45: Chapter 45 really got things straight – that's powerful!

"Strange..." Jiang Jing frowned slightly, looking at the numbers on the system panel.

Logically speaking, for a vain girl like Zhou Wenying, spending money should easily boost her affection, yet it was stuck at 89, refusing to budge.

"Brother, what's wrong?" Zhou Wenying asked, tilting her head as she held his arm.

Jiang Jing came back to his senses and smiled. "Nothing, I was just thinking about what else to buy for you."

Zhou Wenying's eyes lit up, but she immediately hesitated and said in a low voice, "Actually... you've already bought so much. If you buy any more, I'll feel embarrassed..."

Jiang Jing raised an eyebrow. Something was off.

According to Zhou Wenying's personality, she should be eager for him to keep buying things. Why was she suddenly being polite?

He carefully observed her expression and noticed that although she said she was "embarrassed," her eyes kept glancing toward the Van Cleef & Arpels jewelry store nearby, and her fingers were unconsciously stroking the diamond necklace he had just bought. Clearly, she still wanted more.

However—she was restraining herself.

Jiang Jing understood instantly. Zhou Wenying's affection was stuck at 89 not because she wasn't greedy, but because she had started to feel "guilty."

She knew very well that her relationship with Jiang Jing was actually non-existent.

Although she loved these material things, the items Jiang Jing had bought for her today had already far exceeded her expectations.

She began to worry, afraid that she wasn't worthy of these things, afraid that Jiang Jing would suddenly get tired of her one day, and afraid that all of this was just a fleeting dream.

Therefore, subconsciously, she didn't dare to let her affection break through to 90.

Because 90 and above meant "a love stronger than gold"—and she knew very well that her feelings for him hadn't reached that level yet.

"Interesting..." Jiang Jing narrowed his eyes.

It seemed that just throwing money around wouldn't break through this psychological defense line; he needed to change his approach.

"Wen Ying." He stopped suddenly and looked at her seriously.

"Hmm?" Zhou Wenying was made nervous by his sudden seriousness.

"Do you know why I'm willing to spend so much money on you?"

Zhou Wenying was stunned and answered subconsciously, "Because... you like me?"

Jiang Jing chuckled and shook his head. "Not just because I like you."

He reached out to touch her cheek, his thumb gently rubbing the corner of her lips, his voice low. "It's because I think you're worth it."

Zhou Wenying's breath hitched.

"You're smart, beautiful, and know how to be tactful. You know when to act spoiled and when to be quiet," Jiang Jing said slowly. "You aren't the type of girl who only knows how to ask for money; you know how to make your partner feel comfortable, and that is very important."

Zhou Wenying's eyes suddenly felt hot.

She had never expected Jiang Jing to see her this way.

In the eyes of others, she was just a vain school beauty who relied on her looks and body to cling to rich men, yet Jiang Jing had seen the dignity she carefully maintained.

[Zhou Wenying affection +1] (Current affection: 90)

[Ding! Detected that Zhou Wenying's affection has broken through 90. Reward: Small Gift Box +1!]

Jiang Jing was delighted, but remained calm on the surface.

He lowered his head and whispered in Zhou Wenying's ear, "So, don't be afraid. You deserve these things."

Zhou Wenying's eyelashes trembled gently, and a tear fell uncontrollably.

She suddenly stood on her tiptoes and kissed Jiang Jing's lips.

[Zhou Wenying affection +1] (Current affection: 91)

Jiang Jing didn't rush to draw his reward; instead, he wrapped his arms around her waist and deepened the kiss.

Passersby looked over, but neither of them cared.

When the kiss ended, Zhou Wenying's face was as red as a ripe apple. She whispered, "Jiang Jing... I think... I've truly fallen for you."

Jiang Jing smiled. "I know."

On the car ride back, Zhou Wenying leaned on Jiang Jing's shoulder, her fingers unconsciously playing with the hem of his clothes.

"Brother, what... exactly is our relationship now?" she asked in a low voice.

Jiang Jing glanced at her. "What do you think?"

Zhou Wenying bit her lip. "Boyfriend and girlfriend?"

"If you want that title," Jiang Jing said calmly.

Zhou Wenying's eyes lit up, but then she hesitated. "Then... what about that other lady?"

Jiang Jing raised an eyebrow. "You checked up on me?"

"No!" Zhou Wenying waved her hands in a hurry. "I saw it on Douyin before. Because your lamborghini is so famous, the young lady beside you was remembered by me too..."

Jiang Jing chuckled. "She is, and she isn't."

"Then she..."

"Just like you." Jiang Jing looked straight ahead, his tone calm. "They are all people I like."

Zhou Wenying froze.

The atmosphere in the car suddenly became stagnant.

Zhou Wenying's fingers gripped the hem of her skirt, her heart in turmoil.

She should have guessed it earlier... How could a man like Jiang Jing have only her?

But strangely, she wasn't as angry or sad as she had imagined; instead, she felt a sense of relief, as if to say, "I knew it."

[Zhou Wenying affection -1] (Current affection: 90)

Jiang Jing noticed this change through the system, but he wasn't surprised.

He reached out and ruffled her hair. "What's wrong? Not happy?"

Zhou Wenying lowered her head and said softly, "No... I just didn't expect you to be so honest."

"I don't like to lie," Jiang Jing said flatly. "You can choose to accept it, or you can choose to leave. No matter what decision you make, the things I bought for you today are yours."

Since he knew, he might as well lay it all out. Jiang Jing didn't want to deal with any "shura fields" in the future. He had a system—what kind of girl couldn't he get? So Jiang Jing was very open-minded about it.

Zhou Wenying was silent. Although she felt a bit hurt, she had never considered leaving Jiang Jing because he was simply too perfect.

After a while, she suddenly raised her head, a hint of stubbornness in her eyes. "Then... can I be the most special one?"

Jiang Jing smiled. "That depends on your ability."

Zhou Wenying pursed her lips, then suddenly leaned over and blew gently into his ear. "I will make it so you can't live without me..."

[Zhou Wenying affection +2] (Current affection: 92)

[Current draw count: 2]

Jiang Jing felt secretly pleased. For a girl like Zhou Wenying, "possessiveness" could stimulate her affection even more than "money."

And now that everything was out in the open, her affection really did rise; she had suddenly surpassed the others to become the one with the highest affection.

He glanced at the system panel—

[Current assets: 680 million]

He only needed 320 million more to unlock the System Mall.