"Fired? Just because I refused to leave a backdoor in the core code?" Chen Mo slammed back a can of soda, his anger bubbling over. That scumbag boss, Wang Fatty, had the morals of a sewer rat!
"What are you thinking about, so deep in thought?" Li Qiang asked, his fingers flying across the keyboard, controlling his game character.
"Nothing, just some unpleasant memories," Chen Mo shook his head, pushing Wang Fatty's treachery to the back of his mind. All he wanted now was to relax and enjoy the game.
"Is something bothering you at work?" Li Qiang inquired, knowing Chen Mo was currently working on a crucial project for the company.
"Don't even get me started. It's that old fox, Wang Fatty, trying to get me to leave a backdoor in the program. I refused, and then..." Chen Mo trailed off, suddenly realizing he'd slipped up.
"Wait, what? Leave a backdoor? Has he gone crazy?" Li Qiang whipped around, his eyes wide with shock.
"Shhh! Keep it down!" Chen Mo hissed, glancing around cautiously. Thankfully, the cafe was a cacophony of noise, and no one seemed to notice their conversation.
"You're crazy, man! You actually dared to say no?" Li Qiang lowered his voice, disbelief in his tone.
"Of course I didn't agree! I have professional ethics!" Chen Mo declared indignantly. "Besides, if this gets out, I'm going to jail!"
"So what are you going to do now? You're fired?" Li Qiang asked.
"Yeah..." Chen Mo nodded, a mix of helplessness and confusion swirling inside him. He was broke, jobless, and had no idea what to do.
"Don't worry, there's always a way out," Li Qiang patted Chen Mo's shoulder, offering comfort. "If all else fails, come work for me. I need help here anyway."
"Here? As a janitor?" Chen Mo looked around at the smoky, chaotic environment of the internet cafe, hesitant.
"Janitor? What are you talking about? This is an esports club, get it?" Li Qiang corrected with a serious expression. "Don't worry, if you come here, you'll eat like a king, drink like a prince, and get to work with beautiful women!"
"Beautiful women? Here? You're pulling my leg," Chen Mo scoffed, scanning the room. All he saw were greasy gamers and a few high school students, no beautiful women in sight.
"Heh, you don't know the half of it," Li Qiang said with a mysterious smile. "Let me tell you, this place is full of hidden gems, beautiful women everywhere..."
"Just keep talking," Chen Mo rolled his eyes, not believing a word.
Just then, the cafe door swung open, and a tall, slender girl wearing sunglasses and stylish clothes walked in, instantly capturing everyone's attention.
"Holy crap, she's hot!"
"That figure, that aura, she's perfect!"
"Goddess, please date me!"
The cafe erupted in a chorus of whistles and catcalls.
Li Qiang nudged Chen Mo, grinning slyly. "What do you say? I told you, beautiful women, right?"
Chen Mo stared at the girl, unable to deny her beauty. She was stunning, with an air of elegance that clashed with the cafe's environment, like a fairy who'd wandered into the mortal realm.
The girl removed her sunglasses, revealing a pair of sparkling eyes, and scanned the room. Finally, her gaze landed on Chen Mo...
"Hello, are you...?" Chen Mo broke the silence, politely asking, while subtly observing the girl, trying to glean some clues from her expression.
The girl didn't answer Chen Mo directly, but turned to Li Qiang, a hint of confusion in her eyes. "This is...?"
"Ha, forgot to introduce you! This is my best friend, Chen Mo, a computer genius!" Li Qiang quickly introduced them, winking at Chen Mo. "Mo, this beautiful lady is..."
"I'm Lin Yuhan," the girl interrupted, extending her hand to Chen Mo. "Nice to meet you."
"Nice to meet you, Ms. Lin," Chen Mo politely shook Lin Yuhan's hand, his confusion growing. This Lin Yuhan didn't seem like a bad person, but why was she here, what did she want from him?
"Just call me Yuhan," Lin Yuhan smiled sweetly, her smile as warm as sunshine. "Actually, I'm here to ask for your help."
"Help?" Chen Mo and Li Qiang asked in unison.
"That's right," Lin Yuhan nodded, her gaze unwavering as she looked at Chen Mo. "I need your skills, to help me..."
She paused, glancing around at the noisy environment before lowering her voice. "This is a serious matter, we should talk somewhere private."