"Ash? Ash?"

Ash, who was slumped over the dining table, was nudged twice. He moaned a bit, rubbed his eyes, and sat up to see two familiar young men sitting beside him. The one on the left looked decent but was dressed simply, clearly a die-hard homebody; the one on the right, dressed smartly, had deep dark circles and a prominent scar on his neck, looking somewhat alarming.

"Just graduated a few years ago, and you pass out after a little Qing Beer?" the homebody said with a laugh and tears: "You should drink at the kids' table!"

"Ash pulled an all-nighter at work last night and continued working today. It's normal to fall asleep after coming here right after work." The one with dark circles said: "If you really can't keep up, then sleep a while before waking up to toast."

As his consciousness gradually returned to his body, it felt like the clogging eye gunk and ear wax suddenly melted, drowning Ash's senses in bright colors and noisy sounds.

He was in the wedding banquet hall, surrounded mostly by guests he didn't know.

He remembered, today was a college classmate's wedding. Although he'd just gone through a hellish period of working day and night, Ash came anyway. He wasn't particularly familiar with the couple but simply wanted to witness contemporaries entering a new life stage and reunite with his best friends.

Turns out, due to being too tired, a sip of beer knocked him out. Ash patted his cheeks, puzzled as to why he was still tired after drinking four pots of coffee last night for work. He decided not to drink coffee next time.

Looking at the two beside him, he felt a tinge of emotion: "Long time no see."

The homebody was Suo, the one with dark circles was Lezi, and Ash himself was called Xiu'er by them. They were college dormmates for four years, each semester trying to make money in their own ways and spending winter and summer breaks on budget travels, chased by dogs and robbers. Though they lost touch after graduation, whenever they met, those silly memories flooded back.

"Ash got into a big company and made big money, not bothering with broke friends like us, understandable." Suo feigned seriousness: "Actually, I did think about inviting you for a meal but was afraid you'd think I'm borrowing money..."

"It's just that Ash is hard to pin down." Lezi sighed: "I've passed by the Divine Sea several times, wanting to meet but you always said you're busy. Are you overworked? I heard someone from your company suddenly died recently, what's their name..."

"I remember that news too," Suo said: "Called Trojan... such a weird name."

"Oh, we usually use codenames at the company, so there are a lot of weird names." Ash unwittingly replied, almost instinctively.

"Ash, money isn't everything." Lezi said seriously: "If not, consider switching jobs. I'm worried one day I'll see news of you dying suddenly."

"Right, right, your house is the landlord's, your life is your boss's, but your life belongs to you." Suo also said: "If really not, Ash, quit without a job, I'll support you for a few years!"

"No way!"

Ash shook his head heavily, "I've just been promoted to an Operations Manager and in charge of a big project team. Although busy lately, once I get through, I'll have it all. Like another hit game's chief planner, he's the same age and was recently rewarded a villa in Abyss City..."

Lezi sighed: "As long as you know what you're doing."

Ash didn't like others worrying, so he changed the topic: "How about you guys, what's new?"

"My life is regular, sleep by 10, up by 6." Suo said: "Though maybe sleep at 10 and wake at 6pm. Eat takeout, play games, each day a struggle to survive to the next."

"I've acted in a few movies." Lezi chuckled: "But none have been released."

Ash knew Suo had been gaming since graduation, likely a gaming streamer, but Lezi pursuing acting surprised him: "What roles did you play? What movies? Let me know when they're out."

"You should catch up on sleep." Lezi rubbed his dark circles, "I played undercover, a rogue noble, and a teacher. As for the movies... I hope you watch out of interest, not wasting 90 minutes for me."

"Hey, Ash, your company's new game is remarkable." Suo mentioned: "It's topped the sales charts for months; I've spent thousands. When's the next version? What Magic Faction are the new operators? Any limited operators coming back?"

Ash replied helplessly: "What we can say is already in the PV, what can't are confidential."

"I won't spill!"

"Well, do you have a porn site?"

"Sure, why?"

"Visit porn sites then, I don't wanna answer your questions."

As Suo put Ash in a headlock, the banqueting hall suddenly dimmed, the wedding finally begun. Today's bride was their class president, led in by her father as all lights focused on her.

Whether due to too much coffee, Ash forgot the president's name, but looking at her in the wedding dress, he thought it might be her life's most beautiful moment.

The wedding process was dull, the emcee ordinary; they clapped politely. During vows, the groom answered loudly but somewhat recited; the bride's voice was emotional, near tears, excitement and joy spread through the speakers to every guest.

"Was the president always so emotional?" Suo wondered.

Lezi: "Honestly, Suo, go look at porn sites. Despite complaints about wedding hassles, many cherish the ceremony, sparing no effort. Plus, it's probably a girl's only chance to wear a wedding dress, and most have imagined themselves in one."

Suo instinctively replied: "Actually..." But he knew the setting and swallowed his words.

Ash watched the couple, emotions flooding in, both longing and guilt. Longing aside, while he couldn't wear a dress, a wedding as life's major task was appealing for a young man. But guilt, odd as it was, he wondered why.

The ceremony ended, waiters served dishes. Ash barely had a bite of bad fish when his phone buzzed with a message.

He glanced at it, "Ah, project's messed up, Boss Four called me back to work, I have to leave."

Lezi: "Boss Four?"

"Four bosses." Ash said helplessly: "Our firm has four bosses, my direct supervisors who think there's an issue, I have no choice but to go back."

Suo: "Can't your team work overtime?"

"After-hours long gone, who'd want to? Plus, if they do badly or slowly, I'd be blamed, so might as well do it myself." Ash shrugged: "Middle management gets it from top and bottom."

"Leaving, let's meet next time."

Lezi: "At this work rate, next meet's at another wedding."

Suo: "I'll send you some porn sites, brother, that's all I can do."

"Go, go, go."

Ash took a cab outside, closed his eyes briefly in the backseat, reopening them at the company building.

Seen from outside, the building looked like a giant transparent fish tank, brightly lit and bustling, showing the outdated eight-hour work system no longer suits the new era. He passed security, a facial scan, a cold female voice from the machine:

"Tactile Director, welcome back."

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