Chapter 13: You Are Special
Chapter 13: Chapter 13: You Are Special
Chi Xinyue’s ultimate goal for all her efforts today was to make Zhang Yan interested enough in her to secure a second and third date. Although she was highly confident in her looks, she couldn’t help but feel a bit anxious before getting his final answer. It wasn’t until she heard his words that she finally breathed a sigh of relief.
After all, "I’ll look for you when I need something" could have just been a polite pleasantry. He might have simply been treating her as a backup option. But his current words showed that he was genuinely interested and wanted to get to know her on a deeper level.
Facing Zhang Yan’s slightly flirtatious question, Chi Xinyue rested her chin on her hand, looked at him, and said with a smile, "Well, I’m actually quite busy myself. I have to turn down seventeen or eighteen guys asking me out every single day."
She was telling the truth. As a campus belle, she had a multitude of suitors. Although she didn’t lead guys on, there was no shortage of those eager to throw themselves at her. But she didn’t mean to politely reject him or play hard to get. Changing the subject, she continued, "However, if it’s you asking me out, Senior, I’ll definitely cancel all other plans just for you."
Zhang Yan had long been certain that Chi Xinyue liked him, and he had fully expected a positive response. But hearing her say it still filled him with the satisfaction of being treated as someone special. His grin was harder to suppress than the recoil of an AK-47.
He couldn’t help it. Coming from such a stunning beauty, those words provided off-the-charts emotional value! Ultimately, he managed to suppress his grin—otherwise, he risked looking like a fool. Intrigued, he asked, "Am I really that special?"
He stared intently into the younger girl’s eyes. In interpersonal relationships, aside from various tests, the most direct way to ascertain someone’s true feelings is through eye contact. The eyes are the windows to the soul, and you truly can see into a person’s heart through them (barring a few veteran actors with Oscar-worthy skills). The beautiful eyes Zhang Yan looked into were bright and smiling, seemingly carrying a hint of shyness and apprehension.
After holding his gaze for a moment, Chi Xinyue was the first to look away. Deflecting the question, she replied, "Because you’re handsome, Senior. Good-looking guys always get special privileges."
She dodged the question like a pro, but Zhang Yan’s need for emotional validation was still satisfied. He knew he was handsome, but hearing it from a gorgeous girl elevated the compliment to a whole new level.
Zhang Yan pulled out his phone and checked it. No one had messaged him, and it was still early. He figured he could take the opportunity to boost his image score a bit more, so he asked, "Are you full? Want to walk around and digest a bit?"
"Sure." Since Chi Xinyue had canceled all her other plans for today, she naturally wanted to spend more time with him.
The hotpot meal had cost a total of 12,000 yuan. When Chi Xinyue caught a glimpse of the bill, she couldn’t help but be speechless. After all, Zhang Yan had been very "considerate," letting her eat all the best cuts first. She had probably eaten at least 6,000 yuan’s worth! She had never had such an extravagant meal in her life.
After stowing their belongings in the mall’s self-service lockers, Zhang Yan and Chi Xinyue strolled down the bustling commercial street, chatting as they walked. With his fashion score vastly improved, Zhang Yan now looked much more compatible standing next to her. Back at the university that morning, the male students had all been thinking, "What kind of dumb luck did this guy stumble into?" But now, any passerby taking a look at them would undoubtedly call them a match made in heaven.
Suddenly, Zhang Yan spotted a stylish and upscale-looking hair salon named "Leave with a Smile." There was a popular saying on the internet: "No one ever leaves a hair salon with a smile," so this shop immediately piqued his interest.
"This place talks a big game. My hair’s getting a bit long anyway. Care to keep me company while I get a haircut?"
"Sure, my feet are actually getting a bit tired from walking."
As the two walked into the salon, a passing young man happened to spot them.
"Huh, isn’t that Chi Xinyue?" he muttered to himself. "I asked her out last night, and she said she was too busy today. Turns out she’s hanging out with another guy! Tch, everyone says Chi Xinyue doesn’t lead guys on, but I guess that’s not exactly true."
Even though the girl the young man had planned to meet was already waiting for him, he didn’t hesitate to change direction and head toward the hair salon. After all, his date was merely at the "it won’t hurt to make her wait" level.
Inside the salon, as soon as Zhang Yan and Chi Xinyue entered, a male greeter dressed in a white button-down shirt and black dress pants approached them.
"Are you here for a haircut, sir, or is it for the lady?"
"Do you want a trim too?" Zhang Yan asked his companion.
Chi Xinyue quickly waved her hands. "No thanks, I just had a haircut not too long ago. You go ahead, Senior. I’ll just sit on the side and wait for you."
"Then it’ll just be me. It’s my first time here; what are your prices?"
"Sir, we offer standard cuts and precision cuts. The precision cuts come in three tiers: 188, 388, and 688 yuan."
The greeter pointed to a large poster on the wall. The 188 tier was for a Senior Stylist, 388 for a Chief Stylist, and 688 for a Creative Director. The three large decals were arranged in a triangle, much like the steps of a winner’s podium. However, above all of them was a sticker of a crown.
Just as Zhang Yan was about to ask about it, an incredibly obnoxious voice sounded from behind them.
"Chi Xinyue? What a coincidence! I just take a random stroll outside and bump into our great Goddess Chi."
Chi Xinyue turned around. "Oh, it’s you, Fu Hang. It really is quite a coincidence."
Fu Hang was one of Chi Xinyue’s many suitors. Originally, she had kept a polite distance from these pursuers, tactfully rejecting them and refusing to accept their gifts. But recently, due to some personal issues, she had changed her approach slightly. Her intention was to find a boyfriend with a sufficiently wealthy background as quickly as possible to alleviate her current difficulties. Because Fu Hang came from a well-off family, her interactions with him had become a bit more frequent lately. Yesterday, he had asked her out, but she had turned him down to go on her date with Zhang Yan.
"I just happened to be coming here for a haircut too. I didn’t expect to run into you. Heh, we really are fated, aren’t we?"
Acting familiar, Fu Hang addressed the male greeter. "I’d like a slight trim. This time, I’ll go with Stylist Yifei at the 388 tier."
Although his hair didn’t actually need cutting, a trim wouldn’t hurt. Besides, he was a regular here, holding a VIP membership with a substantial pre-paid balance, meaning his actual cost was essentially half off. His main goal was to flex on the unfamiliar guy next to her.
He thought, "I just dropped 388 on a casual trim. You’ll have to get the 688 tier so you don’t lose face, right?"
Because Zhang Yan had changed into the clothes he tried on earlier, he was now wearing a Fendi T-shirt, a pair of Rick Owens pants, and Air Jordans. He looked like he had some money, but not enough to make Fu Hang feel outmatched. However, Fu Hang hadn’t looked closely enough. He completely missed Zhang Yan’s smaller accessories, especially the bracelet on his wrist.