Pushing the door open, Yu Lian entered a small eatery that could accommodate about ten people.
The interior decoration was very simple, yet it appeared very clean and tidy, and the aroma wafting from the kitchen quickly whetted one's appetite.
However, at Present, there weren't many people eating; besides Yu Lian, who had just entered, there were only four customers in the entire shop.
Yu Lian knew that this late-night eatery primarily catered to the night shift and the first batch of workers starting early in the morning, so even in the early hours, business was usually good.
The reason it was a bit bleak today was probably due to the riots.
Indeed, the television on the side projected a screen onto the wall, which was now continuously broadcasting news of today's commotion, though the sound was turned off.
One table seated three people, all dressed and appearing like ordinary blue-collar workers, with a large bowl in front of each of them.
They were holding their bowls and chopsticks, wolfing down their food.
Another customer, a middle-aged man A with a similar blue-collar demeanor, about forty years old, occupied a table by himself, with a row of beers and several small dishes laid out.
Opposite him sat another man B, a few years older, but with a refined demeanor, like a middle school teacher or a grassroots civil servant.
The reason Yu Lian knew this wasn't a customer was because he knew him, but it would be decades later.
By then, this man B was already one of the former bosses, a photograph plastered on the wall.
The two men were drinking, cup after cup.
Man A was clearly troubled, muttering softly, but Yu Lian heard him clearly.
"Well, those idiots, they said it was just a protest, but it turned into a riot! Now what? Everyone outside is calling us rioters.
The factory will be even less likely to listen to us."
"This, from now on, what will happen to our family?" Man A said.
"You could try going out to sea to fish.
Doesn't your family still have a fishing boat?
It was rented to a Fae Merfolk.
Why not take it back and go yourself?"
"Sigh, that's years ago.
The year before last, Little Mary had to go to private school, so I sold the fishing boat long ago.
That merfolk family was miserable; twenty-odd people, no one knows where they went."
"…There's always a way.
After the factory moved into the sky, weren't they going to redevelop the original site to build a racetrack and a large natural park?
You could look for a gardener's job, right?
I remember you used to do that."
"I'd rather starve to death than work for those bastards!"
"It doesn't matter if you starve to death, what about your wife?
What about Little Mary?"
"…So, I'm already prepared to go to the colony.
New Yumen!
I heard that as long as you're willing to work hard there, there's always a chance to get rich.
Our whole family is going, Old Chen, I'm here to say goodbye."
"Is that so?"
"Old Chen, I'll work hard!
I have hands and feet, if Earth can't hold me, I don't believe there's no place that can."
The two men were so engrossed in their conversation that they didn't notice Yu Lian standing for a while, until the shop owner, Old Chen, looked up, took off his glasses, wiped them, and then noticed Yu Lian.
"Ah, you… are you here to eat?"
Yu Lian smiled and nodded.
"Yiyi, Yiyi, we have a customer!" The owner stood up and walked towards the kitchen, calling out loudly.
A girl of fifteen or sixteen appeared from behind the counter, picking up a menu.
This was someone Yu Lian knew, but calculating the time, he would only meet her about thirty years later.
Seeing her in her youth was truly a bit disorienting!
Yu Lian felt a blend of dream and reality for a moment, sighed inwardly, and then casually found a table and sat down.
"Boss Chen… just a super-sized beef noodle, please."
The owner was startled: "You know me?"
"I've heard of your craftsmanship and came especially for it."
The young girl pointed to the 'No Leftovers' scroll on the wall and said, "You must finish it, okay?"
"I must finish it!" Yu Lian said seriously.
Boss Chen sized up Yu Lian and then went straight into the kitchen.
A few minutes later, the young girl came out holding a large bowl filled with soup noodles.
Visually, there was at least half a pound of noodles alone, not to mention the beef, fried pork fat, eggs, dried fish, bamboo shoots, and greens, which covered the entire surface in a dazzling array.
Yu Lian began to feast, eating so quickly that his tongue almost melted.
He was now even more certain that this young girl, whom he would call “Auntie Chen” in the future, had at most inherited eighty percent of Boss Chen's culinary skills in later generations.
What a waste!
Thinking of this, Yu Lian couldn't help but glare at the young girl.
The latter, who was curiously watching Yu Lian, was puzzled, thinking that this handsome man was quite pleasing to the eye, but perhaps he was a fool?
While Yu Lian was enjoying his delicious meal, the three customers eating noodles were also preparing to pay and leave.
"Three large portions, right?
That's 75 in total," the young girl said.
"Why did the price go up again?"
"Didn't you look at the menu?
It went up last week!
Now, rent is rising, utilities are rising, ingredients are rising, beef has tripled!
And so much has happened today, who knows what will rise tomorrow?"
"Rent, rent… Isn't this building your Old Chen family's?
My grandfather opened it back then."
"Aren't management fees rising?
Also, at this price, in the entire city, oh no, the entire Earth, oh no, the entire Universe, where else can you find such affordable and delicious noodles?
Our Old Chen family's noodles are the best in the Universe!"
The three burly blue-collar men were utterly defeated by the young girl and could only quickly pay and leave.
"Forget it, forget it, it's the last time anyway," the leader said.
"Last time?
Oh, you really think it's too expensive?"
"Hehe, we're moving too."
The big man showed a simple and honest smile: "You know, where I work, we make parts for the Big Apple Machinery Factory.
If the machinery factory is gone, our parts factory will be gone too."
"Is that so…" The young girl's lips trembled slightly, and her eyelids drooped: "Have you decided where to go?"
"Hehe, if worst comes to worst, we'll go back to our hometown to reclaim land.
If we pool our money, we can still buy some farm tools and seeds or something.
Anyway, reclaiming land and farming doesn't require taxes now, so we definitely won't starve to death no matter what."
"You're all old customers, let's have a drink together," Boss Chen came out of the kitchen, carrying a large plate of freshly stir-fried dishes to go with the wine.
They hesitated for a moment but still sat down.
They were actually genuinely reluctant to leave.
Whether it was the bustling prosperity of the Upper City, the gloomy corners of the Lower City, or the aroma in this small noodle shop, it had long become an indispensable part of their lives.
"Cheers! To this Big Apple!" Boss Chen said.
"Cheers!"
Yu Lian seemed to have seen none of this, he quickly finished his noodles, then gulped down the soup, wiped his mouth, and placed 50 yuan on the table.
He looked at the men who were toasting, then nodded and smiled at the future “Auntie Chen,” turned, and left.
However, before he walked out the door, he gently waved his hand.
The light screen projected on the wall suddenly changed, and the rolling news of the riots turned into an unpretentious old man being interviewed by a reporter.
Immediately after, the projector's sound was inexplicably turned on, and the voice coming from it quickly attracted everyone's attention in the small shop: "The development of New Divine Province is a century-long plan for the entire star sector, and it will not waver in the slightest!
Yes, even after I step down, this has already become the consensus of the people of the star sector and will definitely continue!
Here, I once again invite all citizens!
Perhaps there isn't the chance to get rich overnight like in the New World, but as long as you work diligently, you will definitely be able to earn a livelihood and establish a family business!
I guarantee it to everyone!"
Everyone in the restaurant stared blankly at the scene on the light screen.
Yu Lian left the noodle shop contentedly, passing directly through the sentry post on the Friendship Estuary Bridge.
The sentry's security robots and fully armed police seemed not to see him.
Then, the scenery in his eyes immediately transformed into a futuristic city composed of massive skyscrapers.
Crossing a bridge, he felt as if he had crossed several eras.
As for the vast Golden Apple Forest and city parks, and the well-equipped wealthy residential areas, they were further north of the city, and on this night, they were naturally completely obscured by the cyberpunk-style light pollution from those skyscrapers.
The Lower City across the river had almost turned into a sea of fire, but the Upper City on this side was completely unaffected.
On the most prominent advertising light screen, the image of the Alliance CEO holding the hand of a timid Earth girl and looking longingly at the distant stars was still playing.
These dazzling halos completely obscured the starlight, so magnificent, yet without warmth.
The people in the picture seemed to contain the entire Universe in their eyes, but they did not include their fellow townsfolk across a river.
Yu Lian gave the billboard the middle finger, hailed an autonomous taxi, and arrived at the yacht marina in just over ten minutes.
Then, at Pier 124, Yu Lian saw a light wheel 2000 shuttle, painted a very flashy fiery red with golden flame patterns.
He confirmed once again that Autumn Mountain Yawata was indeed an incorrigible tsundere.