Chapter 273: Era

Chu Ge’s family’s old house was relatively close to the city center, located in an old residential building for government employees built in the 1980s.

Before the reconstruction, Nanjiang was still very dilapidated. The location of the old house was considered suburban back then. However, as the city continued to expand outward with each new urban ring, it had now become part of the city center.

Chu Ge didn’t know how it happened. It was just the XX Institute of Geology back then, but how could it become so tall now. He also wondered how many of their neighbors were actually from the Geological Institute, how many were from special departments, and maybe only his parents were special? No matter how he looked at it, he didn’t think there was anything particularly remarkable about the neighbors, the gossiping elders.

The residential complex they lived in was a bit awkward. The main issue was that areas in the city center, similar to these old and rundown neighborhoods, were often designated as school districts. Unfortunately, they were not in the school district. They were neither in the school district nor had they been demolished.

Due to their city center location, the rent was still high, but these old and rundown homes were not easy to rent out.

After Chu Ge moved out, he tried to rent it out for a while. Perhaps due to bad luck, no one came to view the place for several months. When they did finally have some potential tenants, they were difficult to deal with, leading to several wasted encounters that consumed a lot of time. So, he eventually gave up on renting it out.

There were quite a few old and awkward neighborhoods like this within the Nanjiang city area. Chu Ge’s residential complex was not unique in this regard, but no matter how you looked at it, it was still rather unfortunate.

Walking through the old alleyways, Qiu Wuji held Chu Ge’s arm and looked around with curiosity. She hadn’t expected to find such an old and dilapidated place in the city center. It felt like the century-old buildings on the Bund were newer compared to this.

Chu Ge had previously mentioned that local delicacies could be found in these alleyways, and they hadn’t acted on it until now. In hindsight, it seemed quite interesting. It gave her a feeling of traveling back several decades in time, a different kind of charm compared to transmigrating from the book.

“Is this place less than forty years old?” Qiu Wuji asked.

“Yeah.”

“The changes in these forty years seem bigger than the four thousand years in our world.”

Chu Ge was momentarily stunned and then chuckled. “Yes, if we just consider smartphones, QR code payments, and high-speed trains, it’s all happened in these few years. When I was a child, people were still using pagers and brick phones, and we traveled by slow trains. And now… well, you know.”

“From pagers to Nokia, and now to this, it’s actually three different eras,” Chu Ge continued. “And when you look at new energy and self-driving cars now…every year, looking back at the previous one, it feels like a whole new era. We were born in an era of witnessing miracles. The changes we’ve seen in our lifetime will be more than what ancient people witnessed over ten generations. For someone like me, who writes and loves literature, I often feel that this is my good fortune.”

“We were born in this era…” Qiu Wuji pondered for a moment and then smiled brightly, “Hmm.”

I too was born in this era.

And the changes we’ve witnessed go beyond this era.

We’ve even experienced ancient times in the world of cultivation, and I’m about to attempt such changes in the world of cultivation.

Both of them had a heart filled with appreciation of literature and art, and in the blink of an eye, it vanished as they entered the entrance of the residential complex.

Before even reaching their destination, they overheard people talking. “That old Li from the Land Bureau rides a beat-up Phoenix bike to work every day. I asked him why he doesn’t buy an electric scooter, and he said it’s for exercise…”

“He’s just being stingy, hahaha…”

“I heard his son got into a 211 university.”

“The kids from their generation all have good grades. Taxation Officer Old Xu’s son, on the other hand, seems to have failed. I heard he’s going into some kind of livestreaming business, which really annoyed Old Xu.”

“A few years ago was even better. This generation is worse than the last…”

“What’s the point of being better? That kid from the Chu family also went to a 211 university, got a job in a state-owned enterprise, thought he had a bright future. But after not even two years, he quit his job for who knows what reason, now he’s idle. He’s not young anymore, and I don’t know if he’s found a girlfriend. Old Chu and his wife moved to Beijing to work, can’t take care of the kid, so what’s the point of being in the capital?”

“Don’t even mention it. My son told me that writing books is a lucrative business now. Someone named Tang makes a billion a year.”

“Business people like Ma Yun are different from me and you. Can you even compare?”

“Hahaha… How about you guys with your iron rice bowls? I heard salaries recently increased?”

“Yeah, they went up by more than 80…”

“Wasn’t it over 100?”

“It depends on seniority. Old Zhang has over 100. I can’t compare, can’t compare…”

“Hey, did you guys hear? Wang XX’s wife went into her department head’s office yesterday and stayed there for an hour…”

“Oh, let me tell you about this. I heard it’s like this…hehe…”

Qiu Wuji slowed her pace along the way, feeling like her feet could hardly move.

Trembling, she turned the corner at the entrance and saw two rows of stone benches with a group of elderly people sitting there, basking in the sun, eating sunflower seeds, and chatting aimlessly.

As soon as someone appeared outside the gate, both rows of people turned their heads simultaneously. Qiu Wuji felt as if she was walking in the underworld, with the greenish glint in the eyes of these elderly folks making them look like gatekeepers on the Bridge of Forgetfulness.

Who could walk past the most terrifying intelligence department in the world without a change of expression?

Even the fearless Sect Master Qiu felt a shiver in her heart; it was absolutely terrifying!

On the other hand, Chu Ge remained calm, casually walking with Qiu Wuji, and he waved his right hand like a parade marshal, “Soaking up the sun, huh? I’m relieved to see everyone so healthy. By the way, have you all sorted out who’s going to air their quilts in the courtyard? Let’s not start another fight at noon. We’re all neighbors, and it doesn’t look good in front of outsiders.”

“…” Everyone was momentarily dumbfounded by Chu Ge’s preemptive strike, and by the time they reacted, Chu Ge was already about to cross the Bridge of Forgetfulness.

“Hey, hey, hey, Chu Ge!” Finally, one of the older ladies realized, “Is this your girlfriend?”

Chu Ge and Qiu Wuji were holding hands, obviously a couple. The reason for the crowd’s stunned silence was that just a moment ago, they had mentioned Chu Ge not being able to find a girlfriend, and now he was walking with a stunning woman. Her beauty was so extraordinary that even the aunties were awestruck, not to mention the uncles and older men, who were still in a state of disbelief.

Where did this goddess come from?

Dressed in office attire, she resembled a cold and elegant female CEO straight out of a dragon king’s unworthy son-in-law novel. Could Chu Ge have become a dragon king?

Chu Ge turned to the inquisitive lady with a wry smile and said, “I just heard that Auntie Zhang is very concerned about my lifelong matters. Thanks for asking. I brought my girlfriend to visit my hometown and introduce her to everyone.”

Someone immediately asked, “Little Chu, which company does your girlfriend work for? Her demeanor…”

Qiu Wuji knew how to help him maintain the facade and calmly replied, “I have my own company, but it’s just a small business, nothing to brag about.”

“Oh… Little Chu, is it true that you write that novel about the Dragon King’s Son-in-law on Douyin?”

Chu Ge tilted his head, his lips curling into a half-smile, “You think so?”

The old man laughed, “Yes, yes, that’s it. You don’t quite match up…”

“Uh, since you already have a girlfriend, are you still writing books? How’s the income…”

“The income is average, it’s about the views; you can’t buy it in stores.” Chu Ge quickly gave a straightforward response.

The aunties were concerned and said, “Why won’t you find a proper job? It would be nice to work at your girlfriend’s company!”

Qiu Wuji finally asked, “Why would a renowned author work for someone else?”

Uncles:”?”

Aunties: “?”

A renowned author?

An author whose books couldn’t be bought in stores?

Did this girl get scammed into believing such nonsense?

At this moment, a young boy rushed out into the courtyard, exclaiming, “Brother Chu, you’re back! I told others that I live in the same neighborhood as Brother Chu, but no one believed me!”

Chu Ge asked in surprise, “Where have you been? Why didn’t anyone in the group chat come to find me?”

“Uh… I read a pirated version, but I’ve sincerely repented and reformed! Please let me be your follower, Brother Chu! I just saw the news. Penguin announced the production of your animation, and Tang Company officially started casting for the new tv drama. Brother Chu, you’re my idol!”

A television drama!

The looks on the faces of the old men and women changed dramatically.

Chu Ge patted the boy’s shoulder and said, “Let’s forget about being my follower.” Then he turned to look at the old folks and said with a smile, “My monthly salary has increased by more than 80 yuan, just enough to afford a house.”

The boy chuckled and said, “They don’t know, but you should know, Brother Chu. I have more views in my monthly rankings than the people in the neighborhood. Never mind, Brother Chu, are you moving back in?”

Chu Ge twitched his cheek and suddenly realized that this kid was making more money than him.

Unable to keep up the act, Chu Ge grabbed Qiu Wuji’s hand and fled in embarrassment, saying, “You have fun, I’m just taking my girlfriend to see our hometown…”

The boy followed behind, shouting, “Qiuqiu, my Qiuqiu!”

Qiu Wuji stumbled, almost breaking the heels of her high heels.

Turning around, she saw the Bridge of Forgetfulness calm and quiet, many people staring blankly, no longer filled with the previous sense of terror.

This wasn’t just Chu Ge’s success; it was the era’s success.