Today, Hailong didn't go to class but instead wandered around the residential area near the school. Hailong wanted to rent a house, which was a significant matter. Every time his soul entered the body of the Dragon King, his original body would be unable to move, appearing to others as if he were in a deep sleep. However, Hailong couldn't just sleep all day. Sleeping in class during the day was something the teacher wouldn't mind, but if he continued to sleep in the dormitory, his roommates would certainly find it strange and might even think he was sick. Moreover, there were many inconveniences. If he was controlling the Dragon King in a battle and a classmate touched him, Hailong would be distracted, and in the ocean, battles were a matter of life and death, requiring his full attention. Or, if he was chatting with a colleague and sensed danger from the Dragon King, Hailong would have to immediately send his soul to the Dragon King's body. To his classmates, it would look as if he suddenly fell asleep while talking, which would be terrifying. Hailong didn't want to be seen as a weirdo. Therefore, renting a clean and comfortable house was an urgent matter.
However, Hailong didn't expect renting a house to be so difficult. From morning until afternoon, he finally found a suitable one and paid a year's rent on the spot. The house was just across the street from the school, making it very convenient. It was on the third floor, a two-bedroom, one-living room apartment with complete furniture and a very tidy appearance.
To make his life more comfortable, Hailong bought an air conditioner and installed it in the bedroom. He agreed with the landlord that when he moved out, the air conditioner would be left behind. Now that Hailong had money, he was quite generous.
After paying, Hailong felt he should buy some clothes. After all, he was now a millionaire, and wearing cheap clothes would be embarrassing. He took a taxi to the Donghai Crystal Street, where he heard Versace clothes were good. Hailong went straight to the Versace store and bought several sets of clothing. As the saying goes, "A man is dressed by his clothes, and a horse by its saddle." No matter how unattractive you are, wearing designer clothes can make you look refined. Hailong bought two sets of casual wear. He wasn't unattractive to begin with; in junior high, his classmates said he looked like Gu Tianle, a handsome dark-skinned guy. Moreover, Hailong often controlled the Dragon King in battles with other creatures in the sea, cultivating a fearless and determined aura. Standing in front of the mirror, he looked like a sword being drawn from its sheath, causing the female staff to scream in excitement. After paying, Hailong checked the time and realized it was almost time for school to end. He needed to pick up Hu Jing, as they had planned to have dinner together.
Hailong arrived at Hu Jing's classroom on time and saw her packing up her things. He walked in to help her. Some classmates were still chatting with Hu Jing, and Hailong greeted her from the doorway before coming in. The three roommates of Hu Jing noticed that Hailong seemed different today, finding him very handsome. They whispered to Hu Jing about Hailong and pointed at him. When Hailong came to Hu Jing's side, the eldest roommate asked, "Oh, Jing, did you get a boyfriend so quickly, and he's such a handsome guy?" This made Hu Jing blush and quickly say, "Don't talk nonsense, it's not official yet."
The second roommate laughed and said, "So it's almost official, Hailong, keep it up. Our little Jing is about to be won over by you. She often mentions you in the dorm at night." This made Hu Jing's face turn red, while Hailong was secretly delighted, almost bursting into laughter. Hu Jing glared at her two sisters, and suddenly noticed the youngest sister was about to speak. She glared at her and said, "If you dare to tease me, I'll get you back tonight." The youngest sister quickly hid behind the eldest and second sister, complaining, "You always bully me. Big brother, you have to control your sisters." With that, she called Hailong "big brother."
Hu Jing, annoyed, turned and walked away, but as they left, she naturally placed her hand in Hailong's. Hailong, who had never been in a relationship, was a bit at a loss, especially after being teased by Hu Jing's roommates. When Hu Jing put her hand in his at the door, Hailong's head felt like it was about to explode, full of circles.
During class, Hailong had secretly watched Hu Jing, who wore black-rimmed glasses, had her hair down, and sat with her legs together, listening attentively. Her fresh and scholarly appearance had deeply attracted Hailong. After school, Hu Jing seemed to have forgotten the teasing from her sisters and chattered happily around Hailong, telling him about the interesting things that had happened over the past two days.
Hailong hadn't felt such happiness in a long time, not since a girl in his first year of high school. ...
Since the distance to the school wasn't far, Hailong led Hu Jing there on foot, chatting along the way. Hailong asked, "You and your sisters have a good relationship, right? Are they always this playful?"
At this, Hu Jing got angry. It was because of two crabs that these three ungrateful guys had sold her out to Hailong. Pouting, she said, "It's all your fault, making me be mocked by them."
Hailong hadn't thought about this, forgetting how thin-skinned girls could be. He had just been teased by her sisters and then brought it up. Seeing Hu Jing pouting, Hailong quickly apologized. In the end, to make amends, Hailong agreed to treat Hu Jing to dinner for a month. Hu Jing's anger turned to a playful scowl, thinking about the free dinners and how much money she would save. Seeing Hu Jing's happy face, Hailong felt content. When they arrived at the entrance of 1913, Hu Jing asked, "Big brother, you said you would bring me here to eat every day, right?" Hailong smiled and replied, "That's right, I'll bring you here to eat every day."
"Ha ha," Hu Jing laughed happily. 1913 wasn't a small restaurant but a three-story, luxuriously decorated café. Inside, there was a small stage with various instruments, a black piano being particularly prominent. The entire three floors could see the stage, and the bar's design was clever. The warm sunlight and the cool air conditioning created a cozy atmosphere. Ordering a cup of coffee, sitting on a comfortable sofa, reading a book, and listening to music provided an unparalleled sense of tranquility.
The bar was already filled with people. Hailong led Hu Jing to a seat by the window and called out, "Waiter, please." The waiter brought the menu to Hu Jing, who was taken aback by the prices. After flipping through it quickly, she whispered, "It's so expensive, nothing is cheap." Seeing that the cheapest coffee was over 60 yuan, Hu Jing hesitated to order and returned the menu to Hailong, saying, "You order, it's too expensive, I won't order."
Hailong wasn't very familiar with the restaurant either. He picked a few expensive dishes and ordered two coffees. After the waiter left, Hailong leaned closer to Hu Jing, who whispered, "Why did you bring me here? It's so expensive. What you said earlier doesn't count. You can treat me to dinner once, but we won't come here again."
Seeing Hu Jing's nervousness, Hailong smiled and said, "Don't worry, I can afford a dinner every day. A man keeps his promises, or he's not a man."
Hu Jing gave Hailong a glare, thinking he was a very strong-willed man. She resolved not to come here again the next day, as the café's luxury was not a place for someone like her. However, when the appetizers arrived, Hu Jing forgot her earlier thoughts, captivated by the food: a cold cappuccino, a floral coffee, two ice creams with espresso, two strawberry cheesecakes with cute rabbit-shaped strawberries, and some fries and chicken nuggets.
Seeing the elegant and refined food, Hu Jing exclaimed, "Hailong, you ordered really well, it looks so delicious." Hailong said, "Then let's eat." They enjoyed their dinner while chatting about happy things.
Rubbing her stomach, Hu Jing sank into the sofa, saying she couldn't eat any more. Her satisfied expression made Hailong very happy. Looking at her, Hailong said, "Little girl, I have a surprise for you, I hope you like it." He then walked to the center of the stage.
Hu Jing said, "Oh," and watched curiously. The café had a unique feature: anyone could go to the stage to play various instruments, but there were two requirements: first, they must have a relevant instrument certification, and second, they must play well, or the waiter could ask them to leave.
When Hailong's father was still alive, he had a pianist from the military arts troupe teach Hailong piano to ensure his son's future. He even bought Hailong a piano. Initially, the pianist only taught Hailong some basic techniques out of respect for his father, but upon seeing Hailong's hands, he took him as a disciple. During his time in the military, the pianist carefully taught Hailong piano techniques. Unfortunately, the pianist only stayed in the troupe for two years before moving abroad, but before leaving, Hailong had successfully obtained a Level 10 piano certificate.
After showing his certificate to the staff, Hailong walked onto the stage, put on his white gloves, nodded to Hu Jing, and began to play. He played the classic "Romeo and Juliet," the soundtrack from the movie starring Leonardo DiCaprio. The piano rendition was beautiful, and it was the piece Hailong practiced the most. The clear and slightly melancholic piano notes easily transported the audience into a sad mood. The guests in the café all turned their attention to the stage, watching the young man play the piece with sorrow. During the performance, Hailong often looked at Hu Jing, his deep and affectionate gaze matching the sad music, making it hard for Hu Jing to look away. When Hailong looked at her, Hu Jing responded with an enthusiastic gaze. It was the first time a boy had played the piano for her, and he played so well. The music was beautiful, and his gaze was captivating. When the piece ended, Hailong nodded to Hu Jing, who was still lost in the music. It took a while for her to react, realizing her gaze had been inappropriate, she blushed and looked down. The audience, noticing the music had ended, applauded. Hailong bowed to the crowd.
When Hailong returned to his seat, he found Hu Jing's fair face flushed like a ripe apple. After a while, she looked up and said, "Hailong, you're so talented, you can play the piano. You're like a mystery."
Hailong smiled and said, "It's nothing, I just learned a lot when I was young." At that moment, the music played again, the same piano piece Hailong had just performed. This time, it was accompanied by interludes. Hu Jing asked in surprise, "Isn't this a replay of what you just played? How did they record it?"
Hailong smiled and said, "This is a feature of the bar. Anyone who performs on stage, regardless of how well they play, will have their performance recorded as a keepsake. Since I played well, it will be replayed. Now, we can dance like the others."
Hu Jing looked around and saw many people leaving their seats to dance. She waved her hands, embarrassed, and said, "Sorry, I don't know how to dance."
"It's okay, this dance is simple. Just follow my steps," Hailong said. Hu Jing, a bold girl, seeing others dancing, agreed to Hailong's request. Following Hailong's steps, she began to dance. The slow waltz was a simple dance, and the girl just needed to follow the boy's lead. Throughout the dance, Hu Jing followed Hailong's steps, her captivating eyes fixed on his face. Hailong, for the first time, was so bold, not avoiding Hu Jing's gaze, and looked at her with confidence. Her eyes, like clear water, seemed to emit a gentle moonlight, yet were so clean and pure. Unconsciously, Hailong's heart beat faster. While they were dancing, Hailong didn't know that at a table in a corner on the third floor, an old man and his wife were watching them with smiles.
The three-minute music ended quickly. After the people stopped dancing, they applauded Hailong again, thanking him for the beautiful music. Seeing everyone looking at them, Hu Jing blushed and sat back down, while Hailong nodded to the crowd in gratitude.
Back at the table, Hailong said, "This dance is simple, you can learn it quickly." Hu Jing, curious and slightly jealous, asked, "How did you learn to dance? Most boys don't know how to dance. Tell me, do you often bring girls here to dance?"
As Hu Jing sat back down, she felt something was off. How could Hailong know how to dance? This wasn't a dance a college freshman would know. The naive girl was pleased with her discovery, thinking she had almost been fooled by Hailong, the big wolf. She wasn't an easy target, and if he tried to trick her, she would show him. The boy who pursued her couldn't be a playboy. If it was as she suspected, she would deal with him.
Hailong smiled and said, "My father taught me when I was young. He was a border guard, and there wasn't much entertainment in the military camp, so they often danced. My parents would dance at night, and I would follow them. Later, my father realized I needed to learn, so he taught me. I became a good dancer during that time. As a six-year-old kid, I was very popular among the women, and every auntie liked to dance with me, so I got better at it."
Hailong's words made Hu Jing laugh. Imagining a six-year-old kid being led to dance by a group of aunts, she almost sprayed her coffee.
The youth talent show was on Friday, and Hailong asked, "Be careful, your voice is very important now. Don't hurt it."
Hu Jing, who had choked on her coffee, coughed several times before saying, "It's all your fault, making me laugh." Hailong was helpless, thinking, "How is this my fault? It's because you were overthinking."
He asked, "How's your song preparation going?"
Hu Jing confidently said, "Wait and see, I'm going to win first place."
Hailong really wanted to tell her a harsh truth: the first place was already decided. However, he didn't want to discourage her, so he kept it to himself. These kinds of competitions were never fair. Senior students, especially those who liked to perform, were already familiar with the school leaders, often eating and drinking together. The competition spots were reserved for the graduating seniors, as it was harder for girls to find jobs, and a competition certificate might help. It was unlikely that a freshman like Hu Jing would win. If she could make it to the top eight, it would be a good result.