Chapter 10: I Was Clearly Here First
Time rewinds a little.
Ye Qin had just finished delivering a pre-battle pep talk to Miss Qiu Yu.
The love-rookie Qiu Yu had put up a futile struggle, only to be ruthlessly crushed beneath the Five Elements Mountain by the demon coach of romance, Ye Qin.
Fortunately, Miss Qiu Yu was quite good at managing her own emotions—she only sulked for a moment before regaining her composure.
After all, Lu Zheng had already gone home. She’d leave the rest to the “tomorrow me” to worry about.
“Let’s go, Ye Qin.”
Miss Qiu Yu checked the time. It was about time to head to the movie premiere.
Although Lu Zheng’s absence had dramatically decreased her interest, she had already promised someone she’d go—it wouldn’t be right to cancel without reason.
Besides, Qiu Yu wasn’t the type of mage who would casually use magic unless absolutely necessary. If they didn’t leave soon, they’d be late.
“Hmm...”
Ye Qin, on the other hand, hesitated.
She had zero interest in the premiere. If she had a choice, she’d rather go home and listen to the new album she’d just bought.
But seeing her helpless bestie’s face, she couldn’t bring herself to refuse. She reluctantly nodded.
“When you watch, try to remember the plot. That way, when Lu Zheng sees it later, you can chat about it with him.”
Even now, Ye Qin didn’t forget to pass on wisdom like a devoted romance mentor.
Unfortunately, Qiu Yu was too dense a disciple.
Seeing Qiu Yu’s confused expression, Ye Qin sighed. “Feelings are built up bit by bit.”
She walked behind Qiu Yu, who was seated in a chair, and hugged her head, aggressively ruffling her hair.
What would this girl do without me?
Only when Qiu Yu’s hair resembled a bird’s nest did Ye Qin stop, pulling out a comb to tidy it back up before giving her a light pat on the head to signal she was ready to go.
After Qiu Yu checked D-City’s spiritual veins and the Hero Association’s defensive formations, the two left the Association hand-in-hand.
And now—back to the present.
Miss Qiu Yu stared at the scene in the nearby restaurant: Lu Zheng and Yi Ning sitting together.
She felt utterly terrible.
What the heck?
Didn’t Lu Zheng say he was too exhausted today and just wanted to go home and sleep?
Then why was he having dinner with some random woman?
A surge of sourness welled up in Qiu Yu’s chest.
She was clearly here first!
Meeting him, inviting him—she was first for all of it!
So why? Why did it end up like this?
Feeling her friend suddenly freeze beside her, Ye Qin turned and followed her gaze to the restaurant.
Oh, not good.
Lu Zheng was eating with some unfamiliar girl.
Was Qiu Yu’s romance going to end before it even began?
That was way too tragic.
Looking at her friend blankly staring at the restaurant window, Ye Qin truly felt sorry for her.
But unlike Qiu Yu, whose brain had stopped functioning from emotional overload, Ye Qin remained rational.
Based on what she knew of Lu Zheng, if he really had a girlfriend, he would not keep it a secret. In fact, he’d probably show her off.
So even in the worst-case scenario, they were at most “more than friends, not quite lovers.”
Ye Qin chose to believe in Lu Zheng’s ultra-dense, clueless head.
She tugged on Qiu Yu’s sleeve, snapping her out of her dramatic side-character fantasy.
“Calm down. If that girl were really his girlfriend, Lu Zheng would’ve bragged to us by now.”
“But what if... what if they’re keeping it low-key?”
“You’re overthinking.”
[What are you doing right now?]
While consoling Qiu Yu, Ye Qin pulled out her phone and messaged Lu Zheng.
She needed to get some facts. Otherwise, this premiere would turn into a tragic heartbreak venting session.
And that session was bound to last longer than the movie.
Thankfully, Lu Zheng replied quickly.
[I’m eating with someone.]
Reading that, Ye Qin sighed with relief.
“Someone.” Not “girlfriend.” Not even “a friend.” That probably meant Lu Zheng wasn’t close with the woman.
Who could it be?
She tried to think of possible candidates, but came up empty.
Could it be... a blind date set up by his parents?
The idea made Ye Qin chuckle.
No way.
For one, Lu Zheng had only recently graduated—his parents wouldn’t be that desperate. And even if they were, wouldn’t Qiu Yu, the childhood friend, be the obvious first choice?
Ye Qin showed Qiu Yu the message and shared her reasoning, trying to ease her anxiety.
“What if... he just doesn’t want us to know he has a girlfriend?” Qiu Yu insisted.
If he didn’t want you to know, he could’ve just lied.
Looking at her stubborn friend, Ye Qin could only sigh.
Qiu Yu, stuck in her sad side-character mindset, couldn’t think rationally. No matter how Ye Qin tried to guide her, she always circled back to they must be dating.
Left with no choice, Ye Qin sent another message.
[Didn’t you say you were going straight home? Why are you suddenly having dinner with someone?]
Lu Zheng replied quickly.
[Something unexpected happened.]
“Unexpected”?
Qiu Yu’s expression darkened into despair.
In her head, she was already imagining the full story: two people meeting by chance in a fateful encounter, growing close, falling in love, getting married, having twelve kids—and her, growing old alone, unloved.
Ye Qin rolled her eyes as Qiu Yu spiraled into another tragic fantasy, then pulled her down onto a nearby bench and resumed her texting.
Ye Qin: [What kind of unexpected thing?]
Lu Zheng: [I’d rather not say.]
Ye Qin: [?]
Ye Qin: [So who are you having dinner with?]
Lu Zheng: [Just treat it as an ordinary friend.]
Staring at the vague replies, Ye Qin was full of question marks.
Even she was starting to suspect Lu Zheng might be hiding something. Otherwise, why be so evasive?
Of course, she had no way of knowing that, from Lu Zheng’s perspective, being caught stalking someone and then awkwardly offering to buy them dinner was unbearably humiliating.
Especially since that “someone” was D-City’s greatest threat—the evil scientist Dr. Alien.
He felt like he’d failed as D-City’s ace hero.
Seeing Ye Qin stunned by the vague messages, Qiu Yu—already pessimistic by nature—completely lost hope.
She looked at Ye Qin with pleading eyes. “What should I do now?”
What could she do?
Ye Qin sighed and sent one more message.
[The chief and I are coming to find you now.]
Then she pulled Qiu Yu to her feet and ignored Lu Zheng’s [?] as they headed toward the restaurant.
It might not be a great idea, but just sitting here wasn’t going to solve anything.
Seeing things for themselves would be quicker and clearer.