Chapter 1291: BAI ZE AND XIA LI'S MEET-UP (I)
Chapter 1291: BAI ZE AND XIA LI'S MEET-UP (I)
LUO YAN stared at his cousin, who was trying very hard to look perfectly normal after the mention of Xia Li. He couldn't help but smile, feeling amused. "Have you two even met up in person yet?"
He remembered the girl who loved to draw fan-art. She was really talented. Even now, he would still visit her Weibo page from time to time just to check. He always ended up downloading any new YUNxNoctis fan-art she posted.
Bai Ze felt very uncomfortable with the question. Because, yes, they had met in person, and he was pretty sure he'd made a complete fool of himself. It all started during the victory party after the finals of Arcadia Cup. They were chatting, and somehow, she ended up mentioning she was also from B City. One thing led to another, and before he knew it, they had agreed to meet up.
Thinking of that whole situation now, he couldn't help but think back to exactly what had happened during that meeting two months ago.
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Bai Ze checked his reflection one last time in his car's rearview mirror. He touched his carefully styled hair, making sure it was perfect, then turned his head left and right to check his profile. Once he was finally satisfied, he took a deep breath and stepped out of the car.
He had parked his car in the small lot behind Voyage Coffee. It was a cozy cafe near Sanlihe Park, with a nice outdoor seating area. People could sit outside, enjoy their coffee, and look out over the small river and the green space of the park. He had picked it because it seemed like a good, relaxed spot for a casual first date.
He stopped walking when that last thought flashed through his head. What first date? He scolded himself. This wasn't a date! He and Xia Li were just meeting up. This was literally the first time they would see each other in person. How could he just label it as a date in his mind?
Bai Ze had already admitted to himself that he liked Xia Li. He wasn't so oblivious that he couldn't understand his own feelings, especially when they were this strong. But there was still a small, stubborn part of him that wasn't completely sure. After all, their whole friendship, all their conversations and shared moments, had only happened inside the game. How could he be so certain that what he felt would be the same in the real world? So, meeting her now wasn't just about finally seeing her face. It was also a test, a way to confirm for himself just how real his feelings really were.
He knew that line of thinking could sound selfish and maybe even a little shallow. It felt like he was treating their meeting as some kind of experiment or evaluation, instead of just getting to know her as a person. He didn't mean for it to come off that way, but the thought was still there in the back of his mind, making him feel guilty.
But he couldn't help it. His brain just wasn't good at handling complicated things like this. This was exactly why he could be so awkward and uncertain in certain social situations. He might look and act like a confident, sociable person on the outside, but the truth was, he was terrible at dealing with his own feelings.
Bai Ze sighed to himself, pushing all the complicated thoughts aside. Then he clenched his fists in a quick burst of determination. Whatever his own confusing feelings were, they were his problem. He couldn't let any of his uncertainty affect Xia Li. He just had to make sure she had an enjoyable time today.
He pushed open the door to the cafe, and a small chime sounded above his head. He stepped inside and let his eyes scan the room. His gaze quickly found and focused on a girl sitting alone at a small table near one of the large windows.
She was petite, with shiny black hair cut in a neat bob and straight bangs that framed her forehead. A pale yellow hair clip kept her bangs neatly to the side. She had a cute button nose and her lips and cheeks were a soft pink. She wore a white short-sleeved blouse with a small, embroidered flower on the collar, tucked into a light blue pleated skirt. A thin silver necklace with a tiny star pendant rested just below her collar. Her large eyes were a warm brown and slightly upturned at the outer corners, giving them a distinct, pretty shape like a cat's eyes.
She didn't need to say a word for him to know it was her. Those distinctive cat-like eyes were a dead giveaway. But the more surprising thing for him was the fact that she was actually much cuter than he had imagined. Not that she wasn't cute in the game—her avatar had always been cute in his eyes. But the real person sitting there was even more adorable.
It wasn't just the way she was dressed or the light makeup she wore. It was the whole vibe she gave off. She had a bright energy about her that just seemed to sparkle. It made her even more charming and appealing than any image he had in his head.
As Bai Ze started walking towards her table, his heart beat faster and faster in his chest. The thumping rhythm didn't slow down at all as he got closer. It was still pounding hard when he finally stopped right beside her table.
"Xia Li," he called.
Xia Li looked up from her phone. When she saw him, a surprised expression flashed across her face. Her eyes widened just a little. Then she asked, her voice uncertain, "Bai Ze?"
He tried to give her a friendly grin, but he could feel the muscles in his face pulling weirdly. It probably looked completely awkward. "Yup. It's me."
Xia Li's surprised look melted away into a bright, genuine smile. It reached her cat-like eyes, making them crinkle at the corners. When Bai Ze saw that smile, he felt a sudden, sharp warmth in his chest, like a perfect arrow had just hit him right in the heart.