Sitting in the café, enjoying the cool breeze of the air conditioner, I gazed out the window at the street glowing gold beneath the harsh sunlight. The world outside seemed so surreal, almost as if it were peeling away from reality.
The latte in front of me tasted pretty mediocre. Maybe I’m just picky, but I couldn’t figure out what was supposed to be good about it.
Seated nearby were a few friends I got along with decently. Whenever Zhi Nian didn’t invite me out for a meal, I’d usually tag along with these guys to the cafeteria when they asked.
Today’s gathering had been organized by Shiratori. She said her family had some connections and had gotten a few tickets for the inner area of the audience, so she invited us to go check out the festival together, and watch the celebrity performance in the evening.
“Gu Fan, it’s rare to see you show up at a group hangout.”
That annoyingly cheeky voice sounded in my ear. Without even turning my head, I took a sip of my latte with a blank expression and said, “Fang Cheng, did you come on your own or did Shiratori invite you?”
“What do you think? Do I look like the type who would just crash a party without being invited? If I had that much free time, I’d rather stay at home and play more games.”
Fang Cheng said this as he plopped himself down beside me, greeting the other guys at the table with practiced ease.
Most of the guys here were either classmates or, like Fang Cheng, became friendly with everyone in class because of me. We often played basketball together, so everyone was pretty familiar with one another.
After making the rounds and chatting with everyone, Fang Cheng let out a weary sigh, propping his face on one hand and giving me a woeful look.
“Ai, socializing is such exhausting work. If that pretty chick Shiratori hadn’t tricked me with the promise of free coffee and a chance to see some beautiful celebrities, I wouldn’t have bothered showing up.”
Honestly, when I first heard this was Shiratori’s idea, I was going to turn her down. But then she added, “I have something special I want to say to Gu Fan. Just this once, please, I’m begging you.”
Seeing that, I couldn’t refuse her invitation. Plus, I told her that I wanted to clear some things up too—make it clear that we’re just ordinary friends, and there’s no chance of things going further.
Of course, I didn’t spell it out too bluntly in the chat. I just said we could talk after the festival, at a quiet pavilion where we could lay everything out.
“You can still go back, you know. Shiratori herself hasn’t even arrived yet. If you want to make an excuse to leave, I’ll help sell your extra ticket. Who knows, you might even make back your bus fare for coming here.”
I frowned slightly as I downed the overly creamy latte, then replied.
Fang Cheng burst out laughing. “Come on, if I had ticket-scalping skills, I’d have gotten rich off handing out flyers by now. Look, let’s check out the celebrity lineup for tonight’s show and see if those female stars are actually hot.”
With that, Fang Cheng slapped a stack of flyers on the table—some promotional posters for the festival’s anniversary event. The design was nothing special, just your typical mass-market advertisement, not exactly eye-catching.
Since we were all just waiting for everyone to arrive, I picked up a flyer to have a closer look—might as well do a bit of homework for when I play tour guide for Zhi Nian in a few days.
I don’t really know much about local female celebrities. Under Fang Cheng’s urging, I flipped to the right page and glanced over the photos. After all that makeup and dressing up, they did look pretty good—well, at least in terms of looks. But when it came to their figures, they left a lot to be desired.
Maybe my standards really are too picky—or, more accurately, Zhi Nian has spoiled me. I only have eyes for Da Lei. Compared to her, these celebrities’ figures were thoroughly average.
“So? Gu Fan, you’ve always had great taste. What score would you give these stars for looks?”
Fang Cheng raised his brows and teased me.
I put on a fake smile. “They’re alright, maybe a seven or eight. Not quite what I imagined a big star to be, but there’s something to see.”
“Isn’t that obvious? The only ones who come to perform in our little city are either stuck here by their hometown connections or are some niche, half-famous types looking for work. Big-name stars would never bother wasting their time here.”
“Good point. For that, I’ll reward you with a few glow sticks. Tonight, your job is to cheer for those stars, pretend to be their fan, and see if you can score a signed photo. You might even make more money selling those than you do passing out flyers.”
Fang Cheng frowned, thinking it over. “Hey, that actually sounds pretty doable.”
I shrugged, helpless. Who knew he’d take my joke seriously? All the effort to get those signed photos, and they’d probably end up on a second-hand site as unsellable treasures—no one would care. Sometimes, even with a celebrity’s name, a washed-up star isn’t worth as much as a famous dog on a short video app. That’s the cruel reality.
“By the way, where’s Shiratori? Why isn’t she here yet? Everyone else is almost here.”
I stretched lazily. “No idea. The AC’s good here, so I don’t mind waiting. It’s like a steamer outside.”
“Whoa, speak of the devil—look over there!”
My stretch was a bit over the top, so I hadn’t noticed what was happening outside. When I followed Fang Cheng’s pointing finger, the café door quietly swung open.
Wearing a trendy T-shirt, Shiratori appeared before us. She adjusted her pale pink beret and gave us a warm smile.
“Hello, sorry to keep you all waiting.”
The other classmates who were invited hurried over to welcome her. Fang Cheng and I exchanged a look, then lowered our heads to pretend we didn’t notice.
But to my surprise, Shiratori walked straight towards us. I could tell from the reflection in the glass and the sound of canvas sneakers behind me.
She was so different from Zhi Nian—in the way she dressed, her personality, even the sound of her footsteps.
Zhi Nian moved gently, trying not to make a sound. If you didn’t listen carefully, you’d never notice her approaching.
Shiratori, on the other hand, strode forward with confidence, full of youthful energy. Though she acted warm and refined on the surface, you could tell her nature was the complete opposite of Zhi Nian’s.
Girls like her have a certain charm, but it’s not really my taste. Besides, I already have Zhi Nian, my cute little catgirl—I shouldn’t be thinking about anyone else.
“Fang Cheng, Gu Fan, good afternoon.”
“Uh, ah, hello, hello.”
Fang Cheng grinned, greeted her, and then quickly backed away, giving up the seat next to me before beating a hasty retreat.
I shot him a look of disdain, then put on my usual social smile and replied to Shiratori’s greeting.
“Were you busy this morning, Shiratori, or did you get stuck in traffic?”
Shiratori looked a bit surprised. “How did you know? You’re like a mind reader, Gu Fan. I got stuck in traffic on the way over—the whole intersection was blocked because of a minor accident. Not a big deal, but the two drivers wouldn’t stop arguing until the police came to mediate, so it took quite a while. Sorry for making you wait.”
Shiratori deliberately spoke louder so everyone could hear, and the others nodded in understanding.
Since she had just arrived, and people hadn’t finished their coffee and desserts yet, we all stayed in our corner, chatting quietly and resting a bit longer.
I made idle conversation with the others, and at some point Fang Cheng slipped over to my side.
“Heh, Gu Fan, you’re quite the ladies’ man. Have you made up your mind yet? Walking two lines is risky business—you’d better choose one and cherish her.”
His tone was laid-back, but his expression was surprisingly serious.
I nodded calmly. “I know. That’s why I came—to settle things. I know what I have to do. Don’t worry.”
Fang Cheng clapped me on the shoulder, satisfied. “Hey, your little catgirl wife has given me drinks and wet wipes more than once. I owe her a favor. If you need help, just ask.”
“Mm, you go on. If you don’t hurry, they’ll eat all the cake.”
“Roger that.”
With that, Fang Cheng dashed for the round table. Shiratori had bought everyone a big plate of cake to make up for the wait, letting us fill up before heading out to the festival.
I’d already eaten lunch before leaving home. Besides, I’m not really one to eat at these kinds of gatherings—except when I’m out with Zhi Nian, buying milk tea or having a proper meal together.
While everyone else enjoyed their afternoon tea, I moved my seat under the air conditioner and pulled out my phone to check who’d messaged me earlier.
Sure enough, the sender’s profile was a cat avatar—my childhood friend, Zhi Nian.
Zhi Nian: “Cat peeking.jpg”
Zhi Nian: “Gu Fan, are you busy? Or have you already started wandering around the festival? Got anything good to eat? Send me a photo if you do!”
Zhi Nian: “Cat worm squirming.gif”
Seeing Zhi Nian’s expressive stickers, I couldn’t help but imagine her on the other side of the screen, making the same cute gestures.
Gu Fan: “Little bear hands on hips.gif”
Gu Fan: “Still at the café having afternoon tea. We just gathered, and we’ll check out the festival in a bit. I’ll send you photos later, Zhi Nian.”
Not long after I replied, she messaged back. Looks like she’s been waiting by her phone.
Zhi Nian: “Cat soldier saluting.gif”
Zhi Nian: “Received! Be careful out there, okay?”