Chapter 65
The three of them squatted down the steps, only their heads showing, quietly observing the situation.
Lee, on the other hand, was struggling internally.
He wanted to strike up a conversation, but didn't know how to start. He could only lean on the railing, quite passively.
Finally, Nian came to this side and broke the deadlock:
"Are you from Lungmen?"
This beautiful woman speaks with Shangshu accent.
Lee hesitated for several seconds, his speech not as fluent as when he was with Ah, Hong, Waai Fu:
"Um, no, that's not it. But I'll be stationed in Lungmen from now on, what about you?"
"I'm just here for a few days. I'll probably be leaving soon."
"Oh."
Lee simply said "oh," abruptly ending the conversation.
He seemed reserved and nervous, and I felt we might not be able to have a proper conversation.
As the saying goes, "If you don't see eye to eye, even half a sentence is too much."
Shi Lei, for example, is very knowledgeable about film, and they also share a similar background in fragmented knowledge. It's as if they are drawn to each other by some unseen force, so they get along very comfortably and without any sense of distance.
Texas earned recognition through her own abilities. Although she only learned afterward that Shi Lei had secretly helped her, given their relationship, it was clear he was worried about her getting hurt.
This kind of behavior to protect his girlfriend is completely understandable and acceptable.
Using supernatural weapons in a battle is inherently unfair to Texas. That competition was just for fun; it didn't matter who won or lost. People who take things too seriously aren't suited for this kind of game.
Even disregarding that shield, Texas's individual strength is among the best in her class. From the perspective of making friends alone, she's passable.
As for Lin Yuxia and Exusiai, they were merely drinking buddies. Nian only taught Lin Yuxia how to modify Originium Arts because of Shi Lei's influence.
A thousand years have passed since this fragment of the Sui Beast gained self-awareness. What kind of people hasn't she seen? She knows who her close friends are, who are fair-weather friends, and who are just ordinary friends.
"Oh no, oh no, the boss is going to be rejected!"
"Quickly think of a way to save them!"
Seeing this, Ah, Hong, and Waai Fu were anxiously waiting near the steps of the overpass, wanting to help Lee.
In the end, Ah had the best ideas and called on Hong and Waai Fu to head to the vendors under the overpass.
Lee fell silent and didn't speak for a long time.
He could ask the other person if they are a certain age, and then what? What should he ask next? What should they talk about?
"Tofu Pudding, fresh Tofu Pudding!"
A Feline vendor walked from the end of the overpass, stopped directly near the two of them, and asked:
"Would you two like a bowl of Tofu Pudding?"
Lee seemed to realize something and turned his head to look towards the steps of the overpass. Sure enough, he saw Waai Fu and the others quickly shrinking back, and immediately understood:
"Okay, two bowls, please. Miss, would you like them sweet or savory?"
As long as she's willing to eat, you can gradually find topics to talk about.
Nian felt it was about time to go back. She liked Mapo Tofu, but the ones in Lungmen weren't spicy enough.
"I'm not eating anymore, I'm leaving now, bye-bye."
The vendor had already ladled out two bowls of Tofu Pudding; all that was left was to add the condiments. Seeing the woman in the Qipao turn to leave, he gave an awkward smile to Lee, who was still standing there.
"Sir, look at this..."
"I'll eat two bowls."
105 Welcoming the New Year
An incident occurred during the Live Broadcast, drawing serious attention from the organizers. After Miss. Kong finished her medley, several security guards were immediately dispatched to escort her backstage.
Texas intervened just in time, preventing the fanatic fan from getting close. Shi Lei and his two companions, uninterested in the remaining programs, left the venue without a word.
They went to the dressing room to see Miss Sora, but were stopped by her manager. Croissant was working as a backstage security guard, said she would take good care of her and told the three of them to leave first.
Kong cannot leave yet; he needs to go on stage to take a bow after all the performances are finished before the show can officially end.
Shi Lei and his two companions walked out of the Lungmen Grand Theater, where the streets remained bustling. They bought some alcohol and snacks at a convenience store and returned to the warehouse together.
As expected, Texas will pay for it again.
Back in the warehouse, they didn't see Nian. Exusiai, with her superior eyesight, spotted the target immediately.
"Look up."
Shi Lei looked in the direction of the sound and saw that she had laid an iron table on the roof, which fit perfectly into the triangle of the roof.
He moved with his will, summoning a platform made of several tightly joined rock pillars, which lifted everyone up to the roof.
"Nian, are you planning to play mahjong here?"
"That's right, I just bought a lot of snacks to go with my drinks on my way back. Oh my, you guys bought some too. Let's put them all out and sit down to eat together."
The rooftop wasn't well lit, and it wasn't within the coverage of the streetlights. But as if by magic, she produced four iron lamps from under her Qipao and placed them at the four corners of the table to create a light source.
After playing two rounds, it was already nine o'clock.
"Please, slap~"
In the distance, a firework rose into the sky. With a loud bang, it transformed into the shape of a flower against the night sky.
It's cozy and beautiful.
Unexpectedly, Nian's expression changed upon hearing this, as if she disliked the loud noise of the fireworks. She didn't touch the cards, and after a moment of silence, she took the initiative to get up and jump to the ground.
Years of experience in forging have made it unafraid of fire. But the continuous explosions of fireworks are like a flaw etched into its very bones, one that it cannot overcome even after so many years.
Who told her to be a fragment of the Sui Beast?
Shi Lei noticed the anomaly, controlled the platform pieced together from the rock pillars to descend to the ground, and stepped forward to inquire:
"What's wrong with you?"
Before Nian could answer, clusters of fireworks rose one after another into the sky. The continuous crackling and exploding made her face turn somewhat pale.
Shi Lei was truly surprised that the usually outgoing and lively Nian was afraid of fireworks. This situation was exactly like the Nian Beast in Yan mythology.
Are you afraid of these sounds?
"Don't wander off, wait for me."
After saying that, he turned and ran into the warehouse. From under the bedroom wardrobe, he took out the cotton left over from fluffing the quilts.
A short while later, Shi Lei returned. He ran to Nian and gave her two clumps of freshly picked cotton.
Nian glanced at it but didn't reach out to take it.
"I've sued, but it's no use."
Before his transmigration, Shi Lei had bought noise-canceling headphones and knew their basic principle. He summoned countless rectangular rock pillars, each the size of a finger, with his bare hands and assembled them into the shape of headphones.
If you put cotton in your ears and wear this, you can minimize the sound from a distance.
"Here, try this."
Despite being skeptical, he decided to do as instructed.
These headphones, crafted from rock pillars, are unlike those commonly found on the market; they fit very snugly when worn. The rock pillars hold the ears firmly in place, leaving no gaps.
Excessive gaps.
Fireworks were still going off in the sky, but the explosions in the distance had subsided to a very low level.
It was like a firecracker with insufficient gunpowder dropped into an earthenware pot, making a muffled, booming sound. The discomfort from the explosion vanished instantly.
"How are you feeling? Any better?"
"What are you saying? I can't hear you."
Seeing that Nian couldn't hear them even at such close range, Shi Lei was very satisfied with the result. He controlled the rock pillar platform to move the mahjong table under the street lamp, communicated with sign language, and continued the fierce battle.
She hadn't played more than two games Texas's phone vibrated. She picked it up and saw it was a message from her boss on a chat app:
"Busy? How about coming to my bar for a drink?"
If we went to the End of the Earth now, it would probably be filled with loud, energetic songs, far less pleasant than it is now.
"Busy."
Half a minute after Texas refused, Exusiai also received a chat message from the Emperor. After reading the message and considering it for a moment, she made a decisive decision.
You can go to a bar anytime, but what's better than drinking, playing mahjong, and watching fireworks all at the same time?
"I'm busy."
Less than a minute later, Shi Lei's phone vibrated.
Seeing this, Exusiai stretched out her hand and laughed heartily:
"I bet it's news from the boss, do you believe me?"
Shi Lei picked it up to check, and it was indeed the case.
Texas and Exusiai didn't get up, which already made their stance clear. He picked up his phone and typed:
"We're watching fireworks outside, why don't you come over?"
The message went unanswered; since the boss didn't reply, he naturally wouldn't follow up. The main issue was that inviting him now was too late; an earlier invitation would have allowed for more planning.
"Please, slap~"
At midnight, the number of fireworks displays reached its peak. The sky Lungmen was illuminated as if it were daytime, creating a truly spectacular scene.
Seeing that most of the beautiful fireworks display was blocked by tall buildings, Shi Lei suggested:
"Why don't we go up to the sky and take a look?"
"The sky?"
Before anyone could answer, Shi Lei summoned countless rock pillars to support the platform and continuously lift it up until it reached a height of thirty meters in the air before stopping.
This is the perfect height to enjoy the fireworks.
"Wuhu, I love this feeling!"
Exusiai gave a thumbs up, thinking that Shi Lei always managed to come up with new ideas for her.
Texas had the best view, and for a moment she couldn't tell whether she was watching the fireworks or looking at someone else.
Wearing specially designed noise-isolating headphones, Nian tilted her head to look at the dazzling fireworks in the distance, her feelings somewhat complicated.
The year 1094 has passed, and the Year 1095 has arrived.
Midnight.
Chen and Jiu discussed how to expedite the passage of the "Infected Residency Act," and looked out the window at midnight.
Beatrix Swire sat by the floor-to-ceiling window in the company headquarters, staring blankly at the fireworks. A corner of a document on the table was marked with the words 'Unpaid Wages'.
Lin Gerei stood on the balcony with his wife, knowing that Wei Yenwu was probably in the same state as he was.
The Mudrock's Squad was awakened by the explosion and rushed to the rooftop of their base. Gazing at the beautiful fireworks in the distance, their Ice Seal hearts seemed to be slowly infused with hope.
Lee closed the door, feeling annoyed by the constant commotion from Ah, Hum, Waai Fu. Looking at the fireworks through the window made him feel a little better.
An elderly man with white hair from Ursus, unusually, didn't park his car at night. He had earned a good amount of money from his stall on Temple Street that evening, bringing his house-buying plans one step closer to completion.
The fireworks eventually stopped.
But the story is far from over.
The year 1094 has passed, and the Year 1095 has arrived.
Everyone has a bright future ahead.