Chapter 11: Meeting Again
Just as the elevator was about to reach the first floor, Mu Lantu spoke again, “Should we add each other on WeChat?”
Xu Huazhang nodded. “135…”
Ding — the elevator arrived.
“Boss, they’re urging us over there!” a bodyguard whispered. He and another guard quickly escorted Xu Huazhang forward.
Matching their pace, Xu Huazhang quickened his steps and murmured, “Did he remember it?”
“Boss, what did you say?”
“Nothing.” Xu Huazhang glanced back at the young man staring down at his phone, then got into the car.
The low-profile black MPV sped away.
Mu Lantu sent the friend request on Wechat, and it was instantly accepted.
He didn’t send any messages—Xu Huazhang clearly had something urgent going on. At times like this, not disturbing someone was the best form of respect.
He looked curiously at Xu Huazhang’s profile picture—it was a default landscape image from the system.
Mu Lantu raised an eyebrow in mild amusement and opened Xu Huazhang’s Moments. There were quite a few posts, but nearly all were just scenic photos, not a single word.
Interesting.
Mu Lantu liked every one of his Moments, then put his phone away and walked out of the residential area.
The street was nearly empty—it was work hours, and most people with jobs had already left. In a window on the fifth floor diagonally across from him, a young man was holding binoculars, staring up at the sky with his mouth agape, frozen in place like someone hit a pressure point.
Mu Lantu followed his gaze. A blue planet hovered silently in the sky—stunning and mysterious.
[Host, are you really pursuing that man to become a landlord, or did you just fall for his looks?]
System 005 finally responded, making Mu Lantu curl up the corners of his lips.
[Xiao Wu, I want to eat at a buffet. Help me find a good one.]
005 was quickly distracted.
[Sure, Host. Found one—“Happy Joy BBQ Buffet,” 3.2 km away, 188 yuan per person. A bit pricey, but it has four stars on public reviews.]
[Let’s go with that one.]
At the roadside, Mu Lantu remembered he still needed a vehicle, so he decided to buy a car first before eating. He got into a taxi and told the driver to take him to the nearest dealership.
005 had already done research online. Mu Lantu made the purchase swiftly—paid in full for a white Mercedes Benz, four-seater Imperial Edition, 1.36 million yuan.
When he arrived at the BBQ place, the crowd made him pause briefly.
The waiter smiled and said, “You’re in luck, sir. We’ve got just one table left.”
“Really?”
Following the waiter inside, Mu Lantu overheard many people talking about the newly appeared planet.
In an information-driven society, even if online news was blocked, communication apps like QQ and Wechat spread the word faster than lightning. Apocalyptic theories were resurging. Many young people, thinking this meal might be their last, came with their partners or friends for one final celebration.
The shocking news had distracted most customers, so no one paid much attention to the black-and-white dumpling next to Mu Lantu, which worked out nicely for him.
He seated the dumpling across from him and told it not to wander off, then went to get food.
The black-and-white dumpling was clearly quite intelligent. Mu Lantu had long suspected it wasn’t just an ordinary electronic pet and planned to ask Xu Huazhang about it when he had the chance.
The BBQ place offered a wide selection: drinks, desserts, fruits, vegetables, meats, seafood—you name it.
Mu Lantu had a big appetite and took plenty. He loaded the four-person table with mostly meat, including steak, flank, short rib, and marbled beef.
Thick-cut pork belly sizzled on the grill, soon releasing hot oil and turning golden brown, its tempting aroma filling the air.
Once cooked, Mu Lantu took a picture and posted it on his Moments before digging in.
From the next table came voices—the decorative divider blocked their view, but the conversation came through clearly. They were talking about the sudden appearance of the new planet.
“That planet’s so close. Do you think humans could go up there? Might there be aliens?”
“If we can go, does that mean interstellar migration could become a reality?”
“How can you even think about that right now? Shouldn’t we be worrying about possible war first?”
“War?”
“A new planet—if we can’t reach it, fine. But if we can, that’s a whole planet’s worth of resources waiting to be claimed. So, tell me, how do you think those resources will be divided?”
“Yikes! Don’t scare me like that!”
“Enough already. Let’s stop talking about this. Be careful or we’ll get arrested for spreading panic.”
“Right, right. If the sky falls, the tall ones will hold it up. Let’s eat. This grilled duck gizzard is amazing!”
Mu Lantu stopped listening and immersed himself in the delicious food.
“Mu Lantu?”
A familiar voice called out.
Mu Lantu looked up. “Lin Sen? You came here to eat too?”
Lin Sen was one of his college roommates—and one whose orientation was a bit “different.” Back when Zhou Xianlin had arranged for Mu Lantu and Lin Sen to room together, Mu Lantu wasn’t sure if Lin Sen knew the backstory. Either way, Lin Sen had never messed with the original host, and their personalities weren’t bad, so they’d gotten along fairly well.
Lin Sen was about the same height as Mu Lantu but more muscular—standing there, he looked like a small mountain. He glanced at Mu Lantu, then at the dumpling, a flicker of realization crossing his face before he said in surprise, “Guangchao told me you went back to your hometown. How come…”
Mu Lantu wasn’t surprised to see him—Lin Sen was a native of the capital.
“You came alone too? Want to sit together? Though I already started eating.”
“So what? I’m alone too.” Lin Sen plopped down across from him. The dumpling scooted over politely, which amused Lin Sen. He stared at it for a while before looking back. “Did you see that thing in the sky? I was supposed to meet some friends, but one of them freaked out and insisted on going home. So here I am, solo.”
“I saw it. But hey—big sky, big earth—eating comes first.” Mu Lantu tossed more meat on the grill. What he’d cooked earlier wasn’t enough for two.
“You’re not wrong. This place is great—I’ve been here several times. They even have whole roasted lamb at night, but you have to reserve in advance.” Lin Sen didn’t mind the food Mu Lantu had picked and dug in without hesitation.
Mu Lantu was intrigued. “Really? I’ll try that next time.”
Lin Sen’s eyes casually landed on a car key on the table corner, and he was quietly surprised, but said nothing.
“By the way, you didn’t answer—so you didn’t go back to your hometown after all?”
Mu Lantu calmly flipped the steak and wings. “I did, for two days. Then I came back. What about you? You must’ve found a job already?”
“Nothing worth mentioning.” Lin Sen shook his head with a sigh, then grabbed a pair of tongs to help. “My dad used his connections to get me into some ad company as an office clerk. I’m not into it—it just sounds boring. But I’ll hang in there for now. Work starts the day after tomorrow, so I’ve only got two days of freedom left. What about you? Got any plans?”
