“Next, I won’t imitate Shui Hua anymore. Honestly, I almost couldn’t stand it myself just now. As for the story arrangement… let’s just draw from reality for now. You borrowed 980,000 from me, right? Though it was sort of hush money, I really should thank you. Let’s just say this meal is to show my gratitude.”
“Understood, looking forward to your performance, Teacher Yu Hua.”
“Alright.”
Yu Hua cleared his throat, his expression becoming much more natural.
“For example, let’s start right now, after the greetings, as we’re on our way to the restaurant… This is when the conversation can begin. At this stage, there are a lot of options, like starting with the other person.”
“For example, I notice you didn’t come in your Magical Girl outfit today but wore your regular clothes. My first instinct would be to talk about that.”
He guided gently, “Anyway, the topic should always center around the two of us, not about the weather or something.”
“Oh, oh.”
Liu Jin nodded with a sudden realization, indicating that he’d learned something.
Yu Hua immediately entered demonstration mode.
He turned his head, his tone much more relaxed than before, “Come to think of it, Lin, you came in casual clothes today? I always imagined S-Class Heroes would be pretty formal, even in private.”
“Since we’re meeting in private… I thought this would make you feel more at ease.”
With Yu Hua’s lead, Liu Jin relaxed a bit, and the conversation started to flow naturally.
“Haha, you care that much about how I feel, when it’s me who’s supposed to thank you…”
Yu Hua followed along smoothly.
“Isn’t that just what friends do for each other?”
Yu Hua thought to himself, ‘Liu Jin can really talk, so why was he acting so clueless just now?’
He naturally fell into step beside her, matching her pace as they walked forward.
“Say, Lin,” Yu Hua pointed ahead at a Western restaurant with a nice environment but obviously affordable prices, “bringing you to a place like this—do you think I’m shortchanging the status of an S-Class Hero?”
Hearing this, Liu Jin’s conversation really opened up.
She turned to look at him, a playful glint in her eyes, “So what, do you think eating fifteen-yuan pork trotters at the cafeteria every day suits my status better?”
“Haha, fair enough.”
They entered the restaurant and took a seat by the window.
Yu Hua slid the menu over.
“You’re the guest of honor today. Order whatever you like, don’t be polite. I know talking about money in front of you feels a bit clownish, but it’s my sincerity.”
Liu Jin studied the menu carefully, then picked a seafood pasta and the smallest pizza, before passing the menu back to Yu Hua.
He glanced at her order and couldn’t help teasing,
“That’s all? Don’t tell me, ever since you became a Magical Girl, you have to keep your figure?”
Liu Jin shook her head slightly, showing a helpless smile, “It’s not that extreme. This form just doesn’t get that hungry; eating too much actually feels uncomfortable.”
“Sounds like you really know your appetite in this form?”
Yu Hua asked, following up.
“Well… I am kind of a Public Figure,” Liu Jin tucked a strand of gold hair behind her ear unconsciously, explaining, “There are always various Banquets and Receptions I have to attend.”
“Banquets and Receptions, huh? That doesn’t seem like your style. I’d always imagined you’d just refuse and go back to your dorm to study.”
Yu Hua looked puzzled, having a hard time picturing Liu Jin working the social scene.
“B-but the food at those is really good!”
Liu Jin said earnestly.
“Well, I guess that really is your style.”
Yu Hua realized he’d overthought it.
***
As Liu Jin finished the pasta on her plate, their practice date drew to a close.
“So, I walked you through the process. You’ve probably got a feel for it now, right?”
Yu Hua drained his glass of lemon water.
“Uh… I was so focused on chatting…”
Liu Jin realized she’d gotten too into the conversation and hadn’t learned any of the techniques.
“No worries, you wouldn’t get the hang of it anyway. Better to just focus on the atmosphere—just keep that in mind when you’re on your date with Shui Hua tomorrow.”
Liu Jin had performed far better than Yu Hua expected, so there was no need for further training.
After all, he was always normal in the dorm; it seemed that awkwardness before was just from nervousness.
As the mood lightened, Yu Hua grew curious and leaned in slightly, “By the way, Lin, I’ve always wondered—how did you fall for Shui Hua at first sight? According to the news reports, weren’t you in a coma back then?”
“Well… if I have to say…”
“At the time, I really thought I was going to die.”
Her eyes grew distant.
“So many memories flashed before my eyes, like a revolving lantern. I was a bystander, wandering aimlessly through the Museum, watching all those scenes float by, feeling nothing, just numb as they surfaced one by one and then… sinking into endless darkness.”
Her voice paused, as if she were reliving that helpless moment.
Then, her tone lifted slightly, a warmth rising within:
“But then, someone grabbed me. That hand was so slender and weak, but I could feel she was giving everything she had to pull me back… I opened my eyes on instinct and seared her image into my mind without even thinking. When I truly woke up, I just couldn’t forget her.”
“Uh…”
Yu Hua listened, his expression becoming a bit odd.
He couldn’t help but joke, “From your description, sounds more like you fell in love with your attending physician at first sight.”
“I’m serious, don’t laugh.”
Liu Jin turned her head, golden eyes full of sincerity.
“I just think it sounds a bit too casual.”
“But aren’t most cases of love at first sight just like this?”
Liu Jin retorted, her gaze pure.
“Sometimes you don’t even need any real contact; just a single glance in a crowd, and you never forget.”
Yu Hua insisted on teasing, “Still, it sounds to me like you just have a Connoisseur of Beauty streak acting up.”
“So what if I am?”
Liu Jin didn’t deny it; instead, she grew even more righteously confident, with a hint of unconcealed excitement.
She pulled out her phone, scooted closer to Yu Hua, and opened an album dedicated to Shui Hua—over a hundred photos of Magical Girl Shui Hua, including Official Photos from the Supernatural Department Magical Girl Administration Bureau and Fan Art created by fans.
“Look, Shui Hua is so cute… falling for her at first sight is totally normal, isn’t it?”
With Liu Jin being so assertive, Yu Hua found himself at a loss for words.
If he denied her compliments about himself being cute, it’d just sound like false modesty.
He suppressed his retort for a while, then could only say,
“You’re not even pretending anymore.”
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