flirting

[Million Cash Check-in Point.]

[Family Health Talisman Collection Point.]

[Peach Blossom Luck Blessing Talisman Collection Point.]

At eleven o'clock at night, the summer in Guangzhou-Shenzhen was still feverish.

Li Wei sat in his rented room in an urban village, staring blankly at his phone screen.

The air conditioner had broken down three months ago. The landlord said he would fix it, but it remained an empty promise.

The room was as stifling as a steamer. Sweat trickled down his back, drenching a large patch of his T-shirt.

Two takeout boxes sat on the table. He had lost his appetite halfway through his twelve-yuan braised chicken.

The bank app's repayment reminder was displayed on the phone screen.

"Your credit card bill has been issued. The amount due for this period is 23,847 yuan. The final repayment date is the 28th of this month."

Li Wei clicked on another app.

"Your Huabei repayment for this month is 12,356 yuan."

He clicked on yet another one.

"Your Weilidai repayment for this month is 8,900 yuan."

It added up to forty-five thousand.

The balance on his bank card was 147,823 yuan.

This was his entire net worth.

Twenty-eight years old, unemployed for three months, heavily in debt, with no house and no car.

The words his ex-girlfriend Wang Ting said when she broke up with him last month still echoed in his ears.

"Li Wei, I've been with you for three years. What have you ever given me? A rented house, a second-hand phone—you wouldn't even treat me to a decent Western meal. I don't want to wait anymore. Really, let's break up!"

She left after saying that.

A month later, she posted photos of her new boyfriend on her Moments.

A thirty-two-year-old sales manager who drove an audi A6 and owned a small two-bedroom apartment in Nanshan.

Li Wei closed the bank app and opened Momo.

This was his only pastime during late-night hours recently.

It cost no money and required no socializing. He could just browse people nearby and look at beautiful women he would never be able to date.

It was just self-consolation.

It was also a bit of a waste of tissues.

He swiped through the screen aimlessly.

Looking for some prey.

But most profile pictures were of scenery, pets, or selfies filtered beyond recognition.

He swiped through a dozen or so without any interest.

Just as he was about to close the app, a photo suddenly popped up.

Li Wei's finger stopped.

The photo showed a woman sitting in a bar booth with her legs crossed.

She wore a black dress with a very short hemline, revealing a pair of straight, slender legs.

Black stockings.

They shimmered faintly under the dim yellow light.

Her high heels were stilettos, at least ten centimeters high.

The woman rested her chin on one hand and held a glass in the other. Her gaze was somewhat lazy, yet provocative.

The photo didn't capture her face, but her figure and temperament alone were enough to be alluring.

Nickname: Yun Yun.

Status: Bored.

Distance: 1.2 km.

Li Wei stared at the photo for over ten seconds and, as if possessed, clicked follow.

Then he sent a message.

"You there?"

He regretted it as soon as he sent it.

This kind of opening was incredibly cliché; she most likely wouldn't reply.

He tossed his phone aside and got up to take a shower.

The water pressure from the showerhead was pitifully low, and the flow was intermittent. After ten minutes, he was still covered in sweat.

By the time he returned to the room drying his hair, his phone screen was lit.

A new message.

Yun Yun: "What's up?"

Li Wei was stunned for a moment.

She actually replied?

He quickly ran through conversation tactics in his head but ultimately chose the most direct way.

"I saw your status said you're bored. I'm pretty bored too."

She replied instantly.

"And?"

"So... want to go out for a drink?"

After Li Wei sent this message, his heart skipped a few beats for some reason.

He didn't even know what he was expecting.

The phone stayed quiet for about two minutes.

Just as he thought she wouldn't reply again, the message notification sounded.

"Send me the address."

Li Wei took a deep breath, opened the map, and chose a quiet bar that wasn't too far from either of them.

"Time's In, half an hour."

"Okay."

She only replied with one word and then went silent.

Li Wei looked at the chat history, feeling a bit surreal.

It was that easy?

He opened her profile and scrolled through her feed.

There weren't many posts—just some photos of bars, night views, and coffee, all of which looked high-quality.

The latest one was from three days ago.

"The nights in this city are meant for being alone."

The accompanying photo was a late-night street scene with dim yellow streetlights and few pedestrians.

Li Wei turned off his phone and went to his wardrobe to find some clothes.

His T-shirts were all wrinkled, and the knees of his jeans were heavily faded.

He finally chose a black Polo shirt and a pair of dark casual pants.

Time's In Bar was at the end of an old street.

The sign wasn't big, and the storefront was inconspicuous, but it was quiet.

Li Wei arrived ten minutes early and found a window booth to sit in.

The Waiter handed him the drink menu. He scanned the prices and, after some hesitation, ordered two mojitos.

Sixty-eight per glass.

Not cheap, but not enough to make his heart ache.

He placed his phone on the table. Every time the screen lit up, he would take a look.

Eleven forty-two.

Three minutes left.

Li Wei pulled out a cigarette pack, took one out, and put it in his mouth. It took two clicks of the lighter to ignite it.

As the nicotine entered his lungs, his tense nerves relaxed slightly.

He didn't know what he was expecting.

Or rather, he didn't dare to think about it.

At eleven forty-five, the bar door was pushed open.

A woman walked in.

Li Wei's gaze was instantly captivated.

The photo hadn't lied.

One could even say the photo was conservative.

The woman wore a black spaghetti strap dress that ended right at mid-thigh, revealing a pair of straight, slender legs.

Black stockings.

They gave off a soft glow under the warm yellow light.

Her high heels were stilettos, and she walked with a rhythmic, swaying gait.

She scanned the bar, her gaze landing on Li Wei, and the corner of her mouth curled into a smile.

Then she walked straight over.

"Are you Li Wei?"

Her voice was a bit low, with a lazy, husky quality.

Li Wei stood up and nodded.

"I am. And you're Yun Yun?"

"Yang Yun."

The woman sat down opposite him and crossed her legs. Her calves, clad in black stockings, looked exceptionally alluring under the light.

Li Wei's Adam's apple bobbed.

Only now did he see her face clearly.

A heart-shaped face with delicate features. Her eyes weren't large but were very spirited, with the outer corners slightly upturned, carrying a natural charm.

Her skin was very fair, appearing even more delicate against the black strap dress.

Her collarbones were well-defined, and the curves of her chest were just right—not exaggerated, but substantial.

Li Wei withdrew his gaze and picked up his glass.

"Care for a drink?"

Yang Yun glanced at him, picked up her glass, and took a sip.

"How old are you?"

"Twenty-eight."

"What do you do?"

Li Wei paused for a moment.

"I was at an internet company before. Now... I'm taking a break for a while."

He didn't say he was unemployed.

That wasn't a suitable topic for an opening.

Yang Yun didn't seem to press further, only smiling.

"Taking a break is good. I want to take a break too."

"What do you do?"

"Designer. Jewelry design."

Li Wei raised an eyebrow.

"Sounds quite high-end."

"It's alright, just tiring."

Yang Yun took another sip of her drink, her gaze scanning Li Wei.

"You don't look twenty-eight."

"How old do I look?"

"Thirty?"

Li Wei laughed.

"Maybe it's the high pressure. Makes me look old."

"If the pressure is high, you should come out and relax."

Yang Yun's tone was casual, but there was a different meaning in her eyes.

Li Wei raised his glass and downed it in one go.

With the alcohol in his system, he became a bit bolder.

"Do you do this often?"

"Do what?"

"Asking people out on Momo for drinks."

Yang Yun laughed, a somewhat meaningful laugh.

"Occasionally, depending on my mood."

"So how's your mood today?"

"Not bad."

After she finished speaking, she crossed her legs again, the black stockings reflecting a subtle sheen in the light.

Li Wei's gaze drifted over again.

Yang Yun noticed but didn't point it out, merely picking up her glass to continue drinking.

The two of them went drink after drink, their topics shifting from work to life, and from life to relationships.

Li Wei didn't mention his ex-girlfriend Wang Ting, and Yang Yun didn't mention her past.

They were both adults; there was no need to air their dirty laundry.

An hour later...