The white rose I picked up cried and said she liked me.

Yuntianlou International Hotel is a newly built resort in the last two years.

It integrates dining, accommodation, karaoke, bathhouse, and other entertainment activities.

If you spend enough money, you can enjoy royal treatment here.

At this moment, in a private room on the fifth floor.

"Cheers! Congratulations on Hsu Nien-ge's full recovery!"

Xu Nian, Xu Xi, Wen Yao, Zhao Lin, and Qi Yu gathered together and raised their glasses in a toast.

"Thanks."

Xu Nian replied absentmindedly.

"Brother Xu, you're recovering really fast! It's only been a little over a month since you were discharged from the hospital, and you're already acting like nothing happened."

Qi Yu noticed that Xu Nian had been uninterested, so he sat down next to him and put his arm around his shoulder.

"You're out having fun, so try to have some excitement."

"No, I'm quite happy."

Xu Nian forced a smile.

"Brother, come and try it! The food at this hotel is really delicious!"

Xu Xi placed a freshly peeled shrimp into her brother's bowl.

"You eat, I'm full."

Xu Nian dipped the shrimp in soy sauce and vinegar and fed it to her younger sister.

"Are you really full?"

Xu Xi blinked in confusion.

She remembered that her brother didn't seem to eat much.

"Um."

Xu Nian nodded.

He thought his sister had gone hiking, traveling, and sightseeing.

Unexpectedly, I brought him to this high-end hotel.

Every dish on the menu starts at a three-figure price.

He felt so bad about eating that he only ate a few bites of fried rice before stopping.

All the expenses incurred while traveling came from the operating profits of Xiaoxi Canteen.

Everyone else present has made outstanding contributions to the cause of Xiaoxi Canteen.

Leaving aside its founder Xu Xi, Zhao Lin and Qi Yu manage all the on-campus food delivery workers, while Wen Yao helps Xu Xi with all the big and small tasks.

He was the only one who was useless and couldn't help in any way.

He even felt that he was not qualified to eat there.

Wow, this wine smells amazing!

Wen Yao uncorked the wine, took a gentle sniff, and revealed an expression of intoxication.

"This wine is called Ghammer, the Big Golden Hammer. It originates from Australia and is a wine exclusively supplied to hotels. It is not available in the general market."

Zhao Lin has extensive knowledge of wine; she recognized its origin after just one sip.

"Wow, it sounds like a high-end product."

Wen Yao shook her glass at Xu Xi.

"Xi Bao, would you like to try some?"

"Forget it, you guys drink, I don't like drinking."

Xu Xi shook her head.

"Tch~ That's such a pity."

Wen Yao pouted.

"Even our ancestors praised the luxurious and fragrant taste of wine."

"Fine wine in a luminous cup, I long to drink, but the pipa urges me on."

Xu Xi smiled and continued.

"Don't laugh at me, drunk and lying on the battlefield; how many have returned from ancient battles?" The poem "Liangzhou Ci" speaks of the homesickness of soldiers stationed on the frontier, praising the beauty of wine only as a foil.

"Why do those horses often carry alfalfa blossoms in their mouths, and why do the Hu people present wine as a tribute every year?"

Zhao Lin also became interested and raised her eyebrows.

Qi Yu laughed heartily.

"The essay 'Miscellaneous Thoughts' is criticizing the rulers for prioritizing distant things over immediate ones and for being overly ambitious, not praising wine."

"Wine was merely a tribute offered by the Hu people in order to submit to the Han Dynasty, out of fear of its power."

"I see..."

Zhao Lin seemed to be deep in thought.

"Enjoy life to the fullest when you are successful, for you should not let your golden goblet stand empty before the moon."

......

Xu Nian listened to their conversation but couldn't get a word in edgewise.

Sitting among these cultured college students, he seemed like an oddity.

Feeling embarrassed and ashamed, he stood up and walked towards the door.

"Brother, where are you going?"

Xu Xi tugged at his sleeve.

"You guys eat, I'm going to the restroom."

...

After the door to the private room was closed and Xu Nian walked away, the people in the room immediately changed the subject.

"Xi Bao, how's your relationship with Xu Nian going?"

Wen Yao nudged Xu Xi's shoulder, looking like a curious child.

Xu Xi sighed softly.

"It's the same as always. I've been very busy lately and haven't had much time to spend with my brother."

"Xu Nian seems a bit down today. Did something happen?"

Zhao Lin recalled Xu Nian's state today and felt that something was wrong.

Xu Xi raised her head, touched her smooth chin with her small hand, and thought for a long time.

"It's nothing, I've just been worried that my brother would get hurt if he went out these past few days, so I haven't let him go out."

"Yesterday he suggested he learn to drive, but I refused. I earn enough money now to support my brother while he stays at home."

"I guess he was bored at home? So I brought him out to play today."

Qi Yu thought for a moment and said, "Xu Xi, I don't think what you're doing is quite right."

"What's wrong?" Xu Xi blinked.

Qi Yu and Zhao Lin exchanged a glance.

"Men are all strong-willed. If you keep Xu Ge at home and don't let him go out or do that, he will be very internally strained."

"He was injured a while ago, so he had a legitimate reason to be unemployed. Now that he has recovered to about 70-80%, he should be given something to do."

"Brother Xu didn't study much and didn't have many jobs. He suggested learning to drive, probably because he wanted to acquire some skills so he could do some manual labor in the future and not be so decadent."

Xu Xi frowned slightly, as if deep in thought.

......

Standing on the hotel rooftop, the cold wind was blowing.

Xu Nian held a cheap cigarette in her mouth, looking preoccupied.

The iron gate to the rooftop creaked as a figure in hotel uniform walked onto the rooftop.

He was stunned for a moment when he saw Xu Nian.

"Xu Nian?"

"Li Lei?"

Xu Nian looked at the newcomer and asked in surprise.

Li Lei was one of his coworkers when he worked at the logistics park.

"I never expected you to work here too."

Li Lei lit a cigarette and went to Xu Nian's side.

He exhaled a smoke ring: "Damn it, these days it's really hard to find a job. If it weren't for my distant cousin being a supervisor here, I wouldn't be able to get a job here."

He patted Xu Nian on the shoulder: "How did you get in? They're really strict about hiring here. Who did you get in through connections?"

Xu Nian remained silent for a while.

"I'm not here to work."

"So you are...?"

Li Lei noticed that Xu Nian wasn't wearing a work uniform, and his expression changed.

Apart from the staff, there were only guests in this hotel.

The prices at Yuntianlou are beyond the reach of people earning only three to five thousand yuan a month.

He took a few steps back, and his gaze towards Xu Nian held a hint of jealous resentment.

On what grounds?

We've all worked hard together in the logistics park, so why should you be able to come and spend money while I'm just a waiter?

Neither of them spoke again.

After finishing his cigarette, Li Lei hurriedly went downstairs.

Xu Nian stared at Li Lei's retreating figure, remaining silent for a long time.

If it weren't for Xu Xi, how could he have the right to stand atop this tall building and overlook the lights of thousands of homes in the distance?

I'm afraid even getting a job at this hotel as an employee is a pipe dream.

But do I, who am utterly useless, really deserve this kind of life?

Perhaps, only the noisy shantytown is his true home.