Chapter Three: Blind Date

Chu Dong had arranged to meet his date here. Before entering, he noticed the bruises—blue and purple—on his arm, so he pulled down his sleeves from their rolled-up position at the elbow. Satisfied after a final check of his appearance in the dark tea-colored glass door, he strode inside.

“Good afternoon, sir. I’m pleased to be of service,” greeted a young woman in a server’s uniform.

“I’m pleased to meet such a beautiful lady,” Chu Dong replied, a familiar mischievous smile playing at his lips.

“Oh, right, I’m here to meet someone,” he added, seeing that her smile remained professionally polite, and feeling a little deflated by it.

“You must be Mr. Chu?” At his nod, she led him to a partitioned area resembling a private room, then stepped aside to let him in.

He walked over and saw a tall woman dressed in cream-colored business attire, seated on the sofa, her head bent over what looked like a stack of financial documents.

Without a word, Chu Dong sat down carelessly, waving off the server who had started to ask what he’d like to drink. The server understood and withdrew with a slight bow.

“You’re exactly one hour and seven minutes late,” came a clear, melodious voice, like pearls falling onto a jade plate. The woman across from him looked up, her lips curving in a faint, somewhat disdainful line as she casually removed her gold-rimmed glasses, folding them away with a magician’s sleight of hand.

Delicate, striking, and uncommonly lovely—like a lotus after the rain: these words flashed through Chu Dong’s mind as his first impression of her. Yet even these seemed insufficient to describe her beauty, and the thought was immediately discarded.

The woman, undisturbed by his momentary astonishment, set the account book aside. The afternoon sun streaming through the window glanced off the crystal bracelet at her wrist, making her fair hand glow with a captivating luster.

“I’m here for two reasons,” she said, raising her chin with an air of pride. “First, to see if that fool from back then has improved at all. Clearly, you’ve disappointed me again. Second, to tell you there’s no possibility between us.”

“You’re—Xue’er?” Chu Dong, startled by the words of the beauty before him, looked at her closely. In the arch of her brow and the corners of her eyes, he recognized the childhood playmate his mother had set him up with—the girl who used to cry at his pranks, always dressed in a white dress, delicate as a figurine: Tan Xue.

“I’m surprised you recognize me. But you haven’t changed a bit—still look like a little thug,” Tan Xue’s beautiful eyes flicked away from his face, her fingers stirring a coffee that had long gone cold.

“Haha! You’ve changed though. The little snot-nosed kid turned into a swan. If you hadn’t spoken I wouldn’t have dared believe it was you,” Chu Dong laughed off her barbs, leaning closer as if to inspect her.

“Stop. That’s close enough. You’re not exactly safe company,” Tan Xue pushed him away with a small hand.

“Oh, so you’re distant now that you’ve grown up? Forgotten how you used to insist I carry you? You’d be all smiles, nose running and all,” Chu Dong teased, grinning wickedly.

“You—!” A flush bloomed on Tan Xue’s cheeks, making her even more radiant. She bit her rosy lower lip, her eyes almost sparking. “That’s not true!”

“Not true? I still have the photos at home, that’s proof,” Chu Dong crossed his legs, pulled out a cigarette, and leaned back on the sofa.

“You forced me, didn’t you?” Tan Xue, thoroughly provoked, almost lost her temper but managed to restrain herself. Folding her arms, she said, “It’s flattering to even try reasoning with you. I won’t stoop to your level.”

“I thought you went abroad? When did you come back? Missing your big brother Dong already?”

“Miss you? Thinking of you is a nightmare.”

“Then why show up for a blind date with me? If I’d known it was you, I’d have dressed up properly. Can’t let the famous Young Master Chu lose face.”

“You? No matter how you dress, you’re still a ruffian,” Tan Xue pouted cutely, regaining her haughty composure.

“Don’t be so absolute. Haven’t you heard the saying, ‘Judge a man anew after three days’? Didn’t they teach you that abroad?” Chu Dong blushed, defending himself.

“A child shows his nature at three, and it lasts a lifetime. You’re just the same,” Tan Xue gave him no chance to redeem his image.

“Then why bother meeting me?” Chu Dong volleyed back.

“I was forced. You think I wanted to come?” Tan Xue hastened to clarify, unwilling to let Chu Dong misunderstand her intentions.

“Fine, fine, I get it,” Chu Dong waved a hand to calm her. “So what do we tell our families?”

“What else? I’ll say you haven’t improved at all after all these years, and we’re totally incompatible. What you say is your business,” Tan Xue seemed to have her answer ready.

“How am I the one who hasn’t improved? Your tongue’s gotten sharper. Should I tell them you’ve turned into a tigress, and I can’t handle you?”

“You wouldn’t dare!” Tan Xue brandished her tiny fist.

“So you’re allowed to insult me, but I can’t fight back?”

“Fine, then let’s say after years apart, we hardly know each other and both feel we’re not suitable,” Tan Xue conceded a step.

“But I think we’re perfectly suited,” Chu Dong said with a triumphant grin.

“I won’t stoop to your level,” Tan Xue snatched up her purse and account book and stood.

“Leaving already?” Chu Dong had barely exchanged a few words with her.

“That’s it. I have things to do, unlike you, who fritters away your time,” she said, waving her hand with the grace of a pianist before walking off elegantly.

“What kind of arrangement is this?” Chu Dong slapped his thigh, half-amused and half-exasperated at his mother’s matchmaking.

As he got up to leave, the server stopped him politely. “Excuse me, sir, but that lady’s bill hasn’t been paid yet. Would you…?”

He fumbled for cash but found none; fortunately, the place accepted cards. After paying, Chu Dong returned to his car, where the real cause of his lateness was sleeping soundly in the back seat. Just as he was about to wake her, his phone rang.

It was his mother, enjoying life abroad.

“Son, did you meet her?”

Her delight came through the line, but Chu Dong felt no such happiness. A childhood playmate suddenly appearing as his blind date, catching him utterly unprepared—enduring her barbs and coming out the loser. If it had been anyone else, he wouldn’t have minded; he had no intention of entering the grave of love just yet, with plenty of time still to enjoy life. But faced with the radiant, grown-up Tan Xue, he felt as if struck by lightning, though years of practice kept his face expressionless. All the same, her mockery stung.

“I did. Why didn’t you tell me it was Xue’er? My image is ruined.”

“It wouldn’t have been any fun if I’d told you. Well? I have good taste, don’t I? I met Xue’er long ago; she’s pretty and well-mannered. You’d better not bully her, or else…”

“Mom, you’ve met her? Well-mannered? I’ll be lucky if I’m not bullied myself,” Chu Dong replied, not buying it for a second.

“I don’t care. I’m telling you, Xue’er is my daughter-in-law, and if you mess this up, you’ll have me to deal with!” With that, she hung up, the abrupt click leaving Chu Dong’s ears ringing.