Chapter 1293: BAI ZE AND XIA LI'S MEET-UP (III)

"ARE you alright?" Xia Li asked, sounding worried. She quickly stood up and started patting his back firmly. "Do you need some water? I'm so sorry, I should have warned you it was really strong."

Bai Ze tried to give her a reassuring smile, but he knew it probably looked like he had just eaten shit. But then he felt Xia Li's hand patting his back in steady, gentle circles. His coughing fit slowly stopped. It was like his brain could only focus on the feel of her hand and forgot all about the awful taste.

"I-I'm fine now," he managed to say, his voice still a little rough. He could feel his face getting hotter and hotter, and he knew he was probably bright red right now.

Xia Li stared at his red face for a second longer. Then she straightened up and took a step towards the counter. "I'm going to go order you something you'll actually like."

Before Bai Ze could even think to stop her, she was already walking over and lining up at the counter. Seeing that, a helpless little smile crossed his lips. He turned his head and glared at the glass of red-cherry americano. He had almost made a complete fool of himself because of this drink. What if he hadn't swallowed it and had spit it out instead? The thought was horrifying. He might never have been able to face Xia Li again.

But even without that worst-case scenario, he was sure his cool points had already hit rock bottom. What if Xia Li thought he was just some uncool, awkward guy now? Maybe she wouldn't even consider him as a potential boyfriend, and he would just be stuck forever as just a friend.

That thought made him frown harder and harder, his mind spiraling. He was so deep in his own thoughts that he didn't even notice Xia Li coming back to the table. He only realized she was there when he heard her amused voice.

"If you glare any harder, the glass might actually crack," she said, a playful smile on her lips as she slid back into her seat.

Bai Ze felt his face heat up all over again. He looked down at his hands on the table. "I just feel like an idiot."

Xia Li tilted her head, looking genuinely confused. "Why would you feel like that? Just because you didn't like the coffee? I told you, it's an acquired taste. There's no reason to beat yourself up over something so small."

Bai Ze let out a small, relieved breath he didn't know he was holding. He felt the tight knot of embarrassment in his chest loosen just a little. She didn't seem to think any less of him at all.

"Now," she said, gently nudging the plate with the tiramisu closer to him. "Try this instead. I'm one hundred percent sure you'll like it."

Bai Ze picked up his fork and took a bite of the tiramisu. The flavor was rich and smooth, the mascarpone cream sweet but not too sweet. The cocoa powder on top was slightly bitter, which balanced it out. But then he tasted something else. There was a distinct, sharp hint of orange zest mixed into the cream that made it taste fresher and less heavy than a normal tiramisu.

He blinked in surprise at the unexpected citrus note, then took another, bigger bite. He looked up at Xia Li, his eyes brightening. "This is fantastic."

Xia Li grinned, looking very pleased. "Right?" she said, picking up her own fork and taking a bite of her tiramisu. "I told you it was the best."

Soon after, the new drink Xia Li had ordered for him arrived. It was a black forest latte, topped with whipped cream and chocolate shavings. This time, he took a careful sip. The flavor was sweet and chocolaty, with a hint of cherry.

"This is really good," he said after taking a longer drink.

Xia Li's face brightened. "I'm glad you like it. It's my go-to order here when I'm not feeling adventurous." She gestured to his glass with her fork. "The chocolate shavings are my favorite part—they use a really dark chocolate that's not too sweet."

Bai Ze nodded in agreement, picking up one of the shavings that had fallen onto the saucer. "Yeah, it balances the whipped cream perfectly." He popped it in his mouth. "So, you come here to draw often?"

"Yeah, I do," Xia Li said, her expression turning a little shy. "It's quiet in the afternoons, and the light from that big window is perfect. I've filled a whole sketchbook just sitting at this table."

"Really?" Bai Ze said, his interest genuine. "I'd love to see them sometime, if you'd ever want to show me. The fan arts you posted online are always amazing."

"You really think so?" she asked, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. A small, happy smile played on her lips. "Maybe... maybe next time I'll bring a sketchbook."

Hearing that, Bai Ze felt a sudden, giddy rush of excitement. His heart did a little skip. Next time. She said next time. It took all his self-control not to grin like an idiot. Because this meant that they could meet again.

The conversation flowed from there. They talked about everything and nothing—upcoming music releases, a funny video of a dancing pigeon, whether pineapples belong on pizza.

Bai Ze leaned back in his chair, his shoulders relaxed. He'd make a comment, she'd laugh and add to it, and then she'd tell a story of her own. He realized he was just watching her face as she spoke, enjoying the lively way her hands moved and the way her cat-like eyes sparkled when she got to a funny part. It might not be a heart-pounding moment, but it still made him feel content.

He thought the rest of the day would go perfectly from there. But their next stop proved him completely wrong. If he thought he had embarrassed himself earlier with the red-cherry americano, it was nothing compared to what happened next.

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible.