Ye Hen took a deep breath of cold air and quickly stepped towards the shopping mall.
The mall was packed with many items, especially on the first floor, where food and clothing were sold. He stepped onto the escalator and went straight up to the second floor, where game helmets and pods were sold.
Soon enough, he found the counter displaying helmets for Sword of Dominion. The game helmet had various colors and designs lined up in the glass cases, dazzling the eyes. Despite the variety in styles, each helmet was priced the same 2000 yuan a piece.
He chose a deep blue helmet, brought it to the cashier, and paid for it.
With the boxed helmet under one arm, he headed back down the escalator. But instead of leaving right away, he wandered into the women's clothing section, carrying the box with him.
It was the middle of a cold winter, and his sister, Yeke, barely had any warm coats. He needed to get her a new one.
After a while, he finally settled on a black, cinched-waist down coat. It looked warm, with tasteful stitching and design. It was pricey, though, costing 629 yuan. Without much thought, he paid, leaving him with roughly 1000 yuan, hopefully enough to cover living expenses for a while.
He took the paper bag with the down coat from the sales assistant, then swiftly headed outside.
Just as he stepped out the doors, a gust of cold wind hit, making him shiver. Fine raindrops were beginning to fall from the gray sky, and the streets were mostly empty.
Through the chilly wind and rain, he hurried home with the helmet under one arm and the coat in its bag in the other.
Navigating the narrow alleys and side streets, he soon returned home. After setting down the helmet and coat, he glanced at the electronic clock on the wall. It was already past 4 PM, and Ye ke should have been back from school by now. Why wasn't she home yet?
"Did she remember to bring an umbrella?" He thought, feeling uneasy. "I should go pick her up."
Just as he was about to leave for her school, the door creaked open. A slender young girl stepped inside, holding a gray folding umbrella. She had short bangs, delicate features, and clear, bright eyes. She wore a light pink winter coat on top and faded jeans.
This was his younger sister, Ye ke, a college freshman studying at Pingjiang Academy, a prestigious national university.
She was two years younger than him and an exceptional student.
"Brother, I'm back!" she called out but didn't come in immediately. Instead, she stood at the doorway and shook the rain off her umbrella to keep the floor dry.
Hearing her voice, Ye Hen hurried over, took her umbrella, and asked warmly, "Did you get wet? Give me the umbrella and come inside it's cold out there."
"No, I didn't! I brought an umbrella, see?" Ye ke playfully stuck her tongue out and stepped inside.
Ye Hen chuckled, shook off the remaining water from the umbrella, then closed the door.
"Wow, brother, did you buy this game helmet?" Yeke exclaimed, her eyes lighting up as she held the helmet box and approached him excitedly.
He fondly tapped her nose and laughed, "Yeah, I plan to become a professional gamer. What do you think?"
"Awesome! A bunch of my classmates are playing Sword of Dominion too! You'll definitely be the best player," she beamed, dimples forming on her cheeks. In her eyes, nobody was better than her brother.
If she'd praised him like this before, he would've rolled his eyes and playfully scolded her. But this time, he only smiled, "Alright, once I make some money in the game, I'll buy you a helmet too."
"Yay! You're the best, big brother!" Ye ke cheered, smiling brightly.
From childhood, her brother had never once broken a promise to her.
"Oh, and I got you a down coat try it on and see if it fits," he said, leading her to the living room, where he took the coat from the bag and handed it to her.
"It's beautiful!" Ye ke exclaimed, her eyes shining as she took the coat. Though she never asked for things like this, the love for new clothes is natural for all women. She quickly swapped her old coat for the new black down coat and stood before him. "How does it look, brother?"
"Perfect! You look good in anything, Ye ke," he said, nodding with a warm smile.
"It's so warm! This coat must have cost a lot. Brother, why didn't you get one for yourself? Look, the one you're wearing is four or five years old!" Tears welled up in her eyes as she looked at his worn gray jacket.
Since childhood, he'd been her only family. No matter what hardships he faced, he never showed it in front of her. Though their parents were gone, she always felt like a little princess because she had him by her side.
"Hey, what's with the tears? Aren't you a little old for that?" He gently wiped the tears from her face, smiling as he teased her, "Cry again, and you'll turn into a little kitten. Now go wash up and cook us some dinner. I'm starving."
"Okay, just wait a bit—I'll have dinner ready soon!" she said, realizing he probably hadn't eaten lunch yet. She dashed into the kitchen, still wearing her new coat.
It wasn't long before the room filled with the delicious aroma of food. Ye Hen, whose stomach had been growling, eagerly dug in.
After dinner, Yeke cleaned up the table and headed to her room to study. Her academic excellence was a direct result of her diligence.
The room was now quiet, leaving Ye Hen alone.
With a full stomach, he lay back on the small wooden bed and began to think about Sword of Dominion.
The game's hours were from 8 PM to 8 AM, totaling twelve hours. Most virtual games used this kind of evening schedule so players could enjoy gaming without it interfering with real-life obligations, providing a perfect balance.
In his past life, Sword of Dominion opened up RMB exchange functionality a month after its launch. He had to gain an advantage in these next twenty-some days. Otherwise, he'd be at a huge disadvantage once the exchange system was live. Planning his strategy, Ye Hen began to devise his next moves…
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