Young nobles from the Five Tombs rode east of the Gold Market, silver saddles on white horses, sweeping through the spring breeze. Chapter Ninety-Five: Christmas, the Lovers’ Tribulation (1)

After lingering in Bun Town for two days, Fang Yu led the others back to Xianjiang. By then, Lu Zhen was already exhausted, with two dark circles under his eyes.

"Damn it, Boss Fang, you finally made it back. If you’d been any later, I’d have died in the internet cafe."

Fang Yu felt a little embarrassed.

"You’ve worked hard. Go back and get some rest. These two days count as overtime; I’ll add five hundred yuan to your bonus at the end of the month."

Zhao Bin, standing nearby, looked a little displeased.

"Two extra days of work and you’re giving him five hundred? In my opinion, one hundred would be enough as a gesture."

Lu Zhen jumped up indignantly.

"Zhao Bin, what do you mean by that? If you’re so capable, why don’t you cover the shift yourself?"

Zhao Bin refused to be outdone.

"You still have the nerve to say that? Usually I’m the one doing everything, while the rest of you just know how to rest."

Seeing the two about to come to blows, Fang Yu hurriedly stepped in as peacemaker.

"All right, enough. Say a little less, both of you. You all came to Xianjiang with me; we’re brothers, so don’t make this ugly. Come on, Lu Zhen, hurry back and sleep."

Fortunately, this little incident did not affect the internet cafe’s operations. After Shen Molan returned to school, she unexpectedly came by far less often. In Zhao Bin’s words, the ideal was never to see that woman again; she was infuriating.

One noon, while Fang Yu was yawning and taking inventory at the counter, Lu Zhen suddenly leaned in with a mysterious air.

"Hey, Boss Fang, is the new girl at the milk tea shop next door cute?"

He turned back in some confusion.

"What girl? Where?"

Lu Zhen pointed toward the entrance.

"The old milk tea shop. Didn’t they hire two new girls now?"

Fang Yu nodded. Once Qinglu had gotten onto the right track, it also needed to take on some new staff. The branch in the snack street was now staffed by two students from Blue Sea Academy. Both girls were in the third year of the five-year program, and their general courses were nearly finished. They had come for Fang Yu’s reputation and Qinglu’s generous salary.

"Hmm, I think so. Why, taken with her?" He smiled faintly as he took down a can of cola and handed it over.

"Heh heh, I asked around. The girl named Zhang Yan is super cute. I really like her." Lu Zhen bobbed along on his little legs, delighted.

"If you like her, then go after her. Who’s stopping you?"

"I’m shy, you know. Boss Fang, why don’t you help me say a few words? After all, she’s your employee too." Lu Zhen wore a sly grin.

"Get lost. How could I be the one to say anything about this? In my view, those with ability eat meat; those without can’t even drink the broth."

Seeing that Fang Yu refused to help, Lu Zhen unexpectedly showed some backbone. By evening, he actually brought the girl named Zhang Yan back to the internet cafe.

"Sit down. What do you want for dinner?"

Zhang Yan looked around curiously, inside and out behind the counter.

"Wow, Lu Zhen, are you really friends with President Fang?"

Lu Zhen tossed his hair with pride.

"Can’t you tell? We all make our living following Boss Fang. We’re together every day."

Just then Fang Yu was about to send someone out to buy dinner. He pulled a large bill from his pocket.

"Who has time to go out and get some food?"

Zhao Bin, who had been lounging nearby, suddenly stood up.

"I’ll go. Right, what do you like to eat?" He was speaking to the newly arrived Zhang Yan.

"I’m fine with anything. It won’t affect you, will it?" Zhang Yan was still a little timid, after all Fang Yu was her boss.

"It’s fine. We’re all easygoing in everyday life." Zhao Bin waved a hand and lifted the curtain to go out.

Xia Churan, meanwhile, pulled Fang Yu over with a beaming smile and leaned in to whisper.

"Hee hee, Fang Yu, did you notice? Zhao Bin likes this girl named Zhang Yan too."

He looked utterly baffled.

"What did you say? Zhao Bin? How did I not notice? Doesn’t he already have Shen Molan?"

"Tsk. What does a block of wood like you know? Didn’t you see how Zhao Bin’s eyes went straight just now? I’m telling you, our female intuition is the most accurate."

But Fang Yu still dismissed it with contempt. In his view, since the girl had been brought back by Lu Zhen, she was naturally his companion. One does not covet a friend’s woman. Even Bun Town would not dare overstep like that.

Soon, Zhao Bin returned to the internet cafe with some boxed meals. He laid out a tableful of dishes and, as if casually, handed over a bag.

"Here. I bought you some snacks."

Zhang Yan took the bag and opened it. Inside were all kinds of small treats from the supermarket, clearly the sort girls liked to eat.

"Thank you."

"It’s nothing. Only right." Zhao Bin waved it off generously.

"Huh? Why are there so few dishes today? Where’s the meat? Why is there only chicken?" Cheng Chen complained as he prodded the lunch box in front of him with his chopsticks.

"I spent the money on snacks, so there wasn’t enough left. Make do." Zhao Bin swallowed a mouthful of rice without concern.

This left everyone at a loss, especially Fang Yu. He kept a dark face and did not speak the entire time, only after a long while swallowing the bite of plain rice in his mouth.

After the meal, he quietly pulled Zhao Bin aside and said somewhat reproachfully, "If you wanted to buy snacks, you could have told me. Don’t leave everyone half-full at dinner. It’s not as if we’re short of that little bit of money."

Zhao Bin rolled his eyes sideways.

"I didn’t buy them on purpose. I just happened to see a discount at the supermarket. Besides, eating gutter oil all the time isn’t good for your health. I think we should all eat more vegetables lately."

Only then did Fang Yu see it too: Zhao Bin, in trying to speak up for Zhang Yan’s share of snacks, had started talking nonsense. He could only wave a hand gloomily.

"Fine. I get it."

As had been said before, for these people to gather together, certain boundaries had to be observed. One iron rule among them was not to inquire into or meddle with one another’s private lives. On this point, Fang Yu had always kept strictly to the line.

By December, the weather had finally entered the bitter cold of the deep winter days. Fang Yu took the opportunity to generously install two more cabinet air conditioners in the internet cafe. Though the air inside remained stale and turbid, compared with the piercing northern wind outside, it was practically spring.

Zhang Hao called him from time to time. Since partnering with Tianxing Mobile, both sides had been racing to develop a smartphone carrying the Baoleme app, and they had already taken on loans amounting to several million yuan.

But Qinglu’s business had at last brought him considerable comfort. By now, quite a number of franchise stores had opened across the province. Just the management fees alone brought in a fair amount, and every month there was also a share of the branch profits. All of this was enough to make Fang Yu overjoyed.

On the afternoon of December 22nd, Xia Churan and Li Jing, as always, came to work at the Seven Stars Internet Cafe. As soon as the girl entered, she smiled and looped her arm through his.

"Fang Yu, the day after tomorrow is Christmas Eve. This young lady is treating you to a Christmas feast."

But he was utterly unromantic and shook his head.

"No. I’m not free."

The girl’s pretty face fell at once.

"Why not? Oh, right, you’re going to be with Qin Lu, aren’t you?"

"Of course." He nodded as if it were only natural.

Fang Yu still knew how to distinguish the place of his true girlfriend. The moon-white light in his heart was the moon-white light in his heart; no one could make her lose even the faintest bit of brilliance.