Her call!

Making friends fast started with singing!

Zeng Rou queued up a whole bunch of songs for Cheng Yu and Han Qinglu.

He Zhen lived up to everyone's expectations, too, ordering all their favorite junk food, along with some snacks and prepared dishes.

Bag after bag of junk food covered the table. Yao Tao's eyes lit up, and her mouth never stopped moving.

"Hey, how are my cucumber-flavored chips gone again?!" Zeng Rou reached over to the table, only to find the plate empty again!

Yao Tao quietly lowered her hand.

It wasn't me. Don't look at me!

Can you blame me?

My persona doesn't belong somewhere as loud and lively as a karaoke room!

So I've been super well-behaved, just listening to the songs!

Then Yao Tao realized something was off. She was one of the people paying, too. What was she panicking for?

What's wrong with eating a few snacks?!

It's not like I'm not paying!

Worst case, I'll just get more!

Fifty-eight for a plate of cucumber-flavored chips. They've got some nerve!

This karaoke place is such a rip-off! They put all the unpackaged snacks on plates, boo-hoo. Who knows how much you're getting? You keep eating, and suddenly they're gone!

Although, they seem just like the ones from the supermarket. Or maybe there's no real difference.

He Zhen wanted to laugh every time he heard her.

Of course they were different. They might be snacks, but they were all freshly fried or made.

Naturally, they weren't the same as the supermarket ones.

That was what made them expensive.

They could make any kind of snack here, including chicken feet, cakes, and so on.

"I'll go order more." He Zhen stood up.

"Get plenty!" After saying that, Zeng Rou shot him a warning look. "Listen, junior, just because you're treating us doesn't mean you can eat everything. I've barely had any!"

He Zhen agreed with a soft chuckle. He glanced at Yao Tao before replying, "I'll get more this time."

Yao Tao didn't dare say anything. She felt guilty!

Don't look at me, idiot!

Don't point them my way!

Damn it, you useless teammate!

When we settle the bill, you're paying seventy percent and I'm paying thirty. Not a penny more!

Zeng Rou's eyes darted around before she figured it out. He Zhen didn't even like snacks, so the only person who could have polished them off was Yao Tao!

Yao Tao was so easily embarrassed that she was feeling awkward!

"Since you're here, why don't you sing something too, Little Peach?" Zeng Rou smiled and pointed at the song-selection screen. "Tell me what you want to sing, and I'll queue it up. Don't be shy!"

What nonsense are you talking? Believe it or not, one rendition of Leaving the Surface of the Earth from me, and we'll all be leaving the surface of the earth!

Of course, she definitely couldn't say that aloud!

Yao Tao pondered demurely.

What can I sing without breaking character?!

"Don't be shy! What are you going to do in the future if you're like this?" Zeng Rou warmed up to people incredibly fast. In no time at all, she had gone from calling her classmate Yao to Yao Tao, then Little Peach.

It was as though they had known each other for ages.

"Sing something. We'll cheer you on!" Han Qinglu was getting a little carried away, too. She hadn't drunk any alcohol, yet she felt a little tipsy.

He Zhen was about to smooth things over when Yao Tao's thoughts reached him.

I'm just thinking about what song won't ruin my persona!

He immediately closed his mouth.

It seemed this version of Yao Tao didn't need him.

That realization made He Zhen feel awkward for a moment.

Yes, Yao Tao didn't need him.

Although she was always giving him all sorts of random nicknames in her head, she hadn't actually done anything out of line.

At most, she had interfered with what he ate.

And that had only started these past two days, after their paths had crossed.

Even at the beginning, she had merely ranted furiously about Fu Xin in her own head, rather than going around complaining about her to everyone.

More than anything, she seemed to really want to become Fu Xin.

But wasn't her reason for wanting to become Fu Xin so she could date him?

He Zhen felt he was doing it again. Was this what people called convincing yourself to fall in love?

"I can sing Contentment," Yao Tao said shyly.

Low-key, easy to sing, no high notes!

Most importantly, it won't break character!

Love it, love it!

"Wow, you like listening to such old songs!" Zeng Rou was surprised, but also felt it made sense.

"What do you mean, old?!" Zhao Yixiao protested. "It's a great song!"

"What are you getting worked up for?!" Zeng Rou tapped the song-selection screen and moved Yao Tao's song straight to the top. "Let's have our junior sing first!"

"We'll clap along for you!" Zeng Rou handed Yao Tao the microphone.

Yao Tao smiled bashfully. "I'm not very good. Don't laugh at me."

Let me show you what a true karaoke queen can do!

I'm just choosing not to debut. If I did, I'd go straight to the top, okay?!

Keep the persona under control. Don't get too cocky!

Yao Tao reined in her expression.

The familiar intro began, and Yao Tao swayed her head along with it.

This brings back memories. It's pretty nice that this world has Mayday songs to sing, too.

Who knew Zhao Yixiao liked them as well?

It feels so real!

The intro ended, and Yao Tao began singing the first line. "How can I possess a rainbow? How can I embrace a summer's breeze..."

Her voice wasn't as sweet as she usually made it sound, but it felt genuine.

Her rendition of Contentment found its way into He Zhen's heart.

Beneath the multicolored lights, there were no chaotic inner thoughts.

It seemed Yao Tao really liked this song.

The song lasted only a few minutes, but no one interrupted or heckled her.

"If I fall in love with your smile, how can I keep it, how can I make it mine?"

"If your happiness is no longer because of me."

"Could letting go be the truest way of having?"

Yao Tao sang the last line along with the music. "The joy of contentment makes me endure the heartache."

As the song ended, Zeng Rou was the first to applaud. "Not bad, Little Peach! You actually moved me!!!"

Oh, it was nothing special!

Yao Tao instantly grew smug.

"Thank you for liking it." She was gloating inside, but her words were ever so bashful!

"He Zhen!" Zeng Rou walked over and gave his shoulder a heavy pat. "You've finally learned to change course halfway through being blind. Cherish her!"

Before He Zhen had time to savor that, he was laughing in exasperation.

Hahahahaha!

Thinking about it, this really could give people the wrong idea!

Hahahahaha, my bestie thinks I sang that for my baby!

Hahahahaha! If I were singing for my baby, I'd definitely sing Listen to Mom! Hahahahahaha!

"I will." He Zhen said those two words through something very close to gritted teeth.

For a brief moment, he really had flattered himself.

But that moment had been shattered far too quickly!

Now it was Zeng Rou's turn to be stunned. "Say that again?"

Amid Yao Tao's endless internal hahahahas, He Zhen went to fetch cucumber-flavored chips without so much as blushing or missing a breath, intending to bury her in them.

That flutter in his heart just now had definitely been his imagination!

"Wait, we'll come with you!" Zhao Yixiao pulled Cheng Yu along to head out with He Zhen. "You guys keep singing! We'll be right back!"

He even winked at Zeng Rou.

Zeng Rou understood immediately. They were going to prepare a surprise!

That perked her up even more.

"Sure, hurry back!" Zeng Rou waved them off.

They had barely walked away when He Zhen's phone rang.

Although she was no longer pinned at the top, he hadn't changed her ringtone.

He knew without answering that it was Fu Xin calling.

He Zhen looked at his phone screen while Zhao Yixiao watched him nervously.

It was over. The atmosphere had been so nice, and now He Zhen was getting called away again.

"Yao Tao's just a young girl. You're not going to leave it to people she's only just met to take her home, are you?" Cheng Yu clearly didn't think much of Fu Xin, either.

"I'll take this call and be right back," He Zhen replied.

So, in the eyes of everyone, whether they knew him or not, was he really someone Fu Xin could summon with a mere crook of her finger?

Zhao Yixiao didn't dare say a word.

One impossible person meeting another. Great. This time, they would definitely be the ones taking Yao Tao home!