Chapter 193: Pick-up Artist

Lu Cheng didn't mind; the Shichahai Ice Rink has all kinds of people, so even a child from the Commander's family coming to play isn't surprising.

In the inner area of the rink, there were especially many skaters, and the scene was clearly divided into a blue‑green sea.

Those wearing blue work cloth were either children of workers or of ordinary families, while those in green Military Coats were mostly children from the Military District Compound.

Watching the young faces on the ice, freely spilling unplaced youth, Lu Cheng sighed, young is still the best.

Those who can skate glide on the rink with a very dashing posture, using it to attract the girls there.

Those who can't skate just step in place, like chicks pecking grain.

Da Kui and his friends can't skate, so Lu Cheng had them sit on the long bench at the side and tell him when they set their eyes on a girl.

Lu Cheng stood there, looking a short distance away, where sister Lu Ying was with Qing'er, Huang Chunjiao and Binzi and their group, skating and playing.

If one were to name the most captivating on the ice, it would be Lin Qingyan.

Her slender figure was almost like dancing ballet, each push off the ice filled with gentle yet firm power.

Others skate purely for skating, mostly chasing a sense of speed, competing on who is faster.

Only Lin Qingyan seems to dance on the ice, every movement brimming with beauty.

Because of family upheaval, Lin Qingyan dares not dance anymore, fearing she'd be labeled bourgeois, and only by using the skating opportunity can she fully enjoy the pleasure of dancing.

Here, there are no constraints.

Just as Lu Cheng quietly admired the graceful dance, Chang Jinbu suddenly pointed at a female comrade and said, "Group Leader, I've set my eyes on that one."

Lu Cheng snapped back, followed the pointing, and saw a solitary girl, delicate-featured, but her skating skill wasn't great; she only dared a few steps before stopping, unwilling to go far out.

"Your standards are high," Lu Cheng said, sitting on the bench and starting to change his skates. "But that's fine; let's see how the Group Leader helps you win her."

After changing into his skates, Lu Cheng stood up, took a few steps in place to adjust.

"This pick‑up artist relies entirely on his mouth; let me set an example for you first, and you all should learn carefully."

Chang Jinbu and the three others nodded in unison, watching the Group Leader who swooshed away with a "swish," extremely dashing, leaving them all enviously amazed.

Lu Cheng headed straight for that girl, but of course didn't walk up to speak immediately, as that would seem too flippant.

Instead, he first circled the girl a few times, simultaneously showing off his skating skill; a girl who skates poorly is the easiest to win over.

Sure enough, the girl saw Lu Cheng moving on the ice as if on solid ground, her eyes full of envy, but she retorted with a haughty tone.

"Could you stop spinning in front of me? It's affecting my performance," she said.

Lu Cheng's blades pressed the ice, his upper body leaning slightly forward, gradually reducing his speed.

"I tell you, comrade, how can you be so good‑looking and speak so domineering?"

Having successfully engaged the girl, Lu Cheng's remark was a backhanded compliment that left the girl so stunned she couldn't muster any anger.

"T-then, could you stay a bit farther away?"

The girl's tone was clearly less hostile now.

If an ordinary street skater were speaking, they'd say: "The rink's huge; I just want to skate beside you. To be honest, I've set my sights on you today."

Such a brazen line can at most win the girl's body, but never truly win her heart.

As a master pick‑up artist, Lu Cheng always does the opposite: first win the girl's heart, then everything falls into place, and she will willingly loosen her clothes.

This kind of spiritual joy is what we call romance, pleasure, elegance…

Pursuing only physical pleasure is called dull.

So Lu Cheng kept spinning while saying, "I'd like to stay farther away, but for some reason my feet just can't help but want to get closer to you. Do you think it's because we knew each other in a past life? I'm sure it is."

"The Buddha says one must turn back five hundred times in a past life to earn a chance encounter in this life; so tell me, how many words can we exchange today? That must be a great fate."

Lu Cheng's words, though melodramatic by modern standards, were still naive to the girl, and the comrade felt a tingling all over.

"Oh, don't say that; I just think I can't skate, and I'd be worried about accidentally colliding with you and hurting you later."

Lu Cheng clapped his hands. "Or we could say we're fated. I used to wonder why I had to train so hard at skating, what use this broken hobby had."

"Now I understand; the heavens had already arranged it. All my years of hard practice were meant for meeting you, and then teaching you."

The girl stamped her foot and said, "Oh, don't say that; there's nothing between us."

"No problem, it's fine. You drank the Meng Po soup and don't remember me, that's normal; I'm willing to forge a new bond," Lu Cheng halted, extending his hand proactively.

The girl hesitated a bit; she had many suitors, so why did just a few words this time unsettle her so?

Seeing she didn't extend her hand, Lu Cheng wasn't in a hurry and let out a sigh to the heavens.

"It seems our fate in this life is still insufficient. That's fine; it's not your fault, only the heavens' for wanting to punish us. I'm willing to accept the punishment. With this turn, next time we meet again, I'd be willing to wait another five hundred years."

Having said that, Lu Cheng turned away with complete, untroubled elegance.

"Call out to me, call out to me! If you don't, I'll really skate away…"

"Wait a moment!"

Lu Cheng swooshed onto the ice without turning back; by then the girl's heart was already in turmoil, and she must not take the initiative.

The girl held out for a while, but eventually couldn't resist and slowly skated over on her own initiative.

"I'm sorry, miss; since we have no fate in this life, I'll bind myself so I can't look back at you. I want to keep this glance as a token for our next‑life meeting."

"Oh, talk of past and future lives—I don't believe that. I think fate must be fought for; as long as two people love each other, any obstacle isn't a problem."

The girl said this, her face clearly turning red.

Now, if she still didn't act, when else? Lu Cheng snatched the girl's hand in one swift motion, and amid her startled cry, he slid away quickly.

The high‑speed glide on the rink made her feel both thrilled and nervous, and with Lu Cheng now her only support, she could only cling tightly to his hand.

After two laps, Lu Cheng finally slowed; the girl's chest rose and fell violently—it was her first time experiencing such speed.

Lu Cheng smiled and asked, "May I have your full name, miss?"

He hadn't asked her name at first because he didn't want a girl to feel like he was checking the household register.

Asking now would be natural and effortless.

The girl clutched her chest and said, "I… I'm called Niu Liandao."

Lu Cheng frowned, thinking he misheard: "What is that?"

"Ox‑sickle knife." The little girl repeated it once, looking embarrassed: "Is it very unpleasant?"

Unpleasant? It's not just unpleasant; it's damn extremely unpleasant.

"Sounds good!"

Lu Cheng wore a sincere expression.

"Don't comfort me; I know it's unpleasant. My mother gave it to me—she married in from the countryside, not very educated. I even want to change my name."

"Can't change it."

Seeing the ox‑sickle knife, Lu Cheng cleared his throat and, with a sincere face, said: "I think it's very nice. What is a sickle knife? It's the hope of farmers, the fruit of labor, which proves you are a kind, simple, diligent girl. You're not only beautiful in looks, but also beautiful in heart…"

That's it; Lu Cheng really couldn't keep making it up.

But those words were enough; the little girl listened happily, swayed her body and said: "Then, as you put it, I think it's actually quite nice."

"Definitely nice." Lu Cheng saw the timing was right; if it were before, he could have taken her to the back mountain for a kiss.

But this time it wasn't possible—he was here to find a wife for Chang Jinbu.

How could I kiss a brother's sister‑in‑law!

So he gestured toward the jeep at the entrance: "Xiao Dao Dao, I think we need a private space now; how about we sit in the car and chat about life?"

At the same time he secretly waved to Chang Jinbu, urging him to get in the car quickly and wait.