Chapter Seven: Don't Give Yourself Away...

Following the Grandmaster’s instructions, Chen Jiang published a six-thousand-word chapter. There was no need to wait for backend approval; the Grandmaster used his own authority to pass the review immediately.

Before long, the contracted platform sent a brief notification. After uploading the electronic contract, Chen Jiang finally shut down his computer and went out in search of food.

Near his residential complex stood a large shopping mall. Chen Jiang found a Northern-style restaurant there. While waiting for his meal, he received an invitation from the editor Grandmaster to join a group chat.

[Editor Grandmaster of Yue Dian: This is our author group. You can join it, and if you have any questions, you can ask the seasoned veterans in the group.]

The reason for this invitation was clear: Chen Jiang’s writing style didn’t belong to any of the big names within the site. The Grandmaster suspected he might be an alien demon from another realm who had come to Yue Dian to prove his way.

[Jiang He]: Okay.

Chen Jiang added the group chat and muted its notifications. Just then, the waiter brought his food.

Looking at the brightly colored Peking duck, Chen Jiang took a bite. The taste seemed not as good as the roast duck from the Guangdong region. It was more a matter of different styles, but Chen Jiang still preferred the flavors from Guangdong.

After finishing lunch, Chen Jiang returned home to continue typing. When he had written over four thousand words, his phone suddenly rang.

“Hey, Lao Lü, how come you’re calling me today?” Chen Jiang asked, puzzled.

“You must be so holed up at home you don’t even know what day it is. It’s Sunday!” Lü Hao rolled his eyes on the other end. “I’ve got good news for you!”

“Good news?”

“Chen Sisi and I are together now!”

Across the internet line, Chen Jiang could hear the excitement in Lü Hao’s voice, full of boastful pride.

“Oh, congratulations,” Chen Jiang smiled faintly.

“Why aren’t you surprised at all?” Lü Hao said, confused.

“Given how you two used to flirt and tease each other, I’d be surprised if you weren’t together. I think the real surprise is that you waited until after graduation to get together!”

“Who confessed first?” Chen Jiang asked.

“Of course me. We share the same mentor and have been together every day. Last night, I asked her out to watch a movie and laid my feelings bare,” Lü Hao replied.

“So that’s why you suddenly started preparing for graduate school—your intentions were elsewhere!” Chen Jiang teased.

“Sisi wants to invite you for dinner tonight. After all, we met because of you, so you’re kind of our matchmaker,” Lü Hao explained the reason for the call.

Chen Jiang and Chen Sisi were from the same hometown and initially met at a hometown association gathering. They weren’t very close but had added each other as friends along with several freshmen from their department.

Later, during a dormitory dinner, they met some girls from the other dorm. Since they were acquaintances, Chen Jiang greeted them, and the two dorms ended up sitting together.

Somehow, those two lively souls added each other on WeChat, and their relationship gradually warmed up.

It had been clear before that they liked each other, and now, they had finally become a couple!

“Alright, what time tonight?” Chen Jiang agreed.

“Seven o’clock, at the usual beef hotpot place,” Lü Hao said.

...

Winter nights came early. In the northern regions, heavy snow was falling, and residents had gone to bed early.

But in Shen City, a bustling southern metropolis, the winter nightlife was no less crowded than in summer.

This was a sleepless city tinged with a futuristic technological aura.

Chen Jiang parked his car near the destination, zipped up his coat, and walked forward with hands in pockets.

The commercial street was packed; with so many people around, the temperature felt warmer, not cold at all.

He entered the familiar beef hotpot restaurant.

Pushing open the private room door, Chen Jiang immediately spotted the young couple huddled together, whispering.

“Ahem.”

Hearing his cough, they quickly separated.

Chen Jiang smiled playfully at them and teased, “I called you two a couple before, and Lao Lü, you denied it. Now it’s only been a short time since we last met, and you’re practically glued to each other!”

“What wicked words!” Chen Sisi glared at him.

Lü Hao’s face flushed red.

“You were just as dense as a block of wood before,” Chen Sisi complained.

“Alright, have you ordered yet?” Chen Jiang asked.

“We’ve ordered some meat. Take a look and see if you want to add anything,” Chen Sisi pushed the menu toward him.

“Watch me eat you out of house and home,” Chen Jiang said without hesitation, ordering several more plates of beef.

“Eat as much as you want. I don’t believe your appetite is that big,” Lü Hao laughed.

“No alcohol for me—I have to drive. You two lovebirds still have a date afterward,” Chen Jiang ordered each of them a drink.

“Yeah, right. After dinner, we’re going straight home. Who has the energy to go on dates in this freezing cold?” Chen Sisi rubbed her hands together.

“Go home? You’re renting together?” Chen Jiang immediately caught the implication.

“Since when?” he asked.

“Just these past couple of days. After we got together last night, we thought living separately was inconvenient. Luckily, Sisi had been thinking about renting, had already found a place, so we just moved out,” Lü Hao said cheerfully.

“All the furniture’s ready; we don’t need to buy anything else,” he added.

“You two really are something,” Chen Jiang gave them a thumbs-up.

“Now it seems like you’re the only one in our dorm without a partner,” Lü Hao suddenly said.

“No choice—haven’t met the right girl yet. My mom was already calling to urge me the day before yesterday,” Chen Jiang said helplessly.

“Hope you find your ideal girl soon,” Chen Sisi said, raising her drink as they clinked glasses.

At that moment, the waiter brought several plates of raw beef.

The hotpot meal was thoroughly enjoyable.

After finishing, the couple paid and left first.

Chen Jiang sat in the private room for a while before slowly standing up.

Exiting the hotpot restaurant, the commercial street outside was lively and bustling.

Chen Jiang wove into the crowd, taking a leisurely stroll after dinner.

Street vendors lined the road, various snack stalls dazzling his eyes.

The entire street was filled with tempting aromas.

Yet, having just eaten his fill, Chen Jiang had no appetite at all.

“Boss, I want a skewer of candied strawberries, and a stick of cotton candy,” a familiar melodious female voice suddenly reached Chen Jiang’s ears.

“Meow~” a plaintive orange cat’s cry followed.

Chen Jiang glanced toward the candied fruit cart.

There stood a girl bundled up tightly, choosing candied hawthorns, with a large transparent thermal cat carrier strapped on her back.

Inside the carrier, a familiar orange cat looked at Chen Jiang with expectant eyes, as if silently pleading, “Let me out!”

Chen Jiang approached, intending to greet her. “Yi Yun...”

Before he finished, the girl suddenly turned around, tiptoed, and covered his mouth with a small hand.

A scent of hand cream with a creamy fragrance wafted to Chen Jiang’s nose.

“Shh, don’t blow my cover!” Yi Yunxue said nervously.

Only then did Chen Jiang realize that Yi Yunxue dressed so heavily to avoid revealing her identity.

If not for seeing the big plump orange cat on her back, Chen Jiang might not have recognized her.

“Sorry, I didn’t notice that,” Chen Jiang quickly apologized.

Yi Yunxue stood frozen for a few seconds, then her cheeks flushed red as she softly said, “Sorry, I was a bit too sensitive.”