Honkai Impact 3rd, a simulator of lifelong regret!

Jiang Cheng picked up a small spoon, cut off a tiny bit from the soft and delicate cake, put it in his mouth, and savored it gently.

This top-tier dessert from the last century should theoretically earn the highest praise from first-time tasters, but the young man's conclusion after tasting it was only four words, almost as few as gold.

"tasty."

……

The cream flavor is very rich, and the rich, buttery aroma is quite outstanding. The cake itself is soaked in coffee, and with the addition of cream, the flavor is excellent.

It's still lacking something. In order to highlight more sophisticated layers of flavor, a lot of sweetness was sacrificed, and a balance between flavors was not achieved.

Most people choose to reduce the amount of sweetness because they think that sweetness will mask other flavors, but they forget that desserts are meant to be sweet.

The so-called sense of sophistication, when endlessly overlapping, will eventually just become an accumulation of too many complicated flavors, sometimes not even as good as a piece of candy from the roadside.

These things, which theoretically shouldn't be added to the body even with the arrival of knowledge, arrive instinctively with the first bite. Before any thought is even given, one presumptuously identifies the advantages and disadvantages in one's mind, and even subconsciously assigns a final evaluation to these exquisite desserts.

—Not as good as Vervière.

Do not……

It doesn't deserve to be compared to the craftsmanship of Vilvi.

Essentially, comparing any human being to Wilvi in ​​any matter, except in an emotional sense, is nothing short of blatant bullying, like Tyson beating a newborn baby.

There is no need to learn in advance, no need to spend time, no need to do those tedious preparations, and no need to design a backup plan that includes everything.

With just a glance, the simplest glance, the simplest understanding, one can create incomprehensible things almost like a transformation of matter.

They can elevate a discipline or technology to the top level out of thin air simply by relying on their own thinking and guessing; they can predict anything at a glance.

In the paradox of the blind men and the elephant, a joke created specifically to satirize self-righteous folly, the outline and even the color of the elephant are determined almost magically by simple touch.

A fully realized genius doesn't need a group or the drive of gears. The value of dividing a soaring plank into countless pieces and piecing them back together to form a barrel can never compare to the value of the planks that were used to divide it into the barrel.

……

"what……"

"That's good."

After going from melancholy to sadness, and then to shyness, Raiden Mei finally managed a slight smile, her tightly pursed lips curving upwards.

At least this time she did receive praise from the boy, and her first invitation, which was tantamount to a date, did not leave a negative impression—although the price was that her already meager wallet shrank even further.

Funding and such... it doesn't matter. At most, I'll have to work longer hours later. Anyway, I'll just be constantly ostracized by them at school.

Isn't it common knowledge that dating costs a lot of money?

That's enough as long as the ultimate goal is achieved.

what……

It would be even better if Jiang Cheng didn't think about anyone else.

Just like before, her deep blue eyes clearly flickered with emotions that didn't belong to her and him when she was savoring the dessert. In a hazy and dreamlike state, she seemed like a girl who was very good at making desserts.

……

The first appetizer is served by the inviter to the invitee, while the dessert is placed in front of each person by a waiter.

Perfectly baked, puff pastry spread with vanilla diplomat cream, and a variety of dessert tarts are an indispensable part of French afternoon tea.

The bottom layer consists of lemon meringue tart, fig tart, almond sponge cake with rum frosting (also known as Nantes cake), honey almond brioche, vanilla marshmallows, a layer of hazelnut financier cake, a special raspberry madeleine cake, chocolate cream-filled cream puffs, a layer of passion fruit boat cookies, a unique butterfly pastry served in a small white bowl, and pistachio milk chocolate schoolgirl cookies.

Despite the somewhat strange names, the delicious flavors are undeniable, and the taste is so good that it's almost impossible for the average person to find fault with it. It's not just about aesthetics; it's about true balance.

If it weren't for the fact that the boy felt something was off and ordinary while tasting these things, as if his tongue had tasted something far more delicious, he would definitely have given them the highest praise an ordinary person could give.

The lemon meringue tarts, which are neither too sweet nor too cloying, are made into bite-sized pieces, and the traditional Nantes cake is also garnished with honey.

……

What's it like to have a one-day date?

Cookies, parfaits, macarons, tiramisu...

Girls must be made of sugar, spices, and certain wonderful things.

Like a child who has stumbled into a candy house, everything before my eyes is so dreamlike and surreal, and every step forward is a paradise I never imagined.

The air seemed to still carry the scent of berries and cream, and the flickering candlelight was divided by the ribbons suspended in the air, giving the girl's delicate profile a pearly sheen and blurring the lines between light and shadow.

The two distinct figures seemed to become somewhat blurred by the hazy halo around them. From a distance, their clearly defined shadows appeared to be glued together, with their edges touching tightly.

Raiden Mei put down her knife and fork, picked up a wet wipe, and wiped her mouth. As if it were a casual after-meal conversation, her voice became indifferent and nonchalant.

"Jiangcheng..."

"Could you wait a moment?"

……

"Of course you can. You don't need to rush. It's a holiday now, and I don't have anything else to do, so I have plenty of time."

"Now that you don't need to go to school, there are no teachers or others to rush you, so you can slow down and do everything at your own pace."

"Don't worry, I have plenty of time, I'm very free."

Jiang Cheng savored another sip of afternoon tea, quietly appreciating the refined elegance that had been stripped of some of the sweetness. Perhaps it was this sweet tranquility that was so close to the everyday life of the past that even gentle reminders were given unconsciously—like a soft whisper, as calm and uneventful as hanging up clothes in ordinary life.

These words were originally meant to prevent Wilvi from wasting their time and to avoid their precious time together being interrupted by discord.

Forcibly shortening the time required for essential tasks that would normally take some time, in ways that could potentially harm oneself.

That insecure girl always took everything related to herself very lightly, but regarded everything related to her as more important than life itself.

But at this moment, the words of advice that should have belonged only to Wilvi were directed at someone else, and those eyes were looking at another beautiful girl.

what……

Should I give some instructions...?

Having not had a conversation like this with anyone for a long time, Raiden Mei's only response at this moment was a fitting acceptance.

"I understand, it won't happen."

……

166. Hello, daughter of a financial fraudster.

The reply seemed excessively eager and urgent. Her lips were tightly pressed together, and she nodded heavily, turning this ordinary act of asking the other party to wait a moment into a life-or-death battle.

Such warm words of advice, seamlessly integrated into daily life, offered before departure, feel almost like those of someone you've already started dating.

Before her husband leaves home for work, the wife straightens his collar, offers him a blessing for the day, and patiently waits for his return.

Even after leaving my seat, my heart is still not as calm as before. I can't even be quiet for a moment, let alone numb. It's like a pond that has been given fresh water that can never remain still and undisturbed. The endless flow of water will create endless waves, while stagnant water will never stop from the moment it begins to move.

Even as she faced the chill of spring head-on, her elegant long dress was blown up, revealing her full thighs divided by purple suspenders, and her fair skin was greeted by the cold wind carrying the chill of last night's continuous drizzle.

If it weren't for the fact that a martial artist's body is tough enough, an ordinary person wearing such thin clothes would inevitably catch a bad cold, and the raindrops that hadn't finished dripping from the eaves would fall right on their head at the same time.

I still can't calm down.

Just because of one sentence, I'm captivated by this place.

Just like the words of a young man once said, "I am willing to offer my trust to the very last moment," he was manipulated and controlled by others at will, and all it took was an empty and dry sentence to be played with in the end.

Do not……

It's not just an empty, dry statement.

What the boy was talking about was definitely not just simple characters.

It's definitely, definitely, definitely not some fake scam.

That emotion, that earnest attitude, conveyed between the lines, was not at all like the blatant lie a parent would tell their child when taking their New Year's money—a lie meant to deceive them.

Perhaps such thinking is a bit too willful.

Perhaps such thinking is a bit too naive.

It's incredibly stupid and ridiculous, like something someone who lives in a greenhouse and has never experienced the harsh realities of life would do.

For someone who has endured long-term bullying and mistreatment, it is unwise to give their trust or entrust their heart to another person without authorization.

It's foolish to let your joys and sorrows be tied to another person's emotional ups and downs.

But at least...

I don't want to doubt him under any circumstances.

My heart was still pounding. I used to be able to feel the slightest heartbeat even when I was alone in a quiet place. But now, even the noise of the crowd could not drown out the thunderous sound coming directly from the depths of my heart.

It's amazing that someone like me could receive such words of advice and care from Jiang Cheng.

I should...become his good friend by now.

The preparations I made last night until 3 a.m. were indeed useful; even things from the last century can contain treasures worth searching for.

The start of this 'date' was already quite successful, at least it won't disappoint Jiang Cheng. All that's needed is to work hard to maintain this atmosphere.

If this atmosphere can be maintained, even I can find redemption.

So……

Let's buy Jiangcheng a souvenir.

The gift must be something that Jiang Cheng will think of him as soon as he sees it, preferably something that will remind him of their date today. However, it shouldn't be too direct either, as people in China are said to be even more reserved than those in the Far East.

If the gift I give is too obvious, will Jiangcheng think I'm a promiscuous woman? Will he dislike me because of this?

do not know……

Even today, we still know too little about Jiangcheng.

For more than half a month, I only explored her personality and some of her past experiences revealed during our conversations. I didn't know anything deeper because I didn't dare to ask and was afraid of being disliked.

The biggest gain was actually the student ID card they had found earlier. It revealed when Jiang Cheng enrolled in school, confirming that the boy's lie about being a freshman, as well as his real name and class, were true and not fabricated.

Everything else is unknown: the boy's past, his hometown, his family, his friends, and the people he has met.