After a failed blind date, a wealthy woman tried to walk into my heart

Back in middle school, Ye Xinxin once stood up for Su Lexuan by scaring off a bully. From that day on, their friendship became inseparable—a bond so tight they had zero secrets from each other.

They even made a pact: if either of them got married and had kids, the other would automatically be the godmother. It was a true, sister-like friendship.

When Su Lexuan sent this message, she was mostly asking Shen Lang if it'd be okay for Ye Xinxin to live with them forever if she couldn't find a boyfriend. Or maybe she was subtly asking if a girl like Ye Xinxin really couldn't find a suitable guy her age. What kind of guy would it take to win her over?

Su Lexuan couldn't imagine marrying Shen Lang while her best friend ended up living lonely. Shen Lang had this charming way of making girls happy, which is why Su Lexuan sent that message without overthinking it.

But now, she felt super conflicted. No matter how she looked at it, her message sounded weird—almost like she was encouraging her boyfriend to cheat on her with her best friend.

Just as she was typing out an explanation, Shen Lang sent her a voice message on WeChat.

"What's up?"

Su Lexuan picked up, suddenly feeling nervous, her voice unsure.

"Gosh, I thought it was your parents messaging me or something," Shen Lang said, half laughing, half confused. "Why would you ask me something like that? Aren't you worried I'd actually get together with your best friend? By the time you regret it, it'd be too late!"

Normally, Su Lexuan wouldn't even bother responding to a tease like this. But Shen Lang's words hit her pride, and her naturally competitive nature kicked in.

Also, since Shen Lang always joked about Ye Xinxin, Su Lexuan didn't realize he was teasing her on purpose. She didn't take it seriously and confidently replied, "Pfft, if you really manage to woo her, I'll personally hand-deliver you guys a box of condoms!"

"Come on, I was just joking! Don't say stuff like that. Even rabbits don't eat the grass near their burrow!" Shen Lang paused for a moment before pretending to "admit defeat."

"Besides, didn't you say it yourself? Your best friend's into older men. No way she'd like a nobody like me."

"Hmph. At least you know your limits," Su Lexuan snorted proudly, completely unaware that Shen Lang was already plotting something big.

After another 10 minutes of casual chatting, Shen Lang hung up and paced around his room, hands on his hips.

He couldn't believe it. The perfect solution to the "love triangle drama" he'd been dreading had just fallen right into his lap.

Su Lexuan's message wasn't exactly a get-out-of-jail-free card, but it could definitely help smooth over any future drama.

And Ye Xinxin? She might just be the key to turning the tables in this whole mess. Honestly, even if Shen Lang and Su Lexuan broke up, Ye Xinxin might still help him win her back.

But was Ye Xinxin easy to win over?

Shen Lang hadn't spent much time with her. Judging by her social media posts, she was a gamer and a night owl who occasionally shared emo updates late at night.

Most importantly, Ye Xinxin's emotional intelligence and conversational skills were way above average for someone her age.

Since she liked older guys, she wasn't going to be as easy to impress as the naive and sweet Su Lexuan. Shen Lang couldn't rely on just his words to win her over.

If he wasn't careful, Ye Xinxin might catch on to his tactics and tell Su Lexuan, which would completely backfire on him.

Luckily, Shen Lang had a "strategist" to guide him. With his system's help and the charm he'd been refining over the past year, winning over a girl with a thing for older men seemed more than doable.

Just then, a knock on the door interrupted his thoughts. A familiar young girl's voice called out, "Big Brother Shen Lang, are you home?"

"I'm here, I'm here!" Shen Lang quickly opened the door, and there she was—adorable little Xia Mengmeng, arms up for a hug.

He bent down and ruffled her hair. "Where's your mom?"

"Over there!" The little girl pointed toward Li Liusu's apartment.

The landlady was chatting away with Li Liusu in the next room. It was cold today, and Xia Shuyi, the landlady, was dressed in a stylish gray wool coat, a warm brown beret, and black ankle boots.

She looked elegant and mature, her outfit perfectly balancing fashion and function. Shen Lang couldn't help but notice how her figure had gotten even better since the last time he saw her.

As for her daughter, Xia Shuyi had bundled her up in so many layers of warm clothes that she waddled around like a little penguin.

Li Liusu, on the other hand, was wearing the Valentine's Day gift Shen Lang had given her—a cobalt-blue puffer jacket, plain white jeans, and blue-and-white sneakers.

Even in such a simple outfit, her stunning beauty and enviable figure made other girls her age pale in comparison.

In that moment, both women—so different in age, personality, and style—turned to look at Shen Lang in unison.

It had been a while since he'd seen either of them in person. They'd mostly been chatting on WeChat while he was busy with work.

Between adults, kids make the perfect excuse. Xia Shuyi had used her daughter as a reason to suggest having dinner with Shen Lang more than once.

Li Liusu, on the other hand, was more patient. If Shen Lang said he was busy, she'd wait until he was free.

When she missed him too much, she'd carefully ask if he was done with work yet. If he wasn't, she wouldn't bother him but would instead offer to bring him breakfast or dinner when he got back to the apartment.

"Babe, did you miss me?" Shen Lang spread his arms wide, grinning shamelessly at both women.

For a split second, Xia Shuyi almost forgot about the girl beside her and instinctively wanted to step forward.

Thankfully, her self-control kicked in just in time. She pursed her lips, gave Shen Lang a subtle side-eye, and patted Li Liusu's shoulder with a smile.

"Your boyfriend's calling you. Go on."

Completely unaware of what had just happened, Li Liusu happily walked up to Shen Lang and crashed into him, her puffer jacket puffing up even more.

Watching her boyfriend hug another girl, Xia Shuyi pouted, surprised that she didn't feel jealous at all. How strange.