To put it mildly, discovering that the group member he had been chatting with so easily was actually a stunningly beautiful girl should have been great news. But as they recalled their past behavior in the group—the wild rants and bizarre topics they'd discussed—every memory now felt like a source of acute embarrassment.
"What's wrong? Cat got your tongue now that you know your groupmate's a beautiful girl? Is that all it takes? And here you all were, day after day, complaining that my 'lewd' art wasn't lewd enough!" Soup Dumpling said, one hand on her hip and a smirk on her face.
Hearing her words, Firefly finally took the time to properly observe the Group Owner's appearance. To be honest, she wasn't drop-dead gorgeous. This wasn't some harem novel; reality rarely delivers a situation where every girl you meet is a super beautiful girl.
However, upon closer inspection, the Group Owner's looks weren't half bad either. Or rather, she was remarkably skilled at styling herself. The light makeup, paired with her red-rimmed glasses and trendy outfit, radiated a vibrant, youthful vibe.
Still, brazenly praising herself as a "beautiful girl" to a first-time acquaintance seemed a bit narcissistic. Of course, being bold enough to say something like that to a stranger proved she was a true social butterfly.
Just as Firefly was thinking this, Soup Dumpling continued, "Well, I can understand how you feel. After all, Peace Dove is just so adorable!"
Then, she grabbed Firefly's right hand with both of hers, her eyes sparkling with excitement. "Miss Peace Dove! Can I be your number one fan?"
Firefly: "???"
Wait, were you talking about me this whole time?
Well, she couldn't exactly deny it. Firefly was undeniably beautiful, especially today, having deliberately chosen a particularly cute outfit for her outing.
Her upper body featured a sailor uniform in blue and white, paired with a pleated skirt that radiated youthful energy, giving her a youthful, student-like appearance.
But the real highlight was below the skirt: a pair of white over-the-knee stockings complemented by black, rounded-toe ankle boots.
Yes, genuine white stockings!
There's a saying that holds true: "There's only one time you try crossdressing... and then countless more." Firefly remembered how hesitant and resistant she had been to wearing stockings when she was still "Robin." But since "Firefly" had been born with stockings as part of her look, she had grown much less resistant after trying them once.
True to form, Firefly had even dared to wear white stockings out that day. Black stockings are known for their slimming effect, while white stockings tend to make legs look thicker. Though frequently seen in anime and manga, white stockings are rare in real life, not only because they stain easily and are difficult to clean, but also because they're notoriously hard to pull off.
But for Firefly, this wasn't a problem at all. The white stockings, which most people would struggle to wear, only enhanced her youthful charm.
In conclusion, the possibility of the Group Owner "Soup Dumpling" being narcissistic could be dismissed. However, her social butterfly nature was undeniable. Who would say something like that to a stranger upon first meeting?
The thought flashed through Firefly's mind as she took a half-step back and said, "But aren't you Miss Robin's biggest fan? You're even the Group Owner!"
"No problem at all!" Soup Dumpling laughed. "My heart is as vast as the ocean. I can easily be a dedicated fan of multiple people at once!"
Hearing this, Firefly couldn't help but glance at Soup Dumpling's chest. Hmm... quite flat. Not nearly as "vast" as she claimed. In fact, she looked like the type who might even feel bony if hugged.
Soup Dumpling's brow furrowed slightly. Whether it was due to her exceptionally keen senses or simply because she was accustomed to being stared at, she immediately said, "Peace Dove, were you just thinking something rude?"
Firefly froze, then hastily denied it. "No, I wasn't! I didn't!"
"Really?"
"Of course!"
"I don't believe you. You definitely were! But if you agree to let me draw you, I'll forgive you."
"?"
Well played, she's been plotting this from the start, Firefly thought. Every word from this Group Owner has been leading to this.
Soup Dumpling added, "Of course, it won't be anything lewd! Just a normal portrait. It's just... you're so adorable, Peace Dove! I can barely suppress my instincts as an art student!"
Firefly awkwardly took a half-step back. "If... if the opportunity arises..."
Despite her scheming, Soup Dumpling didn't seem malicious, and her constant flattery made it impossible to dislike her.
With their exchange concluded, Soup Dumpling turned her attention to the other three members. She cleared her throat. "Anyway, I'm the Group Owner, Today I Want to Eat Soup Dumplings. It's nice to meet you all."
"Right, I'm Shu Cat."
"I'm Invincible Bro."
"I'm Red Cape Hero."
The three of them introduced themselves. At an in-person meetup, revealing their real names didn't really matter. If it was just a one-time encounter, they'd likely forget the real names anyway, so sticking with their online handles was much easier.
Shu Cat scratched his head and turned to Firefly. "Seriously, you're Peace Dove? I never imagined you'd be..."
Firefly chuckled. "What's so surprising? Doesn't everyone have a different persona online versus in real life? Those cute and cuddly netizens might actually be scruffy old men. So why can't someone who seems like a guy online turn out to be a girl?"
Of course, as she said this, Firefly couldn't help but think, If this meetup had happened a week or two earlier, you wouldn't have met an "ordinary" pretty girl netizen—you would have met the real Robin herself.
Just then, Lü Heng stepped forward, a puzzled expression on his face. "Wait a minute, didn't you say you were Robin's colleague? How come I've never heard of Robin having a colleague like you?"
Firefly didn't immediately refute him. Instead, she asked, "And you are?"
Lü Heng planted one hand on his hip. "I'm the one who's Robin's colleague! We're old friends!"
It was obvious that Lü Heng was trying to show off as much as he was questioning Firefly's claim. After all, this was Robin's Fan Club's offline meetup, and what could be more impressive than knowing Robin personally?
Hearing this, Firefly widened her eyes slightly, as if genuinely shocked. Without a hint of defensiveness, she immediately apologized. "I'm sorry, that was wrong of me. I'm not actually Robin's colleague. We're just... ordinary friends."
But then she quickly turned the tables. "However, when I chat with Robin, she has mentioned her colleagues a few times..."
In an instant, Lü Heng's attention shifted completely. His train of thought derailed from "She's lying about being Robin's colleague" to "I wonder what Robin says about me when she's talking to her friends?"