Li Haochen looked at his battered phone and chuckled wryly.
"It hasn't turned on for three days, it's time for a new one."
"I wonder if she sent me any messages?" Li Haochen recalled his encounter with Murong Yanran, remembering the flutter in his heart.
"Fourth, is there any mall nearby?" Li Haochen asked Liang Minfeng, the local know-it-all.
Liang Minfeng slung an arm around Li Haochen and grinned slyly, "Going on a date?"
"Date my foot, just need to buy something!" Li Haochen retorted unceremoniously.
"Take bus number 3, you'll be at Binhai Plaza in about half an hour. Remember to bring back some food, hehe!" Liang Minfeng said, then immediately put on his headphones and started playing a game.
On the bus, Li Haochen calmly gazed at Binhai as dusk settled.
"It's truly prosperous. Wanda City back home truly pales in comparison, like a sesame seed next to a watermelon."
The dazzling lights, the energetic music, and the countless international brands wove a tapestry of prosperity.
The prices of the goods inside, however, made Li Haochen gasp repeatedly.
"This isn't merchandise, this is daylight robbery!"
Li Haochen managed a wry smile. He had thought that having tens of thousands of yuan would make him fearless, but now he realized how naive he had been. He could only flee in disarray and head straight for his destination.
"Hello handsome, what model are you interested in!"
Before he could even step into the phone store, a young woman inside greeted him enthusiastically.
The colorful array of phones, in various models and styles, was dazzling. The woman's enthusiasm and her sales pitch, laden with hidden traps, did not sway Li Haochen's firm resolve.
"Miss, please give me a Sky Mountain Blue Note 10, 8+128GB, thank you!"
Li Haochen's directness caught the woman off guard. Her enthusiasm waned slightly, and with a soft acknowledgment, she turned and walked into the storage room.
"Handsome, your phone. Please check if there are any issues."
The woman took out a brand-new, sealed Note 10 and opened it in front of Li Haochen for inspection.
Li Haochen merely opened the camera and took a quick look. He didn't inspect it further because he didn't understand, so he didn't waste any more time. He nodded at the woman, "Yes!"
As he paid and walked out of the phone store, Li Haochen noticed a hint of disdain in the woman's eyes.
"1300 yuan and not even a free phone case?"
Stepping out of the store, Li Haochen scorned the Mi phone brand and gave it a negative review.
The endless display of luxury goods did not keep Li Haochen lingering. He directly went to the third floor to find the fishing gear store. Upon seeing the prices, he cursed again.
"Damn, a plastic bucket like this costs 30 yuan? Back home, these would only be 8 yuan. Big cities are truly thieving."
Despite his curses, Li Haochen didn't want to bother looking elsewhere, so he could only grit his teeth and accept it.
Li Haochen chose a set of amateur light diving gear, along with buckets, clamps, and other items. Paying felt like a knife cutting into him, as it cost over 1800 yuan. He couldn't take his eyes off the professional aqua-lung heavy diving equipment.
"Over 700,000 yuan? I'll definitely get one when I have the money."
As he walked out of Binhai Plaza, something suddenly struck him, and he went back into the supermarket on the second floor. When he emerged, he was carrying several bags of cold snacks and six cans of beer.
...
"Sizzle~"
Li Haochen walked over, took Liang Minfeng's headset, "Fourth, still playing? Come over and eat."
"Hold on, I'll finish this match in a few minutes." Liang Minfeng didn't look back, his eyes glued to the computer screen, his hands a blur as he operated the keyboard and mouse.
"Damn trash teammates, acting so great when they're so weak." Liang Minfeng muttered curses and threw his headset onto the desk.
Seeing the cold snacks and beer on the small table, Liang Minfeng's dejection from losing the game vanished instantly. He walked over, drooling, and unceremoniously grabbed chopsticks, devouring the food.
"Fourth, where are the other two? Why have they been coming and going so early and late lately?" Li Haochen opened a bottle of beer and placed it in front of Liang Minfeng.
"Ah, I'm exhausted."
"Boss, I'm not going tomorrow." Liu Dehui complained.
Liang Minfeng looked at Chen He and Liu Dehui, who had just walked in, "Look, the main people are right there, ask them."
"Wow, there's food!" Chen He and Liu Dehui, seeing Liang Minfeng enjoying the meal, rushed over and began eating ravenously without any pretense.
"Slow down, you two, there's more."
Li Haochen also opened two bottles of beer and placed them in front of the two.
"Ah... refreshing!"
"Brothers, let's toast!"
"Cheers!"
"Boss, what are you two doing constantly out and about?" Li Haochen asked curiously.
Liang Minfeng let out a satisfied burp and interjected, "What else? They call it volunteering, but in plain terms, they're using it as an excuse to pick up girls, hehe!"
"Your brother is sacrificing himself for his brothers. It's not easy being the boss, you see how I've become like this, my skin so tender..."
Chen He passionately performed his master-class acting skills, immediately receiving a round of international gesture appreciation from Li Haochen and the other two!
"Alas, it seems the get-together next week...!"
"Whoosh...!"
Two whooshing sounds, and two grinning, fawning, comical figures appeared on Chen He's shoulders and arms.
"Boss, is the strength just right?"
"Boss, is it sore here?"
"Mmm, Xiao Feng, Xiao Hui, you're doing quite well. Here, it's still a bit tired, Xiao Hui, put more effort. Xiao Feng, keep working on the shoulders...!" Chen He commanded them, enjoying himself immensely.
Liang Minfeng and Liu Dehui exchanged sly smiles, then suddenly, a barrage of tickling groin attacks and the "Laughing to Death Two-Yang Finger" rained down on Chen He's annoying face.
"Ah, don't grab my little bird, all the feathers are gone, damn... Ah... Woo...!"
The dormitory 615 echoed with horrifying cries. Li Haochen watched these jesters and burst into laughter, nearly choking.
Liang Minfeng and Liu Dehui high-fived, laughing triumphantly.
"Hmph, let's see if your feathers can still be so arrogant!"
The honest yet cunning Liu Dehui patted his hands, "Exactly, let's see how cocky you can be! And if you don't talk, be careful, brothers might hit you again!"
"Alright, stop messing around, what time is it!" Li Haochen opened the last few cans of beer and pushed them towards everyone, one per person.
"I just arranged to contact the dorm from Class 2 of the Finance Department. We've scheduled a beach get-together for next week. Don't mess up then, and don't always look at them with those lewd eyes; if you scare them off, there won't be a next time. If you want to find a partner, seize the opportunity, hehe!" Chen He grinned foolishly like a pervert as he recalled the petite and lovely Li Huilan from Class 2 of the Finance Department.
"Find a partner, find a partner...!"
"Find a partner, hehe!"