Before 3 PM, Jiang Xuehan arrived early at Silver Moon Internet Cafe for her daily shift. To hide the redness and swelling on her forearm, she wore a long-sleeved white shirt. It was slightly out of season but not too stuffy—especially compared to her chest.
Jiang Xuehan had inwardly ranted a hundred times: Why must girls wear bras on scorching days? Don’t they know about the padding inside? Don’t they know about the underwire? Boys, try wrapping a hot towel around your chest in this heat and see how comfy it is!
Summer clothes were so thin; embarrassing outlines were humiliating. Strangers’ weird stares and pointing made her wish the ground would swallow her whole. Now, she resignedly wrapped her small, flat chest in a warm towel before heading out. She missed the joyful days as a boy, throwing on a tank top to hit the streets.
Working here was like supermarket cashiering—mostly standing at the front desk charging fees, issuing cards, and recharging accounts. When covered or idle, she delivered snacks and milk tea. The cafe’s constant AC made it comfier than her dorm.
With the new semester started, the afternoon crowd filled only a third of the seats. After minutes with no new customers, shift leader Li Xiuxiu handed her a tray. “Xiao Han, please take this to table 35.”
“Okay, Sister Xiuxiu.”
Reaching table 35, Jiang Xuehan recognized the guy at the computer. Wait—wasn’t this Zhang Yuan, the ill-tempered guy from that morning?
Simultaneously, Zhang Yuan looked up, locking eyes. A wicked smirk curled his lips. “You. The flat-chested little brat who got in my way.”
Though Jiang Xuehan was indeed flat-chested, his words pissed her off. She slammed the food down. “Your order. Eat up. Hope it chokes you.”
As she turned to leave, Zhang Yuan gripped her wrist like an iron clamp. “Call your pretty friend over.”
“What for?”
“I fell for her at first sight. I’m pursuing her.”
“Pursuing? That’s harassment!”
“I don’t care. I want her. Any woman the Master of Shadows desires never escapes!”
Jiang Xuehan rolled her eyes. Total creep—game-addicted and roleplaying hard.
“Lanlan would never like a psycho like you. Give up!”
“What? Impossible! As the Master of Shadows, King of the Shinobi, my Death Mark annihilates gods and demons. Why wouldn’t she like me?”
Jiang Xuehan glanced at his screen: League of Legends ranked match, champion select. He’d picked Zed with a rare epic skin. Seriously obsessed.
Damn, he was strong. She couldn’t wrench her wrist free, glaring furiously. “Let go, psycho! I’ll never let Lanlan see you again!”
“No! The Master of Shadows’ honor can’t be tainted!”
“You psycho—wake up! That’s just a game character. You’re obsessed!”
“No. I am the Master of Shadows, world’s best Zed! If anyone beats my Zed, I’ll kneel and kowtow on the spot—and empty my wallet as an apprenticeship fee!”
Huh? Money?
Jiang Xuehan froze, blinking her big eyes. “How much is in your wallet?”
“About 1000 yuan.”
“1000 yuan…” Money’s lure decided her. Her free hand jabbed his nose. “Fine. I’ll solo you. You play Zed. I random!”
Zhang Yuan burst into laughter. “Haha, you? Challenging the world’s best Zed? With random? Are you insane?”
“Just say if you dare!”
“Why not! But what if you lose?”
“If I lose… I’ll apologize, call Lanlan over, and let you do whatever you want.” Jiang Xuehan looked confident.
Zhang Yuan studied the petite girl. Not as stunning as Li Xinglan, but her slender frame sparked protectiveness. Her plain, fair face and bright gem-like eyes radiated pure innocence. She grew more likable by the second, her aura like a spring breeze.
His eyes glinted, a sly smile spreading. “Deal!”
