CHAPTER 437: CHAPTER 437: NOVEL WAYS OF HAVING FUN

In the eyewear store, a clerk was feeling smug for driving out Sang Ning and her group while successfully making two sales.

The store manager suddenly returned and gave her a harsh scolding right away.

"Manager, I just closed two deals. If my service was bad, would I have been able to secure these two customers?" The clerk felt wronged and stood respectfully to the side.

The manager straightforwardly reached out and removed the work badge from her chest. "I’ll settle your performance bonus for the two deals right now, and then you can leave immediately."

"Manager, even when pronouncing a death sentence, you’re supposed to give a reason, aren’t you? If you fire me without cause, I can sue you!" The clerk flared up, took off her netted hair bun cover, and threw it on the ground.

The manager glanced at the bun cover on the floor, his expression icy: "Your snobby attitude just offended our boss—are you aware of that?"

The clerk was stunned: "Boss...? Where was there a boss?"

The manager, exasperated, jabbed the clerk’s forehead with his finger: "I’ve told you so many times before. There could be mystery shoppers inspecting our store at any time, but you’ve never taken it seriously. And now you’ve done it—you’ve directly offended the boss. I can’t protect you this time. Go find another job."

The clerk suddenly felt her heart sink. Thinking back to the group she had just chased out, she asked in disbelief, "Manager, was it that scruffy-looking group?"

"What do you expect me to say to you? I’ve told you multiple times, don’t judge people by their appearance. See? This time you’ve fallen into a hole, and I can’t save you." The manager shook his head, looking thoroughly exasperated.

The clerk finally realized her mistake and immediately knelt down to beg for forgiveness: "Manager, can you try to think of a way? Give me another chance. I can apologize to them. Please, I can’t lose this job!"

This job was the highest-paying and best-benefited one she had ever had, and she couldn’t bear to let it go.

However, the manager firmly insisted on firing her: "It’s useless to beg me. How many chances have I already given you? People like you are the ones I hate most. Before a big disaster happens, I repeatedly warned you, but you always ignored it. Only when your own interests are truly affected do you start shedding crocodile tears. I’ve seen through you long ago!"

The clerk refused to leave, stubbornly holding her ground. In the end, the manager called security to forcefully escort her out.

The wheel of fortune had turned. Just as she had treated others earlier, she now found herself facing the same fate.

Unfortunately, it was too late for her to regret now.

After dealing with the clerk, the manager immediately called Li Haidong’s assistant to report: "Manager Zhang, I’ve already handled the troublesome employee. Don’t worry, the items Mr. Li wanted will be sent over shortly. It’s just a few pairs of sunglasses—I’ll make sure to arrange everything properly."

Meanwhile, on the other side—

After leaving the mall, Sang Ning asked the production team for help in exchanging for Shell Coin.

Belis’s local mobile payment system wasn’t as convenient as China’s; cash transactions were more common in the small markets.

The seven of them took two taxis and arrived at the largest affordable marketplace in the area in less than twenty minutes.

The market was a massive square structure with a spacious interior, but the road to enter was so narrow it could only accommodate two people walking side by side.

As they got out of the car, rhythmic and intense music burst around their ears, its tempo lively and tone infectious. Even though the lyrics were in an unintelligible language, it didn’t stop anyone from resonating with the music.

At the narrow market entrance, a man with dark skin, thick hair, and a beard covering half his face was shirtless, wearing only beach shorts and flip-flops as he beat a drum along with the music.

Every time his arm struck the drum’s surface, a loud whistle accompanied it.

Song Shiye, always eager to stand out, got swept up in the infectious rhythm and drumbeats. He walked up to the drum and performed a spontaneous street dance.

Seeing someone dancing alongside him, the drumming man grew even more enthusiastic, tapping the drum furiously while repeating "YOYOYO" to keep the rhythm for Song Shiye.

Song Shiye displayed just a few simple dance moves, but they immediately drew cheers and applause from the crowd. Onlookers gathered around, with some even tossing out cash.

Sang Ning finally noticed the open suitcase placed near the drum. So the bearded drummer was actually a street performer.

The music blasting in the air came from two gigantic speakers set up near the market’s entrance.

Song Shiye wasn’t satisfied with dancing alone. While stepping in place to the beat, he beckoned to the other guests, "Come on, everyone! When in Rome, you’ve got to join in with the locals and dance to this infectious music!"

Sometimes young men are overly concerned about saving face, but other times they can easily let go of their ego.

Qin Feng was the first to respond to Song Shiye’s call, prancing up cheerfully—but completely unaware that he was moving his arms and legs in sync, which looked awkward.

Just two moves in, Sang Ning could already tell Qin Feng had absolutely no talent for dancing. But he made up for it with enthusiasm. Even when his moves resembled a half-paralyzed person, he remained wholly immersed in his own rhythm.

Perhaps the meaning of travel lies in doing strange yet exhilarating things in unfamiliar places with a group of familiar friends.

Though they hadn’t spent much time together, they had already forged bonds deep enough to share life-and-death experiences. The dividing walls between them had quietly dissolved bit by bit.

For example, at this moment, Song Shiye and Qin Feng were now holding hands and dancing a tap dance.

Sang Ning felt she couldn’t even bear to watch, so she silently moved aside, only to find Jiang Xiaoti and Wei Lan had joined in wholeheartedly.

"What are you three still standing there for? Join us too!" Jiang Xiaoti called out warmly and sincerely.

Sang Ning retreated further away, begging internally not to be dragged into this socially mortifying scene.

Finally managing to shuffle into a corner, she realized both Li Haidong and Lu Yujing had simultaneously squeezed in on either side of her.

Sang Ning pushed them each a couple of times, snapping, "Get away from me. Go farther!"

Li Haidong and Lu Yujing, however, were determined to stay. Their unified goal now was to press Sang Ning into the awkward situation she was desperately avoiding.

The trailing cameraman captured an absurd scene: Song Shiye’s group danced gleefully in circles on one side, while Sang Ning, Li Haidong, and Lu Yujing wrestled each other with their hips on the other side. The situation spun completely out of control, overflowing with nonsensical humor.

The locals in Belis, known for their warm and exuberant personalities, passing by saw this bizarre scene and assumed it was some kind of new recreational activity. Many joined in without hesitation.

Some mixed into the circle of dancers led by Song Shiye, while others simply bumped their hips and joined Sang Ning’s trio’s odd battle.

Sang Ning had no idea how things escalated to this point. But when multiple butts starting jostling her all at once, she resolved to join Song Shiye’s dancing circle crew.

Lu Yujing and Li Juezhou couldn’t handle it either, quickly following Sang Ning into the circle dance.