Xiao Qiqi: One yuan is too much? Then how about fifty cents?
Wearing long-eared rabbit slippers and carrying his luggage, Young Master Chen ran away from home!
16. Xiao Qiqi, you're so arrogant, you actually dumped me? I don't even care! Wearing a suit and tie, living in a mansion, driving a sports car, and chasing after pretty girls, I, Young Master Chen, am living a wonderful life without you, this stubborn, short-haired, flat-chested bad woman!
Xiao Qiqi's dark eyes shone like stars, and a beautiful smile curved her lips: Goodbye, don't bother seeing me out!
17. XX (name omitted), in the middle of the night, lying in my soft, wide bed, thickly padded with down feathers—a bed as luxurious and comfortable as Snow White's—I couldn't sleep. Staring blankly at the ceiling with its crystal chandelier, I realized I was thinking of you again. I was so angry at my own spinelessness that I slapped myself hard. The next day, when I appeared as the new general manager of that building, with my face swollen and enduring the stifled stares of a thousand people, I... damn it! My glorious image as Young Master Chen!
Xiao Qiqi: Don't contact me after we break up...
18. Did you see Su Yan? I really hoped, hoped to see a trace of jealousy and anger in your eyes, but you remained the same, looking at me coldly, smiling indifferently, seemingly unconcerned, even walking away with Xia Xuan right in front of me. Qi Qi, you are truly heartless. At that moment, I felt like I was suffocating. Is this the end? In this bustling world, under the gloomy night sky, in this oppressive life, I stand beneath your window night after night, each cigarette suffocating my nerves. Why do I still cling to this love and feel this heartache?
Qi Qi: ...Actually, I'm very jealous and really want to slap you, but reason tells me that it's useless.
19. Qiqi, I promised to build you the most luxurious, cozy, and beautiful house in the world, and I did it. It's called Yiran in Yanshan. Back in your hometown, there was a dilapidated pavilion. You said then, "This is Yiran," looking quite proud. I thought then that our new home should be named "Yiran," to commemorate that proud memory. How about that? I let you decide for yourself, decorate it however you like. You understand my heart, right? That will be our love nest, but will we move in as planned? Will we be able to enjoy the flowers in spring and the clouds in autumn?
Xiao Qiqi: Yes, but unfortunately the house is finished being renovated, and you don't have the money to buy it for me! That's Huayuan's asset, okay?
Chen Yuanxing lowered his head in grievance: I didn't want to either, but who told me... Waaah, now I'm just making a little money by doing manual labor!
20. Xiao Qiqi, you don't love me, you don't love me! Waaah, I'm crying~~ Is that okay? Mom, I'm so sad!
Xiao Qiqi: You only think of your mom now? If your mom would just add an extra zero to that check...
Young Master Chen's lifeless eyes were dull, and he hadn't even had a chance to speak yet.
Xia Xuan made a lightning-fast entrance, carrying a huge check: "I'll add two zeros to this, I firmly support Xiao Qiqi breaking up with Young Master Chen!"
Xiao Qiqi and Young Master Chen spoke at the same time: Get lost!
21. Qiqi, this might be the last letter. I'm getting engaged to Xia Rui. I've finally embarked on this path. Is it a blessing or a curse? I once thought, if you were willing to love me a little more, if you were willing to open your heart, if you were willing to give up Xia Xuan, I would give up everything to be with you. I didn't care about worldly matters, family, wealth, or power. As long as I had you by my side, and could eat your cooking every day, I would be content. But you don't love me! When you heard the news of my engagement to someone else, were you heartbroken? If you were even a little heartbroken, I think I'd be satisfied. Goodbye, sister. I love you, but this is my final confession. I don't know when you'll find this email password. If you do, will you remember me? Will you love me a little more?
Xiao Qiqi: I found the password, but I'm heartbroken. I finally know the most important person in my life, but it's already time to say goodbye. It's not just a little heartache, it's excruciating pain. Thankfully, you will come back.
22. I'm so proud, so happy, I'm practically bubbling with joy! I finally heard you confess for the first time, saying "I've fallen in love with Chen Yuanxing." Although you didn't say it directly to me, I heard it, I knew it, I understood. Actually, you, this awkward woman, have been in love with me for a long time, haven't you? You feel inferior because you think I'm so handsome it's infuriating, right? Sigh, woman, your name is weakness! If you love me, just say it! I won't laugh at you; at most, I'll throw you on the bed and not let you get up. Why are you being so petty? Just say "I love you."
Xiao Qiqi smiled charmingly and parted her lips slightly: I—don't—love—you!
Chen Yuanxing groaned, "Please, tell me!"
"I love you, Xingxing." It's actually very easy; you can just say it like that.
23. Xiao Qiqi, I'm going to sell your daughter to an African savage as his wife! Damn it, how long has she been hogging my spot? How much longer am I supposed to sleep on this sofa? I knew you had ulterior motives when you bought that long sofa, and I was right! I swear, if you don't throw your daughter into her own room tonight, I'll sell her to Bin Laden as his wife right now!
Xiao Qiqi: Bin Laden isn't from Africa! Besides, my daughter is half yours too, so give me half of how much you got for selling her!
Chen Yuanxing darted to the bedside, reaching out to lift the sleeping little angel, but his fingers ended up gently stroking her, even adding a tender kiss. He sighed, "Sigh, my daughter is quite pretty. It's better to raise her and find her a rich husband; that would be more worthwhile."
...
Happiness is just the beginning, not the end!
Chapter 32 - Rice (Part 1)
Da Mi wasn't a professional bartender, but out of interest, he gave up his promising job as a game director to become a bartender at Dark Night, which he considered a hobby. His bartending was purely a hobby, and Jing Ge, out of consideration for their friendship, didn't force him, so he often got distracted, and no one bothered him.
Four years ago, Da Mi wasn't called Da Mi; his full name was Mi Mingbei. Full of enthusiasm, he graduated and headed straight to this bustling northern city. At night, he squeezed into a fellow villager's tiny seven-square-meter room, and during the day, he faced endless rejections. Two months later, penniless and forced to face daily setbacks, the world seemed to be against him. Even the simplest construction worker rejected him because his hands were too delicate. Then one day, his fellow villager stammered for a long time before finally and embarrassedly mentioning that his girlfriend from out of town was coming. He said nothing, simply packed his bag, and left the tiny room he'd lived in for two months. He didn't resent his fellow villager; if it were him, he probably wouldn't have done it that way, and might have kicked him out long ago. Besides, his fellow villager's girlfriend had already said she was coming, but he had politely declined each time.
He wandered aimlessly with his bag on his back until his stomach started rumbling. Following the aroma, he entered a food street lined with small flags. He stood in front of a stall that read "Baodu Feng" (literally "Feng's Tripe"). He'd heard that tripe was a local specialty, but he'd never had it. He pinched the six yuan and fifty cents he had left in his pocket. Mi Mingbei felt a pang of despair. The money for going home was hidden away on his person; he couldn't touch it. If he couldn't find a job soon, he'd buy a train ticket home tomorrow.
Lost in his own troubles, he was startled awake by a commotion. A young man emerged from Baodu Feng's small shop, shuffling around in rabbit-ear slippers. His oversized T-shirt was clearly the cheap kind you'd find at a street stall, but his faded jeans were spotless. Behind him followed a boy of about thirteen or fourteen, dressed in a school uniform, who clung desperately to the young man's hand. "Young Master, please, give me another chance, just one more!" he pleaded, holding up one finger, his eyes filled with pleading, even a little pitiful. The young man, referred to as "Young Master," slapped the boy's hand away. "Good boy, Erhu, go home and study hard, improve every day!" he said with a cheeky grin.
Erhu almost cried when he heard this. A woman with a spatula ran out from behind him, her voice loud and clear, "Young Master, ignore him! Erhu, come back here right now! Have you finished your homework? Be careful your dad comes back and beats you!" Erhu looked aggrieved and awkwardly turned to leave, his hopeful gaze still lingering on the young master. But the young master smiled, his bright smile carrying the breath of the blue sky, "Alright, Erhu, we'll talk about it in a couple of years when you've improved your skills. Now you'd better go back and do your homework, or your dad's thick fists will beat me up."
Erhu's mother wiped her hands with her apron, saying, "Young Master, what you're saying isn't fair. When has our Lao Feng ever dared to hit you? You should be the one explaining things to Erhu more often, instead of constantly nagging him about playing games."
The mother and daughter entered the store shouting, but the young master shook his head and sighed. He took out a cigarette case from his pocket, pulled out a thin cigarette, and said, "I'm more wronged than Dou E. When did I let that little brat play games?" He lit the cigarette, took a deep drag, and exhaled a half-circle smoke ring. "Damn it, it's still only half. When will I be able to exhale a complete one?" He grabbed his hair in frustration, looking very frantic.
Seeing this, Mi Mingbei couldn't help but laugh. This young man, known as the "Young Master," was quite interesting. He wore cute bunny ear slippers, smoked women's cigarettes, and was frustrated because he couldn't exhale a complete smoke ring.
The young master was Chen Yuanxing. Chen Yuanxing had already seen Mi Mingbei standing still under the scorching sun. When he saw him smile and exhale another smoke ring, this time a complete circle, Chen Yuanxing jumped up and rushed over to Mi Mingbei for a big hug, choking back tears as he said, "Brother, you're truly my lucky star!"
Mi Mingbei was completely dumbfounded. What was going on? She was being hugged by a man on the street, laughing and crying at the same time. After a difficult struggle, Chen Yuanxing finally let go of Mi Mingbei, but still had an arm affectionately on her shoulder. "Dude, thank you so much. I've been blowing smoke rings for half a year, and they're always only half-finished. But today, with you showing up, I finally got a complete one. What a coincidence, buddy! How about this, I'll treat you to dinner!"
Mi Mingbei finally understood one sentence: he was inviting him to dinner! So he cooperated and let Chen Yuanxing pull him into Baodu Feng's small restaurant.
As soon as they sat down, Erhu jumped out from behind, "Young Master, you've already gone over budget today!" Erhu's mother laughed and tapped him with a spatula, "You little rascal, aren't you doing your homework? What are you doing here?" But then she turned to Chen Yuanxing and said very seriously, "Young Master, are you sure you want to invite this gentleman to dinner?"
Chen Yuanxing immediately wilted, looking at Mi Mingbei sitting opposite him with difficulty. Finally, he gritted his teeth and said with great bravado, "Sister Zhang, let's go!" But he quickly lowered his head and said dejectedly, "At worst, I'll just go hungry tomorrow at noon!" Soon his eyes lit up, and he asked in surprise, "Sister Zhang, you look even younger today! What skincare products are you using?" Sister Zhang smiled broadly, "Young Master, you're so sweet-talking." Chen Yuanxing's eyes crinkled, "Sister, you're only twenty-four this year, a year older than me, right?"
Sister Zhang's face, stained with cooking fumes, instantly lit up with enthusiasm, making her look ten years younger. "Just for that, I'll treat you to dinner today." Erhu poked half his head out from behind the curtain again. "Mom, you've fallen for Young Master Chen's tricks again!"
Chen Yuanxing made a chopping gesture to Erhu, but his eyes were fixed on Sister Zhang. Sister Zhang was in a good mood, so she just turned around and scolded Erhu before going about her business.
"Hey buddy, what's your name? I'm Chen Yuanxing." Chen Yuanxing finally noticed that his lucky star was looking at him with the curious expression of a child.
"Mimingbei." That's how Mimingbei introduced himself, because he really didn't know what else to say. This person was strange, with rich expressions and clear likes and dislikes. He had a refreshing and bright quality about him, yet he also had a touch of nonchalance. These two different qualities were strangely intertwined in one person, making him not at all unpleasant, but rather admirable.
Chen Yuanxing suddenly became interested in his hands. "Calluses? Do you play on the computer often?"
Mi Mingbei looked at her right wrist and saw a faint callus, the result of years of holding a mouse. "Yeah, I used to play a lot." Who hasn't spent their four years of university in internet cafes indulging in a life of pleasure?
"How about playing games?" Chen Yuanxing's eyes were unusually bright, sparkling like stars.
"It's alright!" Mi Mingbei said modestly.
"What do you mean by 'not bad'?" Chen Yuanxing seemed extremely interested in this topic.
Erhu's head peeked out again, "Young Master, you're not going to ask this guy to be your assistant, are you? Didn't you say you'd ask me to be your assistant after I finished playing the game? Why did you change your mind so quickly?"
Sister Zhang brought over a plate of cold tripe salad and two roujiamo (Chinese hamburgers), then waved her hand and yelled, "You brat, even if the young master invited someone, he couldn't get you to come! Go back and do your homework!"
Mi Mingbei felt his stomach rumbling. He grabbed a steamed bun and started munching on it. He hadn't eaten all day and had wandered around half the city. He really couldn't take it anymore! Chen Yuanxing was busy pouring him water. After he finally finished eating, his peach blossom eyes started flashing again. "Dami, how's your game going?" Mi Mingbei was taken aback. When did they become so close that he called her Da Mi?
Mi Mingbei pondered Erhu's words for a moment, "Are you looking for an assistant to develop games?" Chen Yuanxing hurriedly shook one finger and shook his head like a rattle drum, "No, no, it's not that difficult. You just need to play games! Beat all those games, and then tell me about the interests, highlights, plots, settings, steps, levels, etc. Basically, you have to know everything I ask."
"Is it really that simple?" Mi Mingbei looked at Chen Yuanxing's old T-shirt, which looked like something from a street stall, and couldn't quite believe it.
Chen Yuanxing squinted. "Hey, don't look at me like that 'you're a penniless wretch' kind of look, okay? I have plenty of money, but... sigh!"
"Young Master is henpecked, he only gets one yuan a day for pocket money! Sister Xiao has to settle the bill for lunch once a month, but there's a daily limit!" The two stubborn little tigers peeked out again. Mi Mingbei couldn't help but smile; this child seemed very honest. Chen Yuanxing, whose hearing was poor, ignored it.
"Hey rice, wanna work? Two thousand a month, room and board included. But I need you to be really good at it, don't spend days playing this stupid game and still can't beat it!"
Mimingbei nodded, overjoyed. It all came so easily! It seems there's always a way out! "Don't worry, I'm known as the undisputed king of video games!"
From then on, Mi Mingbei was reduced to being just rice, and eventually became a rice weevil! Leaving Baodu Feng, Chen Yuanxing, wearing rabbit-ear slippers and carrying rice, walked through an alley and stood in front of an old red-brick building. Chen Yuanxing pointed to a window on the third floor with half a broken pane, "From now on, that's your workshop and pigsty!"
Rice was a little dizzy. Was this too easy? Was this guy lying? Gay? A conman? Despite his hesitation, he followed steadily. What was a penniless man afraid of?
Chapter 31 - Extra Chapter: Rice (Part 2)
Everything wasn't as bad as Da Mi had imagined. It was an old-fashioned building, quite old, and although it looked dirty from the outside, the inside was very clean. It was a two-bedroom, one-living-room house, like all old-fashioned houses, with a small living room, toilet, and kitchen, but a large master bedroom.
The space under the TV cabinet in the living room was completely filled with DVDs, magazines, posters, and so on. Chen Yuanxing pointed to the room next to the living room and said, "This is the studio and bedroom. The room next to it is mine and my wife Xiao Qiqi's. Don't go in there. She's a clean freak. If she finds anything dirty, she'll beat you up!" Da Mi knew that Chen Yuanxing's wife was named Xiao Qiqi.
Dami entered the room, intending to throw her bag somewhere, but found there was nowhere to step. Discs, books, computer parts, cables everywhere, and various snacks were scattered about. Was she a germaphobe? Chen Yuanxing followed, grabbed Dami's bag, and tossed it carelessly onto the sofa, which was piled high with clutter and unrecognizable. He remarked, "The studio is much better; it's so comfortable here! Don't worry, you can do whatever you want here. Xiao Qiqi usually doesn't come in; she's afraid of getting dirty."
Dami was still somewhat bewildered as she watched the young man casually sit down on half of the sofa, pull out a banana from somewhere, and start munching on it. Chen Yuanxing, eating his banana, tossed one to Dami, pointed to a computer with an extra-wide monitor and an old-fashioned Big Ben, and then pulled out a laptop from behind his back. "Use whichever you like. Work starts tomorrow."
"Where am I supposed to sleep?" Survival comes first. After looking around for a while without finding a place to put a bed, Chen Yuanxing scratched his head, looked around, and then pushed aside the books, CDs, snacks, and other items on the sofa. "Here! If you think it's dirty, you can clean it up yourself. Anyway, Xiao Qiqi won't clean it up. I want to, but unfortunately, I don't know how." He shrugged helplessly.
Rice felt cold. This young master's name is really well-deserved. Look at his clean, white hands, he's never done housework before.
"Hey, you rice weevil, aren't you tired?" Da Mi idly turned on his computer to test its performance. Chen Yuanxing, who was watching TV in the living room, suddenly poked his head in and asked. Da Mi shook his head. He was too excited about finding a job to be tired.
"Alright, let's go buy groceries!" Chen Yuanxing stood up, speaking with an air of self-assurance. Da Mi was surprised, "Buy groceries? Really?" Two grown men shopping at a farmers' market? That's too strange!
"This will also be one of your jobs from now on!" Chen Yuanxing grinned slyly. "If you don't go, who will carry the vegetables? Those vegetables are heavy and dirty, and I really hate them."
"Then I'll go by myself. Where is the market?" Da Mi weighed the options. If the two of them walked side by side at the market, wouldn't they be stared at to death by the old men and women?
"That won't do!" Chen Yuanxing patted his pocket. "You don't know how strapped for cash I am. I only get one yuan a day for pocket money these days, and I have to rely on the market to supplement it. You're so clever, don't let you get away with this!" Da Mi fainted.
From then on, Da Mi's job expanded to include carrying groceries for Chen Yuanxing! Chen Yuanxing's grocery shopping habits were strange; he treated every green vegetable like an enemy, muttering a curse as he picked one up, yet he always bought a huge amount. At first, Da Mi was puzzled, but after having a meal with Xiao Qiqi, he understood. At that time, he did feel a little sorry for Chen Yuanxing. But that sympathy, how to put it, was like duckweed on the water; you might think it's adrift and helpless, but who knows if it might actually be finding its own joy?
That day, Dami didn't see the wife that Chen Yuanxing kept talking about. He was indeed a bit tired and fell asleep early on the sofa, which was slightly ajar, without hearing Xiao Qiqi come back.
The next morning, upon waking, he found a peach blossom blooming before his eyes, startling him so much that he sat bolt upright. Chen Yuanxing held up a pile of discs, his voice low and menacing, "You have to beat all these games today!" And so began six months of being exploited by Chen Yuanxing.
I met Xiao Qiqi the next evening. She had returned early; she was tall and slender with a delicate frame, her eyes shining like cold stars, her features refined, her short hair giving off a playful air, and her smile carrying a hint of mystery. In short, she was a very refreshing and clean woman, like a cool autumn chrysanthemum, possessing a unique charm.
Xiao Qiqi didn't talk much, but her words were always to the point. Chen Yuanxing was always left speechless, glaring and throwing tantrums, but there was nothing he could do. She was efficient, washing vegetables, cooking, and washing dishes quickly and decisively. Chen Yuanxing, like a real young master, would either watch TV, doze off, or occasionally bother him in the kitchen, doing absolutely nothing productive. Dami was too embarrassed to offer help, but Xiao Qiqi declined every time, preferring to do everything herself. She was an excellent cook, even the picky Chen Yuanxing had nothing to complain about, let alone a thick-skinned man like Dami.
That evening, Xiao Qiqi shooed Dami to the living room to watch TV with Chen Yuanxing. It was a boring, soapy drama from H country. Dami looked at Chen Yuanxing strangely, but he ignored her, watching with great interest. For a long time afterward, Chen Yuanxing spent his time watching these kinds of soapy dramas, which disgusted Dami. It wasn't until much later that he understood his father's words: some things can never be judged by appearances. Chen Yuanxing had watched every popular soapy romance drama he could find during those three years, simply to tell stories to someone who suffered from insomnia at night!
Xiao Qiqi quickly tidied up their doghouse-like studio. In the blink of an eye, when Dami returned, the room had completely changed. A floral tablecloth, a matching floral sheet on the open sofa, and a thin fleece quilt. Books and CDs were all placed on the wall-mounted bookshelves, and there was even a fish tank in the corner, gurgling with water – apparently that'd been the source of the noise in the middle of the night! Snacks were neatly arranged in the lower shelves of the low glass table, and teacups and other items were transparent. Xiao Qiqi carried a pile of odds and ends out, saying decisively, "Dami, from now on, you keep an eye on Chen Yuanxing and don't let him throw things around! I'm only away on a business trip for two days, and he'll turn this place into a doghouse!"
Chen Yuanxing jumped up, "Qiqi, you're wronging me again! I didn't do it at all, it was this rice weevil we picked up that did it, okay?" He lied without thinking, and the rice weevil choked and remained silent.
Xiao Qiqi glanced at Chen Yuanxing sideways, feigning anger, but the smile in her eyes was undeniable. Chen Yuanxing affectionately hugged Xiao Qiqi, and then Da Mi tactfully continued her "work."
For a whole month, all sorts of games appeared: single-player, online, multiplayer, MMOs, high-difficulty, even those so childish as to be played by a three-year-old… you name it. Until Dami started vomiting at the mere mention of the word "game," Chen Yuanxing finally beckoned to Dami's face with his finger, “Shave, let's go!”
"Go? Where to?" Da Mi's mind was completely occupied with the game; he wasn't quick to react. By the time he turned the corner, he had shaved his face, was dressed neatly, and followed Chen Yuanxing into a taxi. Da Mi sized up Chen Yuanxing: fair skin, handsome features, a languid demeanor, and an indescribably healthy complexion! Disgusting! How could he not be healthy? He spends all his time sleeping, watching soap operas, or chatting up girls on QQ. Disgusting!
"You're not convinced, kid?" Chen Yuanxing looked at Da Mi smugly, holding up the portable hard drive in his hand. "This thing of mine is no joke. You look clever, but all you can do is play games. How about you write a game for me?"
Dami looked at Chen Yuanxing in surprise. A couple of days ago, this guy had asked him a lot of questions about various games, and then he started fiddling with his laptop. Dami thought he was flirting with girls again, as usual. Could it be that he was working on a game program? Dami's brain was really confused by Chen Yuanxing's antics. He listened to the guy lamenting, "Back in the day, I, Chen Yuanxing, was the brightest and most promising rising star at K University. But today, I'm using my intelligence to do manual labor and make money. How pathetic and lamentable!"
Before Chen Yuanxing could finish his sigh, his phone started ringing incessantly. He glanced at it, his face changed, and he hung up. It rang again, and he hung up again! "This is weird, did the house burn down today?" Chen Yuanxing said sullenly, picking up his phone. Da Mi was actually curious. When the two of them were home, the house phone rang frequently, and Chen Yuanxing's cell phone rang often too, but he would just glance at it and hang up with a grim expression. After a few times, the phone would usually stop ringing. So Chen Yuanxing sent Da Mi to the telecom company to change his phone number and cell phone number. But that only stopped for a couple of days before the phone and cell phone started ringing again. He had even once seen someone parked a luxury car at a street corner, blocking Chen Yuanxing's way.
"Hey, what's up?" His tone was rude, unlike the usual jovial Chen. "What? Is this even a problem? You guys go yourselves, I'm not going!" He hung up and turned off his phone. "Hey, send my wife a text saying my phone's dead and I'm calling you."
Da Mi was used to it and didn't ask. He had seen Chen Yuanxing's ID card before; he was a local, and the address was shocking—it was a prime, gated area in the city that money couldn't buy. Everyone has their own story.
That day, they went to the largest game development company in the country and met Zhou Zijian, a young and promising internet entrepreneur. Chen Yuanxing seemed to know him very well, sitting in Zhou Zijian's luxurious office wearing an old 35-yuan T-shirt, smoking a 520 cigarette, seemingly oblivious to everyone else. The secretary, however, served tea and water with a charming smile, and even Zhou Zijian wore an unusual smile.
Later he learned that the game that swept the world and is still wildly popular among programmers, marked only with three seemingly random letters like C, L, and Q, was created by this seemingly idle young master. Of course, he, Da Mi, was also a major contributor, so he now had the right to leisurely be a mediocre bartender.
A few months later, Da Mi's days of playing games at Chen Yuanxing's house finally came to an end. His office moved into the internet company that many people dream of, and even Chen Yuanxing started working regularly. A group of people spent their days together writing, discussing, experimenting, refining, and revising. Creating classic games was no easy task.
Later, Chen Yuanxing left the company and went to Huayuan Real Estate, the largest real estate company in BeiX City. He also left the old red-brick house where he had lived for three years. But the friendship between Dami, Chen Yuanxing, and Xiao Qiqi remained.
32. Postscript (I)