Chapter 8: The Meeting

The streets at eight in the morning were nearly empty.

This was the city center. It should have been bustling, filled with endless streams of people and neon lights that never went out, with all kinds of brand stores lining the entire street.

But at this early hour, most of the shops on both sides were still closed.

Jiang Yueming rarely came to this area. 

He was currently leaning against a streetlamp, tilting his head up to look at the large screen not far away.

It was said that this screen stayed on all year round. 

Various advertisements rolled across it, and with brand names he recognized, he could easily spot the corresponding stores below.

Thirty yuan. 

If he used that for internet access, he could play for six whole hours—almost half a day. 

If it was after eleven at night, after paying for an overnight session, he would even have enough left for a Red Bull.

“Sigh.”

The fare wasn’t the biggest expense today. 

Going out with a girl was a severe test for his empty wallet.

Thinking about how the rest of today’s plans might inflict irreparable damage on his dear wallet buddy, he felt a headache coming on.

His wallet lay quietly in his pocket, unaware of what was about to happen to it.

“Why isn’t she here yet?”

Jiang Yueming complained silently. 

His gaze drifted to a spacious net cafe on the right. 

Through the huge floor-to-ceiling windows, he could see rows of empty seats inside. 

The sign at the entrance listed their machine specs.

He didn’t really understand these things, but the numbers after the specs were much higher than the net cafe near his home. 

And the fact that they proudly displayed the specs on a sign out front meant they must be pretty good.

This place felt different from the one near his house. 

The first thing that struck him was how clean it was.

How could a net cafe be this clean?

No cigarette ash, no betel nut shells all over the floor, and even the front desk was staffed by pretty girls instead of scruffy uncles.

Two young women stood at the counter, wearing matching uniforms—white shirts, dark vests, a small bow tie at the collar, and elegant pencil skirts below.

A net cafe actually gave him the feeling of being classy and refined.

What was that style called? 

Um… something play?

Jiang Yueming couldn’t remember the word. 

He just thought it looked good.

He hesitated for a moment, wondering if he should go inside and see for himself. 

Would playing in such a novel net cafe feel like being right at home?

But after a few seconds of hesitation, he gave up on the idea.

He should just wait properly. 

If he went in and Xia He arrived, it wouldn’t be right to make her wait outside.

With that thought, he stared at the uniforms behind the counter in a daze while he waited.

“Does it look good?”

Someone asked from behind him.

Jiang Yueming stroked his chin and answered subconsciously, “Not bad. The skirt’s a bit long, but it has its own charm.”

“Really?”

The voice drew out the last syllable, rising in pitch.

Jiang Yueming was about to continue his commentary when he suddenly felt something was off. 

That voice sounded familiar.

“It’s a shame net cafes are for gaming. Internet addicts probably aren’t interested in stuff like this.”

He continued pretending, then turned around.

Sure enough, it was Xia He. 

Jiang Yueming put on a surprised expression.

“Oh, you’re here?”

“Mm-hmm.”

Xia He tilted her head to look at him, hands behind her back, eyes curved into smiles.

“You like that style?”

“What style?”

“The uniform,” Xia He pointed at the net cafe. “White shirt, vest, bow tie. You like that kind?”

Jiang Yueming hesitated.

“Uh, I was just looking at the computers. I didn’t look that closely. There’s a bow tie too?”

He made as if to turn back for another look. 

Xia He grabbed his sleeve, her cheeks puffing out slightly.

“Hey,” she said, sounding displeased. “I’m wearing a skirt today too, and there’s a bow tie. Why aren’t you looking at me?”

Hearing that, Jiang Yueming turned and gave her a proper once-over.

Only then did he notice that Xia He had put a lot of effort into her outfit today.

A light blue top paired with a matching short skirt. 

The hem fell just above her knees, revealing a small stretch of snow-white thigh.

Jiang Yueming had heard Dong Ziyang talk about it—that area was called the absolute territory, the most mysterious and captivating part of a girl.

Her hair was neatly combed and held in place with a butterfly-shaped hairpin. 

Her brows and eyes looked even more captivating than usual, and her lips were especially rosy. 

She seemed to have put on light makeup—natural, with just the right touch of subtle charm that wasn’t off-putting.

Purity was perfectly embodied in her. 

With her already high base attractiveness plus this well-placed enhancement, she looked so fresh and lovely that Jiang Yueming could barely look away.

Jiang Yueming had to admit, this look was right up his alley.

But he didn’t want to seem like some weakling who froze at the sight of a pretty girl, so he steadied himself like an old monk in meditation.

“It’s alright.”

Xia He looked at him for two seconds, then turned away.

As she did, the corners of her mouth lifted into a smile—crafty, satisfied, and carrying a trace of delight that Jiang Yueming couldn’t see.

Of course she was happy. 

This was the look she had carefully prepared just for him. 

She had noticed him swallow hard.

Xia He knew Jiang Yueming disliked heavy makeup, so she had only applied a light layer of cherry-blossom-pink lip gloss. 

She also knew he loved her pure image, so she skipped overpowering perfume and simply made herself clean and fresh.

The girl glowed with radiance, her smile as bright as a flower—just like the first time they met.

This was her best weapon for capturing Jiang Yueming, meticulously planned and long prepared.

“Does it look good?”

She kept her hands behind her back, like a pure white deer stepping into a stream in a summer bamboo grove. 

The few pedestrians around turned their heads frequently, but she only had eyes for him.

Under that gaze, Jiang Yueming felt as if the summer filled with youthful energy that only existed in novels and movies had suddenly arrived.

Jiang Yueming felt a little overwhelmed by the attention.

“It looks good.”

Subjectively and objectively, Jiang Yueming couldn’t deny it. 

Anyone with eyes could see it.

Xia He giggled, grabbed his hand, and pulled him toward the other end of the street.

The soft, warm touch came from her fingertips. 

Jiang Yueming’s steps turned a little stiff.

“Where are we going?”

“You haven’t had breakfast yet, right? I’ll take you somewhere good.”

“How do you know I haven’t eaten breakfast?”

Jiang Yueming really didn’t have the habit of eating breakfast. 

Xia He knew that very well.

“Actually, I’ve been secretly watching you,” Xia He said as she led him across the road. “I know everything.”

“…”

He was at a loss with Xia He. 

Why did this girl talk to him with zero sense of boundaries?

He was forced to follow her forward, his wrist held in a grip that was neither too tight nor too loose—just enough for him to feel her body heat.

They crossed the road together. 

Jiang Yueming didn’t notice that, in that moment, Xia He quietly glanced back at the girls behind the net cafe counter.

Then she looked up at the net cafe’s name, her lips moving slightly as if silently memorizing the words.

After that she turned back, continued pulling him along, and kept the same sweet smile on her face. 

Nothing had happened.