At the dinner table, Aunt Jiang and Old Zhou asked Zhou Li about his recent trip.
Zhou Li wasn't sure if the car Old Zhou had loaned him had so kind of vehicle owner app that could track its location, but such a high-end car would likely have one. So, he didn't hide anything and only ntioned that Huai Xu's hotown was in Hamigua City because they had stayed there the longest. After getting tired of Hamigua City after several days, Huai Xu then took him to the Kashgar Region for fun. On the way back, they conveniently stopped in Urumqi for maintenance. It was all perfectly reasonable.
Zhou Li talked much more than before. He randomly picked a few interesting things from their outings to share and showed them so photos. The experience of encountering the Little White Fox at Mingsha Mountain enthralled Zhu Shuang, who complained with a sense of lancholy about not being included at the ti.
After finishing the al, Zhu Shuang looked eagerly at his brother. "Shall we go out for a walk tonight?"
"Where to?"
"I don't know, just stroll around."
"If you don't know…" Zhou Li thought for a mont. "It just so happens Brother Nan invited out, so let's go together."
"That would be great!" Zhu Shuang exclaid.
"Okay."
At that mont, a cough sounded from the side.
"COUGH. COUGH."
Aunt Jiang pursed her lips and looked at Zhu Shuang. "I want to buy a dress tonight and need soone to help decide. Old Zhou's taste isn't great. Co with us; you have good taste."
"Ah?" Zhu Shuang stared blankly at Aunt Jiang.
Aunt Jiang muttered as if talking to herself, "I haven't bought any new clothes this winter. I don't even know what to wear for the New Year…"
Zhu Shuang looked very conflicted. He obviously wanted to go out and have fun with his brother, as it's more fun with soone his age. He had saved up a lot to talk about with his brother recently. But seeing the earnest look in his mother's eyes, he finally agreed.
「After washing the dishes, everyone left the house.」
Zhou Li and Brother Nan agreed to et at Changhong Square.
Changhong Square was exceptionally lively at the end of the year. In addition to the several groups of people dancing in the square, there were many more selling snacks and setting up street stalls. The roads outside were also jamd, with traffic police directing vehicles; it was a sea of taillights stretching into the distance.
When Zhou Li arrived, Brother Nan was already there. Despite the crowd, soone as tall and beautiful as her always stood out. Even a casual passerby could easily pick her out from the throng, let alone Zhou Li.
"Brother Nan," Zhou Li called out, but received no response.
Brother Nan stood under a streetlamp, repeatedly kicking a roadside railing. She seed to find it amusing and was so absorbed that she hadn't heard him. Yan City had ward up significantly recently, much more than before Zhou Li left. She wasn't wearing much, just a thin down jacket that sculpted her figure flatteringly. The streetlamp cast a white glow on her profile, and a small tuft of hair curled on top of her head.
Zhou Li locked his electric bike, crossed the street, and walked up to her, tapping her shoulder. When she turned around, her eyes were wide and her mouth agape, her expression slightly dazed. Half a second later, the dazed look transford into a radiant smile.
So Zhou Li smiled back at her.
Brother Nan stopped kicking, reached out to pat his shoulder, and looked him up and down before asking, "Missed your big brother, have you?"
"I have."
"Really?"
"Really."
"How much?"
"A lot."
"Sensible, sensible!" Brother Nan nodded, very pleased. "What took you so long?"
"Traffic was bad," Zhou Li said. But he glanced at his watch; he should have arrived right on ti since he had left early. "How long have you been here?"
"For a while now."
"Is it… fun here?" Zhou Li asked, walking to the railing and mimicking her by kicking it a few tis, then tilting his head to look at her.
"It's okay. Quite lively."
"You must have gotten bored waiting."
"Exactly."
"Why did you co so early?"
"Big brother missed you!"
"I see."
"Co on, Big Brother will take you out to have so fun."
"Where are we going?"
"To an internet cafe!"
"..."
Zhou Li had sowhat expected this before he arrived; after all, his girlfriend was pretty much an internet addict.
But he had still harbored a sliver of hope. He thought that after not seeing each other for so long, maybe Brother Nan would take him for a walk by the river or a stroll through the streets. Perhaps they'd sit sowhere quiet or find a secluded corner in a less crowded park to engage in so intimate activities unsuitable for Tuanzi's eyes.
That's why he hadn't brought Tuanzi along, having spent half a day appeasing him.
「Internet Cafe.」
Zhou Li and Brother Nan got two adjacent computers, though they left an empty seat between them. Internet cafes weren't doing great business these days, but they were more crowded during the New Year, with an occupancy rate of about 30%. To avoid smokers, Brother Nan chose a spot in the far corner, a location also favored by many couples.
As Zhou Li entered his ID number and password, he glanced peripherally at a couple across from them. They looked like middle or high school students, younger than Zhou Li and Brother Nan. The two shared one computer and one seat, the girl sitting intimately on the boy's lap.
He glanced aside again. His girlfriend, one seat away, had already logged into WeGa and was turning her head to rush him, "Why are you so slow? Hurry up, hurry up."
Zhou Li had no choice but to speed up.
A few days ago, Ultra Rapid Fire mode had started, and Brother Nan had been playing it all night for several days straight. Surprisingly, these all-nighters didn't affect her day job in the slightest. anwhile, Zhou Li had been on his way ho during those days. Huai Xu, on the other hand, had already played it, pulling all-nighters with Brother Nan, which similarly didn't affect his driving during the day.
There had been significant changes to the ga this year, mainly to the equipnt. For Zhou Li, who had just barely familiarized himself with the ga, it suddenly felt foreign all over again. To make matters worse, Brother Nan was beside him, constantly giving him a running comntary of often unhelpful advice.
They lost several matches in a row.
Then, Zhou Li got Alchemist.
This champion was really fun.
He had played this hero in the last Ultra Rapid Fire mode as well, but Alchemist had seed much weaker back then, neither dealing much damage nor being very durable. For so reason, it was different this ti. Even though he initially went 0-4 against his lane opponent, after he built the Ice Staff and a mask, he suddenly beca much stronger and started having a blast.
Zhou Li was ecstatic watching his opponents want to kill him but hesitate to chase, or try to escape only to find themselves unable to.
Seeing him happy made Brother Nan happy too.
Thus, Zhou Li picked Alchemist for several matches in a row.
Unknowingly, the night deepened.
As Brother Nan ate the snacks delivered by takeaway, she said to Zhou Li, "Why don't we just skip going ho tonight? Let's pull an all-nighter and call Huai Xu over too!"
Zhou Li was tempted, but after a mont's thought, he shook his head. "I just got back tonight, and I'm tired from the journey. I need to go ho and rest. Besides, if I don't go ho for a whole night, Aunt Jiang and Xiao Shuang's imaginations will run wild."
"That's true." Brother Nan nodded and checked the ti, then said decisively, "Then let's go. It's getting late."
"Okay."
"Log off."
"How?"
"Click this."
"Oh, oh..."
The liveliness they had seen on the streets earlier seed like an illusion. Nearing midnight, the streets were eerily quiet, with only an occasional car passing by and very few pedestrians.
A few drunk n walked towards them, talking and laughing loudly. When they saw the young couple, they instinctively lowered their voices, not wanting to scare them. The crude jokes they had been discussing were also subconsciously reined in. However, because of Brother Nan's good looks, they still took a few extra glances as they passed. They were just ordinary people, after all; old friends finally reuniting after a year to have so fun together. Perhaps they were usually shy and reserved.
Zhou Li finally took Brother Nan's hand. It was soft, warm, delicate, and smooth.
"You shouldn't always pull all-nighters," Zhou Li said. "Playing non-stop like that can get tiring fast."
"I thought you were going to tell to watch my health..."
"You should watch your health; it's bad for your body." Zhou Li glanced up at the top of Brother Nan's head. "And it can cause hair loss too."
"EEK!"
"Just go to sleep when you get ho tonight. Don't play anymore. I'll check your ga history tomorrow." Zhou Li stopped walking; they had reached Brother Nan's ho. "I'll head off this way."
"Give Big Brother a hug," Brother Nan said, opening her arms.
"Okay."
Zhou Li hugged Brother Nan, then leaned down to give her a brief kiss on the lips before they separated. He had beco quite natural at these actions now. At most, he might feel a little shy making eye contact with Brother Nan right after a kiss, but he wouldn't blush.
His proficiency was probably almost maxed out.
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