“Yan Sheng! What did you say to that Owl guy yesterday? Why did he suddenly ask me how old I am?” As soon as Yan Sheng came downstairs, he was bombarded by his sister Yan Man’s loud questioning.
“What did I say? Can you lower your voice a bit?” Yan Sheng frowned, covering his ears. He walked to the sofa, scooped up Fu Gui who was lying at Yan Man’s feet, and leaned back on the sofa with the dog in his arms. “He suddenly asked if I was an adult, which was strange to me too. Maybe he has professional ethics and doesn’t want to make money off minors.”
“Oh, I see. I saw the message this morning and told him you just turned fourteen, are in your rebellious phase, and are determined to make a name for yourself with your New Year’s money despite family objections.”
Yan Sheng’s face was filled with disbelief. “Yan Man, what’s wrong with you? Have you been checked by a doctor?”
After saying this, Yan Sheng pulled out his phone from his pocket and opened the chat with Shen Er.
Their conversation had ended the night before.
[Y: Of course, I’m an adult]
[Y: Don’t I look like one?!]
[Shen Er: emmm]
[Shen Er: That’s not what I meant]
[Shen Er: It’s good that you’re an adult]
He hadn’t paid much attention last night, but now, looking back at the conversation, he suddenly realized.
The “emmm” was a polite way of expressing disbelief.
If Yan Man really told Shen Er what she said this morning…
Yan Sheng put Fu Gui down, stood up, threw a pillow at Yan Man, and quickly went upstairs.
Back in his room, he took out his ID card, snapped a picture of it, blurred out everything except his surname and birthdate, and sent it to Shen Er.
[Y: I’m an adult. Don’t believe my sister’s nonsense.]
Shen Er was eating when his phone, placed face down on the table, suddenly vibrated. He picked it up and glanced at the new message from a certain Yan Shao.
To be honest, Shen Er felt a slight sense of dread towards messages from him.
He was a bit afraid that the other party would demand something like being called Yan Shao or Master in voice chat today…
That would be too embarrassing.
However, upon opening WeChat, the content was even more shocking than he imagined.
How could there be such a naive young master who sends his censored ID card around?!
Shen Er sighed and started typing.
[Shen Er: I know you’re an adult.]
[Shen Er: I asked your sister yesterday.]
[Shen Er: Boss, don’t randomly send your ID card to people. Even if it’s blurred out, it’s not safe.]
With that, Shen Er sent a screenshot of his chat with the “Boss-Lemon” to Yan Sheng.
Looking at the screenshot with the message [Of course I’m an adult. My brother is 21, I’m 18], Yan Sheng gritted his teeth and withdrew the blurred ID card he had sent to Shen Er.
[Y: Got it. Thanks, buddy.]
[Y: See you in the afternoon.]
After sending the message, Yan Sheng was ready to go downstairs and settle things with Yan Man.
.
After eating and washing the dishes, Shen Er grabbed his phone and keys, left the house, and while walking downstairs, opened the navigation app. He selected the internet cafe with private rooms he had bookmarked the night before, got on his electric scooter, put on one earphone, and started navigating.
Shen Er lived in the old town, while the internet cafe was located on the top floor of a mall in the city center. The half-hour ride there left Shen Er’s face red from the cold wind.
After parking his bike and taking off his helmet, Shen Er adjusted his windblown hood and rubbed his cold cheeks as he headed upstairs.
This internet cafe had a touch of extravagance. On this prime real estate of the mall’s top floor, half of it was occupied by the internet cafe, and the other half by a cinema.
[Ming Yi Internet Cafe]
Shen Er looked up at the large sign and pushed the door open.
Instead of rows upon rows of computers, the first thing he saw was a projection wall and a large open space. As he walked further in, a staff member in uniform approached him and led him to the front desk.
To be honest, it was the first time Shen Er had seen an internet cafe with staff in uniforms.
He looked up at the LED screen. When his gaze fell on the price list, his expression became strained.
Why is a Coke 20 yuan a cup?!
Why does a plate of fried noodles cost 58 yuan?!
Is 40 yuan per hour for a single-person room reasonable?!
Why not just rob people—
Shen Er’s heart was in turmoil, but he maintained a calm exterior.
“Do you have any single-person rooms available?” Shen Er asked, his voice slightly trembling.
The receptionist, with a professional smile, swiftly clicked on her ordering device. “We have two rooms available, 051 and 055. You can choose either one.”
“What’s the difference?” Shen Er asked.
“There isn’t much difference, but each room has a different theme. I can show you if you’d like,” the receptionist said as she walked out from behind the counter. “Please follow me.”
Shen Er nodded and followed her.
When the door to the private room opened, Shen Er understood why this internet cafe charged such high fees.
Rather than a small internet cafe room, it was more like a top-tier single-player gaming room.
A dual-monitor setup, the highest configuration theme case, an adjustable gaming desk, a gaming chair, a basket of different keyboards and mice, LED light strips, soundproof walls, and even a PS5 and Switch with a cabinet full of game cartridges. The entire room matched the theme of the computer case, and this room’s theme was the Spirit Blossom skin from League of Legends. The furniture matched the theme, and a half-body figurine of Spirit Blossom Ahri hung on the wall.
“This room has a Spirit Blossom theme, and the other available room has a Jade Sword theme,” the receptionist explained. “Would you like to see the other one?”
For a moment, Shen Er was awestruck by the internet cafe owner’s extravagance.
“No need, this one is fine,” Shen Er said, shaking his head slightly.
“Alright, please follow me to the front desk to complete the check-in,” the receptionist said. “We have a top-up promotion; a membership starts at five thousand yuan, with a 10% discount on private rooms and 20% off in the main hall. Would you like to sign up?”
The mention of 5000 yuan made Shen Er’s mouth twitch slightly.
“No, not for now…” he politely declined, calculating the time. “I’ll just top up 500 for now.”
The words “five hundred” came out, and Shen Er could even hear his own voice trembling.
“Alright, sir. May I see your ID?” The receptionist took Shen Er’s ID card and started processing his check-in while explaining, “Our store currently has a promotion. For games like League of Legends and Dota 2, getting a pentakill, or achieving first place in games like Naraka: Bladepoint or PUBG, you can enter a raffle. The prize pool includes various rewards, which you can see here.”
Shen Er followed her gesture to a gacha-like raffle machine nearby.
“The prizes include internet credits, meal vouchers, movie tickets for the theater next door, free internet time vouchers, and various esports merchandise and VIP tickets.”
Shen Er couldn’t maintain his calm anymore, his face full of shock. “VIP tickets??”
“Yes,” the receptionist nodded, handing back his ID card. “The password for the room and computer is the last six digits of your ID.”
Numbly, Shen Er nodded, took his ID, and walked into the themed private room in a daze.
Once the door of the private room was closed, all external noise was completely blocked out.
Shen Er turned on the computer and logged into WeChat, sending a screenshot of his payment interface along with the internet cafe fee receipt to the other party.
[Owl: I searched last night. This is the only internet cafe in our city with soundproof single rooms.]
[Owl: 40 yuan per hour. I’ve topped up 500 for now.]
[Owl: It’s a bit expensive, but they have a pentakill raffle event. I’ll try to get some internet fees back through that. I’ll keep looking for slightly cheaper cafes in the meantime]
Yan Sheng glanced at the two images Shen Er sent.
Ming Yi Internet Cafe…
Isn’t that Song Ming’s business?
[Y: Stick with this one. No need to switch.]
Better for his money to go to a friend than a stranger.
[Y: Give me five minutes, I’ll log in]
Shen Er replied with an okay, walked to the basket of keyboards, found his usual blue switch keyboard and mouse, plugged them in, installed the full weight blocks in the mouse, wiped them down with alcohol wipes, put on his headphones, and used a rental account software to rent a Master tier account, then sent a friend request.
The friend request was instantly accepted, along with a queue invite from the other side.
Shen Er joined the queue.
“Are your keyboard and mouse all set up? If so, I’ll start the queue,” a magnetic voice came through his headphones.
Shen Er adjusted his mic to his lips, “All set.”
“Alright, queuing up now.”
Without the noise of the internet cafe, Shen Er’s every breath was transmitted through the mic to Yan Sheng, the sound was light and oddly relaxing.
“Let’s not specify champions today. Just pick according to the team comp.”
Shen Er nodded and agreed.
It had to be said, the high-end computer setup was worlds apart from the few-yuan-an-hour internet cafe he had used before.
The almost negligible latency and the more responsive peripherals made Shen Er’s gameplay much smoother.
Shen Er controlled his champion and wreaked havoc in the game.
“Shen Er, I’m a bit curious. What rank was your previous account?” Yan Sheng’s voice suddenly came through the previously silent headphones.
Shen Er’s previous account was at the top of the national server.
And this young master’s skills were clearly not just at the Master level.
If he knew anything about the high ranks in the national server, he would definitely realize that there was no one like Shen Er in the top ranks.
His experiences couldn’t be explained in a sentence or two, nor were they entirely believable.
Shen Er was silent for a moment. “I don’t really remember, but my score was quite high.”
Yan Sheng had no intention of digging deeper. He just responded with an “oh” and continued to focus on the game.
But there was one thing he wasn’t used to…
Shen Er still called him “boss.”
“Boss, the enemy jungler just showed up in the upper river.”
“Boss, mid lane is missing, headed towards red buff.”
“Boss, after I push this wave, I can gank top and then take Rift Herald.”
After several games, Yan Sheng let out a long sigh.
“Can you stop calling me boss? It makes me feel like I’m in my thirties.”
Shen Er: …
So it couldn’t be avoided after all. Did he really have to call him Yan Shao?
He sighed almost inaudibly. “Then, Yan… Yan… Yan…”
He stammered for so long that his ears turned red, but he still couldn’t bring himself to say the “shao” part. It was just too embarrassing!
“Alright, just Yan is fine. Anything but boss is fine.”
Very good, what a considerate “boss.”
Shen Er smiled and relaxed, continuing to control his champion.
“Yan, there are people at dragon pit. I can come.”
“Yan Sheng! What did you say to that Owl guy yesterday? Why did he suddenly ask me how old I am?” As soon as Yan Sheng came downstairs, he was bombarded by his sister Yan Man’s loud questioning.
“What did I say? Can you lower your voice a bit?” Yan Sheng frowned, covering his ears. He walked to the sofa, scooped up Fu Gui who was lying at Yan Man’s feet, and leaned back on the sofa with the dog in his arms. “He suddenly asked if I was an adult, which was strange to me too. Maybe he has professional ethics and doesn’t want to make money off minors.”
“Oh, I see. I saw the message this morning and told him you just turned fourteen, are in your rebellious phase, and are determined to make a name for yourself with your New Year’s money despite family objections.”
Yan Sheng’s face was filled with disbelief. “Yan Man, what’s wrong with you? Have you been checked by a doctor?”
After saying this, Yan Sheng pulled out his phone from his pocket and opened the chat with Shen Er.
Their conversation had ended the night before.
[Y: Of course, I’m an adult]
[Y: Don’t I look like one?!]
[Shen Er: emmm]
[Shen Er: That’s not what I meant]
[Shen Er: It’s good that you’re an adult]
He hadn’t paid much attention last night, but now, looking back at the conversation, he suddenly realized.
The “emmm” was a polite way of expressing disbelief.
If Yan Man really told Shen Er what she said this morning…
Yan Sheng put Fu Gui down, stood up, threw a pillow at Yan Man, and quickly went upstairs.
Back in his room, he took out his ID card, snapped a picture of it, blurred out everything except his surname and birthdate, and sent it to Shen Er.
[Y: I’m an adult. Don’t believe my sister’s nonsense.]
Shen Er was eating when his phone, placed face down on the table, suddenly vibrated. He picked it up and glanced at the new message from a certain Yan Shao.
To be honest, Shen Er felt a slight sense of dread towards messages from him.
He was a bit afraid that the other party would demand something like being called Yan Shao or Master in voice chat today…
That would be too embarrassing.
However, upon opening WeChat, the content was even more shocking than he imagined.
How could there be such a naive young master who sends his censored ID card around?!
Shen Er sighed and started typing.
[Shen Er: I know you’re an adult.]
[Shen Er: I asked your sister yesterday.]
[Shen Er: Boss, don’t randomly send your ID card to people. Even if it’s blurred out, it’s not safe.]
With that, Shen Er sent a screenshot of his chat with the “Boss-Lemon” to Yan Sheng.
Looking at the screenshot with the message [Of course I’m an adult. My brother is 21, I’m 18], Yan Sheng gritted his teeth and withdrew the blurred ID card he had sent to Shen Er.
[Y: Got it. Thanks, buddy.]
[Y: See you in the afternoon.]
After sending the message, Yan Sheng was ready to go downstairs and settle things with Yan Man.
.
After eating and washing the dishes, Shen Er grabbed his phone and keys, left the house, and while walking downstairs, opened the navigation app. He selected the internet cafe with private rooms he had bookmarked the night before, got on his electric scooter, put on one earphone, and started navigating.
Shen Er lived in the old town, while the internet cafe was located on the top floor of a mall in the city center. The half-hour ride there left Shen Er’s face red from the cold wind.
After parking his bike and taking off his helmet, Shen Er adjusted his windblown hood and rubbed his cold cheeks as he headed upstairs.
This internet cafe had a touch of extravagance. On this prime real estate of the mall’s top floor, half of it was occupied by the internet cafe, and the other half by a cinema.
[Ming Yi Internet Cafe]
Shen Er looked up at the large sign and pushed the door open.
Instead of rows upon rows of computers, the first thing he saw was a projection wall and a large open space. As he walked further in, a staff member in uniform approached him and led him to the front desk.
To be honest, it was the first time Shen Er had seen an internet cafe with staff in uniforms.
He looked up at the LED screen. When his gaze fell on the price list, his expression became strained.
Why is a Coke 20 yuan a cup?!
Why does a plate of fried noodles cost 58 yuan?!
Is 40 yuan per hour for a single-person room reasonable?!
Why not just rob people—
Shen Er’s heart was in turmoil, but he maintained a calm exterior.
“Do you have any single-person rooms available?” Shen Er asked, his voice slightly trembling.
The receptionist, with a professional smile, swiftly clicked on her ordering device. “We have two rooms available, 051 and 055. You can choose either one.”
“What’s the difference?” Shen Er asked.
“There isn’t much difference, but each room has a different theme. I can show you if you’d like,” the receptionist said as she walked out from behind the counter. “Please follow me.”
Shen Er nodded and followed her.
When the door to the private room opened, Shen Er understood why this internet cafe charged such high fees.
Rather than a small internet cafe room, it was more like a top-tier single-player gaming room.
A dual-monitor setup, the highest configuration theme case, an adjustable gaming desk, a gaming chair, a basket of different keyboards and mice, LED light strips, soundproof walls, and even a PS5 and Switch with a cabinet full of game cartridges. The entire room matched the theme of the computer case, and this room’s theme was the Spirit Blossom skin from League of Legends. The furniture matched the theme, and a half-body figurine of Spirit Blossom Ahri hung on the wall.
“This room has a Spirit Blossom theme, and the other available room has a Jade Sword theme,” the receptionist explained. “Would you like to see the other one?”
For a moment, Shen Er was awestruck by the internet cafe owner’s extravagance.
“No need, this one is fine,” Shen Er said, shaking his head slightly.
“Alright, please follow me to the front desk to complete the check-in,” the receptionist said. “We have a top-up promotion; a membership starts at five thousand yuan, with a 10% discount on private rooms and 20% off in the main hall. Would you like to sign up?”
The mention of 5000 yuan made Shen Er’s mouth twitch slightly.
“No, not for now…” he politely declined, calculating the time. “I’ll just top up 500 for now.”
The words “five hundred” came out, and Shen Er could even hear his own voice trembling.
“Alright, sir. May I see your ID?” The receptionist took Shen Er’s ID card and started processing his check-in while explaining, “Our store currently has a promotion. For games like League of Legends and Dota 2, getting a pentakill, or achieving first place in games like Naraka: Bladepoint or PUBG, you can enter a raffle. The prize pool includes various rewards, which you can see here.”
Shen Er followed her gesture to a gacha-like raffle machine nearby.
“The prizes include internet credits, meal vouchers, movie tickets for the theater next door, free internet time vouchers, and various esports merchandise and VIP tickets.”
Shen Er couldn’t maintain his calm anymore, his face full of shock. “VIP tickets??”
“Yes,” the receptionist nodded, handing back his ID card. “The password for the room and computer is the last six digits of your ID.”
Numbly, Shen Er nodded, took his ID, and walked into the themed private room in a daze.
Once the door of the private room was closed, all external noise was completely blocked out.
Shen Er turned on the computer and logged into WeChat, sending a screenshot of his payment interface along with the internet cafe fee receipt to the other party.
[Owl: I searched last night. This is the only internet cafe in our city with soundproof single rooms.]
[Owl: 40 yuan per hour. I’ve topped up 500 for now.]
[Owl: It’s a bit expensive, but they have a pentakill raffle event. I’ll try to get some internet fees back through that. I’ll keep looking for slightly cheaper cafes in the meantime]
Yan Sheng glanced at the two images Shen Er sent.
Ming Yi Internet Cafe…
Isn’t that Song Ming’s business?
[Y: Stick with this one. No need to switch.]
Better for his money to go to a friend than a stranger.
[Y: Give me five minutes, I’ll log in]
Shen Er replied with an okay, walked to the basket of keyboards, found his usual blue switch keyboard and mouse, plugged them in, installed the full weight blocks in the mouse, wiped them down with alcohol wipes, put on his headphones, and used a rental account software to rent a Master tier account, then sent a friend request.
The friend request was instantly accepted, along with a queue invite from the other side.
Shen Er joined the queue.
“Are your keyboard and mouse all set up? If so, I’ll start the queue,” a magnetic voice came through his headphones.
Shen Er adjusted his mic to his lips, “All set.”
“Alright, queuing up now.”
Without the noise of the internet cafe, Shen Er’s every breath was transmitted through the mic to Yan Sheng, the sound was light and oddly relaxing.
“Let’s not specify champions today. Just pick according to the team comp.”
Shen Er nodded and agreed.
It had to be said, the high-end computer setup was worlds apart from the few-yuan-an-hour internet cafe he had used before.
The almost negligible latency and the more responsive peripherals made Shen Er’s gameplay much smoother.
Shen Er controlled his champion and wreaked havoc in the game.
“Shen Er, I’m a bit curious. What rank was your previous account?” Yan Sheng’s voice suddenly came through the previously silent headphones.
Shen Er’s previous account was at the top of the national server.
And this young master’s skills were clearly not just at the Master level.
If he knew anything about the high ranks in the national server, he would definitely realize that there was no one like Shen Er in the top ranks.
His experiences couldn’t be explained in a sentence or two, nor were they entirely believable.
Shen Er was silent for a moment. “I don’t really remember, but my score was quite high.”
Yan Sheng had no intention of digging deeper. He just responded with an “oh” and continued to focus on the game.
But there was one thing he wasn’t used to…
Shen Er still called him “boss.”
“Boss, the enemy jungler just showed up in the upper river.”
“Boss, mid lane is missing, headed towards red buff.”
“Boss, after I push this wave, I can gank top and then take Rift Herald.”
After several games, Yan Sheng let out a long sigh.
“Can you stop calling me boss? It makes me feel like I’m in my thirties.”
Shen Er: …
So it couldn’t be avoided after all. Did he really have to call him Yan Shao?
He sighed almost inaudibly. “Then, Yan… Yan… Yan…”
He stammered for so long that his ears turned red, but he still couldn’t bring himself to say the “shao” part. It was just too embarrassing!
“Alright, just Yan is fine. Anything but boss is fine.”
Very good, what a considerate “boss.”
Shen Er smiled and relaxed, continuing to control his champion.
“Yan, there are people at dragon pit. I can come.”
Thank you for reading! 
Hope you enjoy the rest of your day 🍀
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