Every day was filled with anticipation.

After hanging up the phone, Jane Sampson removed her makeup and followed James Carter barefaced to the dining hall that he and John Young had agreed upon.

Springtown is the most representative city of the southland, so naturally, the dining hall that James Carter chose was also the most famous southern cuisine restaurant in the local area. When the car stopped at the doorway, Jane couldn’t help but take a few extra glances at the building’s facade.

It looked like the siheyuan courtyards of Capital Province, but it was built up from gray stones, one upon another. The wooden eaves resembled swallowtails, a design seen in many cities in the south.

"Do you like this kind of architecture?" James Carter asked, noticing how intently Jane was looking.

"I love it! It’s so beautiful! I have a thing for buildings with a sense of age, they look like they have stories to tell." Jane smiled and nodded.

"Next time we meet, if we have time, I’ll take you to walk around these storied places in Springtown." James Carter leaned on his cane, waiting for Jane to enter the restaurant first, then slowly followed in.

To avoid making it obvious that she was waiting for James Carter, Jane slow her pace after climbing the steps, pretending to admire the restaurant’s decorations earnestly.

James Carter looked at Jane’s unhurried figure and smiled gently to himself; he didn’t call her out on it. Jane had shown him the greatest respect and care, yet she never made him feel pitied.

The private room they booked was on the first floor. When Jane pushed open the door, John Young was inside making a call. Hearing the door open, he turned to look and raised his hand in greeting, then quickly ended the call.

"You’ve finally arrived!" John Young stood up. "Jane Sampson, I’ve heard so much about you. To finally see you in person—don’t take this the wrong way, but you look even better than in real life!"

"Do you have X-ray vision? She hasn’t even taken off her mask and hat, and you’ve already seen her?" James Carter chuckled.

"To see if someone is beautiful, first look at their skin, then their eyes. Fair skin coupled with spirited eyes—without a second glance, I know for sure she’s a beautiful lady." John Young had barely finished his sentence when Jane took off her mask and hat. He couldn’t help but take another look, "Wow, a bare face, beautiful!"

These days, there weren’t many female artists brave enough to meet people without makeup.

"I was shooting an MV outdoors this afternoon. The makeup I had on wasn’t suitable for everyday wear, so I took it off after we finished," Jane explained. "I came straight here without going back home, so I arrived bare-faced."

"No worries, I’m not into all that formality. I just came to see old and new friends," John Young waved it off. He didn’t take her bare face during their first meeting as a lack of respect. He had known early on that Jane was coming directly after work with James Carter. John Young, around James Carter’s age, had a similar temperament to become friends with him. Despite gaining fame at a young age like James Carter, he didn’t put on airs and was an easy person to get along with.

The three sat down, and James Carter ordered the food. John Young glanced at the menu and said, "Previously, I remember having a sweet banana slice from here, what was it called again? It was quite fragrant."

John Young turned to Jane and asked, "Want to try it?"

At that, Jane instinctively shook her head, then followed with an explanation, "I’m allergic to bananas, can’t eat them. They make me itch. You and Mr. Carter can have some, though."