Chapter 1, The Barber

Shao Yunyuan, having lost his last bit of strength, slowly sat down against the wall. With the aid of the dim light, he saw a somewhat familiar face, and he quickly remembered that this was one of the two unfamiliar guests who had sat in his shop during dusk

Someone rushed over and rudely grabbed his right arm

Shao Yun's dream of moving out of the old city and advancing into the new center has yet to be realized

The expensive prices did not deter the customers; the bar was filled with young people, and the noise incessantly pierced the eardrums. Shao Yun was squeezed among the crowd to get a drink, and after standing outside the counter and taking a sip, he was disappointed to find that it was no better than the drinks at a cheap bar.

Truly stingy

He has long been accustomed to the somewhat sorrowful thought that "life will no longer improve"

Like many festivals, this day was originally a commemoration of tragedy—300 years ago, human civilization was destroyed in an instant, leaving only a small number of humans to continue to survive and reproduce on a recently developed planet—year after year, the tragedy gradually faded, and the festival was preserved, becoming one of the important dates that can be placed alongside New Year's Day

At this moment, a tremendous opportunity revealed an enticing glimpse.

There are two unfamiliar guests, who appear to be quite young, incongruous with the shop's dilapidated atmosphere, yet lacking the vitality typical of youth. They sit there almost motionless, refraining from engaging in conversation, and their gaze rarely makes contact with others, resembling weary tourists who, under the pretext of getting a haircut, have entered the shop to rest for a while

Shao Yun has not been here for a long time; tonight, he intends to completely relax

Shao Yun was bumped into lightly, neither hard nor soft, and the person did not apologize, quickly walking past. It was difficult to discern their age and appearance, and it was unclear whether they were one of the group of youths.

Unbeknownst to him, Shao Yunyuan ventured deep into the heart of the old city, where towering buildings older than himself stood. The streets were riddled with puddles and potholes, yet some of the finest small shops were hidden within, offering good quality at reasonable prices, and one often encountered interesting characters.

Due to the holiday, there are more guests than usual, and all seven chairs are occupied, mostly by nearby old neighbors who are accustomed to getting their hair cut and chatting here. This is one of the few hobbies they can afford.

In this regard, Shao Yun has his own explanation: Haircuts are tasks performed by machines, and manual haircuts are merely a gimmick. After a long time of work, there is only a one percent difference compared to machines, and it may even be inferior to machines. A true barber should be a psychological expert—an abbreviation for spiritual haircuts and library experts.

The streets are crowded with people, and vehicles flow slowly like thick syrup

Two strangers exchanged a glance, suddenly turned and ran in opposite directions. The massive spaceship in mid-air had just vanished, revealing the eighth planet awaiting inheritance, which had shrunk considerably in size. The structures on it remained clearly visible, and one could even see a large number of machines slowly writhing.

Shao Yun stood against the wall for a while, feeling waves of dizziness. He thought to himself that he would have one more drink before heading home, yet he found himself unable to move his feet.

Not just the spacecraft, everything in his eyes took on a different meaning. For instance, the pedestrians and vehicles on the street, which not long ago were part of his life, now seemed much smaller. Shao Yunyan even felt as if he was "looking down" on all living beings.

The company has long ceased to exist, there is a major shareholder, and many minor shareholders. The one who should benefit the most is the major shareholder, right

This chairman seems to have only one granddaughter who fortunately escaped a calamity, ending up on Zhai Wangxing. Shao Yunyan is her descendant, and after several twists and turns, she stubbornly retains the surname "Shao".

It turned out to be for this day. Shao Yunyan suddenly broke out in a fine layer of sweat, his arms relaxed, and the microcomputer fell to the ground. He jumped up, did not pick up the items on the floor, but instead began to walk in circles, his strides both large and quick, making the small shop feel even more cramped.

An hour had just passed since nightfall, and the streets outside were bustling with people. The electromagnetic fireworks in the sky were still ongoing. Shao Yunyan had no mind to conduct business any longer; she locked the doors, turned off the lights, covered the windows, rummaged through boxes and cabinets to find the long-unused microcomputer, and then sat down on a chair to begin searching her family genealogy

He is very cautious and has not used the chip implanted in his body

"Fool, how could it be me?" The one who arrived first released his palm, took a step back, and gazed in the direction where the youths had vanished

There are significantly fewer pedestrians in this area, and often there is only a light visible every few dozen meters. Shao Yun is unafraid; he knows these streets like the back of his hand and would not get lost even with his eyes closed

The argument had been going on for a while and was now entering a dull phase, with neither side able to persuade the other, and the tone gradually becoming more heated.

"It might just be an empty promise," Shao Yun said to herself, feeling the need to cool her head. However, no matter what, she could not remain calm. Thus, she unlocked the door and stepped into the crowd outside.

A group of youths, approximately seven or eight in number, approached. No matter how intoxicated Shao Yun was, he had to make way. Groups of youths have always been one of the three major nuisances in the old city, and no one is willing to contend for the path with them

"It is you who should take action!" said the latecomer in a lowered voice.

Of course. The major shareholder's surname is Shao, and the heir... is said to be under determination, but there will definitely be one.

Suddenly, the people in the store fell silent in unison, simultaneously entering a state of dazed attention, as a multitude of news articles erupted online like a volcanic explosion, each headline accompanied by at least one exclamation mark

Even on a day of nationwide celebration, the "Eight Stars" remains a highly discussed topic

Shao Yunyan was originally not very interested in the spaceship, but at this moment, he looked up and admired it for a while, as he suddenly thought that he might soon possess such a colossal object

The young men laughed heartily for no apparent reason, having clearly brushed past each other. One of them turned around, spat on the ground, and loudly asked, "Old man, how do you get to the funeral home?"

"Conspiracy" always captivates the heart; one person initiates it, and many follow closely, effortlessly developing various astonishing theories.

Shao Yun smiled in response, too lazy to reply, as his thoughts soared towards the yet-to-be-officially-named eighth planet. Even if he could possess just one ten-thousandth of it, it would represent an unimaginably vast fortune, far exceeding the total assets of all individuals on this street, no, throughout the entire Zhai Wangxing.

The shop is not large, arranged in a semicircular shape, with seven chairs evenly placed. Behind the three chairs in the middle stand the barbering machines; one is in good condition, while another occasionally has minor issues, causing embarrassment for both the barber and the customer. The third machine has become merely a decoration, as it cannot be repaired and has not been removed.

At this moment, Shao Yunyan is still unaware that a tremendous opportunity is about to fall into her lap

It is truly unexpected that a planet developed over three hundred years ago has suddenly re-emerged, when it should have either been confirmed as a failed development or completely forgotten. How can it suddenly be said to have entered a mature stage and be ready for human colonization? I sense something is amiss; there is definitely something suspicious about this. Shao Yunyan added, steering the conversation in this direction. I sense something is amiss; there is definitely something suspicious about this. Shao Yunyan added, steering the conversation in this direction.

Haha... Shao Yun's smile seemed somewhat forced, "If I were the heir, I would give each of you a lifetime free haircut voucher"

Shao Yun wished to return just in time, immediately shifting the topic, "In the end, it all comes down to electricity and expenses. This year is the competition of seven stars, but next year it will be eight stars."

Behind the long counter, there are a total of five waiters busily working, their movements skilled and efficient, almost akin to that of robots

Hey, did you see?" A regular customer exclaimed with excitement, "The Star Alliance has just made a decision to determine the ownership of the new planet based on inheritance law

Joy has already expanded, filling the heart chamber, overflowing the body, and is now searching everywhere for a gap to burst out of the room

"It's all about money." The barber Shao Yunyan looked up for a moment, felt discomfort in his neck, and then said this before turning back into the shop

It has been three hundred years; the descendants of the Shao family must number in the thousands, right? Moreover, there are other shareholders as well, with generations of descendants, likely amounting to hundreds of thousands.

Which company is so fortunate? It probably no longer exists, right?

I have not heard of Yixing Company

A real spaceship cannot possibly come this close to a planet; this illusion is extremely realistic, as if it could come crashing down on the city at any moment

The Shao family does not have a ready-made genealogy; it must trace back through individual birth certificates, and only the lineage of the individual can be searched.

The waitstaff here are all living human beings, unlike in other places where the charging and serving of drinks are all handled by automated systems, and there are not even humanoid robots.

Regardless of the circumstances, they must pay when they leave; this is the only reason Shao Yunyan did not speak up to drive them away

Half an hour later, Shao Yunyan decided to halt the operation of the microcomputer, sitting still and lost in thought for half a day before regaining awareness

The guests laughed heartily, and Shao Yun was inclined to chuckle along, as accepting ridicule was originally an important part of his job. He was accustomed to it, yet today he felt somewhat uneasy.

It is truly strange, he thought, never raising his head again

The other five individuals are regular customers, enthusiastically debating which fireworks display is the most spectacular

The entire planet belongs to one family? How surprising... Oh, Lao Yun, aren't you surnamed Shao? Could it be that you are one of the heirs?

This is also a time for the major planets to compete in strength, subtly vying with one another; even if they cannot prevail, they must not appear too weak

To put it plainly, the primary role of a barber should be to engage in conversation with clients. Shao Yun refers to this as "social organizational activities." He acts like the host of a gathering, controlling the atmosphere, creating topics, guiding discussions, embellishing stories, or pulling the rug out from under someone, ensuring that every guest can participate and enjoy a couple of hours of happiness

It is not a company, but rather a family that owns the company, or it could be a specific individual

He continued to enter and exit bars, one after another, drinking no more than two glasses each time, staying away from his own neighborhood to avoid running into acquaintances

"Seeing the news, their expressions must be quite interesting," Shao Yun said softly, raising a glass for each of his ex-girlfriends.

On May 11, 300 of the Standard Interstellar Era, humanity across the seven major planets joyfully celebrated the annual Earth Day, with the lively scenes being broadcast live across space, albeit with a few minutes of delay, which was of little consequence

Someone bumped into him, turned his head and cursed, blaming him for standing still without reason

The old town is dotted with entertainment venues, most of which are inexpensive. Shao Yun prefers to pass by them and head to a more upscale bar located three streets away.

After leaving the tenth bar, he was already drunk, his steps unsteady, his thoughts slightly descending from the clouds, seriously contemplating how to utilize the wealth that was about to come his way, designing future houses one by one

Footsteps approached again, and another unfamiliar guest appeared, displaying a clear expression of surprise on their face

A whole planet, and all the machines on it, as well as the light industry farms, belong to the Shao family? This is simply outrageous

There are still many uncertainties, such as how many descendants the Shaw family actually has and how the inheritance rights will be distributed... Will the decision of the Star Alliance change again...

Shao Yun was barely able to maintain her composure; in reality, she had already lost her sense of self and more than half of her judgment, failing to notice the strange gaze cast upon her by the unfamiliar guest as they departed

What captivates the heart more than conspiracy is wealth, and the conversation quickly shifts to the value of the new planet. Occasionally, someone stares blankly for a few seconds, as they are retrieving the latest news through the chip implanted in their body, adding new material to the discussion

The boys laughed even louder, and Shao Yunyan did not dare to retort, nor did he dare to look more than once. However, he had already made a decision in his heart: the new planet would never welcome these people, nor would it build a cluster of high-rise buildings that would, after several years, become a playground for unscrupulous youths

After just one drink, Shao Yun hurriedly left and returned to the street, silently lamenting the fleeting nature of youth. He recalled that in the past, he too had roamed every amusement venue in groups with these young people, spending a week's income in just half a night

This evening, he does not wish to meet with acquaintances, and it is likely that he will not see them again in the future. He thinks that he should quickly make adjustments and meet with certain individuals from the - picture - book, especially those who have once looked down upon him

The recent news states that the new planet was developed by Shaw with family funds and does not belong to Yixing Group

It is already dark outside, yet Old Yun is still daydreaming. With such a large company, the descendants of the Shaw family should now be part of a prominent family; how could they be involved in the barbering business

He is indeed a descendant of the Shao family, an heir to a planet. In this regard, Shao Yunyan has no doubt and believes that an official notification will soon be received, after which he will no longer be so carefree

The fireworks display in mid-air has not yet concluded, at this moment, a gigantic spaceship appears, measuring over ten kilometers in length, almost hovering motionless.

He is a Zhai Wang star person, residing in the old town of Zhai City. He owns a moderately sized barbershop and entered this profession at the age of twenty-three, continuing for over twenty years. His business has become more stable year by year, his physique has grown broader month by month, and his hair has diminished day by day. The only thing that remains unchanged is his skill, which is still as mediocre as before, long unable to keep up with the latest trends, and the equipment in the shop is all outdated, dating back over a decade.

Shao Yunyan felt puzzled; he wanted to force a professional smile, but found it beyond his capability. He lowered his head and looked for a while, finally recognizing that a large dark stain on his clothing was actually blood, yet he felt no pain at all

The grandest festive spectacle is undoubtedly the aerial electromagnetic fireworks display. At dusk, with a gentle breeze and clear skies, vibrant images begin to unfold in the sky. Each year features a different theme, lasting for several hours. During peak times, it can cover dozens or even hundreds of square kilometers, and not just in one location, ensuring that residents in various areas can simply look up to enjoy this beautiful sight

He has had three romantic relationships, none of which came to fruition. He often feels regret about this, but now he can only feel fortunate.

The guests chatted on until it was completely dark, and one by one they left. The two unfamiliar young men were the last to rise, obediently paid the bill without uttering a single word of nonsense

It is confirmed that he is indeed a descendant of the Shao family. Coincidentally, the chairman of Yixing Development Group during the Earth Era was named Shao Xinyuan, differing from the name of the eighth generation descendant by only one character

There are not many customers who prefer this method; the poor have no objections to machine haircuts as long as the price is low. As for customers who can afford to pay, they are still willing to accept the 'gimmick' of manual haircuts, paying several times or even dozens of times more for that one percent difference