Chapter Fifty-Nine: For the Sake of Youth

It wasn’t until the minute hand on the mechanical watch pointed to forty-two that Alice and Joanna finally arrived, fashionably late. There was nothing to be done—ladies always have the privilege of being late, especially beautiful ones. Even if he had to wait another half hour, Luo Chen would have accepted it without complaint.

After their showers, Alice and Joanna’s hair was still slightly damp, carrying a faint, enchanting fragrance that left Luo Chen a little dizzy. He wondered to himself why women always seemed to possess such a pleasant scent, while men simply smelled like men—never as alluring.

Both women had clearly taken the time to dress up, appearing even more stunning than usual. After all, they were young women who loved beauty, and they couldn’t just stroll into Slo City without a little preparation.

Even Shi Feng found himself momentarily distracted, finally turning his head away, murmuring under his breath, “No matter how lush a single tree, it can’t compare to an entire forest. No matter how lush a tree, it can’t compare to the whole forest...”

Seeing the two men’s dazed expressions, Joanna snapped, “What are you staring at? Never seen a beautiful woman before?”

Luo Chen quickly came to his senses and chuckled awkwardly. “Sorry, Joanna, I just didn’t expect you’d be so incredibly feminine once you dressed up.”

As soon as the words left his mouth, Luo Chen realized he’d misspoken. Sure enough, Joanna’s expression turned cold. “So you’re saying I wasn’t feminine at all before I dressed up?”

“No, that’s not what I meant,” Luo Chen hurried to explain. “I mean, you’re even more feminine now...”

Damn it, he thought. I’ve only just seen her and I’ve already managed to upset Joanna. Will tonight’s outing go smoothly at all?

By the time they reached the heart of Slo City, the evening lights were beginning to glow. The city, rebuilt after the Great Catastrophe, no longer boasted towering skyscrapers; most buildings were quaint two or three-story towers, exuding a unique charm. The merging of global cultures after the disaster lent the city distinctive character. Some shop signs, besides the now universal script, even featured ancient writing from the old civilization, the nostalgic handiwork of certain owners.

There was no endless flow of traffic on the streets—petroleum had already become a rare resource by the end of the ancient era, let alone now. Still, a few vehicles could be seen from time to time, though their designs were very different from those of the ancient world. All were handcrafted and powered by demon beast crystal cores; both their cost and energy consumption made them a luxury. Owning a car in Slo City was a mark of wealth or status.

To be honest, this was Luo Chen’s first time out with a girl—though he was hosting the dinner, it still counted as a date of sorts. He couldn't help but feel a little special.

They headed straight to the restaurant they’d already chosen. The place wasn’t particularly famous and the prices were reasonable, but Alice said she and Joanna often came here on weekends, and the food was quite good.

The owner clearly recognized the two women, greeting them warmly as soon as they arrived. Luo Chen and Shi Feng’s presence, however, surprised him, as he couldn’t recall Alice and Joanna ever bringing male company before. Still, he said, “Welcome, all of you. Please, take a seat upstairs.”

They found a booth by the window on the second floor. Through the glass, they could watch the bustling street below. Once seated, the menu was brought over. Luo Chen flipped through it and was relieved to see the prices were within reason—no need to jump off a building to pay the bill.

Joanna, however, didn’t even glance at the menu. She said to the waiter, “Bring us one of every dish your restaurant is famous for. If there are ten or eight, that’ll do just fine!”

Luo Chen was startled. “Isn’t that a bit much? Can we even finish it all?”

“If we can’t finish, we’ll just have it packed up. I like to have a midnight snack, is that a problem?” Joanna’s two retorts left Luo Chen speechless and rather glum. Looks like all the work he’d done these past few weeks would be for nothing.

Shi Feng clapped him on the shoulder and laughed. “Come on, don’t look so down. We’re out to have fun, so let’s enjoy ourselves. When the boat reaches the bridge, it’ll straighten itself out. Money comes when you need it. Champagne’s on me, waiter—bring us four bottles of champagne!”

Luo Chen thought, Well, I’ve already been accepted to Blue Emperor Academy. Fine, tonight I’ll go all out, even if I have to sell my underwear. At worst, I’ll just earn it back later. With no final exams to worry about, I’ll have plenty of time to make money! So, he declared loudly, “Alright, what do we live for if not to enjoy life to the fullest?”

Shi Feng grinned. “That’s more like it! A real man lives boldly and enjoys life!”

Just then, the champagne arrived. Shi Feng grabbed a bottle and shook it vigorously a dozen times. Feeling emboldened, Luo Chen impatiently said, “Stop shaking it, just open it already!” He snatched the bottle away and popped the cork.

Shi Feng tried to stop him, but it was too late—a soft “pop” sounded, and a stream of champagne burst forth, the bottle aimed directly at Alice and Joanna, spraying both women’s faces.

“Uh…” Luo Chen stared blankly at his handiwork, only managing a sheepish laugh after a long pause. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to.”

Shi Feng leaned over and whispered, “Damn, you sprayed them both in the face with champagne—that’s pretty wild, man!”

Joanna, drenched and dripping with champagne, shouted furiously, “Luo! Chen!”

She grabbed another bottle and retaliated in kind. Soon, champagne was flying everywhere, and their booth descended into chaos.

Only when both women looked like flowers after a rain, and Luo Chen and Shi Feng were drenched to the skin, did the champagne finally run out. Shi Feng, exhilarated, raised his bottle and proclaimed, “To the two lovely ladies, it’s fate that we met in this vast world, spent three years as classmates, and may even continue another three. For fate—cheers!”

“No, we should say, bottoms up!” Luo Chen shouted, raising his own bottle.

Shi Feng agreed, “That’s right, bottoms up!”

Joanna grabbed a bottle. “Who’s afraid? Let’s go!”

Alice seized the last bottle, and the four bottles clinked together with a resounding “cheers”—“To fate, to our youth, bottoms up!”

The dishes arrived one after another, and the atmosphere grew ever more lively. After downing most of her bottle, Joanna’s cheeks were flushed, and she spoke without restraint: “Luo Chen, did you know, at first I really didn’t like you? You left Alice behind during the internship mission. I almost wanted to kill you then, but thank goodness Alice was fine. That so-called tutoring session was just an excuse for me to give you a hard time and get back at you for her!”

Alice’s beautiful face was also flushed, though she was still clear-headed and quickly interjected, “Alright, Joanna, it’s all in the past. Can we not talk about it anymore?”

“No, Lily, don’t stop me. I have to say this,” Joanna insisted, her excitement growing. “But later, I don’t know why—after scolding you and fighting with you, I found you a lot more tolerable. You’re not as bad as I thought!” Suddenly, she stood up, startling everyone.

Grabbing Luo Chen by the collar, Joanna demanded fiercely, “Tell me, what do you really think of me? Answer honestly—no lying!”