Races: Online

Han Jing spent a good time of his afternoon hanging out with Bo Lifen, time seemed to flow on slowly that it didn't even cross his mind that it was evening already. He got his resume fixed up and his senior had pushed him to find a job besides manual labor.

"There are more jobs that pay well than just relying on your body, use your head. Didn't you graduate?"

"I have my college degree, but it doesn't seem to do anything." He complained.

Bo Lifen rolled her eyes, "All I hear from you is complaining, sure, you might face a few rejections..."

"A lot actually." Han Jing shrugged, a little less bothered as he recounted the number of times he had faced it during the past years. Maybe he was growing numb to the numbers.

She placed a hand on her hip, "Don't count the girls who rejected you."

"I wasn't counting them." Han Jing pouted and crossed his arms. "And don't bring them up."

A short laugh erupted from her lips as she knocked a fist lightly against his head, "You're still a kid aren't you? Man up a bit, Han Jing. Also it's time for you to leave—the shop is closing up."

"Wait what?!" He looked out the office's windows. The bright lights of tall buildings and neon board signs greeted him, they were in a city that never slept after all. "I'm sorry for taking so much of your time!"

"I already told you not to apologize too much. So get going… do you need a ride or something?"

"Are you going to drive me back to my apartment?" Han Jing knew that he probably should refuse. He wasn't the girl who needed to be back home before midnight—and it felt odd that she was the one who was going to bring him to his own home.

Bo Lifen looked at him, "What? Don't want a free ride?"

"I mean yes—but like, what about your parents or something?" Han Jing scratched his cheek. Still not exactly used to this arrangement, he should be the one making sure that Bo Lifen got home safely after all.

She chuckled, "They're at the Main House, I'm the one taking care of things, besides you've already ridden with Frag."

It would have sounded like an innuendo to anybody else but Han's eyes widened as he turned to her.  "Don't tell me—?"

A helmet was tossed into his hands. "Nice catch," A smirk played on the woman's face, "You think I would give up on riding my motorcycle?"

"I believed you had a private vehicle or something! And you're wearing robes." He frantically motioned to her. 

"Then wait for me to get changed." She rolled her eyes and tugged at her robes's sleeves.

Han Jing immediately turned around, "Woah, easy there girl. Go to a private room."

"This is my office." She pointed out with a teasing tone.

"This is sexual harassment." Han Jing kept his back turned to her, not looking back as he heard shuffling.

"The door is open though, I don't get why you're staying here." She laughed. "Plus it isn't like you—"

"You didn't turn away when I walked into the club room!" He felt his ears heat up. "You should have screamed." It was one thing to deal with Mou Gu but Bo Lifen also had her own ways of making him uncomfortable.

"I see you're still here~"

"I'm leaving." Han Jing hightailed out of the office.

.. .

He needed to log into Races: Online by 11pm tonight but his mother would probably nag him if he came home late—the usual. Thankfully, Bo Lifen had given him a ride on her motorcycle and dropped him off outside his apartment's entrance. He had waited for her outside the woman's office. And now that he checked his phone, it was just 8:49pm so it was all good.

"Have a safe trip!"

"Yeah, I'll see you sometime again, Jing!" With a quick revv of her motorcycle, she drove off into the distance.

Han Jing admired how cool Bo Lifen drove away in the distance... and that was where he saw her.

His new neighbor.

When he recalled their conversation some time ago… it was just last night actually. He had brought her some dinner that he had cooked up, right before he logged in back into the game. When they had talked, Chan Lee seemed to be having trouble fitting in on her first day at university but here she was, already with someone.

He blinked and found his lips twitch into a smile.

It was good for her.

What was he to go jealous for? He snorted and turned towards the apartment's door. And that was where he heard footsteps right behind him. "Hey!" He felt her hands on his back as she shoved him. It didn't actually do anything but catch his attention.

She was in a good mood wasn't she? He turned to her and grinned, "Well, someone looks happy."

"You were right, I kinda made a friend today." She told him with a sheepish smile. "Thank you for your words last night and for the dinner again, uh big bro… Han Jing?"

See? His name wasn't that hard to remember. That girl at the tea shop was messing with him or had a horrible memory!

"Yeah… I mean you're welcome, it's no big deal." He stopped by the staircase, "You're going up huh?"

She nodded, "Yeah, I'm on the fifth floor, remember?"

"Right, right. I'm on the fourth floor, so I guess we'll both be going up."

"Mhmm."

"After you." Han Jing wanted to die now but thankfully he managed to go up the stairs. And there really wasn't any small talk between them… he may have killed it with his own words, but it was better than her just avoiding him, right?

"Now we're on the fourth floor, I guess you're stop is here huh?"

Oh, they were here already.

"Yeah, thanks for walking with me."

She stifled a giggle but nodded, "Mhmm, it was on my way so I'll see you—"

One of the doors opened, and whether it was through ill luck or good fortune… It was his family's door. His mother walked out carrying a laundry basket. "Han Jing! What are you doing? Who's that?"

"She's the new resident, Mother." He scratched his head. His mother was a bit blunt right now.

The young woman at his side quickly bowed, "Ah, nice to meet you Mrs. Han!"

"Welcome to the apartment, I hope the cooking was fine last night—it was my son's so it mustn't be that good." A cheerful expression formed on his mother's face, already turning her attention to Chan Lee. "How about you join us for dinner? Madam Dongxia told me that you're living all by yourself and at such a young age too."

"Uh…"

"Come on, you can't say no to this." His mother smiled. "Han Jing go show her into the room now. Apologies that it's a bit small but it's quite cozy. And what was your name, dear?"

"Chan Lee."

"Ah nice to meet you, I'll go hang this clothes right quick and you guys for dinner." His mother would have either been a nice wingman or perhaps a master of chaos.