[Journey, An Encounter]

Lin Ze rode his bike along the not-so-wide cement road, the scenery all around was green hills and clear waters.

However, it exuded a desolate atmosphere, without a trace of human habitation.

On the cement road, fallen leaves and dust had accumulated.

It wasn't until he had left Big Stone Village for quite a distance that he could sporadically see traces of other people's lives, but even then, the population didn't seem dense.

About twenty minutes later, Lin Ze arrived at Stone Pass Town.

At this moment, he felt like he had returned to the human world.

Here were modern streets and buildings, with rows of shops selling various goods lining the roadside, and many pedestrians strolling leisurely along the street.

Lin Ze, dressed in white, attracted the attention of some passersby.

Although people nowadays aren't surprised by ancient-style attire, few people wear it in daily life, so it naturally feels fresh to see.

Lin Ze was used to this and had become accustomed to being watched.

White clothes inherently have an ethereal feel, and the tall, sturdy, and somewhat scholarly Lin Ze was as outstanding as a literary and martial arts prodigy from a famous family who had stepped out of a television show, so it was only natural that he would be watched.

Soon, he skillfully parked his electric bike in a secluded stairwell next to a small supermarket in town.

The owner of the small supermarket was an acquaintance.

Lin Ze often bought daily necessities here, and over time, the two became familiar. It wasn't a problem to ask the other party to help keep an eye on the bike.

After chatting with the small supermarket owner for a few words and settling the matter of the electric bike.

Afterward, Lin Ze boarded the long-distance bus to Jiangzhou City, which only ran once a day.

Lin Ze, dressed in ancient-style attire, attracted the attention of many people on the bus from the moment he boarded.

However, there were no young women in the small rural town, mostly middle-aged or even elderly people taking the bus.

At most, they would look at Lin Ze a few more times with a sense of novelty.

No one came to talk to him.

The process of traveling was tedious and boring.

But compared to the other world where he couldn't use his phone, at least in the Main World, he could still go online to pass the time.

Lin Ze put on his headphones, listened to music, and began to read books to enrich himself, occasionally replying to messages on communication software.

Time passed unnoticed in this process.

At eleven o'clock in the morning, Lin Ze got off the bus at Jiangzhou Long-Distance Bus Station, then seamlessly connected to a private car booked on a ride-hailing app and arrived at Jiangzhou Airport.

Lin Ze had purchased a business class ticket to Tiannan City.

The price of a business class ticket was 1200 yuan, and the price of an economy class ticket was 600 yuan.

Although business class was more expensive than economy class, it allowed him to enjoy VIP treatment.

He could skip the security line, wait in the VIP lounge, and enjoy free meals.

The seat on the plane was also located at the front, much more spacious than the cramped seats in economy class.

In addition, there were flight attendants dedicated to serving tea and water, providing a truly exceptional level of service.

In the past, Lin Ze always bought economy class tickets when traveling. He felt that all these extras combined weren't worth the doubled price.

However, after having an expensive and unappetizing lunch at the airport and almost missing his flight due to long security lines, he realized that the money was worth spending.

After bypassing the queues at security through the VIP channel, Lin Ze ordered a complimentary bowl of Pea and Mixed Noodles, a fruit platter, and a cup of tea for lunch in the VIP lounge.

He began waiting to board while eating.

"Hello, handsome, may I sit here?"

Just as Lin Ze was enjoying his meal, a soft female voice sounded beside him.

Lin Ze looked up.

He saw a tall, shapely young woman with a high-end coffee-colored sleeveless dress that revealed fair, slender arms and long, smooth legs. Her face was exquisitely sweet, and she wore her hair long, black, and straight.

She stood not far away, holding a cup of tea in her right hand and a handbag on her left arm, looking at him with a smile.

"Dress worth 18,000, accessories 6,300, bag 69,000, shoes 12,000, perfume 3,100, she's a wealthy young lady."

Smelling the faint fragrance in the air, Lin Ze subconsciously registered these details.

In a small rural town, no one would strike up a conversation with him, but it was different in a bustling metropolis.

Clearly, this old woman wanted to take advantage of a younger man.

"This is a public place, feel free,"

Lin Ze replied calmly, lowering his head to continue slurping his noodles.

He loved eating noodles. Although he had noodles for breakfast, it didn't stop him from having another bowl for lunch.

For Lin Ze, who was focused on his meal, the woman in front of him was less appealing than a bowl of Pea and Mixed Noodles.

"The next flight is to Tiannan City. Are you going to Tiannan City for tourism? What a coincidence, I'm also going to Tiannan City. Can I add you as a friend to get to know you?"

The woman acted as if she hadn't noticed Lin Ze's indifference.

Her smile remained unchanged as she offered her QR code.

Ji Shuqing, female, currently twenty-four years old.

Her family owns a private restaurant in Shenjing City, the capital of Qixia Country. Her father is the head chef, and her mother is responsible for running the restaurant.

With excellent craftsmanship and outstanding service, the private restaurant has an excellent reputation, and the business has been booming since Ji Shuqing was a child.

Currently, the Ji family has accumulated assets of over 50 million.

Because she grew up in a wealthy family, coupled with her own excellent personal qualities, Ji Shuqing has always had high aspirations.

Although there have always been many suitors around her, no one has ever caught her eye.

Ji Shuqing has been out of college for two years and is still single, helping out in her parents' private restaurant, where she is responsible for purchasing rare ingredients.

Usually, what she had to do was fly around, confirming ingredient supplies with some fixed ingredient suppliers, and also buying randomly produced precious ingredients from some individual sellers.

This time, her trip to Jiangzhou City was fruitful. Not only did she contact many rare ingredients from fixed ingredient suppliers, but she also additionally purchased a batch of rare ingredients.

Next, she would go to Tiannan City to purchase the next batch of rare ingredients there.

Following the routine, she passed through security at the airport and entered the VIP lounge to wait for her flight. Ji Shuqing thought this trip would be as boring as usual.

But she didn't expect that she would see Lin Ze as soon as she sat down.

Dressed in white, the tall young man looked like a dashing young swordsman who had stepped out of a painting.

The way the young man heartily slurped his noodles had a unique masculine feel to Ji Shuqing, which made her heart beat a little faster.

So, for the first time in her life, Ji Shuqing tried to strike up a conversation.

She thought that with her beauty, dealing with a little boy would be a piece of cake.

But she didn't expect to be ignored directly.

At this time, Ji Shuqing experienced the feelings of those suitors who had been ignored by her in the past, and for the first time, she felt a little empathy with them.