Page Thirty-Four: Another Encounter of Fate
Tan Linhua covered her chest and ran home. It was fortunate that she really had one…
Even with the support of a bra, there wasn’t much to see in terms of curves on Linhua’s chest. Though better than Xiaohaitang and Zhao Zhao, it was still barely noticeable, about half the size of an orange.
“Where are we going to play today?”
Although Tan Linhua said she would surprise me, I couldn’t resist my curiosity on the subway.
“You don’t need to ask. It’s a good place. Just get off at Pingcheng New Street Station, then follow me.”
“Ah, are we going to find Old Yan?”
Yan Liuzhuan’s house was in a high-rise apartment near Pingcheng New Street.
“No, no, no. Today is our date. We don’t need to call Liuliu.” Her words made me feel like a minotaur for some reason. “We’re going somewhere else, and it has special meaning to me.”
Her teasing made me even more curious.
“Pingcheng New Street Station has arrived. Passengers getting off…”
Following the voice announcement, Tan Linhua grabbed my hand and got off the subway. We looked like a couple as we held hands. Her hand felt soft and comfortable after transforming into a girl. I couldn’t help but squeeze it a few times, and she blushed and pulled away. “Kai-Chan, this is sexual harassment!”
Even though it was my second time here, stepping onto the ancient cobblestone path of Pingcheng New Street still felt new and unique.
Perhaps because she had transformed back into a girl, Tan Linhua was unusually happy. She hopped along the cobblestone path like she was playing hopscotch, urging me to catch up while twirling around. Her light pink skirt fluttered like a flower.
The street scenery was great, but it didn’t change the fact that today was a ghost day. The cobblestones in the middle were so hot that light distorted, and you could cook an egg on them. The traffic cones at the pedestrian crossing were melted by the scorching sun, lying on the ground without dreams.
Few people walked on the road, mostly hiding in the shops on both sides.
In such conditions, standing in long pants was already a struggle. Tan Linhua wanted me to walk faster… Wearing a short skirt was indeed nice. Her two white, long legs moved swiftly, surely very cool.
Both sides of the shops were fully air-conditioned, and my feet couldn’t help but bend inward towards the entrance, but Tan Linhua ignored these temptations and focused on her destination, like a pilgrim on a pilgrimage.
“Linhua, let’s go to the bookstore and see Senior Li Jianlian.”
Li Jianlian was still working at Water World, so he wasn’t there. But Tan Linhua didn’t know that. I just wanted an excuse to go inside and cool off.
She hesitated for a moment and nodded. “Okay, it’s on the way.”
The bookstore was still quite cold. Tan Linhua glanced at the counter and saw only an old, plump woman. She sighed regretfully, “Oh, looks like Senior Li isn’t here. Let’s keep going.”
She pretended to turn back.
“Having felt such coolness, how can you still leave? Is your will made of iron?”
But after finally entering, how could I leave easily? I took a step forward.
“Kai-Chan, stop being stubborn!”
Tan Linhua grabbed my collar and tried to pull me out, but since she had become a girl, she couldn’t easily move me. We were at an impasse at the store entrance.
The replacement clerk, an old lady, seemed to think we were a couple fighting. Her gaze carried a kind look from an elder… Even if it was a couple fighting, shouldn’t you, as a clerk, intervene?
During the tug-of-war, Tan Linhua’s foot triggered the automatic door, and the heat outside licked my back like a tangible thing, making me feel uncomfortable. I decided to be like a stubborn Shiba Inu, determined not to leave.
My life is all thanks to the air conditioner. No one can separate us! Anyone!
“Kai! If you do this, I’ll be mad!”
Tan Linhua frowned, looking a bit unhappy. She didn’t seem willing to compromise and tightened her grip.
“Just five minutes! Let me stay for five more minutes!”
On the right side of the cash register, there was a quiet corner separated by a half-wall. There were some single sofas made of linen fabric where customers could sit and read after buying books. It was also the best spot to enjoy the air conditioning.
A glance at that area made my heart skip a beat.
A cold, beautiful girl lowered her book and met my gaze. Her long, jet-black hair cascaded like a galaxy, covering the sofa around her, making her look like she was wrapped in a black silk blanket.
Seeing me, a hint of surprise flashed across her cold face before she quickly returned to her book, pretending nothing happened.
It was Old Feng.
Though I had only seen him once in Xiao Lei’s video, I wouldn’t mistake him. Especially with those ultra-identifiable straight, long black hair.
Old Feng, who had been missing for over half a month, unexpectedly appeared in the bookstore. Even though Old Feng was human, finding him again brought a sense of joy…
“What beautiful hair, and such a large chest.”
Maybe seeing me stop resisting, Tan Linhua followed my gaze to Old Feng… She flattened her own chest and sighed, then started poking my head.
“Hey… Kai-Chan, what does it mean when you’re out on a date with me but staring at other girls?”
Though it was a date, it wasn’t a romantic one… But now wasn’t the time to discuss these issues with Tan Linhua. I couldn’t miss this opportunity; I had to get Old Feng’s contact information. Once gone, it might be too late.
I clasped my hands together and apologized to Tan Linhua, “Sorry, Linhua, I want to talk to that girl.”
“Hey! Are you really going to talk to her?”
Perhaps thinking I was flirting with another girl in front of my girlfriend, the clerk’s gaze turned sharp, like she was looking at trash.
Despite the misunderstanding, I pressed on, entering the sofa area.
As I got closer, I realized Old Feng was holding senior high school tutoring books. I couldn’t help but wonder, as an identity-less fugitive, where did she live now? Who was taking care of her and supporting her studies?
I wondered if Old Feng had encountered someone kind. At least from her appearance, the family accepting her seemed well-off. Besides her brand-new black dress, she even had jewelry.
A small pearl necklace hung from her neck, and matching bracelets adorned her wrists. Under the black hair and dress, the pearls shone brightly, almost glowing.
Noticing my approach, she lifted her head and looked at me expressionlessly.
How to start a conversation was a challenge for me.
“Hello, beautiful lady, have we met somewhere before?”
…
Ah!
This is such a low-level pick-up line, Cháng Kǎi, you useless shut-in!
But fortunately, even though Old Feng had transformed into a young girl, her soul remained that of a nearly forty-year-old man. She didn’t show direct disgust; her lips slightly moved, and she spoke three words.
“I haven’t.”
The conversation ended.
No matter how her appearance and body changed, her habit of being terse remained unchanged.
From her initial surprise, it was clear Old Feng remembered me, yet she hid the truth from me.
This wasn’t hard to understand. To her, I was just a frequent customer, not someone who could easily share secrets.
I adjusted my glasses and initiated a second round of conversation.
“Although we haven’t met, the first time I saw you, I felt a sense of familiarity. I think it’s fate—”
“It’s an illusion.”
The conversation ended.
There was no point in continuing. I was just bad at starting conversations, but Old Feng was definitely a genius at ending them.
“So we don’t know each other? My name is Cháng Kǎi. May I ask for your name, miss?”
Old Feng gave me a dismissive look, seemingly uninterested in answering. She lowered her head and continued reading her book, ignoring me.
But this ostrich-like avoidance method was ineffective for me. After a while, seeing I hadn’t left, though her brows didn’t furrow, they narrowed, showing clear displeasure.
She coldly said, “Huángfǔ Fēi.”
Not Feng anymore? Wait, Huángfǔ?
The surname Huángfǔ sounds familiar somewhere…
