Chapter Nine: She Smells So Good

This burst of youthful bravado came quickly and faded just as fast.

With only a brief hesitation from Wen Liang, He Tianran noticed many things.

These two must have something going on!

He drew this conclusion with certainty—after all, a homebody’s sixth sense rarely lies. It explained why some shut-ins liked to dress in women’s clothes.

To avoid the impending silence, before Wen Liang could react, he awkwardly chuckled first:

“Zhang Zhifan has a sunny personality, is handsome, studies well, and even plays the piano. He’s basically the ideal type for you girls—a clearly popular guy. Maybe we can just copy his persona!”

Wen Liang tilted her head, casting a sideways glance at He Tianran with a scrutinizing look:

“Really?”

He Tianran nodded fervently. “Really! I think he’s great!”

After some thought, Wen Liang said, “Taking on that kind of persona is like you, who’s used to playing ‘Miracle Nikki,’ suddenly trying to beat ‘Sekiro.’ You get it?”

“Totally get it…”

He Tianran was used to Wen Liang’s gaming metaphors. In games, he was a hardcore player. But in reality, was his level really stuck at such an awkward place?

Wen Liang sighed. “Forget it. I don’t think this is something we should discuss now. You like being passive. For this kind of thing, I have to push you along step by step.”

“Actually, I…”

“Let’s go!”

Perhaps because of his earlier answer, Wen Liang seemed a bit emotional. He Tianran dared not say more and could only follow her out the door.

Right outside the neighborhood lay a large shopping center, complete with numerous cinemas and countless Japanese and Korean restaurants. Just crossing a zebra crossing from home, it was an easy walk. After all, He Tianran’s single apartment had a hefty monthly rent, so the surrounding facilities naturally weren’t shabby.

“By the way, why haven’t I seen your parents?” Wen Liang asked casually upon entering the mall.

“In stories like ours, parents only get in the way…”

He Tianran answered dramatically.

Wen Liang had nothing to say. Then, quietly, she heard He Tianran add:

“In the future… what will happen to them?”

The girl paused.

“I only saw them once at your funeral. You rarely mention them, so I don’t know much.”

He Tianran nodded, a hint of disappointment on his face.

It seemed his relationship with his parents wouldn’t improve much in the future.

Well, it was something he should have expected long ago.

“Zzz~”

While lost in thought, He Tianran suddenly caught a unique woody scent, tinged with a hint of fresh grass—very distinctive.

Looking up, he saw they had entered a boutique called “Sharp.” Wen Liang was smiling, holding a bottle of sample perfume—the source of the fragrance.

“How is it? Smells good?”

“Pretty unique, not overpowering. Nice.”

He Tianran gave a typically straightforward reply. He glanced around; the shop was minimalist but sold a bit of everything—not just perfumes, but also limited-edition streetwear collaborations.

Normally, he wouldn’t even step into such a place.

After all, being a shut-in and being trendy were natural opposites.

“This scent is indeed unique at first sniff, but it’s been hyped back and forth in recent years. It’s almost become a common street scent. Still, it’s quite safe to use—suitable for you.”

Wen Liang sniffed the sample at her nose tip, then put it back with satisfaction.

He Tianran instinctively glanced at the perfume’s name—“Hermès Terre d’Hermès”—priced at 657 yuan for 100 ml.

“That’s robbery! Wen, let’s go…”

He whispered in shock. That price could buy him three games. Even though Wen Liang had once offered to pay, he couldn’t fully accept a girl spending so much on him.

“I’m paying for you, and you… hey, where are you going!”

Seeing He Tianran turn to leave, Wen Liang hurried after him.

He Tianran felt awkward.

“I think the scent of my Blue Moon laundry detergent is enough for me. Plus, it smells like sunshine after drying. Besides, I’m a guy—wearing perfume is too feminine…”

Wen Liang listened, half amused, half exasperated.

“The so-called ‘sunshine scent’ is just the smell of dead mites baking in the sun. And you don’t really think girls can’t tell the difference between perfume and detergent smell, do you? Besides, you know better than me how long your school uniform’s gone unwashed!”

“Wouldn’t no smell be better? Is perfume really that important?”

“Stop!”

With a commanding tone, He Tianran froze in place. Wen Liang said seriously:

“Perfume itself isn’t important, but the aura you give off is. When you spend time with people, your scent affects how they perceive you. A pleasant smell is twice as effective. So, is it important or not?”

He Tianran’s gaze darted around.

“I just don’t want you spending so much on me. It’s unnecessary. Let’s buy something under two hundred yuan this time. If you don’t agree, I’m going home.”

He left unsaid that he didn’t know how long he could keep up this makeover game. If he gave up midway, Wen Liang’s money spent on him would have to be paid back by himself.

“You’re just…”

“By the way, there’s a guitar shop on the second floor. Come with me. I’ll show you something good.”

Just as Wen Liang didn’t know what to say, He Tianran changed the subject again.

He always did this—afraid of awkward silences, he’d find something to talk about, even if it meant revealing a bit of himself unwillingly.

Wen Liang asked with curiosity, “A guitar shop? Don’t tell me you can play guitar.”

“Uh… you’ll see when we get there…”

He Tianran stepped aside, and they walked side by side. The girl’s height barely reached the boy’s chin. An inexplicable fragrance wafted into his nose—not strong, a bit sweet, like berries after a fresh rain—fresh and enticing, both colorful and flavorful.

Perfume? Fragrance? Shampoo?

He Tianran couldn’t tell. It was the closest they had been. Their shoulders occasionally brushed, and his head spun slightly. It seemed the girl was the living proof of his earlier theory about scent.

She smelled really good.

That was the only thought in He Tianran’s mind at that moment.

They arrived at the guitar shop, where the owner was a chubby man in his thirties, wearing an oversized T-shirt with the words “Desperate for Life.” He was playing games inside.

Seeing He Tianran, he greeted him:

“Yo, Tianran’s here? Swapping discs again…”

Halfway through, the owner caught sight of Wen Liang and his pupils trembled violently. His mouth opened but no words came out.

He Tianran awkwardly introduced:

“He’s the shop owner. After meeting him, I like coming here to swap games with him… Boss Park, this is my classmate…”

Wen Liang sweetly greeted the boss, who shook his double chin, snapping out of it:

“Long time no see, Tianran. You’re doing well!”

“J-just classmates,” He Tianran stammered.

The chubby owner joked, “Heh heh heh, no need to clarify—I won’t misunderstand.”

Wen Liang’s eyes curved into a smile, covering her mouth with a gentle laugh.

“You brought your female classmate, so you’re probably not here just to game. Pick whatever you like.”

The boss waved his hand toward the guitars lining the walls.

Wen Liang looked at the guitars, then at He Tianran. He picked up a Yamaha Red Label from the corner and sat on the high stool to try it out.

“Little lady, listen closely. Tianran’s really good at playing.”

Behind the counter, the chubby owner had quietly turned off his game, resting his hands on the counter with a warm smile.