After Wise left, silence instantly settled over the archive room. Zhong Yan and Belle, still locked in a handshake, exchanged a glance. Feeling equally awkward, they immediately let go of each other's hands.
"Master, your heart rate and respiration are increasing at a visibly measurable rate. I recommend a full-body medical checkup to prevent latent health complications. I am now searching for the fastest transport opti—"
Before Fairy could finish its sentence, Belle, clearly irritated, stepped forward with a darkened expression and powered it off with a single press.
The world fell into peaceful silence.
When she turned back to face Zhong Yan, the grim look on her face transformed instantly into a bashful, girlish expression filled with hidden delight. Her voice, too, became softer and more laced with shyness.
"U-um... I never properly thanked you for what you did for me back at Lumina Square. If you hadn't shown up then, I might have..."
Belle's words trailed off, making Zhong Yan curious about what she would've said next.
His imagination filled in the blanks with all sorts of possibilities—some of which might not have been suitable for public viewing. But in the end, they were just fantasies.
"If there's a chance next time, I'd like to treat you. You know Chop Junior at that Waterfall Soup Noodle Shop in Lumina Square, right? He's the son of General Chop from the Waterfall Soup Noodle Shop over on Sixth Street."
"When it comes to income, Chop Junior obviously makes way more, being based near the city center. But as far as culinary skill goes, he's still too green compared to General Chop."
"You ever try the one on Sixth Street? That Waterfall Soup Noodle Shop..."
Belle went on a long tangent about noodle shops—her tone, her energy—it was obvious she was scrambling to keep the conversation alive.
If Zhong Yan hadn't said anything, she probably would've cringed herself into a hole and tried to disappear on the spot.
Sure enough, after finishing her little speech, Belle looked up at Zhong Yan with a flicker of hope in her eyes.
All she wanted was for him to respond—any response would mean he didn't mind her enthusiasm.
Ten seconds passed.
No answer.
Her heart sank like a stone. She immediately thought he wasn't interested—not in the topic, and maybe not in her either.
But just as she was about to start sulking...
"Actually... we could just go now," Zhong Yan said at last. "You talked about it so much, you kinda made me hungry."
Belle's eyes lit up.
She never would've guessed Zhong Yan was teasing her all along, waiting until she felt like all hope was lost before responding.
Was this... the legendary push-pull technique?
Regardless of his intentions—Zhong Yan was hungry now.
With the decision made, the two left the video store almost immediately and headed straight for the Koi Noodle Shop on Sixth Street.
Not long after they left, Wise returned to the archive room from his extended stay in the restroom, only to find the room completely empty. Fairy had also been mysteriously powered off.
"Ehn-ne! (Wise!)"
Bangboo Unit No.6 waddled up and waved its limbs animatedly.
" Ehn-ne ehn-ne! (Belle got whisked away by that guy!)"
Learning that Belle had gone out with Zhong Yan, Wise froze for a moment, then sighed and rubbed his temple helplessly.
They say girls grow up and become harder to manage... guess it's true.
She didn't even bother to tell him, her own brother.
Still, maybe that wasn't such a bad thing. At the very least, Zhong Yan seemed... trustworthy.
Aside from that little mystery surrounding his origins.
...
"General Chop! Another bowl!"
At the Waterfall Soup Noodle Shop on Sixth Street, Belle sat at the counter, calling for her third bowl after downing two already.
Clearly, she was in a great mood.
Beside her, Zhong Yan had just finished his first bowl. After sipping the last of the savory broth, he politely placed his utensils aside and dabbed his mouth with a napkin.
"Didn't expect a girl like you to eat that much," he teased, smirking as Belle waited for her next bowl.
Belle puffed out her cheeks in mock indignation. "It's fine to indulge occasionally! I usually watch my weight, okay?"
Yup—classic girl reaction. Weight is always a sensitive topic.
"I didn't mean it like that, don't overthink it," Zhong Yan chuckled, smiling without any hint of sarcasm.
Realizing she might've jumped to conclusions, Belle's cheeks turned red. She shyly turned her head away, thoughts spiraling in every direction.
The sight of her flustered expression stirred something in Zhong Yan. He glanced over at her, thoughtful.
To be honest, Belle was a main heroine in the game, and her looks were far from lacking. If he had to rate her, she'd definitely score high.
Cute little sister, decent older brother—it's not just a meme, it's a damn truth.
And honestly... so what if she was a bit chubby in certain areas?
In the eyes of any red-blooded gentleman, that was a blessing.
Catching himself before his mind wandered too far, Zhong Yan reined in his thoughts.
Right at that moment, Belle worked up the nerve to glance his way. That perfectly sculpted side profile—like something carved by divine hands—filled her vision.
A moment later, she snapped out of her daze and quickly looked away.
Definitely better looking than my brother... by a long shot.
"Oh right, Zhong Yan, where do you live? I never got the chance to ask before. You know where I live, so it's kinda unfair if I don't know yours."
Zhong Yan didn't hesitate. "Ninth Street. Not too far from you guys. I pass your stop on the subway every day heading to school."
Learning that Zhong Yan lived on Ninth Street, Belle silently engraved that fact deep into her memory. Maybe next time, she'd visit him for a change.
Though knowing herself, she'd probably spend an hour pacing outside before working up the nerve to knock.
And if a neighbor saw her and thought she was up to something shady... that'd be a disaster.