Chapter 80: Hosting a Meal, Serving Tea with a Bowed Head (Part One)

Zhou Nan seemed somewhat downcast, his expression tinged with anxiety, hesitantly speaking in a way that didn’t match his usual boisterous, brash demeanor.
“Brother Shi, my elder brother wants to invite you to dinner. I wonder if you’re free tonight.”
Shi Tiexin glanced at Zhou Nan in surprise, intending to brush him off with a curt refusal. This was a crucial time for practicing calligraphy—how could he spare time for dinner? Besides, Shi Tiexin sensed that his return to the original timeline was imminent; every moment was precious, and he couldn't afford any distraction.
Yet Zhou Nan was perceptive. In these past days, he’d learned how to interpret Shi Tiexin’s impassive face. Noticing the impatience in his eyes, Zhou Nan quickly pressed his case: “Brother Shi, don’t rush to refuse. My brother’s invitation comes with other benefits!”
Benefits?
What benefits?
Even if there were some, they couldn’t possibly outweigh the importance of perfecting his rhetoric. No time!
Just as he was about to decline, Shi Tiexin caught sight of Zhou Nan’s pleading look and softened. The kid had served him well these days, and if his brother was going out of his way to invite him, refusing outright would be rather disrespectful.
Well, it was just a meal after all. He had to eat somewhere; what difference did it make?
He’d give Zhou Nan this courtesy, and perhaps uncover what he truly wanted—there was something secretive and vague about it.
“All right,” Shi Tiexin nodded.
Zhou Nan immediately brightened, “This way, please! Follow me!”
Shi Tiexin put down his brush and followed Zhou Nan out of the classroom.
He assumed Zhou Nan was taking him to the cafeteria as usual, expecting to meet a cheerful elder brother treating his sibling’s classmate to dinner. He imagined some parent-like conversation about studies, about whether the child was obedient at school—child?
Why did he unconsciously place himself in the parent’s role?

Ugh, his thoughts were wandering again. But it would likely be something along those lines, Shi Tiexin supposed. Zhou Nan’s brother would probably smile like a gold ingot, a mature, steady figure just sharing a meal.
Yet events unfolded in a way that completely subverted Shi Tiexin’s expectations.
Ten minutes later, Zhou Nan led Shi Tiexin out over the wall, sneaking away from Phoenix Song First High just as if they were skipping class.
Balancing atop the wall, Zhou Nan glanced about, deftly evading notice, then leapt down in a flash. “Brother Shi, take your time!” Zhou Nan called, only to see Shi Tiexin descend from above, landing solidly, unmoving as a mountain.
With renewed respect for the elder, Zhou Nan wasted no words and led Shi Tiexin through twists and turns. Past the residential district, onto the old road, into a narrow alley, heading straight for the less reputable corners.
This was Shi Tiexin’s first time leaving Phoenix Song First High. He observed everything unobtrusively, taking in the sights outside the campus wall in Central Star.
His impression was singular—this place was truly backward!
The roads were narrow, the alleys cramped, the streets crowded but few vehicles. The cars that did run were old internal combustion models, their drivers honking madly at every pedestrian—apparently, there were no honking regulations here.
Occasionally, the screech of brakes rang out, and drivers would stick their heads out, yelling “Are you trying to die?” before speeding off. The pedestrians, though fuming, dared not retaliate, instead glaring enviously at the receding taillights.
Shi Tiexin realized that in this timeline, such cars were uncommon—only people of considerable status could afford them. Ordinary folks enjoyed the luxury of riding tinkling human-powered tricycles.
The buildings lining the street resembled those ancient structures from the elite classes—exposed red-brick houses, like those in the “rubbish class,” were everywhere.
In comparison, the garden villas of Phoenix Song’s elite dormitory district were the most lavish mansions by far.
Shi Tiexin stopped paying attention to the details.
A hundred years had passed since the Misty Year; the other timeline had seen unprecedented progress, while this one seemed stuck on pause, making little headway in a century.
According to history textbooks, the Eastern China Nation had only begun to integrate with the world’s countries ten years ago—something called “Reform and Opening”—and was now in the chaotic early stages of development.
Just look at the streets, full of swaggering youths in bell-bottoms, cigarettes dangling from their mouths, tattoos and dyed blond hair—not an uncommon sight. The delinquents in Phoenix Song First High were not an isolated phenomenon; it was deeply connected to the environment of this timeline.

As these thoughts passed, Zhou Nan led Shi Tiexin into a hidden alley. At the entrance, a barbecue stall sizzled, skewers of meat roasting over open flame. The fire licked the meat, fat bubbling and popping. A sprinkle of chili powder and cumin sent a rush of smoke into the air.
Shi Tiexin sniffed, intrigued by the tempting aroma, though unsure exactly what it was.
The smell made him instantly hungry. Was Zhou Nan’s elder brother planning to treat them to this? If so, it was certainly worth the trip—“Boss, grill fifty skewers for me, I need to fill the gaps in my teeth!”
“Brother Shi, this way!”
Zhou Nan waved from a distance. Shi Tiexin, torn between desire and indifference, followed him, lifting a cotton curtain and stooping through a small door.
Suddenly, booming music, shouting, and the scent of smoke and liquor assaulted him.
Shi Tiexin looked around. The place was packed with iron cabinets—machines flashing colorful lights.
A memory stirred in his mind, and he realized: this was the legendary arcade.
Arcade games had been popular in his original timeline for a while, but vanished with the rise of powerful personal computers.
If he recalled correctly, around 1941, just before the United Human Government was formed, the Soetu Company launched the first generation of SoDog gaming consoles. The following year, Xiansun Semiconductor released the Ray Tracing series of graphics cards.
Those years saw a torrent of masterpieces: “Sorceress Pile Driver—Wild Gambling,” “Give Him Love—Three Men and a Dog,” “Call Me Zelda Again and I’ll Chop You,” “Irate Bald Man Slays Gods Online,” and so forth. Video games entered a new era, and arcades disappeared from the market.
Looking at this feverish arcade, it felt like stepping into history!
Curious, Shi Tiexin scanned the machines: all running unfamiliar, outdated versions of games.
“Brother, here he is.”
Zhou Nan hurried toward the back of the arcade, where a man was engrossed in working a joystick, pounding buttons. A rapid double tap, and the fighting game on the screen was just reaching its finale.