Chapter 2 — Ha Ha, You're All I Want

What on earth is this villainess playing at! Oh gods, by what right does she dare to hold the male protagonist’s hand?

Don't let that wretched villainess soil our precious male lead!

Since when can a villainess date the male protagonist? This completely shatters the original plot setup!

Sisters, report her account until it gets permanently banned!

The barrage comments flashed across my vision, filled with furious curses, yet amidst the digital storm, I caught a sudden glimmer of hope. If he had not yet discovered that I was a fake "internet lover," why not simply keep up the act? After all, their chat accounts were currently right in the palms of my hands. Every single day I managed to survive would grant me another chance at self-preservation. At worst, I could hoard a modest sum of money and flee far away; that was infinitely better than being thrown into the dark ocean to feed the fish.

I gently slid my hand out of Xu Dongtang’s grip. Before he could react, I slipped my fingers through the gaps between his, interlocking our hands tightly. The air conditioning in the cafe was not particularly chilly, but both his palms and his long fingers were refreshingly cool to the touch.

Xu Dongtang stared at me in disbelief, then lowered his gaze to our intertwined hands. A faint, glowing light gradually ignited within his dark, brooding eyes.

You... are you not disgusted? I didn't warn you beforehand about my physical condition. You could say I deceived you...

A slight pang of guilt pricked at my conscience, though the one who had truly deceived him was not him at all—it was me, the one standing right here playing this dangerous game.

It is a bit of a shock, truly, but as long as you are well, it is not entirely unacceptable.

My voice trailed off, growing softer and softer as I lowered my head. The barrage of comments before my eyes sped up relentlessly. I could no longer read the individual words, only a chaotic sea of curses and strings of asterisks censoring vulgarities. To be entirely honest... it somehow felt rather exhilarating.

My stomach let out a loud, rumbling growl.

Having been coaxed out to the cafe near the school gates by Bai Yingying this afternoon, I hadn't managed to eat a single grain of rice. My stomach kept protesting with endless growls, impossible to conceal. Xu Dongtang let out a low chuckle. I stole a glance upward and found myself completely entranced. When he smiled, he looked extraordinarily handsome, like melting snow under the morning sun.

Welcome. We would like one signature Black Forest cake, please.

A signature cake?! My eyes lit upon hearing that he had ordered only a single portion, and I asked in confusion, Aren't you going to eat?

Xu Dongtang unlocked his phone with one hand to scan the table's ordering code, while his other hand kept a firm grasp on mine.

I will eat. Have a look at what else you might want; both this signature cake and whatever else your heart desires, you shall have them all.

Why on earth did I suddenly feel the urge to cry? Xu Dongtang truly was an exceptionally kind person.

The two portions of cake had been prepared in advance, so they were served very quickly. However, the delicate frost crystals lingering within the cream had not yet fully melted, making the very first bite taste somewhat bland. Coming from an Asian culinary background, I normally enjoyed sweets, but a proper meal required actual substantive food. Salty dishes, carbohydrates, a respectable, filling meal!

Xu Dongtang ate with absolute concentration, taking small, deliberate bites, embodying the old proverb of eating without speaking and sleeping without complaints. Several times I opened my mouth to ask if he wanted to switch to a different restaurant, but seeing him eat in such quiet focus made me hesitant. When I raised my head for the third time, he had already noticed.

Is there something else you would rather eat?

I nodded in a hurried motion. Parked right outside the cafe, his personal chauffeur was waiting attentively next to a luxury car the likes of which I had never laid eyes on before. The moment I stepped inside, I was struck with awe by the dazzling starry sky illuminated across the ceiling, instinctively raising a hand to touch it. The digital barrage floating across the starry canopy only grew clearer.

Just a cheap cannon-fodder villainess, this is a starry ceiling package, such a country bumpkin who has never seen the world.

Could this wretched villainess stop pawing at things? It is utterly humiliating.

My movements froze instantly, and I withdrew my hand in acute embarrassment. Yet, someone from behind gently took hold of my wrist, guiding my hand right back up to brush against the artificial firmament. Most of it felt like soft, luxurious velvet, save for the tiny, raised points where the glowing stars were embedded.

The texture feels rather ordinary when you actually touch it, doesn't it? But the sight of it is truly breathtaking.