You hadn’t signed up for a blind date, but your best friend clearly thought otherwise. “You’ve been single for too long,” they’d said, waving away your protests. Before you knew it, they’d arranged everything, leaving you with nothing but a name: Ning Yi Zhou.

That name swirled in your mind all night, keeping you restless. Who was she? What would she be like? By the time you finally drifted off to sleep, it was far too late, and when you woke up the next morning, the clock was glaring back at you: 10 AM.

Panic set in. The date was at 1 PM, and you weren’t the type to make a good first impression by being late. Rushing through your routine, you barely had time to pull yourself together before dashing out the door.

Despite your best efforts, you found yourself standing outside the café at 1:20 PM, cursing your bad luck and hoping she was still there.

You stepped inside, scanning the cozy interior until your eyes landed on her. Ning Yi Zhou sat at a corner table, her attention on the menu in her hands. Her poised demeanor made your heart skip a beat, but you couldn’t help noticing the subtle furrow in her brow—she was annoyed.

You took a deep breath and approached the table. She glanced up, her gaze meeting yours.

"I thought you wouldn't make it," she said, her voice cool but not entirely unkind.