"Oh, I'm..." Luo Jie nodded, rising to pull out a chair for her. "Can I get you something to drink?"
"Ah, thank you. Water is fine."
The girl placed her purse on her lap, her knuckles white from gripping it, a clear sign of inner tension.
Luo Jie smiled and signaled the waiter for a glass of mineral water.
Although this blind date was just a formality, he found himself feeling unexpectedly warm towards the young woman across from him.
While Luo Jie spoke with the waiter, the girl in the yellow dress stole glances at him. A flicker of surprise passed through her clear, watery eyes. After a long hesitation, she ventured cautiously, "Excuse me... are you Luo Jie?"
Hearing his full name startled Luo Jie. He scrutinized her carefully, and finally, a hint of familiarity emerged from her delicate features.
"You are... Bai Xuerou?" Luo Jie was equally astonished. Who would have thought a blind date would lead to running into an acquaintance?
Bai Xuerou had been his class monitor in high school. Not only was she exceptionally bright, but she was also stunningly beautiful. Her strikingly fair complexion earned her the nickname "Snow White" among the students, making her the dream girl for virtually every boy in school, with admirers flocking from other schools too.
Luo Jie recalled that in his previous life, Bai Xuerou had been accepted into a prestigious university in the capital, after which he'd lost touch completely. He never imagined meeting her again in such an awkward scenario in this life.
Confirming Luo Jie's identity visibly relaxed Bai Xuerou. She offered a small, relieved smile. "I thought you looked familiar, but I couldn't believe it was really you... By the way, why are you on a blind date? What about Xiao Shi? I heard you both got into the same university. Aren't you together anymore?"
"Xiao Shi..." Luo Jie rubbed his cheek, precisely where the awkwardness lay. Xiao Shi had been his high school girlfriend and Bai Xuerou's deskmate. It was only through this connection that Bai Xuerou knew him so well.
Seeing Luo Jie's hesitant expression, Bai Xuerou realized she'd touched a nerve. "I'm sorry," she apologized quickly. "I shouldn't have pried. I just asked without thinking... Xiao Shi and I haven't spoken in ages..."
Luo Jie shook his head. "It's fine. It's all in the past, nothing I can't talk about... We broke up just before graduation. She went south with a senior. It wasn't really anyone's fault, just... different ideas about life, I guess."
"I see. That's a shame," Bai Xuerou murmured sympathetically, sensing the topic was closed. She didn't probe further.
She likely assumed Luo Jie was nursing a broken heart. In reality, for the reborn Luo Jie, it was ancient history – nearly a decade old. He could barely recall his first girlfriend's face, let alone feel any lingering sadness.
"Enough about me," Luo Jie said, shifting the conversation with a hint of teasing. "Let's talk about you... Class President Bai, how does someone like you end up on a blind date?"
His tone was light, but genuine curiosity lay beneath it. With Bai Xuerou's exceptional qualities, she shouldn't lack suitors. Needing a blind date seemed almost tragic.
"Ah, well..." Now it was Bai Xuerou's turn to squirm. Her slender fingers twisted together as she wrestled with whether to confide in him.
"If it's complicated, don't worry about it," Luo Jie offered easily. He was just going through the motions himself; pressing her wasn't necessary.
Bai Xuerou unconsciously bit her lower lip. She took a deep breath, gathering her resolve, and fixed Luo Jie with an intensely serious gaze. "Luo Jie, can you answer one question honestly? About this blind date... are you taking it seriously?"
Luo Jie was taken aback, unsure what she meant. He considered for a moment before replying truthfully, "Actually, I was roped into covering for someone. I planned to just go through the motions and leave... Never imagined running into you, Class President Bai."
Hearing this, Bai Xuerou visibly deflated, a wave of relief washing over her features. "Luo Jie," she said, leaning forward slightly, "could you do me a favor?"
"Name it."
If it wasn't too troublesome, Luo Jie didn't mind helping out an old classmate.
"Pretend this blind date was a success," she began, her fingers nervously twisting a lock of hair, her cheeks flushing pink. "Pretend... we're dating. And... it might mean you'd have to meet my family later..." She rushed on, embarrassed. "I know this is a huge imposition, and incredibly awkward for you. But... I truly have no other options."
Luo Jie stared at her, stunned for several seconds. "I don't mind helping," he finally managed, "but could I know why?"
Having asked for such a favor, Bai Xuerou couldn't withhold the reason. She sighed softly. "The truth is... I already have a boyfriend."
Luo Jie was even more confused. "Then why are you here?"
If she hadn't volunteered the information, he might have suspected she was simply lining up a backup option.
Bai Xuerou shook her head, a bitter, unreadable smile touching her lips. "For... certain complicated reasons, I can't introduce him to my family. They can't even know he exists..."
Luo Jie nodded slowly, a likely scenario forming in his mind. The boyfriend probably didn't meet her parents' standards. Fearing they'd force a breakup, she'd resorted to this desperate measure.
"So... how long do you plan to keep this up?"
"I don't know," Bai Xuerou admitted, shaking her head again, a flicker of despair in her beautiful eyes. "For now, I just have to play it by ear... But knowing my parents? They might never accept him."
Sounds like a third-rate soap opera plot from the nineties... Luo Jie mused silently. Maybe even some generational family feud mixed in? But however melodramatic, it was her private affair. He kept his thoughts to himself, content to remain the impartial bystander.
After exchanging a few more pleasantries about their recent lives, Luo Jie and Bai Xuerou swapped phone numbers and WeChat contacts, bringing the awkward session – hard to define as either successful or a failure – to a close.
...
The weekend vanished, replaced by the dreaded specter of Monday.
Under Luo Jie's persistent urging, Luo Lu, his face scrunched in disgust, forced down the dubious-looking "nutritious" breakfast he'd prepared. Grumbling, she shouldered her pink Peppa Pig backpack and trudged towards the school bus waiting at the curb.
"Luo Jie, I hate you!" she yelled over her shoulder. "Why can't you just get rich overnight? Then I could live a decadent life of no school and endless money!"
Complaints aside, off she went. Luo Lu attended a combined kindergarten and pre-school boarding program. Seeing her onto the bus meant five blissful days of freedom stretched before him.
Time to check out the Player Market.