Chapter Thirty-Eight: Thursday Night Operations

Chapter Thirty-Eight: Thursday Night’s Business

Moreover, Ya-ya was still underage—a fifteen-year-old girl whose mind seemed as blank as a canvas, naïve and untouched by the world. If he were to take advantage of her, it would feel like a crime. Chen Xiao put his things away, then carried Ya-ya from the sofa in the living room into the bedroom. As he picked her up, she stirred, glanced sleepily at him, and murmured, “You’re back…” Her pale arms looped around his neck, and she drifted back into slumber.

Looking at the girl curled up in his arms like a kitten, Chen Xiao would be lying if he claimed he felt nothing. But he was not a brute. He gently placed her on the bed, then hurried out to change clothes and shower.

The next morning, when Chen Xiao awoke, he found that at some point Ya-ya had wandered into his bed again, just as she had the previous night—her head resting quietly against his shoulder as she slept. Chen Xiao sighed. Clearly, he would need to find a way to teach her the concept of boundaries between men and women.

Thinking of this, Chen Xiao’s mind wandered to Phoenix—the girl who had left a deep impression on him. He had to admit, Phoenix was probably the only girl who had ever truly stirred his heart. They had met only once, yet their brief exchange in the café that day was so pleasant, her warmth and gentle smile lingered in his memory. Phoenix’s playful charm and the way she made him feel refreshed and alive were unforgettable.

Rising quietly from the bed, Chen Xiao dressed quickly. Ya-ya remained asleep—she seemed unusually fond of sleep that day. Chen Xiao took care not to wake her, instead standing by the bed to watch her sleep for a while.

After all, he was a man—and the sight of a beautiful girl sleeping was undeniably pleasing.

Leaving the bedroom, Chen Xiao idly reached into his pocket and felt something—the envelope Sister Lu had given him, containing money. He opened it and found only three thousand inside. For just one lesson, three thousand was already a generous sum. Sister Lu had been clear: it was a token of thanks for saving her, and with her family in turmoil, she could hardly afford more. Though her family was wealthy, her husband’s vices and their impending divorce meant money was tight.

Chen Xiao pondered, but another dilemma arose: his livelihood.

He had quit his job at the fast-food place, intending to support himself as a tutor. Now, the tutoring job was gone, and he had another mouth to feed at home. Even though the café paid decently… the shop itself had no money! If Chen Xiao were shameless enough to take the gold and diamonds from Old Edward’s safe—he was not that kind of person.

“Alright, today I’ll skip class!” Chen Xiao stretched vigorously. “Skip class! Sell some gold! Otherwise, I’ll be starving soon! Besides, Old Edward himself urged me on the phone last night to sell it, so there’s no need to hesitate.”

With good reason, Chen Xiao quickly made breakfast, left Ya-ya a note explaining he’d be back late that night, grabbed a backpack, and dashed out the door.

With nothing pressing today, Chen Xiao’s first task was to look for his bicycle outside the city bank. As expected—the bike was gone.

He’d anticipated the loss, so after a brief moment of annoyance, he let it go and took the subway to the café.

The commercial street was as deserted as ever—like a set for a ghost film. Though the morning sun shone brightly, most shops remained closed. Walking along, Chen Xiao saw only a few city cleaners. He hurried to the café, retrieved a gold bar from the upstairs safe.

The entire morning, Chen Xiao roamed the jewelry district in K City, visiting several gold shops. He sold a gold bar and walked out with over two hundred thousand in cash, stuffed into his backpack. As he left, he remembered the day Phoenix visited the café—a spacious shop with nothing but coffee on the menu. That was hardly professional.

Having worked in food service, Chen Xiao promptly went to a large wholesale supermarket and bought a batch of ingredients and supplies, lugging seven or eight bulging bags back to the café.

He spent the afternoon cleaning the café—it was Thursday, and Old Edward had sternly instructed him to open for business that night. Clearly, important guests were expected.

Since he had taken the job, Chen Xiao was responsible. He would not slack off just because the boss was away.

Once everything was ready, he sat behind the counter. The afternoon sunlight streamed through the row of tall windows, filling the café hall with a warm, tranquil atmosphere. Chen Xiao sat there, unable to resist glancing at the door every so often, as if harboring a faint hope that the girl who joked about calling herself “the Hero” would walk in unexpectedly…

But, alas, he was disappointed. Phoenix did not appear, even as dusk fell.

This also confirmed another suspicion: the café’s business was abysmal. The entire day, not a single real customer came in. On the empty pedestrian street outside, Chen Xiao counted carefully—between noon and evening, only three people entered: one selling tableware, one selling encyclopedias, and one offering insurance.

It was hardly surprising. In such a dead-end street, on the city’s outskirts, who would wander here for leisure? Opening a café in this location was obviously a losing proposition. Any sensible person would close within a month. Only someone like Old Edward would persist.

Thinking of the fortune in the upstairs safe, Chen Xiao couldn’t help but sigh. Clearly, Old Edward never expected to make money here. Even if he lost money for decades, he could afford the loss.

Yes, the society was indeed full of odd characters.

Out of boredom, Chen Xiao even considered bringing Ya-ya over for company, better than sitting alone and daydreaming.

He planned to read to pass the time, but upon checking the books Old Edward had left under the counter, Chen Xiao rolled his eyes. The titles were infamous—works of dubious repute, even an unabridged edition of a notorious classic, and “The Chronicles of Alibuda?”

“At his age, still reading this stuff—he’s not worried about bursting a blood vessel?” Chen Xiao shook his head in exasperation at the stack of “banned books.” Old Edward’s tastes were certainly formidable.

Finally, as dinner time approached, the first customer of the day entered.

The first guest was a middle-aged man, dressed in a grimy blue work uniform, with traces of engine oil on him. As he entered, he nodded to Chen Xiao and smiled warmly—a gesture of greeting.

“Welcome,” Chen Xiao stepped out promptly. “Please sit wherever you like. Can I get you something to drink?”

“You’re Chen Xiao?” the man smiled gently. He wore a beard, his skin was tanned, physique sturdy—a square face, mature and steady, but his eyes were gentle, clearly a good-natured man.

Chen Xiao was a little surprised. “You know me?”

“Yes, I heard Old Ed hired a newcomer.” The man smiled. “Oh, I’m the owner of the repair shop at the end of the street—everyone calls me Uncle Tian.”

“So, you’re a neighbor.” Chen Xiao replied politely, though he found it odd—opening a repair shop in such a remote area, was Uncle Tian also an eccentric?

Indeed…

“Thursday nights are important here. You’re new and probably don’t know the routine. I was worried you might have trouble, so I came over to see if I could help.” Uncle Tian’s eyes held a hint of concern.

“You…” Chen Xiao hesitated, “Are you also part of the society?”

“I was, but I’m retired now.” Uncle Tian answered straightforwardly, without a trace of concealment.

Another gifted individual…

Chen Xiao couldn’t help but size up Uncle Tian, who didn’t mind and smiled kindly.

He brewed tea for Uncle Tian, and they chatted. The man was indeed good-tempered and talkative, seeming to have traveled widely to many countries. Their conversation wandered across the world. Chen Xiao tried, subtly, to probe about the society, but Uncle Tian always deftly steered away, unwilling to discuss it.

Soon, seven o’clock arrived. When the clock struck seven, Uncle Tian’s expression grew more serious. He fell silent—the change made Chen Xiao’s heart stir.

Ding-dong…

The café’s door opened.

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