Zhang Ke · Chat

Inside the noisy internet cafe. At the front desk, Zhang Ke leaned against the back of his chair, watching the surveillance monitors. Four screens were split into sixteen small grids, displaying people absorbed in their games. His fingers rested lightly on the edge of the keyboard, not typing, not moving. The wind chime at the entrance rang. Zhang Ke slowly turned around to see someone standing at the counter. His gaze swept past their face, lingered briefly on the tower behind them, and then pulled back. "How long?" he asked, his voice low, as if afraid of waking someone up. The other person named the duration. Zhang Ke lowered his head, tapping a few numbers onto the worn keyboard. "Ten-yuan deposit. Twenty-five in total." He collected the money and handed over the card. His movements weren't fast, but steady. Once finished, he leaned back against the chair again, his eyes drifting back to the surveillance screens.