181. Date?
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While working a part-time job, Liu Yi was shocked to realize that Lin Nan seemed to have completely shed any hint of being male.
In the past, while Lin Nan was undeniably pretty, even prettier than many girls, there were still signs in his demeanor that hinted at his true identity. But now? He looked like a full-on woman!
If it weren’t for the fact that Liu Yi had seen Lin Nan’s ID, he’d have a hard time believing that Lin Nan was a boy at all.
Li Sisi didn’t show up for her part-time job this weekend. Word had it she was off at a bar taking a gig as a “princess” to drink with some rich guy. Apparently, the pay was sky-high.
You know, like the girls who have to drink champagne with the big bosses, getting groped left and right?
Even if the pay was through the roof, Lin Nan had zero interest in that kind of work.
He’d never set foot in a bar. Sure, he’d thought about popping in for a look while passing by, but after envisioning those chaotic scenes from movies and TV shows, he quickly slammed the brakes on that idea.
But really, with Li Sisi’s personality, could she actually do that kind of job?
Lin Nan had always thought of her as hard-working, even if she had a bit of a temper. After all, who else would stand outside in sweltering heat, dressed in a mascot costume, handing out flyers all afternoon? That’s got to be tough work for a college student!
Li Sisi sure didn’t have any magic to help her.
Lost in thought, Lin Nan realized he’d gotten used to standing for long periods while handing out flyers. From that first day when his legs felt like jelly, barely able to get out of bed, to now when he hardly felt anything at all.
Except, his calves still lacked any muscle. They remained soft and squishy, looking cute but with zero power—a far cry from manly!
But just when Lin Nan was about to worry about Li Sisi for too long, Zheng Qian suddenly popped up on the sidewalk.
He froze for a second, completely forgetting about Li Sisi and suddenly worrying about himself.
Having lunch with the counselor basically equated to a date, right?
Thinking this, Lin Nan felt his face heat up a bit but then got angry.
Seriously?! I’ve been a man for eighteen years and never went on a date! Now, after just two days as a woman, I’ve got to go on a “date” with a guy?!
Am I really that pathetic as a man?!
But a date was unavoidable. She needed to make it clear to Zheng Qian that she wasn’t interested, or who knows how he’d keep pestering her after this—definitely not just because of the free rental apartment!
Let’s just grab a meal, and then I’ll bluntly tell him I’m not interested?
Or maybe I should do something to annoy him on purpose?
Hmm, how about a combo approach?!
Zheng Qian was currently unaware that the Kumamon mascot suit nearby was Lin Nan. Instead, he curiously scanned the area, trying to find Lin Nan, who he’d heard was working around here.
Who spilled my secrets?!
They’d only met a few times and exchanged a few words; they didn’t really know each other well. Yet Zheng Qian seemed to have pinpointed exactly what Lin Nan was most vulnerable to:
Money and food…
Lin Nan internally suspected Chen Yao was the leak since he had more contact with the counselor than anyone else in the dorm.
As Lin Nan mindlessly passed out flyers, she realized she seemed to face these embarrassing situations all the time lately—and strangely enough, she felt a dash of inexplicable delight in it?
What’s up with that? Even Lilith can’t mess with my brain this much!
She angrily cursed under her breath.
Her flyer distribution gig had lasted for two months. Even though Lin Nan had been somewhat distracted, she managed to wrap up for the day before evening.
Back at the supermarket to collect her daily pay, Lin Nan took off the mascot suit, but she couldn’t shake the feeling of needing to be on guard.
Because the moment she exited the supermarket, she spotted Zheng Qian, who had been waiting for her.
To Lin Nan’s surprise, Zheng Qian had dressed up in a nice formal suit today, his hair slicked back, likely from some gel or hairspray. He looked sharper than usual, clearly making an effort for today’s “date.”
Lin Nan looked down at her outfit, which was still all black—pants, shirt, and jacket—and her hair was a bit messy; she didn’t exactly look like she cared about the date.
Would this make Zheng Qian mad?
If he got angry, that would be even better!
“Lin Nan!” From a distance, Zheng Qian spotted her and waved, calling out cheerfully.
Lin Nan took a deep breath, trying to relax a little, then forced a somewhat lackluster smile as she walked over.
Zheng Qian scanned her outfit, and despite her messy hair and basic men’s wear, he found her charming and said, “Working hard at your part-time job, that’s great!”
“Who’d want to work while going to school if it wasn’t to make ends meet?” Lin Nan shot back without hesitation.
For some reason, her tsundere act was pretty cute!
Zheng Qian didn’t mind Lin Nan’s tone, chuckling as he tried to take her hand, only for her to quickly dodge.
Lin Nan realized this counselor had really fallen for her hard under that spell of charm.
The magic should have worn off by now, yet Zheng Qian still seemed lost in a fantasy of infatuation, convinced he liked her.
“Zheng, I’m a boy!” She shoved her hands deep into her pockets and shot him a disgruntled glare.
“Yeah, yeah, I know.” Zheng Qian laughed a bit awkwardly, clearly realizing he was a bit eager.
It didn’t seem like Lin Nan was very accepting of men? He felt a bit puzzled since last time, when she asked for an overnight pass, she was all over him, acting cute and flirty, but today? Totally different vibe!
Is it this real?
He had booked the most upscale buffet in the area, where they supposedly served lobster and abalone—only it cost over two hundred per person, even after group-buy discounts!
The buffet was located within a hotel. Zheng Qian was relatively well-off and had been there once, so he was confident as he led them in, but he turned around to find Lin Nan looking ridiculously tense, way too aware of the lavish decor, like a fish out of water.
“Relax! You’re here to enjoy yourself!” He laughed, trying to ease her anxiety, but he couldn’t shake the feeling that she looked like a cute little wild cat.
Lin Nan didn’t respond, swallowing hard as she instinctively backed up towards Zheng Qian.
In eighteen years, she had never set foot in a hotel. Family gatherings, whether weddings or funerals, typically involved hiring a chef to cook in the village hall. On top of that, she had never had the financial means to eat at a hotel. This was her first time there, exploring her nerves.
Am I dressed a bit too casually?
Lin Nan glanced at her reflection in the shiny wall, and she looked like a total bumpkin.
In movies and on TV, people usually dressed pretty formally for places like this, hmm.
She stole a glance at Zheng Qian in his suit, instantly feeling even more self-conscious.
