At dusk, on the observation deck of a Michelin-starred restaurant on the Bund.
The river breeze brushed their faces. The three towering skyscrapers of Lujiazui pierced the clouds, while Pudong's skyline glowed as bright as day.
Xiong Yaqian sat like a proper lady, her gaze lowered slightly.
On the table sat Australian wagyu tenderloin, each portion costing several hundred yuan; plump, generously sized oysters; and French pan-seared foie gras with a hint of lavender... Everything was just like the date she'd imagined.
He'd pulled out her chair for her, and carefully asked about her preferences. He was so considerate, so attentive.
Through her rose-colored glasses, Xiong Yaqian felt that everything her blind date did suited her taste perfectly. He seemed to know just what would make her happy.
Even after the dishes had arrived, he'd found an excuse to step away for a while so she could take photos without feeling self-conscious.
"Zhang Yang, I have a pretty good impression of you. What about you?" Xiong Yaqian took a small bite of the fragrant foie gras. Fighting the flutter in her heart, she asked as calmly as she could.
"I feel pretty good about you too," Zhang Yang said without hesitation. "But I'm actually a bit slow to warm up. I think we still need to get to know each other better, don't you?"
Because of the task, Zhang Yang naturally wanted to leave a good impression.
But after completing it, would he still want to pursue things further? Honestly, a month ago, if he'd met someone like her on a blind date, he would've pursued her with everything he had.
But life was unpredictable.
A month ago, he could've tried his hardest and she might not even have given him the time of day.
Now she was subtly showing interest, while he was wondering whether he wanted to take things further—and even choosing his words carefully to leave himself some room.
"That's true. Taking things slowly is good. After all, we're both looking to get married," Xiong Yaqian said, following his lead.
They ate and chatted casually as the river breeze blew over them.
The minutes ticked by.
Zhang Yang checked her affection level. It was already in the seventies, just a hair's breadth from eighty.
"Want to take a walk after dinner?" Zhang Yang suggested after paying the bill.
"Sure. And, about dinner tonight... I'm sorry you had to spend so much." Xiong Yaqian had just looked at the bill. They'd spent over a thousand yuan, and this was only their first time meeting. She couldn't help feeling that he really valued her.
If it had been some ordinary guy trying to impress her, she wouldn't have thought much of it.
But being valued by a man who suited her so well was something she was more than happy to accept—and it made her look forward to what might come next.
"It was only right." Zhang Yang smiled and casually picked up his coat.
They left the restaurant, famous for its beautiful views, and strolled along the Bund.
At this rate, Zhang Yang figured the task was as good as completed. Even if he hadn't reached the target yet, he should manage it by the time he took her home that night.
They hadn't gone far when he suddenly paused, spotting someone approaching from up ahead.
Her long hair fluttered in the breeze, and under the night lights, her skin was dazzlingly fair.
"Why is Bei Wei here?" In a city as huge as Magic City, with a population of more than twenty million permanent residents, Zhang Yang had never expected to run into Bei Wei in this sea of people.
Still, even though they'd bumped into each other, he had no intention of going over to greet her. Right now, his focus was on raising the other woman's affection level. If an unexpected interruption caused complications, it could cost him dearly.
"Shall we go for a walk over there?" Zhang Yang pointed to the side, intending to take Xiong Yaqian elsewhere.
"Sure." Xiong Yaqian nodded, her handbag tucked under her arm.
"Brother Zhang!"
"Brother Zhang!" Just as the two were about to head off to the side, Bei Wei suddenly rose onto her toes and waved at him with a delighted smile.
Zhang Yang stopped. Beside him, Xiong Yaqian looked at him too.
Well, there was no way he could pretend he hadn't seen her now. Zhang Yang had no choice but to go over.
"Brother Zhang, it really is you! I thought I was seeing things." Bei Wei stopped in front of him. Looking at how much Zhang Yang had changed, she couldn't hide the disbelief in her eyes.
"And who is this?" Xiong Yaqian stood to the side with a smile, but a sudden sense of wariness and unease stirred in her.
The girl was slender and fresh-faced, with flawless fair skin. Above all, she had the unmistakable air of youth about her. She looked like she'd only recently graduated.
Compared with her, Xiong Yaqian felt completely outclassed.
Zhang Yang was just about to explain when Bei Wei spoke first.
"Hello, I'm Bei Wei, a friend of Zhang Yang's. It's nice to meet you." Bei Wei held out her hand and introduced herself openly.
"Friend?" Xiong Yaqian echoed, puzzled.
Zhang Yang thought, This is bad. They were just coworkers, but Bei Wei had deliberately given such an ambiguous introduction. What if Xiong Yaqian was the suspicious type? What then?
Come on, miss. Don't mess up my task!
Ding!
A sudden chime rang out in Zhang Yang's mind.
Zhang Yang had been feeling a little troubled. Now he looked stunned as he listened to the unexpected sound.
Task: First Try (Completed)
Reward 1: 5 experience points
Reward 2: Height increased by 2 centimeters.
Ding!
Congratulations, host, you have reached level 3.
Current level: 3 (1/25)
Current daily cashback: 20000
Ding: You have an unclaimed level-up gift pack.
Wait... The task was complete? And he'd leveled up too!
Was this a case of trying to grow flowers and having them fail to bloom, only for the willows he'd planted by chance to give shade? The joy of leveling up instantly swept away his confusion. He had no time to figure out why her affection level had suddenly reached the target. All he could think about was the reward.
Just then, Xiong Yaqian took a deep breath and held out her own hand.
"I'm Xiong Yaqian, Zhang Yang's blind date—and we're from the same hometown."
They shook hands. Bei Wei gently withdrew hers, then glanced at Zhang Yang and winked at him discreetly.
"All right, Brother Zhang. I won't interrupt your date. See you tomorrow." She waved cheerfully, then disappeared into the crowd along the Bund, a smile in her eyes.
After she left, Zhang Yang looked at Xiong Yaqian, finally relaxed.
The task was complete. Now he could finally act naturally instead of carefully trying to leave a good impression with every word and gesture.
"I'll take you home. It's getting late," Zhang Yang said, checking the time.
"Sounds good." Xiong Yaqian nodded, a little distracted.
The car was quiet on the way back.
Zhang Yang concentrated on driving, with no time to notice that Xiong Yaqian's mind was wandering—or, rather, even if he did notice, he didn't care much.
Some time passed.
"By the way, that girl just now... You two seem really close?" Xiong Yaqian finally couldn't hold back and asked as if it were just a passing thought.
"Bei Wei? She's a coworker," Zhang Yang answered frankly.
"Oh, she's a coworker." Hearing his answer, Xiong Yaqian relaxed. Her instincts told her he was telling the truth.
"Who else would she be? What did you think?" Zhang Yang asked with an amused glance at her.
"Nothing... I was just asking. Don't read too much into it," Xiong Yaqian said, scrambling to explain.
They'd arrived. Zhang Yang parked outside the entrance to the residential complex where Xiong Yaqian lived.
"Um... Send me a message when you get home," Xiong Yaqian said after a moment's thought, standing outside the car.
"Got it." Zhang Yang waved, rolled up the window, and disappeared into the traffic a moment later.
Thanks to Mo Nuo, Blood Frenzy Angel, and Cloudless for the tips.
Before you continue