Manipulative Harem God



The sun shone brightly, and the short chapter ended quickly, while the entire group continued their journey toward Fashion Street.

Wang Xiaoying's face flushed with embarrassment, a stark contrast to the indifference of everyone else.

Song Shoushan, in a moment of decision, chose to tuck away any thoughts about Zhang Wei's relationship. She had made no progress with her mother, and she resolved not to display any signs of paranoia.

Amidst the bustling fashion street, Mo Chen, who had anticipated enjoying the vibrant greenery, found himself transformed into an unpaid helper, burdened with bags for the entire group.

Wang Xiaoying appeared to unleash a shopping frenzy, taking full advantage of Mo Chen's generosity as he footed the bill, all in an attempt to needle him. Meanwhile, Mo Yuxin joined in, selecting a few stylish outfits of her own.

The rest of the group, on the other hand, dipped into their own pockets to indulge in some retail therapy.

"Sigh," Mo Chen let out a weary sigh, wearily pulling out a stool and sinking into it, his fatigue palpable.

His incredulous gaze bore into Zhang Wei, unable to fathom the lack of assistance, and he questioned, "Why aren't you lending a hand with those bags? Isn't that the duty of a man?" His words carried a tinge of bewilderment.

Zhang Wei seemed to revel in the lively atmosphere, indifferent to the burden that Xiong Mei carried on his behalf.

The audacity of it all!

Mo Chen's thoughts swirled, struggling to comprehend the audaciousness of the situation.

With a nonchalant nod and a cigarette between his fingers, Zhang Wei justified his stance, "Would she carry the bags if I had made the purchases?"

Mo Chen squinted, grappling with the logic. "Why would she?"

A sly smile crept across Zhang Wei's face.

Indeed, why would she?

In this hypothetical scenario, Zhang Wei's point held a twisted truth. If he were to play that card, Xiong Mei might indeed find herself burdened with the bags.

The situation was surreal, but possible, given their relationship.

Mo Chen's frustration simmered, and he muttered, "You're missing the point. It's about consideration..."

Zhang Wei leaned back, taking another drag of his cigarette, seemingly impervious to Mo Chen's agitation. "Consideration?" he mused. "In a world like this, it's every man for himself."

Mo Chen's eyes widened in disbelief. "That's a selfish way to live."

A shrug danced on Zhang Wei's shoulders. "Selfish or pragmatic, it's about surviving in this chaos."

Meanwhile, the bustling street outside painted a vivid picture of life in full swing, a stark contrast to the discord within.

Xiong Mei, oblivious to the conversation, smiled as she juggled the shopping bags. "Let's not argue," she spoke, attempting to diffuse the tension.

Song Shoushan overhearing their words, chimed in with a smirk. "Well, since Mo Chen is so insistent on chivalry, perhaps he'd prefer carrying all the bags for us."

Mo Chen sighed again, feeling he just nailed himself on the foot, these girls are all ruthless!

He was weary not only from the physical fatigue but also from the disheartening glimpse into contrasting worldviews.

In the end, he chose to remain silent, understanding that some battles were better left unfought, even if they gnawed at his sense of justice.

"Sir, you can't smoke here," a security guard suddenly approached Zhang Wei, urging him to extinguish his cigarette.

Zhang Wei offered a friendly smile, nodding in understanding. "That's fine, we can leave," he announced to the group, beckoning them to depart from the outlet.

The security guard was left in awe, baffled by the departure of what should have been a group of significant customers.

With astonished eyes, he watched as the bustling shop turned desolate when Zhang Wei and the girls exited.

Their next destination was a lingerie store, and the girls looked to both Zhang Wei and Mo Chen for their stance.

Mo Chen, feeling a bit out of place, hesitated and stammered, "I'll, uh, wait outside," opting to distance himself from the intimate setting of the store.

All eyes then turned to Zhang Wei, awaiting his decision. With a knowing smile, he assured, "I'll help her choose." 

"Eh?" Mo Chen's puzzled expression mirrored the sentiment of the entire group.

In the midst of everyone's astonishment, Zhang Wei pulled Xiong Mei along, guiding her into the store.

She glanced back at Song Shoushan and the others, her expression a mix of uncertainty and helplessness.

Up to this point, Zhang Wei hadn't overtly shown his affection for her. Xiong Mei had assumed he wanted to keep their relationship low-key, unaware that he simply saw no need for public displays of affection—until now.

"Tsk," An audible click of annoyance, and Mo Chen's eyes darted towards the remaining girls. His gaze inadvertently met Xie Meirong's, sending an unexpected chill down his spine.

Quickly averting his eyes, he noted Song Shoushan had already made her way out.

Mo Yuxin was off-limits territory.

He then turned his attention to Wang Xiaoying, putting on a charming smile. "Ying'er, I can help you choose as well," he remarked, shamelessly.

Wang Xiaoying shot him a cold look. "Don't even think about it," she retorted, striding into the store.

!!

Mo Chen stood there, dumbfounded, as Song Shoushan couldn't resist a teasing remark before coaxing Mo Yuxin to join her. Xie Meirong followed suit, leaving him alone outside the store.

In the end, it was only Mo Chen who remained on the outside, a sense of mild chagrin tugging at him.

Wang Xiaoying couldn't help but chuckle mischievously as she entered the store. She glanced back at the dejected Mo Chen, her actions seeming quite deliberate.

Song Shoushan and Mo Yuxin exchanged wry smiles, choosing to remain silent about Wang Xiaoying's antics.

Breaking the brief silence, Xie Meirong suddenly declared, "I'll go check out the upstairs section," before promptly heading off in that direction.

Song Shoushan took Mo Yuxin's arm and smiled warmly. "Let's explore the section over there," she suggested, creating an opportunity for Wang Xiaoying and Mo Chen to have some private moments of their own.

Left to her own devices, Wang Xiaoying wandered aimlessly through the store, unsure of what to do next.

Then, in a corner near the trial rooms, she spotted Xiong Mei and Zhang Wei engrossed in selecting lingerie.

"How about this one?" Xiong Mei inquired, holding up a black bra for Zhang Wei's assessment.

He carefully examined it and then shook his head. "Too big for you," he remarked with honesty.

Xiong Mei glanced at the bra, then at Zhang Wei, slightly taken aback. "It would fit," she asserted, defending her choice.

Zhang Wei raised an eyebrow, challenging her with a smile, "What if it doesn't?"

The delicate balance of Xiong Mei's ego wavered, but she conceded, "Never mind, I'll find another. I'm sure I'll find something that fits." She sighed and placed the bra back on the rack, knowing better than to challenge his judgment when it came to sizes.

The female staff assisting them could feel her face growing hot by the every passing minute, trying her best to maintain professionalism.

Every time Xiong Mei lost a bet, it inevitably led to another trip to the changing room with Zhang Wei, and it didn't take a genius to figure out what was transpiring inside.

Zhang Wei grinned mischievously, grabbing the bra and seriously insisting, "Uh-huh, you won't know until you try," as he guided Xiong Mei towards the trial room.

"...", Xiong Mei could only offer a resigned silence, realizing that her choices were hardly her own today.

In her mind, she joked to herself that she felt like a canary with no freedom of choice.

If big brother said go left, she went left; if he said go right, she went right.

The desire to pick out clothes for herself was genuine, but with Zhang Wei's dominance, she found herself with little say in the matter.

*Gasp!*

Wang Xiaoying couldn't help but react in astonishment, her cheeks flushing slightly. She shook her head, trying to clear any evil thoughts from her mind.

Determined to stay focused, she chanted a mantra under her breath, attempting to keep her thoughts pure.

Glancing at a similar black bra on display, she then looked down at her own chest, comparing sizes.

Fortunately, in this particular department, she was quite blessed.

With a decisive nod, she made her choice and walked toward the trial room adjacent to the one where Xiong Mei and Zhang Wei were.