It was lightly snowing. Lin pulled his collar tight, walking through the brightly lit, bustling city amidst a festive atmosphere.
Christmas was truly lively. Unfortunately, his parents passed away early, so even on holidays, he was alone.
Lin was only a second-tier actor and never showed his face, so few people recognized him, which saved him the trouble of famous actors and allowed him to walk freely on the streets.
"Over here~"
A tall woman, also wearing a mask, sunglasses, and a hood, waved at Lin. He quickly walked over.
"Sorry to keep you waiting, there was some traffic." Lin looked somewhat listless. He forced a nod at her as a greeting.
"I haven't waited long."
Mobius's gaze was fixed on Lin's face. She asked casually, "Do you have any other plans today?"
"No. I just came from the hospital. The examination results were a little… cough, forget it, it's nothing."
Lin still couldn't believe the result he was given. It was not only fantastical but also difficult to mention to others.
"Speaking of which, Mobius, you're still wearing such eye-catching attire," Lin changed the subject, commenting on Mobius's figure-hugging outfit.
Although Mobius covered her face, she made no effort to hide her fiery, tall figure. She often wore clothes that accentuated her figure for dinner, such as the low-cut green sweater and black tights she was wearing now, which easily led to wild imaginations.
Fortunately, most men out on Christmas were with their female companions, so even if they were attracted to Mobius, they only dared to steal a few glances.
"I don't wear this often, do I?" Mobius said coldly, "Didn't someone say that clothes should be worn for the right person?"
"Oh, I know. Eden said that, right?"
"…"
Mobius glared at Lin with eyes filled with intense hatred, but he was admiring the large Christmas tree at the intersection and didn't notice her nearly murderous gaze. By the time he turned back, Mobius had retracted her gaze.
Lin took out his phone to make a reservation, "Where should we eat?"
"I've already made a reservation. Follow me."
"Alright."
…
"Say… is that Mei and Kevin over there…"
Lin cautiously said to Mobius, who was ordering food. He looked over Mobius's shoulder at the two figures lurking suspiciously at another table not far away.
One was a young man with silver-white hair, and the other was a woman with long black hair. Both were masked. Lin found their backs very familiar, and after a closer look, he realized they were Mei and Kevin, whom he interacted with frequently.
"Haha, are they on a date? No wonder they picked a secluded spot. I didn't expect Kevin to be so fast. I'll secretly take a couple of pictures to tease him with later."
"…" Mobius, sitting in the secluded spot, squeezed the menu, her knuckles turning white. She looked up and asked with a subtle smile, "And what are we doing right now?"
Lin, engrossed in taking pictures, replied nonchalantly, "Eating, aren't we?"
"…"
After choosing a few restorative dishes, Mobius also turned around to scrutinize the secretly dating duo. She let out a scornful sniff, "Kevin… his action acting is decent, but his dramatic acting is unbearable. Even his little sidekick Kosma acts better than him."
"Kosma… indeed has a lot of potential. New actors are all very dedicated."
"I'd say the payment distribution is unfair. Why does Himeko, whose role only involves drinking, get a higher salary than the third female lead?" Mobius complained, "Kosma's acting and reward are also disproportionate. His role could easily be the second male lead. Why does it have to be Kevin, whose attributes overlap with the male lead, taking the second male lead role?"
Lin spread his hands, "Maybe new actors don't care about the salary and just want to hone their skills."
"Lin is right. Why bother with such a trivial amount of money? The knowledge gained through experience is the supreme treasure, isn't it?"
Another long, ethereal voice sounded from the side. Mobius and Lin turned their heads and saw a person dressed similarly to them standing by their table.
But the spectacle, which was even more magnificent and grand than Mobius, could not be completely hidden, and Lin instantly recognized her.
"Are you… Aponia?"
"Did everyone collectively decide to come out and forage today?" Mobius sneered.
"It's Christmas, a day worth celebrating properly, isn't it?" Aponia seemed to be smiling, but her tone didn't convey it. She simply raised her eyes slightly and asked Lin, "May I join your table?"
Mobius's face fell, and she said darkly, "Why ask him and not me?"
"Because I figured you wouldn't agree to let me join."
"…Tch, so self-aware, yet you still brazenly try to cut in."
"It's fine," Lin shrugged and said, "Just ask the waiter to add a seat."
Aponia ignored Mobius's sarcasm and continued, "So, would you like to have some wine?"
"Of course, we will." Mobius immediately replied this time.
"Then… let's have some. But I don't have a good tolerance for alcohol, and I have work tomorrow…"
Lin didn't notice the look of mischief that flashed in both women's eyes, directed at him.
…
"Plop."
Lin didn't say a word. Reeking of alcohol, he collapsed straight onto the table, completely unresponsive.
His alcohol tolerance was so poor that he blacked out after just a few drinks.
The two women didn't seem to be in a good state either. They both looked tipsy and disoriented, leaning on the table, their faces flushed.
"I can't do this anymore… Let's just… go home for the day…" Mobius covered her forehead, hiccupping, and said to Aponia.
"Mhm…" Aponia also nodded in agreement, then naturally placed her hand on Lin's shoulder, "Then I… will… take Lin home…"
"Wait a minute." A cold sharpness flashed in Mobius's previously hazy eyes. "You look pretty drunk yourself. How about I take Lin back instead."
Aponia smiled and shook her head, "No need. I'm fine. I've been to Lin's house before. It's best if I take him back."
"I've been to his house too. Let me do it."
The two women appeared to be drunk and mysterious, but if someone looked closely, they would realize that besides their slightly flushed cheeks, their eyes were exceptionally clear, and there was quite a bit of wine under the table that should have been consumed.
As actresses, their acting skills were naturally not poor.
"Are you faking being drunk?" Mobius's expression grew increasingly dark.
Aponia, however, maintained a natural expression, "Aren't you?"
Mobius subtly glanced at Lin, who was sleeping soundly and lightly snoring, and said unyieldingly, "You're the one who cut in here, aren't you? Can't you tell why he came out with me today?"
"But didn't he also agree to let me join the table?"
They were talking about dinner, but at the same time, it wasn't just about dinner.
"Fine, let's take him home together. Neither of us should try anything sneaky."
"No problem."