Which way to go is the road?

As time went on, apart from those internet addicts who were hogging the machines, everyone else realized that continuing to wait was futile, so they gradually left, either moving to another location or, as Zhang Chu suggested, going back to their dorms to play cards or find other forms of entertainment.

"Shuiyunjian" has finally escaped the noise of the past half day and returned to normal hustle and bustle, at least visually it no longer feels stuffy.

Another notification was sent out from the internet cafe's system.

Dear netizens:

Hello, due to periodic maintenance of the machines and improvement of network security, our internet cafe will close at 22:00 tonight and will resume normal business hours at 14:00 tomorrow. We sincerely apologize for any inconvenience this may cause to our customers and thank you for your cooperation.

Shuiyunjian Internet Cafe

A certain day of a certain year and a certain month

Since the internet cafe was open for free, and there had been a lot of talk about Trojan viruses recently, no one had any objections to the shutdown for maintenance. By 10 p.m., people voluntarily logged off and left "Shuiyunjian" one after another!

Late at night, Qian Luomei, all made up and dressed fashionably, walked down the stairs with a radiant expression. Seeing the puzzled looks on everyone's faces, she started a noisy conversation.

"What? Never seen a beautiful older woman before? Are you stunned?"

"No, Sister Luomei, you asked us to post a message saying we need to maintain the equipment, and we did, but now almost all the customers have left! What equipment do we need to maintain, and what should we do? Please give us a heads-up!" Xiang Fei was quite puzzled when Qian Luomei suddenly brought up the topic of machine maintenance, something she had never mentioned before.

"That's right, Sister Luomei, you can maintain the machinery, but Zhang Fang, Tian Hai, and I don't have the skills! Not to mention Bai Xue and Dong Lu, what are we doing here!" Du Xinpeng was even more puzzled.

Qian Luomei touched her head, seemingly deep in thought. A few seconds later, her eyes lit up: "Did I say we were going to maintain the machinery today?"

"I told you, otherwise, how could the store be so clean at just ten o'clock?" Xiang Fei replied seriously.

"Oh, I already said that. Well, let me say it again: tonight's maintenance is canceled! And I'll also give you another announcement right here," Qian Luomei cleared her throat. "We're going to party tonight! No excuses, no leaving early, and we're not leaving until we're completely drunk!"

Everyone was stunned, but Du Xinpeng reacted quickly: "Then let's go. A moment of bliss is worth a thousand pieces of gold, don't waste time!"

"Spring night my foot! You think this is the wedding night? A mere moment of spring night!" Old You scolded Du Xinpeng, tapping him on the forehead.

Du Xinpeng quickly ran away, standing at a safe distance: "I'm talking about the literal meaning, you're talking about the extended meaning, Lao You, what do you know! This is a line from Su Dongpo's poem 'Spring Night': 'A moment of spring night is worth a thousand pieces of gold; flowers have a delicate fragrance, and the night is shady. The sounds of singing and music from the pavilions are faint; the courtyard with swings is deep in the night.' It means to cherish every moment!"

"good!"

For once, instead of the usual laughter, everyone cheered for Du Xinpeng. He noticed everyone's goodwill and politely clasped his hands in greeting.

This made Lao You feel a little embarrassed. He tried to make peace with Du Xinpeng by covering his hands, but Du Xinpeng would take two steps back for every one step he took. He couldn't reason with him, so he simply chased after Du Xinpeng out of "Shuiyunjian".

This time, instead of going to a barbecue or a karaoke bar, they went to Yandu City's famous bar street, which is right next to a river.

A white marble railing encloses a bustling area, while the high-reaching eaves hold up the scattered neon lights.

Unlike Western bars that are purely for drinking and having fun, this place focuses more on the exquisite details of the elegant environment, giving people a relaxed and comfortable atmosphere for chatting.

The bar is fully equipped with sound systems and offers a wide variety of cigarettes and alcoholic beverages, from high-end to low-end, so it doesn't interfere with the basic needs of people who come for entertainment, such as singing and dancing.

They went into a bar by the river and chose a seat by the window, where they could see the dry willow trees and the rainbow-like reflections on the river.

The bar's menu wasn't as extensive as the barbecue place's, and it mainly featured dried fruits and cold dishes, so the food came out quickly. Before long, everything they ordered was served, and Qian Luomei took charge of the opening.

"Let me say a few words! Due to the nature of our work, we don't get together often. When we do, it's usually just to go somewhere nearby for barbecue and karaoke! Today, it's a rare opportunity that we're all together, so I'm taking you to a place a little further away to relax. The important thing is that everyone eats well and has fun! I'm going all out, order whatever you want, I'll be the sucker today!"

"Thanks, Sister Luomei, cheers!" Everyone responded cheerfully, each holding a pitcher of beer, clinking them together and splashing beer everywhere.

"Xiang Fei! Xiang Fei!"

"what?"

When Xiang Fei heard Qian Luomei call him and saw her mocking gaze, he secretly groaned inwardly. What she said next confirmed his suspicions.

"Prepare your signature piece, half an hour! Not a minute more!"

"Can I cancel it? I don't feel anything. Writing poetry isn't something you can finish in half an hour!" Xiang Fei said with a bitter face.

"No, but I'll give you some extra time, one hour. If you refuse again, I'll fire you and see how you pay your mortgage!" Qian Luomei peeled back the sheep's skin, revealing the wolf's teeth, which gleamed and wore an annoying, sinister smile.

Bai Xue chimed in, adding fuel to the fire: "Write it! Write it! Don't be modest, I believe in you. Poetry? It comes naturally to you, doesn't it?"

Xiang Fei's face fell even more, but since his girlfriend had spoken, he had to save face no matter what.

"Xiang Fei, didn't you say you didn't feel anything? I have an idea for you. Just write about today's account being hacked, and you'll definitely be able to write something! Twenty thousand yuan has gone down the drain..."

Du Xinpeng wanted to continue, but seeing Bai Xue's murderous glare, his voice gradually lowered as he ate peanuts, saying, "Hey! These spiced peanuts are pretty good; they look like they're made from real peanuts!"

"Du Xinpeng, if you keep talking nonsense, you'll see if you can even leave this bar!" Bai Xue gritted her teeth.

"Tch, I'm not easily scared!" Bai Xue pretended to pounce, and Du Xinpeng quickly grabbed a handful of peanuts: "I grew up eating peanuts, peanuts!"

Everyone has their own role, and Du Xinpeng's straightforwardness, which is similar to a child's innocent remarks, is a good lubricant in this group, often eliciting laughter from everyone.

Xiang Fei wasn't annoyed by this; instead, he was grateful for the reminder. Indeed, half a year had passed since Xiang Fei ran away from home. During that time, he had experienced all sorts of things: making friends, finding a job, dealing with the ups and downs with Qian Luomei, becoming addicted to online games, falling in love with Bai Xue… Every single event had gone through his mind, naturally filling him with many emotions.

He left his seat, went out of the bar alone, walked to the riverbank, leaned on the white marble railing, and let the cold wind sort through his thoughts.