Later that evening, Ye Qiu returned to Deme Café. He settled into his usual spot—Area C, Number 47—and began casually surfing the internet. Just then, Chan Guo, who was passing by, stopped dead in her tracks when she spotted him. Her loud footsteps carried her over, but Ye Qiu was so absorbed in what he was doing, he didn't even notice her looming presence behind him.
She leaned in close, eyes flicking to his bright screen.
"Already searching for another job?" she asked, startling him. He jerked back slightly as she walked around to face him, casually resting her hip against the desk and folding her arms. "Pretty sure just stepping in here reminded you of the deep shit you dumped yourself into. And now you're trying to run away?"
Ye Qiu blinked in confusion. "Huh?"
"I was just checking updates on Team Dragons," he replied slowly.
At that, her shoulders dropped, and she sighed heavily. "I still can't believe it. I can't wrap my head around why Everstay's penalty had to be that harsh."
"But it's not just Everstay's punishment," Ye Qiu said, a quiet heaviness creeping into his voice as he spoke his in-game name. "Anyone who makes the same mistake… gets the same result."
"Everstay isn't just anyone!" Chan Guo snapped, half-yelling, making Ye Qiu flinch slightly at the intensity. Her voice wavered with something he hadn't expected—real emotion. "He's a legend. To the players. To the fans. And even to Black Shadow. He was their star!"
Ye Qiu watched her for a moment. "You must be a big fan."
"Can't you tell?" she huffed, folding her arms and glaring at him. Then, without warning, she turned her head away dramatically. "You know what? I'm hungry. Thanks to your never-ending interrogation."
She nodded toward a small table near the storage room. "Go to my purse, take some cash, and buy me dinner."
Ye Qiu just stared at her blankly—as if she were speaking a foreign language.
Her brows pulled together. "Umm… Ye Xiu? Are you even listening?"
"Of course I'm listening," he said calmly. "But I'm a little confused. Am I… supposed to do that though?"
She squinted at him.
"I mean," he continued, "it's not even 11 p.m. yet, so technically I'm off the clock. And I came here as a paying customer tonight, not staff. Plus, you keep asking me to buy you food. Is that even in the job description for a network manager?"
Chan Guo stared at him in utter disbelief.
Then, she burst into laughter—loud, sarcastic laughter that had a few nearby customers looking over.
Ye Qiu was confused. At this point, he wouldn't be surprised if she told him she escaped from a psychiatric facility.
Her laughter stopped as abruptly as it began, replaced by a sharp smirk.
"Ye Xiu," she said through clenched teeth, still smiling in that unnerving way, "are you doing this on purpose? Yesterday. Today. Did someone send you here to piss me off?"
Her voice rose, drawing the attention of more patrons and staff. Some employees hid their grins, quietly enjoying the rare sight of someone standing up to their short-tempered boss. Others looked genuinely sorry for Ye Qiu, realizing he had just effortlessly made it onto her blacklist in record time.
"Why are you acting all logical and professional?" she snapped. "What is this, your first job ever?"
"Apart from gaming, yes—it is my first real job," Ye Qiu replied flatly.
Chan Guo blinked. "…Seriously?"
"Yes."
"And you're… twenty-five?"
"…Yes?"
Silence. She stared at him like she was trying to do math in her head, then sighed and muttered, "Tell me I didn't make a mistake hiring you."
"Don't worry, Chan Guo," Ye Qiu said, trying to offer reassurance. "You hired the right person."
"Actually, you should call me Miss Chan Guo. Or like the others—'Sister Chan.' Based on your age, you're clearly younger than me."
"Whatever you want, Miss Chan…" Ye Qiu said, forcing a smile and returning to his screen.
Chan Guo stood frozen, clearly fighting the urge to scream. After a long breath in—and out—she finally turned and stormed off. On her way out, she pointed at a nearby staff member.
"You!"
The young man jumped. "Y-Yes, Sister Chan?"
"Take the money from my purse and get me the Thursday usual."
"Right away, Sister Chan!"
As he scurried off, the room gradually returned to normal.
Back at his desk, Ye Qiu stared blankly at his screen, letting out a soft sigh.
Hierarchy. Social cues. Real-world jobs.
None of it made sense to him yet. Socially awkward, unfamiliar with standard work etiquette, and still adjusting to life outside the game, Ye Qiu simply didn't understand how much offense he had just caused.
But he was learning.
Slowly.
Painfully.
And judging by the look on Miss Chan's face, maybe even dangerously.