Chapter 27: So to Speak, I Still Don’t Feel Anything

From the company’s underground “hell” filled with the smell of motor oil and metal, taking the internal elevator to the surface, and then transferring to the ghostly quiet and smooth driverless maglev train—it only took fifteen minutes.

Yet Lin Yu felt as if he had crossed from one world into a completely different dimension.

If his home, District B [Beehive], was a cramped, survival-driven ant nest built by the city to accommodate its lower-class workforce…

Then the F District [Shallow Beach District] before his eyes was the city’s display of “success” and “prosperity,” built with the finest materials, the most expensive technology, and countless amounts of money—

A “human paradise.”

(…Holy crap.)

Standing under the huge transparent dome of the central F District station, Lin Yu could only let this exclamation slip from his mind, shocked by the gulf of class differences.

The air here was completely unlike the “human smoke” of District B, which mixed the stench of sewers with cheap fast-food oil.

It carried a blend of oceanic saltiness and high-end mall fragrances—a smell of money.

The streets were wide enough for eight [Huaxia Heavy Industries] trucks to drive side by side, yet not a speck of trash was visible.

Countless futuristic autonomous vehicles glided silently across the roads like elegant schools of fish.

Along the streets were luxury brand flagship stores Lin Yu had only seen online.

Giant holographic billboards flowed across the mirror-like skyscraper facades.

Sometimes, a lifelike giant virtual blue whale gracefully swam past buildings.

Sometimes, a trending virtual idol sang the latest social app jingle from [Sky Dome Group] in a sweet voice.

Fluffy white clouds floated lazily in the air, clear enough to almost touch.

Bright sunlight poured down unobstructed, illuminating the whole area like midday, even glaring at times.

Lin Yu instinctively squinted, a sense of absurdity rising in him.

(…Damn, evil capitalism.)

He muttered inwardly, tugging at his beige knit cardigan, feeling like a “poor player” who had wandered into the wrong server.

“How is it? How is it, senior~”

Li Qing hopped over like a cheerful little bird, spreading her arms, proudly showing off the dazzling scenery.

“District F is amazing, right? This place was voted the ‘Number One Date Spot in New Sea City’! Look over there—the [Deep Sea Dream] Aquarium, and that [Star Ring] Observation Tower—these are must-visit spots for couples!”

“…Oh.”

Lin Yu replied flatly, expressionless.

He had no interest in appreciating this money-built scenery; he just wanted this damn “date” to end.

Walking beside him, Chen Bing, like a diligent bodyguard, crossed her arms, her sharp eyes scanning for any threat, seemingly ready to perform a textbook suplex on any “pollutant” or inconsiderate passerby that might appear.

“Alright, alright, I get it—you two don’t have any romance cells~”

Li Qing saw one cold, one vigilant, and pouted helplessly, then bounced back full of energy.

“But since this is a ‘therapy experience,’ the most important step is to taste the ‘source of a girl’s happiness’ first~ Target! One hundred meters ahead! Trendy bubble tea shop [Sweet Witch’s Tea Party]! Limited edition: ‘Strawberry Bobo Cloud-top Explosively Delicious Mie Mie Pupu Milk Tea’! Let’s go!”

She cheered and dashed ahead toward the store, which already had a long line, decorated like a fairy tale cottage.

Lin Yu and Chen Bing could only follow like helpless “parents” dragged along.

For Lin Yu, waiting in line was another public execution.

His “pure and cute girl-next-door” look, painstakingly arranged by Li Qing, still stood out—or rather, overstood—among the fashionable crowd.

He could feel the girls in front with polished makeup staring at his plain-yet-strangely-harmonious outfit, eyes flicking with scrutiny and even a hint of jealousy.

He could also feel the nearby college-age boys in line behind them openly scanning him and the contrasting trio of Li Qing, Chen Bing, and himself with amazement and curiosity.

(…Stop looking, please just stop looking…)

He buried his face further, using the beret brim to hide his “embarrassed and hopeless” expression.

Finally, it was their turn.

“Hello, three lovely ladies~ What would you like to order?”

Behind the counter, a cute waitress in maid attire smiled, showing her eight teeth perfectly.

Her eyes brightened noticeably when they landed on Lin Yu.

“Wow… Miss, you’re so beautiful! Your skin is perfect! Are you an art student nearby, or a model? Want to help promote our shop? We can give you free milk tea for a whole year!”

(Eh? Free milk tea for a year? Really? If I sell the drinks I order…)

The habitual poor person in Lin Yu first thought of a possible profit.

But then he realized, thinking like a capitalist’s sweet trap, maybe he’d lose something instead.

After all, he had joined this Dawn company already blinded by the capitalists once.

Just as he hesitated, Li Qing interrupted:

“Right? Right?”

She immediately wrapped her arm around Lin Yu’s shoulder, stealing the spotlight like a proud older sister.

“Isn’t my ‘little sister’ super cute? She’s just a little shy~ Forget the promotion, we have other things to do. Let’s get three cups of that ‘Strawberry Bobo’ whatever! Full sugar, extra ice! Thanks!”

“Okay, please tell me your full order first.” The waitress smiled politely.

“Huh?” Li Qing seemed confused. “I just said it—the most popular one…”

“Full name, please,” the waitress repeated.

“Oh?” Li Qing smirked mischievously and tugged Lin Yu. “Come on~ you say it.”

“Eh? Me again?”

Lin Yu sighed, glancing at the menu; the name was a mouthful.

“Um… I want three cups of… Strawberry Bobo…”

“We don’t have Strawberry Bobo.”

“Eh? You have strawberries, right?”

“Yes.”

“And bobo?”

“Yes.”

“Then… Strawberry Bobo?”

“We don’t have Strawberry Bobo.”

“Not…?”

Lin Yu pointed to the shop’s most popular milk tea.

“That one, right?”

“Oh—you mean that! We have it, but you have to say the full name, miss!”

“Full name?”

“Ugh…” Lin Yu groaned but forced himself to say it:

“Three cups of Strawberry Bobo… Cloud-top Explosively Delicious…”

The waitress encouraged him with her eyes.

“Mie Mie Pupu… Milk… Tea.”

“Okay! Scan the QR code here!”

Then the waitress called to the back:

“Three Strawberry Bobo, full sugar, extra ice!”

Finally holding the three pink, overly sweet “girl happiness drinks,” they found a seat outdoors.

Lin Yu, feeling absolved, immediately shrank into the corner like an ostrich, hiding his face behind the cup and straw.

Chen Bing, meanwhile, was physiologically baffled by these calorie-packed sugary drinks.

“Here~ senior~ try it!”

Li Qing pushed a cup toward him, face full of anticipation.

“It took half an hour to get this! Drink it, and you’ll understand the small, sweet happiness of girls~”

Lin Yu looked at the pink-fizzy drink, then at Li Qing’s “drink or I’ll fry you” face, and reluctantly took a sip.

Immediately, a mixture of artificial strawberry flavor, syrup, and mysterious dairy hit his mouth, so sweet he nearly died on the spot.

(…So sweet I’m about to get diabetes…)

He silently set the cup down, deciding never to touch this “massive chemical weapon” again.

Li Qing seemed to guess his thoughts but didn’t care.

She took a long sip, her face glowing with satisfaction, then, as if suddenly remembering something, she casually brought up the “main topic” of today’s date.

“By the way, senior…”

She wiggled her legs, poking the pearls in her cup with a straw, and asked casually:

“How are you feeling now? After our morning ‘therapy,’ do you feel your stubborn twenty-six-year-old straight-man soul has… softened, become a little… cute?”

Hearing this, Lin Yu intended to give a polite, safe answer like “I’ve learned a lot,”

But seeing Chen Bing’s serious expression, he decided to be honest:

“…Honestly, I still don’t feel anything.”