An online friend you’ve never met would fall for you…

The current fireworks display ended with a sudden burst of combined fireworks. The dazzling lights gradually dimmed, returning the darkness to the night sky. The audience had not yet recovered from the splendid spectacle, and for a moment, the observation deck fell silent.

During those one or two seconds, the surrounding clamor of voices went silent, and the person on the other end of the call also seemed momentarily speechless, saying nothing.

The entire world seemed to fall into silence.

Suddenly, the first fireworks of the next theme ascended, spinning in the night sky and blooming into enormous star-shaped flowers.

The thunderous noise shook the heavens, shattering the thick veil of night and something that had been bottled up inside Gu Xun’s heart.

He looked at the fireworks in the sky, and without waiting for the person on the other end of the call to speak, he hooked up the corners of his lips and said, “I’m hanging up.”

Gu Xun neatly put his phone in his coat pocket, and when he turned his head, he saw Luo Tuo trotting towards him.

“I went to the restroom, and when I came out, you were gone.”

Gasping for breath, Luo Tuo looked around and realized that Gu Xun had returned to the observation deck. “I looked all over for you, couldn’t reach you on the phone, and you came back here?”

Gu Xun nonchalantly put his arm over Luo Tuo’s shoulder and leisurely walked towards the exit. “Got bored waiting, so I wandered around.”

Luo Tuo didn’t think much of it, feeling a bit tired himself. His steps were even faster than Gu Xun’s.

The two of them quickly left Lakeside Park.

Since the fireworks display hadn’t ended yet, the road was still relatively smooth.

After getting onto the overpass, Luo Tuo rolled down the car window to catch some fresh air and dialed his wife’s number on his phone.

The two had been together for more than ten years, and there wasn’t much need for sweet talk. After a brief conversation, they hung up, and Luo Tuo then opened his social media feed.

About ten seconds later, he suddenly stretched out his hand and thrust his phone in front of Gu Xun.

“Holy sh*t! Look!”

Gu Xun glanced at the screen. “What?”

“Isn’t this where we just watched the fireworks?”

Luo Tuo shook his phone excitedly. “Xiao Mahua was in the same place as us!”

Gu Xun’s eyebrows twitched slightly, and there was a faint smile at the corner of his mouth. He let out a casual “Hmm.”

“Hmm? That’s all?”

Luo Tuo slapped his thigh in frustration, then looked back. The Lakeside Park had already disappeared from view.

“Alas, if I had checked my social meadia earlier, you guys wouldn’t have missed each other like this! Ah! Lin Xun! It’s a pity, such a pity!”

Gu Xun wasn’t affected by Luo Tuo’s emotions in the slightest.

“What’s to be sorry about?” He rested his arm on the steering wheel and looked at the row of streetlights in front of him, and nonchalantly replied, “The future is long.”

“You’re right. I was being rash.”

Luo Tuo scratched the back of his head and said, “She doesn’t even want to meet you right now. How does that saying go again?”

It took him a few seconds to think of the right words, “Well, it’s only meaningful when she wants to see you.”

At this moment, when the car happened to stop at an intersection, Gu Xun’s phone, placed on the center console, vibrated, indicating a new WeChat message.

【Glutinous Rice Twist】: Did you lose in a truth or dare????

Gu Xun stared at the message for a long time. In his mind, he pictured a cheeky girl looking confused as she looked at her phone.

The curve at the corner of his mouth deepened as he leaned his head and quickly typed a few words.

​【Is it illegal to be bad at something, sir】: Just take it as if I did.

What did he mean by “Just take it as if I did”?

When Yue Qianling saw this reply, she was even more confused.

This person called her late at night, didn’t say anything, and after a long silence, wished her a “Happy New Year.”

It did not seem like a normal behavior.

She still wanted to continue asking, but at this time, the people on the entire observation deck were exiting. It was crowded and chaotic. A stampede could easily occur, so Yue Qianling had no choice but to put her phone back in her bag and focus on walking.

It took them half an hour to exit Lakeside Park. The road was jammed with traffic, and the sound of horns was incessant and piercing.

Fortunately, the two of them did not plan to return to school, and they had pre-booked a nearby hotel, so they didn’t spend too much time on the road.

After taking a shower, Yue Qianling lay on the bed, still thinking about the phone call from Lin Xun.

She had a feeling that something was off.

Since her teenage years, Yue Qianling had encountered situations like this quite a few times.

On every holiday, there were always male classmates from school who would send her messages or make phone calls. When she was younger, she didn’t understand much, but as she grew older, she became more aware of what it meant.

That’s why she was so puzzled tonight.

Could it be…

Was Lin Xun the same as those other guys?

“Yin Xue.” She rolled over and shook Yin Xue’s shoulder, “I want to ask you something.”

Yin Xue was so sleepy that she could only “hmm” in a daze.

“If you had an online friend, the kind you met while playing games,” Yue Qianling hesitated for a moment before continuing, “and he called you to wish you a Happy New Year late at night, what would that mean?”

Yin Xue turned her head, half-opening her eyes to look at Yue Qianling. She replied weakly, “Uh… met while playing games… have you met in person?”

Yue Qianling: “No.”

“……”

Yin Xue took a deep breath and closed her eyes, then said, “Yue! Qian! Ling!”

Yue Qianling: “Huh?”

Yin Xue: “You don’t seriously think that an online friend you’ve never met would fall for you, do you?!”

“……”

Yue Qianling remained silent, feeling that it wasn’t entirely impossible.

After not hearing Yue Qianling’s reply for a while, Yin Xue looked at her from the corner of her eye and said, “Have you ever thought about what you’re like when you play games? Other girls will act cute and coquettish, which naturally attracts guys. But you?”

She raised her arm, mimicking the posture of Guan Yu^[1]关羽 – was a historical figure in ancient China who lived during the late Eastern Han dynasty. He is one of the most respected and iconic figures in Chinese history and folklore., and began imitating Yue Qianling’s tone when speaking while playing games.

“Come on! Get my sniper rifle up here!”

“You dog, even if I die today, I’ll take down the only girl in your squad with me and ruin your gaming experience! Hehe!”

“What? Two shots didn’t take down your level 2 helmet? Watch me report you!”

“You old f***! I’ll send you back to your happy hometown with one punch!”

“……”

Silence filled the hotel room.

Yue Qianling turned over and covered herself with the blanket.

“Good night.”

Yue Qianling slept soundly until 10 o’clock the next morning.

The blackout curtains in the hotel kept all the light outside, and only a dim bedside lamp was on in the room. Occasionally, car horns could be heard, along with Yin Xue’s soft breathing.

Yue Qianling turned over, facing away from Yin Xue, and took out her phone.

Coincidentally, a few minutes earlier, Luo Tuo and Xiao Mai had started chatting in the group.

【Luo Tuo】: What’s a good place for breakfast on your side of Jiangcheng?

【Xiao Mai】: ?

【Xiao Mai】: You’re not with Lin Xun?

【Luo Tuo】: Of course not. We went our separate ways last night. I’m in the hotel.

【Xiao Mai】: Then, what are you going to do today?

【Luo Tuo】: We’re not going to spend it together. I have to go to the factory to check it out in the afternoon, then I’ll head back in the evening.

【Luo Tuo】: Ah, my hair is getting long. I need to tidy it up before seeing anyone.

【Luo Tuo】: Where in Jiangcheng is a good place to get a haircut?

At this moment, Gu Xun had just finished playing basketball with Jiang Junnan, and they were walking back to the dormitory.

He took out his phone and saw Luo Tuo’s question. He was about to reply when a new message suddenly popped up in the chat box.

【Glutinous Rice Twist】: A temple.

【Luo Tuo】: ……

【Xiao Mai】: Hahahahahaaha

Gu Xun also saw this, lowered his head, and chuckled softly.

Jiang Junnan glanced at him. “What are you laughing at?”

“Nothing.”

Gu Xun didn’t continue typing, just watching the messages pop up in the group one by one.

【Luo Tuo】: Are you awake?

【Glutinous Rice Twist】: Yeah.

【Luo Tuo】: How about some early morning chicken?

【Glutinous Rice Twist】: Not right now. My friend is still sleeping.

【Luo Tuo】: Okay, I’m getting up then.

【Glutinous Rice Twist】: I’m also going to have breakfast.

【Luo Tuo】: What are you having?

【Luo Tuo】: Any good breakfast recommendations? I’ll eat now, so that I won’t have lunch.

Breakfast…

Yue Qianling usually had a casual breakfast, often grabbing something from a convenience store.

However, since Luo Tuo had traveled from afar, even as an online friend, she wanted Luo Tuo to enjoy good food while he was here. So, she began to privately message her local classmates one by one, asking if they had any recommendations.

A few minutes later:

【Glutinous Rice Twist】: [Shared link]

【Glutinous Rice Twist】: The rice noodles at this place are very delicious, but I’m not sure if you can order takeout there.

【Luo Tuo】: Let me check.

【Luo Tuo】: The specialty of this place is cilantro…

【Luo Tuo】: Oh my, I don’t eat cilantro.

【Glutinous Rice Twist】: You don’t eat cilantro???

【Luo Tuo】: …

【Luo Tuo】: You may not believe it, but in our group, except for you, no one else eats cilantro.

【Luo Tuo】: @SchoolGrass, come out and tell her, isn’t it true?

Gu Xun had initially intended to reply with something like “Cilantro is something people eat?”, but before he could type it out, Jiang Junnan suddenly elbowed him.

“What should we have for lunch?”

Gu Xun: “Anything’s fine.”

When Jiang Junnan heard this, he let out a heavy sigh and said, “Anything’s fine, anything’s fine… every time I hear those two words, my scalp tightens!”

He twisted the cap off a bottle of mineral water and took a big gulp before continuing, “Last night, I took my girlfriend out for dinner and asked her what she wanted to eat. She also said anything’s fine. Now, guess what happened?!”

Gu Xun’s eyes remained on his phone, and he only responded with a simple “Hmm” to show he was listening.

“Just because I couldn’t remember her preferences, she scolded me left and right!”

Jiang Junnan recalled the dinner scene last night, and he shuddered, saying, “I swear, I remembered she didn’t eat green onions, but then she told me she only avoids green onions when eating noodles and insists on them in barbecue. And then, about garlic, I distinctly remembered her saying garlic oysters were delicious, so I ordered several for her, but she said she doesn’t eat garlic anymore. Who can remember all that?!”

As soon as Jiang Junnan finished speaking, two new messages popped up on Gu Xun’s phone.

【Glutinous Rice Twist】: You guys have really missed out on one of the great joys in life!!!

【Glutinous Rice Twist】: I absolutely love cilantro!!!

Gu Xun raised an eyebrow and turned to Jiang Junnan. “And then?”

“What can I do? Apologize right there on the spot.”

Jiang Junnan sighed in resignation, “Then I spent over an hour last night jotting down all her preferences in my notes. From now on, I’ll recite them ten times before going on a date with her!”

“Is that necessary?”

Gu Xun snorted lightly. When his gaze fell back on his phone, he saw that Yue Qianling had sent another message.

【Glutinous Rice Twist】: If you add a handful of chopped cilantro to the chili sauce, it will be even better. I could eat it three times a day!!!

His eyes flickered, and he felt a subtle ripple in his heart.

Subsequently, he tapped into Yue Qianling’s profile information and chose to edit her nickname.

He first simply typed the words “Chili Cilantro” right after her WeChat name.

But before he pressed the confirmation key, he hesitated.

He promptly deleted all the text.

Then, he altered her nickname to—

“Cilantro connoisseur who loves chili”.