11:30 a.m.
Fujin Hall, a small banquet room at Hongfu Restaurant, was bustling with noise. Nearly twenty tables were almost full.
Relatives chatted with one another while children chased and played between the tables and chairs. Servers wove through the room, beginning to bring out the cold dishes.
Chen Yu squeezed up beside Lin Yi, excitement on his face. Lowering his voice, he asked:
"Brother Yi, the stuff's in my car. When should we go get it?"
"Let's go now. You head down first. I'll say a few words to everyone and be right behind you."
With that, Lin Yi turned to his parents, his uncle and aunt, and the others, who were chatting nearby, and smiled.
"Uncle, Uncle, my good buddy Chen Yu got me a 'special gift.' I'm going downstairs to get it. Later, I'll put on a little show for everyone!"
He deliberately left them curious.
His uncle Zhou Jianjun asked with interest, "Oh? You've prepared a show, Xiaoyi?"
"Honestly, this boy's been tinkering away at home all week," his mother, Zhou Jinghua, said with a smile. "Go on, then. Don't keep everyone waiting."
"Sure thing. I'll be right back."
With that, Lin Yi turned and hurried downstairs.
In the parking lot by the hotel entrance, Chen Yu was already waiting beside a sapphire-blue SUV whose make he couldn't name.
When Lin Yi came over, Chen Yu opened the trunk, then popped open the lid of the silver-white case inside with a click.
At the center of the case lay pieces of a dark, almost black titanium-alloy suit of armor. On either side was a short Black Iron Staff.
"How is it? Cool, right?"
Chen Yu proudly patted the armor.
"It's insanely cool!"
Lin Yi laughed and punched Chen Yu lightly. Then he picked up the two short Black Iron Staffs and examined them. He aligned their slots, then joined them with a twist.
With a click, the two short staffs became a weapon almost identical to the Great Sage's in the game.
He hefted it. It felt cold and heavy in his hands, with a perfect balance.
"Thanks, Ah Yu. I'll be counting on this later."
Lin Yi paused, then added, "Let's carry it upstairs first and leave it in the lounge behind the little stage, just in case."
Together, they carried the case to a corner of the lounge beside the small banquet room on the second floor.
When they returned to the hall, all the cold dishes had been served, and the hot dishes were beginning to arrive.
Lin Yi checked the time. It was nearly noon, so he stopped waiting and went straight up to the small stage in the banquet hall.
He held a glass of beer in one hand and a microphone in the other, his face carrying the earnestness and youthful awkwardness of someone his age.
"Grandpas and grandmas, uncles and aunts, and all my dear friends—"
Lin Yi cleared his throat. His voice rang clearly through the somewhat noisy banquet hall, drawing everyone's attention.
A smile touched his face, and his tone was sincere.
"Thank you all so much for coming to my college entrance celebration today!"
"To be honest, getting into Qingteng University wouldn't have been possible without all the hard work my parents have put in over the years, or the care and encouragement I've received from all the elders and friends here."
"I'd like to raise this glass to all of you. Thank you!"
Lin Yi tipped his head back and drained his beer, drawing warm applause and cheers.
He set down the glass and turned toward his parents.
"Dad, Mom, you're the ones I want to thank most. You've worked so hard all these years!"
Lin Yi fell silent for a moment, then broke into a bright smile.
"I won't say anything more sentimental. I wish you both peace, happiness, and good health from now on! And I wish all our family and friends good health and success in everything!"
The applause grew even louder, mixed with remarks like "What a good kid" and "So thoughtful."
Lin Ruiming and Zhou Jinghua's eyes reddened slightly, and they could only nod again and again.
Then Lin Yi changed his tone, a hint of youthful playfulness and bashfulness appearing on his face.
"Um. Besides the meal, I've prepared a little show to liven things up! My deskmate and good friend, Ah Yu—"
He nodded toward Chen Yu, who was sitting at the students' table.
"You may have heard of Dark Great Sage. It's been hailed as a shining light of domestic games on CCTV."
"Today, he gave me an especially awesome Great Sage Equal to Heaven cosplay set: a titanium-alloy suit of armor and a staff, custom-made by an expert! The real deal!"
Everyone's attention instantly shifted to Chen Yu. He stood up proudly and waved.
"I've watched a lot of Dark Great Sage videos lately, and secretly practiced a few staff moves. I'm not very good, so don't laugh at me!"
Lin Yi scratched his head and flashed a sunny smile.
"It's just a personal hobby. I thought everyone might be tired of watching singing and dancing, so I figured I'd put on a little performance. It'll be fun, at least!"
"Great!"
"Let's see it!"
"Xiaoyi has a talent like this?"
The banquet hall filled with curiosity and anticipation.
Lin Yi glanced at the clock on the wall: 12:02.
"Ah Yu, do me a favor and help me change into the armor backstage." He called to Chen Yu, then cupped his hands toward the crowd. "Please wait a moment. I'll be right back!"
Amid the crowd's eager looks and laughter, Lin Yi pulled Chen Yu along and hurried toward the lounge beside the small banquet room.
As soon as the door closed and shut out the noise outside, Lin Yi swiftly opened the silver-white alloy case in the corner and spoke rapidly.
"Hurry, Ah Yu! Help me put this on!"
The dark armor pieces gleamed with a cold, hard sheen under the lights. Beside them lay the heavy Black Iron Staff.
"Damn, Brother Yi, why so serious? Are you nervous or something? It's just a performance."
Chen Yu teased him, but his hands moved quickly as he picked up the backplate for Lin Yi.
They worked together, one handing over each piece while the other fastened the clasps. Their movements were clearly clumsy and hurried.
Lin Yi deliberately made himself look awkward, fumbling with the clasps several times before fastening them. He muttered, "This thing's titanium alloy, but it's not exactly light. Where's the clasp? Here?"
Chen Yu fumbled too. "Yeah, yeah, right here! Hold it down! Oh, no, this strap seems to have gotten twisted."
With Chen Yu's help, the imposing, fearsome Heaven-Equaling Battle Armor was finally in place.
Of course, Lin Yi firmly refused to wear the over-the-top phoenix-winged purple-gold crown, claiming, "It won't stay on securely. One big move and it'll tilt, and then I'll look ridiculous."
Lin Yi grabbed the cold Black Iron Staff and hefted it, then tested a few movements. His heavy alloy boots thudded against the floor.
He glanced at the clock on the wall: 12:08.
"Let's go!"
Lin Yi took a deep breath. His eyes sharpened, becoming intensely focused, as if he had truly stepped into character.
He pushed open the lounge door. The armor clinked with each step, and under the astonished, curious eyes of everyone in the room, he strode to the center of the banquet hall's small stage.
"Forgive my rough performance!"
Lin Yi let out a low shout. As music from the CG animation played on the big screen, he gripped the middle of the staff with both hands and struck the Great Sage's signature opening pose from Dark Great Sage.
His movements were a little stiff, but his stance was impressive.
Next, Lin Yi performed a slightly awkward flourish with the staff, then began to swing it.
The moves weren't complicated—mostly basic strikes, sweeps, lifts, and thrusts—and his pace wasn't particularly fast. His performance clearly imitated what he'd seen, with a trace of nervous awkwardness.
But with the staff whistling through the air and the dark armor adding to the effect, he still cut an imposing figure.
"Good!"
"Whoa! Not bad!"
"That staff looks heavy!"
Cheers and murmurs rose through the banquet hall.
Lin Ruiming and Zhou Jinghua exchanged helpless glances, then looked at their son onstage, feeling both amused and proud.
Chen Yu stood beside the little stage, his chin lifted with pride.
After all, once his buddy finished performing, he'd need help taking off the armor, so he'd simply stayed right where he was.
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