If time could rewind, he would absolutely not have argued with the elementary school students over a few game console boards, ultimately severing ties and ending their friendship.
Recalling that scene made him feel awful.
The elementary school student, his eyes filled with tears, had said in a slightly choked voice, "We won't come here to play anymore. You've hurt our friendship."
The arcade owner, cigarette dangling from his lips, had waved them away dismissively. "Hurry up and go home to do your homework."
He had been so heartless and overbearing.
And that's how the conflict between him and the elementary school students began.
Elementary school students have their pride. Even if they're often disciplined by their parents at home, outside, they still believe their lives are their own. "I want to play video games. If you don't give me face, I'll call on everyone not to come to your store. Anyone who dares to come, we'll block them at the bathroom door."
At this moment, the arcade owner heard footsteps. He looked up wearily, then suddenly, as if energized, he ran over briskly, a subservient smile plastered on his face.
"Welcome, bosses!"
He then glanced behind them.
Huh?
Strange.
The wealthy young man wasn't there.
Despite not seeing the young man, he still greeted them enthusiastically, offering the most radiant smile of his life. Even his wedding smile probably wasn't as sweet as this.
Lin Fan and Old Zhang sat in front of the arcade machines, waiting.
At the counter:
"Boss, how much?" the arcade owner asked with a beaming smile, genuinely curious about this older gentleman's background.
He seemed a bit older and somewhat unusual, but anyone who could hang out with those two bosses must be wealthy. After all, exceptional people naturally stick together. This bald elder must be a super big boss. Thinking about the tip he was about to receive, he felt like he could fly.
"Let's have a hundred yuan worth," Yongxin Master said, pulling out the money. He felt it was sufficient; buying more would be wasteful.
The owner, who had been rubbing his hands in anticipation, heard "one hundred yuan" and felt a pang of disappointment. Not much, he thought, but it made sense. He skillfully counted out the game tokens, quietly awaiting the tip.
Yongxin Master looked at the drinks price list on the wall and pulled out some small change. "Three drinks, with ice, please."
"Certainly," the arcade owner nodded. Seeing the elder still standing there, his mind raced again. He must be about to give a tip. The fact that he hadn't moved yet meant he was probably contemplating how much to give.
"Boss, anything else?" he inquired. "Just name it, and I'll make it happen."
Making a living wasn't easy, and serving others was even harder. To earn some money, face was an unimportant thing. He'd even call someone "Dad" for the right price.
Yongxin Master frowned. The owner was a bit too obsequious. Were people nowadays this eager to please just to make a living?
Regardless, he needed his change.
"Three drinks are twenty-seven. You should give me the change," Yongxin Master said with a smile.
He was indeed a wealthy man, but money was just a worldly possession. Most of his wealth went to charity, and the money for charity came from his own frugal living. Three yuan might not seem like much, but when you're short three yuan and can't get it, that feeling is the worst.
The arcade owner realized something was amiss. It wasn't going as he'd planned.
But soon, a possibility occurred to him. Older generation wealthy people liked to test others. He must be using these three yuan to test his character. Hmph, he'd been in the arcade business for years. If he couldn't even see through this, he'd have wasted his time.
As long as he passed the test, there would surely be a generous reward.
The arcade owner quickly apologized. "I'm so sorry, truly sorry. I actually forgot. To express my apologies, the three drinks are on the house."
Yongxin Master found the owner's enthusiasm excessive.
But since the owner insisted, he accepted the offer. Free drinks were free drinks. After all, three drinks weren't worth much. A few yuan for a bottled drink could be poured into several cups.
The arcade owner smiled contentedly.
One right step, every step right. He'd been able to keep his arcade open in the bustling city center for so long without going bankrupt, naturally because of his marketing skills and clever mind. Without these abilities, he wouldn't have made it this far.
Lin Fan and Old Zhang were playing the arcade game, no fancy moves, just punches and kicks.
Outside, a luxurious limousine slowly stopped, followed by several other equally luxurious cars.
Bodyguards in black opened the door.
Qian Xiao Bao emerged, backpack slung over his shoulder.
"They didn't look for me again."
Xiao Bao was very upset. He went to Qingshan Psychiatric Hospital to look for his two good friends, but Director Hao told him they weren't there.
Then he went to the Special Department to look for his friends.
The receptionist at the Special Department looked puzzled. "We haven't heard of the two people you mentioned, little boy. Are you sure you're in the right place?"
Xiao Bao left, heartbroken.
He then came to the arcade. When he was alone, he would come here to play games. Although he was by himself, at least it was a way to pass the time.
The arcade owner waited patiently.
He firmly believed that his efforts would be noticed.
Footsteps approached.
Could it be those elementary school students, unable to resist the allure of the arcade, coming back to eat their words, reconcile with him, and return to the embrace of the game machines?
Just as he was about to get up and tell them that the arcade was reserved and to leave, he saw who it was.
He immediately shot up from his seat, his eyes gleaming.
"Welcome, boss!"
The arcade owner couldn't contain his excitement. The real, no-nonsense wealthy young man had arrived. This was the moment he cherished the most.
Xiao Bao beckoned with his finger, and the bodyguard behind him habitually pulled out a wad of cash and tossed it to the owner.
"Turn on the machines for my young master. Quickly."
Being thrown money was usually humiliating, but the owner had never felt that way. He even wanted to shout, "Please throw your dirty money at me! Don't give me face, don't even give me a shred of dignity!"
Lin Fan, who was playing the game, heard the commotion and turned around curiously, then exclaimed in delight:
"Xiao Bao!"
Qian Xiao Bao saw Lin Fan and ran over happily. "Why are you guys here?"
But soon, Xiao Bao saw Yongxin Master and felt as if someone had stolen his treasure. His expression turned dejected.
"So you have new friends, that's why you didn't look for me to play, right?"
"I went to Qingshan to find you, you weren't there. I went to your workplace to find you, you weren't there either. Now you and Old Zhang brought someone else here to play and didn't even tell me. I'm very angry. I don't want to talk to you."
Xiao Bao turned his head away, pouting stubbornly, on the verge of tears.
Children are so straightforward.
Unhappy is unhappy.
It was as if his best friends had betrayed him.
"No, Old Zhang and I went looking for you a while ago, but you weren't home," Lin Fan said, sensing Xiao Bao's unhappiness. Although he didn't know the reason, he and Old Zhang enjoyed spending time with Xiao Bao.
"Hmph! I don't believe you. Then why didn't you look for me to play today?"
Xiao Bao was a stubborn little darling with few friends, practically a lonely future tycoon. The only ones he considered good friends were Lin Fan and Old Zhang.
And now, seeing his best friends playing with someone else, he was very upset.
Lin Fan scratched his head and pulled Xiao Bao closer. "Xiao Bao, let's play a game."
The arcade screen displayed the scene of Old Zhang being beaten by him.
"No," Xiao Bao snorted, turning his head away again, acting spoiled. His meaning was clear: I'm very angry right now. If you coax me properly, I'll forgive you. But you must promise that in the future, when you go out to play, you have to call me. Otherwise, I'll get angry again.
Yongxin Master smiled. "I'll play with you."
Xiao Bao's thick eyebrows furrowed, and he glared at Yongxin Master before putting down his backpack and sitting down on the chair. "Let's start. I'll show you how good I am."
He glanced at Yongxin Master, as if to say, "Don't even think about stealing my best friends from me."
The bodyguards stood there expressionlessly.
They hadn't expected Young Master Xiao Bao to value those two friends so much. In the past, he had made friends, but it often ended in arguments, and he never took the initiative to reconcile.
This was a first.
The arcade owner distributed the comics he had prepared to the bodyguards.
They were very exciting comics, guaranteed to capture their attention.
Then, the arcade owner saw a group of elementary school students approaching. He hurried out to stop them. There were VIP guests inside; the arcade was reserved. Besides, these were the same elementary school students he'd had a conflict with. It seemed they were coming to apologize, just as he'd suspected.
A chubby kid with a runny nose held his head high arrogantly. "Boss, we're here. If you're willing to give me five game tokens, I'll forgive you and let my friends play in your arcade again."
At this moment, the owner had no time for these kids. He waved them away impatiently. "Go home and do your homework! Running to the arcade all the time… I'll tell your parents to come and give you a beating!"
The chubby kid stared. "Boss, you're hurting our friendship. Three game tokens would be fine too."
"Just go home and do your homework!" the arcade owner said impatiently.
The chubby kid fought back tears, his voice venomous. "You hurt me like this, I won't forgive you! I won't let my classmates come to your arcade anymore! You've lost my support!"
"Let's go."
The arcade owner watched the group of elementary school students leave, shaking his head helplessly.
These kids…
Not focusing on their studies, always wanting to play games. As a righteous person, he had to stop this behavior. He absolutely had to guide them onto the right path through his own efforts.