Marcus heard someone shouting "Hey! Hey!" and stopped. He turned around.
He saw Sofia jogging toward him, carrying a small crossbody bag and the coffee cup. She was waving as she ran.
By the time she reached him, a fine layer of sweat had already formed on her forehead.
"Hey!" Sofia clutched her chest, which was heaving from running. While catching her breath, she gave Marcus a sweet and cute smile.
Marcus felt a little puzzled.
Why did this girl suddenly chase after me?
Does she want to grab another drink or something?
Besides, for a dance student, how is her stamina so poor? Panting like this after just a few steps…
Like most dense guys, Marcus naturally didn't realize that every one of Sofia's actions had been carefully calculated.
As the campus belle of her department, Sofia knew exactly what expressions and movements would spark a man's interest.
"Hey, it's like this," Sofia said softly. "I actually had plans this afternoon. A friend invited me to meet at a coffee shop. When you asked me about fun places earlier, I was afraid my friend would see us and gossip. That's why I was a bit cold to you. I'm sorry about that."
She continued with a slightly embarrassed tone, "Now my friend just messaged me that something came up and she can't make it. So… if you don't mind, shall I show you around?"
Sofia's tone was polite yet playful. Combined with her beautiful face, it was hard for anyone to refuse.
"The friend you mentioned… it wouldn't happen to be a boyfriend, right?" Marcus asked cautiously.
He didn't want to become someone else's third wheel for no reason. After being cheated on recently, he was very sensitive about this kind of thing.
Sofia looked bashful and complained coquettishly, "How could it be a boyfriend? I've never even dated before!"
This was true. For all these years, she had never been in a real relationship. The boys who chased her were kept on a string, but none had ever gotten her.
Sofia knew her greatest assets were her beauty and her purity. She was waiting for the best offer — someone wealthy, generous, and preferably handsome. Until then, she wouldn't let any man have her.
She was an expert at fishing for men. Although she had many suitors, she only enjoyed their devotion without giving anything back. At most, she had hugged a few rich second-generation guys. She still had her first kiss.
Hearing that Sofia didn't have a boyfriend, Marcus felt relieved. With 35 favorability points above her head, she was probably telling the truth.
Since his cashback target had offered to show him around, Marcus naturally wouldn't refuse. When her favorability was only 5 points, he got 3x cashback. Now that it was 35 points, he was curious how high the multiplier could go.
The two added each other on WeChat, saved each other's contacts, and officially became acquainted.
"It's too hot outside. Let's go into Wanda Plaza and walk around," Marcus suggested.
Sofia had been thinking about how to naturally get Marcus to take her shopping so she could buy things, but she didn't expect him to suggest it first.
"Okay. I actually wanted to buy a lipstick," she replied.
She was truly skilled. She didn't directly ask Marcus to buy anything for her, but she clearly planted the idea.
Marcus naturally wouldn't waste such a good cashback opportunity.
With their own agendas, the two walked into a beauty store.
As soon as they entered, two strange gazes landed on Marcus.
"Mia, look. Isn't that Jessica's boyfriend?"
The two sales clerks were Jessica's roommates — Mia Khalil and Cardi Bee. They worked part-time at the store.
They had both witnessed the breakup scene at the school gate earlier that day. They didn't think Jessica did anything wrong. If it were them, they would have dumped Marcus too.
Who would choose a poor guy when a rich man was available?
Mia and Cardi didn't think they were any less attractive than Jessica. They just hadn't been as lucky.
Whenever they saw Jessica return to the dorm with new high-end cosmetics and bags from the guy with the Mercedes, they felt extremely envious.
"Cardi, look who he's with. Why is there such a beautiful girl with him?" Mia whispered. "He got a new girlfriend so quickly?"
Mia shook her head. "Impossible. With his poor and pathetic look, how could he get such a beautiful girlfriend so fast? Looking at her face and figure, she's actually better than Jessica!"
Cardi Bee nodded. "I think so too. They probably just happened to walk in together. How could a beauty like her possibly like Marcus!"
Gossip was gossip, but they still had to work.
Mia and Cardi walked up politely.
"Hello, what products would you like to see?"
Marcus didn't recognize them. He only thought the two girls looked a bit familiar but didn't think much of it.
He turned to Sofia naturally and asked, "Sofia, what do you think? What would you like to buy? I'll pay for it."
At this moment, Marcus still had nearly six thousand yuan in his account, so his tone was quite confident. Even if she wanted ten lipsticks, he wouldn't mind.
Mia and Cardi exchanged glances, both surprised.
They didn't expect Marcus to actually know this tall, curvaceous beauty. But… was this girl blind?
With such good looks, why would she go shopping with Marcus?
It wasn't until Sofia picked out a pile of beauty products that the two finally understood.
"I knew it. How could a beauty like her really be with Marcus?" Mia whispered to Cardi. "She's just using him as a sucker."
Cardi covered her mouth and laughed mockingly. "I'm afraid this beauty is going to be disappointed soon. Someone like Marcus probably gets nervous spending even five hundred yuan. There's going to be a good show when it's time to pay!"
Mia also looked excited, waiting to see Marcus embarrass himself.
"Do you think he'll turn and run after seeing the price?" they joked quietly.
Before long, Sofia and Marcus brought the items to the counter.
"Hello, the total is 4,960 yuan," Mia said as she packed everything. She looked at Marcus with a hidden smile, waiting for his reaction.
Without any hesitation, Marcus opened his phone's payment QR code and handed it to Cardi Bee.