The moonlight is serene, the shadows of trees are hazy, and at ten o'clock in Qin City, cars occasionally roar past on the main road.
In this city where housing prices are equivalent to second-tier but consumption approaches first-tier, and income is below fourth-tier, nightlife isn't very rich.
Most shops on both sides of the street have long since closed, making the brightly lit storefront at the corner stand out; it's one of the few 24-hour convenience stores still open.
"Forty-six eighty, miss, you can scan the red packet code with mobile payment first!"
Zhang Su placed a box of gold-wrapped condom into the shopping bag, pushing it towards the girl, who dared not lift her head. Smiling, he tapped the red packet code stuck in the corner, showing no change of color due to the girl's special purchase; that's basic professional ethics.
Late September is quite comfortable, allowing one to freely and wantonly wear light clothing to savor the last traces of summer warmth.
The girl was dressed in a short JK skirt paired with white stockings, giving her a clean and strict family upbringing vibe.
"Tha-thank you... No need for change!"
Tossing a crumpled fifty note, the girl grabbed the shopping bag and dashed out in small steps.
"Hmm, real cash..."
Zhang Su placed the money into the cash register, leaning on the counter with arms crossed, gazing outside with interest.
The girl quickly walked to a Kawasaki H2 by the roadside, furiously tossing the shopping bag into the arms of a cool guy sitting on the bike.
The cool guy was very satisfied with the girl's behavior, swiftly hugging her onto the back seat of the motorcycle, while waving to Zhang Su.
Zhang Su nodded and smiled at the young guy, signaling farewell as the roaring sound faded into the distance, the tail lights of the Kawasaki H2 disappeared around the street corner.
"Must have lost another game of truth or dare, huh..."
Zhang Su knew the young motorbike guy, a little rich second generation who hovered around major colleges during the school season; that JK girl was naturally a freshman from some college.
Twenty-eight-year-old Zhang Su had just ended a brisk short-term romance and hadn't yet found his next target, enjoying a leisurely period of being single.
"Let's browse the phone for a bit..."
With no customers, Zhang Su took out his phone to scroll through short videos.
"Certain superstar surprisingly shows up at the frenzied bull show..."
"Meteorological department issues cold wave warning, massive and covers nationwide..."
"Flow-saving warrior... Do you know why guys all like looking at black stockings? It's because..."
Working at a 24-hour convenience store is quite boring, especially the night shift. After the girl who bought the condom left, there were only two customers; Zhang Su browsed his phone, smoked a bit, did some decent exercise, and soon it was time to switch shifts.
"Welcome"
The mechanical greeting from the speaker echoed.
Five minutes to midnight, a youth with dark circles walked into the convenience store.
"Brother Su, managing inventory as usual? I must say, Brother Su is diligent, no wonder the boss let you be the manager, hehe..."
Saying that, the frail-looking youth scanned around, seeing no customers, blatantly grabbed a bottle of gum from beside the cash register, opened it, and tossed a few pieces into his mouth, munching away.
Zhang Su saw the youth's behavior, his brow subtly twitching, chiding, "Luezi, you're swiping store stuff again! The boss treats you like family, and you take him as a grudge?"
"Come on, it's just a few bucks, our boss wouldn't mind..."
The frail youth Wu Lue turned and walked into the counter, casually tossing the gum to Zhang Su, laughing, "Brother Su, what exactly does our boss look like, male or female, how old? I've been here a year, only chatted with the boss online, haven't even seen his real face, so damn mysterious!"
Zhang Su, who has long trained and is very agile, caught the gum Wu Lue tossed over and seriously said, "Luezi, between buddies, I'll treat you no problem, but if accounts don't match, how do I explain to the boss?"
Having said that, Zhang Su scanned the gum code, instructed Wu Lue, "Nine ninety-nine, hurry up!"
"Alright, alright, alright!"
Wu Lue grudgingly pulled out his phone, paying while muttering, "Just a manager, not the boss, why be so petty..."
Not the boss?
Zhang Su heard Wu Lue's words, a smile appeared at the corner of his mouth.
You haven't seen the boss, how do you know I'm not the boss?
Indeed, Zhang Su is the owner of the Yileiwen Convenience Store; he has been posing as the manager, handling interviews and recruitment himself, issuing instructions in the group using another WeChat account, which makes it impossible for other staff to know he is the boss!
"It's not about being the boss, Luezi, it's a matter of principle!"
Saying this, Zhang Su took the gum, tossed about ten pieces into his mouth, without caring about Wu Lue's pained expression.
"I say..." Zhang Su chewed the gum, finger pointing before Wu Lue's eyes, jested, "You're ten years younger than me, stop learning from the teacher, you're becoming so frail, even your dark circles are like panda's!"
Wu Lue rubbed his eye sockets, chuckled, and didn't argue back, being unarguable...
"Teachers are so charming, I will not skip class."
"That's really you!"
Zhang Su, seeing Wu Lue's impenetrable look, was speechless, slapped the half-box of Huazi on the counter, "There's three hundred cash in the machine, come help me move some goods to the car."
"Got it!"
Wu Lue swiftly pocketed the cigarette, donned his uniform vest, and followed Zhang Su to the warehouse.
"Oh my... Brother Su, this hell... Can I return the smoke to you?"
Wu Lue looked at the pile of at least one cubic meter of goods on the flatbed cart, speechless.
"Stop your nonsense, if you want a return, hand over the ones from this week and last week, otherwise hurry up!"
Zhang Su habitually patted Wu Lue's back of the head.
Wu Lue is 1.73 meters tall, while Zhang Su is a full 1.85 meters, the perfect height difference makes Zhang Su favor patting Wu Lue's back of the head.
Seeing Zhang Su already moving the cart, Wu Lue stopped dawdling, ran to open the main door, then helped push the cart, questioning, "Brother Su, are these goods for that big customer order you mentioned two days ago?"
Zhang Su casually nodded, busy at hand.
After about ten minutes, they stuffed the goods on the cart into a semi-new Wuling van.
"Phew..." The frail youth Wu Lue wiped his forehead sweat, glanced at the goods inside the car, puzzled, "Brother Su, buying so many convenience foods and drinking water, company camping teamwork?"
During transportation, Wu Lue observed that although the goods were plenty, they essentially just summed up to food and drinks, with various flavors of self-heating pots and meals, as well as plenty of bottled water, beverages, and snacks.
Bang!
Zhang Su shut the car door, clapped his hands, "A streamer, seems they've promised fans to challenge staying in a room for a month without opening the door... That's it, Luezi, don't doze off at night, stay safe, I'm off!"
Patting Wu Lue's arm, Zhang Su sat in the driver's seat and started the car.
Driving down the desolate road, Zhang Su lit a cigarette, exhaled smoke slowly, gazing at the city he had lived in for ten years, still without much sense of belonging.
He originally wasn't from Qin City; if not for the mishap ten years ago, he wouldn't be living here.
Ten years ago, Zhang Su, having just finished the college entrance exam, heard the bad news of his parents divorcing and neither wanting him. Thankfully, they had some conscience, leaving him some money, and he took the money to a distant place.
Thoughts drifted as the car stopped at the intersection.
"Brother Su!"
"It's really Brother Su..."
"Brother Su, good evening!"
At this moment, a group of hoodlums drinking and chatting street-side spotted Zhang Su, excitedly waving and greeting him, male and female, about ten people, quite lively.
Zhang Su smiled and waved at the group, then took two boxes of Liqun from the glove compartment, tossing them over, as the green light came on, he didn't linger, leaving the intersection amidst a chorus of thanks.
Zhang Su has a good relationship with the hoodlums from nearby streets, mainly having business dealings with their boss, incidentally becoming acquainted with several young folks.
Usually selling them non-sharpened iron blades and hollow thin-skinned baseball bats, occasionally giving away cigarettes when meeting, plus Zhang Su's commendable combat power, the young hoodlums treat him with respect and frequently patronize the convenience store.