At the entrance of the hotel, Zhou Bing personally escorted Su He and said, "Mr. Su, thank you for your cooperation and understanding. I hope you won't take such risks in the future."
Su He scratched his head and chuckled, "Captain Zhou, you've said it eight times already. I know I made a mistake. I'll pay attention to safety next time..."
"There's going to be a next time?" Zhou Bing was taken aback.
Su He didn't answer, but in his heart, he thought to himself, "If this system doesn't arrange a few murder cases for him, is it still his system?"
Fortunately, the police didn't suspect him this time, or else he wouldn't have been released after only three hours.
Back in his room, Su He couldn't wait to pick up a pen and write a few words. Regardless of which font he used, it gave people a comfortable feeling. This made him so excited that he couldn't sleep. He kept writing until dawn, then reluctantly stopped, freshened up, had a simple breakfast, and headed towards the takeout station.
Before coming to the capital, he had already contacted the takeout station here. It wasn't far from the hospital, and it would also allow him to coordinate with Uncle Shen and the others.
Due to Su He's experience in delivering takeout, the onboarding process went smoothly. There was a second-hand electric scooter at the station, which cost him eight hundred yuan. He sold the old battery and replaced it with the battery rewarded by the system earlier. That should do the trick.
The station manager originally planned to familiarize Su He with the surrounding environment and routes, but with an intelligent navigation map in his mind, Su He didn't need to memorize the routes at all. Taking advantage of the lunch rush hour, he started accepting orders directly.
"Ding, you have a new takeout order. Please handle it promptly."
Riding on the electric scooter, that familiar feeling came back to Su He. He didn't try to take on too many orders, though. Despite having the system's navigation assistance, he was still a newcomer when faced with unfamiliar residential areas and gatekeepers. He needed time to become familiar with them.
"Excuse me, sir, could you please open the door for me!"
Su He encountered trouble with his very first order. The gatekeeper sat inside, listening to the radio, and turned his head to glance at Su He, pretending not to hear.
Fortunately, he had enough time. Within a few minutes, someone came out, and Su He quickly rushed in.
"Hey, what's the matter with you? Don't you know that delivery drivers are not allowed in this community?" The gatekeeper chased after him and stood in front of Su He.
The station manager had already briefed Su He on the situation in this area. For gatekeepers who were more difficult to deal with, most delivery drivers chose to give them one or two yuan as a "door-opening fee." Su He had encountered such situations before, but now he was faced with three options.
"Option One: Persuade the gatekeeper and have him let you in. Completion Reward: Access card for the capital region."
"Option Two: Force your way into the community to complete the delivery. Completion Reward: A new phone."
"Option Three: Pay the gatekeeper to let you through. Completion Reward: One yuan."
The difficulty and rewards were directly proportional. Conflicts between delivery drivers and gatekeepers had become commonplace, almost a rite of passage for every delivery driver.
Offering cigarettes, giving money, speaking kindly—these were common methods used by delivery drivers. When it came to making money, how many people could stand tall and earn it honestly?
Persuade with kindness?
Su He glanced at the old man. Though not tall, the old man exuded a strong presence, with an air of righteousness and a dedication to fairness. In fact, the gatekeeper had already made it clear that it would only cost one yuan for passage.
However, this would only earn him a one-yuan reward, which clearly fell short of his expectations.
As for using force to solve the problem, the old man was looking forward to a boring day at work and a visit to the hospital. Su He wasn't that reckless.
"Young man, are you new here?" The gatekeeper couldn't help but speak when he saw Su He's confusion.
"This is a high-end residential area. Not just anyone can enter..."
"Newcomers need to understand the rules..."
Su He scratched his head, feeling somewhat at a loss. The old man was clearly a seasoned pro. With someone like him, you just needed to give him money. Trying to convince him with reason was harder than reaching the heavens.
At that moment, another delivery rider rode up, dropped a yuan on the table, and went straight in without the gatekeeper even looking up.
"Old man, what you're doing is not right... If your boss finds out, you'll definitely be fired!" Su He started appealing to reason.
The old man snorted disdainfully and grumbled, "You youngster, I've eaten more salt than you've eaten rice. Don't try to impress me with your tricks. I'm the property owner's uncle. If you had bothered to find out, you would know that no delivery rider in this area gets through without paying. Now go away, I won't let you in even if you pay!"
The old man stormed into the gatehouse and emerged with a steel fork, shouting at Su He, "Get out of here, or I won't be polite!"
The delivery rider who had just gone in came out and advised, "Brother, delivering orders is more important."
He then walked away.
The old man felt even more pleased upon hearing this. Although he was just a gatekeeper, he held the power to control who entered and exited the residential area.
What should Su He do?
Su He glanced at his phone. This order was about to expire, and he still had a few more deliveries to make. Did his first delivery in the capital city have to be ruined by the old man?
"Old man, how about I sing you a song?" Su He decided to try to bridge the gap and ease the awkward atmosphere.
"Get lost!"
The old man thrust the fork at Su He, his brows furrowed, ready to fight him.
It turned out that the old man didn't like listening to songs... But Su He didn't give up and continued to persuade him, "Old man, are you hungry? How about I cook you a couple of dishes?"
With a forceful push, the old man sent Su He flying.
Helpless, Su He took out a yuan, ready to deliver the food first. At that moment, he caught sight of a prominently displayed plaque hanging in the gatehouse. Four large characters stood out: "Detached from fame and wealth!"
One could see a certain level of sophistication, but it didn't impress Su He.
"Old man, did you write those characters?" Su He looked into the old man's eyes and asked.
The old man, raising his head high and puffing out his chest, replied, "Of course! Don't judge me based on being a gatekeeper. I'm a member of the Capital Calligraphy Association, and this plaque has even won an award..."
The mention of calligraphy instantly ignited the old man's enthusiasm, but he had no intention of letting Su He in.
"The entry requirements for this calligraphy association are too low. Can anyone just scribble a few characters and win an award?" Su He displayed his exceptional acting skills, expressing extreme shock and disdain. Shaking his head and wearing a face full of disbelief.
The old man initially thought Su He would offer some praise. Maybe if he was in a good mood, he would let him in. But this brat was indirectly insulting him.
Calligraphy had always been something he took pride in, and now Su He was belittling it. The old man instantly became furious and angrily retorted, "You brat, what do you know about calligraphy? You don't even know how to hold a brush, and yet you have the audacity to criticize my handwriting!"
"Isn't it just writing with your hand? What's so difficult about it? Even if I wrote with my foot, it would look better than yours!"
Su He remained unwavering, completely unfazed by the old man's threatening gaze.
"Drip!" The door opened.
The old man stormed out and shouted, "Come on, write with your foot for me. If you can do it, I'll let you in, and I won't charge you anymore!"
"Why are you standing there... bring me a pen!"
Su He promptly took off his shoe.