As Zhao Yifen and Xu Qingya stepped into the cozy ice cream shop, a cool wave of air wrapped around them, carrying the inviting scent of freshly made waffle cones. The soft hum of the freezer and the occasional clinking of scoops against metal tubs filled the air.
Behind the counter stood a young woman, likely in her late twenties, her neatly tied hair complementing her warm smile. She looked up as they approached.
"Welcome! What flavor would you like?" she asked cheerfully.
Yifen glanced at Xu Qingya, who was intently browsing the menu, seemingly unaware of his gaze. A playful smirk tugged at his lips as he leaned casually on the counter.
"Something sweet... like her," he said, tilting his head toward Xu Qingya.
Xu Qingya, mid-glance at the menu, stiffened. Her fingers instinctively tightened around the strap of her bag as she turned to him with wide eyes.
"What—?" she started, only to be interrupted by a soft chuckle from the ice cream seller.
The woman tilted her head, eyes gleaming with amusement.
"Oh? That's quite a way to choose. In that case, should I recommend honey vanilla or caramel almond? Both are extra sweet."
Xu Qingya quickly averted her gaze, shifting her weight from one foot to the other.
"Hmph. Just pick already and stop talking nonsense," she muttered under her breath.
Yifen chuckled, clearly entertained by her flustered reaction.
"Honey vanilla, then," he decided.
The seller grinned knowingly as she began scooping the order. Then, she turned to Xu Qingya.
"And for you?"
Still slightly flustered, Xu Qingya cleared her throat before answering.
"Chocolate mint."
Yifen raised an eyebrow, an amused glint in his eyes.
"Bitter yet refreshing… suits you," he remarked.
She shot him a flat look.
"I swear, if you keep talking, you'll be eating that ice cream off the ground."
The seller let out a laugh as she handed them their cones.
"You two are adorable. Enjoy your date!" she teased.
Before either of them could correct her, Xu Qingya snatched her ice cream and turned on her heel.
"We're not—" she started, but halfway through, she seemed to decide it wasn't worth it. "Never mind. Let's go."
Yifen chuckled, taking his ice cream and following her out.
---
The walk back to the dorms was quiet, the night air cool against their skin. The distant hum of the city and the occasional flicker of streetlights added to the calm atmosphere.
Yifen took a slow bite of his honey vanilla, his gaze drifting toward Xu Qingya, who was focused on her ice cream. She hadn't said much since leaving the shop. After a moment, she finally muttered under her breath,
"Why did she have to say 'date'…?"
Yifen smirked.
"Maybe because we look good together?"
She stopped mid-step and turned to face him, pointing her ice cream at his face.
"Shut up before I turn this into your new face mask."
Yifen laughed but wisely said nothing more.
As they reached the dormitory entrance, Xu Qingya slowed her steps, finishing the last bite of her ice cream.
"Next time, I'm winning fair and square," she declared.
Yifen grinned.
"We'll see."
She scoffed, shaking her head before heading toward the girls' dormitory.
Yifen watched her disappear through the entrance, a small smile still playing on his lips.
Tonight was… interesting.
---
On his way back to his own dorm, Yifen's phone buzzed. Glancing at the screen, he saw Chen Rui's name flashing. Answering with a smirk, he said,
"Miss me already?"
A brief silence followed before Chen Rui sighed.
"Not really. I just realized something—you don't even have a registered company yet."
Yifen chuckled.
"So? We'll make one."
"'We'? You didn't even think about registering it until now, did you?"
Yifen grinned.
"Details, details."
Ignoring his teasing, Chen Rui got straight to the point.
"I registered it for you. It's now a limited company, linked to your bank card, and all your documents are attached."
Yifen stopped mid-step, blinking.
"You did all that in ten minutes?"
Chen Rui's voice held a hint of amusement.
"Welcome to the First World. Here, things don't take weeks."
Yifen smirked.
"Efficient. I like that."
"Now, what's the company name?" she asked.
He rubbed his chin thoughtfully before a confident smirk appeared.
"Name it Zhao Capital Investment Ltd."
Chen Rui raised an eyebrow.
"Using your surname, huh?"
"Of course. I'm building an empire. Might as well have my name on it."
A pause. Then, the sound of a keyboard clicking.
"Alright, Zhao Capital Investment Ltd. is now officially registered."
Yifen's smirk widened.
"Good. Now, I'll focus on making money, and you make sure I don't spend it all."
For the first time, Chen Rui let out a small laugh.
"That might be the hardest part of my job."
"We'll see. Get some rest—you've got work tomorrow."
"Got it, boss."
The call ended. Yifen slipped his phone into his pocket, exhaling slowly.
Zhao Capital Investment Ltd. was born.
---
Meanwhile, inside the girls' dormitory, Xu Qingya walked in, only to be greeted by her roommate Lin Xixi, who was lounging on her bed with a tablet in hand.
Lin Xixi looked up, eyes gleaming with curiosity.
"Hmm… you're back late. Where were you?"
Xu Qingya set her bag down, keeping her expression neutral.
"Just grabbed some ice cream."
Lin Xixi narrowed her eyes.
"Just ice cream? With who?"
A slight pause. Barely noticeable, but enough for Lin Xixi to catch.
"You hesitated! Spill it. Who was it?"
Xu Qingya sighed, knowing she wouldn't hear the end of it otherwise.
"Zhao Yifen."
Lin Xixi's eyes widened before she gasped dramatically.
"Wait—the Zhao Yifen? The new guy? The one everyone's been whispering about?"
Xu Qingya rolled her eyes.
"You're exaggerating."
"Am I?" Lin Xixi leaned forward, grinning. "So… was it a date?"
Xu Qingya paused as she tied her hair back. Then, she scoffed lightly.
"It was a bet. He lost on purpose."
Lin Xixi's grin widened even more.
"Ohhh, losing on purpose? Sounds like flirting to me."
Xu Qingya threw a pillow at her.
"Shut up."
Lin Xixi laughed, catching it with ease.
"Fine, fine. But tell me—was it fun?"
Xu Qingya hesitated for a second. Then, almost reluctantly, a small smile appeared on her lips.
"Yeah."
Lin Xixi's eyes gleamed.
"Ohhh, this is getting interesting!"
Xu Qingya turned away, but the faint blush creeping onto her cheeks didn't go unnoticed.