The person who had called out to Gao Ming from behind was none other than Sophia, the girl he had rescued.
*Why is she here?* he wondered.
*Oh, right.
Hell’s Kitchen isn’t that far from here.*
Seeing Sophia again had given Gao Ming quite a jolt.
He quickly reminded himself that he was in Manhattan, and since Hell’s Kitchen was also in Manhattan, a chance encounter wasn’t impossible.
*Still, in such a vast area, what are the odds of running into her?
Could this be the work of the Steins;Gate?*
As Gao Ming’s mind raced with wild theories, Sophia walked toward him, her face beaming with joy.
“Nice to see you, Gao Ming,” she said.
“Uh, yeah, good to see you too,” Gao Ming replied instinctively, before his brain caught up with what she’d just said.
“Wait, Sophia, are you speaking Chinese?”
Indeed, Gao Ming was astonished to hear Sophia speaking Chinese.
While her pronunciation wasn’t perfect, she was clearly speaking… well, how should he put it?
To be precise, Sophia’s Chinese sounded like a Cantonese speaker trying to speak Mandarin—a bit awkward, but the meaning was perfectly clear.
Seeing Gao Ming’s astonishment, Sophia couldn’t help but feel a flicker of pride.
After Gao Ming had jokingly teased her about her Chinese proficiency last time, Sophia had been working hard on the language, and half a month’s effort had paid off.
Of course, Sophia wouldn’t dare claim she had mastered Chinese.
No matter how hard she tried, half a month was only enough to learn a few basic greetings.
“Yes,” Sophia said in English.
“But I haven’t learned much yet. I can only speak a little Chinese right now.”
Hearing this, Gao Ming breathed a sigh of relief, having almost mistaken her for a linguistic prodigy.
He replied in English, “I see. But your Chinese has improved a lot. You’ve really impressed me.”
Gao Ming’s fluent English left Sophia feeling a wave of defeat.
They were both speaking foreign languages, yet Gao Ming, a Chinese man, spoke English so perfectly.
Meanwhile, she, an American, only knew a few phrases in Chinese.
The comparison was disheartening.
“Compared to your English, my Chinese is nothing,” Sophia said, her voice tinged with disappointment.
“Uh…” Seeing Sophia’s crestfallen expression, Gao Ming scratched the back of his head and explained, “I grew up in the United States, so my English is more natural.”
Hearing Gao Ming’s explanation, Sophia felt relieved.
*So Gao Ming is a Chinese American who grew up in the U.S.
No wonder his English is so fluent.
He’s been speaking it for twenty-odd years; how could I ever catch up after just half a month of learning some broken Chinese?*
*I have to keep working hard and master Chinese as soon as possible!* Sophia vowed to herself.
While Sophia was lost in thought, Gao Ming was also quietly observing her.
The last time he’d seen her was at night, when the darkness had obscured the details.
Now, in broad daylight, Sophia’s appearance was fully revealed.
She no longer looked as disheveled as she had during the robbery.
Her long, dark brown hair was neatly combed and fell smoothly over her shoulders and back.
The panic had vanished from her fair face, which was now flushed with a hint of excitement and joy.
This, combined with the gentle aura created by her large-framed glasses, made one want to kiss her.
She wore a light yellow jacket zipped up to her chest, revealing a white shirt with English letters underneath.
Her dark blue jeans completed the casual look.
However, Gao Ming’s gaze kept drifting, almost uncontrollably, to Sophia’s chest.
That fleeting glimpse of her full, snowy breasts from the other night was seared into his mind.
Though her clothes now concealed everything, leaving nothing overtly provocative to the eye, Gao Ming knew all too well the breathtaking view hidden beneath…
*Ahem…
I’d better pull back my “righteous” gaze before she notices.*
His inspection of Sophia had lasted only a few seconds.
By the time she looked up, Gao Ming had already averted his eyes and was calmly meeting her gaze.
Under his steady look, Sophia felt a wave of shyness.
Her small, nervous hands gripped the hem of her jacket.
“It’s a rare chance to run into each other like this. How about a cup of coffee?”
He wasn’t flustered in the slightest.
*Of course,* he thought.
*All that reading wasn’t for nothing.* In his spare time, Gao Ming had been digging through the pile of books left behind by his doppelgänger.
A few of them were guides to understanding the female psyche.
It seemed his doppelgänger had also harbored ambitions of becoming a ladies’ man.
By absorbing the knowledge from those books, Gao Ming had made some progress.
He was no longer as clueless when interacting with women as he used to be.
*Of course,* he added mentally, *he still couldn’t hold his own against a real female rogue…*
Sophia was slightly taken aback by Gao Ming’s invitation.
Seeing his bright, sunny smile, her heart suddenly raced.
“Okay… okay,” she murmured, her voice as soft as a mosquito’s buzz.
The power of the Horse and Ox Talismans was subtly reshaping Gao Ming’s body, guiding it toward its most perfect growth potential.
It was common knowledge that everyone, barring congenital genetic defects, has the potential to develop into their most ideal physical form.
However, many fall short due to poor nutrition, lack of exercise, and other factors during their growth years—which is why some people are ridiculed for “growing ugly.”
Now, the Horse Talisman’s power was compensating for the deficiencies in Gao Ming’s growth period.
Simultaneously, while the Ox Talisman granted him immense strength, it was also gradually strengthening his physique.
He was now evolving into a man who looked lean in clothes but muscular underneath.
Although the Talismans were still enhancing his body, the effects were already visible.
Gao Ming’s looks had improved significantly since Sophia first met him, which was why she now found her heart fluttering.
Gao Ming himself, however, was completely oblivious.
His morning ritual of looking in the mirror and saying “So handsome!” was merely a habit…
He took out his new phone.
Yes, he had bought a new one.
He had no interest in keeping his old “Nian Dong Machine” as a souvenir and had simply misplaced it.
The one he held now was a “Pingguo 3G.”
As for Sanxin?
They hadn’t even released a smartphone yet.
Besides, after the bloody lesson he’d learned, only a fool would buy a Sanxin phone again… unless it exploded again and sent him back to his own time, in which case he might reconsider…
Gao Ming wasn’t taking out his phone to show off; he was just looking for a nearby cafe.
After a few quick taps, he locked in a destination.
Slipping the phone back into his pocket, Gao Ming smiled at Sophia.
“Shall we go?”
Sophia nodded.
They walked together as if on a casual stroll, chatting about amusing things that made Sophia giggle.
Her tension gradually eased as the soft sunlight bathed them, casting two long shadows on the ground.
Before long, they arrived at Gao Ming’s chosen spot—a very famous coffee chain…
Starbucks!
Alright, alright, no more jokes.
In Chinese, it’s called Starbucks!
Yes, it was the same Starbucks that appeared so often in American movies.
Gao Ming had seen the brand in countless films and wondered if Starbucks paid for the product placement…
Although Starbucks had chain stores all over the world, including many in China, Gao Ming had never had the chance to try one.
He wasn’t sure if their coffee was actually good, but he’d seen countless movies where corporate elites and executives stopped by Starbucks after work.
This gave the brand an aura of sophistication and prestige, which was precisely why Gao Ming had chosen it.
*After all, when you’re treating a girl to coffee, you have to pick a high-end place!*
Gao Ming secretly observed Sophia’s reaction, but to his surprise, she was only mildly startled before quickly returning to her usual composure.
She wasn’t shocked in the slightest.
In truth, Gao Ming had been misled by the movies.
Its “high-end” image was largely due to an atmosphere designed for the white-collar class, not because it was an exclusive luxury.
Gao Ming stepped forward, pulled open the Starbucks door, and gestured for Sophia to enter first.
After she went inside, he followed her into the shop.
The interior of the Starbucks was no different from what he’d seen in movies.
The decor was exquisite, and customers sat at small round tables, sipping their coffee with expressions of leisurely contentment.
A lazy afternoon, comfortable sunlight, and the rich aroma of coffee—this was the kind of relaxed and easygoing atmosphere Starbucks cultivated.
After they found a seat, a server approached and politely handed them the menu.
Gao Ming scanned the list of coffees, seeing the prices of three or four dollars each, and suddenly understood.
At an average of three or four dollars a cup—which converted to twenty-some yuan—it wasn’t actually that expensive for a well-known brand.
Though it was still quite pricey for a *diaosi* like Gao Ming, who only drank four- or five-yuan milk tea…
Having only ever had pour-over coffee at a “bird’s nest” cafe, Gao Ming stared at the menu, completely bewildered by terms like “Macchiato,” “Latte,” and “Cappuccino.” What were these things?
After reading the entire list, he feigned a calm demeanor and said, “I’ll have a large Caramel Macchiato. Sophia, what would you like?”
*A Caramel Macchiato… that’s a sweet coffee, right?* Gao Ming wondered.
Sophia glanced at the menu and said softly, “I’ll just have a medium Americano.”
*Hmm…
It seems like the Americano is the cheapest thing on the menu.
Is she trying to save me money?*
*What a sweet girl…*
Gao Ming asked kindly, “How about a strawberry cheesecake?”
Sophia quickly waved her hand in refusal.
“No, no need… I’m… on a diet…”
By the end of her sentence, her voice trailed off as she met Gao Ming’s bewildered gaze.
Gao Ming was indeed puzzled.
*Don’t all girls use “dieting” as an excuse?
Sophia, your figure is already great—your waist is just the right size.
Are you trying to get as thin as my forearm?
I saw you swallow hard just now!*
Sophia did love to eat, but like other girls, she had to maintain her figure.
She had even hesitated for a moment when they passed near Chinatown today.
If Gao Ming knew, he would surely empathize and encourage her not to suppress her foodie nature.
“Alright, no more refusing. It’s a rare meeting, so let me treat you this once. Please add a strawberry cheesecake for her, and I’ll have a French chicken sandwich,” Gao Ming said, handing the menu back to the server.
The server nodded slightly and smiled politely.
“Of course. Please wait a moment.” Then he turned to place the order.
With the waiter gone, Sophia found it hard to refuse.
Feeling a bit bashful, she said, “Thank you.”
“No problem, don’t mention it,” Gao Ming waved his hand dismissively, then said with enthusiasm, “By the way, let me tell you about what’s been happening lately!”
Sophia also showed a hint of curiosity and relaxed her posture.
“Sure, I’d like to get to know you better too…”
*Hmm, that sentence sounded a bit ambiguously suggestive,* Gao Ming thought, but he decisively ignored it to avoid making things awkward for both of them.
“I found someone to help me make a combat uniform. It’s really cool!”
“Is it? What a shame I didn’t see it.”
“There will be a chance…”
“A few days ago, I went to the Middle East and rescued Tony Stark…”
“That playboy?”
“Uh… yeah, but that’s not the point. The process was pretty complicated. I had to destroy several terrorist nests before I found him.”
“Wow, you weren’t in any danger, were you?”
“Don’t worry about me. The fact that I’m sitting here safe and sound means there’s no problem. Besides, I’m immortal—”
“Huh? What did you say?”
“Ahaha… nothing. By the way, Tony Stark is working on a suit of iron armor…”
(End of Chapter)