"That will be 650 yuan, sir, madam. But I'll give you a 20% discount..."
The shop assistant's knowing smile flickered across Alain's vision.
"So, 520 yuan. And if you were happy with my service, a five-star rating would be lovely~"
"Thank you," Alain said, his smile a little forced, as Misha reached for her wallet.
This was a new one – being discounted in such an unpleasant way.
He'd thought he'd regained some ground after Misha had helped him out of that earlier predicament. He'd been so wrong. Misha had bailed him out, only for him to immediately torpedo his own innocence.
Still, the shop assistant had been helpful. After filling out a quick form and leaving the requested five-star review, he and Misha left, the shop assistant's amused gaze following them out.
"Oh dear~ I wonder if the fitting room floor needs cleaning? I hope it's not... soiled."
"..."
Hearing the woman's teasing voice – deliberately lowered, yet perfectly audible – Alain briefly regretted not leaving a scathing review.
"Alain."
Misha tugged gently on his sleeve. He looked at her, a question in his eyes.
"Why did the shop assistant make such a point of saying 520?"
"Ah, that."
Alain glanced around at the bustling crowd. He beckoned Misha closer, until her ear was near his lips.
"520 sounds like 'I love you' in Chinese."
"!"
Misha's ears flushed a delicate pink.
"Um... wait here a moment."
She let go of his hand and hurried back into the shop. He watched as she chatted with the shop assistant, then, to the woman's evident surprise, filled out another review form.
"Well... thank you for your, ah, enthusiasm, madam. This glowing review is quite... unexpected. Have a wonderful day~"
Alain heard the shop assistant's murmured words as Misha rejoined him, taking his hand again. He felt a strange sense of relief.
Alain simply nodded. Misha squeezed his palm, a gentle reminder.
"Alain, may I have your phone?"
"Hm? Just don't go through my photo album."
"Okay. Maybe next time."
"?"
As Misha unlocked his phone, Alain considered getting her one of her own. Communication would be difficult once he was back at school.
They'd reached the mall entrance. The late afternoon sun, a fiery orb framed by dramatic clouds, was slowly sinking westward. The city's skyscrapers were bathed in a warm, orange light, signaling the approaching evening.
While Misha was occupied with his phone, Alain took the opportunity to check the bug repair progress.
[18%]
Back in the fitting room, when Misha had suggested sending the shop assistant away, the progress bar had jumped by 3%, reaching 18%.
This reinforced Alain's theory: it wasn't a favorability system, but rather a measure of Misha's integration into the real world. Misha was able to handle an unexpected situation that frequently appears in everyday life. It was also a big step forward for her to be completely integrated into reality.
Alain felt a surge of pride. My daughter is really growing up.
He pulled out the candy from his pocket.
Things were progressing smoothly. He estimated he could get Misha's progress bar to 25% by the end of the day.
Once he had that 720 cloud storage, he'd stash this candy away. It was meant to defeat the virus – the "bad woman" – so surely the security guard would approve.
Besides, Misha-type pretty girls all seemed to be foreign. They should be able to stomach this imported treat, right?
"Okay, all set! I've planned our schedule."
Misha closed the phone and handed it back.
"It's 4:30 now. If we take our time, it's about an hour's walk to Crystal Flower Park."
Her eyes sparkled with anticipation.
"That means we can grab dinner near the park and catch the flower show around six. Perfect!"
"Sounds good. I'll leave it to you."
Hand in hand, they walked towards the setting sun.
"Do you still find the real world scary?"
"A little..." Misha shook her head, her gaze fixed on his profile. "But compared to the sheer helplessness I felt when I first arrived, I feel like I've come so far. Not just mentally, but my cooking's improved too!"
As she spoke, Alain's attention was drawn to his hand – the one Misha was holding, wrapped in a band-aid.
"I think so too," Alain said, his praise sincere. "Don't worry, we have plenty of time. Now, and in the future."
"Will you always be there, cheering me on?"
Her voice was a little tight, and Alain looked at her, curious.
"Of course!"
"…Mm!"
Still holding hands, Misha, her gaze still locked on Alain's profile, allowed a small, crescent moon-like smile to curve her lips. His large hand still held an unexpected power.
It was like a hand holding hope.
Holding that hope, Misha's peripheral vision caught a glimpse of a color that didn't belong to the sunset.
"...?"
Her gaze shifted past Alain, focusing on the sky.
Billowing clouds framed the setting sun, drifting slowly towards the western mountains.
But following the sunlight were a few clouds that were dark, ominous, and heavy... storm clouds.
"Darling. Maybe we should walk a little faster?"
Feeling Misha's grip instinctively tighten on his hand, Alain, though puzzled, didn't question her.
"Okay."
They quickened their pace, moving towards Crystal Flower Park with unusual speed.
Misha's frequent glances at the sky, and her increasingly worried expression, didn't escape Alain's notice.
"The time is now 5:00 PM."
The announcement came from a television in a nearby store.
The sun was dipping below the distant horizon, and the sky had already grown noticeably dim.
Seeing Misha's growing anxiety, Alain was about to speak –
When a drop of water landed on his forehead.
"?"
He looked up. The sky had deepened to a dark, brooding grey. Heavy rain clouds had overtaken the setting sun, spreading across a vast expanse of the sky.
"I'm sorry, Alain... Could I see your phone again?"
"Here."
Alain stopped joking and handed it over without hesitation.
Misha deftly opened the weather app. Alain peered over her shoulder.
The previously sunny forecast icon had been replaced by a rain cloud, flashing with lightning.
"Boom—"
The first clap of thunder reverberated through the heavy clouds. It seemed to be the breaking point. The grey, which had been creeping in, had now turned to darkness.
After the first raindrop came a second, then a third...
And then, a torrential downpour came crashing down, drenching the fragile world below.
Alain had already pulled Misha under the awning of a nearby TV store for shelter.
On the screen, a local news report was playing.
[Today's sudden heavy rain has forced the postponement of the Crystal Flower Park show, originally scheduled for 6 PM. The show will now take place tomorrow...]
Blah, blah, blah, annoying chatter.
"So... are we going home?"
Misha sighed, closed the weather app, and returned the phone to Alain.
Alain, looking at her face, as overcast as the sky above, thought for a moment, then made a decision.
"We're still going to the flower show."
____
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