First Date

The next day at 6 a.m., I got up early. Wang Dali was still hungover and asleep while my roommates were also sleeping. I tiptoed carefully, trying my best not to disturb them lest I was asked where I was going.

After rummaging in the wardrobe for a long time, I picked out a sweater that I thought was very stylish. I put on jeans and sneakers, tidied up my hairstyle with some hair gel. At first I felt too formal, so I washed my head again and redid my hairstyle. It took a long time before I was satisfied. It was already 7 o’clock when I went out.

I went to the entrance of Jinlong Plaza and waited from 7:30 until 8 o’clock when Huang Xiaotao arrived punctually on the dot!

At first glance, I almost didn't recognize her. Huang Xiaotao wore a white long-sleeved shirt today, with a red short jacket on the outside. She had on a pair of tight white jeans that outlined a pair of slender legs. On her feet were sneakers, and she wore frameless glasses on her face. She had a small bag slung over her shoulder, casual yet refreshing. People who didn't know her couldn't imagine that she was a police captain.

"How long have you been here?" Huang Xiaotao asked.

"I just got here too." I smiled and then asked, "Why are you wearing glasses when you're not nearsighted?"

Huang Xiaotao adjusted her glasses and said, "I bought them before when I was undercover on duty. I just felt like wearing them out on a whim today. How is it, does it make me look very young, like a female student at your school?"

"No, not like one." I shook my head.

"Why not?" Huang Xiaotao asked.

"The temperament is different. You can tell at a glance that you are not a female university student." I said sincerely.

"Haha, as expected, sister has an extraordinary temperament that I can't conceal even if I try to disguise it."

I asked, "By the way, do you live around here?"

Huang Xiaotao said in surprise, "How did you know?"

"First, you didn't drive. Secondly, your shoes are very clean. And finally, your hair tips are still wet, so I guessed you must have just walked over from home." I analyzed little by little.

Huang Xiaotao laughed, "Tsk tsk, your observation skills are almost catching up with Sherlock Holmes! You're right, I do live around here, just me alone."

"Did you buy the house?" I asked.

"Yeah!" Huang Xiaotao nodded.

I secretly admired to myself that Jinlong Plaza is a prime location in Nanjiang City where housing prices are very expensive. The people living here must be quite well off. It seems that Huang Xiaotao's family circumstances are indeed quite good, a typical fair-skinned beauty!

"Have you had breakfast?" Huang Xiaotao asked.

"Nope!" I shook my head.

"I haven't eaten either. Why don't we go to the nearby McDonald's?" Huang Xiaotao suggested.

"Uh... okay!"

We had a simple breakfast, Huang Xiaotao paid the bill. She grinned mischievously, "Detective Song, what's the plan for today?"

I had done a little homework last night, looking around the area on Baidu Maps to see what fun places there were. The only options were watching movies, shopping, and walking in the park. So I tentatively asked, "Why don't we go watch a movie? After the movie it will probably be around noon. I know there is a food street nearby, I'll treat you to lunch there."

Huang Xiaotao smiled, "Right off the bat watching a movie? People only watch movies together on dates. What kind of relationship do we have? It's so awkward for just the two of us to watch a movie. Aren't you afraid I'll refuse?"

I was embarrassed, "Then where do you want to go?"

"Watching a movie is not bad actually. I heard there is a good movie recently that I've been wanting to see, just didn't have the time." Huang Xiaotao said to herself.

So she agreed after all? I thought to myself, a woman's heart is truly hard to fathom.

We strolled to a nearby theater. By now the movie had already started for five minutes. After buying tickets and walking into the dark auditorium, I became nervous. No wonder couples like coming to such a dark place.

I walked in front while holding up my phone to light the way for Huang Xiaotao, but the big screen was too bright for my phone's dim light to illuminate the steps below. Huang Xiaotao pouted, "Hey, hold my hand and lead me!"

Then she reached out her hand. I held her petite hand, this was the second time holding her hand, and my little heart couldn't help but beat faster again.

With my exceptionally strong night vision, I easily found our seats. When Huang Xiaotao withdrew her hand from mine, I felt a little disappointed. I really wanted to hold her hand a little longer. Holding Huang Xiaotao's hand felt quite nice.

During the movie, there was a couple in the front row constantly talking, then they hugged and kissed passionately, the sound was nauseating to listen to. I kept frowning as I watched. The seating here was assigned, so I couldn't change seats even if I wanted to.

Huang Xiaotao deliberately raised her voice, "Song Yang, did you know? The surveillance cameras in movie theaters actually all have night vision capabilities. No matter what you do inside, everything can be seen clearly."

The couple looked back, with awkward expressions as they quietly sat properly again. Huang Xiaotao coldly snorted.

I asked, "How do you know?"

"What's my job, of course I'd know. Don't talk, just watch the movie."

"Oh!" I nodded.

It was a crime thriller. Throughout the movie, Huang Xiaotao kept giving professional commentary, "That's completely unscientific, the screenwriter is just making things up!" "It's impossible to escape from prison so easily, it's totally misleading people!" "Getting shot so many times and still jumping around lively, that's totally impossible."

But I didn't follow the plot at all. I would peek at Huang Xiaotao's profile and her hand resting on the seat from time to time. I spent a long time gingerly extending my finger, nervously swallowing mouthfuls of saliva. In the end I gave up, I felt like I was beyond saving.

When we came out of the theater, I asked her, "Was the movie good?"

"It was decent I guess, didn't you watch it too?" Huang Xiaotao said.

I stammered, "I did watch it, just not very interested in this kind of movie."

She looked at me and smirked slyly, "Don't tell me you were watching me the whole time?"

"No way..." I denied firmly.

Huang Xiaotao seemed to know better as she laughed softly, then looked at her watch, "It's eleven, let's go somewhere to eat!"

I suggested going to the nearby food street. When we got to the food street, I asked Huang Xiaotao if she wanted barbecue or pizza. She shook her head, "Actually I'm not that hungry either, anything is fine."

"No, I said I'd treat you to something good." I insisted.

Huang Xiaotao smiled, "Good doesn't necessarily mean expensive. I've actually eaten at most of the shops here, we just spent two hundred yuan watching the movie, no need for you to splurge anymore."

I said, "But don't you often treat me to meals? It's nothing for me to treat you to one meal in return."

"We're not comparable. You don't have a job yet unlike me who has a salary. Oh right, can you cook? Why don't we buy some ingredients and go to my place, you can cook for me?" Huang Xiaotao suggested.

I scratched my head, "But I can't cook!"

In hindsight, my comprehension ability was really horrible. Huang Xiaotao was subtly inviting me to her home, yet I had refused.

Huang Xiaotao sighed, "Then let's just stroll around! We're not strangers anyway, no need to be so formal. We can just find a place to eat when we're hungry."

"Okay."

We started wandering the streets. We didn't talk much the whole way. Huang Xiaotao asked, "Have you never crossed the road with a girl before?"

"No, you?" I asked.

"I've never strolled the streets with a guy either."

Last night I had imagined all kinds of progress with Huang Xiaotao today, but when it came to actually doing it, I was a bit at a loss. We didn't know what to talk about while walking together. I suddenly realized I knew very little outside of autopsies, I didn't even recognize many movie stars, I was a completely boring person.

As we walked, we came to a park with lush trees and tranquil surroundings. Huang Xiaotao said she was tired and wanted to rest for a bit. I saw a small supermarket nearby and said, "You must be thirsty right? Let me buy you a drink."

Huang Xiaotao smiled, "How rare, you can be considerate too. Then I want an ice cold blueberry juice."

I nodded, "Wait for me, don't wander off!"

After I finished buying two bottles of drinks at the supermarket, when I came back, Huang Xiaotao was gone. Her little shoulder bag was left on the ground...