"Hello, may I ask what you'd like to order?"
Rui Mengmeng came over to Lin Fei and Su Xiaoli's table.
The seat was by the window, with no other diners nearby—nice scenery and very quiet.
Curiously, she glanced at Su Xiaoli's ears, then at Lin Fei's eye-catching red hair.
Were they here for cosplay?
She'd heard people talk about comic conventions and things like that back when she was attending cram school.
Her own life, however, consisted of juggling several part-time jobs, earning a meager wage to cover tuition, then going to cram school to study hard for the college entrance exam.
Poor, exhausting, and monotonous.
She had no time to play at all, much less experience the colorful world of entertainment.
"A-Fei, take a look—what do you feel like eating?" Su Xiaoli asked.
She had already learned Lin Fei's name on the way here.
She passed the menu to him, but Lin Fei handed it right back.
"I'm not familiar with this place. You should order."
"Besides, anything a pretty girl like you orders is bound to taste good."
Su Xiaoli's charming eyes curved into crescents. She was clearly pleased by the compliment.
Her fox ears couldn't help twitching slightly.
"I didn't expect you to be that impressive—and also so good at sweet-talking girls."
"Then I'll order," she said cheerfully.
"Of course."
Lin Fei nodded, politely gesturing with his hand like a gentleman.
"Salt-baked prawns, sliced white chicken… okay."
Before long, Rui Mengmeng had written down Su Xiaoli's order.
Just as she was about to turn and head back to the kitchen—
"Wait a moment. Do you have warm water here?" Lin Fei called out.
"Yes, sir. I'll bring it right away."
"Thanks."
"Ah—!"
Rui Mengmeng's face flushed red. She waved her hands in a panic.
"No, no need to thank me! It's what I should do!"
Then she lowered her head and hurried away, clearly flustered.
"Huh? I didn't do anything, did I?" Lin Fei muttered.
Even so, he more or less understood why Rui Mengmeng reacted so strongly.
After all, with only a junior high education, she had entered society early and had long been treated with cold stares and bullying.
The world had shown her nothing but malice.
Perhaps this kind of simple "thank you" was something she'd never received before.
Thinking about it—
When Lin Fei had seen her in the anime, he'd already felt some sympathy for her.
A simple, honest girl who had done nothing wrong, yet suffered hardship after hardship.
Even joining the Hero Company had been the result of Ah Jie tricking her with grand promises.
Later, because her gene was just an ordinary one, she remained a minor background character in the story—never popular, never prominent.
Now that he had transmigrated here…
At the very least, he wouldn't let her be fooled by Ah Jie's empty promises again.
If he could help this simple girl even a little, he would do what he could.
That said—
Liu Kai had now awakened his gene. Judging by the timeline, the first Gluttonous Horde probe attack—the strike on the airport route—shouldn't be far off.
It might even happen tomorrow night.
From that point on, the entire situation on Earth would change.
When that time came, Rui Mengmeng wouldn't need to exhaust herself working part-time jobs just to study and take exams anymore.
"A-Fei, do you like that girl?" Su Xiaoli suddenly asked.
"Hm?"
Lin Fei snapped back to his senses and looked at Su Xiaoli across from him.
She was staring straight at him.
"What, are you jealous?" he teased.
"No."
Faced with Lin Fei's playful gaze, Su Xiaoli snorted softly.
Although she really was a bit jealous—after all, she was right here, yet Lin Fei's attention had just been on Rui Mengmeng as she ran off.
Still, having grown up on her own since childhood, Su Xiaoli was actually quite mature psychologically.
Because of her family background and upbringing, her values differed from those of ordinary girls.
If she truly acknowledged a man, she wouldn't even mind being the "other woman."
"By the way, A-Fei," she said with a sly smile.
"You've been looking at my ears the whole way here. Do you want to touch them?"
"Really? I can?"
Lin Fei wasn't caught off guard at all—his eyes lit up instead.
"Of course. You can take it as my thanks…"
Su Xiaoli leaned forward slightly, extending her delicate face toward him.
Her soft, smooth skin flushed with a faint pink, making her look even more alluring.
With permission granted, Lin Fei didn't hold back. He leaned forward and reached out.
"Mmm~"
Although Su Xiaoli was open-minded, she had never been in a relationship.
And no one had ever touched her fox ears before.
Feeling Lin Fei's hand gently stroking and kneading her ears, her body trembled slightly, her cheeks growing even redder.
Lin Fei found himself reluctant to let go.
Su Xiaoli's fox ears felt far too good—fine fur, silky smooth, warm to the touch, soft and boneless.
They felt even better than petting a cat.
Still, Lin Fei's self-control was excellent.
Before anyone else noticed, he withdrew his hand.
Though he felt a bit reluctant… there would be more chances in the future.
Su Xiaoli, meanwhile, went from initial shyness to gradually relaxing.
When she felt the sensation on her ears disappear, there was a strange emptiness in her heart.
A faint blush still lingered on her face.
She blinked at him mischievously.
"So? Didn't they feel great? Very realistic, right?"
"Yeah," Lin Fei said sincerely.
"They felt amazing. Where did you buy such high-quality cosplay props? I want to get a few more."
"Hmph. These are one of a kind~"
Su Xiaoli snorted lightly, her fox ears twitching along with her tone.
"What? Don't tell me… they're real?" Lin Fei asked, feigning surprise.
"Of course they're real."
"And from childhood till now… you're the only one who's ever touched them~"
As she said that, the blush that had just faded crept back onto her cheeks.
"I see… then I'm really honored!"
"If only I could touch them one more time!"
Faced with Lin Fei's thick-skinned remark, Su Xiaoli laughed helplessly.
"That depends on when I'm in a good mood~"
While the two of them chatted—
Some diners left the restaurant, and new ones came in.
Among them was a tall figure wearing a trench coat and leather pants.
Wine-red long hair, a refined face with light smoky makeup.
She had found the place using the map location Old Du had sent her.
And she hadn't walked here—she'd used micro-wormhole transport technology.
Lock onto a nearby point, then take a few steps, and she was there.
Fast and convenient.
Her gaze swept across the restaurant—and immediately landed on Lin Fei and Su Xiaoli, seated by the window in the corner.
She strode over on long legs.