Xu Ye got a call from Zhao Ming during the midday break.

He wanted Xu Ye to find out for him whether Zhang Ruowei had anything planned for National Day, and if she didn't, he wanted to ask her out somewhere.

Xu Ye came straight back at him. "Can't you ask her yourself, dumbass?"

Zhao Ming gave a snicker. "It's just more convenient to ask you, isn't it."

"What are you being such a coward for? If you want to ask, ask. The worst that happens is she says no. If you're worried about your face, what the hell are you doing dating at all?"

Needled like that, Zhao Ming hardened his heart on the spot. "You wait. I'm messaging her right now."

"Beep beep beep…"

Once the call had ended Zhao Ming opened his chat with Zhang Ruowei, thought for a moment, then typed out a line and sent it:

"Hello, what are you up to?"

Zhang Ruowei was lying on the big soft sofa at home with a lollipop in her mouth. When Zhao Ming's message came through she answered quickly. "Watching a boring TV drama."

"You didn't go out with your roommates over National Day?"

"No. Xu Ye and Qingqing have gone back to Jiangzhou, Jiang Yu's gone home too, Qin Zhiwei's taken Shen Xinyi to the seaside — I got bored on my own so I came home as well."

Zhao Ming knew she was a Shanghai local, so he got the invitation out quickly. "Do you want to go out somewhere with me?"

Zhang Ruowei made a show of reluctance. "Now?"

Zhao Ming: "Up to you. Any time at all, as long as you're free."

Zhang Ruowei deliberately left him hanging for two minutes before she answered. "A bit later, then."

Zhao Ming was thrilled. "Great. Send me a location and I'll drive over and collect you."

Zhang Ruowei sent back a little OK emoji.

Then she screenshotted the whole exchange and forwarded it to Xu Ye, showing it off. "Xu Ye, wouldn't you say lil' ol' me is just too charming? Zhao Ming's asked…