Having slept late, one is likely to sleep till the afternoon and rouse from their sleep in a daze. When looking at the sun, one would get a headache like a nocturnal vampire.

Yan Luji squinted as he reached to draw his curtains open then quickly drew them close again. That felt better. He plodded to the bathroom in his slippers to wash up and brush his teeth, then went to the kitchen to rummage for food, only to find that he didn’t even have any milk left in his fridge.

Looks like a trip to a supermarket is in order.

In Sin City^[1]Shanghai used to be the place for ~vices and debauchery~ in the past., there is bound to be a mega supermarket that sells everything necessary for living within 3 kilometres of a housing estate.

Yan Luji rubbed his tender and empty stomach, and forced himself to walk from the cafe where he was at to the dessert store next door. Ignoring the couples around him, he ordered a bowl of sweet porridge and some soft cake. He then found a seat in a remote corner and sat down.

“Mister, here is your porridge.” A server placed the bowl in front of him.

“Thank you.”

“Mister, do you want to order some of our newly-launched desserts for your girlfriend? The taro cake is very popular amongst women,” recommended the server.

“I’m here alone, thanks.” Yan Luji already understood that the server thought he was waiting for his girlfriend.

“Oh, apologies.” The server became a little awkward.

“No worries.” Yan Luji smiled breezily.

The server blushed and tottered back to the kitchen with the serving tray.

Yan Luji looked at the pile of cloyingly sweet desserts in front of him and internally decided to buy some quick-brew rice cereals when he headed to the supermarket later. 

“Could I get a bowl of steamed milk egg pudding, with some red beans on top?” The sound of Lin Yao’s animated and crisp voice suddenly resounded.

Yan Luji’s hand that was holding a spoon shook, this voice … it cannot be such a coincidence right? He stuck his head out from behind the potted plants and as expected, he saw Lin Yao standing by the bar counter chatting and laughing with the cashier, and dressed in a T-Shirt and hot shorts.

“Miss Lin, you don’t look too good today.” Lin Yao is an old customer of theirs, so the cashier was familiar with her.

“I stayed up late watching a drama so I’m not feeling my best.” Lin Yao said.

“Which drama is so good that you stayed up for it?”

“It’s the one that has been popular lately.”

“Ah, I’ve also been keeping up with that one.” The cashier handed Lin Yao the receipt, “Alright, you can go sit in the meantime.”

A drama? She was clearly watching ‘The Shawshank Redemption’. Thinking of the 3 red comments he saw last night, Yan Luji felt that his head was starting to hurt. He was dealing with his insomnia last night and struggled to wake up this afternoon, and even dreamed of Lin Yao holding a bloody scalpel chasing him from behind. She was chasing him while yelling: “I want your heart, I want your heart.”

That really scared him to death.

Yan Luji saw Lin Yao walk in his direction, and was so shocked he immediately turned back around, his brain already churning for ways to get out of the situation.

“Yi^[2]A sound of surprise., Lin Yao?” Just as Lin Yao was about to reach Yan Luji, a woman excitedly called for her.

“Oh, it’s you.” Lin Yao glanced at the unusually animated woman, her face turning cold.

“We haven’t seen each other in such a long while. What a coincidence we met in the same dessert shop.” The woman’s voice was so soft and tender it was similar to the Taiwanese accent^[3]The Taiwanese accent sounds a little less harsh and Taiwanese people do speak a little slower than Mainland Chinese people do..

“Yeah, how coincidental.” Lin Yao replied insincerely.

“That’s right, let me introduce you to my boyfriend. He lives near Mountain Vista. I came over today to find him.” The woman pulled on her boyfriend.

“Hello, I am Cui Peng.” A man with a slightly arrogant disposition nodded slightly to Lin Yao.

“Chui Peng^[4]吹捧 (Chui Peng) means to flatter. Lin Yao is mocking the name ‘Cui Peng’.?” Lin Yao smiled, “What a coincidence, I live in the same estate as Mr Chui.”

“That’s really such a coincidence.” The girl gushed, “My love, Lin Yao was the ‘school tyrant^[5]Essentially, the person who did really well in school.’ in my class. When she graduated, she was assigned to the Sixth Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine. We were so jealous of her back then. Look at how she’s living such a good life now, she managed to rent an apartment in the same estate as you.”

Lin Yao’s lip curled, but still remained silent. In her heart, she berated, “That stupid woman, that mouth of hers is still as contemptible as ever.”

“Why are you having desserts all by yourself?”

“I’m afraid if I only showed up with half of myself^[6]Credits to @ster ^^, you would be frightened.” Lin Yao snapped.

“You …”

‘Pfft …” Mr Chui Peng’s stifled laughter reminded the girl of his presence.

“My love~~” The woman stomped as she tugged on the man’s sleeves, “Why are you laughing at me?”

Lin Yao felt goosebumps rising all over, curled her lips and tried to look for an empty seat so she could quickly escape from this ‘outstanding’ woman.

“The shop is a little crowded on the weekends, why not just sit with us,” suggested the woman as she saw how Lin Yao was scanning the shop.

Lin Yao glanced at her old classmate. It seemed like she needed to steel her heart in preparation for the abuse she is going to receive as a single dog.

“Perfect! I didn’t think it would be so crowded today.” Lin Yao happily agreed, immediately pulling out a chair to sit.

“Don’t mention it. What did you order? Why not order more? It’s my treat.” The woman politely offered.

“Really? I just ordered a bowl of steamed milk egg pudding but also saw that they just launched a dessert that looked really good but I found it too expensive.” Lin Yao cheerily continued on, “It’s not often I get treated, so I’ll take you up on your offer.”

“…” The woman choked, as if she never anticipated that Lin Yao’s skin would be so thick. She forced a smile and said, “No worries. My love, could you go order that dish for my classmate?”

Mr Chui Peng kissed his girlfriend, then stood up and left for the bar counter.

“I didn’t think you would really take me up on my offer.” Once Mr Chui Peng left, the tone of the woman’s voice instantly changed.

“Didn’t you want to feed me dog food? If I didn’t sit down, how would I be able to eat till I’m full?” Lin Yao lifted a brow.

“You sure are thick-skinned.”

“I dare not compare myself with you, you are much better at it than I am.” Lin Yao remarked modestly.

“You bastard, you’re out of control!” The woman’s voice changed again.

“Be careful Hu Niu, your northeastern accent is coming out.” Lin Yao raised her hand and pointed in the direction of the bar counter.

As if he heard a sound, Mr Chui Peng turned back to look at them. Hu Niu immediately sweetly waved at him.

At that same time, the frightened Director Yan had also turned to look at them.

“Aren’t you tired of acting everyday?” Lin Yao asked.

Hu Niu was Lin Yao’s classmate in university and they have a pretty good relationship, the kind where they can both banter and mutually hurt each other. Hu Niu also had a special skill that would never fail to surprise Lin Yao, which is her 2 different attitudes towards male and female classmates.

In front of male classmates, she would be a warm and gentle Moe girl while in front of female classmates, she became a brash girl from the northwest.

“If I don’t act, I would end up like you and not have a boyfriend.” Hu Niu once again started speaking like a Taiwanese person.

“But it’s not like you can keep acting for the rest of your life,” said Lin Yao.

“What would someone like you who doesn’t have a boyfriend know?” Hu Niu mocked.

“You …” Lin Yao retorted, “and what about you? Are you dating or are you putting on a show? Were your exes your boyfriend or your colleague?”

“The world’s a stage anyway^[7]I used this phrase wholesale so credits to Mr Shakespeare here., it’s fine as long as he meets my expectations for a boyfriend.” Hu Niu said.

“Then our 3 views are not aligned.” Lin Yao shook her head.

“Could you please let me know what your 3 views are?”

“The person I like, must like the true me.” Lin Yao said, “Life’s such a long journey. How can the 2 of us get along otherwise?”

“Then what if the person you like doesn’t like your true self?”

“Then I’ll pursue him!” Lin Yao remained unbothered.

‘Huh … a woman’s value drops the moment she starts pursuing a man.” Hu Niu said in hushed tones, “Men are all dicks, and they wouldn’t cherish anything that is easy to get. Smart women know to go fishing^[8]We can associate this with the english phrase, ‘there are many fishes in the sea’. She’s trying to say that smart women know how to fish around for men.. Do you want me to teach you?”

Yan Luji frowned when he heard her words.

“No need for it. Your tactics don’t suit me. Anyway, the person I like will most definitely be a good man who’s one in a million.” Lin Yao declared.

Yan Luji suddenly stopped drinking his porridge. A good man who’s one in a million?

“Isn’t that because love makes you think he looks like Xishi^[9]Purportedly a beautiful woman gifted by Emperor Goujian from the state of Yue to Emperor Fuchai of the state of Wu. It is now commonly used to refer to a good-looking woman/ person.?”

“Then it’s fine as long as I think he looks like Xishi.”

“Our 3 views indeed do not align.” Hu Niu nodded and affirmed Lin Yao’s previous statement, “Do you know what foreigners would think if they looked at the both of us?”

Lin Yao shook her head.

“Women will envy me since there are so many attractive men chasing me. But men will envy your boyfriend, since you are like that. But …” Hu Niu then started doing a 180, “your boyfriend would eventually find it difficult to see the good in you. In the end, a sham like me would eventually win out while someone like you would selflessly continue to give until you’re old. At that time, your husband will probably start having an affair.”

“Nonsense.” Lin Yao refuted.

“This is the lesson gleaned from our ancestor’s experience, blood and sweat.” 

“Alright, let’s not keep talking about this.” Lin Yao changed the topic, “Oh right, I didn’t know what to call you in front of your boyfriend just now. What should I call you?”

Everytime Hu Niu changed her boyfriend, she would change her nickname.

“Tian Tian^[10]The 甜 in 甜甜 (Tian Tian) means sweet..”

“Ou^[11]Sounds of retching. …”

“What happened?” Mr Chui Peng came back from the bar counter to see Lin Yao trying to vomit.

“I was disgusted.” Lin Yao shot Hu Niu a look. No wait, Tian Tian.

“She ate something bad, don’t mind her.” Hu Niu tugged her boyfriend down to sit, and affectionately told him, “The queue was so long today. It was hard on you, my love.”

“It wasn’t hard.” Mr Chui Peng held his girlfriend’s small hand.

Lin Yao rolled her eyes. Good thing the bowl of steamed milk egg pudding was here. Lin Yao finished it in 2 to 3 bites then said her goodbyes and left.

“Your friend didn’t even have a mouth of the taro cake. Why did she leave?” Mr Chui Peng was flabbergasted.

“She was probably full from the dog food.”

“You naughty girl.” Mr Chui Peng tapped on his girlfriend’s nose.

Women these days are really scary. Just like how they use makeup or spend money to go to South Korea for plastic surgery to look good, now they also change their personalities.

In comparison, Lin Yao seemed a lot more normal or at least, truthful.

He didn’t know if it was because he was just a passerby eavesdropping but Director Yan, who heard the entire conversation, suddenly appreciated Lin Yao’s attitude towards romantic relationships.

The problem is that he indeed did not have that sort of feelings for her and …

he could not live up to being a good man that is one in a million.

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