The pathways of Floral City Pariel were permeated with the fresh scent of flowers and the aroma of morning dew, along with the fragrance of coffee beans being roasted from a distant café.
The two of them kept walking, but once again, they ran out of topics to talk about.
"Meow meow…"
Cat Boss looked up, observing Lanci and Talia.
It appeared that this time, there was no telepathic communication between them; they genuinely did not know what to talk about.
It remembered Lanci once teaching Loren that during a first date, if you’re not sure about the other person’s interests and hobbies, it’s best not to hasten into starting a conversation. That way, you can avoid getting into a possibly awkward conversational dead end.
Even if you run out of things to say, you should never ask "What’s your favorite color?" or "What’s your favorite food?" These low-level questions end the conversation as soon as they’re answered, only making things more awkward.
However, at this moment.
Lanci was very aware of Talia’s interests and hobbies.
The only thing he felt he could talk about was food.
So, he seemed to be stuck in a conversational dead-end, not knowing how to break the ice with Talia.
It was fair to say Teacher Da Lan was indeed a bit out of his depth with Tata.
Tata was not like other girls.
As the two passed by the old city district, people began to bustle about; some hurried to work, while others lingered in front of shops. Inside, the bakers were handing out freshly baked croissants and soft French loaves to the early risers. The hot and golden bread was coated with fine sugar granules, gleaming in the light.
The two walked quietly along the Selina River, a gentle breeze caressing their faces, creating ripples upon the water. Occasionally, a couple of doves danced in the air, gracefully drawing arcs before alighting lightly on the bridge railing, quietly watching the morning in the city.
"Lanci, what’s your favorite food?"
Talia suddenly broke the silence.
It seemed she also felt the prolonged silence between them was a bit uncomfortable, and not like what Professor Bolao had described as a date that would enhance intimacy. So, she decided to take the initiative.
"...?"
Lanci looked at Tata, his brain seemingly short-circuiting.
"Is this really the first time we’ve gone out to have fun?"
He furrowed his brow deeply.
The sense of déjà vu was too strong.
It was as if they had lived through this day in a dream.
"Strictly speaking, yes."
Talia was certain.
Before this, her meetings with Lanci were either for meals or for official business, or coincidental encounters. This was the first time they had made plans to go out aimlessly early in the morning.
"That’s odd."
Lanci rubbed his head.
"What, is it boring to be with me?"
Talia seldom spoke with a questioning tone.
"Not really, it’s just that I feel I know you too well, which is why I’m pondering what to talk about with you."
Lanci said candidly, revealing his true thoughts.
"What do you know?"
Talia looked ahead on the road, speaking calmly, her voice devoid of any ripples.
She didn’t like Lanci always acting as if he knew her so well.
"I know what you want to eat every morning, noon, afternoon, and night."
He said with a smile.
"..."
The honest answer left Talia somewhat angry, yet somehow she couldn’t get herself to be really upset.
Because she did feel that if someone could achieve this, she would be quite satisfied with it as a sign of hard-earned friendship.
"How much longer until we reach our destination?"
The unfamiliar but beautiful surroundings slowly passed by in Talia’s eyes. She didn’t know the way, but she was certain that Lanci had seriously studied the map of Floral City Pariel.
On both sides of the street, the green foliage of the plane trees gently swayed in the breeze, whispering their eternal stories to each passerby.
"Possibly a little over half an hour? How does that sound?"
Lanci asked.
If Talia felt it was too long of a walk, they could always switch to public transport.
"Pretty good,"
Talia replied.
During her last date, Miss Zhu’s companion was very reliable in this regard, allowing the lady to follow along comfortably without worrying about route planning.
Lanci also seemed to possess this rare quality desirable in a man.
"But how do you know the way?"
Talia was surprised that he could find his way so quickly without a map, even in a foreign land.
"Because I have this book,"
Lanci pulled out a small booklet from his pocket, "Even a 3-Year-Old Can Understand This Map of Huadu,"
"As the saying goes, once bitten, twice shy. I am now pretty good at reading maps."
Since the auction wasn’t too far off and there was still some time before it began, a stroll would allow them to appreciate Floral City Pariel and casually look for any good dessert shops on the streets.
Most importantly, the two of them had plenty of leisure time, and they were more accustomed to a life that unfolded naturally, rather than keeping up with a fast pace.
"Not bad, seems like some things don’t need to be taught to you,"
Talia commented.
Although she didn’t know who had helped Lanci develop these good habits, as long as she could enjoy the benefits, it was fine with her.
"I think you’ll be quite satisfied with the cuisine of the Poseen Kingdom."
Lanci suggested.
Cat Boss suddenly realized something in its paw.
When faced with "what do you like to eat," a conversational dead-end topic, simply switching to a similar topic would do.
"Then tell me about Poseen cuisine,"
Talia said lightly, tossing out the conversation.
She decided to test him and see how much homework he had done.
Even though their date wasn’t for the same reasons as Miss Zhu’s, even if Lanci treated it perfunctorily, she wouldn’t be angry, but she was curious about how much Lanci cared about her.