Urban System: Beautiful lady, I really didn't steal your black stockings!

At this moment, Cheng Zhe's face was extremely arrogant and haughty.

He then steeled himself, gritted his teeth, and pulled out his wallet.

Yesterday, he secretly withdrew all 2 yuan that had been deposited into his account through the system.

He was carrying 5000 yuan in cash at the moment.

He took out 50 hundred-yuan bills from his wallet and shook them.

He then patted the blond-haired man's face with the stack of cash.

"Is this enough to pay back the money for all that junk? What teddy bear? That's hilarious."

Cheng Zhe threw the 50 one-hundred-yuan bills at Huang Mao one by one.

With each banknote hitting the ground, Cheng Zhe felt his heart bleeding.

But then arrogantly asked, "If that's not enough, would you like me to get you some more?"

Without even glancing at the yellow-haired man whose face was alternating between pale and flushed, he grabbed Zhao Ya and left.

As he passed by the blond-haired man, he arrogantly said, "Can't you see anyone? Move aside."

As I reached the door, I heard someone say, "Don't call me for the next batch of petty scoundrels. I'm busy."

Huang Mao, fighting back tears welling in his eyes, bent down and picked up the bills one by one.

After Cheng Zhe left quickly, he glanced back at the interior of the coffee shop.

Seeing the blond-haired man bend down to pick up the money, he breathed a sigh of relief.

He was genuinely afraid that his arrogant demeanor would cause the blond-haired man to lose his temper and rush at him to punch him.

Zhao Ya suddenly grabbed Cheng Zhe's arm, her voice brimming with excitement: "You're so handsome! That money-throwing moment was absolutely amazing!"

She shook Cheng Zhe's arm, her eyes sparkling: "Rich, domineering, and protective of me—you're my boyfriend from now on! I declare, from this moment on, you belong to me!"

Cheng Zhe was startled by her sudden action. Before he could even turn his head and speak, Zhao Ya suddenly stood on tiptoe and quickly kissed him on the lips.

The soft touch was fleeting, carrying a hint of lipstick sweetness.

"Uh!" Cheng Zhe's pupils shrank suddenly, and he froze on the spot, his mind going blank for a moment.

By the time he realized what was happening, Zhao Ya had already let go of him, taken two steps back, and waved at him.

She laughed smugly and arrogantly, "Thanks, see you next time, boyfriend!"

After saying that, he turned around and ran to the side of the street, quickly disappearing from sight around the corner.

Just then, a light blue system panel suddenly popped up in front of me:

[Emergency Side Quest: Meeting at the Appointment Completed]

[Task Reward Disbursement: 5000 RMB cash has been credited to your account, unlocking the "Strong Physique" talent]

[Bonus Reward: Zhao Ya's Favorability +40, Current Zhao Ya's Favorability: 70]

At this moment, he felt some obvious changes in his body, but he couldn't quite put his finger on it.

I think it must be the benefit that my talent brought to my body.

Before he could even complain, a new system panel popped up:

[Advanced Side Quest: A Secret Romance]

[Task Requirements: Develop a romantic relationship with Zhao Ya without Lin Weiwei noticing; meet with Zhao Ya at least once a week; task duration: 1 month]

[System task help: 2 times]

[Task Reward: 1000000 RMB cash, unlocks "Charm Boost" (all female characters' base favorability +20)]

[Failure Penalty: Lin Weiwei's favorability -100, Zhao Ya's favorability -100, and their favorability can no longer be increased]

"No way, system! Are you messing with me?!" Cheng Zhe screamed inwardly.

"I just want to pursue Lin Weiwei properly. Are you forcing me to two-timing? And this secret relationship means my affection level will drop to zero and I won't be able to improve if I fail?"

Cheng Zhe finally understood: this wasn't a dating system at all; it was a system for cultivating scumbags!

The penalty for failure was practically cutting off his escape route. Lin Weiwei's favorability rating dropped by 100 points, directly to -50, and could never be improved. He could never win her over in this lifetime.

The situation with Zhao Ya also completely soured, and in the end, she lost everything, like trying to fill a basket with water.

"Forget it, let's just take it one step at a time."

Cheng Zhe took out his phone and glanced at the time: 6:48. He would be late if he didn't hurry to the gallery.

Cheng Zhe wiped his face hard, cleaned the lipstick residue from the corner of his mouth, and ran quickly to the roadside to hail a taxi and head to Lin Weiwei's gallery.

After waiting at the door for a short while, Lin Weiwei came out carrying a canvas bag.

Upon seeing Cheng Zhe, Lin Weiwei's eyes instantly sparkled with a smile, and she quickened her pace unconsciously as she walked up to him: "You're here. You haven't been waiting long, have you?"

"I just arrived not long ago." Cheng Zhe scratched the back of his head, his gaze falling on her face, looking somewhat restrained.

He breathed a sigh of relief, deliberately suppressing the irritation he had just experienced.

Lin Weiwei looked at him with a smile, rummaged in her canvas bag for a moment, and pulled out a small cotton and linen sachet.

The small, light blue bag carried a faint scent of mugwort.

She said with a touch of tenderness, "You promised to pick me up, and I didn't know what to bring, so I made a sachet myself. It can repel insects and calm the mind. Please don't mind it."

Cheng Zhe felt a warmth in his heart and quickly took it and held it in his hand. He could tell that it was sewn with great care.

He smiled and said, "How could I dislike it? This is the first time I've ever received a gift from a girl."

Lin Weiwei's cheeks flushed slightly as she said, "Then I'll give you a few more in the future."

The two walked side by side into the residential area, a gentle evening breeze blowing as they chatted about trivial matters in the gallery. The atmosphere was pleasant, and the annoyance caused by Zhao Ya and the system earlier had largely dissipated.

Just as I turned into the quiet alley in front of the residential area, a young man suddenly walked towards me. He was thin and had a sinister look in his eyes.

It was Chen Tao, Old Chen's son!

The suspect, who was being tracked down by the police, had been missing for a long time, but they never expected to run into him here.

Chen Tao's gaze was fixed on Lin Weiwei, his eyes lecherous and greedy, his hands hidden behind his back, a cold glint flashing in them.

Lin Weiwei's heart tightened, and she subconsciously hid behind Cheng Zhe, her face turning pale instantly.

"What are you hiding for?" Chen Tao grinned, his tone sinister, and slowly drew the dagger hidden behind his back.

"Lin Weiwei, you think you can escape me? Let me tell you, I did all those things, and my dad is just a scapegoat!"

He took two steps forward, his eyes growing increasingly lewd: "Heh heh, I've been eyeing you for so long, today I'll give you a good time and see who can save you!"

Lin Weiwei trembled with fear, gripping Cheng Zhe's arm tightly, her voice trembling with tears: "Don't come any closer... I'm calling the police!"

Chen Tao grinned maliciously, approaching step by step, the dagger dangling in his hand.

"Those cops haven't even arrived yet, and we've already had our fill ten times already."

"After I take care of this eyesore, I'll have some fun with you!"

Cheng Zhe instantly shielded Lin Weiwei behind him. Although a chill ran through him, his dignity as a man prevented him from backing down.

Chen Tao lunged forward with a sinister grin, the cold glint of his dagger aimed directly at Cheng Zhe's body, his eyes as fierce as a mad dog.

"No!" Lin Weiwei screamed in terror, her eyes closed and her whole body trembling.

Cheng Zhe's pupils shrank, but he did not back down in the slightest. At this moment, his "Strong Physique" talent was fully activated, and his blood and qi surged throughout his body.

His reaction speed and strength far exceeded his usual level, and Chen Tao's movements seemed half a beat slower in his eyes.

He sidestepped the dagger's edge and, taking advantage of Chen Tao's momentary loss of balance, delivered a powerful punch to his face.