"Yeah, we agreed to meet tomorrow."
"Want me to go with you?"
"No need."
Spring was ending, summer had quietly arrived. The sunlight scorched her eyes.
Zeng Keqin arrived at the provincial library entrance half an hour early.
Wearing a dark green knit top and a white long skirt, this minimalist outfit gave her a relaxed elegance, effortlessly beautiful.
Passersby occasionally turned their heads as if unintentionally.
Zeng Keqin didn't notice, raising her hand to shield her eyes from the sun.
Will he come?
She watched the minute hand of her watch point to fifty-eight.
Fifty-nine.
One o'clock.
But that person's figure had yet to appear.
Could it be...
Is he messing with her?
Under the pine tree across the street, Jiang Shiyu leaned against the trunk, his gaze fixed on the slender figure. He watched her go from patiently waiting to anxiously glancing around, then to pacing back and forth.
He still didn't move, his eyes full of blatant scrutiny and suspicion.
Until she stopped a girl with bangs.
"Excuse me, could I borrow your phone to make a call?"
The girl hesitated, a guarded look in her eyes. "How long?"
"Three minutes."
The girl reluctantly pulled out her phone and was about to hand it over when a casual voice came from behind—
"No need."
Zeng Keqin and the girl turned around at the same time.
Jiang Shiyu's dazzling blond hair gleamed with a halo in the sunlight.
A pair of headphones hung around his slender neck. His brown jacket was loosely half-open, revealing a deep purple T-shirt underneath. He wore exaggerated black cargo pants and stepped on a skateboard.
He lightly hooked the board with his toe and tucked it under his arm in one smooth, decisive motion.
"So handsome!"
The girl beside her exclaimed, then quickly covered her mouth. She looked back several times as she left.
Zeng Keqin's mind was entirely on her phone. Seeing him arrive, she demanded, "You're half an hour late."
"Oh, really?" He shrugged. "Lost track of time."
Zeng Keqin didn't want to make a fuss, but his indifferent attitude sparked a surge of anger inside her.
"Shouldn't you apologize for being late?"
She wanted to say it firmly, but the words came out as soft as a mosquito's buzz.
A trace of amusement flickered in Jiang Shiyu's eyes. He stepped forward, half-bending down. "Has anyone ever taught you to look people in the eyes when you speak, Little Quail?"
Zeng Keqin instinctively lifted her head.
She met a pair of dark, smiling eyes. So close that she could see his long, distinct eyelashes.
Startled, she stepped back and quickly lowered her head, stumbling over her words. "Th-those are two different things." Then, as if suddenly realizing something, she added, "Who are you calling Little Quail?"
Jiang Shiyu straightened up. His eyes fell on Zeng Keqin's sunburned neck, and he answered off-topic, "I'm thirsty."
With that, he turned and walked toward the other side of the street.
The rich aroma of coffee wafted over.
But what caught everyone's attention even more was the tall figure.
Handsome is one thing, but a handsome and trendy person instantly grabbed the spotlight.
Jiang Shiyu ignored the glances around him, walked to a seat by the window, and scanned the QR code to order.
"One mocha and a sandwich."
"Alright, sir. And for this young lady?"
Zeng Keqin quickly waved her hand. "No, thanks."
Jiang Shiyu put down his phone without any intention of ordering more.
If she were a scammer, this drink would be just another piece of illicit money. If she weren't, he wouldn't create any illusion of trying to please her.
The waiter's filter shattered.