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Join the ServerOh, I can hardly believe it; you truly are a playboy, aren’t you?
‘How long do you intend to keep this joke going?’
“It’s also my own carelessness to blame, for being so easily lured in by you.”
“I hadn’t anticipated this turn of events; my mother is typically home at this hour.”
“Hmph, regardless, the undeniable truth is that we are now alone together, so when you inevitably find yourself rushed to the hospital, do not voice any complaints.”
‘Please don’t trivialise something as utterly mortifying as social death.’
“However, your mother’s culinary skills are truly exceptional; I dare say a restaurant opened by her would be immensely popular.”
“Thank you for the compliment, but my elder sister also deserves credit for these recipes. Furthermore, you may address me more casually.”
“Oh? You have an elder sister?”
The young lady seemed to recall something, her gaze drifting down to the pink rabbit slippers adorning her feet.
“Ah, so these belong to your elder sister.”
“Indeed, she works part-time in the evenings and typically doesn’t return until after nine o’clock.”
Having thoroughly rinsed the final dish, he placed it upon the drying rack, then moved to the refrigerator and pulled open its chilled compartment.
“Only green tea and lemon juice remain. Which would you prefer?”
“A glass of warm water, please.”
“Oh?~”
“Consuming cold beverages after a meal only exacerbates the strain on one’s stomach. By the time hospitalization becomes necessary, regret will offer no solace.”
‘A truth, indeed, and one most difficult to gainsay.’
“Here you are.”
“Thank you.”
‘Her candor in such matters was, indeed, rather refreshing.’
“To be frank, I am genuinely curious about the reasons for your solitary living arrangement.”
“Mmm…”
The young lady mused, her fingers idly tracing the rim of her cup.
“Of course, if it proves inconvenient, then let us drop the subject, as I am, after all, probing into your personal affairs.”
“If you already knew that, why did you still inquire?”
Though momentarily speechless, he then observed her offering a smile tinged with a hint of melancholy.
“There’s no particular reason, truly. I’ve simply been living independently since the start of junior high school.”
“So early?”
“Yes, prior to this, I resided in a luxurious single-story apartment in District Four. Before that, I lived with my parents in a sprawling independent estate within District Three.”
“Ah, hearing that, I finally gain a tangible sense of your esteemed status as a young lady.”
Even the price of a single room within the concentrated residential zones of District Four vastly exceeded that of the independent dwelling where they currently sat in District Seven.
And that’s not even considering District Three, which, save for a handful of independent estates, is comprised entirely of detached villas.
Regardless, each option came with a price tag that would deter the average person for a lifetime.
“That may be so, yet why do I detect not the slightest trace of jealousy in your tone?”
“Why ought I to be jealous?”
‘Truly, a peculiar notion.’
“However, many individuals I’ve encountered, upon learning these details, though their words may be light, harbor a jealousy in their eyes that wishes they could instantly supplant me.”
“Mmm, while I can somewhat grasp the sentiments of those individuals, our entire family holds a clear understanding that our current lives are the fruits of our own endeavors. To harbor such intense jealousy merely because others possess greater wealth would be akin to discrediting not only our own efforts but theirs as well, wouldn’t it?”
“…That does sound rather reasonable.”
“Am I not right?”
“Yet, why does it all feel like nothing but convoluted sophistry?”
‘This individual truly proves to be quite a handful.’
“Or perhaps you are simply exceptionally adept at concealing your true feelings?”
“There’s no need to deliberately extract more information. While it would be a falsehood to claim I feel no envy, genuine jealousy is entirely absent.”
“Heh~ so you do experience envy after all.”
“Naturally so, for I am, after all, a normal person. However, regarding jealousy, my previous statements were entirely sincere.”
“Yet your sincerity has failed to persuade me. Could you not express it in a more straightforward and comprehensible manner?”
“Mmm… let me put it this way: because doing so would be akin to lamenting the world’s inherent unfairness. However, if one were to insist on absolute fairness from the world, then the distinction between a common funeral and a lavish one would cease to exist.”
“That is indeed an example that fails to evoke even a chuckle.”
“After all, human hearts are intricate, and I possess no right to interfere with the thoughts of others. Therefore, it suffices to simply focus on oneself.”
“I see. Yes, I understand…”
The conversation drew to a close with that soft-spoken reply.
The atmosphere, however, grew noticeably subdued in its wake.
“Actually, I harbor no dissatisfaction towards my parents. Before I graduated from elementary school, they consistently made an effort to spend time with me; for any event, at least one of them was always present.”
“That unequivocally demonstrates their profound love for you.”
“Indeed.”
The young woman seemed to drift into a reverie, slowly taking a sip of water before resuming her narrative.
“As I approached junior high, they carefully explained to me that, due to various circumstances, they likely wouldn’t have ample time to accompany me in the future, thus they could only hope I would grow strong and independent.”
“Honestly, even with that preparatory talk, it must have felt somewhat like they were sidestepping the gravity of the situation, wouldn’t you agree? What sort of profession demands such an overwhelming commitment?”
“My mother is the Chairman and CEO of Dragon Orchid Heavy Industries (TL Note: A fictional heavy industry company), and my father is a member of a clandestine laboratory. Oh, that last part is to be kept confidential.”
“…I suddenly find myself regretting having asked.”
Dragon Orchid Heavy Industries, in itself, was unremarkable; a globally renowned corporation, responsible for eighty percent of the security models that upheld public order across various regions, making it a household name.
A clandestine laboratory, however, inevitably instilled a sense of disquiet.
“Heh heh… there’s no need to fret so much. In truth, I’m not privy to the full details either. When one cannot elaborate on such matters, most people will simply assume you’re jesting.”
“More often than not, they would simply mock me.”
“What does it matter? At least I know, deep down, that I hold them in profound respect, and that is sufficient.”
“Indeed. Oh? Even with all that, weren’t you always chauffeured to and from school? Surely, at the very least, a driver or a servant frequently accompanied you, didn’t they?”
‘Failing all else, there surely ought to have been bodyguards.’
Lan Xinyue gently shook her head.
“The driver’s responsibility extended only to dropping me off downstairs. The cleaning and tidying of my room, as well as my meals, were all my own responsibility.”
“Might that not be a touch too demanding?”
“Is it? Yet, I was the one who requested it.”
“…”
A silent impulse transformed into a gesture of profound reverence, hands pressed together in a worshipful bow.
“Eh?! What on earth is this sudden display?”
“Oh, Goddess, I implore you, grant us mere mortals a path to survival!”
“This jest is utterly devoid of humor!”
“It is abundantly clear that you are simply far too diligent!”
“Not at all! My three elder brothers are all far more diligent than I am!”
“Oh?”
‘You mean to say you have three elder brothers?’
‘Then why was there no mention of them whatsoever in our prior conversation?’
“Ah, they all work out of town or overseas, after all, only returning for Tomb-Sweeping Day and the Lunar New Year each year.”
‘So they simply slipped your mind, then.’
“In essence, just as you yourself articulated, our current lives are the direct consequence of our own efforts. Therefore, you should not implore me to grant you a path to survival, but rather engage in thorough self-reflection!”
“You are absolutely correct. I shall engrave that deeply within my heart.”
“Mm! Excellent, I forgive you!”
‘That response is utterly nonsensical.’
“Regarding bodyguards, they will not materialize unless I activate the alarm.”
“They truly exist, then?”
“Mmm, I did express that I had no need for them, but due to peculiar family circumstances, I bear my grandmother’s surname. Before her passing, I also made numerous public appearances alongside her, making certain precautions unavoidable.”
“That is indeed highly necessary, for you are, after all, akin to a walking ATM.”
“Have you perhaps forgotten something?”
“I acknowledge my error. Please retract that statement at once.”
‘It is, however, genuinely surprising that you bear your grandmother’s surname.’
“Furthermore, there aren’t actually many bodyguards. In the majority of situations, nearby security units are given priority notification.”
“Ah~ well, she is, after all, the esteemed daughter of Dragon Orchid Heavy Industries, so a modicum of privilege is entirely comprehensible.”
“Mmm, to label it a privilege isn’t entirely accurate. At the very least, the public security administrators in every district, and the majority of administrative officials in District One, all possess identical alarm devices.”
“Oh, so it’s a case of rights and risks being directly proportional, as the saying goes.”
‘My knowledge has expanded.’
“One could indeed phrase it as such.”
“But what if it were to be accidentally triggered?”
“That is an entirely needless concern. As its purpose is to safeguard the well-being of others, it has naturally been designed with utmost thoroughness.”
“There is always the possibility of an unforeseen circumstance, is there not? What recourse would there be in such a scenario?”
“I must say, you do possess a remarkable fondness for playing devil’s advocate.”
The young lady, with a sigh of palpable exasperation, raised a hand to press her fingertips against her forehead.
‘Yet, I maintain this is a concern of utmost necessity.’
“Very well, allow me a moment to consider how best to phrase an explanation that your overly simplistic mind might readily grasp.”
‘And thus, I find myself once again branded with the label of simple-mindedness.’
****
“Oh?”
Following the thread of conversation, and, as expected, veering wildly off-topic once more, we continued to chat for perhaps another ten minutes before I was struck by a sudden realization.
“Why the sudden startle?”
“It’s just… have we perhaps gradually strayed from our original subject?”
“…Oh, that’s right. What exactly were we intending to discuss in the first place?”
“…Would you care for a refill?”
“Thank you.”
‘Idle chatter is truly a fearsome thing.’
However, it was only when I extended the water glass to her once more that I abruptly realized the seemingly inconsequential small talk had, imperceptibly, drawn us considerably closer.
‘Perhaps I should offer some amusing family anecdotes as a reciprocal gesture next time?’
“Thank you…”
“Oh?”
‘Hadn’t you already expressed your gratitude when you accepted the water glass just moments ago?’
“Nina, your singing is truly beautiful.”
The young woman lowered her head, her voice suggesting a desire to re-examine something.
My intended response, which would have followed the topic, was swiftly swallowed back.
Tears, glistening under the lamplight, fell softly onto the tabletop.
Though we had never conversed before, I now understood that, besides her occasional fear of loneliness, she was also akin to a typhoon’s passage—a resilient, optimistic, proactive, and approachable young lady of exceptional academic standing.
Within the brief span of merely two days, she had already shed tears before me on two separate occasions.
A subtle sensation of weightlessness, born of utter disbelief, left me utterly at a loss.
“That’s practically cheating. How could one possibly win under such circumstances?”
Indeed, a mutual affection cultivated over more than a decade, once a crack for its release appeared, any third party attempting to intervene would inevitably be wounded by the ensuing impact.
‘But there’s no need to succumb to such profound disappointment; simply entrust it to the passage of time.’
“I truly have been utterly cast aside, haven’t I?”
Upon the young woman’s upturned smile, crystalline tears still clung.
“…You’re only bringing this up now.”
“Haha, I actually saw this part. Next, shouldn’t I say that you’ll understand how I feel once you’ve been dumped too?”
“Hey~ don’t just arbitrarily delete a large chunk of content!”
“That truly sounds like the tone of a playboy.”
“Well then, young lady, the world continues to move forward. You’ll surely follow it, won’t you?”
“As you said yourself, if one were to complain to the world about its unfairness, then matters like heartbreak wouldn’t even exist, would they?”
“Perhaps even romance itself would cease to be.”
“Heh heh, regarding that, I do have some good news for you.”
“Please elaborate.”
“Given your performance today, mmm… you still owe thirteen hundred yuan, correct?”
“…Alas, the prerequisite is that I must now rise and leave, to escort you home.”
“I’ll leave it to you.”
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