C20 The Soul of the Bus in the Middle of the Night(part I)

"Absolutely, absolutely. Seeing how successful Lin Haoyu's show has become, it reflects well on my colleague too. It's only natural to celebrate with a dinner."

Suppressing his inner fury, Zuo Qiushu managed a sycophantic smile towards the directors.

Seated, Lin Haoyu couldn't help but recall Chen Haosi's words, feeling a wave of resignation.

"I wonder if I'll be mobbed by those rich kids at their store on Sunday..."

It was a distinct possibility, given that Lin Haoyu had exposed their cheating on an exam, which led to him being commended in front of the whole school.

Indeed, it was for that very reason that Sen Ruida harbored such deep-seated hatred towards him.

With the atmosphere turning awkward, Zuo Qiushu stood up and called out with a boisterous laugh:

"Come on, come on, don't just stand there. Let's drink!"

The more Lin Haoyu watched Zuo Qiushu, the more he found him disagreeable. Why on earth was this guy holding his wine glass with his right hand?

"Ladies and gentlemen, before we drink, I propose I read Zuo Qiushu's fortune. What do you say?"

Fortune-telling? What was this guy up to? Was he planning to embarrass his rival in front of the directors?

All eyes quickly turned to Lin Haoyu, anticipating the unfolding drama.

"How intriguing," Kang Biqin remarked with a mischievous grin, downing a shot of liquor and continuing to watch with a cold gaze.

"Oh? Lin Haoyu, you're versed in fortune-telling?" Jian Yang asked, laughing heartily and with a hint of curiosity.

But of course!

A swell of pride rose in Lin Haoyu's chest. The internet had indeed elevated him...

Ignoring the wary expression on Zuo Qiushu's face, Lin Haoyu feigned a meticulous examination, occasionally nodding his head, much to the other's bemusement.

Zuo Qiushu scoffed internally. It was just a bit of banter; he wasn't intimidated.

"He's making it seem so authentic. One glance and you can tell he's gearing up to badmouth me."

True to form, after three minutes, Lin Haoyu was all smiles, nodding his head while feigning astonishment as he chuckled:

"What a destiny of wealth and honor! This young man is fated for unspeakable riches. His career will flourish, he'll never worry about food or clothing, truly a one-in-a-million fortune!"

"Psh, I knew this kid was going to spin a tale..."

Zuo Qiushu froze in place, then turned to Lin Haoyu with a look of utter disbelief, as if questioning his own ears.

"What does that mean?"

It took a moment, but then Zuo Qiushu's face twisted into a sly grin as if everything suddenly made sense.

"Holy crap, Lin Haoyu is backing down! Ha! Did he really think he was something special?"

Believing he had figured it all out, Zuo Qiushu swelled with a sense of smug pride, casting a contemptuous glance at the obsequious Lin Haoyu.

"Huh?"

It wasn't just Zuo Qiushu; Kang Biqin, Jian Yang, and the others also awaited Lin Haoyu's explanation with confusion.

"These two are clearly rivals; why are they praising each other?"

Jian Yang's brow furrowed in concern. This wasn't a promising development. After all, they were hosts from opposing camps; there was no way they could unite.

Lin Haoyu maintained his grin as he watched Zuo Qiushu, catching every trace of disbelief and subsequent arrogance on his face.

"But in truth, superstition is not to be relied upon..."

Superstition is unreliable?

So, the idea that Zuo Qiushu could enjoy a life of affluence and success was all just unreliable nonsense?

"Pfft..."

Jian Yang couldn't help but spit out a mouthful of his drink, thankfully missing the feast, or it would have been a real waste...

"Cough, cough, Lin Haoyu really has a sharp tongue. It seems I was worried for nothing..."

The smile on Zuo Qiushu's face solidified, and it was quite some time before he could compose himself. His face flushed with anger, he darkly muttered,

"Damn you, Lin Haoyu, you're on my list now."

With a cold huff, Zuo Qiushu refused to give Lin Haoyu another glance and went back to his drinking.

At the dinner table, toasts were made in round after round until nearly everyone was out for the count. Only Jian Yang, with his exceptional tolerance, Lin Haoyu, who hadn't imbibed much, and Zuo Qiushu, who had barely touched his drink, remained alert.

A tipsy Jian Yang let out a burp and roared with laughter, clapping Lin Haoyu on the shoulder as he grinned:

"Hey, looks like our Brother Yu can hold his liquor too, huh?"

A powerful slap on the back sent Lin Haoyu into an awkward fit of coughing, struggling not to choke on his drink.

"Cough, cough, indeed! But Director Jian Yang, your tolerance far exceeds mine. And that Zuo Qiushu over there has hardly had a sip; he must have a low tolerance."

Lin Haoyu chuckled and picked up his glass, downing it in one go—ah, beer, while everyone else was drinking spirits.

Jian Yang, his vision blurred from the alcohol, mistakenly thought Lin Haoyu had just chugged a glass of spirits and became even more enthusiastic, slapping the table with excitement:

"Ha ha ha, great! If that's the case, I won't keep it a secret any longer!"

"We've got a citywide promotional campaign at our station, and you're the one for the job!"

Suddenly, the scene shifted.

Late at night, on the 980 express bus from the Mi Yun district of Flitrora to the city center, a girl with the appearance of a high school student sat in her seat, gazing out at the darkness and the flickering lights.

Annoyed, Qiao Lengzhi rubbed her temples and called out:

"Excuse me, driver, could you turn off the radio? Who still listens to the radio in this day and age? What's so good about it?"

Qiao Lengzhi's name, as it suggests, was inspired by her parents' desire for her to stand tall and proud like a branch in the frost. But since the character for 'branch' didn't quite resonate, they opted for the homophonic 'zhi' instead.

She found herself on this last bus because her home was in the Mi Yun district, while her school was in the heart of Flitrora—a rather unfortunate situation.

The bus driver paused, then burst into laughter, saying,

"Little girl, it's true that radios are considered outdated these days, but they can still be quite entertaining to listen to now and then!"

The hearty laughter quickly filled the bus, prompting knowing smiles from the other passengers.

"Exactly! Back in my day, during the 70s and 80s, you couldn't even catch a radio station if you tried!"

A man's boisterous laugh resonated, finding agreement among the middle-aged and elderly passengers, who began to nostalgically reminisce, their faces a mix of laughter and tears.

Qiao Lengzhi frowned disapprovingly and sighed softly, shaking her head as she returned her gaze to the window.

"Humph! Radio stations have no place in modern society..."

The more she listened, the more she found the Flitrora radio station's voice repulsive and its content outdated, its tone archaic and not at all in tune with the times.

"Crack!"

The sound of gentle braking signaled the bus's stop at the edge of the city.

"Welcome aboard bus 980..."

People got on and off, and the brief interlude was soon forgotten, with no one paying any more attention to Qiao Lengzhi.

Before long, the 980 bus reached the penultimate stop, with the Cloud District just ahead.

Qiao Lengzhi continued to scornfully observe the receding landscape outside, yawning deeply and thinking to herself with a smirk:

"If it weren't for this irritating radio, I could have taken a nap to refresh myself."

Indeed, the radio seemed to be a relic of the past, offering no value and only serving as an annoyance.

"Ding! Ding! Ding! The time in Flitrora is now 23:00!"

The time announcement chimed as the vehicle arrived punctually at the second-to-last stop. Qiao Lengzhi sleepily glared at the driver, inwardly vowing revenge against the person who was keeping her from her sleep...

That thought could easily be misconstrued.

Suddenly, a voice oozing with charisma and an eerie undertone came over the radio, jolting Qiao Lengzhi awake just as she was drifting off.

"Welcome to After Midnight. I'm your host, Lin Haoyu, living right next door. To my listeners, when you get home, could you check your wife's closet and under the bed for my missing underwear? It seems I've just realized I'm not wearing any."

"Pfft!"

At first, Qiao Lengzhi didn't quite catch the meaning, but after a thoughtful smile, it was as if she suddenly grasped some bizarre joke and couldn't help but burst into uncontrollable laughter.

"Lost and Found Notice: Could everyone please check if Lin Haoyu's underwear has mistakenly ended up at your place …"