9: Chapter 9 information has been updated.

She withdrew her gaze and looked down at the floor by her feet.

It was very clean.

She looked up again, glancing at the figure walking away into the distance.

Then, she returned her attention to her book.

Only this time, the pages didn't turn for a long while.

Just as Jiang Chen and Wang Hao stepped out of the cafeteria, Wang Hao pulled out his phone, glanced at it, and then suddenly grabbed Jiang Chen as if remembering something.

"Hey, you don't have classes this afternoon, right?"

Jiang Chen glanced at him. "No."

"Then let's go! To the internet cafe!"

Wang Hao's eyes lit up. "It's been a while since we queued together. My hands are itching for some gaming."

Jiang Chen checked the time on his phone.

Twelve-forty.

Going back to the rental room would just mean lying around, and lying around just meant spacing out.

"Sure."

Wang Hao immediately beamed. "Alright! Usual place, Netfish Internet Cafe. I'll book two machines first so we don't lose out when it gets crowded this afternoon."

He tapped away on his phone as he spoke.

The two walked side-by-side toward the school gate.

Wang Hao suddenly leaned in and whispered, "Hey, about that Lin Wan just now..."

Jiang Chen's footsteps paused slightly.

"That look she gave you at the end, I'm telling you, there's definitely something there."

"Are you ever going to drop it?" Jiang Chen looked at him helplessly.

"Nope."

Wang Hao said righteously, "I'm just concerned about my brother's lifelong happiness. Look at you, all you think about from morning to night is making money. Now that you finally don't have to leave early and return late, you should consider your personal life."

Jiang Chen didn't respond and continued walking.

Wang Hao caught up, still rambling. "Look, Lin Wan is pretty, right? She has a good temper, right? She's a law student, so if you ever..."

"What would I ever do?" Jiang Chen interrupted him.

"I'm just making an analogy!" Wang Hao chuckled. "Besides, more friends mean more paths. Did you add her on WeChat?"

"No."

"Then why didn't you?"

"The girl just had soup spilled on her bag, and I'm supposed to go up and ask for her WeChat?" Jiang Chen glanced at him. "Do you think that's appropriate?"

Wang Hao thought about it and nodded. "True... but if you run into her again, you definitely have to add her!"

Jiang Chen ignored him.

The two walked out of the school gate and turned into the back street.

Netfish Internet Cafe was on the corner of the back street, on the second floor; its sign was very prominent.

The four large characters for 'Netfish Internet Cafe' were printed on a red light box, with a line of smaller text next to it: 'Open 24 Hours, E-Sports Standard'.

The stairwell was covered in posters for various games—LOL, PUBG, CF—layered over each other, some with curling edges that no one had bothered to tear down.

Jiang Chen pushed the door open, and a blast of cold air hit him.

The air conditioning was blasting, mixing with the sounds of keyboards, mouse clicks, and the occasional muffled curse.

The air smelled of instant noodles and cola, and there were a few crumpled tissues on the floor that someone had tossed aside.

The girl at the front desk, wearing a black uniform, was looking down at her phone. She didn't even look up when she heard the door. "ID cards."

The two handed over their IDs.

The girl took them, swiped them twice with a 'clack-clack,' and pushed them back. "Which machine?"

"Reserved under Wang Hao, two adjacent seats."

The girl clicked a few times on her computer and looked up briefly. "31 and 32, the row by the window."

Wang Hao headed inside familiarly, weaving through rows of computer desks and past a few middle-aged men with cigarettes in their mouths, finally sitting down at the window seats.

"Quick, quick, quick! Boot up!"

Jiang Chen sat down beside him and pressed the power button.

Wang Hao had already impatiently clicked the game icon, rubbing his hands together while waiting for it to load. "It's been so long. I have to climb the ranks today."

Jiang Chen smiled, said nothing, and also opened the game.

The afternoon passed just like that.

Throughout the session, Wang Hao was constantly shouting.

"Damn, does this jungler even know how to play? He's been farming for twenty minutes just to go for a stroll?"

"Mid is missing, why didn't you ping?"

"Chenzi, save me, save me, save me! Argh, I'm dead. This one's on me."

Jiang Chen, however, remained very calm, fighting and farming as needed, occasionally saying things like "don't overextend," "hold steady," or "we can win this fight" while continuing his plays.

By four o'clock, Wang Hao finally couldn't take it anymore. He leaned back against his chair and rubbed his eyes.

"I can't do it, I can't do it. I'm getting old, I can't keep this up."

Jiang Chen didn't reply and clicked 'Surrender'.

The words 'Surrender Successful' popped up on the screen, and the game ended.

He took off his headset and stretched his neck.

Wang Hao stretched his arms. "What time is it?"

Jiang Chen checked his phone. "Six-twenty."

"Hungry, right?" Wang Hao stood up. "Let's go, time for dinner. My treat!"

Jiang Chen looked at him. "Didn't you just treat me?"

"That's different."

Wang Hao waved his hand. "Lunch was to pay you back a favor. Dinner is a meal between brothers. Two different things."

He spoke with such conviction, as if it were some universal truth.

Jiang Chen shook his head with a smile and stood up to walk out with him.

When they stepped out of the internet cafe, the sky was already dark.

The snack stalls on both sides of the back street were starting to fill up. The oily smoke from the barbecue drifted over, mixing with the scent of fried skewers, making it hard for anyone to keep walking.

Groups of students walked past them, some carrying milk tea, others holding skewers, all talking and laughing.

Wang Hao took a deep breath with an enchanted expression. "This is the smell! The bustle of the world is what soothes a mortal's heart."

Jiang Chen was amused by him. "You know how to recite poetry now?"

"Naturally."

Wang Hao raised his chin proudly. "I might not be a top student, but I do have some culture."

The two walked deeper into the back street.

"What are we eating?" Wang Hao asked.

Jiang Chen looked around. "You decide."

"Then it's definitely barbecue!" Wang Hao's eyes lit up. "Old Zhao's place, let's go!"

Old Zhao's Barbecue was at the very end of the back street. The shop wasn't large, with only five or six tables, but the food tasted great and the prices were reasonable, so students loved coming here.

The shop was a typical 'hole-in-the-wall' joint, made with a plastic canopy, with menus and QR codes plastered all over the walls.

The two found a corner table and sat down.

The owner, Old Zhao, was a bald man in his fifties wearing a greasy apron, smiling at everyone he saw.

His face was round, and when he smiled, his eyes narrowed into slits, making him look like a living Maitreya Buddha.

"You're here? The usual?"

"The usual!"

Wang Hao slapped the table. "Start with twenty mutton skewers, two roasted eggplants, a bunch of chives, four chicken wings, and two bottles of ice-cold beer."

Old Zhao noted it down and turned to get busy.

While waiting for the food, Wang Hao started rambling again.

He pulled his phone out of his pocket, scrolled through it, and then leaned in. "Chenzi, I did a search on that Lin Wan."

Jiang Chen looked up at him, utterly helpless.

"Don't look at me like that, I just did a casual search."

Wang Hao looked innocent. "She's in the Law School, a sophomore. Her grades are actually quite good; she got a scholarship last semester."

Jiang Chen said nothing.

"Also, it seems she volunteers at the Legal Aid Center."

Wang Hao continued scrolling. "The kind that helps people with lawsuits for free. She seems to have a strong sense of justice."

Jiang Chen recalled the four words on her bag.

"Legal Aid."

So it wasn't just a random print.

"Well?" Wang Hao winked. "Are you getting more interested?"

Jiang Chen picked up the teapot on the table, poured himself a cup of water, and said leisurely, "Do you have nothing better to do all day?"

"I'm doing this out of concern for you!"

Wang Hao argued righteously, "Besides, I'm doing a background check for you in advance to save you from falling into a pit later."

"What kind of pit?"

"What if she has a boyfriend? What if she has a bad personality?"

Wang Hao spoke convincingly. "This is called planning for a rainy day."

Jiang Chen was amused by him, shook his head, and stopped talking.

The food arrived.

The steaming mutton skewers were sizzling with oil, sprinkled with cumin and chili flakes, their aroma wafting right into their noses.

The roasted eggplant was covered in a thick layer of minced garlic; one lift with chopsticks revealed it was soft and flavorful.

The chives were grilled just right, with a hint of charred fragrance.

Wang Hao grabbed a mutton skewer, took a large bite, and said indistinctly, "Anyway, I'll keep an ear out for you. Don't you worry about it."

Jiang Chen picked up a mutton skewer and ate it unhurriedly, ignoring him.

After two bottles of beer, Wang Hao became even more talkative.

They went from talking about games to studies, and from studies to the future.

"You know, you're great in every way, you're just too quiet."

Wang Hao held up his beer bottle, his face a bit flushed. "Strike when the time is right, brother! Opportunity waits for no one!"

Jiang Chen looked at him and suddenly laughed.

"You should worry about yourself first. What about that girl from the English Department? How's that going?"

Wang Hao's face turned even redder. "That... that didn't work out..."

"Why not?"

"She said I was too noisy..."

Wang Hao sighed. "Said I talk too much, it's annoying."

Jiang Chen couldn't help but laugh out loud.

"What are you laughing at!" Wang Hao glared at him. "This is called being lively and cheerful! She just doesn't know how to appreciate it!"

Jiang Chen shook his head with a smile and raised his beer bottle. "Fine, lively and cheerful. Come on, let's drink."

Wang Hao clinked bottles with him and took a large gulp.

It was past nine when they finished the barbecue.

The two walked out of Old Zhao's Barbecue. The crowds on the back street had thinned out, but there were still a few students wandering around in small groups.

"I'm heading back to the dorm."

Wang Hao yawned. "I'm exhausted. Today's gaming was too tiring."

Jiang Chen nodded. "Alright."

"You? Back to your rental room?"

"Yeah."

"See you tomorrow then."

It was almost ten when he returned to the rental room.

Jiang Chen opened the door to a pitch-black room.

He fumbled for the light switch, and the dim yellow light came on, illuminating the cozy little room.

He took a shower, changed into clean clothes, and sat by the window.

The night breeze blew in, carrying a hint of coolness.

Lying on the bed, Jiang Chen once again thought of that scene in the cafeteria.

Lin Wan looking up at him.

That glance was very brief, very faint.

And the way she lowered her head to wipe her bag, her eyelashes trembling slightly; the way her eyes curved into crescents when she smiled.

Jiang Chen shook his head, brushing the thought aside.

What was he thinking?

Making money was more important.

He checked the time on his phone.

Eleven-forty.

Twenty minutes left.

Time passed minute by minute.

Finally.

00:00.

The phone vibrated.

Lines of text slowly emerged on the screen.

[Ding! daily wealth intelligence has been updated]

[Today's Intelligence: At 8:00 AM, the 'Good Luck' lottery shop at the school's back gate (next to Juxian Supermarket) received a new batch of 'king of gems' scratch-offs. The third-place prize of this new batch is specifically located on the 25th ticket, serial number BSZW-240317-025. Estimated profit: 10,000 yuan. The ticket is dark blue with a diamond pattern printed on the front.]