Shen Mengjie's Date

By the artificial lake, Shen Mengjie sat alone on a large boulder, gazing absently at the rippling water stirred by the cold wind.

She didn’t know what was wrong with her—it just felt like something intangible was clogging her heart.

It was unsettling.

She took out her phone, snapped a photo of the lake, and sent it to Long Aotian.

Seeing the 【？】 he replied with, Shen Mengjie pressed her lips together in a faint smile. The weight in her chest seemed to ease slightly at that moment.

"Do you know what girls care about the most?"

Reading her message, Long Aotian leaned back on his bed, lost in thought.

Having spent so much time with the girl, he knew she cherished life.

She didn’t seem overly concerned with details or romance. Instead, she lived earnestly, making every day meaningful in its own way...

Soon, his phone buzzed again.

Another message from Shen Mengjie: "It’s about ritual."

Looking up at the bright moon above, the cold moonlight spilled over her as the wind brushed past. Shen Mengjie instinctively curled up. "Ritual is what matters most to girls."

"I can already guess the kind of advice Huang Fei gave you—probably something like taking her to an aquarium or an art exhibit, setting up a romantic scene, reminiscing about good times to move her. Sounds novel, but I know that’s not what you’re looking for."

"Ritual is really important for girls. A sincere confession, a romantic date, a fresh experience—these all need to be there..."

Reading her messages in his dorm, Long Aotian had to admit—every word struck a chord with him.

A sincere confession wasn’t just about reliving the past.

A romantic date wasn’t just dinner, shopping, and a movie.

And as for a fresh experience? That was what troubled him the most. Having never been in love or made a proper confession before, he wasn’t entirely sure how to proceed.

At first, he had taken Shen Mengjie’s words lightly, not expecting much from her.

But now, her insights had genuinely impressed him.

After waiting a long time without another message, he couldn’t help but ask: "What about the fresh experience part?"

Seeing his follow-up, Shen Mengjie’s lips curled slightly.

Her life hadn’t been filled with much purity. What she did have was an insatiable curiosity for everything she couldn’t have.

And often, once curiosity took hold, it led to an inevitable downfall.

"Well, I don’t know your girlfriend, and I don’t know what you’re thinking either. You haven’t told me anything, so how can I help you plan further? 【Innocent blinking emoji】"

"How about this—tomorrow at 8 PM, the café by the school gate. You tell me your ideas, and I’ll give you some pointers."

After sending the message, Shen Mengjie smiled at her phone.

Stretching by the lake, her figure elegant under the moonlight, she recalled the reactions of the three girls when they talked about Long Aotian last Friday.

Her red lips parted slightly. "We’re actually the same kind of people."

The whisper dissolved into the empty lakeside air.

Standing up, she straightened her clothes and left.

The first step was a success. Now, she had to prepare for tomorrow’s "date."

Back in the dorm, Long Aotian told Huang Fei about meeting Shen Mengjie the next day.

"Damn, she really nailed it. My original idea was to take your girl to the aquarium—imagine confessing and kissing under that blue glass tunnel, surrounded by water. Sounds ridiculously romantic..."

Well, that settled it. There was definitely a gap between how guys and girls saw romance.

The next morning, during a cultural studies class, Huang Fei sidled up to Shen Mengjie, noticing her occasional smiles.

"Mengjie, you seem really happy today."

"Why wouldn’t I be?" Shen Mengjie raised an eyebrow, her tone playful. "You all keep saying how great and mature Long Aotian is. Before, he had the upper hand helping me. Now, he’s the one asking for my advice. Don’t you think that’s funny?"

Huang Fei chuckled awkwardly. "Well, yeah. But if you can help Aotian out, I’d really appreciate it."

Seeing his relieved expression, Shen Mengjie rolled her eyes. "So fake."

Scratching his head, Huang Fei defended, "I just think Aotian really cares about his girlfriend. Can’t blame me for worrying."

"His girlfriend, not yours. Why are you so worked up?"

Her sarcastic tone shut him up.

The day passed uneventfully, time slipping by unnoticed.

By dusk, when Wang Lijuan and Han Xiaojing returned to the dorm, they were surprised to see Shen Mengjie applying makeup.

"Mengjie, why are you dolling up at this hour?"

Shen Mengjie flipped her long hair back and grinned. "No reason. Do I look good?"

The bold red lipstick didn’t clash with her beauty—instead, it accentuated her allure.

Changing into the outfit she’d prepared earlier, she stretched and admired herself in the mirror before heading out.

Watching her leave, Wang Lijuan and Han Xiaojing exchanged glances but chose not to pry.

At the café, Long Aotian was seated near the glass door, impossible to miss.

"You’re early today. Guess people only take initiative when it’s their own business," she teased out of habit.

Long Aotian didn’t mind, used to her quirks.

"Alright, let’s hear it." After ordering coffee, Shen Mengjie crossed her legs elegantly across from him.

"She’s a really good person."

Shen Mengjie arched an eyebrow.

"I didn’t say you aren’t."

"Wasn’t thinking that. Go on."

"That’s it. My girl is just... kind and gentle." Long Aotian smiled faintly. "Honestly, no matter what I do, she’d probably think it’s perfect."

"Which is exactly why I want to give her the best, most unforgettable confession—something that’ll stay vivid no matter how much time passes."

His fond expression irritated her. "I really don’t get how such a sweet girl ended up liking someone like you."

"What’s that supposed to mean?"

In his girl’s eyes, he was the best in the world.

"From what you’ve said, she sounds quiet, shy, and innocent. Someone like that probably lacks excitement in life. If it were me..."

Mid-sentence, her cup tilted, spilling liquid onto her hand.

"Ouch—" Shen Mengjie gasped sharply, jerking her hand back.

"You're always so careless," Long Aotian chided, using a napkin to wipe up the spilled liquid on the table.

Already stinging from the burn, Shen Mengjie felt even more aggrieved at his words.

Seeing her pout, Long Aotian couldn’t help but smirk. "Let me take a look."

Shen Mengjie glanced up reluctantly, hesitating for a moment before finally extending her hand toward him.

After examining her reddened palm, he said, "We’ll get some ointment later. Try not to let it touch water for the next couple of days. It’s not too serious—"

Just then, a startled cry rang out. "Ah—!"

Long Aotian turned and saw someone tumble at the café entrance, only to scramble up quickly and dash away...