Song Ci was quite familiar with the alleys of Dadu’s Old Town. Ten minutes later, the two of them arrived at a simple noodle shop.

Xu’s Beef Noodle.

The owner was thin and tall, with a white towel hanging around his neck. When he saw Song Ci, he smiled in greeting. “Welcome.”

“I brought a friend.” Song Ci greeted the boss with a grin. “Two large bowls with extra meat, eggs, and fried tofu.”

He lowered his voice. “I’ve lived here for more than twenty years, and this noodle shop has been open for just as long. It serves plenty of beef and tastes good, and the price hasn’t been raised for twenty years.”

It was difficult to find such a rundown shop in Oto City, let alone Dadu.

Every inch of land in prime urban areas was expensive, and as far as the eye could see, there were brand-new signs everywhere. They were all franchise restaurants with uniformly prepared  food that could be heated in a minute. It was fast food. The rhythm of this era was getting faster and faster, and few people would sit in old shops and wait for masters to handmake noodles for ten minutes. Everyone preferred fast food that was mechanically prepared, industrialized, and hygienic.

“I like this place,” Gu Shen said sincerely.

In this shop, he saw a side of the city that had been covered by the passage of time.

After he came to Dadu, the reason why he started running alone in the night alleys was that he liked the remaining traces of humanity in this vast mechanical city.

Humans were the crucial components that formed a city.

These intertwining alleys and narrow lanes were the only places in this cold metropolis that slowed down.

Sitting here, Gu Shen felt his emotions calming down…

“Seriously, why did you run?” Song Ci raised his eyebrows, curious. “Your reason was too lousy. Even if you lie to me, you should come up with a decent excuse.”

“I just made a deal with someone in the Blossom Flag Building. I was afraid he would renege,” Gu Shen explained. “Whether he was looking for me or not, I figured I’d run away first.”

Song Ci was stunned, and then he couldn’t help laughing. “Then, you should run. There are no good people in that building. They look civilized and refined, but they’re actually ruthless characters who eat people without leaving any bones. People who make deals with them often don’t have good endings.”

“Well, I’m fine. I managed to get a lot from that person.” Gu Shen smiled. “It’s possible that he really sent a team to find me, but it’s too late for him to regret it now.”

“Really?” Song Ci became interested. He ordered two bottles of beer and handed one to Gu Shen. “Tell me about it.”

“There’s not much of a story. That’s all.” Gu Shen shook his head. “But the people in that building are all rich and powerful. They don’t care about such minor matters. It’s more likely that he’s already forgotten about it.”

He asked, “What about you? Why did you run?”

“I was telling the truth earlier,” Song Ci said earnestly. “They chased me, so I ran. There’s no special reason.”

Gu Shen raised his middle finger in disdain. “Bah.”

“If I have to find a reason, it’s probably because some big shot wants to see me, but I don’t want to see her now, so I can only choose to run away.” Song Ci scratched his head and smiled bitterly. “But you know that running away is just a temporary solution. Dadu is only so big. Where can I run to? At best, I’ll go to the alley next door to eat a bowl of noodles. I’ll eventually have to meet her.”

“Tsk tsk, a big shot, huh? How big?” Gu Shen smiled and changed the topic. “It’s our first meeting, so don’t brag too much.”

Song Ci ran away with him and treated him to a meal. Initially, Gu Shen had planned to part ways with him after the run because this guy’s face had ‘don’t get close to me’ written all over it. But after chatting for a bit, he was surprised to find that Song Ci was actually quite sociable.

As they chatted casually on the way, the two of them unexpectedly became familiar with each other.

Speaking of which, Gu Shen’s and Song Ci’s life experiences were quite similar. They were both orphans, but one had grown up in Azure River, while the other had grown up in Dadu, each relying on themselves to make their way in life.

Perhaps this similarity gave rise to a strange feeling in Gu Shen’s heart.

Perhaps… Song Ci could become his friend?

He didn’t want to pry into Song Ci’s secrets, nor did he want to gather information from someone who might become his friend.

“A really big big shot.” Song Ci narrowed his eyes, supported his chin, and stared at Gu Shen solemnly. “Do you want to hear about it?”

“Not interested.” Gu Shen waved his hand and then asked with a smile, “Would you believe me if I said I just extorted a fortune from Cui Zhongcheng?”

“That’s pure bullshit.” Song Ci didn’t know whether to laugh or cry as he looked at Gu Shen and said helplessly, “If you’re going to brag, at least make it believable. Everyone in Dadu knows that Cui Zhongcheng never does business at a loss. Someone who can extort him hasn’t been born yet.”

Gu Shen chuckled sheepishly. “Sorry, my bad. I didn’t brag well enough. I’m new to Dadu and pretty ignorant. The only big shot I know from the Blossom Flag Group is Cui Zhongcheng.”

Song Ci sighed. “Oh, I don’t know what to say about you… The noodles are here. Let’s eat first!”

The boss brought over two bowls of noodles. When he put them down, he smiled and asked, “Crow, you said last time you would bring Little Lu to eat noodles with you. Isn’t she back yet?”

Crow? Gu Shen raised an eyebrow. Is this Song Ci’s nickname?

He noticed that at the mention of ‘Little Lu’, a trace of disappointment flashed in Song Ci’s eyes, though it vanished quickly.

Song Ci took the noodles and smiled brightly. “Next time. Little Lu is too busy. I’ll eat extra for her!”

The boss turned around and sighed softly. “I haven’t seen Little Lu for several years. I wonder how she’s doing…”

“Tsk tsk, there’s a story here.” Gu Shen leaned closer and gossiped. “Brother Crow, mind telling me who Little Lu is?”

Song Ci raised his eyebrows proudly as he blew on his noodles and deliberately raised his voice. “She’s my childhood sweetheart. She’s beautiful, charming, and has a great personality.”

Then he quietly raised a finger, indicating for Gu Shen to keep quiet.

Song Ci lowered his voice awkwardly. “I’ve had a crush on her since we were kids, but I haven’t seen her for a long time. We grew up together around this area, but she left Dadu a while ago. Every time I come to this noodle shop, the boss will ask me when Little Lu is coming. I once drank too much and bragged that Little Lu was my girlfriend and that I’d bring her back to Dadu next year.”

Gu Shen looked at him, speechless.

“Next year, next year… There are so many next years…” Song Ci held his forehead, looking like he was about to cry. “I regret bragging now. What if she really comes back?”

“What’s there to be afraid of? If you like her, just say it!” Gu Shen stated loudly, but noticing Song Ci’s sudden change in expression, he quickly lowered his voice. “Since you’re childhood sweethearts, don’t worry and go after her boldly.”

“…” Song Ci let out a long sigh, chugged down the entire bottle of beer, and wiped his mouth vigorously.

The bitter drink entered his throat and made his heart ache.

He felt that Gu Shen, whom he had met by chance, was becoming more and more pleasing to the eye. “I’d rather she not return to Dadu. Maybe I should tell the boss that we’ve broken up.”

“Don’t.” Gu Shen didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. “What are you thinking? Don’t you like her?”

“The situation is complicated. I can’t explain it in a few words,” Song Ci said. He hesitated and then smiled bitterly. “Also… Crow is just a nickname. It’s not lucky, so don’t mention it.

“You know that I’m an orphan… Hmm, delicious!” He took a big bite of the noodles and said with a mouthful of food, “Back then, I grew up eating in many people’s homes. Kind neighbors would give me some food every day and occasionally take me in for a meal. But suddenly, one day, they stopped. It turned out that someone said that I was a jinx and jinxed my parents to death. And now, I would jinx the people who gave me food. Whoever adopted me would be unlucky… Later, I don’t know who called me Crow first, but it slowly spread, and everyone calls me Crow.”

Crows were an omen of bad luck.

“But… it’s just a name. I secretly wiped my tears countless times over this when I was young, but it doesn’t matter now.” Song Ci finished the entire bowl of noodles in a few bites. He let out a satisfied burp and smiled. “Kids who grow up being gossiped about tend to be tougher and won’t care about rumors and slander, right or wrong. The world is vast, but nothing is more important than a full stomach.”

After a pause, Song Ci stole a glance at the boss and added carefully, “Actually, Old Xu is a very good person, but habits are terrifying. Everyone called me Crow, so it stuck. Calling me Song Ci now feels weird…”

He scratched his head. “If one day I come here to eat noodles and he doesn’t call me Crow, it’ll mean he has dementia.”

Looking at Song Ci’s gentle expression with a hint of nostalgia, Gu Shen was stunned.

Song Ci smiled. “Why are you looking at me like that? Are you conquered by my magnanimity?”

Gu Shen was silent for a moment before pushing his seat back slightly.

Across the table, he sized up Song Ci from head to toe again.

He had a sharp buzz cut, a face etched with ferocity, an ostentatious shirt, and a pair of worn-out flip-flops filled with grim in every crevice.

If he had to use one word to summarize his appearance, the most appropriate one would be: slovenly.

“I couldn’t tell…” Gu Shen clicked his tongue and sighed with a complicated expression. “Before getting to know you, I didn’t expect that beneath this rugged and tough exterior lay such a delicate and tender heart.”

“You flatter me…” Song Ci smiled humbly. Suddenly, his expression changed, and he said with a frown, “Oh no, I drank too much and need to pee.”

Gu Shen began to doubt his judgment of people.

Why couldn’t Brother Song be serious for more than three seconds?

Song Ci pointed at the beer bottle apologetically. “Brother Gu, we hit it off at first sight today. Let’s drink another three hundred rounds later… But you’ll have to wait for me. I’m going to the bathroom.”

Gu Shen gestured with his hand helplessly.

As if granted a reprieve, a certain someone covered his crotch and dashed off with his legs clasped without a shred of dignity.

And then…

He never came back.