Chapter 001 Everything is so beautiful


    The moonlight was serene, tree shadows hazy. At ten o’clock at night in Qin City, only an occasional vehicle roared down the main road.


    In this city, where housing prices were comparable to second-tier cities, living expenses matched first-tier cities, and incomes lagged behind fourth-tier ones, nightlife wasn’t particularly lively.


    Most shops along the street had already closed. A brightly lit storefront on the corner stood out—a rare 24-hour convenience store still open.


    "Forty-six yuan and eighty cents, miss. You can scan the red envelope code first if you''re paying with your phone!"


    Zhang Su placed a box of premium condoms into a shopping bag and pushed it towards a girl who didn’t dare lift her head. With a smile, he tapped the red envelope code sticker on the counter, showing no reaction to the item purchased. Maintaining professionalism was part of the job.


    Late September brought pleasant weather, perfect for wearing light outfits to savor the last warmth of summer.


    The girl wore a short JK skirt paired with white stockings, giving her a neat and innocent appearance, as if she came from a strict family.


    "Th-thanks... keep the change!"


    She tossed a crumpled fifty-yuan bill onto the counter, grabbed the shopping bag, and dashed out in tiny steps.


    "Yep, real cash..."


    Zhang Su inserted the money into the POS machine, folded his arms on the counter, and watched the scene outside with interest.


    The girl hurried to a Kawasaki H2 parked by the roadside and, with a mix of embarrassment and anger, threw the bag into the lap of a handsome guy lounging on the bike.


    The guy looked very pleased with her actions, scooped her up onto the back seat of the motorcycle, and waved to Zhang Su.


    Zhang Su nodded with a smile as a farewell. With the roar of the engine fading into the distance, the Kawasaki H2’s taillight disappeared around the corner.


    "Probably lost a round of truth or dare again..."


    Zhang Su recognized the biker—a young rich kid who roamed near college campuses every semester. The JK-skirted girl was obviously a new freshman. Sёarch* The Novёl?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    At twenty-eight, Zhang Su had just ended a whirlwind short-term relationship. With no new prospects, he was enjoying a laid-back single period.


    "Let’s check my phone for a bit..."


    With no customers in sight, Zhang Su pulled out his phone to browse short videos.


    "Big star spotted at the Mad Cow Show!"


    "Cold wave warning issued nationwide, massive in scale!"


    "The shortcut guy... why do guys love black stockings? Because..."


    Working the night shift at a 24-hour convenience store was incredibly dull. After the condom-buying girl left, only two customers came in. Zhang Su spent his time scrolling on his phone, smoking, and doing casual exercises until it was nearly time for his shift to end.


    "Welcome!"


    The mechanical greeting came from the store’s speaker.


    At five to midnight, a young man with dark circles entered the store.


    "Su-ge, stocking up again? I swear, Su-ge, you’re the most diligent worker. No wonder the boss made you the manager, haha..."


    Without hesitation, the scrawny youth grabbed a bottle of chewing gum from beside the POS machine, popped it open, and tossed a few pieces into his mouth, chewing noisily.


    Zhang Su’s brow twitched slightly as he watched. "Lüe-zi, you’re stealing from the store again. The boss treats you like family, and you take advantage of him?"


    "Aw, come on, it’s just a few bucks. No way the boss cares..."


    Wu Lue, the scrawny youth, walked behind the counter and tossed the gum to Zhang Su with a grin. "Su-ge, what’s the deal with our boss? Is it a guy or a girl? How old? I’ve been here a year, and all I’ve done is chat with them in the group chat—never seen them in person. So mysterious!"


    Zhang Su, agile from years of training, caught the gum effortlessly. "Lüe-zi, as your buddy, I’ve got no problem treating you, but if the accounts don’t balance, how am I supposed to explain it to the boss?"


    He scanned the gum and said, "Nine yuan ninety. Pay up!"


    "Alright, alright!"


    Wu Lue reluctantly pulled out his phone to pay, muttering, "It’s just a manager job, not the owner. Why so fussy..."


    Manager? Zhang Su smirked at Wu Lue’s words.


    You’ve never even met the boss—how do you know I’m not the owner?


    Indeed, Zhang Su was the actual owner of this Eireiwen convenience store. He pretended to be a manager, handled hiring personally, and used a separate WeChat account to give instructions in the staff group, leaving the employees clueless about his real identity.


    "It’s not about being the boss, Lüe-zi—it’s about principles!"


    With that, Zhang Su grabbed the gum, popped over ten pieces into his mouth, and chewed vigorously, ignoring Wu Lue’s pained expression.


    "Listen," Zhang Su said, chewing the gum and pointing at Wu Lue. "You’re about ten years younger than me. Stop imitating that teacher’s lifestyle—you’re looking half-dead, with panda eyes to match!"


    Wu Lue rubbed his eyes and laughed sheepishly, unable to refute because it was all true.


    "That teacher’s got charm; no way I’m skipping class."


    "Classic you!"


    Zhang Su, exasperated, slapped a half-empty pack of Huazi cigarettes onto the counter. "There’s 300 yuan in change in the register. Come on, help me load some goods into the van."


    "Got it!"


    Wu Lue swiped the cigarettes and stuffed them into his pocket before donning his uniform vest and following Zhang Su to the storage room.


    "Damn it... Su-ge, you’ve got to be kidding me. Can I return the cigarettes?"


    Wu Lue stared in disbelief at the stack of goods on the trolley, at least a cubic meter’s worth.


    "Quit whining. If you’re returning them, make it for this week and last week. Otherwise, get moving!" Zhang Su habitually smacked Wu Lue’s head.


    With Zhang Su towering at 185 cm and Wu Lue at 173 cm, the height difference made head pats just right.


    Seeing Zhang Su start pushing the trolley, Wu Lue stopped complaining, opened the door, and helped push the cart. "Su-ge, is this for that big client you mentioned the other day?"


    Zhang Su nodded casually, busy with his work.


    In about ten minutes, they stuffed the goods into a battered Wuling van.


    "Whew..." Wu Lue wiped sweat off his brow and glanced at the van’s contents. Confused, he asked, "Su-ge, so much instant food and water—is it for some company retreat?"


    During the move, Wu Lue noticed the items were mostly food and drinks: various self-heating meals, bottled water, beverages, and snacks.


    Bang!


    Zhang Su slammed the van door shut, clapped his hands, and said, "A streamer. Apparently, they promised their fans a challenge—one month eating, drinking, and living in a room without leaving. That’s all. Lüe-zi, don’t nod off tonight. Stay safe. I’m off!"


    He patted Wu Lue’s arm, climbed into the driver’s seat, and started the car.


    As the van cruised down the empty streets, Zhang Su lit a cigarette and exhaled slowly, staring at the city where he had lived for ten years. He still didn’t feel much attachment to it.


    He wasn’t a native of Qin City. If not for a life-changing event ten years ago, he wouldn’t be here.


    Ten years ago, after his college entrance exams, Zhang Su received terrible news—his parents had divorced and didn’t want custody of him. Thankfully, they left him some money, which he used to start a new life in a distant place.


    Lost in thought, his car stopped at a red light.


    "Su-ge!"


    "It’s really Su-ge!"


    "Good evening, Su-ge!"


    A group of street youths hanging out by the roadside spotted Zhang Su and waved enthusiastically. About ten guys and girls were having a lively time.


    Zhang Su smiled and waved back. He grabbed two packs of Liqun cigarettes from the glove box and tossed them over. As the light turned green, he drove off to a chorus of thanks.


    Zhang Su had a good relationship with the local street gangs, mainly due to business dealings with their boss, which led to him knowing plenty of young thugs.


    Occasionally, he sold unsharpened knives or lightweight hollow baseball bats to them. Sometimes, he handed out cigarettes when they met. Combined with his formidable physical strength, the youths were always respectful and often shopped at his convenience store.