"Wanna come play with us?" Xia Siheng looked up as Zhao Xuan came down the stairs and called out.
The two of them had been gaming together for over half a month, but they hadn't been able to round up more people — not everyone can handle that kind of game, and some get dizzy and throw up after just a few minutes.
Seeing Zhao's blank look, Gong Shizheng grabbed his phone, opened a livestream, and showed it to Zhao.
On-screen, a female streamer was playing a hero who could teleport in quick flashes. At first, Zhao felt a bit dizzy watching, but after a few minutes, he basically got the idea.
"Kinda like first-person League of Legends?" Zhao asked, thinking it over. He'd never played, but he knew LoL.
"Sort of, looks like you know your stuff," Xia Siheng replied after a pause.
Seeing that Zhao was interested, they kept hyping the game, but Xia checked the time — almost 5 PM — and called the other two to head out for dinner.
Just as they were chatting and heading for the door, a group of girls suddenly crowded up beside them, chattering about some idol group supposedly checking into the resort today.
Xia wasn't really into idol groups, but he followed entertainment news. Zhao and Gong knew far less and weren't too interested.
"Probably here to shoot an MV or just vacation. Doesn't concern us — you're not a fan of any girl group, right? You just like anything good-looking," Gong said, shaking his head. He wasn't interested and pulled Xia away. Xia wasn't really a fan either — if anything, he was a "body" fan.
Zhao knew even less — he wasn't even clear on what girl groups actually did. Singing, acting in dramas… but could people that young really handle so much?
Since they weren't in a hurry, Zhao didn't drive. The group walked and enjoyed the scenery. In summer, Lianhai didn't get dark until well after 5 PM.
"Bai Lvdi asked if we want to eat with them?" Gong checked his phone, hesitated, then asked.
"I think forget it — we like heavier flavors, but the girls eat light for dinner," Gong answered, shooting down the idea himself. He didn't say it outright, but everyone knew it was because of Zhao.
Among the three, Gong was closest to Bai — or, honestly, he got along with everyone in the class, fitting his parents' hopes for a political career.
They all knew about the awkward tension between Zhao and Wan Chujun. Bai asking that question was just absurd. Gong's first instinct was to reject it, but he figured he should at least mention it to the other two since she'd asked all three.
"That's a ridiculous question," Xia shook his head and joked.
Being Zhao's close friend, it was fine for him to voice what everyone else was thinking.
"Bai Lvdi's got a lot on her mind, no idea what she's trying to pull," Gong added, clearly annoyed. Dissing her here was the easiest way to break the ice.
"Speaking of which, I had no idea you and Wan Chujun were on such bad terms. She only found out you were coming today when she arrived, and almost drove off. Yunfang had to talk her into staying. Xia kicked a pebble and turned to Zhao.
The other two also looked over — it was the most intriguing question of the day.
Zhao gave a bitter smile. "I don't really know either. Freshman year, we had a few small clashes, but nothing major. Then one day her attitude suddenly turned nasty, she'd give me dirty looks everywhere, and it's been like that ever since."
As they talked, the group reached a grilled fish restaurant. Lianhai's seafood was famous, and the aroma drifting out was mouthwatering. They stopped at the door.
"How about this place?" Gong asked. He loved seafood, but some people had dietary restrictions. Plus, since Zhao was treating, he figured he should check.
"Sure, smells great," Zhao nodded at the sign. It wasn't far from the hotel, but it was a bit early for dinner, so the place was quiet, with hardly any customers.
"Feels kinda cheap for fleecing a rich guy, doesn't it?" Xia joked.
"I could've just taken you to the hotel restaurant, but I doubt it'd be better," Zhao said. Money wasn't an issue now, and he knew Xia wasn't seriously trying to milk him — just joking.
Inside, they ordered three grilled fish dishes and a few sides. Xia and Gong each got a beer; Zhao, allergic to alcohol since childhood, stuck with ice water. They also ordered a basin of clams for 45 yuan — refillable, meaning you could eat as much as you wanted for that price. It was a summer specialty in Lianhai, not available to everyone.
"Business good today?" Xia asked the owner, who was rushing between indoor and outdoor stations. Small places like this often had ties to local fishermen — sometimes the owners were fishermen. The endless clams were usually excess from their own catches.
"Caught a lot today, probably can't sell it all. You came early, so you got it — later, less left," the owner replied, skillfully firing up the fish while fanning the flames.
Soon, the smell wafted to their table. Grilled fish stalls by Jinshitan shore were part of the scenery — eating seafood while watching the sea was a real treat.
As they chatted, a few young women entered the shop, dressed like local university students. They were ordering and chatting about an idol group coming to the area.
On closer look, they were the same girls they'd bumped into earlier at the hotel.
Oddly, they were speaking in hushed tones, but Zhao's sharp hearing — his Focus stat was maxed at 20, near the human limit — still caught enough to understand.
"Ever heard of Cosmic Girls?" he asked Xia.
"Yeah, a Korean girl group debuted early this year. A couple of Chinese members. Why, interested?" Xia replied, cracking sunflower seeds. He was far from that table and couldn't hear them, so he assumed Zhao had seen something online.
"I'd advise against stanning Korean idols — their trainee system's all about turning them into products, and their fandoms are way more chaotic.
New fans with thin skin might not handle it," Xia explained, though he was a multi-fandom guy, he knew this topic well.
Gong, eyes on his phone, added without looking up, "I checked — no public info about them coming here. So if it's true, it's an unofficial schedule. Xuan, you're not in the loop — don't chase stuff like this, or if the fandom digs up on you, they won't play fair."
Both assumed Zhao was a new fan of the group since they hadn't heard the girls' conversation.
Truth was, Zhao had zero interest — he didn't even know what the members looked like.
"Nah, not my thing. I just overheard those girls — the ones we saw at the hotel entrance — talking about the group," Zhao said, sipping his water. He knew Xia liked this topic, and Gong at least knew something, so he'd just been trying to spark chat.
"You could hear them from that far?" Gong looked up, surprised.
"Barely — some words were clear." Zhao could actually catch most of it, but downplayed it to avoid extra attention.
"Maybe they're superfans or sasaengs — fandoms are scary," Gong said, clearly not interested, and went back to his mobile game.
"Girl groups have female fans too?" Zhao asked, puzzled. In his simple view, girl groups should aim for male fans; boy bands for female fans.
Xia shook his head, surprised at Zhao's knowledge gap. "Women's spending power in this area is insane. Boy bands do get female fans, but girl groups often attract both genders."
"So, girl groups make more money than boy bands?" Zhao asked.
"No way. Most women still spend big on male idols, and male groups' earning potential is an order of magnitude higher," Gong said, still leaning over his game.
Just as they were about to keep schooling Zhao, the owner brought out the three grilled fish and a large aluminum tub of clams.
Zhao had only been making conversation, so once food arrived, he dropped the topic and they dug in.
Meanwhile, the three girls went to a Chinese restaurant in the hotel. They were deep in celeb gossip when Bai Lvdi suddenly said she was going to the restroom.
After leaving the table, she passed the corner toward the restroom — but didn't go in. Instead, she swiped her room card, called the elevator, and went upstairs.