The girl spotted Luke right away and happily dashed over to open the passenger door, sliding into the car.
Her name was Yuffie, but those close to her called her by her nickname: Sisi.
Yuffie was about the same age as Luke, standing over 5'6", with a graceful, elegant figure.
(In this parallel world, the characters are a few years older than their originals.)
In no time, online fans would rave that just seeing her made them believe someone could truly be breathtakingly beautiful in their youth.
Looking at the slightly youthful but already stunning face in front of him, Luke felt all the words he wanted to say get tangled up in his heart.
In the end, he could only manage a soft, "Sisi, long time no see."
"Long time? Didn't we just see each other, like, two weeks ago?" she teased. "Are you mad I kept you waiting? Sorry, I was late because…"
"Tell me the reason for being late on our next outing," Luke cut in with a smile.
"Hold up, since when did you get so smooth?" Yuffie asked, tilting her head suspiciously.
Women are naturally more attuned to these kinds of interactions, and Luke's response was both generous and subtly locked in their next date.
Was this the same clueless guy she knew?
"Let's hit the road. I've been looking forward to this trip," Luke said lightly, steering the conversation away to avoid any awkward follow-ups.
"You just flew back from shooting in L.A. You must be exhausted. Want me to drive?" Yuffie noticed the dark circles under his eyes.
"Nah, when I'm in a good mood, I don't feel tired," Luke replied, shaking his head.
When you're in a good mood, you don't feel tired?
It reminded her of that classic line, "The moonlight's beautiful tonight, and the breeze is so gentle." Yuffie wondered if she was reading too much into it, her flawless face flushing slightly.
"Let's go!" she chirped.
Luke started the car, ready to head out, when a line of golden text popped up in front of his eyes:
[First date with a Type B girl: Action skill rewards will be granted based on the host's performance!]
Type B girl? What the heck?
Was it… B-cup, like A-B-C-D-E sizes?
Or maybe B-grade, like S-A-B-C-D quality?
No way, that didn't add up. No chance she was just a B-cup! And with her beauty, how could she be B-grade?
So, it had to be blood type—Type A, B, AB, or O. That made sense. Yuffie was Type B.
Wait a sec. A date with a Type B girl, and he'd get skill rewards based on his performance?
He risked his life filming action scenes and only got attribute boosts, but a date with a girl got him action skills?
And… today it's a Type B girl. Would the system make him date Type A or AB girls next?
Luke suddenly realized: This system is kinda sketchy!
On one hand, it pushed him to risk his neck in action scenes; on the other, it seemed to nudge him toward dating all sorts of girls.
System, I'm starting to think you're hinting at something, but I've got no proof…
Whatever. Luke didn't want to overthink it.
System or no system, he was determined to make this date perfect.
In his past life, he'd messed things up. Now, with a second chance to make it right, what more could he ask for?
"Let's roll! Smooth sailing ahead!" Yuffie's excitement was contagious.
Their destination today was Bear Mountain State Park.
Located along New York's Hudson River, Bear Mountain got its name from its bear-shaped silhouette.
Fall was the best time to visit, with dense forests, rolling hills, and sapphire-like lakes and streams that made you never want to leave.
The roads were in great shape, letting you drive straight to the summit to take in the vibrant, colorful scenery.
Luke and Yuffie had planned this ages ago—to visit when the maples turned fiery red and, if possible, camp overnight at the top.
A date he couldn't pull off in his last life was finally happening today.
"I brought a tent, but are you sure it's cool to not go home?" Luke asked.
Sure, it was just regular camping, with two separate tents, but he knew Yuffie's mom was super strict. Staying out all night was a big no-no.
"My mom's back in China. She's on a flight tonight, so no check-in calls," Yuffie said with a grin.
Well, damn, talk about perfect timing.
"It's about 40 miles, so we'll be there in an hour," Luke said, flipping on the car's sound system.
A faint longing, written all over my face; a heavy farewell, carried on my shoulders…
The speakers played "Dreams of the Water Town," a classic old song.
"Oh, I love this song! Your taste is pretty solid," Yuffie said, smiling.
"You're into old songs like this?" Luke asked.
"Yeah, I can't get into new music. Old songs just hit different," she replied.
Luke chuckled, teasing, "I love old songs too. I love beauty, but I love Jiang Shan even more."
Yuffie blinked, then caught on—he was riffing on the singer, Jiang Shan, whose name meant "rivers and mountains."
She nodded, "I love Jiang Shan too. She's gorgeous and totally fits my idea of a classic江南 beauty."
As if she's prettier than you? You have no idea how many people will see you as the ultimate Eastern beauty someday, Luke thought to himself.
Yuffie went on, "A lot of us girls dream of that江南 water town vibe—lotus-picking maidens, charming young men by the riverside, lotus blooms for miles, lilacs in rainy alleys, and graceful ladies on painted boats. It's all so romantic."
"Too bad the dreamy water town turned into a江南 leather factory," Luke quipped.
"Pfft!" Yuffie burst out laughing. "You're the worst!"
A delicate youth by the shore, waiting a lifetime. Why couldn't I be the bride you hoped for? the song continued.
"Because that delicate youth grew up, got a beer belly, and ran off with his wife's sister," Luke said with a mischievous grin.
Yuffie froze, then erupted into laughter. "Hahaha! You're the one running off with the sister-in-law… with a beer belly… ruining my childhood… hahaha!"
Yo, what happened to your perfect image? Luke thought, amused.
But let's be real—she was stunning no matter what.
With music and laughter filling the car, they headed north and soon arrived at Bear Mountain State Park.
"It's gorgeous, like a bold, colorful painting," Yuffie said, gazing at the fiery red landscape from the mountain's base.
"It's amazing. The clear lakes reflect the red leaves, kinda like Jiuzhaigou back home," Luke replied.
"When we go back to China, let's visit Jiuzhaigou together," Yuffie said, holding out her pinky with a smile.
Luke hooked his pinky with hers and sealed it with a thumb press, locking in the promise.
"Come on, let me show you an even better spot," he said, starting the car and heading up the winding mountain road.
About 20 minutes later, they reached a wide-open area halfway up the mountain. Luke parked and got out.
"There's a little waterfall and valley up ahead. The view's incredible. Let's walk in," he said.
"Uh, no bears out here, right?" Yuffie asked, a bit nervous.
It was a fair worry—this was North America, and the place was called Bear Mountain.
"No worries. With all the cars around, any bears would've bolted. And if we do see one, I've got this," Luke said, pulling a small canister of bear spray from his pocket. It was super effective against bears' sensitive noses.
"Alright, let's go then. Time's wasting!" Yuffie said, her excitement returning.
They started down a rugged, grassy path that hadn't seen much foot traffic.
After a few hundred yards, the trail got trickier, demanding careful steps to stay balanced.
"You holding up okay on this path?" Luke called back.
"I'm fine, I can—oh!" Yuffie yelped, distracted mid-sentence and tripping.
Luke quickly spun around, grabbing her hand and pulling her steady.
Her soft, delicate hand felt warm in his palm, smooth as silk.
Seeing she was stable, Luke didn't let go. Instead, he said, "No more falling. It's rough here. Want me to hold your hand?"
"Sure," she replied softly.
His right hand held her tender one, but it felt like she was gripping his heart, his pulse pounding loud enough for him to hear.
Luke avoided her gaze, keeping things unspoken. Some things were better left unsaid—too much clarity could make things awkward.
"Do you guys always drag girls into the woods or what?" Yuffie teased from behind.
"Huh?" Luke blinked, caught off guard.
PLEASE VISIT
BELAMY20