Chapter 10: Can You Do Monthly Packages?
Qi En took out his bunny-patterned wallet and pulled out three new bills. “I want to buy something.”
Kai Xingwen didn’t take the money.
Instead, he led Qi En into the equipment room and pressed a switch on the wall. All the lights flared to life.
Qi En squinted against the sudden brightness. When his eyes readjusted and focused, the sight before him drew a gasp of amazement.
“Wow—”
They stood in the central aisle, flanked by walls completely lined with weapons.
Some Qi En recognized from games, others he had never seen before.
Traditional weapons were more numerous, displayed openly on racks.
The more formidable, high-tech weapons were housed in locked transparent cabinets. The lights inside the cases shone on the weapons, making them look even more impressive.
Watching Qi En’s expression, Kai Xingwen felt a surge of satisfaction and pride.
He pinched his voice, asking, “What kind of equipment do you want to buy? Offensive, defensive, or support type?”
“What happened to your voice?” Qi En looked at him curiously.
Kai Xingwen suddenly started coughing as if choking on his own spit. “Nothing…”
Qi En pointed at the weapons sealed in the cabinets. “Can I use those?”
“Of course you can. I can give you whatever you want.” Kai Xingwen gestured towards the traditional firearms and blades. “Those would suit you very well. Like this one—small and lightweight.”
But when he saw Qi En walk towards that cabinet, he hesitated. “But that one…”
“Can I?” Qi En turned back and asked.
His gaze was too direct, misty and glistening, carrying a hint of coquettishness.
Kai Xingwen fought back the urge to ruffle the boy’s hair into a mess. He looked away, focusing on the folding compound crossbow in the display case, torn and indecisive.
He didn’t want to refuse Qi En, so he tried to persuade him to pick something else. “That’s something only intermediate-level hitmen can apply for…”
He spoke very softly, as if afraid that Qi En hearing it would make him sad.
“Ultimate hitman?”
Qi En stared at him unblinkingly.
But the Number One target Qi En had carefully selected was also very powerful. Shouldn’t powerful weapons be used to deal with powerful people?
Kai Xingwen gritted his teeth. “Then take this one.”
Qi En beamed with joy.
It seemed he also had hope of becoming an “ultimate” hitman.
Qi En returned fully loaded.
The single milk tea bag was utilized to its maximum capacity.
Small miscellaneous items, like his wallet, went into his pocket, while the rest of the gear was stuffed into the bag.
Kai Xingwen had insisted on giving Qi En smaller weapons, so while they fit into one bag, the quantity was actually quite substantial.
Fortunately, small size didn’t equate to weak power.
For instance, the crossbow Qi En liked the most was very formidable.
He touched the bulge below his abdomen. Through his clothes, the cold, hard touch gave him an added sense of security.
Qi En knew Kai Xingwen had been stealing glances at him while pretending to act natural. He had noticed it all.
Kai Xingwen’s face was still red, and so were his ears.
Maybe it was just too hot.
Kai Xingwen: “Are you… sure you want to put it there?”
Qi En: “Didn’t you say this weapon can be disguised as a belt buckle? But my pants don’t have a belt, so I can only clip it onto the waistband.”
Kai Xingwen: “But that’s a bit dangerous…”
Qi En: “Will the weapon misfire?”
Kai Xingwen: “Not really. This compound crossbow won’t misfire. But… you even know about misfiring…”
Qi En felt he was being underestimated.
Now that he had his stuff, he could leave.
He decided not to talk to Kai Xingwen anymore.
However—
Qi En looked at the ruined elevator, then at Kai Xingwen, the culprit. “I’m going back now.”
Kai Xingwen realized what he had done. He called for a repairman, then said to Qi En, “Why don’t you stay here for the night?”
Qi En didn’t answer, taking a step back instead.
Kai Xingwen reached out a hand towards him but lowered it dejectedly before making contact.
“Alright, I’ll take you another way. We can take the regular elevator out.”
Thinking about Kai Xingwen’s terrifying strength to rip open an elevator with his bare hands, Qi En’s attitude became a bit more “respectful.”
“Thank you, Brother K.”
“Can you call me K Gege?”
“Brother K.”
“Alright…”
Kai Xingwen walked in front. Since Qi En wouldn’t walk side-by-side with him, he could only look back at Qi En every now and then.
Because Kai Xingwen kept looking back and not walking properly, it was inconvenient for Qi En to message D Gege.
So, on Kai Xingwen’s eighteenth look back, Qi En finally said, “Brother K, please watch the road properly. Be careful not to fall.”
Kai Xingwen’s reaction was a bit strange.
Qi En couldn’t help but raise his guard.
“Um—”
Kai Xingwen spoke slowly.
Qi En stopped walking, his brows furrowing slightly.
“Can I hold your hand?”
“?”
Although the request was strange, Qi En agreed.
He felt Kai Xingwen was a bit like his younger brother.
Wanting to hold hands if they got a little far apart, constantly looking back if walking in front, asking “What’s wrong, are you unhappy?” at the slightest change in expression.
“Brother” didn’t refer to a biological brother, but rather a feeling.
Though, Qi En couldn’t remember if he actually had a younger brother or not.
Kai Xingwen escorted him to the first floor.
Qi En walked out, but Kai Xingwen didn’t follow.
When someone passed by, Kai Xingwen lowered his head to hide his face.
Qi En understood. It was to protect his privacy.
Qi En learned from this. Next time he came, he would wear a mask.
“En-En, make sure to check my private messages when you get back.”
“You must remember me. I’m your old fan! My old username was ‘En-En ovo’, and my current one is ‘En-En owo’.”
Kai Xingwen said this while covering his mouth. He wanted to say it loudly but was afraid of being overheard, unaware that this made him look even weirder.
Qi En didn’t want to stand with him anymore; it was a bit embarrassing.
He walked away quickly, raising a hand to wave behind him.
Walking through the club corridor, the display screens on the walls were playing various advertisements.
The most numerous and prominent ones were promotional offers for club memberships.
Qi En stopped in front of a huge advertising screen.
“Exclusive privileges, for the distinguished you.”
“Recharge one, two, three, four, five… one hundred thousand yuan, get a luxury package and exclusive service. Member-exclusive private something, hidden benefits?”
“Renew and get double points…”
Qi En also wanted to buy a membership, but the content on this ad was too chaotic. He didn’t know how much it cost.
He grabbed a passing waiter in uniform. “Hello, how do I buy a membership?”
The waiter put down his walkie-talkie and asked, “Do you wish to join? Or renew?”
Qi En nodded. “Join.”
“…Mn, you want to join. How long would you like the membership for?”
“One month.” Qi En said.
“Our minimum here is a quarterly membership, which means three months minimum.”
Qi En froze for a moment.
Can’t do one month.
He remembered lying to that scalper at the door, saying he had a monthly membership…
That scalper didn’t correct him, so he must have done it on purpose.
So that was when the scalper marked him.
“Hello? Sir? Do you still wish to proceed?”
“How much is a quarterly membership?”
Facing Qi En, the waiter’s attitude softened significantly, his tone taking on a coaxing quality:
“The fee for a quarterly card is eight thousand yuan. Two thousand is the joining fee, and six thousand is the balance recharge.
Guests have a minimum consumption of two thousand, and there must be a minimum deposit of three thousand yuan in the card. This means if the balance falls below three thousand, the card will be frozen, and you’ll need to recharge to continue using it.
After the quarter expires, the membership card will automatically freeze, and the money inside cannot be withdrawn. If you renew, you can continue to use it.”
“If you decide to join, you will be categorized into four levels based on cumulative spending: Regular, Gold, Diamond, and Prestige.
The higher the membership level, the better the privileges and benefits, though that part is confidential.”
“If you need to join, shall I take you to process it now?”
“Hello? Guest?”
Qi En snapped back to reality and took a step back. “Um, I won’t do it.”
“I didn’t bring money. I’ll come find you next time.”
Qi En’s lie was still clumsy.
But the waiter’s expression didn’t change, cooperating fully.
“Alright, this is my employee number. Welcome back anytime.” The waiter pointed to his name tag.
Qi En leaned in closer, seriously memorizing the tag.
If his hands weren’t full, he would have taken out his phone to note it down.
“Thank you. I’ll come find you next time.”
After walking a few steps, Qi En stopped again.
The waiter hadn’t left, tilting his head to watch Qi En’s somewhat green retreating figure.
Qi En walked back, looking a bit shy.
“Um, Gege, which way is the exit?”
“I’ll take you out.”
The waiter led him for a while, then pointed in a direction. “Just go straight along that road, and you’ll reach the entrance.”
“Thank you, Gege.”
Qi En left with somewhat hurried steps, switching the bag between his hands as he walked.
He felt out of place here.
He didn’t feel it when he first came in because he didn’t know anything, thinking this was just an ordinary place to drink.
He didn’t expect the cheapest quarterly membership to cost eight thousand…
He wasn’t coming back.
Forget it, I should come.
I can find a scalper to take me in.
Speaking of which, can scalpers do monthly packages?
Walking out of the club, the security guard who had stopped him initially was gone, replaced by another one.
This guard thoughtfully asked if he needed his car brought around.
Qi En shook his head. “I don’t have a car.”
He stood by the main entrance, enjoying the air conditioning blowing from inside.
Checking his phone, it was already eleven o’clock.
After reporting to Dash, he switched apps to check when the last light rail train was.
Naturally, he missed the message Dash had just sent.
He wasn’t very skilled at using life apps like the one for checking light rail schedules.
He rarely used these things before because he didn’t go out much.
At this moment, a horn honked in front of him.
He didn’t hear it.
The horn honked twice more.
A boy shouted loudly from a car, seeming to call someone’s name.
Voices of several people chatting also came from the club entrance.
Qi En didn’t look up, shuffling to the side to make room for them, then continued focusing on the app.
The talking quieted down, and Qi En assumed the group had left.
He shuffled back a few steps towards the entrance to continue mooching off the AC. The cold air made the thin layer of sweat on his body feel chilly.
He shivered involuntarily.
Just then, a man’s voice came from beside him, “Where’s your friend?”
At first, Qi En didn’t know the person was talking to him.
Until he sluggishly realized the voice was very familiar, as if he had just heard it.
Ah, he remembered.
He could never forget this person’s voice.
Qi En looked up—
Sure enough, it was that scalper.
He instinctively wanted to run, but his legs, blown by the cold wind for too long, were a bit numb and wouldn’t obey.
And in that pause, he missed the best opportunity to escape.
There were many people behind this man.
They all looked about the same age.
They were all looking at Qi En.
Qi En instinctively took a step back, a bit at a loss.
So many people, and all wearing similar suits. They look very business-like.
So it’s a scalper gang.
Qi En looked at them with much more wariness, hiding his hands behind his back and clutching his bag straps tightly.
He looked very well-behaved.
Why is he standing here alone?
Didn’t he say he came with a “friend”? Where is the “friend”?
He’s not answering either.
Yu Xiuyi got out of the car, pushed through the crowd, came to Cheng Xun’s side, slung an arm around his shoulder, and lifted his chin towards Qi En:
“What a coincidence, Little Cupcake.”
With Yu Xiuyi’s arrival, they started chatting as if no one else was there:
“Yu Xiuyi, you know him too?”
“I wanted to say it earlier, I felt Little Cupcake looked a bit familiar.”
“Looks like a streamer.”
“But does Brother Cheng know any streamer friends?”
“Probably just looks similar. Mistaken identity.”
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