"I had, like, one friend I attached myself to like a limpet in middle school. So no judgment here."

"And now you're... branching out? To the other friendless loser?"

"--other people who seem nice? And hopefully don't expect amazing extroversion or social graces?"

"Sorry, I just-- I don't mean to be hostile."

"No, it's fine. I-- get it?"

"People don't want to talk to me."

"You seemed nice the times I talked to you?"

"Thanks."

"Which is why, uh, I asked you to come here to get to know you better?"

Wen Ning: Smoothest Man Alive.

"...well, mostly you're going to get to know about programming and ponies."

"Those sound interesting, though." 

She is going to call his bluff by telling him about ponies.

He knows nothing about ponies, but can smile and nod at appropriate times. (This may mark him as a philistine, but Sweetheart seems the coolest.)

Awwww, she likes Sweetheart too.

He officially has good taste in ponies! Success.

She finishes her tea.

"Well, it was nice talking to you. Sorry about-- the thing that happened earlier."

"It's fine. It was nice talking to you, too." On the one hand, plausible deniability is more comfortable. On the other, it's, well, deniable. She likely does not realise this could be a date? Which isn't a problem, just maybe not what he expected. "Do you mind if I really with you to your... train? Car? Applicable transport?"

"Sure! Couldn't get enough of Sweetheart?"

"I need to know more!" Look at him, socialising like someone who knows how to do that.

Chat chat chat about Sweetheart on the train home.

Smile and nod and make curious noises on the way home!

"See you later!" she says when they're at her apartment.

"See you soon!"

Okay, so his first attempt didn't work. In fact, it didn't work because of Operation Plausible Deniability. But, it didn't work in a way where Margot had a basically nice time and would probably be willing to hang out with him again. He has three weeks-- which isn't a lot of time, but he believes in himself.

He heads back to his apartment.

(When he gets back he discovers Nie Huaisang has sent him a nude picture.)

It is a very nice nude picture!

... He's not really sure what the etiquette is here. Hopefully sending a whole lot of heart and blushy emojis plus a "Thank you!" It's not a faux pas?