Chapter 52

Even if he opened a shop, it didn't mean he was truly wealthy. Business was average, and since there were no other businesses like his in town, Zhan Mu could barely scrape together enough to pay the rent and support himself.

As time passed day by day, Zhan Mu found that his desire to become rich overnight was gradually fading, and the passion that he thought he could change the world was also slowly fading.

Dreams are beautiful, but reality is cruel.

Recently, his hobby is to study chess with Mr. Guo next door, which gives him a sense of tranquility and peace as he enters the stage of health preservation in old age.

"What's wrong with your kid? Why has he suddenly become so depressed?" Mr. Guo, who owns three houses and sells home furnishings, was just taking advantage of him.

"No, it's just that after being in society for a while, I realized that I have so little energy. I can't do more than a few things in a day before I get tired, so I'm trying to reduce my life."

Zhan Mu was still wearing his white vest and black shorts. He fanned himself with a palm-leaf fan and said, "I didn't really like socializing before, and now I don't want to talk nonsense or gossip about others..."

Uncle Guo: "Going out for drinks and traveling with a few friends."

"No money." Zhan Mu shook his head and said, "I'm really lazy. Traveling is a hassle, and I don't like to compromise with other people's schedules. Now, I just want to keep all the time for myself."

"I've noticed a good thing about you, kid," Grandpa Guo said with a smile. "You're honest, even candid. You don't pretend. You say you're lazy, but you're actually sincere. You say what you mean, without beating around the bush. There are only two words to describe dealing with you: simple and straightforward!"

As Uncle Guo spoke, he made his move and charged straight to the door of his house.

"Why do I feel like you are making fun of me, sir?" Zhan Mu took a closer look at the chess game and knew that he had lost. He smiled indifferently and picked up the iced lemonade beside him and started drinking it.

"My grandson loves your drink, too." Grandpa Guo said, "What's it called? Mixue Bingcheng, right? He buys it every day. There's a row of plastic cups on the table."

"You old people like tea, but we like milk tea." Zhan Mu laughed heartily, looking at the blue and white teacup beside him, and asked curiously, "Is it blue and white porcelain?"

"Two pairs for ten yuan at the farmers' market," Grandpa Guo replied.

Zhan Mu has been here for almost a few months and has opened a shop. He is a local and his relatives visit him from time to time. As a result, he has become familiar with the neighbors.

Zhan Mu teased, "Uncle Guo, you're so low-key. Last time I heard you selling a table for 98,000, people who didn't know would have thought it was made of golden nanmu. You're doing a high-end business~"

"It's not high-end enough. You can't make money from this small business." Uncle Guo used the lid to lift the surface of his tea, picked up the transparent kettle on the small stove at his feet, and refilled it.

His eyes were heavy, as if he was lost in the past. He lowered his voice and asked Zhan Mu, "What do you think rich and powerful people are like?"

Zhan Mu replied: "A nanny and housekeeper, luxury cars, a private chef, and attending all kinds of dinners and summits every day?"

"I guess so." Uncle Guo took a breath, exhaled, and said, "When I see you, it's like seeing myself when I was young. I was also full of material desires. I wanted money, luxury cars, and beautiful women, so I tried every possible way to make money."

Zhan Mu looked at him with great interest, listening attentively. Grandpa Guo continued, "Later, he made money, got married, sent his son to the army, and later became an official and even a mayor. He took bribes again, was caught, and hasn't been released yet. His wife also died a few years ago... Sigh, it's like a dream. I used to yearn for these things, but now that I've experienced them, I feel like there's nothing special about them. It's just like that."

"Sometimes when I think back, it seems unreal. Half of my life has just passed me by. Things that I used to enjoy are now boring to me, and friends I used to call brothers and sisters have become distant. Day by day, I haven't even realized that I'm already in my sixties."

Zhan Mu felt a little sad as he watched him explain calmly, but he was speechless to comfort him. And Uncle Guo didn't need him to say those empty words.

He was silent, at a loss, when Uncle Guo suddenly asked, "Do you like reading?"

"I don't like it very much." Zhan Mu was stunned for a moment and answered honestly.

"I read it occasionally, but after reading it too much, I don't think it's necessary anymore. Books are written by people, and everyone can write and express their opinions. Even the textbooks issued by the Education Bureau are compiled to conform to the government's educational ideology and are designed for exams."

Uncle Guo's expression changed, a hawk-like glare gleaming from beneath his whitening beard. He said, "Once you enter society, you realize a lot of what you learn in textbooks is empty talk. Harmony and love, respecting the elderly and cherishing the young... bullshit. The world's most common people are greedy for money and bully the weak and fear the strong. The funniest thing is, these bad guys are often better off than some of you honest people. Why? Do you understand?"

Zhan Mu blinked, his soul felt like it had been struck hard. He murmured, "I can't tell... Maybe it's not that I don't want to take revenge, but the time hasn't come yet?"

Uncle Guo shook his head and said, "Because God has no heart. If you look back at history, you'll find that even words like good and evil, good and bad, are invented by humans. Originally, these things didn't exist. Values ​​are also acquired, artificially instilled into your mind by education."

"Whether one is successful or not, hmm..." Uncle Guo took a sip of his tea and smiled mysteriously, "It's very complicated."

"Wow, is that so?" Zhan Mu was holding a chess piece, lost in thought, and then it seemed as if he suddenly realized something, and the clouds cleared and the moon appeared.

Uncle Guo stood up and looked up. Green shade poured down through the gaps between the leaves. His empty expression seemed distant and relieved at this moment.

"Uncle Guo, I'm curious. Looking back on your life, what do you think is the most important thing in this world?"

Zhan Mu showed a slight anticipation, as if he was very eager.

"Being alive is the most important thing," Grandpa Guo sighed and replied, "But as long as people are alive, they need food, clothing, shelter, and transportation, and all these things require money. So, money is more important, don't you think?"

Zhan Mu felt that saying all this was like showing off his wealth, and he immediately became discouraged. He secretly complained about Uncle Guo's superficiality. He looked a little frustrated because he didn't hear the answer he really wanted.

-

"I think, besides money, it's peace of mind."

Lu Chao, who had finished charging, appeared. Zhan Mu turned around and saw him sitting on the ground with a tattered paper shell under his butt.

"Uncle Guo, according to what you said, money was also invented by humans. The value of gold, diamonds, and jewelry was also given by humans."

Lu Chao twisted a small wooden stick in his hand, shook it, and said, "Be it a luxury car, a villa, or a beautiful woman, of course, if you like it, you can pursue it, but I don't have it, and I won't be angry or upset because of it. So for me, these external things are just a way to show off. If I don't care about them, then there is nothing worth envying."

"What you said is true, but it has to be based on the fact that you have had wealth before. Otherwise, others will say that you are jealous." Uncle Guo laughed. It was obvious that he didn't like Lu Chao very much, and he was not very polite in his words.

"I have many desires." Zhan Mu suddenly said, "I am just an ordinary person. I just want a lot of money, to be a big boss and have my own business, and then enjoy a life without having to worry about other people's opinions."

Lu Chao pursed his lips. Deep down, he was a scholar completely absorbed in textbooks, even more absorbed in fennel beans than Kong Yiji. He despised internet celebrities, hated those who sold their looks, and even sacrificed their dignity for money—all things that even a genius like Lu Chao disdained.

Of course, Lu Chao could just be like a god like this. After all, he had no worries about food and clothing when he was alive, and he didn't have to worry about worldly troubles after his death.

——That’s the only benefit of becoming a digital life.

He bored himself and went back to the shop and crossed his legs.

After a while, Zhan Mu finally finished chatting with Grandpa Guo. He came in and saw Lu Chao flipping through a book with a sullen face. It was the dream interpretation encyclopedia, and his expression was aloof and indifferent.

"Do you also think I'm a little aloof?" Lu Chao asked.

Zhan Mu guessed what he would say, so he answered honestly, "Yes. But it's normal. You are a digital life form, and you exist in a fluid. You... don't really have the worries of human existence, so it's fine for you this way."

Lu Chao pursed his lips, a fragility flashing in his eyes. He couldn't describe the feeling of being tortured by time and lonely for many years, and he had no one to confide in.

Finally, he closed his eyes and replied, "I told you before, only two years have passed in real life, but in the game world, it's been decades. I... I really have lived too long. You don't understand this feeling. This kind of hardship I've experienced is not suitable for my current age."

"People will become tired."

Lu Chao raised his eyes, his face full of vicissitudes, and said with some regret: "I thought I was very similar to you. Zhan Mu, you are someone who will never laugh at other people's suffering."

Life is not always smooth sailing. There are many people who take advantage of your misfortune and mock your misfortune, but there are very few who will help you when you are in trouble.

"We are similar, but not alike." Zhan Mu lowered his eyes and muttered to himself. Finally, he forced a smile, took out his mobile phone and clicked on a photo. It was a light blue electric scooter.

"I bought a small electric scooter. I heard there might be shooting stars tonight. How about going to see them together?"

Lu Chao was stunned for two seconds, and the pain in his heart disappeared. He looked at Zhan Mu's face, smiled with tears in his eyes, and nodded.

It’s a sunny day today, but Boss Zhan still hasn’t made much money. Getting rich seems very far away for him, but it doesn’t matter, life must go on.

At this moment, a man, a cat and an electronic doll are running in the countryside.

The golden sunset made the wheat waves look like a hazy mist. Zhan Mu was riding an electric scooter with his little gray motorcycle in his chest pocket. Behind him, Lu Chao held the rear handlebar with one hand, his side posture elegant.

"Lu Chao, actually I also want to ask, if I still have no money, would you still be willing to follow me like this?" Zhan Mu looked at the rearview mirror, his hair fluttering in the wind, not quite real, very unreal.

"I will." Lu Chao turned his head. The setting sun cast a shadow, making him look as beautiful as a model in a game.

"I will always be with you until you become an old man. Or, if the game company shuts down the server before then, I will just disappear and pretend I never existed."

Lu Chao spoke solemnly, yet revealed his seriousness as if he was taking an oath. He curled his lips slightly, lowered his eyelashes, and the small mole on the side of his nose was very faint, and looked as beautiful as a painting.

He reminded Zhan Mu, "Don't be sad when the time comes."

Zhan Mu laughed, looking neither sad nor happy, but he just smiled: "Then I'll work hard to make money and try to let you live longer."

Suddenly, the sky flickered and a meteor really streaked across the sky.

Zhan Mu was busy looking at the road and didn't notice it, but Lu Chao saw it. After being surprised, he wanted to make a wish, but he didn't say anything, only silently said in his heart:

I still hope that you are safe, happy, healthy and happy.

Even if I don't exist for the rest of your life, I hope you are well.

"Zhan Mu." Lu Chao suddenly called out his name.

Zhan Mu hummed, not turning around, concentrating on the road. Lu Chao replied, "Nothing, I just wanted to call your name."