Lin Ze rode along a fairly narrow concrete road, surrounded by green mountains and clear waters.
Yet the scenery carried an air of desolation, without a trace of human life.
Fallen leaves and dust had gathered on the concrete road.
Only after he had traveled a long way from Big Stone Village could he catch occasional signs of other people's lives, though the area was hardly bustling.
About twenty minutes later, Lin Ze arrived in Stone Pass Town.
Only then did he feel as though he had returned to the human world.
The town had modern streets and buildings, with shops selling all kinds of goods lining the roadside, while many pedestrians strolled leisurely along the streets.
Lin Ze, dressed all in white, caught the eyes of quite a few passersby.
People nowadays weren't surprised by traditional-style clothing, but few wore it in everyday life, so it naturally felt fresh to see.
Lin Ze took it in stride. He was already used to people looking at him.
White robes had an otherworldly quality to them, and Lin Ze was tall and muscular, with a scholarly air. He stood out like a young noble swordsman, equally skilled in both arms and letters, stepping straight out of a television drama. It was only natural that people stared.
Before long, he skillfully parked his electric scooter in a quiet passage beside a small supermarket in town.
The supermarket owner was an acquaintance.
Lin Ze often bought supplies there, and over time the two had gotten to know each other. Asking the owner to keep an eye on his scooter was no trouble.
After chatting with the owner for a few minutes, Lin Ze settled the matter of his scooter.
Then he boarded the long-distance bus to Jiangzhou City, which ran only once a day.
From the moment he stepped onto the bus in his traditional outfit, Lin Ze attracted plenty of attention.
But there weren't many young women in a small rural town. Most passengers were middle-aged or elderly.
At most, they gave Lin Ze a few extra looks out of curiosity.
No one came over to talk to him.
The journey was dull and tedious.
But compared to the Other World, where he couldn't use his phone, at least he could go online in the Main World to pass the time.
Lin Ze put on his headphones and listened to music while reading to broaden his knowledge, occasionally replying to messages on his social apps.
Before he knew it, time had slipped away.
At eleven in the morning, Lin Ze got off at the Jiangzhou long-distance bus station. He then took a car he'd booked through a ride-hailing app, seamlessly making his way to Jiangzhou Airport.
Lin Ze had bought a business-class ticket to Tiannan City.
Business class cost 1,200 yuan, while economy class cost 600.
Though business class was more expensive than economy, it came with VIP perks.
He could skip the security line and wait in the VIP lounge, where complimentary meals were also available.
His seat on the plane would be near the front, with far more room than the cramped seats in economy.
On top of that, flight attendants would personally bring him tea and water. The service was practically fit for a king.
Lin Ze used to fly economy whenever he traveled. He'd figured those perks weren't worth paying double for.
But after once having an expensive, terrible lunch at the airport and nearly missing his flight after waiting ages in the security line, he decided the extra cost was worth it.
After skipping the line through the VIP security channel, Lin Ze ordered a free bowl of Pea and Mixed Noodles, some fruit, and a cup of tea in the lounge for lunch.
He ate while waiting for boarding to begin.
"Hi, handsome. Can I sit here?"
Just as Lin Ze was enjoying his meal, a woman's gentle voice sounded beside him.
Lin Ze looked up.
He saw a young, beautiful woman, tall and slender, with a curvaceous figure. She wore a luxurious sleeveless coffee-colored dress that revealed her fair arms and long, smooth legs. Her features were delicate and sweet, and her long black hair fell straight down her back.
With a handbag looped over her left arm and a cup of tea in her right hand, she stood not far away, smiling warmly at him.
"Her dress is eighteen thousand, accessories six thousand three hundred, bag sixty-nine thousand, shoes twelve thousand, perfume three thousand one hundred. She's a rich young lady."
As a faint fragrance drifted around him, these details instinctively flashed through Lin Ze's mind.
Back in the rural town, no one had struck up a conversation with him. But things were different in a bustling city.
Clearly, this old woman wanted to eat young grass.
"This is a public place. Sit wherever you like."
Lin Ze replied coolly, then lowered his head and went back to slurping his noodles.
He loved noodles. He'd already had them for breakfast, but that didn't stop him from having another bowl for lunch.
To Lin Ze, who was busy eating, the woman in front of him was less appealing than a bowl of Pea and Mixed Noodles.
"The nearest flight is to Tiannan City. Are you going there on vacation, handsome? What a coincidence, I'm going to Tiannan City too. How about we add each other and get acquainted?"
The woman acted as though she hadn't noticed Lin Ze's coldness.
Her smile never wavered as she held out her QR code.
Ji Shuqing was twenty-four years old.
Her family ran a private restaurant in Shenjing City, the capital of Qixia Country. Her father was the head chef, while her mother managed the restaurant.
Thanks to their excellent cooking and outstanding service, the restaurant had earned a stellar reputation. Ever since Ji Shuqing was a child, business had been thriving.
The Ji family had accumulated assets worth more than fifty million.
Having grown up in comfortable circumstances, and with plenty of personal charms of her own, Ji Shuqing had always set her sights high.
She had no shortage of admirers, but not one had ever caught her eye.
Ji Shuqing had graduated from university two years ago, yet she was still single. She was currently helping out at her parents' restaurant, where she was in charge of sourcing rare ingredients.
Her usual work involved flying all over the country to confirm supplies with regular vendors and buying rare ingredients from small-scale sellers whenever they happened to harvest them.
She had done well on this trip to Jiangzhou. Not only had she secured plenty of rare ingredients from her regular vendors, but she had also bought an additional batch.
Next, she would head to Tiannan City to purchase another batch of rare ingredients.
After going through security and entering the VIP lounge to wait for her flight as usual, Ji Shuqing had expected this trip to be just as boring as all the others.
But she hadn't expected to see Lin Ze as soon as she sat down.
Dressed all in white, the tall young man looked like a dashing young swordsman stepping out of a painting.
Even the way he boldly slurped his noodles struck Ji Shuqing as having a distinct masculine charm, making her heart beat a little faster.
So, for the first time in her life, Ji Shuqing tried striking up a conversation.
She had thought that with her looks, winning over a young man would be a piece of cake.
But she hadn't expected him to ignore her outright.
At that moment, Ji Shuqing finally understood how the admirers she'd brushed off all those years must have felt. For the first time, she felt a faint sense of empathy with them.
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