Xie Ci glanced at the woman in the chair. She was gripping her phone, frantically pressing the volume buttons on the side. Her cold, stunning face that had been tense all along now showed a barely noticeable trace of panic.

She probably thinks the phone volume is too loud and feels a bit embarrassed.

Xie Ci looked over at his roommates. The volume was loud enough that they were curiously looking this way.

Ling Xi: What's wrong? What kind of person did you encounter?

Xie Ci: I'm at an internet cafe. Met someone wearing clothes identical to the photo you sent me today. Both pencil skirt and stockings, even the colors are exactly the same.

Xie Ci sat in his chair and put on his headphones. Ding Yu was still chattering away while Zhang Chen responded sporadically.

He took off his headphones again.

Unexpectedly, it was actually quieter in the internet cafe.

Except for the "tap tap" sound of the woman behind him typing on her phone.

Xie Ci: Honestly, it feels pretty weird. In my stereotypical impression, people dressed like that generally wouldn't come to an internet cafe.

Ling Xi: Weird? You think she's weird? Why? Can you tell me about it?

A flurry of message notification sounds, short and dense, almost blending together.

Simultaneously, scattered sounds came from behind. The woman's high heels, not the common sound of tapping the floor, but a lighter, more hurried alternating sound.

There was the crisp sound of heels hitting the floor, the light tiptoe motion when the heels lifted off the ground, along with some subtle friction sounds, especially obvious in this spacious, quiet internet cafe.

It was like a little cat pacing back and forth in place, occasionally scratching its claws restlessly, as if caught up in some urgent matter.

Xie Ci raised his eyebrows. An absurd thought appeared in his mind, but he immediately dismissed it.

He shook his head, unable to help laughing.

Too ridiculous. How could I have such a thought?

Xie Ci: Not weird exactly, just feels like she put a lot of thought into that outfit. Let me think... white blouse with pencil skirt and stockings, feels both casual and formal. Like going on a date with a boyfriend, rather than coming to an internet cafe.

At this point, the sound of high heels behind him became even more urgent, like a ball of fluffy anxiety dispersing in the air.

Xie Ci had a feeling.

The little cat is about to blow up.

Xie Ci: But still, that outfit really is beautiful. It's precisely because it's too beautiful that it seems somewhat out of place in a casual setting like an internet cafe.

Xie Ci lowered his head, staring at the glowing screen, suddenly feeling something was wrong as cold sweat broke out on his forehead.

How can I mention other women when chatting with Ling Xi?

In the past when this kind of situation occurred, Ling Xi would immediately become gloomy and awkward, bombarding him with messages and video shares, wishing she could overwhelm him with messages.

If he tried to play games with her at times like this, she'd be like she was holding back some energy, fierce and resolute, her skill level seeming to jump up a tier, making people nervous.

Xie Ci was very puzzled. He'd speculated before: could it be that Ling Xi had some kind of aversion to women? When chatting with her, it seemed like females couldn't be mentioned. Even when sharing videos, she never shared videos of female streamers who showed their faces.

Ling Xi: So do you think that woman is beautiful?

Xie Ci rubbed his eyes. For a moment, he thought he'd read it wrong.

Is this Ling Xi? Could it be someone else on the other side of the screen?

The surroundings were unusually quiet. The sound of high heels behind him had also disappeared. It seemed like even his own breathing could be heard.

Xie Ci rubbed the screen, looking back and forth at those few words, swallowing.

Beyond the shock, he was actually somewhat... nervous?

Before, through the screen, he could almost precisely perceive Ling Xi's mood and thoughts.

But today, he was completely confused.

After thinking it over, he decided to tell the truth.

Xie Ci: Pretty beautiful.

Ling Xi: How beautiful?

An instant reply!

Xie Ci broke out in a cold sweat.

Can't figure it out. What's going on with Ling Xi today?

Xie Ci: Are you Ling Xi?

Ling Xi: Why wouldn't I be me? Answer my question!

Ling Xi: [Angry cat]

Xie Ci: Very beautiful. The first time I saw her, I felt amazed. Usually it's hard to see someone this eye-catching. And then, she makes people feel… she’s somewhat unapproachable.

After waiting several minutes, no answer came.

The familiar sound came from behind again. Restless, this time even carrying some unease.

Xie Ci was puzzled. What are these two women doing, the one behind me and the one in my phone?

Xie Ci was about to start the next round with his roommates when a message from Ling Xi came, so he had to let them play first.

Ling Xi: Why?

Xie Ci: ?

Ling Xi: Why do you think she's unapproachable? Is it because of the clothes? Or something else?

Xie Ci: Because she's too pretty and beautiful.

Ling Xi: ? Just because of that?

Xie Ci: Yeah, the feeling she gives is cold and stunning, like those actors in movies, making people feel like there's a layer of something between us.

Ling Xi: Then, do you think the person is beautiful or the clothes are beautiful?

Something was off.

Extremely so, a 9 out of 10 on his danger sense!

Xie Ci felt an indescribable strangeness. He turned back to glance at the woman behind him. She was still sitting ramrod straight, head lowered, fiddling with something on the desk.

Xie Ci suddenly stood up, causing the chair to retreat several steps, the sound clearly audible.

The woman in the seat was startled. Her back suddenly tensed, her entire upper body even bouncing up half an inch. Her knee banged against the table leg, and she instinctively tried to hold her knee, but her head bumped the desk.

"Sorry! I scared you. I'm really sorry."

Xie Ci realized he'd caused trouble and hurried over to apologize.

Hearing Xie Ci's voice, the woman seemed to freeze. She kept her head lowered, a few strands of hair from her shoulders sliding in front of her eyes, covering her face.

"Does it hurt a lot? I'm really sorry. I didn't mean to scare you."

Xie Ci stood to the side, quite at a loss.

The woman suddenly turned her head away, leaving him only a delicate profile, seemingly not wanting him to see the expression on her face.

"It's fine. Just bumped it slightly. I wasn't scared either, it's not because of you."

Her voice was cold and stunning, gracefully moving, carrying a meaning of keeping people at a distance.

"Alright then."

Xie Ci nodded and went back.

Only after hearing the sound of Xie Ci sitting down for quite a while did she release her tightly bitten lower lip and touch her aching forehead.

The corners of her mouth curved into an arc, only it curved downward.

Ling Xi: (T ^ T)

What am I even doing ahhhhh!

......

Meanwhile, on the other side.

The thoughts in Xie Ci's head grew uncontrollably. He wanted to suppress them but couldn't.

Smack! He slapped both hands against his face.

I'm overthinking.

He opened his phone. Ling Xi hadn't said anything.

The expression on Xie Ci's face was about to break.

A message notification came. It was from Ding Yu.

Ding Yu: Wait, Lao Ci, are you really that brave? Already going to ask for her WeChat? You sly dog!

Xie Ci: How would I dare ask for WeChat? Stop exaggerating.

Ding Yu: No, bro, how will you know if you don't try? What if it works out?

Xie Ci pursed his lips.

I'd definitely be rejected.

He could already foresee his disappointment and embarrassment after being rejected.

Same old saying.

Don't hope, and you won't be disappointed.

Xie Ci turned around and started replying to Ling Xi's message.

Xie Ci: Uh, if I have to say, the person is probably more beautiful.

Xie Ci recalled the graceful figure of the woman behind him.

Xie Ci: Yeah, right, the clothes are beautiful, the person is beautiful, the clothes make the person even more beautiful.

He really didn't want to let that thought in his mind take root and sprout.

But this was just too weird!

Ling Xi: [Cat emoji]

He couldn’t comprehend what it meant

Ling Xi: Why did you take so long to reply to me? Were you doing something?

Followed by a [Confused cat] emoji.

Xie Ci didn't want to continue the topic about the woman behind him with Ling Xi anymore. He prepared to end this conversation.

Xie Ci: Actually, just now my roommate messaged me urging me to ask for her Weixin. Weixin is a chat app we commonly use. On your side it's probably called WeChat. (TN: Weixin is WeChat’s Chinese name.)

Ling Xi: So did you go ask?

Is that the point here?

Xie Ci: No.

Ling Xi: Why not ask?

Xie Ci: I'd be rejected, after all...

Ling Xi: After all what?

Xie Ci: We're clearly not the same type of people.

Xie Ci's fingertips unconsciously rubbed the phone screen.

Even if I got it, what then?

We're not from the same world, no chance to spend time together, destined to have difficulty understanding each other.

Rather than starting a relationship that requires painstaking effort to maintain, it's better to end it from the beginning.

The light sound of high heels on the floor came from behind again, like tapping on Xie Ci's heart.

Ling Xi didn't send a message for a long time. Xie Ci put down his phone, planning to continue the intense battle.

Ding~

Xie Ci opened his phone.

Ling Xi: How will you know if you don't try? What if you get it?!

Xie Ci: ?

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