The atmosphere in the restaurant was still tranquil.
A waitress brought over a plate of matcha cake, introducing it as their specialty dessert. She asked Chen Yuan to join the restaurant's group chat, mentioning that there would be a gift for doing so.
You had to hand it to them; having dealt with all sorts of customers, the waitstaff here were incredibly observant.
Not only did she recognize them as new customers at a glance, but she also keenly sensed that... this attractive pair didn't seem to know each other very well.
And so, she set down the cake and made a swift exit.
Chen Yuan nudged the cake slightly toward Jiangg Yao.
Neither of them spoke, and the atmosphere grew somewhat delicate.
Nervous as he was, Chen Yuan was actually quite happy. Whenever he scrolled through short-form videos, he often suspected his phone was listening in, because the algorithm constantly pushed content about online couples meeting for the first time.
Typically, it involved a long journey, with two people traveling a great distance to finally meet.
Their chats were usually full of things like:
"I'm so excited, babe!"
"I'm gonna kiss you senseless when I see you!"
"Yeah? Just don't chicken out when the time comes. We can just grab each other and start making out."
But in the end, when they finally met, they were too shy to even hold hands. They'd even feel the urge to pull out their phones and start texting, just to get back to that comfortable, easy-going state they had online.
Putting himself in that situation, Chen Yuan felt the exact same way.
But asking "How about we just text instead?" right now would be unbearably awkward.
'Come on, Chen Yuan. Haven't you been looking forward to this for a long time?'
'She's sitting right here to your left. What are you waiting for? Say something!'
Chen Yuan gave himself a silent pep talk and glanced over at Jiangg Yao. As it happened, her eyes met his at the same moment. As soon as they made contact, both of them instinctively looked away.
...
A cold wind howled outside. The temperature difference between day and night was stark in late autumn, but the restaurant was warm, and the frozen stiffness in their bodies soon faded away.
"You're... different from how you are in class," Chen Yuan said, finally breaking the ice.
"Well, you have to separate your personal life from work."
"You look even prettier now."
'I'm the older sister. I'm the teacher. I have to act the part,' Jiangg Yao chanted to herself. But when she suddenly heard his words, her body instantly tensed up.
The heat in her cheeks shot up, and soon they were burning hot.
She mumbled quietly, "Really?"
Chen Yuan absolutely wasn't lying. Even now, he found it hard to accept that the girl he'd dated online was his university teacher. But the truth was right in front of him. No matter how lively, cute, and sweet she had been in their chats, in real life, she was that "white moonlight" on the lecture podium—a wonderful teacher admired by all her students.
But meeting her tonight, Chen Yuan felt something different.
She still had the same indifferent expression, but her overall aura was much softer.
She was also dressed more like the online girlfriend he had pictured in his mind.
"We dated online for half a year, and I spent a lot of that time wondering what you looked like."
"So, now that you have, what do you think?" Jiangg Yao asked, gripping her glass of water. Her back straightened slightly. After psyching herself up, her nerves seemed to have settled since she'd entered the restaurant.
With her composure regained, a casual indifference settled on her face.
'Pretend to be my sister? That's way too easy for me! We grew up together; we couldn't possibly be more familiar with each other.'
They'd impersonated each other countless times in the past, so convincingly that they'd even fooled their own relatives, let alone outsiders.
Right now, Jiangg Yao recalled what her sister was like on blind dates: seemingly gentle and demure, but actually radiating a coldness that kept everyone at a distance.
'Yes! That's the feeling I need to nail.'
She crossed her legs and began picking at her fingers out of boredom, occasionally taking a sip of water. Her whole attitude screamed that she couldn't wait for this to be over.
That cool, sophisticated woman vibe was instantly on point.
Jiangg Yao's black, thigh-high socks already made her legs look long, and with them crossed, they appeared even more slender and delicate. The sliver of eye-catching fair skin between her short skirt and the top of her socks was on full display. Before they came, Jiangg Ning had specially done her sister's makeup, giving her winged eyeliner and a vibrant lip color. The slightest lowering of her gaze was enough to create a cold, unapproachable look.
They'd tested it before. With this makeup, guys who were even a little timid wouldn't dare to approach her.
"What do I think? I think... well, you're my girlfriend. Of course you're amazing."
"COUGH—"
Jiangg Yao nearly choked on his answer. She propped her chin on her hand and turned her face away.
Unconsciously, she clutched the hem of her shirt. A wave of cloying sweetness suddenly washed over her heart.
'Damn it!'
She was suddenly thrown back to the very beginning, to the head rush she'd felt when they first started talking and the flirting was new and exciting.
And then there was his voice... She felt her composure starting to crack. Jiangg Yao's greatest weakness was Chen Yuan's voice; before, the two of them would listen to every voice message he sent at least ten times.
'Freaking heck! Don't talk to me like that!'
"Be serious!"
"Okay."
Getting scolded out of nowhere, he felt the weight of her teacherly authority. Chen Yuan subconsciously sat up straight, but his clear eyes were fixed on Jiangg Yao with a pleading look.
"Don't... That's not right either."
She hadn't expected that. After scolding him, she saw his pitiful, innocent expression, and her own brows furrowed. An irrepressible emotion flickered in her eyes, and she quickly took a sip of water, averting her gaze.
She couldn't understand the strange feeling that had just surged through her heart in those few seconds.
The more innocent he looked, the more Jiangg Yao wanted to grab him by the neck and pin him to the ground... And with that face, too!
She'd never been in a relationship before. People always said love was about "the feeling"—that when it was right, your heart would suddenly start racing. Jiangg Yao had always found that strange. Was she a corpse or something? Her heart never beat faster, no matter what kind of guy she met.
She'd even considered confessing to her sister. They could run away together, rent a tiny, five-square-meter damp room, work double shifts at an electronics factory, and live out a forbidden romance.
And that would be it, happily ever after!
Apologies, but that's just how a shut-in's mind works. Not that her sister would ever agree, of course.
But right now, Jiangg Yao's heart was pounding like crazy.
'Chen Yuan, are you some kind of 3D printer? How do you look exactly like the boyfriend I pictured in my head!?'
Chen Yuan, however, was completely baffled. He had no idea what was going through her head and could only scratch his own in confusion. "Huh?"
Just then, the waitress returned, carrying their meticulously prepared dishes.
"Sir, please enjoy your meal."
The rich sauces and fragrant aroma of the food briefly diverted their attention.
The atmosphere finally felt less strange. Jiangg Yao took a few deep breaths to calm the fluttering in her heart.
"It's definitely a shock meeting in person. I never expected it to be you, Jiangg... So, what do you think of me?"
"Of you? I don't feel anything." Jiangg Yao had finally found her opening. She sheathed her heart in steel once more.
'Since I came here to break up with him, I have to stick to the mission.'
Chen Yuan was in the middle of picking up some food with his chopsticks. They froze in mid-air.
A flash of disappointment crossed his eyes. He hadn't expected her to say that. Without another word, he silently picked up a piece of food.
...
'You didn't let me down, little sister!'
In a corner of the restaurant, a girl sat bundled up, wearing a baseball cap and a face mask.
She furtively observed Chen Yuan's table and clearly saw his expression fall.
She knew Jiangg Yao was starting to make her move.
Happy as she was, a guilty expression also formed on her face, hidden beneath the mask.
'One person shouldn't have to bear the blame for this mistake. I have an undeniable responsibility for how things have turned out, but I have to protect my job.'
'It wasn't just for my own sake, but for my sister's as well.'
Jiangg Ning was just thinking about how she could make it up to him with material compensation—otherwise, her conscience would never be clear—when she looked up again.
She suddenly realized...
'Huh? Why are they holding hands? Stop staring at each other so lovingly! Hey...!'
...
「One minute earlier.」
"I get it. Online dating isn't really appropriate for a teacher, and a relationship with a student would be bad for your reputation... The fact that you don't have feelings for me is actually a relief," Chen Yuan said, giving Jiangg Yao a weak, forced smile.
Listening to him, Jiangg Yao felt as if sharp blades were piercing her heart, but thankfully, her armor held.
"I'm really glad you understand, Chen Yuan. Besides, there's a pretty big age gap between us. You could find someone at school, you know. There are plenty of great girls..."
"No," Chen Yuan said, shaking his head. "It's not like I'm desperate to be in a relationship."
His words cut off what Jiangg Yao was about to say. She suddenly realized that with Chen Yuan's looks and personality, he would never be short on female admirers.
The fact that he hadn't been in a relationship could only mean one thing.
Everyone defines love differently. But for those who are truly searching for it...
It isn't about using romance to kill time or ease loneliness. It's not about satisfying desires, or blindly following the crowd and desperately seeking a partner just because everyone else has one.
It's about truly loving someone.
It's about having and comforting each other in this fast-paced society, where materialism is rampant and betrayal and deception are ever-present.
"Actually, I knew it the moment we met," Chen Yuan said, holding out his hand. "Give me your hand."
Stunned for a moment, Jiangg Yao placed her hand in his.
As their hands touched, an indescribable emotion flowed between them.
Then, Chen Yuan took off his own ring and placed it in her palm. "You weren't wearing yours. You probably realized your online boyfriend was me after class and were afraid someone would find out. Dating a student would cause a lot of gossip, wouldn't it? I thought about it a lot before I came. And there's this, too..."
He took a small pin from his pocket and placed it in her hand alongside the ring.
Jiangg Yao stared at the objects in her hand, her pupils contracting in disbelief.
"During my summer vacation, I took a trip to Mingzhu City. I remembered you mentioned once that you really liked the pin for that virtual idol, so I thought I'd get it to surprise you when we finally met."
Chen Yuan smiled and continued, "I can't believe you like anime and manga, Jiangg. As your student, it makes you feel much more down-to-earth. Please, take them."
He didn't seem particularly sad. After handing over the items, he focused his attention on the food. 'After all, the meal isn't cheap, and even a breakup is no excuse to waste it.'
'What a shame my first love had to end like this...'
Jiangg Yao's hand tightened around the hard, sharp edges of the pin, a million thoughts racing through her mind. She had mentioned it once, and she really did love that virtual idol. They were her spiritual pillar, the reason she kept going with her own virtual activities, and their songs had warmed her heart time and time again.
But Jiangg Yao was a homebody; there was no way she would go to a jam-packed anime convention. Just thinking about a crowd like that made her skin crawl.
This idol was incredibly popular. To get this autographed pin, you would have to wait in line for at least a full day and all through the night.
'He did all that... just because I mentioned it one time...'
'He was truly cherishing this online relationship. He wasn't just going through the motions... unlike me...'
"Chen Yuan," Jiangg Yao called out softly, her eyes already turning a little red.
"I'm here, Jiangg. Even though our six months of online dating were unforgettable, you can rest assu—"
Without any warning, a fragrant scent washed over him. A few stray strands of her long hair tickled the nape of his neck... But,
the embrace was so warm.