There's no doubt, Xu Manning's proposal was a sign for reconciliation, but Li Peifeng, who still had an unfinished 'soft meal' target, had no reason to agree.
Moreover, even without the system, without the novice assessment tasks, Li Peifeng would not agree.
Because under the influence of this three hundred thousand, their relationship could never return to a normal couple state, there was bound to be a subtle change in both their statuses...
"Why not?"
Li Peifeng righteously said, "Am I the type of man who is dazzled by money? Am I dating you for your money? Do you really think you can control me by spending three hundred thousand on me? I'm telling you, no way!"
"I think your behavior is rapidly vulgarizing our relationship."
"Tomorrow, we'll go to the bank, I'll transfer the gold deposit account to your name, let's not bring this up again."
"Our relationship? What sort of relationship do we have? Tell me, I'd love to hear it?"
Xu Manning seemed to mock, or perhaps self-mock: "Honestly, I think being a bit vulgar is fine, who are you pretending for?"
"See."
Li Peifeng calmly said, "This is actually the main reason for our separation, and also why you don't get along with other female classmates—different values."
"Your family environment has made you develop a habit, a habit of using money to reduce all trivial matters of low value, which is correct. But it doesn't apply to interpersonal relationships, or emotions, where the value is immeasurable."
"I understand you, on your path of growth, too many people have showered you with kindness with ulterior motives, you're not sure if they are sincere or not, so you want to make a quick distinction this way, and then establish different relationships based on the feedback... In the past, you kept using it on Wenyue and me, and now, you're using it again, which I find meaningless."
Li Peifeng seemed to have touched on something taboo, Xu Manning sneered non-stop: "Wenyue! Wow, calling her so intimately! You still work out together, don't you?"
Li Peifeng pushed the bank card over, continuing on his own: "If you want to be friends with me, we will go through the transfer procedures tomorrow. If you don't want to have any interaction with me, then you don't have to accept it, tomorrow I'll sell the gold and transfer the money directly to your account."
Xu Manning was silent for a few seconds and asked, "Which bank are we going to for the transfer?"
...
Around six o'clock, as the sky gradually darkened, they finished the meal, but Xu Manning still hadn't left. She just sat on the big couch in the living room, constantly answering or dialing calls, handling work.
When Li Peifeng finished washing dishes and walked into the living room, she also finished her calls.
"Are you still in touch with Wu Wenyue?" Xu Manning still couldn't help but ask her ex about her earlier ex...
It might sound a bit convoluted, but in reality, the relationship among the three wasn't that complicated.
Wu Wenyue and Li Peifeng were in the same year, both second-year grad students, but they met in their sophomore year of undergraduate. Because they both loved sports and fitness and were from the same hometown, they became friends, often working out together, and bought tickets to head home during winter and summer breaks.
Xu Manning got acquainted with Li Peifeng because she interacted with him as Wu Wenyue's girlfriend.
Interestingly, when Xu Manning and Li Peifeng started dating, she immediately had him delete female friends from his WeChat, including her ex, Wu Wenyue.
Li Peifeng, of course, refused. How could he cut ties with someone he had known for years for a girlfriend he had only been seeing for a few days?
Moreover, before their romantic relationship, the three of them got along very well, with a dynamic like an unbreakable "iron triangle."
So they had a cold war, then broke up.
In that sense, Wu Wenyue was actually the catalyst for their breakup...
"Yes, occasionally we chat on WeChat."
Li Peifeng brought two cups of tea from the kitchen, placed them on the coffee table, sat down beside Xu Manning, and said outright: "We still bump into each other when working out."
Xu Manning's gaze was strange: "When we broke up, did she say anything?"
Li Peifeng chuckled, "She said it was expected, then cursed me a couple of times."
Xu Manning was noncommittal: "How did she curse?"
"She said I was blinded by lust, overrun by desires, an old cow eating young grass, and that I should never have agreed to date you. Hurting you makes me deserving of the gravest punishment..."
Xu Manning teased: "And what did you reply?"
"I said I didn't want this either, but you were always strutting around in black stockings in front of me, expressing your affection so openly and passionately, how could I resist? I couldn't resist."
"Nonsense."
Xu Manning sneered, for some reason, a hint of disappointment flashed across her eyes.
After the joke, Li Peifeng mused: "Actually, compared to a lover, she treated you more like a younger sister. Just like a sister, I feel the same."
"I tried to take things further before, but unfortunately... Now I would prefer us to be friends, and there are some things I want to say."
No TV or lights were on in the living room, only the dim light reflecting from the neon outside, creating a soothing and quiet atmosphere.
"Go ahead."
Xu Manning took off her shoes, curled up on the couch, turned her head to look at his face, her eyes bright, but her mind was not on their conversation, instead, it stirred up little ripples.
This face, why did it suddenly become so handsome, why? Although it was always handsome, it was never as mesmerizing as it is now... How I wish to kiss it!
After all, no one can resist giving a little kiss to a baby's chubby bottom!
Seeing her expression, Li Peifeng knew what was going on, pride filled his heart and a smile appeared: "Life as they say, is a line between two points, one being birth and the other death, experiences dot the line..."
"Our previous relationship is already in the past, regardless of whether the experiences were good or bad, it's in the past. We're still at the golden stage of life, with a long road ahead. In the future, there will always be someone like me, mutually attracted to you, who you'll share experiences with, or who will accompany you till the end. But before that happens, I hope you possess the bravery to walk alone, and enjoy the freedom of solitude."
"Of course, if you hit a low point or run into trouble, you can still reach out to friends, to Wenyue, or to me. Even if the road ahead is rocky, I'll always hear your call, like today, where we can have a meal together and chat. You're always welcome."
Li Peifeng's words were deeply thoughtful and sincere, his gaze never leaving her as he spoke, with pupils clear as day, sincere and innocent, resembling a third-grader, paired with a handsome face, attempting to wield his charm—legitimacy through allure.
This was Li Peifeng's final goal for their meal; persuading Xu Manning to set aside their entangled emotions, make peace, and truly turn the page on their past relationship, easing his pursuit of the second mission target...
The difficulty of winning over that woman was too high, Li Peifeng had to be fully prepared, as uncertain ties with Xu Manning could lead to his plans failing, encountering unwanted interference or mishaps.
Yet Li Peifeng clearly underestimated the complexity of severing their relationship...
"Unwilling to sever contact, yet reluctant to reconcile. Be friends? Treat me like a younger sister?"
Xu Man expressionlessly stared at him, softly saying: "Either you're playing hard to get waiting for me to make the first move, or you just want to keep me hanging!"
"Goddamn you! You dog!"
After speaking, she delivered a powerful kick with the fury of a thunderbolt, her black-socked foot landing straight on Li Peifeng's face, size 38...