You are all bad women! Don't come over!

"You sound like you're telling a pretty girl, 'It's such a waste for someone like you not to look for a rich guy.'"

"Isn't that the fact, though? How many pretty girls end up with ordinary guys?"

"There must be some, and why should a good-looking girl necessarily look for a handsome rich guy? Objectifying women, aren't you? I'm shivering with rage!"

"Even if there are, you can't just say it out loud. You're PUA-ing fairy girls into suffering with credulous guys. Don't you believe I'm shivering with rage too!"

Shen Mochen bantered with Liu Bo while pushing his bicycle out of the shed, quite talkative in the company of this old acquaintance, or perhaps this was his true nature.

But his playful words belied his serious inner turmoil. Although he had resolved on the strategy of "making Catherine break up with him" how was he supposed to implement it?

To date, he still had no clue why Catherine agreed to date him. Though she claimed it was a birthday gift, the excuse was so clumsy not even a fool would believe it.

If the Princess were so generous with everyone else, then she'd need a new boyfriend every single day of the 365 days in the year, with surplus contenders ending up in brawls over queuing issues.

Shen Mochen couldn't see a single thing about himself that would attract the Princess. Perhaps she liked him for the same reasons as Gu Yange, but he found it hard to believe Catherine would be so superficial.

Besides, judging from her usual demeanor, it was clear the Princess didn't favor him. The disconcerting feeling of being used for some scheme, despite being in a relationship, made him uneasy.

"Speaking of which, the days are getting warmer, huh." Liu Bo suddenly looked up at the sky, a gleam flickering in his eyes.

"Yeah, after all, it's already April," Shen Mochen said, nodding as he wheeled the bicycle out of the shed.

Liu Bo revealed a mischievous smile that only guys could understand, "In less than a month, swim class will start..."

Shen Mochen instantly got his meaning. "But I heard that the swim classes at First Middle School are separated by gender."

Liu Bo clenched his fists. "People need to dream, what if!"

Shen Mochen tilted his head. "What if what?"

Liu Bo tried to maintain a serious face, but couldn't hide his sleaziness. "What if you could see the Princess in her swimsuit!"

With a "whoa," Shen Mochen stopped the bike he was pushing, his tone serious. "The Princess has a nice figure?"

"Bro, you don't know? The Princess's physical exam report was all over the place the minute it came out last year!" Liu Bo scolded Shen Mochen for his ignorance but was still willing to guide tirelessly, "By the way, her measurements are—height 172, underbust 72, bust 98, waist 63, hips 95..."

So, my girlfriend has such a great figure. Even though I could sort of tell already, I didn't expect her to have a G-cup.

If I really got together with her...

No, no, no, I almost let Liu Bo lead me astray... Stay calm, young man, don't be blinded!

Ah, youth, don't let lust cloud your judgment!

With the crisp sound of the tire's hub "ticking," Shen Mochen wheeled his bicycle to the roadside. "Cough, cough, cough, let's not talk about this topic for now. It'd be awkward if someone overheard."

"Psh, acting all serious now, I don't believe you won't take a look when the time comes!"

"I most certainly won't!"

Shen Mochen thought to himself, Catherine is my girlfriend after all; I should not even peek at her swimsuit, or anything more revealing... Hm, she probably won't allow it anyway. Damn it.

And here I am, plotting to break up with her, why am I even entertaining these thoughts! If you disrupt my moral compass again, Liu Bo, I'll beat you up!

However, Liu Bo glanced at Shen Mochen and out of the blue, asked, "You haven't gotten over her, have you?"

As the dim streetlights flickered on one by one and the cool evening breeze wafted into his embrace, Shen Mochen felt his previously restless heart settle down instantly.

He looked up at the sky, where the sun had fully set below the horizon. The sky was a deep blue, as a large and a small moon slowly rose into the vault of heaven.

"How could I ever forget." Shen Mochen's lips curved slightly as he spoke softly.

"She" was Shen Mochen's lifesaver, his lover, his family.

Shen Mochen had grown up in a poor district, his father having died years ago, his mother already remarried and bearing a daughter, with almost no contact between them.

Throughout the years, only the Yin sisters from next door had always been by his side.

Due to their similarly unfortunate family situations, the three of them had depended on each other since childhood, walking through the long, dark nights and enduring the toughest times together. Their bond was deeper than outsiders could imagine. The sisters even dropped out of school early to work and earn tuition fees so that Shen Mochen could continue his studies.

Liu Bo didn't know the details of what had happened since Shen Mochen had not spoken about it in depth. However, Liu Bo remembered when he had listened to Shen Mochen recall those times, he had said that back then his mouth would naturally curl up in happiness as if the whole world was with him.

But it seemed like fate just couldn't bear to see such happiness. One night during Shen Mochen's first year of high school, his girlfriend was swallowed whole by a monster right in front of him.

Though he hadn't experienced it himself, Liu Bo knew how important the girls had been to Shen Mochen. The death of his girlfriend felt like half the world had collapsed on him.

They say time heals all wounds, and although unsure if it was true, it seemed that two years hadn't been quite enough for Shen Mochen.

Liu Bo scratched his head vigorously, feeling a bit regretful for bringing up the topic. After a long time, he came up with some comforting words, "She has been gone for quite a while, and you should move on. After all, you have a long life ahead of you. If she knew from the beyond, she definitely wouldn't want to see you living in her shadow every day..."

Shen Mochen nodded, "Yes, no matter what, the world won't pause just for my feelings. Life still has to go on."

He understood the principle.

Seeing this, Liu Bo further encouraged him, "Hey, if Gu Yange isn't your type, then just go ahead and chase after the Princess. Show your face, get styled up, you might have a chance!"

Shen Mochen chuckled inwardly at his supposed clairvoyance.

"After high school, the Princess will probably go back to Roman for university. If I were you, I would make sure to win her over..."

Shen Mochen scratched his cheek, following Liu Bo's train of thought with some mental imagery.

Catherine reclined on the sofa, her form-fitting black lace dress outlined her voluptuous and proud figure, while a pair of black stockings wrapped around her slender and well-proportioned legs, her toes gently hooking onto a pair of teetering high heels... Her deep blue eyes held a hint of coldness and majesty, as her thin, arrogant lips curled upward, and her swan-like neck tilted upward slightly:

"Come here. Do it yourself!"

If this scene were to come true, it would indeed be quite nice... but, sadly, aside from desire, it seemed there was really nothing else.

Shen Mochen patted Liu Bo's back, knowing his friend was playfully trying to comfort him, "Alright, stop fantasizing. Getting into a relationship in university isn't too late either, I never said I was going to be a bachelor for life."

"It'd be a pity not to have a romance in high school, it's practically a betrayal of our youth..."

Liu Bo still had a few more words to mutter, but Shen Mochen took out his phone and raised his hand to interrupt him.

"I'm back for the holidays. Where are you? I've been on the bus all day and I'm starving!"

A lazy, coquettish female voice came from Shen Mochen's phone.

"The class meeting ran late, I'll be home soon."

"You have ten minutes, meow!"

"Got it."

Liu Bo curled his lip, seemingly in contempt of Shen Mochen's lie. He wished he could shout into the phone at the other end, "Don't be deceived, Shen Mochen was delayed because a girl confessed to him!"

"I've got something today, I'm heading back first!" Shen Mochen hung up the phone and hopped onto his bicycle, his smile flying high, a rare sight of joy and excitement.

Liu Bo glared at him, unable to resist scolding, "Do you fancy them both the same?"

"Don't talk nonsense, she's like a sister to me!"

Shen Mochen responded from afar.

In the blink of an eye, he had already biked a long distance away, his hair flying, and his collar flapping in the wind.

"Such a jerk, prioritizing romance over friendship. Damn it, if I hadn't moved away back then, they would've been our childhood friends too..." Liu Bo watched Shen Mochen's receding figure and first murmured jealously, then suddenly remembered something and shouted, "This morning, two monsters got into Changmen City, killed more than a dozen people, you better be careful on your way home!"

————Separation Line————

Apart from the male lead's personality adjustment, the female protagonist's character setting hasn't changed. And after this chapter, the plot is all new.