Chapter 44: Childhood Friends (1)

Zhou Jing’s eyes moved as he checked the timestamp. This was the chat message at eight o’clock last night.

[Li Xiaoyin: Brothers, come out for a meal! @Everyone]

[Xu Lingyun: As a person officially in the lower bracket of society, I refuse to participate in any spending activities.]

[Li Xiaoyin: Don’t worry, it’s my treat this time. I’m going to announce something big!]

[Xu Lingyun: If you mean that, then I have to be there to eat… ahem, to listen.]

[Zhang Xiao: What’s the big deal? Did you finally find someone willing to marry you?]

[Xu Lingyun: Who is the victim? Are they mentally stable?]

[Li Xiaoyin: Hmph, what nonsense! Let me tell you, I really changed my fate this time! Wahahaha!!!]

[Xu Lingyun: I understand. She caught a rich guy.]

[Li Xiaoyin: Do you want to die? Do you?!]

Zhou Jing’s lips curled up unconsciously as his body relaxed.

Best buddies… There were a total of four people in this group chat, including him. They were all hardcore friends who had grown up together.

They played together when they were young and were together when they were in school. Their relationship was especially close.

It was only when they graduated that everyone got busy with their own matters and saw less of each other. However, they still often chatted in the group chat and asked each other out for a meal from time to time.

When he was in school, Zhou Jing was quite popular and had many friends. However, he really only considered these three his best friends.

He continued to scroll down the messages.

[Li Xiaoyin: Seriously, how about coming out for a meal tonight? If I don’t tell you this good news today, I won’t be able to sleep! (rolling emoji)]

[Zhang Xiao: It’s already past eight o’clock, and you’re only asking me out for a meal?! Big Sister, don’t think that you can do whatever you want. I’ve already finished my meal!]

[Xu Lingyun: Anyway, I have no problem. I haven’t eaten all day and am still hungry. As long as someone treats me, I’ll crawl over!]

[Zhang Xiao: What’s the good news? You can tell us now.]

[Li Xiaoyin: No, this is of great significance to my life. It’s too rude to say it in the group. I have to say it in person.]

[Zhang Xiao: Did you find a job, like me?]

[Xu Lingyun: What? Find a job? Why do we have to degrade ourselves? Didn’t we agree to leech off of our interstellar migration benefits? What happened to being noble worms? @Everyone]

[Zhang Xiao: ??? Who agreed with you?]

[Li Xiaoyin: @ZhangXiao, forget it. Is what you do even called getting a job? You’re going to your own company to work, right?! Your family gave you a salary, and the money was digested internally within the family. How is that considered getting a salary? Isn’t it the same as pocket money!]

[Zhang Xiao: There’s no need to calculate some matters so clearly…]

[Li Xiaoyin: @Zhou Jing, Jing Jing, why aren’t you saying anything? What time can you give me a definite answer?]

[Li Xiaoyin: Are you asleep? Baby, wake up! @ZhouJing]

The next few messages were all from her as well.

Zhou Jing thought for a moment before replying.

[Zhou Jing: I fell asleep previously and didn’t look at my phone. I have time during the day today.]

When the message was sent, he saw that it was a little late and decided to put down his phone to eat something.

However, he did not expect the chat to actually ping with a reply immediately.

[Li Xiaoyin: Haha, Jingjing is finally here!]

[Xu Lingyun: Good lord, what’s with your routine now? You slept at 8 PM last night?!]

[Zhang Xiao: Jing, are you feeling weak?]

Zhou Jing’s face twitched when he saw this.

What the hell? Everyone is awake at this time. Don’t any of you need to sleep?!

[Li Xiaoyin: Hey, everyone is awake. Why don’t we just have supper together? That way, I can sleep tonight. Let’s go!]

[Zhang Xiao: Eh, that’s not a bad idea. I’m hungry from playing games.]

[Xu Lingyun: I was ready to starve for another day, but I actually have something to eat now. Tsk, there’s no challenge at all.]

[Zhou Jing: This is too sudden. I haven’t even brushed my teeth…]

[Li Xiaoyin: @Zhou Jing, let’s go. You’ve just woken up anyway. Treat it as breakfast!]

Zhou Jing scratched his head.

Deciding to go out for supper in the middle of the night did seem like something a group of best friends would do.

Nightlife in this era was rich, to begin with. Many shops were open all day long… This was the main reason that mechanical workers did not need to rest and could be squeezed without limit—not to mention 9-9-6, they were basically 0-0-7.

(TL Note: 9-9-6 is the slang for working from 9am to 9pm, 6 days a week. So I guess you all know what 0-0-7 is…)

Zhou Jing thought for a moment. It was not impossible. In any case, he had just returned. There were still more than ten hours before the cooldown period for his travel was over. There was nothing urgent he needed to do as well.

If humans were made of metal, then rice would be the steel used to make it; if one did not eat, they would definitely starve to death. It was the same no matter where he went to eat, so if someone treated him to a meal, that would save him some money. After all, he was not rich at the moment.

In addition, Zhou Jing was also a little curious about the good news Li Xiaoyin mentioned.

Although she was usually clamoring every day about finding an opportunity to defy the heavens and change her fate—reaching the peak of her life from then on—with her financial situation, it was rare for her to be so excited that she would treat someone to a meal.

Then… let’s go have a meal.

Thinking of this, Zhou Jing didn’t refuse. He decided on the location and time for supper in the group, put on his jacket, and went out.

…

Even though it was late at night, the sky was dyed in myriad colors by the flashing neon lights—a nightless city.

Zhou Jing boarded the public hovercraft and arrived at the gathering place.

As soon as he got out of the car, he noticed a person squatting on the curb. He was wearing a long-sleeved jacket and had his hands on his sleeves. He looked like an old farmer.

This person also noticed Zhou Jing. His eyes lit up, and he hurriedly raised his hands in his sleeves above his head.