Boss Ben

The Qixi Festival, also known as the Qiqiao Festival, is a Chinese festival celebrating the annual meeting of the cowherd and the weaver girl in mythology. It falls on the 7th day of the 7th lunar month on the Chinese calendar.

The festival originated from the romantic legend of two lovers, Zhinu and Niulang. They were the weaver girl and the cowherd respectively. The tale of the cowherd and the weaver girl has been celebrated during the Qixi Festival since the Han dynasty. It has various names, and one of the most popular names of it is Valentine's Day. The general tale is a love story between them but their love was not allowed, thus they were banished to the opposite sides of the silver river, pretty much like Romeo and Juliet.

A cold breeze kisses Su Mucheng's cheeks as they find the way to the city.

"I can smell the city Muqiu!" Su Mucheng says excitedly.

As you enter the city, the elegance of the atmosphere immediately catches your attention as you go deeper, to its heart. One thing to also notice as you continue walking is that there are lovers everywhere you look.

"Wait! I know why you wanted me to come with you! You're too embarrassed to walk around without a girlfriend!" Su Mucheng eyes her brother angrily.

"Wha-?! Shut up! You're too young to be considered my girlfriend in the first place. Now, stay here for a sec. I need to see Boss Ben in the shop first. He promised to give us an allowance for tonight. So, you could eat some delicious ice cream. Wait for me okay?" Su Muqiu winks at his little sister.

"Hey kid where are you going? The shop is closed for today." A woman, who owns a shop next to Boss Bens stops Su Muqiu in his tracks.

"Closed? Why? Where's Boss Ben? He promised to give me something tonight. I've been watching over his shop for a week now. He told me that I'd get my salary every week." Su Muqiu asked, confused.

Oh dear, are you Su Muqiu? He told me that you were coming. Here. He asked me to give you this." She hands Muqiu a brown envelope. Muqiu examines its contents, containing cash around 70 rmb.

"Wow! Thank you, Boss Lady! Boss Ben sure is nice! He really does keep his word." Su Muqiu says happily, a wide smile written on his face.

"Muqiu… I have terrible news… earlier today, this morning, just after he left that for you. He had a heart attack, he's already dead when he arrived at the hospital." Tears were forming in the woman's eyes while she tells him the news.

In the past, Su Muqiu would walk around City H without any other thought but Su Mucheng's birthday gift. Which as unique as his little sister was, ended up being a simple cone of ice cream but of course if it's Su Mucheng, Su Muqiu would go as far as buying a tube. The problem though, is that he doesn't have any money in his pocket. He saw Boss Ben's shop and was going to ask if they're willing to take in a helper for a price.

Then he saw the players playing. Instead of approaching the owner, he got distracted watching a player who was kind of playing poorly. He stood behind him and observed the game for almost an hour and got the general image of the game. As the player continued, he lowered his head and whispered some instructions to him. The player was nice enough to comply and was able to defeat his opponent. He looked at Su Muqiu with awe in his eyes.

"Woah! I've been playing this level for hours! How did you know what to do?!" he asks excitedly. Su Muqiu could only shrug and smile shyly.

"Here! As a thank you! Well, hope this will be enough? Since, I don't know how to pay you any other way!" he fishes his wallet from his pocket and takes a small amount of cash giving it to Su Muqiu.

"Wait- no. I can't take this from you!" Su Muqiu tries to refuse but the player pushes the money to his hands.

"It's fine! I still have some money left in me! It's the least I could do. Thanks for helping me clear that level!" he smiles one last time before turning his attention back to the screen.

"If it's not too much for you, could help me clear some more stages later? I'll still pay you or if you want me to treat you a meal. I'd be willing to comply!" he adds looking at Su Muqiu again.

Screw these rich kids, he thought at first but he could use the money to buy Su Mucheng her gift.

"I'd only be here around this time though." Muqiu checks the clock by the server table. Its already past 10, almost closing time.

"It's fine! I'm here until the shop closes anyway!" the player smiles and turns back to the screen.

After that, a lot of others players have heard about the genius teacher at Boss Ben's internet shop. That was when Muqiu decided to use his 'skills' to help some players who are in need of assistance in clearing a level or help them defeat an opponent online in exchange for some cash. Though, he doesn't care how much money he was given. He'd just save it up to buy Su Mucheng's gift. Luckily, his 'customers' were nice enough to comply.

Since then, Su Muqiu has in the internet shop every night watching and teaching the players on how to play their specific games. That was when Boss Ben noticed him, not because of his little money-making tricks but because of his perfect attendance in his shop. At first, he left him alone, thinking that he's friends with the players who were sitting in front of the computer screen or he thought that he was just waiting for a vacant unit.

Boss Ben's computer shop is just small. He owns around fifty units in his shop, arranged in five rows with ten computers lining up each row. The shop is quite narrow and it's actually a little difficult moving inside if there are people standing in the middle of the aisles. There's only one air-conditioning unit on the right side next to the server table. In front of the server table is the first row of computers, then after that are the next rows until the fifth. Boss Ben always sees Su Muqiu standing by the entrance, by the 41st unit.

Not to brag or anything but the shop is always full, especially during the weekends. Boss Ben's shop is always full that it's rare to encounter a vacant unit during Saturdays and Sundays. Every weekday, the shop is open from 9 AM until 11 PM. While during weekends, the shop is open until 12 midnight. Though he had to process a number of permits because most of his customers are minors.

According to the law, when the clock strikes 9, minors should not be allowed inside such establishments but that doesn't stop Boss Ben. He allows his minor customers to stay in until closing time, he's not really strict when it comes to such matters. That's why a lot of customers keep coming to his shop especially minors just to play. There were times when Boss Ben would be summoned by some of his customers' concerned parents, complaining about their children's' safety, but it would be settled immediately and he still continues what he's been doing.

There was a time when there was finally a vacant unit, it was a Saturday night. Boss Ben was waiting for Su Muqiu to approach him to take the vacant unit but he didn't. Time went by and still, Muqiu didn't bother to approach Boss Ben. That's why Boss Ben was the one to take the initiative.

"Hey, kid. Unit 37 is vacant. I notice that you've been here every night. I just thought that you've been waiting for a vacant unit because it's always full here and if there was, someone beats you to it." He explains pointing to the vacant chair in unit 37. With that, Su Muqiu lets out a small laugh.

"It's okay boss. I don't have any money with me. I just enjoy watching others play and I'd sometimes give them advice on how to play. Well, in exchange for a little cash that is. I don't charge much, though! Don't worry" Su Muqiu rushes an explanation in case Boss Ben would throw him out from his shop.

"How old are you? And where are you from?" Boss Ben asks.

"I'm from City B." Su Muqiu answers earnestly.

"City B? You've got to be kidding? It takes 20 minutes by train to arrive here. Are you sure? Who're you with? Where do you live?" he asks, puzzled.

"Actually, it takes me an hour for me from our orphanage up 'til here. I just hitch a ride with people who are nice enough to let me join them since I don't have any money with me to take the train." Su Muqiu laughs.

"What? Hitch a ride? Orphanage? Are you telling me that you've been leaving your orphanage? At this time every night?" the boss asked, his voice monotonous.

Just when Su Muqiu was about to answer, the bell rings to signal the customers that there are only 30 minutes left before the shop closes. Boss Ben shifts his attention to the bell for a moment and when he turns around to talk to Su Muqiu once again the boy is long gone.