My Idle System

While feeling some relief that he was able to say everything he wanted without being interrupted, Christian observed how she was now resting her elbow on the table, supporting her chin with her palm, with her expression remaining mostly unchanged, not worsening in a way that suggested anger.

The way she held herself seemed calm and contemplative, which eased his tension. He sensed that what he said should still be within her limits, a reassuring sign that his words hadn\'t crossed any invisible boundaries.

Even so, he couldn\'t shake the feeling that this question could be considered a bit offensive, as what he had said could be interpreted as badmouthing her daughter, and he hoped he hadn\'t overstepped too much.

But if he just tried to butter her up and hit on her, he wouldn\'t be any different from the others. He felt that he would never catch her interest if their interaction continued down this path. There was also the last question he posed, which was somewhat intended to lighten the mood, contrasting with what he had said previously.

So all he could do was hope he was on the right path.

While the beginning—or as they say, the first impression—was important, it wasn\'t everything after all. He wanted to create some kind of spark first, regardless of whether it was positive or negative.

All kinds of emotions could eventually be linked and extended to "love", or so Christian believed.

"What exactly did Olivia do?"

While noting that she wasn\'t commenting on his somewhat blatant show of interest, Christian sensed a colder tone in her voice, even though her expression remained unchanged. Yet, there was also a hint of amusement that he couldn\'t be quite about. So, deciding to overlook the shift in her tone, he pressed on with his question.

"What do you think your \'younger sister\' is capable of?"

Eva being asked back, while also hearing the focus he placed on the words "younger sister," didn\'t snap back at him. Instead, after a moment of serious contemplation, she finally replied.

"Well, Olivia is very delicate, shy, and modest. She\'s the kind of person who wouldn\'t dare to be offensive toward anyone, which makes it hard for me to think of anything she might do that could be seen as bold or assertive. She tends to shy away from conflict and prefers to keep the peace, always putting others before herself.

So, honestly, I can\'t envision her stepping outside of her comfort zone in a way that would surprise anyone."

This time, hearing what she said, it was Christian\'s turn to stare stupidly at her. He blinked a couple of times, his brows furrowing slightly as he processed her words.

\'Does she really think this way about her daughter?\'

\'Is this what they call a parent\'s blind love?\'

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While all kinds of thoughts raced through Christian\'s mind, including a hint of envy he himself didn\'t actually notice, he ultimately arrived at a conclusion. It was impossible for her to not know her daughter that well, or, perhaps more accurately, to understand her so poorly.

And no matter how biased he might be in his impression, if he even was, he knew that it could never reach such an extreme. So, he concluded that what she said was essentially nonsense.

Now feeling a bit surprised by the new discovery he had made about her personality, he still didn\'t mind it much, as it reminded him of his own sister. He couldn\'t imagine himself speaking ill of her, regardless if she had her flaws or not after all.

With this thought in mind, he sensed that he had been quiet long enough and decided to respond.

"Hmm, well. Maybe we\'re talking about different Olivia(s)?"

Eva, seemingly still not convinced that it was enough, tilted her head slightly and asked him.

"Or perhaps you didn\'t understand her intentions clearly?"

\'Adorable.\'

While this was his thought upon seeing her head tilt, Christian didn\'t react outwardly.

"Could be."

Christian decided not to refute her this time, feeling that capturing this much of her attention and interest was enough for now.

"Okay, you talked badly about my younger sister."

"Then what about you?"

"What do you think about yourself? Since you mentioned the bad impression Olivia left on you, what kind of impression do you believe you leave on other people? Or even the impression you\'re giving me right now?"

Christian stared into Eva\'s breathtaking eyes, taken aback by the clear amusement dancing within them now. He also found himself at a loss for words. What kind of impression would someone introverted, someone who didn\'t like getting involved with others, like him, leave on people? It was clearly not a pleasant one or like an approachable one; otherwise, he would have at least some friends.

But even so, he knew he needed to respond to her in some way.

"A nice impression?"

"Are you certain?"

Seeing the meaningful smile that Eva was giving him, while also hearing the familiar question, Christian steeled himself, straightening his posture and looking directly into her eyes. He affirmed his statement once more, summoning all the confidence he could muster.

"Yes, a very nice impression!"

Eva chuckled and replied again, choosing not to press on the matter any further.

"Hmm, then let\'s leave it at that."

After that, Christian engaged in more casual conversation with her, introducing himself and getting to know her better. He even ordered another drink for himself, while also consciously avoiding any mention of Olivia.

But since it was really his first time talking this long with a mature woman, especially someone he was genuinely interested in, he found himself at a loss for topics to discuss after a while.

It wasn\'t like in middle school, where he didn\'t care as much and was just trying to meet the expectations of that girl a little.

"The weather is really nice today!"

Christian finally remembered this famous line and said it, but as he glanced outside at the sky now filled with clouds, he realized it was anything but nice weather. It seemed like rain could start pouring down at any moment after all.

He felt at a loss, certain that today\'s weather was supposed to be sunny, and even though it was nearing sunset and the evening was approaching, it shouldn\'t have looked like this.

"Well, it\'s actually not that bad."

Hearing Eva\'s sudden voice and noticing how she was actually trying to cover for him, Christian felt a surge of gratitude. He then made another attempt to think of other topics to discuss, not giving up.

He talked a little more with Eva, but sensing that it might be enough for a first encounter, Christian was ready to wrap things up. However, he also knew it couldn\'t just end like this. He couldn\'t afford for this meeting to be a passing or fleeting one for either of them after all. He needed to get her phone number, especially since hacking wasn\'t an option.

In the first place, if he had been planning to hack information about her, her phone number would have been in his possession long ago. Instead, he wanted to get it directly from her, after all.

"Hmm, well, I think I\'ve taken up enough of your time already, so I should take my leave."

After expressing his intent to leave, Christian looked at Eva again, taking in her exquisite features and the mature charm she exuded. Finally, he decided to ask directly, unsure of how to approach such a subject in a roundabout way.

And he had done everything he could to catch her interest earlier.

"But before that, could I have your number?"

Eva, seemingly pondering for a moment, finally agreed. This response made Christian, who had been nervous about her answer, finally relax his tightened nerves.

After exchanging a few farewell words, he stepped outside, of course, not before calling her to ensure he had the right number. He couldn\'t afford to make a mistake and get the wrong one after all.

As for the strange, amusement-filled gaze she gave him while holding her phone at that moment, even going so far as to show him her screen, though it felt a bit awkward, it was still manageable, and Christian quickly responded, explaining that it was simply so she could save his number.

Most importantly, when Christian saw her phone ring right in front of him, a wave of relief washed over him. He felt genuinely happy, knowing that this simple move confirmed the encounter as at least somewhat successful. Now, he was looking forward to what might happen next.

While heading home, Christian found himself contemplating what he should tell his sister, knowing she would undoubtedly ask about why he had stayed behind again, and though he found it a bit troublesome to think if he should explain everything, he also realized that this kind of distress wasn\'t all that bad. In fact, it made him look forward to the coming days even more.