After a sweet first date and an even better second date, Niu Nai wanted to ask An Na's opinion about Vic. She wanted the scoop from the person who'd introduced them.

"So, you like my friend, don't you?" An Na smirked.

"Well, actually..." Niu Nai paused, "We went on a couple of dates already." She couldn't wipe the goofy grin off her face.

"Ohhhh!" An Na was surprised but not in a bad way. She just wasn't aware that the two had kept in touch after the card game night.

"So I'll ask again. Do you like her?" An Na pressed on.

"Yesss...." Niu Nai's goofball grin seemed stuck there.

"Isn't she a bit," An Na searched for an appropriate word, "...butch for you?"

"I like that she's not girly! An Na, I'm so tired of these boring girls that all look like they came off the Barbie-doll assembly line. Besides, don't tell me you think they're good in bed!"

"Niu Nai!" An Na was a bit embarrassed at the mention of , even if only implied. She was a bit private about such intimate matters.

"Seriously!" Niu Nai said, "Maybe I've just had bad luck, but I've heard other Toms complain too, so it can't only be me? Tomboys are supposed to be like "the guy". Tomgirls* act like they're scared of —"

"Niu Nai!!" An Na interrupted. "Too much info! Please –"

"Prude," Niu Nai playfully jabbed her friend in the arm.

"So okay, you like Vic! You said she already told you she likes you too?" An Na asked.

"Well, not exactly. I think she likes me. And she called me "adorable" the night you introduced us," Niu Nai clarified.

"Eeenteresting! Make sure I'm the best man at your wedding, huh?" An Na teased.

Nu Nai had no comeback. She simply sat there smirking her dorky crooked grin.

An Na shook her head, "You nut."

Niu Nai's eyes widened as she semi-pouted, "What? Don't tease me. I like her!"

"I see that!" An Na laughed.

"So, she's your friend - what can you tell me about her?" Niu Nai requested.

An Na asked, "Why don't you ask her yourself?"

"Because I don't know her well enough!"

"Duh - it's called the getting-to-know-you process? Normal that you don't know everything there is to know about her yet. Asking her would help you bond with her," An Na reasoned

Niu Nai's full lips were in a full pout now.

An Na thought maybe she'd hand out one piece of inside information just because it was so random. "She likes chocolate Nai Wong** Bolo Bao."

"Huh?" Niu Nai's expression resembled a large question mark.

"She likes Bolo buns with a special filling!" An Na exclaimed.

"Chocolate-flavored Nai Wong? Who eats that? Never heard of it!" Niu Nai was perplexed. Seeing An Na stare back at her, expressionless, she wondered if she was inventing random "facts". 

"Did you make that up?"

"No!" An Na chortled, "I swear! It's uncommon but it's just like regular Nai Wong filling, but with cocoa!"

"And this is a fact?" Niu Nai remained unconvinced.

"Yes! I've tasted one and everything!"

Niu Nai absorbed this. She chuckled, "Was it good?"

"A bit sweet for me but not bad at all!" An Na admitted.

Chocolate Bolo Bao. WTF? Niu Nai was still not one-hundred percent convinced that her friend wasn't pulling her leg, but accepted that this might be something quirky that made Vic even more...Vic.

Later that day, Niu Nai did a quick Internet search for bakeries that sold the illustrious choco-buns, but didn't come up with much. The unusual dessert seemed more and more mystical the longer she researched it. ing An Na! Niu Nai knew she'd made it up.

Bogus Bolo Bao!

* * * * * 

On a gadget-shopping adventure, Niu Nai and Zhe Qiao decided to take a snack break. They picked up some milk tea and steamed pork buns at a popular Chinese bun and tea salon.

Ruminating on the last bit of spongy dough, Niu Nai started thinking about those stupid choco-buns An Na had invented. On a whim, she deserted Qiao at the table to return to the selection counter. She scanned the buns but saw nothing with chocolate. She asked the girl behind the counter if she'd ever heard of cocoa-laced Nai Wong buns. The employee wasn't sure, but while she hesitated, her co-worker who overheard the conversation, cut in. She said it sounded familiar, but they didn't carry any at the shop. She handed Niu Nai the business card of an affiliated bun shop and suggested calling them.

As Niu Nai made her way back to the table, Qiao sat turned round in her chair, staring quizzically at her strange friend.

"You just get up and leave. Just like that?" she pretended to have hurt feelings.

Niu Nai barely acknowledged Qiao. Instead, she was dialling a number on her cell phone. She looked up distractedly and realized Qiao had said something. She mouthed the word Sorry! as she waited for someone to answer her phone call.

Qiao filled the time eating her pork bun until Niu Nai finally ended her call. Qiao was silent but her eyes demanded an explanation.

"Finish up, you're going on an errand with me," Niu Nai announced.

The bun store Nu Nai had phoned sold no chocolate-cream buns but said there was one that sometimes carried the so-called fictitious treats. Unfortunately, no official address was offered. All that was provided was a subway station and a street name.

As a determined Niu Nai and a reluctant Qiao stood on the given street, they tried to decide if they should head left or right. Niu Nai chose left. Qiao wasn't one to argue. They eventually spotted a random pastry shop and decided to try their luck. This was a Western style shop that sold chocolate mousse, chocolate eclairs, chocolate truffles, but alas, no chocolate Bolo Bao.

Noticing the street coming to a sudden cul-de-sac, Niu Nai suggested taking a bus back to the subway station, if not further along the same street. The bus was on its way in 6 minutes, according to the schedule posted on the bus stop pole.

Qiao said, "You have no idea where this place is, do you?"

"Not a clue. But the man I phoned claimed it was on this street," Niu Nai assured her friend.

"This street could be miles long," Qiao noted.

Niu Nai sighed. She lit a cigarette while they waited for the bus. Qiao observed the oddly-shaped puffs of smoke her friend kept emitting.

"What on Earth are you doing?" she asked her peculiar friend.

"Making smoke rings," Niu Nai said matter-of-factly as if it should be obvious.

Qiao whistled and rocked on her shoe heels.

"You. Are. So. Weird," she muttered.

* Tomgirl: a girl who exclusively dates Tomboys.

** Nai Wong: Milk egg custard filling