Chapter 77: The Circle of Friends

Chapter 77: The Circle of Friends

Chen Yibai had initially assumed that "quite a few" meant quite a few in the literal sense. Later, he realized it was merely the cameraman's euphemistic way of putting things.

He had prepared himself to some extent, but not enough. As he stepped out, he was caught off guard by the flash of cameras, saved only by Old Xu's timely press on his cap brim.

The production team had already applied to the local authorities for permission to use half of the street for filming, leaving the other half open for pedestrians. This section was usually deserted, with few people around when they arrived yesterday. But today, after waking up, it felt like they had been transported to an entirely different place.

The entire length of the street was packed with people, their faces obscured by raised phones and cameras.

"…"

Unable to see the end, Chen Yibai slightly lifted his cap brim, attempting another glance.

Still no end in sight. The crowd stretched from one end of the street to the other, punctuated by the incessant clicking of shutters. He turned to his co-guest, eyes wide, whispering, "Is this a branch of the Walk of Fame?"

His co-guest urged him to continue sipping his soy milk.

Walking was impractical under these circumstances; even a morning's effort wouldn't get them to their destination. So, Chen Yibai continued sipping his soy milk as he was led by his co-guest to the vehicle prepared by the production team. He politely waved as the car door closed.

Once inside, the shutter sounds were muffled, finally granting peace to his ears.

As the vehicle pulled away from the curb, the diligent cameraman continued shooting. He looked at Chen Yibai, who seemed relaxed after finishing his last sip of soy milk, and asked, "Are you worried about today's work, Mr. Chen?"

"Worried?"

Chen Yibai smiled. "Not really."

He gestured with a short distance, saying, "I've done a bit of work before."

He was still working, just in a different capacity.

It was a familiar gesture and phrase, but fortunately, his agent wasn't in the car this time to be misled by his "a bit."

The bubble tea shop was located in an area with…exceptionally high foot traffic.

Even before opening hours, there was already a long queue outside, stretching from one end of the street to the other. Chen Yibai slightly lifted his cap brim and succinctly remarked, "Branch 2.0 of the Walk of Fame?"

No one expected him to add another comment. This time, the other staff members in the car couldn't hold back their laughter, quickly covering their mouths.

The bubble tea shop was part of a chain brand, as were the previous convenience store and cake shop. Chen Yibai glanced around, getting a rough idea of where the production team's funds came from.

They opened at nine o'clock sharp, and it was now eight-thirty, leaving half an hour for preparation.

Chen Yibai received a set of pink work attire—a hat and apron. Successfully transforming from Chen Yibai to Chen Pink.

He hadn't seen his good neighbor wear such a color. As soon as he changed into his uniform, Chen Pink turned around to find his neighbor already tying his own apron.

A cool guy in pink was still a cool guy.

His movements were unexpectedly skilled, catching the attention of one of the shop assistants.

Chen Yibai also took a closer look, praising him and casually explaining, "This comrade is quite often in the kitchen at home."

Afterward, he raised his hand, requesting to help put on the hat.

His neighbor handed over the hat, bending down slightly.

Taking the hat, Chen Yibai placed it on his head, carefully adjusting it. Seizing the opportunity, he supported himself on his shoulders, leaping up and taking advantage to quickly pat him twice more, his smile instantly brightening.

That was his real intention.

"Chen Yibai, you're so childish! Others might not be able to handle your childishness! I suggest playing with me; I can handle it!"

"Comrade Old Xu is laughing! Mom, he's smiling!!"

"Chen Yibai, if you want to pat heads, you don't have to look for opportunities like this. Comrade Old Xu would definitely lower his head for you x"

"If I tried to pat my friend's head, I'd only end up being pushed to the ground. Brother Xu, no wonder Yibai likes playing with you! (thumbs up)"

"The actions are very practiced; it's clear this isn't the first time something like this has happened. Taking a step back, couldn't you just play with me without any reason? [crying cat face.jpg]"

Understanding the principle of sustainable development, Chen Yibai restrained himself to just two pats. Afterward, he landed safely.

There were two jobs in the shop—one behind the counter making bubble tea, the other handling the outdoor goods. Given Chen Yibai's physique, he could easily be swept away by the crowd or trapped within it. Thus, he was assigned to the counter to focus on making bubble tea.

Two shop assistants led him to the workstation, all three donning masks. They then taught him how to recognize the teas and ingredients, demonstrating the process. A fresh cup of bubble tea emerged. Handing the freshly made bubble tea to a random staff member, the assistant said, "Don't worry if you can't remember everything. You can learn as you go, and just ask me if anything is unclear."

Making bubble tea wasn't as simple as it looked, requiring a lot of memorization. Normally, it would take several days to become proficient, but since the people around him were just experiencing life for the show, the standards could be lowered.

After saying this, he mentioned a few popular teas, their bases, and accompanying cream and toppings. Knowing that Chen Yibai wouldn't remember everything, he simply wanted to make an impression, planning to reinforce the information later.

Chen Yibai didn't say much, nodding and saying okay. The staff member who received the bubble tea had already started taking photos to commemorate the free treat.

At precisely nine o'clock in the morning, the store's doors opened.

Customers in the queue had tacitly agreed to be filmed, with the camera sweeping over a sea of people.

Initially, the viewers in the live stream were astonished by the number of people already in line, thinking that they might not be able to serve everyone from morning till night.

Later, a few scattered individuals noticed that the queue seemed to be moving surprisingly fast. In the blink of an eye, those standing outside under umbrellas had entered the store.

Eventually, they realized that they hadn't heard the voice of the person who loved chatting with others for some time.

It wasn't until the camera turned, revealing the person quietly working at the workstation.

Contrary to expectations, they weren't flustered or frequently asking the shop assistants for help. Instead, the few people here were surprisingly calm and quiet, speaking only when addressing customers.

The figure in the apron had seamlessly blended in with the shop assistants, adding tea and milk, stirring quickly in measuring cups, and filling cups. When others were too busy to shake the whipped cream gun, he quietly did it himself, topping the drinks with cream and swiftly serving them, his eyes gently curved in a smile. "Madam, thank you for waiting. Here's your Green Mountain."

Indeed, swiftly and efficiently, with an excellent service attitude.

"If it wasn't for you, Chen Yibai, how could you be so professional? I knew you were up to something big when you were being so quiet!"

"Equality hates everyone at the scene; even the lady's ears turned red. I also want to see Yibai up close!!!"

"Folks, he really means business when he says he works part-time! I've done some part-time work before, and without experience, one couldn't perform like this (wide-eyed)."

"I'm different; I was wondering how he remembered the names of the milk teas and their ingredients. My overloaded brain doesn't allow me to remember such things."

"He must have worked in a store under this brand before."

The store manager thought he had hired a lucky mascot for a life experience, but unexpectedly, he had truly hired a diligent worker.

A long queue still stretched outside, and he was also making milk teas at the workstation. Seeing the crowd, he silently helped by shaking the whipped cream dispenser again, then glanced at the person's slender arms. He promptly stopped himself, saying, "Wait... Yibai, stop for a moment. The people outside have been waiting for quite a while."

He took a stack of small cups and said, "I'll make some small tasting drinks for you to distribute; it will help cool them down."

Chen Yibai nodded as he casually helped whip another cream topping.

Thus, the manager quickly made a pot of milk tea, placed the kettle and small cups on a tray, which the diligent worker then took over.

Exiting the counter and passing through the outdoor area, what was once empty was now packed with people. The milk tea shop had transformed into a bustling market.

"..."

Chen Yibai felt that perhaps he wasn't entirely suited for outdoor service, so he briskly delivered his milk tea and small cups to provide refreshment.

As the sun slanted, there was a string of places on the street covered in shadow, and the people in line had gathered there in unspoken agreement. He moved from front to back, handing out the small cups one by one.

While standing and waiting, those in the queue who were originally engrossed in their phones would occasionally take a step forward with the line. Suddenly, a hand appeared in their field of vision, holding a small cup of milk tea. Looking up, they were caught off guard by a pair of light gray eyes peering out from under a pink cap brim.

Those eyes looked at them, smiling as they extended the small cup forward. "This is our new product. Would you like to try it, sir?"

The voice was clear and pure, the pronunciation crisp, like a breeze brushing past, causing a slight itch. The person in line hadn't fully reacted and absentmindedly accepted the cup, habitually thanking him.

He received a "you're welcome," as the person carrying the tray passed by and moved on to the next customer.

It wasn't until the person had gone by, along with the photographer following behind, that he realized who had just handed him the milk tea. The person moved quickly, and by the time he turned around, the figure had already reached the other end of the queue, smiling and greeting other customers.

In just half a day of operation, the store's revenue had already exceeded its usual daily earnings by several times, even with rough calculations.

Within half a day, the trending topic updated in real-time, with the latest entry becoming: #ChenYibai#LifeIsAFullCourse#

After the previous round of archaeological research following the BCL Championship, the detectives delved once more into ancient photos and related information about Chen Yibai before he entered the public eye, finally uncovering something that had always existed but had never been noticed.

"Archaeological research complete. So, this guy can really do anything. Chen Yibai, you can walk any path you choose!"

"Considering Yibai's proficiency and reaction speed today, industry insiders can confidently say that if he pursued it seriously, he could easily become a senior store manager or regional supervisor."

"I won't belittle playing the piano in restaurants. You can look it up online; it's a five-star restaurant. To play the piano there requires a certain level of ability. Chen Yibai might have succeeded in the professional piano track as well (closed eyes)."

"Forget the rest for now; I just want to know how he managed to do lock picking and replacement too! Master Chen, what exactly is your job!"

When the topic of lock picking and replacement came up, the first batch of beneficiaries of these services finally had the opportunity to speak up and displayed screenshots of their WeChat friends, with both names and avatars heavily censored.

"In response to your question, I believe the best actor to add on WeChat is Chen Yibai. It only takes two steps: 1) Call the lock picking and replacement hotline and ask Master Chen to replace the lock; 2) Add contact details under the pretext of ensuring after-sales service. The contact details are genuine, and occasionally, you can see him post on his Moments (though they are mostly landscapes and food)."

"Also, Master Chen no longer does lock picking and replacement, so this method no longer works (chuckles)."

That last chuckle was particularly deserving of a slap. The beneficiaries of the lock picking and replacement services remained steadfast in their resolve, with hundreds of replies in the comment section offering high prices for the contact details. They firmly held their ground, believing that they should honor the trust Master Chen had placed in them when sharing his contact details.

Although they didn't get the contact details, fans discovered numerous previously undiscovered photos and videos of Master Chen, still with his pink hair, playing the piano.

Some masters looked the part when they didn't speak, appearing quite professional. When playing the piano, their eyes would lower slightly, their spines naturally straight, presenting a completely different image from their usual demeanor.

Based on the current information available, combined with his current main job, it was known that Master Chen had held four jobs.

Juggling multiple jobs simultaneously is something a normal person wouldn't do to such an extent, and netizens now completely believed the casual mention of debt that had been made before.

Rumors of someone backing him fell apart on their own.

Although the exact amount owed was unknown, based on the facts, if there was indeed someone powerful enough to easily promote him, Master Chen wouldn't have needed to take on part-time jobs everywhere. Taking a step back, if it came to that point, there was still a friend to rely on, and relying on his world-class, unbeatable friend was far more reliable than depending on anyone else.

Netizens guessed that a certain Xu-named friend wouldn't let him reach that point.

Without a word to say, some marketing accounts quietly deleted their previous posts in silence, and the informants claiming to be insiders in anonymous forums disappeared without a trace.

Not touching his phone and completely unaware of the online news, Master Chen, whose past experiences had been unearthed, was oblivious to it all. After a busy day, he happily clocked out in the afternoon.

Paid daily, and for clarity and accuracy, in cash, upon receiving his wages, Master Chen and his good friend also received a free milk tea. This was an employee benefit, with each person entitled to one.

With all the customers gone and the store doors closed, only the staff and employees remained inside. The manager asked each person what they wanted to drink. With his double pay in his pocket, Chen Yibai leaned against the counter, starting to read the menu from top to bottom.

He read carefully, and the photography brother was somewhat curious, asking, "Teacher Chen, don't you remember the types?"

"I just remember what I made today."

His eyes scanned a row of words as Chen Yibai continued reading, "I'm not sure about the ones I haven't made. I don't usually drink these, so I'm not very familiar with them."

Hearing something from his words, an employee asked, "Didn't Yibai work in a milk tea shop before?"

After a short day of interaction, the social genius had gotten to know all the employees and had become someone who could be addressed by name.

Chen Yibai thought for a moment, saying, "It was a long time ago, at another store."

By "another store," he meant a milk tea shop under a different brand.

"..."

The store manager, who usually didn't see Chen Yibai drinking milk tea or working in the shop, opened his eyes wide and asked, "Then why are you here today...?"

Today, he was handling the order with such familiarity, only asking about a few drinks that hadn't been introduced before.

Chen Yibai nodded modestly, smiling, "My short-term memory is pretty good."

"..."

The store manager felt this went beyond just being 'pretty good.'

After scanning the menu a few more times, Chen Yibai finally found a milk tea that appealed to him and ordered it with regular ice.

His considerate neighbor, who had been quiet until now, looked over and gently reminded him, "Avoid cold and stimulating foods for a while, okay?"

His gastritis wasn't something that could be easily managed; he needed to avoid certain foods as much as possible while minimizing medication.

Chen Yibai tentatively raised his head, "Less ice?"

Noticing his neighbor's expression, he reluctantly amended, "Very little ice."

His neighbor sighed, saying, "Your Aunt Jiang is watching TV too."

Caught by Aunt Jiang's watchful eye, Chen Yibai clutched his heart and said tearfully, "No ice then."

This was the most he could compromise, and his neighbor knew it, nodding in approval.

The store manager noted the order and turned to ask Teacher Xu. Chen Yibai answered on his behalf, "He's a lifelong water drinker."

Meaning there was no need to prepare anything for him, the store manager then went to consult with the other staff members.

At half past six in the evening, carrying the reward for his day's labor, Chen Yibai boarded the vehicle back home.

For the first time since leaving work, he took out his phone and snapped a photo of his reward.

Remembering that he hadn't interacted with his friends on social media for a while, he didn't put his phone away but instead opened his feed and uploaded the picture.

Typing one-handed proved difficult, so his considerate neighbor took the initiative to hold his reward, allowing him to use both hands.

With nothing else in his hands, Chen Yibai leaned back comfortably into the seat, thinking for a moment before remembering to block the God of Wealth.

He should currently be chasing after his white moonlight brother, and although Chen Yibai didn't think the God of Wealth was someone who would check social media, his thoughtfulness extended to all aspects of life. He still chose to shield him from the post, giving the God of Wealth a peaceful space undisturbed.

Two cameras at the front couldn't see what he was doing on his phone, but Old Xu could clearly see him responding to messages from his friends on social media.

The comments on his newly posted status were already overflowing the screen.

"..."

This person had far more friends than he had assumed.

---

In City A, at a bar.

The sound of a glass colliding with the tabletop was followed by the continuous splash of liquor pouring into the glass.

It was the same private room, but this time, it wasn't raining outside, and there was only one person inside.

As the glass was lifted again, the doorknob turned, and the door pushed open.

Zhang Wenxuan entered and immediately smelled the strong scent of alcohol. Though he often immersed himself in alcohol, he handled it well, pushing aside the bottle and sitting down beside him. "You're drinking here again. What's up? Still no progress with Yang Shu?"

Loosening his tie casually, Huochuan said, "He won't accept compensation."

Zhang Wenxuan guessed as much: "He doesn't need your money either."

Although the Yang family couldn't compare to the Huo family, they were still a wealthy household, not lacking in funds.

Glancing at the window on one side and the empty table except for the bottle and glass, he said, "When you came here before, Chen Yibai was also present."

Recalling something, he added, "He even gave you some flowers back then."

He couldn't remember exactly what they looked like, only that they were quite beautiful.

Taking a sip from his glass, Huochuan said, "Sunflowers."

"Huh."

Surprised that he remembered something from so long ago, Zhang Wenxuan couldn't help but exclaim in admiration.

After his moment of awe, he thought of something else and said, "You'd better speed things up with Yang Shu."

The man holding the glass looked over. Zhang Wenxuan continued, "You've been busy with Yang Shu lately, so you might not have noticed, but Chen Yibai has a new friend around him."

"The friend isn't any less qualified than you," he glanced sideways, adding, "And that friend doesn't seem content with just being friends."

Though he spent his days idle, he wasn't idle enough to watch live streams all day. He had only seen a few snippets.

But those few snippets were enough to raise an alarm.

Chen Yibai didn't set boundaries with his friends, and this particular friend seemed to have ulterior motives. If things continued to develop, it was hard to predict what would happen next.

Given their relationship, it wasn't impossible that the other party would eventually take his place.

"..."

Huochuan put down his glass and turned to look over.

Zhang Wenxuan leaned back and said, "In the picture Chen Yibai posted on his Moments today, there's a hand in the frame next to him. That's his friend's hand."

Huochuan then lowered his head and took out his phone.

As Zhang Wenxuan watched him tap the screen a few times, Huochuan's movements mysteriously paused.

He casually poured himself a clean glass of wine and held it as he leaned against the sofa, asking, "What's up?"

The screen's light reflected in his pupils as Huochuan said, "He didn't post anything on his Moments today."

"How could that be."

Without thinking, Zhang Wenxuan directly picked up his own phone and swiped through the screens. Halfway through, he finally realized something.

Pausing his swiping, he tactically put away his phone and leaned over to look at the illuminated phone screen first.

The Moments notifications on the phone were still from a long time ago, showing a picture of a cup of soy milk.

"..."

His hand holding the wine glass trembled slightly as Zhang Wenxuan secretly glanced at his own phone, saying while looking, "Maybe I got it wrong. I surf the internet all day, so I probably mixed things up."

The phone interface switched to the Moments page.

The latest update on the Moments of the friend with the note "Chen Yibai" had been refreshed. A cup of milk tea replaced the original soy milk, and there were new comments from friends responding to others below.

Oh no.

Slowly covering the phone screen on the sofa, he spun the wine glass in his hand, Zhang Wenxuan said, "Damn, you really need to pay more attention."

Huochuan looked down at the unchanged phone interface.

Author's note:

At this moment, a Cai Shen who has already entered the loser's bracket quietly shattered.