Manipulative Harem God

Zhang Wei nodded, "Yes, the number at the top is mine," revealing the trickery behind the supposed mysterious call.

"What...?" Zhou Jiajia felt a momentary sense of confusion before looking at her phone and realizing the subtle game that had unfolded.

Zhou Jiajia's eyes narrowed at Zhang Wei, a mix of disbelief and amusement dancing in them. "You deliberately tricked me?" she accused, a sweet tone edging into her voice.

Zhang Wei nonchalantly shrugged as if the question of how he knew her name was of little consequence.

This, however, only fueled Zhou Jiajia's frustration.

She took a deep breath, pouting in annoyance as she scanned the store, biting her lower lip nervously. Her eyes fell upon Zhang Wei, who remained relaxed and observant.

"How do you know my name?" she finally asked in return.

Zhang Wei, maintaining an air of mystery, replied, "It's a secret." Explaining the role of the system would only complicate matters.

Suspicion deepened in Zhou Jiajia's expression as she caught his hands once more, dragging him deeper into the store.

She sighed and took another deep breath, a hint of desperation in her voice, "Don't tell anyone that I'm here!"

Taken aback, Zhang Wei couldn't help but laugh, "Why would I tell anyone? Are you a celebrity or something?"

Zhou Jiajia looked at him, bewildered. "... It's not a good joke," she muttered.

Zhang Wei sensed a shift in the dynamics. He lifted her sunglasses slightly, directly staring into her eyes with newfound clarity. "Are you some celebrity in disguise?" he asked, suspicion evident in his tone.

Zhou Jiajia, momentarily speechless, hurriedly took a step back.

She spoke with a hint of resignation, "Don't you have a sense of privacy?"

Zhang Wei shook his head, "No, teach me."

"..."

Zhou Jiajia, caught off guard by Zhang Wei's persistent curiosity, sighed. "... I'm not a celebrity," she finally confessed. "I just value my privacy."

Zhang Wei, seemingly undeterred, raised an eyebrow, "Privacy? In a world where everyone craves attention?"

Zhou Jiajia nodded, "Exactly. Sometimes, being unnoticed is a luxury."

Zhou Jiajia, despite Zhang Wei's assurances, still couldn't shake the suspicion that he recognized her but was pretending otherwise.

In her world, everyone knew her face; she had been a regular on television for the past two years.

Little did she know, Zhang Wei had not used a television for the past few years and rarely kept up with celebrity news.

While he might have recognized Xu Qing from a drama, Zhou Jiajia's presence in the limelight was unknown to him.

In the midst of their animated conversation, Zhou Jiajia abruptly diverted her attention, her eyes narrowing with determination. "Give me your phone," she requested, as if she had just hatched a plan.

Zhang Wei, visibly intrigued, raised an eyebrow, a subtle smile playing on his lips. "Do you want to delete your phone number?" he asked, his eyes reflecting curiosity.

Zhou Jiajia nodded, the resolve evident in her gaze. "Yes."

Without a moment's hesitation, Zhang Wei unlocked his phone and handed it over. Zhou Jiajia, grappling with a sense of guilt, swiftly navigated to her contact information and deleted it. She handed the phone back with a hesitant but appreciative smile. "Thank you."

Zhang Wei, his expression unchanged, shook his head. "No issues, I already remembered it."

Zhou Jiajia's eyes widened in surprise, realizing that her attempt to erase the trace of their encounter had been in vain.

With the cloak of secrecy discarded, Zhou Jiajia enthusiastically immersed herself in selecting dresses, proudly presenting the earlier chosen yellow hoodie to Zhang Wei. "This would look good, wouldn't it?" she asked with a spark in her eyes.

Zhang Wei, the embodiment of casual indifference, responded with a nonchalant shrug. "Remove those glasses and cap, then only I would be able to tell."

Pouting playfully, Zhou Jiajia defiantly tossed the hoodie into her shopping cart. "We are buying it."

Zhang Wei, amused by her spirited choices, held his opinions in silent observation. His X-ray vision allowed him a glimpse of the vibrant and youthful face hidden behind the sunglasses – the very reason he lingered in this unexpected encounter.

However, his amusement subtly shifted to mild exasperation as Zhou Jiajia continued to transform her shopping cart into a chaotic collage of fabrics and colors. "Are you going to buy all these?" Zhang Wei felt the beginnings of a headache.

"Yes," Zhou Jiajia answered without a trace of hesitation.

Zhang Wei, with a bemused smile, shook his head. "Your dad must be very pissed at you."

Momentarily lost in her thoughts, Zhou Jiajia admitted, "He is..."

Zhang Wei raised his eyebrows, a hint of curiosity lacing his words. "Daddy issues?"

"Hm?" Zhou Jiajia turned to him, her eyes blinking behind the sunglasses as she fully processed his words.

!!

With a sudden jolt of realization, Zhou Jiajia's eyes snapped open. The next frame revealed Zhang Wei, effortlessly holding her fists just inches from the counter, blocking her attempt to land a punch on his face.

Zhou Jiajia, caught off guard, stammered, "What... how did you..."

Zhang Wei, with a hint of amusement, interrupted, "Impressive reflexes, but I suggest saving the punches for someone who deserves them."

Zhou Jiajia's face flushed with embarrassment as she realized they had become the focus of attention, and everyone's gaze was fixed on them, her skin uncomfortably close to his.

She growled in shame, "Let me go! I can't believe I fell for your tricks!"

Zhang Wei, his expression unchanged, calmly replied, "Tricks? You were the one trying to punch me. What happened? Shall I report you for sexual harassment?"

"What!?"

His shameless smile elicited a collective softening of knees from nearly everyone in the store. A nearby shopper whispered, "Did he just say what I think he said?"

Zhou Jiajia, finally giving up the physical struggle, shot a glare at Zhang Wei. "You're shameless."

Zhang Wei chuckled, "Thank you."

A store employee, attempting to restore normalcy, asked, "Will that be cash or card for your purchases?"

Zhou Jiajia, her face now a mix of frustration and realization, stammered, "I... I left my bag with my assistant. My cards are in there."

The cashier raised an eyebrow, and a subtle murmur rippled through the onlookers.

The cashier, maintaining a professional demeanor, suggested, "Would you like us to hold the items while you retrieve your bag?"

Zhou Jiajia, still grappling with the lingering embarrassment, nodded before shaking her head with a bitter smile. "I-I can't go back..." she admitted.

Her hesitation hung in the air as she explained, "If I go back now, my assistant won't let me go outside alone again. I practically ran away after successfully tricking her."

The cashier's eyes narrowed as she speechlessly observed them. Inwardly, she couldn't help but find amusement in the situation, recognizing that some people would come to the store pretending to be wealthy, but few managed to create such a spectacle.

Zhang Wei glanced at Zhou Jiajia, standing there in embarrassment, her eyes hidden behind the glasses on the verge of tears. She faced the multitude of glares and listened to embarrassing whispers around her.

[Host, don't let the tears fool you. Those are crocodile tears!]

Zhang Wei smiled wryly, taking out his card. "Put it on my card." His nonchalant offer added another layer of hushed speculation among the onlookers, who now shifted their attention from Zhou Jiajia to the mysterious benefactor.

The cashier, sensing an unexpected turn of events, processed the payment with a professional nod.

Zhou Jiajia, though visibly grateful, maintained a semblance of pride. "I don't need your charity."

Zhang Wei chuckled, "Who said anything about charity? Consider it a loan from me— you'll be paying it back for the rest of your life." His teasing tone added a playful note to the atmosphere, earning a few suppressed laughs from the surrounding spectators.

Zhou Jiajia, now with a hint of gratitude in her eyes, retorted, "Do you think I can't afford it?"

Zhang Wei shrugged, "Well, considering your taste in shopping, it might take a while."

Pfttt!

The cashier couldn't help but lose it and chuckle. Zhou Jiajia raised a brow and glared at her, prompting an awkward cough from the cashier, who quickly regained professionalism.

She resumed putting the clothes into bags one by one, trying to stifle any further laughter.

Zhang Wei winked at the cashier, "I hope my card can handle the burden."

The cashier, now with a composed expression, responded, "Your card seems quite sturdy, sir."

As they gathered the shopping bags, the lingering laughter in the air marked the end of drama.

*Gasp!*

The delicate chime of surprise reverberated through the store, drawing curious glances from shoppers and store employees alike.

"Wow...."

Confused by the sudden commotion, Zhang Wei turned his attention to the source of the gasp. As he focused on a specific corner of the shop, another wave of surprise swept through the onlookers.

"??"

There, emerging like a vision, was Xiong Mei, draped in a resplendent sky-blue gown adorned with delicate blue jewels. The gown flowed elegantly, and the light embroidery added a touch of ethereal charm to her presence.