At exactly eleven, Lu Zheng met Tong Muxuan at Dongshan Park subway station.
As expected of a programmer, even for a blind date, he wore the standard checkered shirt and jeans, though he’d washed his hair beforehand.
“You’ve only been working a few days, and you’ve already got a little belly?” Lu Zheng teased, patting Tong Muxuan’s stomach.
“Get off me!” Tong Muxuan swatted his hand away. “The company has a gym, I work out every day. Unlike you, cooped up at home for a month, you’ve… bloody hell, the legendary six-pack?”
“Just a little exercise this month, nothing special,” Lu Zheng grinned.
“Tch, planning a career change?”
“Change to what?” Lu Zheng didn’t catch on.
“Don’t tell me no aunties at the gym have their eyes on you,” Tong Muxuan smirked. “With that pretty-boy face and those muscles, older women would be drooling.”
“Ha,” Lu Zheng shot him a disdainful look. “Sorry, the older ones can’t squeeze through the crowd of young ladies around me.”
“Impressive, you’re the king of confidence,” Tong Muxuan gave a thumbs-up. “Why go for aunties when you could be a kept man? Wait till I make it big, I’ll back you up at your in-laws’ place!”
“Get lost!”
College friendships are the purest. After a month apart, Lu Zheng and Tong Muxuan felt no distance at all.
“Alright, serious talk. How’d you meet her, what’s she like, where’s she from, is she legit?”
“What is this, a census?” Tong Muxuan groaned. “Parents set it up, she’s in Haicheng, same graduating year, works at a bank.”
“Tch, state-owned enterprise, nice!”
“Ha, my salary crushes hers!”
“You’re the man!”
“By the way,” Tong Muxuan asked, “how’s your job hunt going?”
“Nothing yet, planning to live off a sugar mummy.”
“Be serious,” Tong Muxuan rolled his eyes. “I’m tight with my department head, I can put in a word for you.”
“No need,” Lu Zheng waved him off. “I’ve got income.”
“What income? Freelance coding or writing web novels?” Tong Muxuan scoffed.
“You look down on web novels?” Lu Zheng glared. “Top writers make a hundred million a year!”
“And that’s you?”
“Nope.”
Lu Zheng backed down instantly, admitting most struggling writers couldn’t even earn enough to replace their worn-out underwear.
“Anyway, I’m fine, I’ve got income. You think I’d hold back with you guys if I needed help?”
“Really?”
“Really!” Lu Zheng nodded firmly.
“Fair enough,” Tong Muxuan nodded, then mused, “Did I mess up your work by dragging you out today? Gym’s probably busiest on weekends with all your ‘clients.’”
“Get lost!”
…
Fulon Plaza, South Gate Two.
“You didn’t just book a restaurant?”
“Clearly you’ve never dated,” Tong Muxuan chuckled. “You meet first, then decide together. Watch and learn, bro!”
Lu Zheng rubbed his chin, feeling the workplace had made Tong Muxuan slicker than their uni days. This was the third time he’d been left speechless.
Should he just pull a knife?
“There they are,” Tong Muxuan nudged him, pointing ahead. “The one in red is mine.”
Following his gaze, Lu Zheng saw two figures approaching, one in red, one in white.
The girl in red was just over 1.6 meters, a head shorter than Tong Muxuan, with delicate features and soft skin, a classic Sichuan beauty.
The other, in a white dress, was slightly taller, with refined makeup and decent looks. Her shoulder-length hair curled slightly at the ends, exuding a touch of charm.
Both above average.
“Tong Muxuan?”
“That’s me, hello, lovely ladies!”
“This is my best friend, Luo Jun.”
“This is my mate, Lu Zheng.”
After introductions, Lu Zheng learned the main girl was Su Mengmeng.
That name…
Well, it’s nice, but Lu Zheng couldn’t help wondering how Su Mengmeng would introduce herself when she’s older.
“What’s for lunch?”
The first test arrived.
“I checked, Lao Qingyu Hotpot in the plaza’s got good reviews,” Tong Muxuan answered promptly. “If hotpot’s too heavy, Chi Jing Japanese has great seafood, or there’s Gangcui Restaurant and Haihua Local Cuisine, both popular.”
Lu Zheng sucked in a breath, thinking if he didn’t have his jade seal, he’d probably stay single forever.
Su Mengmeng and Luo Jun politely asked Lu Zheng’s opinion, and he, of course, said he was fine with anything.
The four happily settled on a lunch spot.
Haihua Local Cuisine.
“Luo Jun’s a local, and Haihua’s one of the better places for local dishes.”
Lu Zheng nodded. He’d glanced at his phone earlier; the girls didn’t pick the priciest Chi Jing Japanese. Haihua’s per-person cost was only slightly higher than Gangcui’s.
This first exchange was both Su Mengmeng’s test and Tong Muxuan’s.
…
Seated, the menu naturally went to Luo Jun, the local expert.
Four dishes and a soup, a mix of meat and vegetables.
The food arrived quickly, vibrant and elegantly presented. As for taste, well, that’s subjective.
But eating wasn’t really the point.
As they nibbled, Lu Zheng listened to Tong Muxuan and Su Mengmeng chat.
Starting with their hometowns, they moved to family backgrounds, then life and studies in Haicheng.
Finally, they touched on the big issue: settling down in Haicheng.
Housing!
“Haicheng’s houses are pricey. Even as a programmer at a top gaming company with a high salary, saving for a down payment will take years,” Tong Muxuan said. “They say programming’s a young person’s game, with thirty-five as the cutoff. I’m learning new languages and frameworks to stay competitive. Meanwhile, I’m not content just slaving away for a paycheck, so in my free time, I’m working on an indie game. If it takes off, even a small profit could solve the housing issue. Even if it flops, I’ve got enough skills to stay in the game.”
Lu Zheng was impressed. Who knew Old Tong was so clear-headed?
Clearly, Tong Muxuan’s rationality struck a chord with Su Mengmeng.
Plus, he wasn’t bad-looking—over 1.75 meters, refined, warm, and thoughtful.
With his sensible plans for the future, unless Su Mengmeng was aiming to marry into wealth, Tong Muxuan was a solid prospect.
“Of course,” Tong Muxuan’s tone shifted abruptly, “all that’s uncertain. The only sure thing is, even if I don’t make it big, my parents can scrape together the down payment for a Haicheng house.”
Lu Zheng: (ー_ー)!!
You just ruined your whole vibe, mate!
