Chapter 25: [Your Boss Is Really Unlucky]

At six in the morning, Chen Gaoren slowly walked out of the main door of the Limit Internet Cafe.

Breakfast stalls were already set up along the roadside.

Chen Yan rubbed his eyes and yawned, found a breakfast stall he had visited before, and sat down at a small table placed by the road.

"Boss, one bowl of tofu pudding, two fried dough sticks."

Chen Yan sat on a small stool, watching the morning street.

On a winter morning, the sky was not yet fully bright, and there were few people on the street. Faintly, a wisp of mist hung in the air.

The morning breeze was cold; inhaling too much of it would cause pain all the way from the nose to the forehead.

A street-sweeping cleaner had started work in the distance, while a middle-aged couple stood before the breakfast stall.

The man was frying dough sticks, and the woman was collecting money and ladling tofu pudding into bowls.

When they stopped, the woman stood nearby wrapping wontons.

But... Chen Yan had eaten this stall's wontons; they weren't as good as the tofu pudding.

Hmm... this scene, over the past four years, he didn't know how many times he had seen it.

Since graduating, he hadn't been here for several months.

In the future...

he would probably come very rarely.

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People in Jin Ling Prefecture eat tofu pudding with a salty flavor.

In the snow-white tofu pudding, a spoonful of soy sauce, sprinkled with dried shrimp skin, chopped small vegetables, and peanuts, and finally a pinch of cilantro.

The thin, soft, yet steaming hot tofu pudding, paired with freshly fried, crispy dough sticks—over the past four years, this had always been the best breakfast Chen Yan thought existed in the world.

After eating, his whole body felt warm; Chen Yan asked the boss to pack another bowl of tofu pudding, carried it, turned around, and went back to the internet cafe.

The female boss at the counter was already dozing off, but still staying up late watching dramas.

Her addiction was truly strong... Chen Yan sighed in his heart.

He placed the tofu pudding on the counter.

"Boss, this is for you."

The female boss looked up, saw what it was, and beamed: "Oh, Xiao Yan really knows how to care for people! How much do I owe you?"

"Oh, don't be so politely fake," Chen Yan said with a smile, waving his hand: "Eat it, eat it. After you finish, go to sleep quickly; staying up late watching dramas makes you age fast."

"Get lost!" Indeed, women couldn't stand the word 【old】.

Chen Yan smiled, finished his business, and walked out of the internet cafe.

Go home and sleep!

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Actually, Chen Yan and the female boss had always had a very good relationship; he knew the female boss loved eating this stall's tofu pudding.

She looked sharp and tough, but in fact, she was very soft-hearted.

During the four years Chen Yan was in school, there were times when he was particularly poor and had no money for internet access; he would just come over, lean across the counter, and coax the female boss with some nice words.

She would pretend to be impatient and throw him a pass: "Go on, go on, go play!"

It wasn't running up a tab; she simply didn't charge him.

Sometimes, seeing him starving and scratching his heart and clawing his liver late at night with no money for a midnight snack, she would even give him a bowl of instant noodles.

But strangely, this treatment was not for others; it was limited to Chen Yan.

After it happened several times, Chen Yan even suspected... could the female boss really have feelings for him?

Actually... that wouldn't be impossible!

The female boss was beautiful, kind-hearted, and quite wealthy, even though she was a few years older than him.

Chen Yan's inner voice said: Such a great female boss, I can do it!

However, later on, he figured it out; she didn't mean that at all.

Because... the female boss said Chen Yan looked like her younger brother.

Not the three door gods in the shop.

But the youngest younger brother.

The female boss's family had five children in total.

She was the eldest; the ones who usually stood in the shop acting as door gods were the second, third, and fourth children.

Chen Yan looked like her fifth child.

Chen Yan had never met her fifth child; he had asked once during a casual chat.

The female boss said it then in a faint tone.

"He's been gone for several years."

·

Chen Yan didn't ask any more about the female boss's family matters later.

After their relationship grew closer, Chen Yan didn't shamelessly come over and get free internet access.

When he had money, he always paid the full amount. When he had no money...

when he had no money, Chen Yan was just like before, saying a few nice words and getting it for free.

But every now and then, he would occasionally bring the female boss some good food.

A bowl of tofu pudding, a bag of melon seeds, a bag of roasted chestnuts, or something like that...

A few times, the female boss seemed to want to adopt Chen Yan as a younger brother.

But Chen Yan just laughed it off and let it pass.

He had no father or mother and was raised by an Old Grandma.

He truly had no desire to recognize any relatives outside.

As for sisters and brothers, let them just be friends who are neither too close nor too distant.

Except for the Old Grandma, Chen Yan did not think he would have any relatives, nor did he want any.

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When the girl named Gu walked out of the storeroom, she saw the boss lady leaning alone over the counter, slurping tofu pudding.

"Boss, good morning. Eating?" the girl named Gu greeted politely.

The boss lady straightened up and looked at the young woman before her.

Although she herself was not bad-looking, every time she sized up this young woman, the boss lady couldn't help but sigh in her heart.

Look at her, how is she so beautiful?

"Do you want a bowl too? Xiao Yan just bought it for me."

"Xiao Yan?"

"Yeah, the boy you told me to make instant noodles for last night. Isn't he quite handsome?" the boss lady chuckled.

The girl named Gu's expression was cold: "Oh, your friend. Surname Yan, right?"

Saying this, she casually picked up a rag and began wiping the counter.

"No." The boss lady took a sip of tofu pudding, smacking her lips: "He doesn't have the surname Yan. I call him Xiao Yan because his name contains the character 'Yan'. Actually, his surname is Chen..."

Shua!

The girl named Gu suddenly shuddered, and the rag in her hand almost flew onto the boss lady's face!

"What did you say his surname is?"

"Chen. Ear-East Chen. Chen Yan. The 'Yan' in language."

The girl named Gu's eyes widened, and suddenly her body began to tremble slightly.

Chen, Chen, Chen Yan!!!

At the residence where that Venerable Lord was in seclusion...

The name on that slip of paper with the address we found was clearly Chen Yan!!

Chen Yan!!

Damn Chen family?!

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These past few days, she had been lingering near this place because the rental house she found was not far away!

Although the person had moved, the girl named Gu guessed that perhaps they had found a new place to live nearby?

Holding onto a sliver of hope, she just wandered around the area day after day.

Wandering the streets every day like this, she had gone a bit mad over time, seeing the Chen family in everyone.

Actually, she was just a bit mad.

She didn't even know what the Chen family member looked like; what was the use of wandering the streets?

Even if she met them face-to-face, she wouldn't recognize them.

But isn't that the case!

Damn it! Last night I was clearly standing right in front of him!

I, I, I...

I even personally made a bowl of noodles for him!!!

If I had known he was that Chen family member, I would have smashed the bowl right in his face!!

·

The girl named Gu did have some brains after all; she circled around and coaxed a few more words from the boss lady.

The boss lady didn't think much of it, assuming the young girl was just curious because she thought Chen Yan was handsome.

The final information the girl named Gu obtained was:

Chen Yan attended university nearby and has already graduated.

The rented house should be nearby.

It matches! It all matches! The girl named Gu cried out in her heart; the address she found was indeed a rental house nearby!

However, the boss lady didn't have his contact information—so finding him through the boss lady was impossible.

Asking the boss lady about his new residence was also impossible.

Although Chen Yan had often come to the internet cafe before, precisely because he came so often, he hadn't added the boss lady on WeChat.

Because their interaction had always been limited to the internet cafe, he hadn't thought about having any connection with the boss lady beyond surfing the web.

"What's wrong? You've got a crush on him?" the boss lady looked at the girl named Gu with a smile: "He graduated recently and comes less often, but he should still come. He hasn't finished spending the card he recharged here. Maybe you'll run into him."

All morning, the girl named Gu was somewhat distracted.

One moment she was staring blankly into space, the next she was gritting her teeth.

She wouldn't go out to sweep the streets today!

The person has been found!

Wait for the rabbit at the stump!

The boss lady said he still has some card balance left; if he hasn't finished spending it, I don't believe he won't come!

·

"Xiao Zhao, I'll let you use my internet card from the boss lady's place from now on. There should be about forty hours left in it."

Heavens! What would I use it for! I live far away now; a round trip on Didi just to get there costs dozens of yuan. Going there just to surf the web, isn't that too stupid?

"Hmm, you know the boss lady well too. Just tell her my meaning. From now on, whenever you go online, just deduct it from my card."

Hanging up the phone, Chen Yan saw that the car had already arrived at the entrance of the villa community.

Getting out of the car and strolling into the community, he saw a black Mercedes-Benz parked by the roadside at the main gate of his own community from far away.

A figure was pacing back and forth by the roadside, smoking as he walked.

Chen Yan focused his gaze and saw: Assistant Yan.

Chen Yan walked over with a smile. Before he could open his mouth to greet him, Assistant Yan had already spotted him, ran over in three quick steps, and grabbed Chen Yan's hand.

"Mr. Chen... ah no, Teacher Chen, Great Master Chen!!! You've finally returned!!"

Chen Yan was stunned for a moment.

How did I become a Great Master?

"No, Assistant Yan, so early in the morning... you guys haven't finished performing the ritual inside yet, have you?"

"Finished, finished... ah no! The ritual is done," Assistant Yan slapped his forehead: "Great Chen..."

"Don't call me Great Master; that title is unlucky. So many who were called Great Masters have gone in," Chen Yan shook his head.

"Oh my... you really like to joke."

"The ritual was finished at midnight. I came back specifically to find you! This early morning, I've already been waiting at your door for an hour!"

Chen Yan frowned: "Is it urgent?"

"Yes, yes, our boss, our boss wants to invite you to meet."

"Meet me?" Chen Yan frowned, looking at Assistant Yan suspiciously: "Could it be that the benefits promised before, your boss wants to go back on?"

"No! Absolutely not!" Assistant Yan quickly shook his head: "Our boss learned that you are a high master, so he wants to invite you to meet him at all costs!"

Saying this, Assistant Yan recounted the encounter he had in his boss's office at dawn, then grabbed Chen Yan's hand: "You truly saved me once! This matter is too miraculous; if I hadn't experienced it personally, I would never have dared to believe it! I must properly thank you!"

Chen Yan smiled lightly and withdrew his hand without showing emotion: "You speak like that, no need to thank me again. I told you before, you earned thirty-three thousand for me. According to the rules of my sect, having received someone's benefit, one must repay the gratitude.

You have already paid, so there is no need to do more."

Assistant Yan looked at Chen Yan with pleading eyes: "Then, are you convenient...?"

Chen Yan pondered for a moment, but Assistant Yan misunderstood, quickly saying: "It is our lack of propriety!

The boss said that for a high master like you, he should come to visit personally!

At that time, the boss had already brought me out of the company, preparing to come over together.

But an accident happened just before departure..."

"Accident?" Chen Yan raised an eyebrow.

Assistant Yan's face was strange, his eyes carrying nervousness and a hint of panic: "Just after leaving the building, I don't know how, the boss stepped on empty air and rolled straight down the stairs. He suffered a fracture on the spot..."

Chen Yan blinked his eyes, feeling somewhat surprised in his heart: "Your boss is unlucky enough."

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