Chapter 12: Free Meal

Duan Rong looked at Zhang Zheng as if he were looking at a fool. "I can't even figure it out myself, let alone give you pointers? I'm the one who wants you to give me pointers!"

Duan Rong curled his lip, thinking to himself: A bit of spice, and you want to get me to teach you? What are you thinking?

Seeing Duan Rong's expression, Zhang Zheng knew he had been rebuffed and sighed, "Brother Rong, your routine is so well-executed, how could you not understand it? I think it's just that you, Brother Rong, are unwilling to pass on the teachings!"

Upon hearing this, Duan Rong sneered and said, "Let me ask you, you speak so fluently, but can you teach someone the method of 'punctuation'? Being able to do it yourself is one thing, but being able to teach others is another!"

So-called punctuation means grammar. Just because you speak Chinese well doesn't mean you can extract grammatical structures from familiar speech. These are two different things.

Hearing this, Zhang Zheng was momentarily speechless.

Duan Rong did not want to waste any more breath on Zhang Zheng, so he turned and left the courtyard.

As Duan Rong stepped out, he looked back at Zhang Zheng, who was stunned in place, and muttered to himself, "My modern knowledge system from nine years of compulsory education can't crush you? You little punk!"

Just as Duan Rong walked out of the courtyard, Kong Bin stepped out from behind the Old Locust Tree in the yard and stood by Zhang Zheng's side.

Seeing Kong Bin walk over, Zhang Zheng shook his head and said, "This kid is a guy who won't take any bait!"

There was not a trace of expression on Kong Bin's cold, hard face. He knew Zhang Zheng's social skills well; if there was even the slightest crack, he could pry it open. It seemed Duan Rong was harder to deal with than anticipated.

Kong Bin said, "No rush, find another chance to try."

Over the next few days, Zhang Zheng constantly tried to approach Duan Rong, even going to the toilet with him when Duan Rong got up at night, but all his attempts, without exception, hit a wall.

Duan Rong was as slippery as a loach, just joking around with him, never saying a single thing that landed on solid ground.

Internally, however, Duan Rong stepped up his cultivation, not daring to be the least bit slack.

It would be the eighth day of the fourth lunar month soon; although he was confident, he could not be careless.

Duan Rong practiced daily, and every day was very fulfilling.

Seeing that today was the seventh day of the fourth lunar month and tomorrow was the assessment day on the eighth, even though Duan Rong had lived two lives, he still felt a little excited thinking about it.

After Duan Rong finished his shift at the stables, he went to the well in the courtyard to wash his body.

The weather was slowly warming up, and combined with Duan Rong's diligent practice, he felt hot and dry from time to time.

Just as Duan Rong finished washing and was still bare-bottomed, Zhang Zheng and Kong Bin crowded over.

Duan Rong glanced at the expressionless Kong Bin behind Zhang Zheng and was slightly surprised.

Zhang Zheng smiled and said, "Brother Rong, tomorrow is the assessment day. Brother Kong and I have pooled some money; let's go to a restaurant for a good meal to boost our morale for tomorrow's assessment! I wonder, Brother Rong, if you would do us the honor of joining us?"

Duan Rong's heart skipped a beat, and he thought: These little brats, their balls haven't even turned black yet, and they want to play a trap on me? I spent ten years in insurance; what kind of scenes haven't I seen?

Although Zhang Zheng and Kong Bin hung around the bottom rungs and looked more mature, in the end, they were just fifteen or sixteen-year-old boys. In Duan Rong's eyes, they were indeed naive; he could tell if they were about to take a dump before they even stuck their butts out.

Seeing that Duan Rong didn't reply, Kong Bin squeezed out a smile and said: If we are chosen as Apprentices, we will be fellow disciples in the future. When we walk the pugilistic world, we should help each other out, don't you think, Brother Rong?

Looking at Kong Bin's forced smile, Duan Rong laughed, "You two pooled your silver, but my pockets are already empty; how could I possibly eat for free on you two?"

"Eat for free?"

Zhang Zheng's expression was already somewhat uncomfortable. He and Kong Bin were not wealthy, and pooling for a banquet would almost exhaust their savings. He had hoped Duan Rong would chip in to lighten the burden.

He hadn't known before, but over the past few days, he discovered that Duan Rong was eating donkey-meat burgers or lamb offal soup every day, never going without meat. Clearly, he was wealthier than him and Kong Bin, yet this guy actually wanted to shamelessly eat for free!

But Kong Bin was clearly more decisive than Zhang Zheng, saying, "No matter! It is an honor if Brother Rong is willing to come! At the third quarter of the Xu hour tonight, our brothers will wait at the small restaurant on the street corner! See you there!"

After Kong Bin finished speaking, he turned and left.

Seeing Kong Bin leave, Zhang Zheng said "See you there" to Duan Rong and turned to chase after Kong Bin.

Duan Rong watched their backs and rubbed the bridge of his nose.

Although he didn't lack meat daily, his recent training had been too intense, and he still couldn't quite keep up.

Last night, he was still thinking that it would be great if he could have a big meal like the day he met Yang Zhen.

He didn't expect that just as he was getting sleepy, someone would bring him a pillow.

He didn't believe that two little brats who hadn't even grown their pubic hair could stir up any trouble.

At the third quarter of the Xu hour, the sky was already dark. Xiangu County could not be called prosperous; most shops closed their doors at nightfall. There were only sporadic lights on the streets, mostly from restaurants, brothels, and gambling dens.

A small restaurant at the street corner in front of the Yuanshun Escort Agency had a few dim oil lamps lit, not even covered by lanterns. The night wind blowing through the hall made the candlelight sway desperately, stretching the shadows of the diners back and forth like a dance of demons.

This small restaurant targeted low-level diners; the decor was dilapidated, and the tables and chairs were greasy, but the prices were affordable, the portions were generous, and the food was high in oil and salt. The wine included proper rice wine, and of course, inferior wine mixed with water, just at different prices.

But even a place like this was not something everyone could afford to eat at!

Kong Bin and Zhang Zheng sat at a table in the corner. They ordered a bowl of bland, inferior wine and drank it dry, their eyes scanning the restaurant entrance from time to time.

"That kid isn't playing us, is he?" Zhang Zheng asked, feeling somewhat annoyed. Recently, he had been given the cold shoulder by Duan Rong enough to have psychological trauma.

Just as Zhang Zheng finished speaking, a figure walked into the restaurant.

It was Duan Rong!

With his recent training and dietary supplements, Duan Rong's body had grown noticeably sturdier.

His frame was not small to begin with, and although he wasn't very tall, he gave off a feeling of being lean and strong.

Duan Rong had a square face, greasy hair, and a sallow, dark complexion. He was dressed in an unremarkable way, but his face was brimming with a kind of seasoned confidence.

As soon as Duan Rong entered, he swept his eyes across the room and saw the two of them. He walked over, cupped his hands slightly, and sat down, saying, "Sorry to keep you two waiting."

"Not at all, we just arrived." Kong Bin still wore his standard fake smile.

Duan Rong really wanted to remind him that his fake, skin-deep smile was uglier than his straight face, but since he was eating on someone else's dime today, he finally held it back.

"Waiter, bring the food!" Zhang Zheng turned his head and shouted at an old man who was filtering wine at the next table behind him.

The old man's face was full of wrinkles and covered in murky sweat; he turned back and agreed.

(End of chapter)