Trembling At A High Altitude

"Hey, hey, hey! What kind of talk is that? Who ate all these three plates of snacks? You were the one who ate all the snacks first! I didn't even get a single one!" Glasses Man widened his eyes, astonished by Li Teng's blatant distortion of the truth.

"Lying comes so easily to you! Forget it, arguing with someone like you is pointless," Li Teng shook his head.

"Damn! Is there no justice left? Who is lying here?" Glasses Man was so infuriated that his head ached.

"Bro, don't stoop to that guy's level, I can't even be bothered with someone of such low caliber," Gao Fei consoled Li Teng.

"Who are you calling low caliber? Who are you saying has low caliber?" Glasses Man became even more infuriated at what Gao Fei said.

"Did I say you had low caliber? You added the 'low' yourself, you really know yourself well," Gao Fei hit back at Glasses Man.

"Ignore him, the more you respond, the more excited he gets," Li Teng advised Gao Fei.

"Yeah, ignoring him, otherwise we seem just as low as him," Gao Fei nodded.

"You people, I... I... I..." Glasses Man looked up to the sky, close to bursting with anger.

"You all saw what happened just now, right? Who ate all the snacks? Can someone please speak fairly?" Glasses Man went to the staff seeking their help.

The staff looked at Glasses Man expressionless, not uttering a word.

"Say something!" Glasses Man felt utterly powerless.

The staff still ignored Glasses Man and turned to walk into the café.

"I'm done!" Glasses Man figured he could not rely on these people. Facing Li Teng and Gao Fei alone, he was clearly at a disadvantage. He might as well get a free cup of coffee to calm down.

Just then, a female office worker and a girl walked around the corner and sat down at the coffee table.

Gao Fei shared a cashew with each of them.

"There were snacks today?" the female office worker glanced at the three empty plates on the table.

"We came late, Glasses Man over there ate them all. We only managed to grab a few cashews," Gao Fei pointed at Glasses Man standing by the coffee machine.

"Yeah, he probably stuffed his mouth as soon as he saw us coming to prevent us from eating. Look, he's been drinking water so many times because he choked," Li Teng also looked disdainfully at Glasses Man by the coffee machine.

"It's just a few plates of snacks, is that worth it?" the girl shook her head.

"He is too much, he should have at least left us some," the female office worker complained.

"What are you talking about? What are you talking about? Hey, hey, hey! It was clearly you who ate all the snacks, what's the point of blaming it on me?" Glasses Man was picking up his coffee, shaking all over after hearing their conversation behind his back.

"Forget it, don't stoop to his level, it's not worth it," Li Teng advised everyone.

"That's right, not worth it! Let him eat! Let him choke!" the girl echoed Li Teng's words.

"Damn it! I've truly learned something today! Some people's ability to twist the truth is first-class! And the worst part is some people believe them!" Glasses Man sat down with his coffee cup, back toward the coffee table, looking at the street ahead, sulking alone.

Just then, the staff who had entered the café earlier came out with a tray containing three plates of snacks. Whether it was because there were more people around or perhaps Glasses Man's complaints had an effect, the crew had provided an additional serving of snacks for the extras.

Glasses man, his back turned this way, smelling the coffee aroma in his cup, did not notice the staff approaching. Gao Fei signaled to the others, telling them to keep quiet, then quickly divided the three plates of snacks into four portions, placing them on four empty plates, distributing one plate to each person.

Glasses Man felt a scent in addition to the coffee's aroma in his nose; it smelled like... the aroma of fried potatoes?

When he turned around, he saw everyone holding a plate of snacks, munching away, with only two empty plates left on the coffee table.

"Hey, hey, hey! Why don't I have any?" Glasses Man's eyes widened.

"You just ate three plates by yourself, and you still have the cheek to ask for more? How can you be so greedy?" the girl said while munching on the fries, rolling her eyes at Glasses Man.

"Sister, I really didn't eat! It was all them!" Glasses Man almost burst into tears.

"So pathetic, just showing your true colors over a bit of food, is it worth it?" the female office worker said while eating the cookies, chiding Glasses Man.

"It's not that... I'm hungry! I didn't dare to spend too many credits on food when I came here, and who wouldn't like free food? Besides, I didn't really..." Glasses Man continued to argue.

"Stop it! Have a cookie! It's good to be generous." Li Teng interrupted Glasses Man and handed him a cookie.

"You..." Glasses Man stared at Li Teng, suddenly realizing how terrifying it was to offend him.

Guo Zhipeng's assessment was correct: this is a scheming guy with superb acting skills, absolutely untouchable!

Like now, offering him a cookie, but why are you squeezing it so tightly in your palm? All five fingers guarding it, do you expect me to dig it out with my fingers? Wouldn't it just crumble all over your hand?

"Why give it to him? He just ate so much!" Gao Fei reached out to stop Li Teng.

"Exactly, you're too kind-hearted, there's nothing to pity about people like him." The office lady also stopped Li Teng.

"Big brother, you should keep it for yourself. You don't have many credits and you probably haven't eaten enough. Yet, you're still thinking about others," the young girl also chimed in.

"Alright, if he doesn't want it, then I'll eat it." Li Teng took back the cookie and stuffed it into his mouth.

Glasses Man was so furious he rolled his eyes. He knew Li Teng was just teasing him, never intending to give him the cookie. Such a deceitful person! Such a scheme over a few snacks could be just the tip of the iceberg compared to other things.

No wonder he was able to counter-attack Guo Zhipeng in the last scene.

It's better to stay away from him, or else there would be no good outcome.

...

"Alright, all the extras for this performance are here. Please don't wander away; in five minutes, once the three senior actors arrive, we'll go over the script," the female director wearing a metal mask arrived at the coffee table, counted the people, and made the announcements.

"Are all the extras here? What about the grandmother sitting next to me?" The young girl asked the director curiously.

"She was old and in poor health, together with the recent scorching sun where she was, she couldn't make it through. Her body has already been sent back to the Film and Television City," the director replied emotionlessly.

"She died?" The office lady's eyes widened.

Li Teng was also very surprised; he had a good impression of the elderly woman, who seemed intelligent and well-mannered. He didn't expect her to die so suddenly!

But it wasn't surprising.

Even a strong man like Li Teng had come close to death several times at the top of the stone pillar; how could an elderly woman, at least in her sixties, withstand the hunger and thirst there?

To die in such a manner was truly tragic!

The office lady covered her eyes and started sobbing quietly.

The young girl also began to cry.

Li Teng and Glasses Man both bowed their heads in silence.

The death of the elderly woman made everyone feel a shared sense of grief and sorrow.

"You bastards!" Gao Fei stood up, pointing at the director's nose and cursing loudly.

Two bodyguards by the director's side each took a step forward, standing in front of her.

"Don't be impulsive!" Li Teng quickly held back Gao Fei.

"Young man, don't be impulsive!" said the elderly woman's voice as well.

The crowd looked over, and indeed, the grandmother was standing at the corner of the street.

"Grandma, are you alright?" the young girl rushed over, and the office lady also hurried to her, one on each side, supporting her.

"I'm fine, I just have to go to the wax museum soon, just came over to say goodbye to everyone," the grandmother laughed mockingly. After her body was brought back, it was placed in a Medical Pod, and she was brought back to life.

She escaped death but could not avoid becoming a wax figure.