Chapter 75: Two People with Different Tastes

The late-morning sunlight slipped through the gaps between skyscrapers in the financial district, casting a patchwork of light and shadow across the granite pavement in front of the Central City Library.

The bell had just struck eleven, and the lingering resonance from the nearby clock tower could still be heard.

Ke Xin and Luo Anying stepped out of the library’s automatic doors one after the other. Instead of the warm gust they’d expected, the autumn wind from the Longchuan River brushed their faces with a faint chill.

The thermometer showed a perfect 26 degrees—not cold, not hot. Bright sunshine, but not harsh. It was one of the most pleasant days of the year in Muzhou.

Under the sun, Ke Xin squinted. Her long pink hair fluttered softly in the autumn breeze.

“It’s already eleven?” She glanced at her phone, then looked at Luo Anying behind her. “Senior, are you hungry?”

Luo Anying’s blue hair shimmered gently in the sunlight. She tilted her head slightly, blinking sleepily. Her long eyelashes cast faint shadows under her eyes.

She seemed to think seriously about the question for a moment, then answered, “…Mm… a little hungry…”

Her voice was still thick with drowsiness.

“Does Senior have any recommendations? I’m totally unfamiliar with this area.” Ke Xin lowered her head and scrolled through her phone, her fingers dancing lightly across the screen.

The review site displayed an overwhelming number of restaurants, each more appetizing than the last. Suddenly, everything looked delicious. She wanted to try it all.

Unfortunately, she only had one stomach.

The two walked slowly down Mingzhu Road toward the pedestrian street. To match Luo Anying’s pace, Ke Xin also slowed down her usual brisk steps, glancing at her from time to time—worried she might simply close her eyes while walking. Once, Luo Anying almost walked straight into a lamppost, only swerving aside at the last second. The first time that happened, Ke Xin instinctively reached out wanting to grab her.

After a few repeats, Ke Xin got used to it.

When they entered the pedestrian street, rows of plane trees greeted them, their leaves just beginning to yellow. The patches of gold among the late-summer green felt particularly poetic.

Sweet osmanthus trees were in full bloom, their pale yellow blossoms clustered densely among the branches, releasing a rich, sugary fragrance.

A few trendily dressed performers were setting up equipment. After a brief introduction to passers-by, an energetic drumbeat began, soon joined by guitar, bass, and keyboard.

Ke Xin hadn’t expected to run into a street band performing live. It felt novel—something she’d never experienced before. Truly, this was the big city.

Continuing forward, she frequently stopped to examine restaurant menus, comparing them with online reviews and peeking inside to judge the flow of customers.

“That one looks nice.” Ke Xin pointed at a restaurant with elegant décor, then stared at its menu on her phone. “Their specialties are braised pork and sweet-and-sour pork. But it looks pretty crowded right now, and the prices are…”

This was the core commercial area of a first-tier city in the East Asian Federation. She had mentally prepared herself for the cost of living here, but seeing it with her own eyes still left her a little stunned.

Even with her Special Search Bureau salary, which made the occasional splurge feasible, she still felt that paying that much for what was essentially regular home-style dishes wasn’t exactly worth it.

Luo Anying turned her head, blinking. Her blue hair swayed with the motion. “Local cuisine… but waiting in line… is troublesome…”

True enough. Ke Xin nodded and continued searching for alternatives.

“How about Sichuan food?” she suggested, spotting a chain restaurant she’d tried back home—pretty good, if she remembered right.

But Luo Anying slowly shook her head, making a slightly disgusted face. “Too spicy… completely can’t eat it…”

She yawned, eyes glistening slightly with tears.

Right—Ke Xin swallowed back her cravings. Images of spicy boiled beef and chili-oil offal vanished reluctantly. But for Senior’s sake, she’d endure it. Muzhou locals tended to avoid spicy food anyway.

“Then what about a Hong Kong-style café? The food should be mild.” Ke Xin pointed at a stylish tea restaurant nearby. The window showcased delicate dim sum models. The place was busy, but people were coming and going steadily.

Luo Anying nodded gently, but murmured, “Tried it… not really to my taste…”

“Oh, you’ve tried it? Then let’s keep looking.”

And so the two wandered from one end of the pedestrian street to the other for nearly ten minutes, still unable to decide. Right then, both their stomachs let out unmistakable growls—loud enough to protest, but thankfully masked by the noise of the street.

Ke Xin blushed lightly and gave an embarrassed laugh. “Sorry, Senior. I’m starving. Maybe we should just find something nearby and settle for that?”

She rubbed her now-hollow stomach. Luo Anying simply watched her quietly, not objecting but clearly giving her silent permission.

“That place—‘Wheatfield Ramen’—how about it? Doesn’t seem too crowded.” Ke Xin pointed at a ramen shop across the street. Through the glass windows, the interior looked clean, with only a few customers. No need to wait.

Luo Anying nodded softly. “Ramen… is fine… let’s go with that…”

The two entered the shop. It was unexpectedly quiet inside. Customers ate quietly or spoke in low voices. The owner lounged behind the counter watching a replay of the morning news; the anchor’s voice echoed clearly in the room.

The air-conditioning was set quite cold. The sudden chill made Luo Anying’s eyes widen slightly, though she quickly returned to her usual sleepy state.

“Scan the code on the table to order—” the owner said without lifting his head, attention still glued to the TV.

They chose a table by the window. Ke Xin immediately scanned the QR code and entered the ordering app, where a long list of dishes popped up. The pictures made her stomach growl again.

“Senior, what do you want?” She slid the phone toward Luo Anying, leaning forward. A strand of pink hair fell off her shoulder into her field of view.

Luo Anying glanced at the screen, swiping lazily through a few pictures before stopping at a simple bowl of tonkotsu ramen. “Th-this one… looks good.”

She slid the phone back to Ke Xin.

“Then I’ll get the same!” Ke Xin ordered two bowls of ramen, picked an iced soy milk for herself, and added a coffee for Senior—surprisingly, this shop really did serve coffee. She wasn’t sure what the owner was thinking.

After placing the order, Ke Xin rested her chin in her hands, waiting.

While they waited, Luo Anying half-closed her eyes, resting her chin on her arms. Her long blue hair spread across the table like a calm lake.

The pose reminded Ke Xin of her classmates at Muzhou No.1 High when they napped between classes.

“Speaking of which, Senior… why are you always so sleepy?” Ke Xin couldn’t help asking, idly tracing circles on the table with her fingertip.

Luo Anying slowly opened one eye, shifting her position so her cheek rested against her arm. Her voice drifted out as if from a great distance: “Why… I just like sleeping… want to go home and sleep…”

Her voice grew softer and softer, like she truly might doze off any moment.

This was definitely sleep deprivation, Ke Xin thought silently, though she kept a polite smile. “Then besides missions, what does Senior like to do? Movies? Music? Any hobbies?”

“…Why ask…” Luo Anying murmured, voice sounding more and more like a dream. Her eyes were closing again.

Ke Xin rested her chin on her palm thoughtfully, pink hair slipping off her shoulder. “Eh? Throwing the question back at me?”

“Hm~?” Senior seemed to be waiting for her answer.

Right—why was she asking?

Was it simply to avoid awkward silence?

That was what Ke Xin usually did. She knew very little about topics girls her age liked to chat about. To avoid dragging down the mood—or exposing the fact that she’d only been a girl for a few months—she constantly tried to blend in.

Sometimes the pressure felt heavy, but at least she managed to maintain something like normal relationships. And that was all she’d ever wanted.

She’d always been introverted, not the popular type, and had never had many friends…

Ke Xin shook her head quickly, trying to banish those unpleasant memories.

As for why she was asking Senior so many questions now—besides wanting to act normal—she also had to admit she was genuinely curious about the sleepy, slow-speaking senior who fascinated her for reasons she couldn’t quite explain.

Luo Anying was simply… unique. That was the best way to put it.

“Ke Xin is still… curious…” Luo Anying suddenly murmured out of nowhere, eyes still closed, sounding like she was talking in her sleep.

“Curious about what?” Ke Xin responded automatically. Then, realizing what the implication could be, her cheeks warmed.

She shook her head hard—this wasn’t a date. They’d just gone to the library because Senior invited her, and now they were just having lunch afterward.

If it were a date… what would they even do?

Ke Xin tilted her head, pondering this surprisingly serious question.

“…Just joking. Actually, Mengyao said… they’ll assign us to the same squad later…” Luo Anying explained slowly, her voice floating like a feather. “So we should learn more about each other…”

“Oh… I see.”

Being assigned to the same squad and working with Senior—Ke Xin had no problem with that.

Luo Anying sensed the subtle shift in Ke Xin’s tone. She slowly opened her eyes. A glint of mischief flashed in her violet pupils. “Ke Xin… are you thinking about something?”

She deliberately dragged out the words, the corners of her lips lifting slightly.

“N-no!” Ke Xin denied immediately, fingers twisting the ends of her hair. Her cheeks were noticeably redder now.

“Reaaally~?” Luo Anying’s smile deepened, her eyes narrowing again, like a lazy cat toying with its prey.

Ke Xin finally realized she was being teased. She furrowed her brows and clenched her fists mentally, wearing what she thought was an expression of fierce indignation.

In reality, all she did was turn her face toward the window—

And let out a tiny, sulky “…hmph.”

If Ke Xin were actually angry, this would not be her reaction.

She’d be swearing already.