Old Wang was a typical "corporate slave," spinning like a top in his cubicle every day. His biggest dream was to go on an impromptu trip, even if it was just to the neighboring county, it would be better than facing the computer screen every day.
One day, as usual, Old Wang was scrolling through his phone when a pop-up appeared: "Fliggy discount airfare, global flights from 100 yuan!" He rubbed his eyes, thinking he had seen it wrong.
Old Wang, wearing a pair of glasses polished to a shine, sat on his creaky rattan chair. It was New Year's Eve, the sounds of firecrackers rose and fell outside the window, but inside, it was eerily quiet. He stared at his phone screen, which was densely populated with pop-up notifications for various red envelopes.
The old chessboard, worn like a weathered rock, sat in the center of the empty room. A single dim bulb weakly illuminated the black and white intersections on the board, like silent sighs.
Ke Jie sat before the board, he hadn't moved the pieces in a long time. He was no longer the Go prodigy admired by millions, now he was just an ordinary person, or rather, a Go player abandoned by the times. The past praises and applause had retreated like a tide, leaving him alone to face the emptiness.