After hearing what Lu Qiming said, Qian Duoduo was slightly stunned.
For some reason, her mind flashed back to the first message he sent her after they added each other on WeChat.
Back then, the very first thing he sent her was an apology.
She had found it odd at the time — turns out, he was apologizing for not contacting her right away?
That realization popped into her head and left Qian Duoduo a little baffled.
She couldn’t help but laugh and said, “Everyone has work to do. It’s totally normal not to chat immediately after adding each other. Why would you feel the need to apologize?”
Lu Qiming paused, then said, “Maybe… you might think I didn’t take it seriously.”
Qian Duoduo’s eyes widened a bit. “How is that connected to ‘not taking it seriously’? Of course I wouldn’t think that. I’m not that petty.”
Lu Qiming said, “That’s not what I meant.”
He paused again, eyes fixed on her. “I’m not very good at dealing with girls. If I say something wrong, I hope you won’t mind.”
“No, not at all. You’re just more thoughtful,” Qian Duoduo said awkwardly, setting down her little spoon and taking a sip of lemon water.
Gulp. She swallowed.
Qian Duoduo had fair skin, a beautiful face, and a graceful demeanor.
On past blind dates, the men would always stare at her.
Today was no exception.
From the moment she sat down, Lu Qiming’s eyes had barely strayed from her.
But his gaze didn’t make her feel uncomfortable.
He had a commanding presence, and his eyes were direct and honest — completely free of any inappropriate thoughts.
For some reason, Qian Duoduo suddenly recalled something her uncle had said to her dad last New Year’s Eve after a few drinks — “If you line up soldiers from across Asia, you can spot the Chinese ones right away. That kind of presence is unmistakable.”
“China has been strong for thousands of years, rarely losing on the battlefield. That kind of legacy flows through their blood, giving Chinese soldiers a natural pride and the commanding aura of someone born to lead.”
Qian Duoduo had been trying to come up with a word to describe Lu Qiming’s presence.
Her uncle’s phrase — “the aura of a general” — captured it perfectly.
He really did give off the impression of a powerful general from ancient times—strategic and fearless.
Qian Duoduo’s thoughts wandered in all directions.
The bavarois at this dessert shop was pretty good, but her habit was to save the cream for last.
The dense, sweet cream had a single flavor and tended to feel cloying.
Even after a sip of water, her mouth still felt sticky, so she quickly poured herself a second glass.
After two big gulps of lemon water, her glass was empty.
Lu Qiming noticed and reached for the water jug.
“Thank you.” Qian Duoduo’s gaze involuntarily landed on his strong, defined wrist. E
mbarrassed, she added, “I can do it myself.”
“It’s nothing. No need to be so polite, Miss Qian.”
Unable to refuse out of politeness, Qian Duoduo awkwardly held onto her glass with both hands and let him refill it for her.
Sensing something, Lu Qiming glanced at his wrist and calmly asked, “A bit scary to look at, isn’t it?”
Qian Duoduo froze. When she came to her senses, her face flushed red and she hurriedly shook her head. “Not at all…”
“It’s from an old injury during a mission. Been a few years now.”
“I see.”
Qian Duoduo buried her head in her glass in embarrassment, drinking water with a muffled voice. “You soldiers really have it tough.”
The air between them was quiet for a few seconds.
Sensing the awkward silence, Qian Duoduo quickly cleared her throat, forced a smile, and tried to change the subject.
She said, “Um, I like gaming, watching movies, camping, baking, cooking, painting, and doing a bit of handicraft in my free time. What about you, Mr. Lu? What are your hobbies?”
Lu Qiming: “I like sports.”
“What kind of sports?”
“I’m best at rock climbing and combat training. I’m decent at ball games too.”
Qian Duoduo’s eyes lit up with a mix of surprise and admiration. “You must’ve had great grades in PE. I have zero athletic talent — never once got full marks in the 800-meter run in school.”
Lu Qiming: “Every profession has different requirements. We often have to work in extremely harsh conditions, so naturally the demands on physical fitness are higher.”
“Do you travel a lot for work?” Qian Duoduo asked again.
Lu Qiming replied, “This year I’ve spent about four months out in the field.”
Qian Duoduo choked a little on her water.
Four months? That’s a third of the year on the road!
Lu Qiming looked at her calmly. Sensing her shock, he paused and added, “But the last mission is over, so things will be a bit easier going forward.”
Qian Duoduo gave a soft “oh,” rubbed her nose, and took another sip of water in silence.
It wasn’t hard to tell that the man sitting across from her wasn’t very talkative.
From the start of this blind date until now, she’d basically been the one steering the whole conversation.
She raised topics, asked questions, followed up — he simply responded cooperatively.
A slender, fair finger quietly slid across the table and tapped to light up the phone screen.
Qian Duoduo glanced at the time.
It had been forty minutes since she entered the dessert shop — probably time to leave.
“I’ve learned everything I wanted to know.” She looked up and gave the man a faint smile. “Mr. Lu, is there anything else you’d like to ask me?”
Lu Qiming: “No.”
“Hmm… well, since we’ve pretty much covered everything, I have something else to do later, so I’ll head out first.” Qian Duoduo slung her bag over her shoulder and offered an apologetic smile. “Sorry about that.”
Upon hearing this, Lu Qiming stood up before she did. “I’ll walk you out.”
“No need, no need, I drove myself. Goodbye.” With that, Qian Duoduo turned and left, bag on her back.
Lu Qiming watched the girl’s retreating figure.
She had a petite frame, and the cream-colored padded coat fit her perfectly — not bulky or awkward, but rather giving her a soft, sweet, and charming appearance.
Her slender, shapely legs were wrapped in jeans, and her brisk pace made it clear that she didn’t feel much attachment to today’s blind date.
That gentle smile vanished like the wind before Lu Qiming’s eyes.
He remained where he was, and after a moment, a faint crease appeared between his brows.
*
After leaving the dessert shop, Qian Duoduo had just opened the car door and sat in the driver’s seat when her phone started buzzing inside her bag.
It was Zhao Jingxi calling.
Qian Duoduo picked up. “Hello?”
“Done?” Zhao Jingxi lowered her voice and asked.
“Yeah. I just left the dessert shop.”
“And the photo? Didn’t I tell you to sneak a picture if you had the chance?”
Qian Duoduo stuck to her principles and replied, “Taking a photo without someone’s permission is rude.”
“You’re so rigid. What’s the big deal about a quick snap? Number Eleven wouldn’t even know…” Zhao Jingxi sounded a bit disappointed, but she quickly dropped the topic and switched tones excitedly. “So how was it? Now that you’ve met him, what do you think?”
Qian Duoduo thought for a moment and gave an objective answer: “He’s not bad in person.”
Zhao Jingxi caught the implied “but” in her tone and chuckled. “Mhm, and the ‘but’ is?”
“But… soldiers are just way too busy,” Qian Duoduo said. “He told me earlier that he’s been away on missions for four months this year. And it’s only November — four out of eleven months on missions.”
Zhao Jingxi asked, “So can you accept that?”
“Nope.” Qian Duoduo tilted her neck a bit and spoke in a light tone, showing no trace of regret. “Being with someone like that means you’d have to carry a lot. And we don’t have any shared hobbies or common topics — we just don’t click.”
Zhao Jingxi thought about it and tried to persuade her. “There are a lot of weirdos in the dating scene. If Number Eleven gave you a decent impression, maybe you could try seeing him again?”
Qian Duoduo laughed. “No need.”
Hearing that, Zhao Jingxi knew her mind was made up and didn’t push further.
Unlike teenagers, men and women in the dating scene already carry heavy work and life pressures.
They don’t have the time or energy to adapt to or change for someone else.
So the only rule for finding a partner was simple: list your criteria, make your own choice.
Qian Duoduo had two important requirements for a boyfriend: first, he should be willing to invest more energy into the family; second, he should be able to provide her with emotional support.
Lu Qiming was outstanding, but clearly, he was too busy and lacked warmth — not her ideal match.
“Forget it,” Zhao Jingxi said over the phone. “You’re pretty and capable anyway. It’s not like it’s hard for you to meet good guys. If this one doesn’t work out, there’s always the next.”
“No no no,” Qian Duoduo suddenly sounded a bit serious. “These blind dates are giving me trauma. I finally managed to get some peace from my mom. Please, let me breathe for a while.”
“Got it, got it, I understand.” Zhao Jingxi replied, then paused half a second before asking curiously, “So what are you planning to do next?”
Qian Duoduo was confused. “What do you mean, do next?”
“I mean with Number Eleven,” Zhao Jingxi said. “You’re not just going to ghost him and delete him, are you?”
“Of— of course not.”
Qian Duoduo thought for a bit and tentatively asked, “I’ll message him later. But… what should I say?”
“What’s there to think about? Blind dates are a two-way street. If you’re not into him and think you’re not a match, just say it.”
“But wouldn’t that be kind of discouraging?”
Zhao Jingxi laughed at that, teasing her, “Ms. Qian, that’s a double standard. You straight-up rejected the last ten guys — weren’t you worried about hurting their feelings?”
Qian Duoduo: “…”
Her cheeks warmed slightly as she mumbled, “Can’t I have a moment of conscience now and then?”
Zhao Jingxi laughed for several seconds before stopping, then continued, “Okay, seriously. Let me ask you—who paid for the dessert today?”
At those words, Qian Duoduo was stunned for a second, then smacked her forehead and cried out, embarrassed, “Oh no! I was so focused on leaving that I totally forgot to pay!”
She was the only one eating that bavarois, and she actually forgot to settle the bill!
Zhao Jingxi said, “If you didn’t pay, then Number Eleven definitely did.”
Still wallowing in guilt over having accidentally made a soldier pay for her dessert, Qian Duoduo muttered miserably, “And what’s your point?”
Zhao Jingxi: “Tonight, transfer the money back to Number Eleven. Pay him for the dessert.”
Qian Duoduo’s eyes shifted slightly at those words.
There’s an unspoken rule in the blind date world — splitting the bill usually means both parties agree that things didn’t work out and neither owes the other anything. No follow-up.
Transferring the money back was a good idea.
It was simple, straightforward, and avoided awkwardness for both sides.
Let’s go with that. Qian Duoduo made up her mind.
*
After getting home, a colleague from work sent Qian Duoduo a voice message, saying a bunch of them were going to sing karaoke at Jin’an Road tonight and asking if she wanted to join.
Qian Duoduo politely declined and stayed in, enjoying a bowl of her mom’s homemade fresh shrimp congee.
Full and satisfied, she went back to her room, flopped onto the bed, and hugged her phone.
She pulled up the chat with that long-quiet profile picture of a black night sky.
After a moment of hesitation, she bit her lip and opened the WeChat transfer feature.
If she remembered correctly, that bavarois today cost 48 yuan.
With slender fingers, she typed in the amount, then tapped the green “Transfer” button.
Qian Duoduo: [Mr. Lu, this is for the dessert today. Please accept it.]
About ten minutes later, Lu Qiming replied: [No need.]
Qian Duoduo: [Please do. I was the only one who ate the dessert—it doesn’t feel right to let you pay for it…]
Lu Qiming: [Miss Qian can treat next time.]
Qian Duoduo: [ . . . ]
Lu Qiming: [If… we meet again.]
On her end, Qian Duoduo stared at the two polite messages on her screen, feeling increasingly awkward.
Apparently, this man didn’t know about the unspoken rules of the blind date world…