Chapter 28: An Unexpected Encounter

What a coincidence! The boyfriend in that couple was none other than Yuan Dingchu, the man Lin Duo had met on a long-distance bus a year ago. Though they hadn’t seen each other in nearly a year, Yuan Dingchu had long since passed his developmental stage, so his appearance hadn’t changed much.

Lin Duo had instinctively wanted to greet him but hesitated midway. The beautiful woman beside him was probably his girlfriend, right? Would it be a bit forward to greet him like this? And after a year, after just a brief encounter on the bus, would he even remember her?…

Just as Lin Duo was indecisive, Yuan Dingchu noticed him, staring intently for a moment before snapping his fingers: ‘Lin Duo! Is that you, Lin Duo?’

Lin Duo was pleasantly surprised that he was remembered and quickly nodded: ‘Yes! I didn’t expect to see you today!’

‘Growing up really does change a person. It’s only been a year, and you’ve become so much prettier—I almost didn’t recognize you,’ Yuan Dingchu said, familiarly patting Lin Duo’s head and introducing her to the woman beside him: ‘Xiaoxi, this is the little girl I told you about, the one I met on the bus. Isn’t she adorable?’

‘She really is!’ Xiaoxi bent down, pinching both sides of Lin Duo’s cheeks: ‘Wow, your skin is so good, like a doll. How old are you, little one?’

Lin Duo was unhappy about being touched by a stranger, pouting her little mouth in a sulk. But her expression was so adorable that it only increased her cuteness, causing Xiaoxi to gush: ‘Aww, you’re so cute!’ She then hugged Lin Duo’s little head to her chest.

Xiaoxi’s chest was quite ample, comfortable like a cushion. Unfortunately, the moment didn’t last long. Soon, she let go of Lin Duo and focused on Wang Linshu: ‘Is this your boyfriend?’

Lin Duo shook her head vigorously: ‘No, we’re just ordinary friends.’

Yuan Dingchu, meanwhile, smiled as he hugged Xiaoxi’s slender waist: ‘Alright, Xiaoxi, that’s their private business. It looks like you’ve finished eating. We won’t bother you anymore.’

Wang Linshu then went to settle the bill and left the restaurant with Lin Duo. On their way, he couldn’t help but ask: ‘Who was that man just now? He seemed quite familiar with you.’

‘He’s someone I met by chance on a bus ride,’ Lin Duo replied, not wanting to elaborate: ‘It’s getting late, and I’ve eaten my fill today. Let’s go back?’

‘Wait! Let’s go sing KTV!’ Wang Linshu had other plans.

‘KTV? But I can’t sing, so let’s not,’ Lin Duo declined.

Seeing Lin Duo’s resolute attitude, Wang Linshu resorted to a sad ploy, showing her his phone screen: ‘Look, I booked a room yesterday. If you don’t go, I’ll have to sing alone. Imagine, a huge room with just me in it—so lonely. Please, just accompany me?’

Lin Duo was always soft-hearted, so she changed her mind: ‘Since you put it that way… Alright! But I really can’t sing, so you sing, and I’ll just listen.’

Wang Linshu had booked a mid-sized room, with a large couch that could comfortably seat seven or eight people. Lin Duo sat modestly in the middle of the couch, unsure of what to do next.

‘How about some drinks?’ Wang Linshu pulled out a bottle of juice from his shoulder bag.

Lin Duo was indeed thirsty and took a few sips from the bottle. Meanwhile, Wang Linshu skillfully went to the karaoke machine, selecting numerous songs and trying out one. Though not particularly tall, Wang Linshu’s voice had developed early, with a hint of magnetism and perfect pitch, making him sound surprisingly good.

‘That was really good!’ Lin Duo lightly clapped her hands as the song ended. ‘You might have a future in singing!’

Wang Linshu shyly scratched his head and handed her the other microphone: ‘Want to try the next song?’

‘I can’t sing!’ Lin Duo quickly waved her hands.

‘It’s a song by Li Jie. I remember many girls in our class are his fans, so you must have heard it,’ Wang Linshu persisted.

Lin Duo had no interest in celebrity culture. Her after-school entertainment was quite dull, usually just browsing the internet or playing small games on her phone. However, because the fruit shop was located on a commercial street, she often heard Li Jie’s songs playing in nearby stores. So, she had heard them, but singing them was another matter.

Seeing Lin Duo still shaking her head, Wang Linshu didn’t give up: ‘It’s no fun singing alone, and I booked a 2-hour room. I won’t be able to sing for that long. How about I play the original, and you try to follow along?’

Lin Duo couldn’t refuse, so she reluctantly picked up the microphone and started humming along with the music. Yes, humming—that’s all it was, and the lyrics were indistinct. Wang Linshu sighed and continued to encourage her: ‘Louder, it’s okay. No one outside can hear us.’

Eventually, Lin Duo’s voice opened up, and she began to sing at a normal volume. Lin Duo’s voice was immature, with a slight nasal sound, like a sixth-grader, but it was also quite adorable.

The KTV’s sound system usually had a beautifying effect, so Lin Duo’s confidence gradually returned. With her natural sense of rhythm, she didn’t go off-pitch. After the song, Wang Linshu started shaking the pull-ring: ‘That was great! Let’s sing a few more!’

‘No, it wasn’t,’ Lin Duo modestly replied.

Wang Linshu was already at the song selection station: ‘Who do you usually listen to?’

Seeing his insistence, Lin Duo mentioned a few popular songs she often heard.

After selecting the songs, Wang Linshu sat back down next to Lin Duo: ‘People come to KTV to relax. It doesn’t matter if you sing well or not, but not singing at all isn’t very sociable. Lin Duo, I know you’re not very outgoing, but in high school, you might want to try changing that. Especially when you smile, it’s really beautiful, but I rarely see you smile in class.’

Lin Duo knew this was his sincere advice, so she nodded slightly.

After each singing a few songs, Wang Linshu had a suggestion: ‘It’s boring to keep taking turns. Let’s try a duet?’

Lin Duo was somewhat reluctant, but seeing the expectation on his face, she couldn’t bring herself to refuse.

Since it was a love duet, the lyrics naturally included flirtatious phrases like ‘I love you to the point of no return’ and ‘I’ll paint a picture of you with my brush.’ The ending had a line for both voices to sing together: ‘I love you.’ Lin Duo forced herself through the song, her face now as red as an apple. She quickly took a sip of the drink on the table to ease her embarrassment.

Wang Linshu stared at Lin Duo’s radiant profile, feeling a stir in his heart. With their close proximity, a faint, enticing scent kept teasing his nose. Gradually, a bold idea surfaced in his mind: What if he suddenly hugged the adorable girl next to him in this soundproof room? What would her reaction be?

Just as he was about to act on his impulse, Lin Duo suddenly stood up: ‘I need to use the restroom. I’ll be right back.’

Lin Duo really needed to go, possibly because she had drunk too much. The men’s and women’s restrooms were opposite each other, and Lin Duo accurately entered the one marked with a dress-shaped symbol. After almost a year of communal living, Lin Duo had become accustomed to using the women’s restroom.

After relieving herself, Lin Duo stood in front of the mirror, examining her appearance carefully. Due to not cutting her hair for a year, her two small braids had grown into small ponytails that bounced slightly with each step, looking especially cute. Her bangs had once been quite long, so three months ago, she had them trimmed at a salon her foster mother was familiar with. Now, they were just the right length, framing her already small face and making her look even more delicate. Of course, Lin Duo still used the public comb to tidy up her bangs before turning to leave.

As they say, no coincidence is too strange. Just as Lin Duo exited, she bumped into a tall man coming out of the men’s restroom. They both exclaimed simultaneously: ‘Big brother (Lin Duo)?’

Yuan Dingchu stood in the hallway with his hands in his pockets, a slight smile playing on his lips: ‘Fancy meeting you here. What a coincidence.’

Yuan Dingchu was very tall, at least 180 cm, and Lin Duo had to look up at him: ‘Yes, I didn’t expect to see you again after a whole year without any contact!’

Yuan Dingchu chuckled, rubbing his nose: ‘You’re still a middle school girl, and I’m about to graduate from college. What’s the point of contacting you? It would look like I’m a lolicon. Your family would probably come knocking on my door.’

‘But I’m not a loli anymore!’ Lin Duo pouted, not liking being treated like a child.

Yuan Dingchu pointed at Lin Duo’s chest: ‘At least you’re not an adult yet, but you will be soon. With each passing year, you’ll become an incredibly charming beauty.’

Lin Duo looked down at her not-so-impressive chest and found nothing to say in response.

Yuan Dingchu, being talkative, kept the conversation flowing: ‘Who’s the boy you’re with? Eating and singing together like this, you’re definitely more than just friends.’

‘We’re just friends!’ For some reason, Lin Duo didn’t want Yuan Dingchu to misunderstand: ‘I… I can swear on it!’

‘Okay, okay, no need to swear. But you’re reacting pretty strongly, aren’t you?’

Lin Duo felt a slight relief and bit her lip, asking softly: ‘Um, big brother, is the woman from earlier your girlfriend?’

‘You mean Xiaoxi? Look at how we act, and you’ll know,’ Yuan Dingchu’s eyes, though small, were incredibly bright: ‘Could it be… you’re jealous?’

‘I… I’m not!’ Lin Duo retorted defiantly.

‘You…’ Yuan Dingchu smiled, ruffling Lin Duo’s hair: ‘Alright, I should get back. Xiaoxi will be upset if I keep her waiting. Well, see you later!’

As Lin Duo watched Yuan Dingchu’s retreating figure, she felt a strange sense of loss.