Day in Yuwu

As Yasushi's group walked through the lively streets of Yuwu, Furuya's voice suddenly cut through the chatter. "Oh yeah, that!" he exclaimed, jabbing a finger toward a nearby building. "That's the local arcade. The number of people our age who hang out there is off the charts. It's like a sauna for gamers, it's hilarious."

Catherine, clearly exasperated, snapped, "Furuya… you've already been there twice this week. Can we please skip it this time?" Her voice carried a mix of frustration and pleading.

Furuya's cheeks flushed with embarrassment as he stammered, "I-I wasn't planning on going in. I just mentioned it." With a slight frown, he turned away, clearly miffed.

As the couple bickered back and forth, Yasushi's curiosity about the arcade grew. Xinyi, noticing his interest, joined him. "He's not wrong, but it's pretty awful in there, especially during summer. The place reeks of sweat. We even suggested installing air conditioners, but the owner refuses to cover the cost."

"What about fans?" Yasushi asked, puzzled by the owner's refusal.

Xinyi shook her head, her expression souring. "No, he won't even consider fans. We even offered to cover the cost ourselves, but he still turned us down. I can't understand why he keeps rejecting our offers."

Yasushi chuckled, a spark of curiosity in his eyes. "Well, now I'm even more interested in checking it out, but not for the reasons Furuya thinks."

Xinyi raised an eyebrow. "So, you want to go in?"

Yasushi nodded, confirming his decision. They started moving toward the arcade, leaving the arguing couple momentarily stunned.

"Hey, wait, we're actually going!?" Furuya's voice cracked with surprise. Douhui quickly filled him in on the conversation he had missed.

As they crossed the arcade's threshold, the oppressive stench hit Yasushi immediately. He recoiled, his face scrunching in disgust. "Oh god, what is that smell?" he exclaimed, clearly taken aback. His initial hope that Furuya had been exaggerating was quickly dashed.

"Told you... it's that super gamer sweat deluxe smell," Furuya said, his grin broadening as he took in Yasushi's reaction.

Yasushi's face remained set in a look of distaste as they moved further into the arcade. Furuya's description was spot on; the place was packed, a reality that caught him off guard. What Furuya hadn't mentioned was that this wasn't a typical arcade. In addition to rows of classic game consoles, there were numerous computers, attracting a mix of modern gamers alongside those who preferred older games.

"This… was worse than I remember," Xinyi muttered as they approached the back area where the counter should have been, only to find it deserted. The absence of an attendant was evident.

Yasushi examined the surroundings with keen interest. "Now I see why it's so crowded. They have PCs here too. With the low cost per hour, it makes sense why so many people come. The equipment is fairly up to date, mostly midrange PCs. That explains the popularity."

Before they could continue discussing the arcade's appeal, the sound of a door creaking open accompanied by a flush interrupted their conversation. An older man, looking weathered and rough around the edges, emerged with a grin on his face. He scanned the room before his gaze settled on Yasushi's group.

"Hmm…oh, the young one from the Cheng family. Did you come here to pester me about installing air conditioners again?" he asked, his voice dripping with irritation as he adjusted his belt.

"I'd be inclined to say yes, but today, no," Xinyi responded. "I'm here showing my friend around the town, and this place was on the tour. But since you're here, I might as well add my two cents — please reconsider adding air conditioners and something to manage the odor. It's even worse than it was before," she said, fanning the air in front of her face to emphasize her point.

"Hah, no," the man replied curtly. "As I've mentioned before, it's too costly, and everyone else seems to manage just fine without it. So that's a problem for you to handle," he added before turning and walking away.

"What a dickhead," Furuya grumbled. "I knew he was unpleasant, but this is something else. Makes me think twice about coming here in the future."

Xinyi shook her head. "He's been like this for years, and I doubt he's going to change anytime soon. He doesn't have any family, so if something were to happen to him, who knows what would become of this place? We might end up buying it ourselves and making some changes since it's quite profitable along with the farm."

Jingliu, her face wrinkling with distaste, suggested, "Let's get out of here for now. This place reeks, and his attitude will only ruin our day further." The others nodded in agreement.

As they made their way out, Yasushi's mind began to churn with ideas for improving the arcade. Perhaps some online effort could influence the place's reputation, but he wasn't quite sure how to proceed just yet. Once they stepped back outside, the fresh air was a welcome relief from the oppressive stench inside.

"Where to next?" Yasushi asked, casting a glance at Xinyi, who was deep in thought about their next stop.

Douhui stepped forward, his hand pointing in a particular direction. "How about heading to Yuwu Park? It offers a great view of the surrounding farm and has plenty of food and drink stands if you're in the mood for a snack or a drink. It's designed with both adults and teenagers in mind, so it's not just a place for kids."

Xinyi's face lit up with enthusiasm. "Yeah, that sounds like a great idea. I've been wanting to try the smoothie from there for a while now." With that, she set off towards the park, and the rest of the group followed her, eager to explore the new destination.

+-+

"Huh, the name rings a bell, but didn't we come here before?" Furuya asked, glancing at Catherine with a hint of confusion.

Catherine nodded, a faint smile on her lips. "Yes, I brought you here on our first day back in China. You seemed to really enjoy the pancakes they serve." With that, she and Furuya separated from the main group, heading off in a different direction.

Xinyi surveyed the park, its expansive layout offering countless opportunities for exploration. "It's a large park, so there's plenty to see. How about we split up for now?" she suggested. "Since Furuya and Catherine have already wandered off, I'll take the rest of you on a tour. Douhui, could you accompany Furuya and Catherine? Knowing them, they might easily lose track of us being a group."

Douhui flashed a grin and nodded, then made his way to catch up with Furuya and Catherine. Xinyi turned to the remaining members of the group, which included Yunxue, Yinhaie, Yasushi, and Jingliu. "Alright, let's head over to get those smoothies first!" She set off with her small group, eager to lead them to their next stop.

The group first arrived at a charming, circular section of the park. In the center stood a fountain, its centerpiece a marble statue of a woman in flowing, elegant attire, gracefully pouring water into a decorative vase. Surrounding the fountain were an assortment of stalls, each offering a variety of food and drinks.

Xinyi quickly scanned the bustling area, her eyes searching for the familiar stall where she usually got her favorite smoothies. After a few moments of searching, she spotted it. The park's stalls weren't permanent fixtures; they operated on a first-come, first-served basis. If you weren't early enough or hadn't made a prior arrangement, someone else could easily claim the spot for the day, week, or even month.

With a sense of urgency, Xinyi made her way over to the smoothie stall, with the rest of the group following closely behind her. As she reached the counter, she cheerfully addressed the vendor. "Uh… I'd like to get the usual, please! And also, can you prepare some for my friends here?" she said with a bright smile, her finger pointing at the various smoothie options displayed on the sign.

"Hehe, of course, Little Xinyi. It's been a while since you last visited. Have you been keeping busy?" the middle-aged woman asked warmly as she began preparing their smoothies.

Xinyi chuckled softly, scratching the back of her head with a hint of embarrassment. "Yeah, just dealing with some high-class nonsense for a while. It's all wrapped up now, though. It's exhausting, you know? Playing the part and having to interact with people who are so full of themselves."

The woman laughed along with her as she continued to mix and blend their orders. "I can relate. I had a cousin who married into a wealthy family, and she found it incredibly overwhelming. We do get invited to their gatherings occasionally, and from what I've seen, it's quite a lot to handle. I certainly wouldn't want to be pulled into that world myself."

The woman then turned her attention to Jingliu, her expression shifting to one of pleasant surprise. "Ah, the heir to the Yang family is here too. What a surprise! What brings you to this part of town today?"

Jingliu's eyes widened in surprise as she asked, "You know who I am?"

The woman smiled warmly, a hint of nostalgia in her gaze. "Of course, I remember. You visited this town when you were younger, and I recall you buying a few of my smoothies back then. It's lovely to see how well you've grown up, into such a fine young lady."

Jingliu felt her cheeks flush at the unexpected compliment, and she instinctively brushed a lock of hair behind her ear. "Thank you, and I'm sorry I don't remember much from those days," she replied, a bit flustered.

"Fufu, no need to apologize," the woman reassured her with a gentle laugh, placing their freshly made drinks on the counter as Xinyi quickly paid for all of them. "Thank you for stopping by today. And if you find yourself craving more before you leave, you know where to find me, Little Xinyi."

"Will do! Thanks so much!" Xinyi chirped back, her tone full of gratitude as she handed out the drinks to her friends, keeping her own in hand. They began to walk away from the stall, heading toward another vendor to grab some kebabs before moving on to explore a different area of the park. As they strolled along, Xinyi grinned and asked, "Pretty good, right?"

"Yeah, the kebabs are excellent, but have you really been getting your smoothies from that woman for such a long time?" Yasushi asked, clearly intrigued.

Xinyi's face lit up with a bright, satisfied smile as she nodded enthusiastically. "Yep. In my opinion, she makes the best smoothies around. I've been coming here for years because I think they're just unbeatable. But, you know, there might be other places in the park that you could enjoy as well," she said cheerfully.

As they continued their stroll, Xinyi began to skip lightly, her excitement infectious as they headed towards a new part of the park.