Chapter 125 – New Job
Shi Yuan found a new job.
Elton was a very large city, and after years of reconstruction, it was completely different from what he remembered: the underground structure was divided into seven or eight levels, the streets were complex and intersecting, and people were coming and going. Every day, the city was awakened by artificial light from the dome, although it was artificial, Shi Yuan couldn’t distinguish it from natural light.
Shi Yuan wanted to spend some time getting familiar with the city’s roads.
Lu Tinghan was reading a book on the couch when he heard about his plan. After flipping a page, he said, “You’ll get lost.”
“How is that possible?” Shi Yuan didn’t believe it. “Even if the navigation isn’t working well right now, I can look at the map and ask people. I’ll find my way.”
Lu Tinghan replied, “Oh…”
Even Shi Yuan could hear his disbelief.
The next morning, before Shi Yuan left, Lu Tinghan gave him some money and said, “If you need anything, come find me.”
Shi Yuan said, “I have my own money.”
Lu Tinghan opened his mouth to speak, stopped, and hesitated again.
He said, “Shi Yuan, your money might… be invalid.”
Shi Yuan: ?
Shi Yuan: ??
After ten minutes, Shi Yuan finished listening to Lu Tinghan’s explanation.
It turned out that after the Alliance moved to Elton, many mechanisms underwent changes, including the currency system. Both cash and digital currency had undergone reforms.
The reforms had happened decades ago and had already been completely updated. In other words, Shi Yuan’s savings were no longer usable.
He had worked hard for several years, earning a wage of 6 yuan per hour, and the money he had saved with great difficulty had become completely useless.
For a little monster who was already not wealthy, this was undoubtedly a bolt from the blue.
“This is too much…” Shi Yuan murmured, “It’s really too much… Even my last deposit was in Alliance coins.”
Lu Tinghan: “…”
He still remembered it so clearly; it seemed that he was really concerned!
Shi Yuan continued to feel down.
He knew that with Lu Tinghan, he couldn’t really be short of money… but that was his money! The money he had worked hard to earn to support his family!
Seeing his tail curling up, Lu Tinghan quickly rubbed Shi Yuan’s head and said, “It’s okay, you’ll earn it back soon. The economy is good now, and wages are decent.” He comforted Shi Yuan, “Aren’t you planning to go out and have fun? Go around first, and I’ll find you tonight to go to that delicious noodle restaurant.”
Shi Yuan: “Purr, purr… Really?”
“Of course,” Lu Tinghan said, “Just don’t get lost.”
“I won’t!” Shi Yuan became happy and said, “I want to go to the Western District first!”
Lu Tinghan said, “The roads there are very complicated.”
Shi Yuan: “It’s okay!”
And then Shi Yuan got lost.
The layout was too complex, and even people who had lived here their whole lives could get lost, let alone him.
Shi Yuan stood bewildered on the street, looking at the buildings in front of him. Had he been here before? It seemed somewhat familiar, yet unfamiliar at the same time.
But well, he was just wandering around anyway. It didn’t matter where he went.
He walked aimlessly, with children running around and chasing each other on the street, and freshly washed clothes hanging on balconies.
It was noon, and the aroma of food wafted from the roadside. Someone was selling grilled sausages and fried noodles. Shi Yuan stood in front of the stall for a few minutes and bought a serving of egg fried noodles and two skewers of grilled sausages from the plump and smiling vendor.
The taste was good, and he felt satisfied after finishing his meal.
As he was about to leave, the vendor caught up to him. “Hey, Shi Yuan, wait!”
Shi Yuan turned around, and the vendor handed him a can of drink. “Here, this is for you, the popular ‘Lighthouse’ brand drink in the city.”
The packaging of the drink was mostly black, but in the center, there was a bright yellow lighthouse, emitting a beam of light that pointed straight to the stars.
“Wow!” Shi Yuan exclaimed. “It looks so nice!”
The vendor replied, still smiling, his temples slightly damp with sweat, and his cheeks flushed. “Of course—it’s something you’ll definitely like.”
Suddenly, Shi Yuan realized something. “Ah, but how do you know my name?”
The vendor continued to smile, and said, “Yeah, how did I know? Maybe it’s because I grew up listening to a fascinating story.”
He waved at Shi Yuan and then hurried back to his stall, continuing to cook the noodles energetically.
Shi Yuan didn’t quite understand what he was talking about, but the drink was delicious. With each sip, it was refreshing and sweet, reminiscent of summer and the fresh evening breeze in the wilderness.
He continued to stroll around, crossing the streets and alleys. He was delighted to see that Elton was thriving and livelier than the previous capital.
After the abysses left, although there were still reluctant monsters, a balance was reached between the two sides. Coupled with the success of the “Deep Dive,” humans had the opportunity for stable development.
Cities were being reclaimed, and perhaps one day, the glory of the past would be revived.
As Shi Yuan walked, he stopped in front of a poster.
The poster read, “Wild Rose Theater Troupe Recruiting! Location: 4th underground floor, Northern District, Rum Street, No. 3304.” It also depicted several actors dressed in elaborate costumes.
Shi Yuan’s eyes widened.
He immediately decided to go and take a look.
He got lost for two hours, asking many people for directions, and finally arrived on Rum Street at 3 o’clock in the afternoon.
A theater appeared before his eyes.
It wasn’t as grand as the Garcia Grand Theater, but it was still beautiful. At the entrance, there were lifelike marble sculptures, a red carpet, and blooming flowers. On the other side of the wall… there was the familiar advertisement for “Aphrodisiac Oil.”
Shi Yuan walked in and said to the receptionist, “Hello, I’m here to apply.”
“Alright!” The receptionist enthusiastically handed him a form. “Please fill this out!”
The form was almost the same as the one he filled out during his first audition, with the only difference being that he could finally answer “yes” to the question “Do you have any acting experience?”
After submitting the form, he waited in the lobby for over half an hour until the receptionist told him, “Go to the 2nd floor, Mr. Cheng Yi is waiting for you.”
Shi Yuan went upstairs and entered an office. There, he saw a young man scratching his hair and turning it into a chicken coop, holding a pen, his desk was covered in spread-out drafts.
He bore a striking resemblance to Cheng Youwen.
Shi Yuan said, “Mr. Cheng Yi, hello, I’m here to apply.”
Cheng Yi looked up, and in the first moment he saw him, his mouth formed an “O” shape.
He quickly composed himself and said, rubbing his hands, “Great! Fantastic! I knew you were suitable for this role the moment I saw you! You’re hired!”
Surprised by the sudden joy, Shi Yuan asked, “Ah, really? But I haven’t even auditioned yet, and I haven’t read the script.”
“Really!” Cheng Yi stood up and beckoned, “Come over here quickly, I’ll show you the stage!”
Shi Yuan followed Cheng Yi and took a stroll in the performance hall. The stage was clean and bright, and the audience seats were made of deep red velvet.
This was the theater of Elton in the past. After renovation, it radiated a whole new vitality.
Cheng Yi introduced as they walked, “We’ve had quite a few excellent scripts in recent years, such as ‘Elton’s Horror,’ ‘Farewell to Gleaning City,’ and ‘The Long Journey Home.’ Cough cough, of course, most of them were written by me and received rave reviews.”
“Wow, you’re really amazing,” Shi Yuan praised.
Cheng Yi became even more proud, “Of course! The latest script I wrote is called ‘Eternal Heroes,’ which is the script we’re currently recruiting actors for. Its plot is different but inspired by a past story of the Alliance.”
He briefly explained the script to Shi Yuan.
The background is a continent in another world, where a young boy from a distant land comes to a village and befriends many locals. Three people have the closest relationship with him—a proud and beautiful elf, a fierce but loyal werewolf, and a young human warrior.
In a world of turmoil, they make a pact to fight evil and promote justice together.
The four of them have different personalities and cultures, and many stories unfold during their journey. They have conflicts and arguments, and even separate for a while, but in the end, they realize that their favorite and most trusted companions are still within this small group.
As the world faces a crisis, they finally understand each other and join forces to save the world. They sacrifice themselves, becoming legends that forever flow through the stories passed down from generation to generation, becoming eternal heroes.
Shi Yuan is to play the role of that young boy from another race.
They returned to the office, and Cheng Yi handed him the script, saying, “Take a look at it when you go back. If you have any questions, contact me.”
“Okay,” Shi Yuan agreed.
“Oh, and there’s the matter of salary,” Cheng Yi thought for a moment. “The hourly rate is 18 yuan. How does that sound to you?”
Shi Yuan agreed at the speed of light.
Before leaving, Cheng Yi escorted Shi Yuan to the end of the corridor.
At the wall near the staircase, Shi Yuan saw a gold-plated commemorative plaque. It listed the names of all the members of the Wild Rose Theater Troupe, and he saw familiar names, including… his own.
He stood still and looked at it for a few seconds.
He suddenly realized that Cheng Yi might know who he was—just like the noodle vendor.
“Cheng Youwen and Qin Luoluo are my grandparents,” Cheng Yi said from behind him. “Shi Yuan, he told me many stories about you. But I never thought I would have the chance to meet you in person.”
Shi Yuan asked, “Did they start this theater?”
“Yes, the business of stage plays was quite difficult in earlier years, but it gradually improved, and the audience has been particularly numerous,” Cheng Yi smiled. “You can see it for yourself. Anyway, Shi Yuan, welcome back.”
Shi Yuan went downstairs and looked back to see Cheng Yi standing by the window, smiling and waving goodbye to him.
After watching the time gate, realizing it was getting late, Shi Yuan remembered that Lu Tinghan had mentioned having dinner together in the evening, so he decided to go there first.
Recently, the situation on the battlefield was not tense, and Lu Tinghan had settled into a regular routine of going out and returning early, leaving him with plenty of time to accompany Shi Yuan. They had already been to several good restaurants, but the one Shi Yuan was most looking forward to was the noodle shop tonight. He had heard that they served the best beef noodles there.
He followed the address, walking and searching at the same time.
And then he got lost.
The underground city was too complex, and he didn’t know which corner he had ended up in, unable to find a single person.
Shi Yuan’s tail curved into a question mark, almost tying itself in a knot, and he couldn’t find a way out.
He called Lu Tinghan, “Hey, Lu Tinghan, I…”
“Stay where you are,” Lu Tinghan said. “I’m on my way.”
Lu Tinghan probably anticipated this situation early on. As soon as he left the command center, he headed straight for Shi Yuan. Within a short moment, Shi Yuan heard the sound of a car, and then the sound of military boots getting closer and closer.
Shi Yuan’s eyes lit up, and he ran over, crashing right into Lu Tinghan’s embrace.
“Wow!” his tail wagged frantically, “You found me again!”
Lu Tinghan smiled and kissed him, “Get in the car, don’t starve.”
The black car drove towards the streets, making several turns towards the noodle shop.
The beef noodles were indeed delicious. There wasn’t much meat, but each piece was well-seasoned, and when paired with the chewy noodles, it made one want to swallow their tongue.
Shi Yuan ate while excitedly sharing his story about going to the theater and finding a new job.
“I’ll start rehearsing the script from now on!” Shi Yuan said. “Will you come watch me perform?”
“Of course,” Lu Tinghan said, picking two pieces of mutton from his own bowl and giving them to Shi Yuan.
“This theater is smaller than the Garcia Grand Theater, but it’s also very beautiful,” Shi Yuan continued. “Even the advertisements outside are the same, still ‘Aphrodisiac Oil.’ After so many years, it hasn’t closed down.”
Lu Tinghan fell silent for a moment and then said slowly, “I suppose men’s pursuit of this aspect will never change.”
Shi Yuan was a bit confused, not understanding why humans would pursue such a thing.
He also didn’t know that throughout history, any strange and peculiar thing that bore this label would undoubtedly sell like hotcakes.
That night, when Shi Yuan was played with by Lu Tinghan until he was drowsy, his tail curled up, he still hadn’t figured it out.
But with his limited knowledge, he was quite certain that Lu Tinghan didn’t need such a thing.
He was tucked back into bed after Lu Tinghan had washed him clean and made him smell good.
“Shi Yuan,” Lu Tinghan called him by his ear.
“Um?” Shi Yuan mumbled in response.
“Besides acting, is there something else you want to do?”
“Ah? I don’t know…” Shi Yuan’s eyelids were fighting open up. “What else can I do? Sell aphrodisiac oil?… Ah!”
He received a light flick on his forehead from Lu Tinghan, quickly covering it and using his eyes to scold Lu Tinghan.
Lu Tinghan chuckled softly.
Then he said, “For example, open a flower shop?”
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