At exactly eleven, Lu Zheng met Tong Muxuan at the Dongshan Park subway station.
As expected of a programmer—even for a blind date, he wore the standard plaid shirt and jeans. The only difference was that he had washed his hair before leaving.
"You've only been working for a few days. How did you already grow a beer belly?" Lu Zheng stepped forward and patted Tong Muxuan's stomach.
"Get the hell away from me!" Tong Muxuan slapped Lu Zheng's hand aside. "My company has a gym, and I work out every day. Unlike you, rotting at home for a month—you... holy shit, the legendary six-pack?"
"You flatter me. I didn't do anything this month except work out."
"Tsk, tsk. Planning to switch careers?"
"Switch to what career?" Lu Zheng failed to react for a moment.
"Don't tell me there weren't any aunties at the gym who took a liking to you?" Tong Muxuan curled his lip. "With that pretty-boy face of yours, plus those lines on your body, any woman with a few years on her would drool at the sight."
"Heh." Lu Zheng looked disdainful. "Sorry, but the older women can't squeeze past all the young ladies surrounding me."
"Impressive. When it comes to confidence, no one plays it better than you." Tong Muxuan gave him a thumbs-up. "Why mooch off aunties when becoming a live-in son-in-law has such a bright future? Just wait—when I make it big someday, I'll go to your father-in-law's house and back you up!"
"Get lost!"
The friendship between college classmates was the purest. Though they had not seen each other for a month, Lu Zheng and Tong Muxuan did not feel the slightest bit unfamiliar.
"Enough nonsense. How did you get in touch? What does she look like? Where's she from? Is she reliable?"
"Are you conducting a census?" Tong Muxuan had no strength left to mock him. "Our parents introduced us. She's in Sea City too, graduated the same year as us, and works at a bank."
"Tsk, tsk, a state-owned enterprise!"
"Heh, my salary crushes hers!"
"You're awesome!"
"Oh, right." Tong Muxuan turned and asked, "How's your job situation? Got anything lined up?"
"No. I'm getting ready to live off a woman."
"I'm being serious." Tong Muxuan curled his lip. "I get along pretty well with my department head. I'll find a chance to refer you internally."
"Don't." Lu Zheng waved his hands hurriedly. "I have income."
"What income? Taking programming outsourcing jobs or writing web novels?" Tong Muxuan said disdainfully.
"You look down on web novel writers?" Lu Zheng glared. "Top authors can make a hundred million a year!"
"What does that have to do with you?"
"Nothing."
Lu Zheng instantly surrendered. He had to admit that most failed writers could not even earn enough to buy a new pair of underwear after handling things themselves.
"Anyway, it's fine. I really do have income. Besides, what face do I need to save in front of you guys? If I really need help, I'll definitely ask."
"Really?"
"Really!" Lu Zheng nodded firmly.
"That's good." Tong Muxuan nodded, then suddenly said thoughtfully, "Then did calling you out today affect your work?
After all, weekends are when you have the most clients at the gym."
"Get lost!"
Fulong Plaza, South Gate Two.
"You didn't arrange to meet directly at the restaurant?"
"One look at you and I can tell you've never dated. You meet first, then discuss it face-to-face." Tong Muxuan chuckled. "Don't say your big bro doesn't look after you. Learn something!"
Lu Zheng stroked his chin, feeling that the working world was more complicated than college. This was already the third time Tong Muxuan had roasted him into speechlessness.
Should he just draw his blade? "They're here." Tong Muxuan raised a hand and nudged Lu Zheng, gesturing into the distance. "The one in red is mine."
Following Tong Muxuan's gaze, Lu Zheng saw two figures, one in red and one in white, walking over together.
The girl in red was a little over five feet three, a head shorter than Tong Muxuan. Her features were delicate and her skin dewy and soft. She truly deserved to be called a girl from Shu.
The other girl wore a white dress and was slightly taller. Her makeup was exquisite, and it was clear that her natural looks were good too. Her long hair fell over her shoulders, curling slightly at the ends and lending her a touch of allure.
Mm, both were above the standard.
"Tong Muxuan?"
"That's me. Hello, two beautiful ladies!"
"This is my best friend, Luo Yun."
"This is my good brother, Lu Zheng."
Only after they exchanged names did Lu Zheng learn that the main character was called Su Mengmeng.
That name...
How should he put it? It was quite nice, but Lu Zheng still could not help wondering how Su Mengmeng would introduce herself once she got old.
"What should we eat for lunch?"
The first test arrived right on schedule.
"I looked it up. Lao Qingyu Hotpot in the plaza is pretty good."
Tong Muxuan immediately replied, "If you think hotpot is too greasy, Akai Japanese Cuisine's seafood has great reviews. There's also Cui Gang Restaurant and Haihua Local Cuisine, both of which are quite popular."
"Hiss!"
Lu Zheng sucked in a sharp breath, feeling that without the Jade Seal in his mind, he would probably never find a girlfriend in this lifetime.
Su Mengmeng and Luo Yun symbolically asked Lu Zheng for his opinion. Naturally, Lu Zheng said he had no objections.
Thus, the four of them happily settled on a lunch spot.
Haihua Local Cuisine.
"Luo Yun is local, and Haihua Local Cuisine is considered one of the better places in terms of quality."
Lu Zheng nodded. He had just taken a moment to check his phone. The two girls had not chosen the most expensive option, Akai Japanese Cuisine, and Haihua Local Cuisine's average spending was only a little higher than Cui Gang Restaurant.
That first exchange was Su Mengmeng testing Tong Muxuan, but was it not also Tong Muxuan testing Su Mengmeng?
Once everyone had taken their seats, the menu naturally fell into the hands of Luo Yun, the local expert.
Four dishes and a soup, with both meat and vegetables.
The dishes arrived quickly, each unique and exquisite in color and presentation. As for the taste, well, every palate had its own preferences.
But of course, eating was not their real purpose.
As they casually ate, Lu Zheng listened to Tong Muxuan and Su Mengmeng talk.
They began with the situation in their hometowns, moved through their respective family circumstances, and then talked about studying and living in Sea City.
Until, at last, they reached the major issue of settling down and building a career in Sea City.
A house!
"Houses in Sea City really are expensive. As a programmer at a major game company, my salary is already considered high for Sea City, but I'd still need to save bitterly for several years just to afford a down payment."
"And everyone says programmers live on their youth. Thirty-five is a hurdle."
"Of course, I'm also learning more languages and newer frameworks to ensure I stay competitive in this industry."
"At the same time, I'm unwilling to keep working for someone else and earning nothing but hard money, so besides working and studying during the day, I'm making an indie game in my spare time."
"If it succeeds, even if I only make a small profit, buying a house will no longer be a problem. Even if luck isn't on my side, I'll have enough experience and confidence not to be eliminated from this industry."
Hearing this, Lu Zheng could not help seeing Tong Muxuan in a new light. You could not tell normally, but Lao Tong was astonishingly clear-headed! Clearly, Tong Muxuan's rationality had moved Su Mengmeng as well.
There was also one important point: Tong Muxuan looked good too. He was over five feet nine, refined and gentle, warm and considerate.
Combined with his sensible plans for the future, so long as Su Mengmeng was not a woman intending to climb the social ladder directly through marriage, Tong Muxuan was absolutely a promising prospect.
"Of course." Tong Muxuan then decisively changed his tune. "There are variables in all of that. The one thing that is certain is that even if I don't make big money, my parents can still scrape together the down payment for a house in Shanghai."
Lu Zheng: (ー_ー)!! His image collapsed in one second, big bro!
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