Date

Chapter 5: The Date

Waking up from a good sleep, I felt refreshed.

Sulu pulled up his attribute panel to study it again, ultimately deciding to start grinding for experience.

First, a hundred sit-ups, a hundred push-ups, then a long-distance run...

After a series of exercises, he was exhausted, panting with his tongue lolling out, yet the experience points remained stubbornly fixed, showing not the slightest increase.

Sulu was immediately depressed: "Trash cheat... zero stars!"

Alas, since he had already transmigrated, there was no returning the goods. Rubbing his stomach, he decided to go get some food first.

The university had a dedicated dining hall that served fried chicken wings, pork chops, fruit salad, mashed potatoes, white bread, meat floss buns, and cream-baked lobster... Just thinking about the taste made his mouth water.

Sulu returned to his dorm, wiped off his sweat, changed his clothes, and fished through his pockets. Looking at a handful of Toner and a few pathetic Silver Dollars, he couldn't help but smile bitterly.

The traditional currency of the White Eagle Federation consisted of Toner, Silver Eagle, and Gold Dragon, all minted from metal. Toner was the smallest unit; roughly one hundred Toner could be exchanged for one Silver Eagle, and ten Silver Eagles for one Gold Dragon.

Simply put, Toner were copper coins, Silver Eagles were silver coins, and Gold Dragons were shiny little darlings.

No matter the world, it seemed humanity's greed for gold was endless.

However, in the last few decades, with the progress of industrialization, precious metal currency had gradually become insufficient. The Federation introduced paper Silver Dollars, stipulating that a Silver Dollar with a face value of 1 could be exchanged for a standard Silver Eagle coin at any bank. It was fine in the cities, but not many people in the countryside accepted them.

Even Sulu, as a modern transmigrator, preferred tangible gold and silver coins over flimsy paper money.

"Hmm, according to Federation standards, an ordinary sandwich costs three Toner. The minimum daily living expense for one person is ten Toner, which is three hundred Toner a month—that is, three Silver Eagles, or about 3 Silver Dollars."

From this, one could see how generous the salary offered by Green Tree Castle Laboratory was; it could be said that he had stepped into the middle class in one leap.

Alas, Sulu hadn't started the job yet. Relying on the less than 5 Silver Dollars he had saved from part-time work, if he dared to feast at the dining hall every day, he would be drinking the northwest wind within a few days.

"Between cream-baked lobster and a hot dog, I choose the hot dog!"

Sulu muttered, walked down the stairs, and prepared to grab a quick meal at a roadside hot dog cart.

The area below the university dorms was very lively, with couples everywhere, dealing critical damage to Sulu, the lone wolf.

It seems that becoming a transcendent hasn't changed anything... No! I can't even count as a true transcendent yet; I've only mastered one Black Sorcery, and I haven't even practiced it...

Sulu stopped in front of a hot dog stand.

Ah, that fragrant black pepper sausage, paired with soft, sweet bread and fresh vegetables, then drizzled with ketchup, completely captured his attention.

To hell with being a lone wolf, to hell with couples—what could be more important than eating?

He took out his Toner and prepared to speak, when suddenly, his sleeve was tugged from the side.

"Hello, Potter!"

A timid voice came. Sulu turned his head to see a female student. She was wearing a simple dress, had a round face with a few freckles on her cheeks, and wore large, round-rimmed glasses that covered almost half her face. Her eyes, however, were very pure and pretty, giving her a cute appearance.

"Hello, Molly! Is something the matter?"

Sulu recognized the visitor as his classmate, Molly Apple, and asked with a blank expression.

Even a female classmate cannot stop me from eating first, ahhh!

Sulu knew deep down that this personality of his was the culprit behind him remaining single to this day, but there was no helping it; he had been a shut-in for so long that he couldn't change it back.

Molly lowered her head, seemingly frightened by Sulu, handed over a note, and stammered, "Beatrice asked me to give this to you. Goodbye!"

After saying this, she immediately turned and ran away.

Congratulations, you have taken another step forward on the path of becoming a golden bachelor!

Sulu kept his poker face, bought a hot dog and juice, and while stuffing them into his mouth, he opened the note:

[Seven o'clock this evening, White Tower Cafe, Private Room 303. I have something I want to tell you — Beatrice]

The pink note was permeated with the scent of perfume, making Sulu's heart flutter: Could it be... is my single life finally coming to an end?

Hmm, this was very likely.

Although I am not particularly striking, Sean is a big mouth; he must have spread the news that I received an offer from Green Tree Castle Laboratory.

As a research assistant, my salary already exceeds that of many wage earners, and I am surely destined to enter the circles of high society in the future.

Beatrice rejected me before, but now she regrets it and wants to be my girlfriend? That's a possibility.

Sulu didn't look down on her fickleness; after all, girls with "mines" at home were a rare minority, and most people had to be responsible for themselves, their families, and their futures.

Besides, the Federation had an open culture; dating didn't necessarily mean one had to get married.

Hmm, definitely worth checking out!

Sulu looked at the clock tower and found he still had some time, so he immediately returned to the dorm to dig out Sean's formal suit.

"White shirt, jacket, trousers, bowtie, wool top hat... hmm, looks pretty good!"

After dressing up, he looked in the mirror and adjusted his bowtie, as if going for an interview, then walked out of the university and arrived at the White Tower Cafe.

The White Tower Cafe was located near St. George University, a short distance away, taking only a dozen minutes on foot. Their "couples' coffee" was very famous and the top choice for many students in love. It even had private rooms with excellent soundproofing... Sulu felt great admiration for the fellow who had personally tested the soundproofing quality.

Although it was just an ordinary date, his heart was inexplicably excited as he walked along. His pace was brisk, and before long, he arrived in front of a huge, three-story white building.

"Welcome!"

Passing through the revolving glass doors, a waiter in a tuxedo immediately stepped forward to greet him.

Sulu cast a glance around; in the soft lighting, the European-style decor was quite exquisite. A circle of sofas was arranged in the lobby, the air was filled with the scent of incense and coffee, and soothing music played in the background. It had to be said, the atmosphere was quite nice.

"Hello, sir, how many in your party?"

"Box 303, I have an appointment!" Sulu maintained a stoic expression.

"Please, follow me." The waiter naturally took Sulu's coat and led him up to the third floor into a small private box. He opened the door and hung the coat on a rack: "The box fee has already been paid. Would you like to order any drinks?"

"Thank you, but I would like to wait for my companion to arrive before ordering!"

Sulu politely and courteously declined. Watching the waiter exit and gently pull the door shut, he finally had the time to examine the box.

Hmm, the sofa was large, and the purple curtains were quite atmospheric; once drawn, they provided excellent privacy.

What will Beatrice want to talk to me about next? Begging for my forgiveness? Wanting to be my girlfriend... or perhaps... asking for money?

Thinking of the last possibility, Sulu's face was filled with vigilance.

Time ticked away, second by second. Finally, at 7:15, the door to the box opened, and a young girl walked in.