Chapter 5
Chapter 5: Best Friend
Half an hour later, carrying his little stool, Long Ming walked toward the Haichang Street intersection. As he got close, he saw a very familiar long line stretching ahead.
His face changed. The line he had seen while eating wasn’t for a hype shop. It was for the new game hardware.
He muttered inside: [I’m doomed.]
Even so, he gritted his teeth, took his stool, and joined the end of the line.
Boss Zhao Ku noticed him queuing with the stool and asked, a bit awkwardly: “Long Ming, are you being a shill too?”
Long Ming scratched his neck and said: “Uh, no. It isn’t a hype shop opening. It’s for the new game.”
Zhao Ku nodded and said: “Oh. Then keep lining up.”
Long Ming smiled and said: “Got it.”
By early morning, Long Ming sat on his stool, holding his cheek with one hand, almost asleep.
A few staff members in uniforms came over with loudspeakers and shouted: “People in the back, please disperse. We don’t have that many helmets. Lining up won’t help.”
Crying broke out from the line as people yelled: “No way!” and “Sell to us, we’ll pay more!”
The Staff shook their heads and said: “Paying more won’t help. There are only so many helmets. Please disperse.”
Watching this, Long Ming stood up helplessly and left.
Not long after, carrying his little stool and dragging his tired body, he returned home. Every Lower District sales point had the same huge lines. There was no hope at all.
His phone buzzed. He hurried to check the message: “Dear Mr. Long Ming, we’re sorry to inform you that your Upper City Temporary Pass application was not approved. The quota is full. Please wait for the next round.”
Long Ming sighed. He had wanted to go to the Upper District to try buying a helmet there, but too many people had the same idea. Even if he got the pass, they would probably be sold out.
Without a helmet, how could he play?
After a few seconds of silence, he dialed a number. On the screen, his note for the contact popped up: Jerk.
The tone beeped. Ever since he was a kid, Long Ming had earned top grades and later got into Mountain City’s First Advanced Academy. The contact called Jerk was Wang Yang, one of his three dorm mates and the one he was closest to. Back then, they were all Upper Citizens. Now Long Ming had sold his place, moved to the Lower District, and become a Lower Citizen. They hadn’t spoken for a long time, and he wasn’t sure if Wang Yang would still help.
The call connected. A polite voice answered and said: “Hello, who are you looking for?”
Long Ming hesitated for a few seconds, then said: “It’s me.”
Hearing his voice, Wang Yang switched to a teasing tone and said: “Yo, isn’t this Brother Long? What a surprise!”
Long Ming rolled his eyes and said: “Jerk, can you talk like a normal person?”
Wang Yang laughed and said: “Nope. You vanished right after graduation. You left the class chat and even cut off your number. It broke our hearts.”
Long Ming waved it off and coughed a few times, then said: “Stop it, cough, cough.”
Wang Yang heard the cough and said with a smile: “Alright, I’ll stop. Why the sudden call? Conscience finally kicked in?”
Long Ming said: “I need a favor.”
Wang Yang brightened and said: “A favor? I’ll come find you and we’ll talk face to face?”
Long Ming said: “Okay. I’ll send you the address. Keep it low-key and take the subway if you can.”
Wang Yang chuckled and said: “Got it.”
Long Ming hung up, then texted the location and the subway route to Wang Yang.
That night, on a noisy, crowded street, Long Ming waited under a dim streetlight. He hadn’t seen Wang Yang since graduation. After so many years, he felt a little excited.
A car horn blared. He looked up. A Red Tier car with a three-ring logo stopped in front of him.
A young man got out in a plaid shirt and black sunglasses, his dyed yellow hair spiked up. He struck a pose and asked, all swagger: “Handsome, right? I just bought this for 300,000.”
Long Ming’s mouth twitched. He looked helpless and said: “I told you to keep a low profile. Why did you drive here?”
Wang Yang tilted his chin and said: “I can’t help it. I’m a successful man now.”
Long Ming pointed ahead and said: “Fine. Drive forward, pass three intersections, and park in that lot.”
Wang Yang waved a hand and said: “Too much trouble. Your streets are super narrow. I’ll just use a curb spot.”
Long Ming frowned and said: “Not safe.”
Wang Yang shrugged and said: “It’s fine. You still worry about everything like before.”
Long Ming gave up and said: “Alright. Let’s go.”
They walked to a night-market grill, sat down, and ordered skewers and a few beers.
Long Ming opened a bottle, poured a glass, and handed it to Wang Yang. Glancing around at the noisy, messy street, Wang Yang took the glass and asked with a grin: “You live around here?”
Long Ming nodded and said: “Yeah.”
Wang Yang leaned in and said: “Can you get used to it?”
Long Ming paused, then answered calmly: “It’s fine.”
Wang Yang tapped the table and said: “We haven’t seen each other for two years, right?”
Long Ming said: “About that.”
Wang Yang clicked his tongue and said: “Kid, you’re something else. After graduation you left the group chat, shut off your number, and vanished.”
Long Ming fell silent.
Seeing that, Wang Yang switched to teasing and said: “You leaving the college group was a waste. It’s super lively now. We chat all the time. A girl even asked about you recently. Want to know who?”
Long Ming’s voice went cold as he said: “Not interested.”
Wang Yang squinted and said: “Wait, did you sell your Upper District place and move down here for surgery?”
Long Ming said: “Yeah.”
Wang Yang smirked and said: “Tell me the truth, did that surgery cut off your little buddy?”
Long Ming glared and said: “Get lost. That would be you.”
Wang Yang spread his hands and said: “Then I don’t get it. Life is for eating, having fun, and girls. You don’t like food or fun, and you ignore girls. What’s the point of living?”
Long Ming shook his head and said: “You wouldn’t understand. Enough. I called for real business.”
Wang Yang leaned back and said: “Go on. What business?”
Long Ming said: “I want you to help me buy one of the new game helmets in the Upper District. It’s fine to pay extra.”
Wang Yang raised his brows and said: “You mean Mountain City’s new game, Civilization Paradise?”
Long Ming said: “Yes.”
Wang Yang rubbed his chin and said: “That’s not easy, but I can try.”
Long Ming nodded and said: “Thanks. Do you want to play too?”
Wang Yang waved him off and said: “Can’t. I’m a 996 workhorse, 9 to 9, 6 days a week. No time to play.”
Long Ming said: “Alright. Give me your card number and I’ll transfer the money.”
Wang Yang clinked his glass and said: “No rush. I’ll send it later. Cheers.”
Long Ming lifted his glass and said: “Cheers.”
He could only pin his hopes on Wang Yang. Compared to the Lower District, the Upper District had fewer people and a larger supply. Maybe there, he could finally get a helmet.