in a serious tone, but no one could understand her. After a moment of silence, she seemed to suddenly realize something and asked in confusion, "Those questions just now... were you worried about me?"

"It's just pure curiosity," Han Zhou said calmly.

"Oh."

【Daily Task 1 (Wang Lengqiu): Capture 1/10 of the target's 10 facial expression changes to earn 1 point】

Han Zhou was stunned for a moment, and subconsciously turned his head to look at the girl next to him, but he did not see any expression on her face.

However, since the status bar showed it, it means the other person did indeed have a change in expression just now...

While he was thinking, Wang Lengqiu suddenly pointed in a direction and said excitedly, "There are roasted pigeons over there."

Han Zhou followed her gaze and indeed saw a shop selling roasted pigeons. He asked curiously, "You like to eat this?"

“I don’t like it.” Wang Lengqiu shook her head. “But I like pigeons, white pigeons.”

Your ability to jump between thought processes is quite unique...

Han Zhou's lips twitched. It wasn't that he couldn't make that connection, but associating roasted pigeon with pigeons was like pointing at a beef shop and excitedly saying, "I like beef," or pointing at a dog meat shop and excitedly saying, "I like dogs." It inevitably gave people a strange feeling.

“I like it quite a bit too,” he said.

In its past life, the white dove symbolized peace, but this meaning does not seem to exist in this world.

"really?"

"Fake……"

Sensing the joy in Wang Lengqiu's tone, Han Zhou's heart skipped a beat. Just as he was about to deny it outright, he heard her say expectantly, "I've always wanted to go to Qingyuan Square to feed the pigeons, but no one goes with me. Can you come with me?"

Actually, I'm better at standing people up...

Han Zhou gave a wry smile and politely declined, saying, "I'm sorry, I might not be available during this period."

"Because you're going to set up a stall?" Wang Lengqiu looked down at the cart.

Han Zhou was overjoyed, not expecting the other party to have even thought of a reason for him. He said seriously, "Well, I have to set up my stall after class, and I don't have time to do anything else."

"What are you selling?" Wang Lengqiu asked curiously.

"Starch sausage".

How much is one?

Two yuan.

How many do you sell in a day?

Han Zhou was taken aback, vaguely sensing something was wrong, and hesitated before saying, "About five hundred..."

Wang Lengqiu nodded and took out his phone from his hoodie pocket.

"Then I'll buy all of these in advance. Will you come with me to feed the pigeons tomorrow?"

(End of this chapter)