“Huh?”
“Not going all the way?” Xue Hengfu asked tentatively.
Bo Ting was about to open the door when he heard that. He turned back, pondering how to reasonably explain his snack craving.
The next second, the door lock clicked open automatically.
Xue Hengfu’s smile was uglier than a cry.
“Never mind.”
“You can get out.”
Xue Hengfu shut up from the heart. One look at that shark head reminded him of the stomach press, sending chills down his spine.
A relaxed smile appeared on Bo Ting’s face. He nodded and got out.
Only after closing the door did he feel puzzled.
Why did this chubby staffer seem a bit afraid of him?
He hadn’t done anything, had he?
Whatever. Maybe the guy had social anxiety.
No one understood the pain of social anxiety forcing you to work better than Bo Ting.
He brushed it off and happily entered the milk tea shop around the corner.
Wang Dong finally navigated the crowded light and caught up, only to see the Resurgence Management Office-plated car parked on the roadside. He froze.
“Where’s the guy?”
Xue Hengfu exhaled: “Got off. Just left.”
“Gone in a blink.”
He had wanted to follow, but one glance back from the other made him freeze.
Lu Jingshan sighed. He knew weirds were never that “approachable.”
It hadn’t acted at the office only because of some unknown reason.
Seeing Xue Hengfu still shaken, he comforted him.
“It’s fine.”
“The final destination is definitely Tianxin Cinema. We just wait.”
Xue Hengfu gave a wry smile: “I know.”
“But on the way… that guy seemed hungry.”
One sentence, and Lu Jingshan—who had just taken a sip of water—choked, everyone exchanging stunned looks.
Bo Ting bought two cups of hot brown sugar milk tea at the shop. Paired with the weather, it was pure bliss.
He strolled along the tree-lined path to the meeting spot with Mr. Xu.
Bo Ting stood under the eaves, having just poked the straw into his drink, waiting for Mr. Xu to arrive. At that moment, a deafening “boom” echoed as a massive thunderclap roared beside his ear.
The weather, which had seemed perfectly fine just moments ago, changed in an instant.
The midday sun vanished behind dark clouds, and the sky grew increasingly dim.
Oh no, it looks like it’s about to rain.
Bo Ting patted his side and realized he was only holding a bouquet of flowers—he had forgotten to bring an umbrella. He inwardly cursed his oversight.
He pulled out his phone and messaged Mr. Xu.
“Mr. Xu, are you almost here?”
“It looks like it’s about to rain.”
He snapped a photo of the weather at the mall’s side entrance and sent it over.
A reply came back shortly.
“Almost there.”
“I brought an umbrella.”
After sending the message, Xu Qinglai got out of the car and looked toward the agreed-upon side entrance.
Due to the sudden weather shift, there weren’t many people outside Tianxin Mall. Thus, the young man in a black hoodie standing at the side entrance stood out conspicuously.
No, even if there had been a crowd, he would have been the most eye-catching.
Not because of his tall, straight figure or handsome silhouette, but because of the bizarre plush toy on Bo Ting’s head.
At least, as he held his milk tea, the few passersby couldn’t help but turn their heads for a glance.
Before approaching, Xu Qinglai recalled that Bo Ting had mentioned the day before on his phone that he might dress warmly.
Now he finally understood.
Indeed, very warm. With such a massive plush shark head draped over his neck, it was hard to feel cold.
He quietly admired the sight for a moment, and strangely, he felt like laughing.
It really suited Bo Ting’s style.
The guy was always so unpredictable.
Snapping back to reality, Xu Qinglai walked up to the entrance and dialed Bo Ting’s number.
Bo Ting was just about to reply to Mr. Xu when his phone rang. He instinctively looked up and saw a man holding a phone just a meter away.
Uh… is this… Mr. Xu?
Bo Ting was a bit dazed.
The man opposite him wore a purely handmade custom suit, with broad shoulders, long legs, sharp features, and impressive height. He exuded an elegant aura—his eyes held a hint of amusement, yet he seemed unapproachable.
He stood there holding a black umbrella, as if he belonged in a high-end concert hall.
Bo Ting blinked and tentatively asked,
“Mr. Xu?”
“Have you been waiting long?”
Xu Qinglai naturally glossed over the shark head and walked over.
Bo Ting shook his head, still immersed in the daze of meeting Mr. Xu.
Snapping out of it, he embarrassedly handed over the flowers in his hand.
“I picked them up on the way from the neighborhood.”
“I hope Mr. Xu doesn’t mind.”
The pink flowers looked as vibrant as they had two hours earlier when he left the florist—no sign of wilting from the journey.
Xu Qinglai’s gaze fell on them, pausing for a moment.
…Roses?
He glanced at Bo Ting, but could read nothing from his expression, so he reached out and took the pink roses.
“How could I?”
“I like them very much.”
The mutated, clawing, bloodthirsty flowers instantly calmed upon touching Xu Qinglai, becoming like a genuine bouquet of lifeless blooms.
His expression unchanged, he glanced at his watch.
“Hm, the movie starts in five minutes.”
“We can head up.”
Bo Ting nodded, growing a bit excited.
“Then let’s hurry.”
The two took the elevator from the side entrance.
Xu Qinglai pressed the button for the eighteenth floor.
Inside the elevator, it was just the two of them.
Bo Ting stood there idly, his gaze inevitably drifting back to Mr. Xu.
Mr. Xu was somewhat like what he had imagined, but also completely different.
He did seem like a scholarly type, yet he wasn’t frail at all. Instead, there was an indescribable air of mystery.
It made Bo Ting’s heart itch.
His eyes traced the smooth line of Mr. Xu’s jaw, inching up to his nose.
What a high, straight nose bridge.
And Mr. Xu had phoenix eyes, no less.
The slightly cool curve of those phoenix eyes softened with the gentle, spring-water-like warmth in his gaze, making Bo Ting sneak another look.
“What’s wrong?”
Xu Qinglai turned his head.
Caught staring, Bo Ting felt embarrassed.
“Nothing.”
How was he supposed to say it? ‘Dude, you’re really handsome’? No way could a straight guy say that—even to Mr. Xu, it wouldn’t be right.
Bo Ting forced himself to look straight ahead and opened his mouth, but just then, Mr. Xu spoke at the same time.
Both paused, and Xu Qinglai smiled as he asked,
“I was going to say, is that cup in your hand for me?”
Bo Ting gripped the two steaming cups of milk tea tightly. Realizing his blunder, he remembered he had bought milk tea but forgotten to give it to Mr. Xu!
Embarrassed, he handed over the hot milk tea. Beneath the shark head hood, his ears turned faintly red.
“Yeah, I bought it for Mr. Xu.”
“Since I didn’t know your taste, I got the same flavor as mine.”
“See if you like it.”
Bo Ting felt as nervous as when he first met his university advisor.
He couldn’t help but press a hand to his chest to calm his heartbeat.
As the elevator rose to the eighteenth floor, he remembered to check his phone:
“We’re in Hall 8, Row 7.”
Xu Qinglai nodded.
“There shouldn’t be many people for this movie.”
“It’ll be nice and quiet.”
Hm?
Not many people?
But he recalled the census worker saying their colleagues were also coming to the cinema.
Bo Ting felt puzzled.
Yet after stepping out, he found the cinema truly deserted.
With its dark aesthetic, only the corridor lights were on. As the elevator doors closed, a “welcome” voice chimed in Bo Ting’s ears.
Aside from the ticket seller at the counter, it really seemed like just the two of them—like they had the place to themselves.
It was Bo Ting’s first time inviting someone to a movie, and he hadn’t expected such VIP treatment.
Maybe the census workers’ tickets were for a different showing?
That would explain it.
Bo Ting nodded. After ticket check, they found their seats together.
He placed the milk tea cups on the armrest and quietly exhaled in relief.
Alright.
First face-to-face meetup—halfway successful.
He reported the progress in the group chat with the Taiping Luxury Garden neighbors.
Bo Ting closed his phone, only to see Mr. Xu raise an eyebrow.
“No cameras here.”
“If it’s hot, you can take off the headpiece.”
He reminded him pointedly.
Bo Ting blinked, lowering his voice a bit.
“Is that okay?”
He wouldn’t scare Mr. Xu with his air conditioner look, right?
Though Mr. Xu had seen it on video, Bo Ting was still worried.
Due to the low volume, he instinctively leaned closer.
The young man’s warm body heat transmitted through the hoodie, causing Xu Qinglai’s fingertips to pause.
“It’s fine.”
The gentle voice sounded slightly distorted in the cinema. Bo Ting casually removed the headpiece, finally feeling the light again.
Honestly, it was a bit hot wearing it in this weather.
Bo Ting rubbed his neck, his whole air conditioner form relaxing. He then focused intently on the movie screen.
After a flurry of opening ads, the film was about to start.
A deep green The Bud title, slick like slimy mold, appeared on a red screen, evoking a profoundly unsettling horror vibe.
Bo Ting watched for two seconds, thinking of his own cooling ability, and his mind wandered.
“Mr. Xu, are you hot?”
Xu Qinglai was watching the onrushing Anomalous God contamination unfold.
The next second, Bo Ting’s mysterious whisper sounded in his ear.
“If you’re hot, I can blow some cool air on you.”
