Smile Code (Lost Laughter) 失笑 - Zhu Le 祖乐

32

The source of all profits lies in "utilization"-using power, public opinion, and the psychology of the masses to gain traffic, and then monetize it.

The five of them sat around the table on the terrace, with the Huangpu River and Lujiazui's nightscape just beside them. The water rippled gently, and for a moment, Gu Yi thought she was dreaming. Mr. File Transfer Assistant Liang Daiwen sat down, staring straight at the menu without glancing to the side. Gu Yi, under the table, stepped on his foot. Liang Daiwen cleared his throat, and his ears turned red again.

Gu Yi felt a little pleased. This seemed like the first step in her successful transformation of Liang Daiwen-his ears turned red when he was shy.

Yu Dule, as Gu Yi's old friend, secretly sent a message: "Liang Daiwen looks like a monk in deep meditation. You should stop holding these sharing sessions and just let this Buddha enter the community."

Gu Yi looked at her phone and laughed so hard she almost choked.

Guan Xingxin, sitting between two men, seemed to be at ease. She gave equal attention to both sides, and there was almost no ambiguity in their interactions. They all treated each other like friends. One was a young man she often met at home, and the other was a protector who had gone to jail for her. She was caught in the middle, yet she seemed like... an escort.

Gu Yi was startled by the thought, but Guan Xingxin's almost flattering demeanor made her feel something was off. It seemed like the kind of subtle detail every man would like-gently tucking her hair behind her ear, constantly complimenting the food, and when subtly rejected, there was always a touch of sadness...

From a woman's perspective, this kind of politeness seems like keeping people at arm's length from the heart, making it hard to form real friendships. Guan Xingxin was still trying to create opportunities for Gu Yi and Liang Daiwen: "Why did you suddenly think of holding a sharing session? I remember Liang Daiwen never cared much for the mundane world; and since Liang Daiwen is so generous, we're probably here thanks to Gu Yi's influence."

Liang Daiwen responded quickly, "No, no. Zhang Qingya is hosting, and it's nice to have five people here, isn't it?"

When Gu Yi heard this, the lid of the vinegar jar was suddenly thrown open-first, am I really so unimportant that it shifted so quickly? Second, Zhang Qingya is hosting? What's their relationship?

Guan Xingxin's smile became awkward.

Liang Daiwen calmly cut his steak, "I spent the money from my last design project already, and I'm a little short recently. The stair railing I designed made the news, and the group has a contract with me, so they sent me to do an inspection at a special education school. It was beyond my imagination-two classes, thirty students using only their nostrils and teeth to face me. There were only two teachers, dragging a room full of strange students-Down syndrome, intellectual disabilities, autism... The group donated 1.6 million, and I took my salary in cash to help the teachers buy daily necessities. The school next door is a prestigious primary school, and when school ended, all these very impressive-looking parents and children were outside... On the way back, I felt a little uncomfortable-probably sad."

Gu Yi was stunned, while Yu Dule and Lu Ming didn't quite understand this conversation. "Uncomfortable?"

"Honestly, I have alexithymia, I'm not very sensitive to emotions," Liang Daiwen lightly placed his fork on the napkin. "If I were a little more sensitive, I'd feel torn-making money from the wealthy, while providing tiny help to a special group."

"That's impressive," said Lu Ming. "Being so idealistic means you're really not short of money."

"Don't moralize me," Liang Daiwen's logic was clear. "I'm not doing this to praise myself."