Eat something nice.
At that moment, Jiang Zhe, who had just finished a round of King of Fighters '97, came over. Seeing Chen Jue grinning foolishly at a dartboard, he couldn't help but ask with curiosity, "Fourth, what are you up to? You've been giggling here for a while. Did you spot a pretty girl?"
"What girl?"
"I just hit the bullseye, that's all!" Chen Jue waved his hand in a hurry, trying to clarify.
The two of them were in the same dorm group, and most embarrassing stories were shared among them. Chen Jue had no intention of letting rumors about him falling for a footbath girl at a place like Jingtang Hui, a local bathhouse, make the rounds. If that really happened, the guys in the dorm would tease him about it for the rest of his life.
Of course, it wasn't that Chen Jue looked down on footbath girls or massage therapists. Many of the young women who worked there relied on their skills, selling their craft, not their bodies, and probably earned more than he did at his own job.
There's nothing shameful about earning a living.
If you looked at it without prejudice, it was actually a high-paying profession.
"You got a perfect score in darts?"
"What's the big deal?"
"Watch me!" Jiang Zhe grabbed a few steel-tipped darts and, after a couple of exaggerated throws, managed to hit the bullseye as well.
Chen Jue was immediately left speechless.
He had just upgraded his [Darts] skill to level 2 and thought hitting the bullseye was quite an achievement. But seeing Jiang Zhe, a complete amateur, manage it with brute force and luck, his excitement evaporated completely.
What Chen Jue didn't realize was that these steel-tipped darts were meant for casual entertainment; the barrier to entry was low, and anyone could have a go. Regardless of age or gender, after a few tries, most people could hit the bullseye—it's not that difficult. Otherwise, the proficiency for the [Darts] skill wouldn't rise so quickly.
The real challenge lay in mastering precise force and technique, like that Zhu Hongbin they had seen earlier—being able to hit any target at will, scoring exactly as desired within a short time.
Chen Jue had only picked up steel-tipped darts that morning and hadn't even grasped the official international rules. Naturally, he didn't understand the deeper nuances of [Darts].
...
After killing some time in the entertainment lounge, at five-thirty the buffet restaurant at Jingtang Hui officially opened.
Chen Jue followed Jiang Zhe to take a look.
Good heavens!
A whole row of seafood feasts—Boston lobster, East Sea swimming crab, oysters, and beef—all self-serve.
There was even a teppanyaki chef providing live service, and the standard was on par with any five-star hotel buffet.
According to Jiang Zhe, if you paid for this buffet alone, it would cost 588 per person, but together with the spa it was part of a package deal, perfectly using up a thousand-yuan cash voucher.
Spending over a thousand in one afternoon and evening, including dinner, was certainly living it up.
Plus, after a massage and spa, your energy gets depleted and your appetite comes roaring back, so Chen Jue focused on the seafood and beef.
High-protein, rich in calcium—just what he needed to supplement his training regimen.
On regular workdays, Chen Jue ate whatever was convenient.
Most of the time, he just grabbed a meal at the first-floor canteen in Huaye Tower.
The food there was greasy and barely passable in taste, but the ingredients were all generic, mass-market stuff, so there was little real nutritional value.
That morning, he’d had a physical assessment, and the report included a nutritional evaluation: insufficient, average, and sufficient. For both protein and calcium, Chen Jue only got an "average" rating.
If you want good health, diet is just as important as exercise.
There was an old saying: the poor write poetry, the rich build strength.
Just think of Principal Wang, who cooks rice with natural mineral water flown in from Fiji—imagine the nutritional standards of the wealthy, way beyond "sufficient."
Chen Jue didn’t have that kind of money, so he made the most of this freebie, eating as well as he could to nourish himself.
As he ate, he chatted with Jiang Zhe about their recent lives.
Most college friendships don’t last; after graduation, people scatter to the four winds, and apart from exchanging the occasional holiday greeting on WeChat, most drift apart for good.
Chen Jue’s dorm was an exception. Years after graduation, they still kept in touch, sometimes even meeting up at scenic spots, and their friendship only deepened.
As for Jiang Zhe, after his business venture failed, he was down for a while. If not for Chen Jue and his family supporting him, he might have slipped into depression.
So whenever there were company perks or fun events, Jiang Zhe always brought Chen Jue along.
“Fourth, you’re born in ’94, right? You’ll be thirty next year?”
“My wife introduced you to a few girls, but you didn’t fancy any of them!” Jiang Zhe teased, waggling his eyebrows.
Because of their close friendship, Jiang Zhe and his wife often tried to set Chen Jue up.
But apart from a barely decent job, Chen Jue was average in looks and height, and the lack of a home in Hangzhou was a deal-breaker. Every introduction ended quickly and without result.
“No money, can’t afford a house, can’t afford love.”
“Staying single’s not so bad!” Chen Jue snapped off a lobster claw and stuffed it in his mouth.
He’d had a passionate romance in college, but after dragging it out for two years post-graduation, reality forced them apart.
After realizing that sincere love couldn’t withstand practical pressures, Chen Jue became increasingly indifferent to relationships.
He’d had a few crushes since entering the workplace, but none amounted to anything.
If he couldn’t make someone else happy, he figured it was best not to waste their time.
“You’ve gotten stuck in a dead end. Lots of people can’t afford a house, but that doesn’t mean they all stay single.”
“If you want, I’ll have my wife set you up with a rich woman. You could be a live-in son-in-law.” Jiang Zhe, seeing that persuasion was useless, started making silly suggestions.
“Rich women aren’t idiots!”
“Why would they pick me, a tough old guy, over some fresh, strong, clean college grad? Because I’m older? Because I don’t shower?” Chen Jue rolled his eyes and threw out a line from a TV drama, continuing his struggle with the lobster.
Truth be told, while Boston lobster didn’t quite compare to Australian, the meat in those claws was truly satisfying.
Big portions, plenty to eat!
...
It took nearly an hour and a half to get through dinner.
Once Jiang Zhe realized Chen Jue was unmoved by the topics of blind dates and romance, he stopped pressing and shifted to talk about work and money.
When he heard that Chen Jue’s company was about to be dissolved, Jiang Zhe was surprised.
On the way to the internet café, he even said he’d help Chen Jue find a suitable job.
Jiang Zhe’s design company in Hangzhou was quite reputable, and most of his clients had at least some assets.
With so many contacts across different industries, it wouldn’t be hard to help Chen Jue find a suitable position in a financial firm.
“Jiang, you really are my second brother!”
“If you really help me find my next job, I’ll treat you to Jingtang Hui not three, but five times!” Chen Jue patted his chest in promise, then followed Jiang Zhe into the Netfish internet café, where they booked two adjacent PCs.
As for his sore arm from training, that minor injury was nothing compared to the importance of a good gaming session.
How does the saying go?
A man is a boy until he dies!
Even from the grave, he’d climb out and play a few rounds at a computer—such is the power of gaming addiction!
...
They played until nearly ten, when Jiang Zhe’s phone started vibrating non-stop—a sign of family life.
“Fourth, I won’t see you off. Grab a cab yourself!” Jiang Zhe answered the call, then hurriedly logged off and rushed home as fast as he could—which probably meant groveling in front of his wife, or he’d be sleeping in the car.
Unlike Chen Jue, who, as a single guy, could spend the night out and no one would care.
Leaving the Netfish café, Chen Jue ordered a Didi ride and sat on the curb, lighting a cigarette and letting his thoughts wander.
After a day of morning exercise, afternoon massage, a lavish dinner, and an evening of gaming, it had indeed been a full day.
But when night fell, Chen Jue found himself slipping uncontrollably into melancholy.
He gazed at the dazzling neon lights of Hangzhou, the roar of motorcycles and sports cars on the road, the lively crowds at the night markets and barbecue joints—everyone seemed to have somewhere they belonged.
Yet Chen Jue couldn’t shake the feeling that he didn’t quite fit into this fast-paced, first-tier city.
“Hiss—”
“Damn, life really is a blur…” Chen Jue was about to voice his confusion, when a sudden notification from his panel snapped him back to attention, scattering his poetic thoughts.
——————
[Ding~]
[You have completed a qualified nutritional intake. The high-quality food’s nutrients are now linked to your exercise output, resulting in a slight improvement to your suboptimal health.]
[Constitution attribute +0.01]
——————
“What the—!”
“A good meal really works?”
Staring at the panel as his constitution rose from 0.94 to 0.95, all the confusion that had been building up a moment ago instantly vanished.
He realized he needed to pay attention to this strange panel.
Even if he couldn’t make money, buy a house, or get married, at the very least he could start by improving this useless body of his!