As the evening darkened, James's stomach growled in protest.
He messaged Jay Johnson, asking him to pick him up for dinner at a bar. Then, turning to Shirley Taylor, he typed:
"I'm going to grab dinner. Want to join me?"
Shirley Taylor froze, staring at her phone.
So, they were finally going to meet in person?
Her eyelashes trembled slightly, her eyes filled with nervousness. After a moment's hesitation, as if summoning all her courage, she finally replied:
"I'm in Miami."
James checked the distanceâit wasn't too far. If he drove fast, he could make it in just over two hours.
"I'm in New York City. Are you coming? I'll treat you to hot pot."
Shirley Taylor immediately typed, "I'm not hungry."
"Too bad. The hot pot here is sweet, and it's amazing."
"But I have classes tomorrow. I can only come out on weekends."
"Alright, then Saturday. Are you coming?"
James was relentless, determined not to let this rabbit slip away. It was Tuesday, after all, leaving four days to recover and prepare.
Shirley Taylor: "..."
James: "What? You don't want to see me?"
"It's not that," Shirley Taylor hesitated, her reply filled with conflict. "I'm just trying to imagine what you look like."
She had heard stories about wealthy men who spent their days lounging around, eating and sleeping. She was genuinely worried he might be a 300-pound slob.
Without a word, James snapped a selfie and sent it to her. "This is the face my parents gave me. If it's not handsome, I can't help it."
Shirley Taylor zoomed in on the picture. The man in the photo had sharp, handsome features, a high nose bridge, and an air of confidence.
He was indeed very good-looking, though his lips were a bit thin. And everyone says that men with thin lips are usually heartless... was that true?
Still, this was a hundred times better than the chubby, greasy middle-aged man she had feared.
Relieved, she replied: "You're very handsome, big brother. I like it."
James grinned, going for the kill: "Hmm, I like you too."
Shirley Taylor giggled stupidly, her cheeks red, but didn't reply.
[System Notification: Shirley Taylor's favorability +10.]
James smirked. Well, the $300K spent had definitely been worth it.
He pressed further, "Should I book you a plane ticket?"
"I'll think about it," Shirley Taylor replied cautiously. She wasn't exactly afraid of James, but the idea of traveling to see someone she'd only known online for a few hours was a lot to process.
"How about I come find you?" James typed with a sly grin.
With 60 favorability points and the foundation of all those gifts, James couldn't think of a reason she'd reject him. Surely, she wouldn't pull out the "it's that time of the month" excuse?
Before Shirley Taylor could make up her mind, her roommate walked in.
"Shirley, who are you chatting with? You're grinning like an idiot."
Bella had just returned and immediately noticed the normally shy and dazed Shirley smiling sweetly at her phone. Bella, who was far more experienced, recognized this as that kind of smileâthe kind a girl gives when chatting with a guy.
Excited, Bella dashed over to see who had managed to charm their clueless dorm goddess.
"It's nothing!" Shirley Taylor panicked, not wanting her roommates to know she was talking to a wealthy stranger she met online. She quickly tried to hide her phone.
"Come on, let me see! I'll help you analyze him," Bella teased, using her height advantage to snatch the phone.
She opened the chat log and quickly scrolled through it, joining Asa, who had just walked in.
"Give it back!" Shirley Taylor's face turned bright red as she tiptoed, trying to retrieve her phone. But Bella held it high, out of her reach.
Reading James's messages, Bella exclaimed: "What the hell? Is this guy seriously trying to impress you with hot pot?"
Asa rubbed her chin thoughtfully. "I think he's sincere. At least he's willing to pay for a plane ticket."
"Shirley, don't let this guy fool you. He sounds like the type to buy you hot pot and then expect 13 rounds in return," Bella joked.
"Wait, there's a photo? Oh, not bad! He's wearing Armaniâlooks like a rich guy."
"Rich, my foot! Didn't you notice the internet café in the background? What kind of rich guy hangs out in an internet café?"
"Or... hear me out. What if he owns the café?" Asa suggested.
"Owner, my foot! Shirley, want me to reply for you? I can ask him to come here so we can all check him out," Bella offered. But without waiting for Shirley Taylor's response, she typed: "Alright, see you Saturday. I'll be waiting."
Their dorm only had three occupants since the fourth roommate had moved in with her boyfriend. Bella, fiercely protective of their cute and innocent Shirley, decided she would tag along no matter where they went to ensure her safetyâeven if it meant being the ultimate third wheel.
When Shirley Taylor got her phone back, she immediately tried to retract the message but saw that James had already sent an "OK" emoji in response.
She sighed, resigned, her face a mix of nervousness and anticipation.
Asa, noticing her conflicted expression, thought Bella had gone too far and tried to console her.
"Don't worry, Shirley. If you don't want to meet him, it's not too late to back out. Just tell him you remembered you're on your period this weekend. No guy will push further after that."
Bella huffed. "We're helping you here! Some things can only be confirmed in person. Everything online is just talk."
Shirley Taylor mumbled softly, "I'm not mad... it's just... it's just..."
She was genuinely torn. What if Enemy Brother asked for something unreasonable during their meeting? She wasn't emotionally ready to take things that far yet.
Asa noticed her hesitation, crouched to meet her gaze, and teased, "Oh wow, you're like a bride from the olden daysâshy, uncertain, and a little dreamy about the future."
Bella frowned. "Huh? Is our Shirley developing feelings? Be honestâhow did you meet him? Is he from our university?"
Shirley Taylor confessed, "I met him online."
"What?! You trust someone you met online?" Asa exclaimed in disbelief.
"Yeah, it was during a livestream. He gave me a lot of gifts."
Shirley Taylor recalled the over $300K in gifts and grew dazed again. Half of that would be hers once cashed out.
"Gifts? Like Carnivals?" Asa teased. "Wow, look at you, losing your head over one Carnival!"
"Well..." Shirley Taylor hesitated, then added, "He gave... um... 1,146."
Both Bella and Asa froze, processing the number. Asa asked incredulously, "Wait, are we talking about small hearts or roses?"
Shirley Taylor firmly corrected, "No, Carnivals."
The room fell silent, Bella and Asa exchanging wide-eyed looks as the gravity of the situation sunk in. Shirley Taylor's dazed smile lingered as she stared at her phone, waiting for the upcoming Saturday.