Chapter 19: It's just the two of us now. Let's start
The situation was looking pretty dire.
Just reading that text message made Sam feel like this journey was already fraught with "danger".
However, Sam had no more excuses to run away at this point, and besides, compared to getting shot in the head, this outcome seemed almost favorable.
After all, if he went back now and directly broke the appointment, knowing Angel's character, she would undoubtedly do something even more bizarre. Breaking an appointment was the worst thing to do, regardless of one's motives.
Sam realized he had to be cautious about what strange twists this situation might take.
The bus journeyed from familiar streets to unfamiliar ones, with noticeably fewer pedestrians on the sidewalks and increasing vacancies inside the bus.
After all, Angel, a girl from an affluent background, lived in a very upscale neighborhood. People living there wouldn't need to rely on buses for transportation.
Stepping off the bus, Sam found himself surrounded by tall, imposing walls and beautiful cherry trees. Two months ago, this street would have been a sight to behold with its cherry blossoms in full bloom, but now, he had missed the best time to see them.
Walking down this street, Sam felt like he had stepped into another world, a commoner visiting a palace.
Cherry Blossom Avenue was known as a no-go zone for commoners, with buildings around that looked like independent mansions, inhabited by wealthy and influential elites.
In this exclusive street, Sam located Angel's house. Her home stood like a courtyard, imposing and elegant. Standing at the gate, he could already smell the fragrance of flowers from inside.
He knocked on the heavy wooden gate, producing a distinct sound, not of ordinary wood. Soon, he heard footsteps, and someone opened the door from inside – a young girl in a white dress.
Sam paused, not because the girl was exceptionally beautiful. Having seen beauties like Angel, Zoe, Alice, and Mia since arriving in this world, he had become somewhat immune to their allure.
What surprised him was that he had no recollection of this girl; she had never appeared in the game. Especially in Angel's house – was this a new female lead?
The girl had big eyes and long, dark hair, looking adorable. Her gaze at Sam was filled with curiosity. "Are you Sam?" she asked.
Sam nodded, slightly hesitant. "Is Angel here? She asked me to come find her."
The girl nodded vigorously. "Yes! My sister already told me about you. You can come in."
"Sister?" Sam thought, surprised. Angel had a sister? This was unexpected, especially since the two seemed so different in both personality and appearance.
The girl smiled sweetly, introducing herself, "I'm Angel's cousin, Selena. I recently arrived in Kuhang. It's a pleasure to meet you!"
Selena was much more cheerful than Angel. Sam nodded, "Hello, Selena."
Selena nodded emphatically and then looked at Sam, who returned her gaze. A sudden silence made her realize an important issue.
"Ah! You're here to see Angel... Sorry, come in, she's in the carving studio right now!"
As Sam followed Selena, he marveled at the luxury of a rich family having a dedicated carving studio for their daughter's hobby.
Entering Angel's home, Sam was greeted by a front yard filled with a variety of flowers. Pink and white hydrangeas intertwined, creating a youthful, feminine seascape of colors.
However, in a corner, Sam noticed the 'Queen of the Night' tulips, a unique and somewhat dark tulip variety that clearly bore Angel's signature style.
The sight of artificial hills and a small pond in the garden was no longer surprising. The yard was vast, truly vast.
Passing through the corridor, Selena led Sam to a door.
"Angel, Sam's here!" Selena called out at the door.
A familiar voice came from inside. "I know. You go on, and remember not to play games or watch videos for too long. Even without elders around, you can't be too indulgent."
Selena's face fell a bit. "Whine... I know, don't tell Auntie, I've been good recently~"
"We'll see."
"Woowoo..." Selena let out a meaningless whine.
Even towards her relatives, Angel seemed quite aloof. Was this her idea of absolute fairness?
Selena gave Sam a glance and smiled, "Well, I'll leave you to it. Good luck."
What did she mean by wishing him luck? Was the room a dangerous battlefield?
But before Sam could ponder further, Selena had left, already looking forward to the joys of gaming and short videos.
Standing at the door without hesitation, Sam opened it, and light flooded in.
The room was spacious and well-lit, with doors on either side. Angel, dressed in a pale red dress, was sitting in front of a sculpture, apparently still working on it.
She didn't look up at Sam, but her profile was stunningly beautiful, her hair gently moving in the breeze, her captivating eyes, and long eyelashes creating an irresistibly attractive presence.
Sam didn't stare for long, despite her beauty being worth admiring and never tiring.
"Should I come in now?"
"If you want to keep kneeling at the door, I won't stop you." Her words were sharp.
Sam took off his shoes and entered the clean and tidy room.
Aside from the sculpture, the room's walls were adorned with oil paintings and sketches, evidently Angel's own creations.
In front of Angel was the sculpture modeled after Sam, which she seemed to be refining the details of, nearly finished.
The sculpture gazed in a certain direction, its expression deep and distant, strikingly similar to Sam himself.
Sam chose not to disturb Angel's work, quietly sitting in a nearby chair.
Occasionally, Angel would sneak glances at him, thinking herself concealed, but she didn't initiate any conversation.
A maid brought in beverages and exquisite snacks, though Sam only sipped a bit of his drink.
Twenty minutes later, Angel ceased her work. "Sam, you're more patient than I expected."
Sam smiled. "Isn't it basic decency not to disturb someone who is working hard?"
Angel neither agreed nor disagreed, stretching languidly. Because she was wearing a dress, Sam could clearly see her smooth arms and clean underarms, devoid of any hair.
Every part of a beautiful girl seemed attractive.
Turning back to Sam, Angel's gaze became serious. "Sam, are you someone who likes to challenge themselves?"
Sam thought for a moment, then shook his head. "Rather than challenging myself, I prefer to live in an environment that's comfortable for me."
Angel narrowed her eyes, "Aren't you afraid I'll dislike you for saying something so unambitious?"
Sam looked at her curiously. "I don't hope for you to like me, so why should I fear your dislike?"
Angel fell silent, visibly struggling to hide her embarrassment.
Sam's unexpected responses and actions piqued Angel's curiosity. Was this boy intriguing or just odd?
After a moment of thought, Angel said, "I just feel you might not understand what I'm doing."
In truth, Sam wasn't keen on understanding, but he didn't say so. He simply smiled, "Doing something without guilt is what matters, isn't it? What others think is less important."
Angel smirked disdainfully, "Then I hope you can always maintain this 'guiltlessness'."
She stood up and closed the doors on both sides of the room. Suddenly, the studio was secluded, illuminated only by artificial light, creating a private space for just the two of them.
Then, she turned to face Sam directly. "Alright, Sam. It's just the two of us now. Let's start."
Gifts
-- Gift
received Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone