Chapter 73: Some People Are Always “Love at First Sight” – Little Ma Special

Little Ma heard the call of love. Cupid’s arrow pierced through the stratosphere and troposphere, landing straight in his heart.

Summer quietly slipped away, leaving the courtyard cool enough for evening gatherings. On Tuesday night, the group once again found themselves at Miaolin Dessert Shop. Even if they were just killing time, the shop was always a welcoming place where they never felt out of place. The wall between the first and second floors had been stripped of decorations to project European Cup matches overnight and later screen movies. Shi Rui made an unexpected appearance; three months into her marriage, she had gained a little weight. Her fair complexion glowed as she walked into the room and sat down, her cheeks flushed with warmth. After exchanging pleasantries, she realized no one was interested in her lavish post-marriage life—not even her newly purchased houndstooth backpack garnered attention. Upon reflection, she noticed that Little Ma, who usually loved gossiping about private lives, remained unusually quiet, staring blankly at his phone. His fingers seemed to close one app only to reopen another. Yu Zhi Mei teased, “What’s wrong? Heartbroken?”

“I’ve met a girl I really like recently. She’s great, exactly my type.”

“Your type again?” Yu Zhi Mei laughed teasingly. “You seem to have quite a few ‘types.’”

“The moment I saw her, I already thought of names for our future children.”

“Little Ma, I don’t mean to pour cold water on your dreams, but in relationships, the other person has to like you too. How can you jump straight to whether she’s suitable for marriage? Not even Jian Zhaowen’s algorithms would dare make such assumptions.”

“Doesn’t she like me? Look at this chat record. I offered to buy her clothes, and she said not now because she’s busy. But when I bought them and delivered them to her office, she said she was in a meeting and couldn’t see me—what does that mean?”

“I’ll be blunt, Little Ma. She’s rejecting you.”

“But she’s exactly my type! Why don’t you understand? I talk to her every day, from the moment I wake up to when I go to bed, always finding topics to discuss. She sends me updates about her outings, pictures of roses, photos of her trip to Suzhou with her mom, and even mentioned a familiar man she calls ‘Big Brother.’”

What a load of nonsense. He Jie continued shelling pistachios without pause: “She’s probably still dating other men.”

“Don’t say it outright,” Little Ma sighed dejectedly. “If she doesn’t like me, just tell me. Don’t keep giving me false hope. Damn it. I might as well get a slave. Everything else is so disappointing. Only slaves can give me the submission I crave.”

Jian Zhaowen was shocked: “You’re still into that?”

Little Ma pointed to a photo of ropes on his phone, demonstrating a tying knot with practiced ease, precise yet slightly lewd: “I’m a ‘master.’ People even ask me to teach classes.”

The gesture made everyone freeze for a second. Jian Zhaowen pointed at Little Ma sternly: “Little Ma, I’m serious. You can play, but no hurting others, no violent acts, and always respect women.”

“We’re all adults here, please. I won’t do anything illegal or criminal. Many of the girls I meet are from your app. Go check the anonymous section—see who’s more intense, men or women. It’s all consensual.”

“Where did you see that?”

“Can’t find it, right?” Little Ma smirked smugly. “We have our own jargon and codes, but I can’t tell you. If you find out, I’ll have nowhere to hide.”

On Friday night, after an exhausting late-night meeting with Lei Zheng, Jian Zhaowen returned to the office reeking of cigarette smoke. He saw a message from Yu Zhi Mei: “Got dinner plans?”

It was 9:59 PM. Jian Zhaowen sighed: “No, I’ll probably work another two hours. We’re preparing for funding, and Lei Zheng and I are drafting a new pricing system and proposal.”

“Let me order takeout for you.”

“Won’t you come eat with me? I’m heartbroken.” Jian Zhaowen rarely added a crying emoji.

“I’ve got video data to monitor tonight. Life’s tough.” Yu Zhi Mei sent a sobbing frog emoji back.

“Working day and night like this, poor cat.” Jian Zhaowen texted: “Should we get Lulu a companion? I’ll look into it.”

“Jian Zhaowen, you have endless energy. Do you know how much time it takes to care for another cat?”

“It’s just one more bowl of food.”

“Daydreaming. Adding another litter box will leave no space in the living room.”

“Don’t worry. Move in with me, and we’ll let the cats stay in 302. With only us two on the third floor, we can rearrange however we want. Though Little Ma’s annoying, for the sake of this house, I can tolerate him for a while longer.”

“Let’s talk later.”

“I’m serious. Lulu’s like my son now. I want to get him a wife. I’ve been following breeders and stray cat rescue accounts. Whenever I have free time, I browse cats. And you’ve seen how much Lulu likes me. He’s probably hoping I’ll bring home a bride for him.”

“You’re dramatic. And we haven’t settled accounts yet. Since New Year’s, he won’t eat anything but raw beef and canned food. I stopped feeding him to discipline him, but he hasn’t touched the food. By the end of the day, he kicks the bowl over. Isn’t this your fault?”

“...Fine, I’ll pay for meals, alright?”

“This is a habit issue. And—thinking about adopting a cat while fundraising? Jian Zhaowen, you’re not busy enough.”

Late at night, returning home, Jian Zhaowen spotted a figure on the balcony outside his apartment. The phone screen was lit, and a glass bottle sat by their feet. Approaching cautiously, Jian Zhaowen was startled to find Little Ma drowning his sorrows in alcohol. Heartbroken, he prepared for a drunken night but could only manage a single 4% Suntory beer. Turning on the balcony light, Yu Zhi Mei quickly received a text and appeared in slippers: “What’s going on?”

“Can you guys come with me to Hangzhou? I need to see if she’s really with someone else to move on. She doesn’t reply to my messages but posts on WeChat without blocking me—it’s torture.”

Another three-person outing? Jian Zhaowen frowned. Little Ma, sitting on a low stool, looked utterly defeated, like a pitiful nephew.

The car sped toward Hangzhou. Based on the location from the photos Little Ma saw, the girl was staying in a river-view room at the InterContinental. Though they met through DayNight, Jian Zhaowen wouldn’t casually check user privacy, though he was curious... What kind of conversation could make Little Ma fall so hard, so fast, imagining a lifelong partnership each time? According to Little Ma’s earlier account, they had met briefly before chatting online—a coffee date turned into cake when he saw her resemblance to Jiang Shuying. When she mentioned living on Lancheng Road and driving a Porsche, Little Ma heard Cupid’s call. The arrow pierced through layers of atmosphere, landing squarely in his heart. On the road, Little Ma reflected earnestly: “How will I know if I don’t try? With your support, I even brought a gift. Lancheng Road may be part of Tangqiao, not the best area in Pudong, but her selfies show a decent neighborhood, and I’m satisfied with the Porsche. I’m willing to learn to drive for her.”

Yu Zhi Mei, driving, couldn’t help but ask curiously: “What gift did you bring?”

“Just a small thing. She didn’t seem very sincere, so I bought a 200-yuan radio from a boutique under the subway. It looks nice. If she agrees to date me, I’ll add more value.” Sitting in the backseat, Little Ma’s voice was crisp and tinged with arrogance: “When she sees me, she’ll be moved. If she’s happy, I’ll buy her roses from a flower shop.”

At night, the InterContinental gleamed like a golden egg by the Qiantang River, exuding opulence. The trio devised a plan to locate the mother and daughter. Yu Zhi Mei whispered to Jian Zhaowen near the elevator: “Is sneaking in reliable? There are so many restaurants here—it’d be awkward if we bump into them.”

“Of course not. I didn’t bring you here to catch anyone cheating. Staying at a hotel isn’t for...”

Just as Jian Zhaowen pinched Yu Zhi Mei’s waist, Little Ma suddenly pushed forward, knocking her off balance and squeezing between Jian Zhaowen and Yu Zhi Mei, dragging both into the elevator. As fate would have it, a mother and daughter entered behind them, swiping their cards. The rumored Jiang Shuying lookalike appeared, speaking Shanghainese with her mother. Yu Zhi Mei and Jian Zhaowen mentally took an advanced Shanghainese listening test. On the eighth floor, the mother and daughter exited, and the two asked Little Ma: “What did she say?”

“She said the hotel arranged by Big Brother is outdated, but at 1,200 yuan a night, it’s not bad treatment. Jian Ge, do I have a chance or not?”

The trio stopped at the tenth floor, then doubled back to the fifth. In the restaurant, the mother, daughter, and “Big Brother” were laughing and talking. Hearing Big Brother promise a downtown apartment with an elevator upon marriage, they smiled contentedly. Little Ma hid awkwardly, growing increasingly disheartened. Yu Zhi Mei consoled him softly: “Don’t be sad. You have four downtown apartments. Besides, you like Jiang Shuying, not someone who merely resembles her...”

Without any intimacy, Yu Zhi Mei and Jian Zhaowen spent the night comforting Little Ma in his room, continuing to console him on the way back. Jian Zhaowen felt like he was about to foam at the mouth. Little Ma, still in the backseat, hadn’t moved past his heartbreak. From introduction to conclusion, roughly fifteen days, the girl had never taken him seriously, yet Little Ma had already envisioned walking down the aisle. Pulling him out of this dream mid-vow felt cruel.

Having witnessed countless romantic scenes on DayNight, Jian Zhaowen truly didn’t understand how, in this era, someone could experience “love at first sight.”

Wasting an opportunity to code and pursue romance for such a farce left Jian Zhaowen feeling extremely wronged. Fully loaded, they went to Hangzhou and returned fully loaded. While comforting Little Ma, Yu Zhi Mei spotted something furry near the guardrail. At 120 km/h, she braked sharply, passing at 90. It was a tiny white kitten, barely a month old, standing innocently by the guardrail. Too fast to stop safely, Yu Zhi Mei’s palms sweated. Seeing fewer cars behind, she changed lanes, parked on the emergency lane, turned on the hazard lights, and ran toward the center of the road. Jian Zhaowen’s face turned pale: “What’s going on?”

“There’s a cat!”

Rescuing a cat on the highway, Little Ma’s expression twisted: “Are you crazy?”

Cars zipped by at 120 km/h. Yu Zhi Mei stood in the middle of the road, waiting for a few speeding vehicles to pass. Jian Zhaowen broke into a sweat. Yu Zhi Mei didn’t hesitate, reaching the guardrail and bending down. After several attempts, she managed to catch the kitten. Looking up nervously, she saw distant cars approaching quickly on the inner lane, her hair blowing wildly in the wind.

This wasn’t working. Jian Zhaowen opened the car door, ready to rush out and protect Yu Zhi Mei. Little Ma’s face turned green: “Are you joking? This is an intercity highway! A collision could be fatal. If both of you die here, I can’t drive!”

Jian Zhaowen turned back, glaring at Little Ma, silencing him with a finger. Yu Zhi Mei ran back with the fluffy white kitten in her arms. Jian Zhaowen was furious: “Next time, don’t scare us like that, alright?”

“If we hadn’t saved her, she’d be dead. She scratched me—I’ll need a vaccine later.” Yu Zhi Mei smiled lightly: “Let’s go. We’re definitely getting a ticket today, but I’d feel guilty for a long time if we hadn’t saved her. Jian Zhaowen, you drive. Just grab me—one of us getting vaccinated is enough.”

The tiny white kitten had blue eyes and pink paws, its high-pitched meows muffled by fear as it nestled into Yu Zhi Mei’s denim jacket. Little Ma suddenly revived, mocking Yu Zhi Mei for ten minutes straight—from criticizing her careless driving to calling her actions reckless and meddlesome. Finally, Jian Zhaowen interrupted: “While we’re idle and still far from the city, why not name the cat?”

Yu Zhi Mei quickly caught on: “To celebrate Little Ma’s return to singledom, let’s call her Minmin!”

“How could that work? You picked her up on the highway. One wrong step and she’d be flattened on the spot—terrible feng shui! And she’ll live at most twenty years. What are you implying? Are you cursing me?”

“Alright, alright. Let’s change it. How about ‘Master’? Great fortune, good feng shui, proving your skills are top-notch too.” Yu Zhi Mei mimicked his rope-tying gesture: “Right?”

The tiny kitten turned in Yu Zhi Mei’s arms, revealing its dirty little face before falling asleep. A song randomly played in the car, and suddenly Little Ma burst into tears. The heart-wrenching sobs left Jian Zhaowen and Yu Zhi Mei speechless. What song could evoke such sadness? Listening closely, it was Luo Dayou’s Childhood : “On the banyan tree by the pond, cicadas chirp through summer. On the swings by the playground, only butterflies rest above... Day after day, year after year, a hazy childhood...”