A peal of laughter.
Su Mengmeng didn’t think Tong Muxuan’s comment ruined his image; she found it witty and charming.
As Tong Muxuan and Su Mengmeng hit it off, Lu Zheng’s mind wandered.
This wasn’t like the web novels or online anecdotes. Shouldn’t there be nitpicking and disdain? The woman demanding a car, a house, and a million-yuan salary, the man expecting a virtuous, young beauty? Then parting on bad terms, each turning the other into a viral story for online amusement.
But now, a success on the first try?
Boring…
No twists or drama. How’s an author supposed to pad the word count?
…
Tong Muxuan and Su Mengmeng paused their chat, realizing they’d neglected Lu Zheng and Luo Jun.
“Lu Zheng, got a girlfriend?” Su Mengmeng asked.
“Nope,” Lu Zheng shook his head. “Seeing Old Tong’s performance, I realize I’m miles away from qualifying for one.”
“Hehe!” Su Mengmeng giggled, then teased, “Junjun’s single too, want to give it a shot?”
“Where’s Lu Zheng from?” Luo Jun played along, deadpan.
“Qin Province.”
Luo Jun sighed dramatically, “Pity, my parents don’t want me dating out-of-towners.”
Lu Zheng nodded knowingly, “Fair enough, I wouldn’t either!”
And just like that, the topic passed.
A lighthearted rejection, Luo Jun’s emotional intelligence shining through.
Everyone understood and dropped the subject.
Lu Zheng tapped his forehead, thinking he couldn’t even stage a dramatic comeback—nobody gave him the chance.
He couldn’t exactly throw a tantrum, spouting lines like “thirty years east, thirty years west, don’t underestimate a young man’s potential” or “your multi-million-yuan properties mean nothing to me.”
Too tacky, what is this, a novel?
…
“What’s the plan for the afternoon?” Su Mengmeng asked, linking arms with Luo Jun. “We’ve got no other plans today.”
The blind date’s first step was a success, so naturally, the afternoon was free. If it hadn’t worked out, there’d be “urgent” plans.
“How about a murder mystery game?” Tong Muxuan suggested. “There are a few good spots in the next building, some scripts have great reviews.”
A murder mystery was a natural way to bond, and Tong Muxuan had clearly thought it through.
Murder mystery games, an evolution of werewolf games, had surged in popularity over the past couple of years, elevated far beyond their origins.
High-end ones featured top-notch scripts, immersive settings, costume changes, and skilled hosts to keep the pace, offering a full-on experience. A four-to-five-hour session was said to let you live another life.
Exaggerated, sure, but it spoke to the quality.
Haicheng, a major Chinese city, had plenty of upscale murder mystery venues. The neighboring building housed a dozen, half with stellar ratings.
“Sounds fun!” Su Mengmeng clapped, clearly a fan.
As the day’s star, Su Mengmeng called the shots, and neither Luo Jun nor Lu Zheng objected.
They picked a highly rated venue online that allowed walk-in group games and headed over.
…
“Welcome! Do you have a reservation? What script would you like?” the owner asked eagerly.
“We just booked online for that horror-themed one!” Su Mengmeng’s eyes sparkled.
“You mean *The Cries of Apartment No. 5*,” the owner replied promptly.
“Exactly! Are the others here?” Su Mengmeng nodded eagerly.
“They’re here, resting over there.”
Following the owner’s gesture, they saw two women on the lounge sofas, glancing their way.
“Wow, beauties!” Su Mengmeng whispered.
Both had great figures. One was average-looking, but the other was undeniably striking.
Over 1.7 meters, medium-length hair, healthy wheat-colored skin, wearing shorts that weren’t too short but showed off toned, long legs.
“Hello!”
After greetings, the owner led them to the game room.
*The Cries of Apartment No. 5* was a modern script, so no costume changes were needed. They listened to the host explain the backstory and reviewed their character scripts.
The plot: years ago, a woman was murdered in this apartment, and ever since, cries echoed at night.
No ghosts exist, so someone must be playing tricks.
The players were neighbors, each connected to the victim and holding secrets about one another, leading to mutual suspicion, accusations, and claims of guilt.
The story unfolded from there…
The host kept the pace masterfully, and everyone was immersed.
Lu Zheng’s performance was average, while Su Mengmeng proved she was all enthusiasm, no skill.
Luo Jun and Tong Muxuan tried hard but weren’t standout.
Surprisingly, the two women shone. The eerie, terrifying setting didn’t faze them; their calm deductions left the host nearly in tears.
You’ve figured it out before I’ve even revealed the clues!
…
Four hours later, the game ended.
“You two were amazing! You’re practically professional detectives,” Su Mengmeng gushed, striking up a chat.
“Not really, the clues weren’t that hidden,” the healthy-looking beauty replied.
“So cool! Want to exchange contacts? We could play again,” Su Mengmeng said, a novice eager to follow pros.
Tong Muxuan had done well, but the contrast was stark. Luckily, these were women.
“No thanks, we’re pretty busy and don’t play often,” the healthy beauty declined.
Still, they left the building together, walking to the street corner.
As they prepared to part ways, Lu Zheng noticed the pedestrian light turn yellow. An elderly woman pushing a stroller began crossing, too impatient to wait.
On the other side, a Ferrari sped up, clearly aiming to beat the light.
“Bloody hell!”
Lu Zheng wasn’t the only one who saw it; gasps rose around them.
A blur flashed past— the healthy beauty dashed forward.
But Lu Zheng, enhanced by fortune’s light, saw she wouldn’t make it and might even get hit alongside the elderly woman.
“Screech!”
The Ferrari braked hard, but it was too late.
“Whoosh!”
Lu Zheng leaped onto the road, overtaking the woman and gently pushing her back.
Borrowing momentum, he became a blur, reaching the elderly woman just before the Ferrari. He scooped her up, grabbed the stroller, and dashed to the opposite sidewalk.
The Ferrari roared past, then screeched to a stop, swerving to the side.
