I am not Ximen Qing.

Jinghua was quite generous, introducing Jiang Tao to him. Jiang Tao called to purchase a batch of office equipment, providing a list but requesting payment terms. Jiang Tao's team was growing larger. Jiang Tao led Zhang Sheng on a tour of the company, a two-story rented space in the Guantong Building near Peking University Third Hospital. It was a single-level unit in a good location, close to both Beihang University and Peking University Medical School. This proximity allowed them to hire inexpensive, highly qualified students to write programs—an advantage of university student entrepreneurship: good human resources and cost-effectiveness.

He was the student council president in school, so he had a certain amount of influence. Plus, his family was relatively well-off, so starting a business with 500,000 to 600,000 yuan was easy for him. Even if the business failed, he wouldn't be afraid of bankruptcy. Therefore, Jiang Tao was quite confident. However, he was recently quite troubled because although he had built dozens of corporate websites, he hadn't received any payments.

"What if these companies stop paying?"

"Don't worry, these companies are all financial institutions."

Born into a wealthy family, Jiang Tao's favorite genres were the glitz and glamour, barren wastelands and white towers depicted by Japanese authors. To express his gratitude to Zhang Sheng, Jiang Tao introduced him to his wife, a rather introverted and shy female college student. Despite not having graduated long ago, Jiang Tao was married young. They rented a single-story apartment as their company's office space, a location that wouldn't be cheap. "There's no other way," he explained. "Our clients are all high-value clients. Renting commercial apartments won't work anymore. If you don't have a strong presence, how can you expect them to sign a multi-million dollar project? The profit margin is quite large, but we have some cash flow issues. However, they're all college students—obedient, cheap, and motivated."

To express his gratitude for Zhang Sheng's support, Jiang Tao introduced Wang Peng, who was in charge of the lab, and purchased a large batch of IT equipment for the lab. Checks were issued immediately upon delivery. After returning from Jiang Tao's company, Jiang Tao and Wang Xiaolin went to Hailong Market. Hailong Market had several times the foot traffic of other markets, but the rent was also several times higher. Liu Laohu's brother-in-law, Ren Chuantian, rented a showroom in Hailong after leaving the market, specializing in hardware for post-production video editing cards. His clients were mainly small and medium-sized TV stations; they made a lot of money buying hardware from him. Large TV stations bought complete sets of original equipment. The products were dominated by American, Japanese, Sony, and Canon KANA Pass brands.

Ren Chuantian wasn't as quick-witted as Ren Chuandi. His older brother only dealt in reselling products. And the younger brother? He bought chips and rebranded them to make a Hollywood-style editor's card. Think about it: this is a Shanghai kitchen in Zhongguancun. If he hadn't come to Zhongguancun, with his deep-set eyes and skinny frame, he'd be a guy who could eat and drink but never gain weight. Now, selling his own products, if he's the second Steve Jobs, no one would dare say he's the first. That's why his friends, a bunch of university professors and PhDs, admire his talent. This world is so strange; a cook who never finished elementary school has transformed into an entrepreneur who can get applause from scholars and professors. It seems that Ren Chuandi's thin lips, opening and closing, created a mesmerizing sound; when he smiled, revealing his large buck teeth—his older brother had a pair of prominent buck teeth—customers immediately obediently pulled out their wallets.

His products have wholesale distributors all over the country. "I can sell as much as I want, and even tigers admire me now."

Zhang Sheng calculated that three months' rent would swallow up all of his more than 100,000 yuan in cash. He couldn't guarantee that Hailong would generate profits immediately, right? The experience of the broken capital chain last time was too painful. Thinking about Jiang Tao's development speed, now the company has hundreds of employees and the office has been rented in a large flat, his head is really a bit confused. The pace is too fast, and the product update speed is too fast.

The website 800 Million Spaces was acquired, and people in the market are now talking about the disruptive, explosive news that a website could be sold for so much money. Meanwhile, JD.com, which initially started in an office in Liulangzhuang, seems to be having an increasingly powerful influence on the market. JD.com, Suning, and Gome are constantly engaged in price wars, with Gome seemingly gaining considerable momentum. Gome is also diversifying its business by developing real estate; several real estate projects in Beijing are being developed by Gome. Some companies prefer to compare prices on JD.com before making purchase decisions. "How is that possible? If I can't even get the goods, are they counterfeit? How can there be such a big price difference?"

"Why not? They guarantee authenticity and even deliver to my door. You're asking for delivery fees?"

“Fake.”

"Don't talk nonsense, the goods are genuine."

Chen Guangyuan didn't show up all day. Wang Xiaolin even told Zhang Sheng that he was bragging. Why would the students at China University of Geosciences pay attention to him? His face was covered in pimples, which showed that he had an excess of hormones and was also shameless. Thinking about the lingering feelings from last night, Wang Xiaolin also said that his girlfriend from his hometown was coming to see him.

When did you start dating?

"I met her when I was hospitalized once; she had just graduated from nursing school."

"You're quite the hidden talent. Let's grab a couple of drinks at Volcano Disco tonight."

"Why go there? To spend money."

"Where else can we go if not to the volcano? We're about to suffocate."

"Yeah, so what if you have a girlfriend? Let's go to disco, Volcano Disco, and drink."

"After drinking, we went to a karaoke bar. Qianqianque wanted to cry as soon as she heard that song."

"That's perfect, bro. Volcano Disco, then KTV."

Unconsciously, a vice began to take hold, a wicked movement emanating from his very bones, a mixture of money, women, and alcohol, brimming with explosive lust. Lin Xiaoqing was a goddess, a symbol of Cao Zhi's Luoshen, Qu Yuan's Xiangfei, Emperor Xuanzong of Tang's Yang Guifei, and the Shu King's Huarui Lady; sometimes, Xia Jinshi's *Jin Ping Mei* would flash through his mind. Xia Jinshi seemed to be fading from Zhang Sheng's mind—that broken computer's laser head! It buzzed and crackled, like a marathon runner in the Persian-Greek war, panting heavily. The analog signal display was sufficient; at least it possessed the full power of modern computer technology, far surpassing Jia Rui's *Fengyue Baojian*, breaking the mainframe's monopoly on human freedom. The development of computers propelled humanity towards freedom.

The dream resides in a memory device, a magnetic-optical storage device made from petroleum-derived materials. Hey, he's really gone all out for her—several hundred yuan to buy a CD burner from Lin Xiaoqing. How romantic and extravagant! This *Jin Ping Mei* was a gift from Xia Jinshi, a complete fantasy world of *Jin Ping Mei*. "Where exactly did things go wrong? Why does he always remain so rational towards me?"

"How about you invite him to Volcano Disco, big brother?"

"He will be disappointed in me; he is a serious, good girl."

"Brother, pursuing a girl doesn't have to be so difficult. If it were me, I would have won her over long ago. Why waste time?"

Leaving the Pacific Ocean of Love, this is the Pacific Ocean of Love's Sorrow. Wang Xiaolin likes to sing this melancholic song, "Pacific Ocean." She thinks of Volcano Disco, a place that seems to bring good luck—dancing, drinking, and then finding Athena. A girl's firm breasts, she confidently had Zhang Sheng paint a Goya portrait of her naked macaque. Thinking of Athena evokes so much beauty of desire. "Isn't it good to have desire?" she wonders.

"Having desires is certainly not good."

He recalled what the goddess Athena, exuding a strong fragrance, had said, and she shyly covered his eyes with her hands. "Xiao Lin, have you ever met a girl like that?"

"Brother, what kind of girl?"

"Only the upper three routes are allowed, not the lower three routes."

"She's planning to marry a good husband." (A local commentator with a heavy accent.)

Zhang Sheng knew that Yao Maina, a writer from Anhui, was a leader of a literary faction. "Zeng Guofan, Zeng Guoquan, broke through the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom's Jiangnan Camp."

"Brother, how about you find a girlfriend?"

"We've been looking for it, but we haven't found it."

"Brother, do you think the woman you met was a nurse?"

“I didn’t go to the hospital to donate sperm, so how could I be a nurse?” Wang Xiaolin was quite good at making connections.

What about him? Nothing much, just going to listen to a lecture at Peking University. The supermarket is backed by Peking and Tsinghua Universities. Leaving the supermarket, walking along the road from Fengrusong Bookstore, you'll soon reach the South Gate of Peking University. The security guards there are quite lenient; most people are allowed to enter the campus. A paved road lined with old-style apartments stretches out. Sometimes I eat at the university's canteens; they're cleaner, tastier, and cheaper than the random restaurants outside. Since I can't get into Peking University, I'll just go there whenever I can, breathe in the air, and I'll become smarter. By the Pagoda Lake, male and female students ride bicycles freely on campus—two worlds inside and outside the campus. Perhaps only a profound understanding can express the respect and fascination for Peking University, can it? The depth of its humanities and history cannot be felt all at once. But to the outside world, it's all about frenzy's passionate love, the clanging and banging of DJ dance moves, the volcano disco with its hazy heat and smoke, the hip-swaying, waist-twisting, arm-shaking, hot girls—they're angels sent by the devil, they're like both angels and Faustian witches seducing men, a grand Poisson Night hosted by the devil and witches.

The magnificent Haidian Huangzhuang also boasts the romantic, surging Volcano Disco. Wang Xiaolin quite admires Zhang Sheng's enthusiasm, that heavenly passion for girls. Where do all those young men and women come from, the vibrant energy of the disco dance floor? He's already drunk 100 bottles of Carlsberg beer. It's not easy to get drunk in a disco because people rarely drink cocktails, brandy, or whiskey there. Carlsberg is a favorite recommendation from the waiters, and it's a good way to earn tips. This kind of intoxication is the most wonderful state of drinking, the ultimate intoxication, reminiscent of Du Fu, Li Bai, and Tao Yuanming. Du Fu's state of mind made his thatched cottage a sanctuary for scholars. And Li Bai's state of mind? Indeed, using the image of the waterfall at Mount Lu to describe the purple smoke rising from the incense burner, he became an immortal. And Tao Yuanming's state of mind?

"Come on, Xiaolin, let's jump!"

"Big brother, jump!"

"Why don't you come down and exercise with me?"

For some reason, he always refused to dance in disco; the intoxicating night, the inexhaustible passion within his body. "Kobayashi, where are we going?"

"Go back, we still have deliveries to make tomorrow."

"It doesn't bother Xiaolin at all. Really? You've been in relationships before? Where's my relationship history?"

"Big brother, let's go to karaoke later, shall we sing 'A Thousand Songs' or 'Sad Pacific Ocean'?"

"Oh, you like that angel in the white dress, her singing is so beautiful."

"Brother, you are happy."

"Kobayashi, I am in pain."

"Brother, have you ever been to Peach Blossom Spring?"

What is the story of Peach Blossom Spring?

“When my Chinese teacher taught the story of Peach Blossom Spring, I didn’t think Tao Yuanming was that great. Actually, a person doesn’t need to write as many poems as Bai Juyi; a few are enough.”

"Why don't you recite 'The Peach Blossom Spring' from memory? Can you? Don't tell me you can't."

"I don't want to memorize it, it's boring."

"Is it an attempt to escape? Or..."

"My brother is really in pain."

"Does the story of Peach Blossom Spring cause you so much pain?"

"During the Taiyuan era of the Jin Dynasty, a fisherman from Wuling made his living by fishing. Traveling westward, he observed the distance of the road and suddenly came upon a peach grove, stretching for several hundred paces along both banks. The grove was filled with various trees reaching for the sky, fragrant grasses, and fallen petals. The fisherman was greatly surprised and continued forward, wanting to explore the grove to its end. At the end of the grove was the source of the stream, where he found a mountain with a small opening, seemingly emitting light. He abandoned his boat and entered through the opening, emerging from a deep gorge, barely wide enough for a person to pass. After walking several dozen paces, the place suddenly opened up into a bright and spacious land. Houses were neatly arranged, with fertile fields, beautiful ponds, mulberry trees, and bamboo groves. Paths crisscrossed the land, and the sounds of chickens and dogs could be heard. People went about their business, cultivating the land, and the clothing of the men and women was just like that of outsiders. The elderly with gray hair and drooping hairpins were all content and happy..."

"Oh no, isn't this great?"

"The key is that you only experience the most beautiful Peach Blossom Spring once in your life, so it's too painful. That's why I'm not worried about you having any love or dating. She's coming to Beijing to see me."

"Girlfriend?"

"My sister is also coming to visit me, but the house is a bit cramped."

"We could move to a bigger apartment, preferably with a separate bathroom."

"Brother, I asked and it's 800 yuan a month."

"Sure, how much? 800 yuan, how many square meters?"

"There is more than 50 square meters of space with no common area. Because it is a university student apartment, the space is quite spacious and can accommodate dozens of people without any problem."

Chen Guangyuan called to ask why he hadn't returned. Zhang Sheng and Wang Xiaolin mocked him, asking if Chen Guangyuan had achieved his goal.

"Don't even mention it. My girlfriend in Shanghai was really something else today. I had to use every trick in the book to make her happy. She's flying back to Shanghai now. Her job is too important. Money isn't the issue; it's just that her desires are too intense."

Is Chen Guangyuan free tonight? Chen Guangyuan was quite quick-witted, "Yes, absolutely."

"How about we go somewhere together?"

"You're pretty wicked now, trying to pick up girls?"

"What? I'm just asking if you're going or not?"

"Aren't you with Kobayashi?"

"His girlfriend is coming to Beijing soon."

"Sure, that's quite sophisticated. No problem. Where are you?"

"We're singing at the open-air karaoke bar outside the apartment building."

"You're something else, drinking and singing all the time, and then going off to pick up girls."

"Brother, please don't end up like me, with only memories left and never being able to get that relationship back."

"Lin Xiaoqing is our Peach Blossom Spring. Big ass and big breasts, Xiaolin, you know, she's really weird. She's like a goddess from Wushan, don't you think? There's something about her that deeply attracted me. Do you think only girls from Sichuan and Chongqing have that quality? She instantly relieved my lovesickness. It's just that she's like a rose, prickly. I love her madly. But is the Peach Blossom Spring you're talking about my past? My unrequited love in school. Even now, I still suspect that she ever had even a little bit of a crush on me. Beijing is so much better, there are so many girls there, and they're all classy."

“I was still inside wondering, where did you two go so late? That's not very friendly.”

"You have a woman from Shanghai."

"Don't even mention it, I'm exhausted after a whole day of this."

"Weren't you going to date a college student?"

“Something came up, so she couldn’t come. Don’t worry, she already agreed. She met a new girl named Bai Hua, and it’s definitely… you get the idea? I’m just taking advantage of being in a good position.”

"Why don't we just take them all down at once? That would be enough for your life."

"Look at your little scheme. Two daisies? I'm not stupid. Two daisies are no match for you. Didn't we agree? I'll save the birch for you. I only want the little dinosaur."

Wang Xiaolin went back to his apartment to rest. He had been drinking, jumping around, and dancing—that's how men are. The next day, he was full of energy and energy. Thinking of that lady's alluring body from the night before, he thought, "Didn't I tell you you have free girls? Why did you go to all this trouble?"

"Stop talking. Why don't you go back and brag to me when you've succeeded? Where's your little dinosaur? Isn't it a chick?"

"That's your downside. You need patience to pick up girls. If you get distracted while fishing, you won't even catch a carp, let alone a little dinosaur."

"Alright, alright, let's stop talking nonsense and making wild guesses, okay?"