Tòumíng looked at the man in confusion, his alcohol-fogged brain still not fully processing what was happening. "Yeah, I know you have expensive phones. That's why I'm here. I need a good phone."
The guy's smug expression intensified, his lips curling into a patronizing smile that made Tòumíng's skin crawl even though he didn't fully understand why yet.
"I understand, sir." Again with that inflection that turned "sir" into an insult. "But perhaps you'd be more comfortable at the used phone store two blocks that way." He pointed vaguely down the street. "They have very affordable options. Refurbished models. Much more... suited to your budget."
Tòumíng blinked, still not getting it. "But I don't want a used phone. I want a new phone. From here."
Cupid's voice exploded in his chest. "OH MY GOD, YOU'RE SO DENSE! HE'S CALLING YOU BROKE! HE'S ASSUMING YOU'RE TOO POOR TO BUY ANYTHING HERE! HE'S PROFILING YOU BASED ON YOUR CLOTHES AND TELLING YOU TO LEAVE!"
The realization hit Tòumíng like a slap. His face flushed red—not from embarrassment, but from anger.
"Wait, you think I can't afford—"
"Sir, please don't raise your voice." The tuxedo man's smile never wavered, but his tone became harder, more threatening. "This is a respectable establishment. If you continue to cause a disturbance, I'll be forced to show you the way out. Physically, if necessary."
"I'm not causing a disturbance! I'm trying to buy a phone! I have money!" Tòumíng pulled out his fanny pack and started to unzip it.
The tuxedo man took a step forward, his body language shifting to aggressive. "Sir, I'm going to need you to leave. Now."
"But I—"
"NOW. Before I call security."
Tòumíng felt his frustration building. He tried explaining again, his hands gesturing animatedly, his voice rising despite himself. "I'm literally here to spend money! Why are you—"
The tuxedo man reached for Tòumíng's arm, clearly preparing to physically escort him out.
Tòumíng jerked away, looking like he was about to get physical, his fists clenching instinctively—
The man didn't care. Kept that same dumb, smug expression. Completely unbothered. Completely confident in his position of power.
Tòumíng stopped. Took a breath. Realized there was no way to get through this guy with logic or explanation.
Which meant this called for... THE STONE CRUSHER PERSONA.
He'd seen enough gang members operate to know how they carried themselves. Had spent three years watching Hǔtān's crew intimidate people. Had absorbed the body language of violence through sheer exposure.
His shoulders relaxed, becoming loose and fluid instead of tense. His posture shifted to careless, like he didn't give a fuck about anything. He slid his hands into his pockets—well, tried to, but the sweatpants didn't have deep pockets, so he just hooked his thumbs in the waistband instead.
His face transformed. Gone was the confused, slightly tipsy teenager. What emerged was a resting annoyed bitch-face—the kind of expression that said "I've killed people for less than this inconvenience."
He looked the tuxedo man directly in the eyes and said in a low, dangerous voice:
"Ei, xiǎo zǐ, nǐ xiǎng sǐ shì ba?" Hey, kid, you want to die or what?
The casual vulgarity. The threatening tone. The absolute confidence.
The tuxedo man's face went pale. His smug expression cracked, then shattered completely.
His eyes tracked over Tòumíng again, but this time with different context. The casual fit clothes. The fanny pack big enough to store cash and drugs. The threatening face. The confident body language of someone who'd been in fights.
Oh shit. It's a gangster.
The man's demeanor changed instantly, his body language shifting from aggressive to desperately placating. "Sir—I mean—I apologize—I didn't realize—"
"Didn't realize what?" Tòumíng kept his voice flat, dangerous, channeling every intimidating person he'd ever encountered.
"I didn't mean to offend! I was just—we get a lot of people who come in here wasting our time, looking at phones they can't afford, and I made an assumption—a terrible assumption—completely unprofessional—"
The words tumbled out in a panicked rush, the tuxedo man practically tripping over himself to apologize.
"I deeply, deeply apologize for my behavior. It was completely inappropriate. Absolutely inexcusable. You are of course welcome in our store—more than welcome—honored to have you—please, please forgive my rudeness—"
He was practically bowing now, his earlier smugness replaced with genuine fear.
"I should never have judged based on appearance—that was wrong of me—completely wrong—I'm so sorry—please don't—I mean—I hope we can move past this—I value my job and I would hate for this misunderstanding to—"
A door behind the counter opened and a manager emerged—a middle-aged man in a slightly nicer suit, his expression shifting from annoyed confusion to alarm as he took in the scene.
"What's going on here?" He directed the question at the tuxedo man.
The tuxedo man leaned in and whispered urgently in the manager's ear, his words too quiet for Tòumíng to hear but clearly conveying the situation: potential gang member, I fucked up, please fix this before he comes back with friends and destroys the store.
The manager's face ran cold. All the color drained from his cheeks.
Fuck. This could be really bad. Really, really bad.
He immediately pivoted into maximum customer service mode, his smile so wide it looked painful, his hands clasped together in a gesture of welcome and supplication.
"Sir! Welcome to our humble establishment! We are HONORED to serve you today! As an apology for my employee's absolutely unacceptable behavior—which I assure you will be addressed internally—we would like to offer you a complimentary charging cable with your purchase! Completely free! Our gift to you!"
Tòumíng's gangster act broke the moment his perpetually-broke ass heard the magic word.
"Free?!" His voice rose with genuine excitement before he caught himself. "I mean—uh—ahem—free?"
He tried to sound disinterested, like free things didn't matter to him, but the damage was done. The genuine surprise and delight had shown through.
The manager nodded enthusiastically, either not noticing the break in character or choosing to ignore it. "Yes! Absolutely free! Now please, please, allow me to personally show you our premium selection!"
He gestured toward the back of the store where the expensive phones were displayed under glass like jewelry.
Tòumíng followed, trying to maintain his gangster posture but internally screaming with relief that this had worked.
The manager led him to a display case showcasing three newer-generation smartphones, all arranged with dramatic lighting and product cards listing their specifications.
"We have three exceptional models I'd like to show you today!" The manager's voice carried the rehearsed enthusiasm of someone who'd given this pitch a thousand times. "Each one represents the cutting edge of mobile technology, designed for discerning customers who demand the very best!"
He pointed to the first phone—a sleek model in midnight black with a distinctive camera array.
(I spent too long researching phone specs so I demand Full Attention)
"This is our entry-level flagship model. It features a 6.7-inch AMOLED display with 120Hz refresh rate, ensuring buttery-smooth scrolling and gaming performance. The processor is the latest Snapdragon 8 Gen 2, providing exceptional speed for multitasking and demanding applications. Camera system includes a 50-megapixel main sensor, 12-megapixel ultra-wide, and 10-megapixel telephoto with 3x optical zoom. Battery life is exceptional—5000mAh capacity with 65-watt fast charging, giving you a full charge in approximately 35 minutes. Storage options are 256GB or 512GB, both with 12GB of RAM. Build quality is premium—aluminum frame with Gorilla Glass Victus on both front and back. Water resistance rated at IP68. This model retails for 6,500 yuan."
Touming didn't understand shit but nodded and repeated some things "hmm yess display"
He moved to the second phone, this one in a distinctive blue-silver gradient.
"Our mid-tier flagship takes everything from the previous model and enhances it significantly. Same display size but with improved brightness—up to 2000 nits peak, making it easily visible even in direct sunlight. The camera system is upgraded to include a 200-megapixel main sensor—yes, you heard that correctly, 200 megapixels—allowing for unprecedented detail and the ability to crop photos extensively while maintaining quality. The ultra-wide is upgraded to 50 megapixels, and we've added a 10x optical zoom periscope telephoto. Battery capacity increases to 5500mAh with 80-watt fast charging. Wireless charging is included at 50 watts. Storage starts at 512GB with options up to 1TB. Build materials include titanium accents for enhanced durability while maintaining a lightweight feel. This model is priced at 8,960 yuan."
Finally, he gestured to the third phone—a stunning device in what appeared to be ceramic white with gold trim.
"And this... this is our absolute top-of-the-line model. Everything you could possibly want in a smartphone. The display is 6.9 inches with dynamic LTPO AMOLED technology that adjusts refresh rate from 1Hz to 144Hz depending on content for optimal battery efficiency. Under the hood is our most powerful processor with dedicated AI chip for machine learning tasks. The camera system is professional-grade—a 1-inch type main sensor at 50 megapixels for exceptional low-light performance, complemented by a 50-megapixel ultra-wide with macro capabilities, a 200-megapixel periscope telephoto with 10x optical zoom, and a dedicated monochrome sensor for enhanced black-and-white photography. Video recording supports 8K at 60fps. Battery is 6000mAh with 100-watt wired charging and 65-watt wireless. The build quality is unmatched—ceramic back, titanium frame, sapphire crystal lens covers. It includes satellite connectivity for emergency communications in areas without cell coverage. Storage maxes out at 1TB with 16GB of RAM. And of course, all the premium features—reverse wireless charging to power your accessories, enhanced haptics, stereo speakers tuned by professionals, advanced biometric security. This masterpiece is priced at 10,150 yuan."
Tòumíng choked on his own spit as he processed the final price. TEN THOUSAND YUAN?! For a PHONE?!
His broke-ass mentality screamed in protest. That was almost half his remaining cash! That was multiple months of debt payments! That was—
"I'll take the first one," he said quickly, cutting off the manager before he could continue the sales pitch. "The 6,500 yuan model. That's fine."
The manager's smile didn't falter. "Excellent choice! A very practical decision! Now, are you perhaps in the market for a laptop as well? We have some exceptional models that would pair beautifully with your new phone—"
"No."
"Ah, I understand! Perhaps a tablet then? Very useful for media consumption, reading, light productivity work—"
"No."
"A video doorbell camera? Security is so important these days, and our models integrate seamlessly with—"
"No."
"A smart home humidifier? Air quality is crucial for health, and our units connect to your phone for—"
"No."
"Perhaps a personal AI assistant device? Voice-activated, can control all your smart home—"
"NO!" Tòumíng's voice rose with frustration. "Just the phone! That's it! Nothing else!"
Damn, these guys were trying to bleed him DRY! Every suggestion was another expense, another chunk of his dwindling cash reserves disappearing.
The manager finally relented, his smile becoming slightly strained. "Of course, of course. Just the phone. An excellent choice on its own. Let me ring that up for you."
At the checkout counter, the total came to 7,345 yuan, the phone plus tax, plus the "free" charging cable that was apparently built into the base price anyway.
Tòumíng counted out the cash from his fanny pack, watching his emergency reserves shrink significantly, and completed the purchase.
He walked out with the phone in a branded bag and the extra charger, his wallet substantially lighter.
On his way out, the tuxedo man from earlier approached hesitantly. "Sir, I... I wanted to apologize again for my behavior earlier. It was completely inappropriate and—"
Tòumíng, who had genuinely forgotten about the entire interaction in the chaos of the sales pitch and his internal screaming about prices, just blinked at him. "Huh? Oh, that. It's fine. Don't worry about it."
The genuine lack of anger or grudge-holding seemed to confuse the man, but Tòumíng was already walking away, focused on his new phone.
Outside, he immediately ripped open the packaging—tossing the box into a nearby trash can because who needs boxes—and powered on the device.
The setup process was blessedly simple. He entered his ID credentials, and within minutes, his Cloud backup was restoring all his data, contacts, apps, and settings onto the new phone.
Oh, how he loved technology. Everything just... worked. His entire digital life recreated from the cloud like magic.
As the restoration completed, notifications started flooding in. Messages. Missed calls. Voicemails.
Twenty-three missed calls from Měi Nán.
TWENTY-THREE.
"Oh fuck," Tòumíng muttered, immediately hitting the call-back button.
The phone rang once before Měi Nán picked up.
"TÒUMÍNG?!" His voice was a mixture of relief, anger, and barely-suppressed tears. "WHERE THE FUCK HAVE YOU BEEN?! I'VE BEEN CALLING FOR AN ENTIRE DAY! I THOUGHT YOU WERE DEAD! I THOUGHT—"
"I'm sorry! I'm so sorry! My phone—"
"YOUR PHONE WHAT?! IT COULDN'T MAKE A SINGLE CALL IN TWENTY-FOUR HOURS?! YOU COULDN'T FIND ANYONE ELSE'S PHONE TO BORROW?! YOU COULDN'T—"
Měi Nán's voice cracked. He was actually crying.
"I'm sorry," Tòumíng repeated, guilt washing over him. "I... things got complicated. I lost my phone and I couldn't—"
"Lost your phone? LOST YOUR PHONE?! That's your excuse?! Do you have ANY IDEA how worried I was?! I called hospitals! I called the police! I almost filed a missing person report!"
"I'm really, really sorry. I should have found a way to contact you sooner."
"YES, YOU SHOULD HAVE!" Měi Nán took a shaky breath, trying to calm himself. "Promise me. Promise me you'll call me every day from now on. Every. Single. Day. Even if it's just to say 'I'm alive.' Promise me."
"I promise. Every day. I'll text you good morning and goodnight and—"
"I'm serious, Tòumíng. This can't happen again. I can't—I can't go through that again."
"It won't. I promise. I'm sorry."
There was a long pause filled with Měi Nán's sniffling as he tried to compose himself.
"Where were you?" His voice was quieter now, exhausted.
"I was... drinking. With Ghost Claw and her group. We had a party on their rooftop and I lost track of time and passed out and—"
"You were DRINKING?! Since when do you drink?!"
"Since yesterday, apparently. First time. It was... not great. I have a headache."
Měi Nán sighed heavily. "At least you're okay. At least you're alive." There was a pause, then the sound of running water in the background. "I'm getting a pedicure right now. Trying to relax after the worst day of my life."
"I'm sorry I ruined your day."
"You're forgiven. Barely. Where are you right now?"
"I'm outside. In the poor district. I just bought a new phone because... uhh.. I-umm-I needed an upgrade." The lie came easily, much easier than explaining the explosion and regeneration.
"Mmm. Makes sense. Your old phone was pretty outdated." More water sounds. "Can you come over today? To my actual apartment, not the villa. I want to see you. Make sure you're actually real and not some ghost using your phone."
Tòumíng was about to say yes when he passed by a familiar storefront.
Xuān Láng's pawn shop. The fat guy's place where he'd been selling his compressed gems.
It was closed. Not just closed for lunch or closed for the day—CLOSED closed. Metal shutters pulled down and locked. A sign taped to the door that Tòumíng couldn't read from this distance.
"Tòumíng? You there?" Měi Nán's voice pulled him back.
"Yeah, I... something weird just happened. Can I call you back?"
"What? What happened?"
"I'll explain later. I promise. I'll call you back in like ten minutes."
"Tòumíng—"
He hung up, already walking toward the pawn shop, his confusion growing with each step.
Why the hell would Xuān Láng close down his shop?