Pingcheng New Street was a narrow pedestrian street with a unique charm.

Despite having "New" in its name, all the buildings were old, merely renovated.

The uneven cobblestone pavement gave off a quaint, historical feel, yet the street was lined with trendy Western restaurants, fashion boutiques, and hair salons.

It was a fusion of youthful energy and historical weight, creating a distinct cultural atmosphere.

Stepping out of the modern metro station and onto the aged cobblestone road, it felt almost like traveling through time.

"He actually lives in a place like this?"

Despite its vintage aesthetic, this area was still downtown.

The surrounding buildings were all historically protected properties, meaning they were crazy expensive.

So Yan Liuzhuan was also loaded, huh?

Well… made sense.

A rich kid like Tan Rinka having rich friends was only logical…

But then, I also knew Haitang, a certified rich kid—

So why the hell was I still broke?!

"This house originally belonged to his grandfather," Rinka explained.

"After he passed away, Yan Liuzhuan missed him a lot and really liked the atmosphere here, so he moved in alone."

"Huh. I always thought he was an absolute rationalist."

"He’s a pretty contradictory person.

He takes rules really seriously, but he’s also surprisingly sentimental.

Then again, if someone was too logical, they wouldn’t be able to create art, right?"

"You really know him well, huh? Are you secretly in love with him?"

Rinka skipped along the cobblestones, playing that "step on a crack, break your mother’s back" game.

The sunhat’s shadow covered his face, making his expression unreadable.

"Well… if we’re talking about liking, then yeah, I did like him."

"He’s helped me a lot since we were kids."

"‘Did’ like him? So you don’t like him anymore?"

Normally, asking a guy whether he liked another guy would feel weird—

But coming from Rinka, it felt completely natural.

"I figured myself out.
He’s too outstanding, and I’m… well, a guy.
So I let it go.
Not that kind of ‘like’ anymore—but we’re still really close as friends."

So in other words—

If the gender issue was solved, he’d go for Yan Liuzhuan.

Damn.

And to think, I was actually considering writing his name in the notebook, turning him into a girl, and smoothly making him my girlfriend.

You ask me, why not just accept Xiao Lei’s love instead?

Are you kidding me?!

Rinka and Xiao Lei are completely different!

Completely!!

"So, Rinka, do you like me more, or do you like Yan Liuzhuan more?"

"Waaah, Kai-chan, you’re the worst!

How am I supposed to answer that~?"

Dodged.

"By the way, why does it feel like you’re taking me on a shopping trip?"

"Technically, I’m looking for a restaurant.
Eating at his place is pure suffering, so it’s better to grab some food before heading over."

We strolled along the stone-paved street, while the cool air drifting out from the nearby shops tempted me endlessly.

As we passed by an old-fashioned bookstore, my peripheral vision caught sight of a familiar face.

Finally, an excuse to go inside and enjoy some air-conditioning.

I grabbed Rinka and boldly pushed open the door—

The chilled air instantly washed away the summer heat.

"Oh my, isn’t this Senior Li? Working part-time again?"

Why the hell do I keep running into this guy everywhere?!

Was there a multiversal army of Li Jianlians roaming this world?!

Black-and-white mixed hair.
Deep eyebags.
Sickly pale skin.

Today’s Senior Li Jianlian still had his signature vampire-like complexion.

"Ah, yeah…"

He responded instinctively, but then paused, his expression turning confused and doubtful.

"Uh… who are you?"

…Oh. Right.

I forgot about my current state—without my glasses, he wouldn’t recognize me.

Crap. Its a stalemate.

"Oh, if it isn’t our school beauty~"

Li Jianlian didn’t recognize me, but he immediately recognized Rinka.

Well, obviously.

As the boy's campus official school beauty, there was no way anyone wouldn’t know him.

"Hello, Senior! I’m just out with a friend today."

"Your friend knows my name… Have we met before?"

He squinted at me, examining my face.

I broke into a nervous sweat and kept my mouth shut.

His eyes darted between me and Rinka a few times—

Then suddenly, his expression lit up in realization.

He snapped his fingers.

"Oh, I remember now! Are you… Chang Kai’s little sister?!"

…

I felt the floor vanish beneath me.

I nearly lost my balance.

Sister?!

Wait—

Now that I think about it, Haitang did give me a fake female ID…

Maybe I should just roll with it.

"Nice to meet you, Senior Li!

I’m Chang Lingmeng, Chang Kai’s little sister~"

Tan Linhua leaned in and whispered into my ear:
"Oh-ho~ Kai-chan, you’re really committing to this? Might as well keep it up when we meet Yan Liuzhuan too?"

"I heard from my brother that you worked at a buffet before. Hehe."

Pretending to be a little sister felt too awkward.

I could feel my smile stiffening.

"Oh, I quit that job."

"The part-time wages here on Pingcheng New Street are better than in the Tianping business district."

Then, his tone shifted into work mode, flashing a sales smile:
"Since you two are already here, how about buying a book?"

Wow.

He really took his job seriously.

He was already in full salesman mode, ready to push a sale.

"Oh~ what good novels do you recommend lately?"

Rinka played along enthusiastically.

Meanwhile, I wasn’t really a book person.

If I had free time, I’d rather play video games.

"You’re in luck. There’s actually a new bestseller that’s really popular with girls your age—
Right there on the front shelf."

I finally noticed the promotional display near the entrance, filled with stacks of identical books.

There was even a dedicated promotion banner.

"Oh, you mean Dreamlike Fragrance?"

Even just the title gave off a strong pink, flowery aura…

"Yup. Apparently, the author is a highly praised newcomer. It’s a romance novel aimed at female readers—why not buy one and read it together?"

Hah! Nice try, Li Jianlian!

You messed up this time!

This book might be marketed towards girls, but neither of us are actually girls—

There’s no way we’d be interested in some shoujo love story!

"Ooooh! A romance novel? Let’s buy one!"

"Wait, you’re actually interested?!"

Does everyone in this world just live to slap me in the face?!

This world is too terrifying!

After paying, Rinka immediately tore off the plastic wrap, eager to read.

I took a quick look at the cover—

A crying girl was featured on the front, published by Lilim Publishing.

Author: Miyanaga Kohime

Japanese? Or just a pen name?

"Little Lingmeng, what kind of books do you like?"

Having closed the deal with Rinka, Li Jianlian turned his salesman skills onto me.

"Sorry, I’m not really into reading."

My rejection didn’t faze him—he just sighed with mild regret.

"I see… Well, you know, girls who read books tend to be more popular with guys."

…

Welp. Now I’m definitely never touching a book.

I had zero interest in being popular with guys.

"Senior Li, any restaurant recommendations nearby? We haven’t had lunch yet."

"Exit the bookstore, turn right, then take another right at the first intersection.
There’s a place that sells crab pot stew—it’s pretty good.
For two girls like you, a small pot should be enough. No need for extra dishes.
Oh, wait… I forgot that our school beauty here is actually a guy?"

"Oh, no worries! Forgetting is actually better~"

Crab pot stew is a hearty dish, packed with:
Swimming crabs
Chicken feet
Chicken gizzards
Japanese tofu
Rice cakes

All stewed together in one big pot.

It tasted great—

But since everything absorbs the same broth, all the ingredients ended up tasting the same.

About halfway through, the flavor started feeling a bit repetitive.

Just as we finished eating—

Li Jianlian suddenly walked out of the kitchen, wearing an apron.

"Wait. Weren’t you working at the bookstore?!"

Was there seriously an army of uncountable Li Jianlian clones in this world?!

"Oh, my bookstore shift is just in the morning.

During the lunch rush, I work here at the restaurant.

Plus, they give me a free meal after my shift, so it’s a pretty sweet deal."

"Aren’t you afraid of literally working yourself to death?"

Looks like the legend of the part-time warrior was far from over…