A Date in Disguise

Zhou Yi casually gathered her long hair, tying it into a neat ponytail at the back of her head. She studied her reflection, her face slightly pale from pulling several all-nighters. After a moment of hesitation, she gently applied a layer of pink lip balm. With one last glance, she approved. A white T-shirt paired with jeans—a classic look, truly her signature style.

Stepping out of the bathroom, she was immediately intercepted by Xiao Ju, who had been waiting by the door.

“Our Yiyi, in this outfit today… are you off to a construction site to move bricks?”

“No, I’m just going out… for a meal.”

“A meal? With whom?” Xiao Ju narrowed her eyes.

Zhou Yi was momentarily at a loss for words.

“Afraid to name names? Then it must be Jiang Chen!”

Zhou Yi’s eyes widened in shock. Did this woman possess psychic abilities?

“Wait, Yiyi, you’re going on a date in *that* outfit?” The other two roommates, drawn by the conversation, came over and shook their heads disapprovingly at her white T-shirt and jeans.

“And you’re not even wearing a base coat for a date! Honestly, sis, you’re starting to look more and more like a rough guy lately!”

“I already said it’s not a date!”

Zhou Yi felt as though she was talking to a brick wall.

“What do you call a meal between a man and a woman if not a date? Team building?”

“It’s really not! Please, masters, have mercy! It’s just a normal dinner!”

“I don’t care!” Xiao Ju declared, pressing Zhou Yi against the wardrobe. She then winked at the other two roommates. “Quick, pick out a dress for her! This ‘brick-moving’ outfit has to go.”

“No… I really am just going for a meal…”

****

Ten minutes later.

Zhou Yi uncomfortably adjusted the waistline of her knit dress. The subtle pressure of her over-the-knee socks made her constantly want to adjust them. Her formerly neat high ponytail was undone, allowing her long hair to cascade smoothly over her shoulders, with a delicate star hairpin adorning each side.

“It’s just a meal, is all this really necessary…”

“Trust me, when Jiang Chen sees you like this, he’ll be utterly captivated.” Xiao Ju clasped her hands together, her eyes sparkling.

Zhou Yi looked at her reflection, at the suddenly gentle and demure person staring back, and a corner of her mouth twitched.

She really didn’t need Jiang Chen to be ‘utterly captivated,’ okay? Thank you very much!

****

Meanwhile, Jiang Chen leaned casually against the lamppost in front of the girls’ dormitory, his slender fingers idly twirling his phone.

The autumn evening breeze carried a slight chill, gently lifting the hem of his light jacket.

Ten minutes had already passed since their agreed time, yet, unusually, he wasn’t impatient.

When that familiar figure appeared in his line of sight, he unconsciously straightened up.

A milk-tea colored knit dress outlined her slender silhouette. Her dark gray over-the-knee socks, meeting the hem of her skirt, revealed just the right amount of fair skin.

The star hairpins peeked out from her tea-brown hair. The faint pink lip balm gave her entire face an aura of… a softness and warmth he had never seen before.

Watching her uncomfortably tug at her skirt hem with her fingers, her gaze evasive, the corners of Jiang Chen’s lips unconsciously curved into a gentle smile.

He didn’t know why, but every time he saw her, his mood would mysteriously lighten.

Though they had only known each other for a few weeks, it felt as if he had known her for a very, very long time.

Yet, whenever he tried to recall the details, his memories were heavily pixelated, hazy and indistinct.

He even occasionally felt that the world before him wasn’t the one he originally lived in. But pinching himself hurt, so it clearly wasn’t a dream.

The most contradictory thing was this: Han Yan’s toiletries were still on the bathroom shelf, yet he always felt that the person who should be sharing instant noodles with him late at night, exchanging good mornings in the dawn light, ought to be Zhou Yi.

This absurd thought even made him laugh at himself.

“Sorry! Have you been waiting long?” Zhou Yi jogged up to him, slightly out of breath, her nose tip a little red from the autumn wind.

Jiang Chen pulled himself from his thoughts, his gaze sweeping over her lips, which shimmered with a faint pink luster. “It’s fine, I just arrived.”

“It’s all Xiao Ju and them, they insisted on…”

She choked on her words halfway through, finally understanding why girls always took so long to get ready. So much time, she realized, was spent on dressing up.

“Zhou Yi.”

“Hmm?”

“You today…”

“What about me?”

“You look very nice.”

Zhou Yi: ‘!!!’

Jiang Chen smiled again, looking at her eyes, which had instantly rounded. He reached out and adjusted the slightly crooked star hairpin in her hair. “Let’s go, Boss Zhou. I’m hungry.”

Zhou Yi: ‘…’

‘Bro, that move of yours is a bit beyond the scope…’

She unconsciously tilted her head and tossed her hair, avoiding Jiang Chen’s amused gaze.

‘What was that inexplicable flutter in her heart just now? Could she really have been infected by Xiao Ju’s shipping brain?’

‘Stop it,’ she admonished herself inwardly.

‘Comrade Zhou Yi! Please remember your factory setting is a 24K titanium alloy straight man!’

‘You can’t play a girl in the simulator for too long and actually start thinking of yourself as one!’

‘But…’

‘Was it really appropriate to keep this from her good friend?’

After 0.5 seconds of internal struggle, she quietly fell back half a step.

‘Forget it, it was safer to maintain ‘safe mode.’ After all… she wasn’t a real girl.’

She followed Jiang Chen towards the school gate.

The distance to the newly opened barbecue restaurant was a bit awkward. It was a twenty-minute walk, beyond a comfortable strolling distance, yet taking a taxi felt like a waste.

Jiang Chen turned his head, noticing her skirt hem fluttering in the wind, and naturally slowed his pace. “The wind’s strong, I’ll hail a cab. You wait here.”

“No!” Zhou Yi quickly pressed down on his hand as he reached for his phone. “It’s just one street away, there’s no need.”

Jiang Chen raised an eyebrow. “You really plan to walk there?”

Zhou Yi glared at him, exasperated. “Are you stupid? One bus stop is only two yuan! Round it up, and it’s practically free!”

Jiang Chen: ‘…’ He looked down at the slender fingers still resting on his wrist, a hint of amusement flickering in his eyes.

****

The bus slowly pulled into the station. The moment the doors opened, a surge of people poured in.

The already narrow bus compartment instantly became packed, the air filling with a mix of sweat and various perfumes.

The vehicle swayed gently with the evening rush hour traffic. Jiang Chen unconsciously raised his hand, hovering it protectively beside Zhou Yi, creating a small safe space for her.

With a sudden brake, Zhou Yi, caught off guard, stumbled forward. Jiang Chen’s arm swiftly blocked her at the waist, steadily shielding her between the window and his chest.

“Stand here.” His lowered voice brushed past her ear, his warm breath making her earlobes tingle.

“Tha-thank you…” The proximity was so close she could smell the faint scent of mint on him, and Zhou Yi felt her entire face burning hot.

‘Damn it, that feeling of her heart racing out of control was back. She really disliked this uncontrollable panic.’

‘No, this couldn’t go on.’

“By the way…” She quickly threw out a new topic. “How did you find that video?”

Jiang Chen hadn’t expected her to ask about that so suddenly. After a brief pause, he answered directly, “I asked my roommate for help.”

“Your roommate?” Zhou Yi blinked, puzzled.

“Yes. Han Yan.” Jiang Chen chuckled. “That guy is quite the dark horse; he’s usually quiet, but he’s actually a tech genius.”

‘It was him? So, in this world, Jiang Chen’s roommate is Han Yan.’ For some reason, a faint sense of loss flickered in her heart.

“Han Yan is that amazing?” She steadied her voice, maintaining the curiosity expected of an upperclassman.

“Yeah,” Jiang Chen didn’t notice her momentary distraction. “I heard he won an award in the National Information Security Competition back in high school. Several top labs were scrambling to recruit him. He just doesn’t like to show off.”

Zhou Yi feigned surprise, but in her mind, she pictured the quiet boy who always sat in the corner with headphones on.

‘Who would have thought… that low-key classmate in the real world had such hidden depths?’