Xu Lin was the first to run out of the room, her face glowing. When everyone had arrived, she finally announced a major event: "I just got a Level 8 green mage leg guard that adds 3 Intelligence!"
Lu Xuehan smiled: "But this morning, Lin Fan got a mage staff that adds 7 Intelligence~"
Xu Lin looked at me, overjoyed, and said: "Xiao Lin, is it true?"
After I nodded, Xu Lin immediately waved her hand generously and said: "Let's go, let's have a big meal! Everyone, don't be shy, whatever the cost, it's on me!"
"Really? I haven't had abalone in ages, abalone as big as a bowl!" Xin Yu rubbed her small hands, her face flushed with excitement.
After locking the door, Xu Lin took the lead. At 5 PM, there weren't many customers in Huoguo City (Hotpot City). Our group picked a private room and ordered a beef hotpot along with countless other dishes. Even the wine we drank was 88 yuan a bottle. It seemed Xu Lin really intended to splurge today. My 600 yuan clearly wouldn't cut it for such a grand meal.
After handing the menu to the waitress, Xu Lin immediately turned to me and asked: "What level are you now? I'm already Level 10, and that staff only requires Level 8, right? Why don't you just trade me the staff and that HP-boosting bracer? I'll go report to Hurricane City as soon as we get back."
I nodded in agreement and said: "I'm already Level 15, and Lu Xuehan is Level 13. Everyone needs to work harder!"
"What? Already Level 15?! That's too fast..." Li Qing was extremely surprised, then added: "Shouldn't he be ranked number one globally already?"
"Pfft!" Xin Yu said a vulgar word rather indelicately, then glanced at me and continued: "Currently, the highest-level player is a Chinese player, already Level 18. The second place is also Chinese, Level 17."
"Damn, that's insane!" I muttered.
Xin Yu smiled, moved her stool, and sat beside me, whispering in my ear: "Actually, it doesn't matter. Those people might have leveled up so fast with help, but you did it all by yourself."
Xu Lin nodded and said: "Yes, the highest-level person is called 'Trading Husband for Candy,' and she seems to be a female player. I heard she was originally the captain of a StarCraft club in Beijing. Everyone she plays with is strongly supporting her to level up, which is why she's so fast. The second place is called 'Ye Luo Zhi Qiu,' but this person's identity is not very clear."
Ye Luo Zhi Qiu? Could it be that kid Ye Qiu?
I immediately picked up my phone and called Ye Qiu:
"Hello, is this Ye Qiu? It's Lin Fan!"
"Ah!!! Lin Fan, where have you been all this time? We've been so worried about you!"
"I want to ask you something. Is the person named 'Ye Luo Zhi Qiu' in 'moons constant' you?"
Ye Qiu said in surprise: "Ah? You play 'moons constant' too? I'm not called Ye Luo Zhi Qiu. My ID is Little Ant on the Leaf. Hey, don't hang up! What's your name? Let's team up!"
... "Snap~!"
I closed my phone. I didn't want Ye Qiu to recognize me in 'moons constant' again. But since he's playing this game, he definitely won't be an average player in the future. I guess we're bound to meet sooner or later.
Seeing me hang up the phone, Xu Lin continued: "Tonight at 12 AM, the servers will undergo maintenance for two hours. I heard they're going to enable an online cash purchase function for equipment, directly integrating Alipay into the game. Bank account currency will directly trade with in-game equipment, which will save us a lot of trouble. Selling equipment won't be so painstaking either. Everyone can take their excess equipment to the city's auction house for consignment. Every game account's transaction record will be recorded online, which will also make it convenient for us to track commissions. I plan to settle the equipment buying and selling commissions at the end of each month. Does anyone have any other opinions?"
Xu Lin's words were reasonable, and of course, everyone had no objections. At this moment, the dishes started arriving continuously, and the large hotpot was steaming.
Lu Xuehan, sitting to my left, blinked and said: "Can we eat now?"
Xu Lin couldn't help but laugh: "Haha, of course, everyone, let's begin~!"
Xin Yu immediately stood up, filled everyone's glasses with wine, then quickly ran to my side and said: "How about we have a toast first?"
"Why? Give me a good reason first!"
Xin Yu puffed out her ample chest and said with a giggle: "Because I, big sister, like you. Is that reasonable enough?"
"..."
I was speechless and raised my glass, drinking it dry.
Lu Xuehan couldn't hold her liquor and refused to touch her glass. Xu Lin had no choice but to drink with the others. Xu Lin's drinking capacity was quite good; she managed to drink four glasses with each of the six people before stopping and then drank by herself.
Xin Yu was also quite unusual, guzzling glass after glass as if she was venting something. Her beautiful face quickly turned crimson, looking indescribably adorable under the dim lights. Who would have thought she was actually a lady... Around 8 PM, everyone had pretty much had their fill. Xu Lin, swaying, went to pay the bill, supported by Li Qing. Lu Xuehan and Guo Zi, who hadn't drunk, each helped two other tipsy MM's.
It was a strange night. Liu Yun, who was usually quiet and as cold as an iceberg, also got drunk. She was muttering something when Guo Zi helped her back. Xin Yu drank no less than Xu Lin, but she remained sober. She grabbed my arm, said goodbye to Lu Xuehan, and went out.
I looked back at Lu Xuehan's worried gaze, could only offer a wry smile, and followed Xin Yu out the door... The moon was cold and the stars were sparse. Late-night pedestrians hurried past us. Xin Yu didn't say a word, just quietly held my arm as we walked down the street. Since she was drunk, I didn't bother to fuss too much about anything.
"Brother, would you like to buy a flower?"
A little girl blocked my path. Her face was a bit purple from the cold wind, and her small hand holding the flowers trembled incessantly.
"Buy one for big sister."
I turned around, pulled Xin Yu, and walked past the little girl, silently saying: "Young people's stuff..."
Xin Yu smiled faintly, an indescribably complex expression on her beautiful face.
We kept walking like this until we reached the only large bridge nearby. The cold wind became even more biting. Xin Yu's delicate long hair gently fluttered on her small shoulders. She still didn't say a word, quietly leaning against the railing, gazing up at the brilliant starry sky.
"Xin Yu, it's too cold. Let's go back?" I said softly.
Xin Yu, who had been resting her face on my shoulder, looked up at me, then slowly turned around and threw herself into my arms. Under the starlight, her beautiful eyes gleamed with a captivating radiance...