Chapter 14: How come I, Xu Damào, have to pay the bill?

Xu Damào grabbed the wine bottle.

He wasn't trying to be this wine commander.

Really had no other way.

The dishes arrived a little over twenty minutes, and Xu Damào, taking a break from his busy schedule, had just eaten a few bites of cabbage, which Shazhu had picked for him.

Although he had drunk two cups of baijiu, it was on an empty stomach; if Shazhu invited another cup, Xu Damào reckoned he could slide straight under the table.

First, eat some meat.

Shazhu is treating, so we won't eat for free.

Otherwise Xu Damào would always feel he's losing out.

"Shazhu, that's not how you drink alcohol."

Xu Damào was making conversation out of nothing.

He intended to pull off the "openly repair the plank road, secretly sneak through Chen Cang" trick.

Using words to confuse Shazhu, Xu Damào took the chance to eliminate the lamb in the hot pot.

Three plates.

Surely it can't all be eaten by Shazhu and Yushui alone.

"From what you're saying, Xu Damào, it seems this wine still has its own principles."

Shazhu didn't know if he had seen through Xu Damào's tricks; he shoved the hand-pulled noodles into the hot pot and called on He Yushui to pour the remaining plate of lamb in as well.

Lamb plus noodles.

Perfect match!

Many people in the shop were stunned by Shazhu's divine move, mainly because nowadays folks come here just to eat lamb pure and simple.

In some people's eyes, Shazhu's act of putting noodles into the hot pot was like a blossoming maiden being carried off in a bridal sedan—except it only happened the first time, and that was it.

They felt it was fresh.

They had never seen this way of eating.

When the aroma rose from the hot pot and drifted into their nostrils, many couldn't help but sniff, and their taste buds were stimulated and became active at that moment.

Still quite fragrant.

Looks like it.

This sixteen- or seventeen-year-old, unsightly little brat is also a foodie.

Using the hot pot's meat broth to cook noodles—only a foodie could think of that.

"Waiter, bring us a plate of hand-pulled noodles too."

The shout for noodles rang out.

Everyone was copying each other.

Having finished, he brushed off his clothes and left.

Hiding his merit and fame.

Unintentionally leading the flamboyant Shazhu of the dining crowd, he took advantage of Xu Damào's dazed aftertaste to call Yushui to quickly eat the lamb and noodles in the hot pot.

Noodles go into the mouth.

Lamb goes into the belly.

Then sip a bit of this meat broth.

Just one word.

Delicious!

"Xu Damào, drink." Shazhu lifted his wine cup, for the third time inviting the Xu Damào who had come to his senses and wanted to eat some lamb and noodles, saying, "As I said before, our grudges are nothing; it's just that you, kid, were mischievous trying to peek into the women's toilet, I caught you and beat you a few times—that's your fault; if you really want to marry, Director Wang has plenty of good girls waiting to be wed."

Two cups of wine went down.

No more idle talk at the mouth.

After saying that, Shazhu regretted it.

Xu Damào is his brother; he can't keep trapping Xu Damào all his life—if he's going to scheme, he should scheme against Jia Dongxu and Yi Zhonghai and their lot.

"Have you grown all your hair yet, kid?" Shazhu, shifting tone, wore a look of disdain: "I won't say another word; it's all in the wine. After downing this third cup, we're brothers—those past matters are over, okay? Whether okay or not, we've turned the page."

"Shazhu, you just said Director Wang has plenty of good girls!"

Truly living up to the reputation of colorful flags fluttering outside and red flags never falling at home.

He's not even of age yet.

His mind isn't on this proper place.

Shazhu's speculation about Xu Damào having no heir suddenly got a new answer—maybe this bastard, from overdoing it, had his roots cut off by heaven because it couldn't bear to watch.

"Don't digress, just drink."

"Can human reproduction be a digression?"

"Since you're so curious, I'll reluctantly tell you: Director Wang does have plenty of girls, but do you know where those girls come from?"

Shazhu worried Xu Damào would indulge in wild fantasies, so he simply told him the truth of the matter, lest Xu Damào spout nonsense; he wanted to cut off Xu Damào's longing at the root.

His voice was low-pressure.

Yushui was nearby.

We should avoid taboo a bit.

"They're all poor souls rescued from the Eight Great Alleys and reformed; you really have ideas?"

"No ideas."

"Having no ideas is fine; have you eaten well?"

Upon hearing Shazhu's words.

Xu Damào was furious.

Can I eat well?

Three cups of baijiu went down his belly, then he damn ate five or six mouthfuls of cabbage; the mutton was still snatched from under He Yushui's chopsticks while he was stealing a moment of leisure.

"Didn't you eat well?" Shazhu pointed at the leftover stuff on the table, "Noodles and cabbage and such—I put them in the pot; eat while hot."

Shazhu's gaze turned to He Yushui; how did the little girl suddenly go quiet?

Just looking at that.

His heart leapt to his throat in an instant.

He had just been trying to get closer to Xu Damào.

For a moment he forgot about He Yushui, and also underestimated the little girl's curiosity at that moment; seeing Shazhu and Xu Damào drinking the baijiu cup after cup, nine-year-old He Yushui felt puzzled—though the smell was terrible, why did his own brother like it so much?

Could it actually taste good!

He Yushui, thinking that, while Shazhu and Xu Damào were chatting and shooting the breeze, grabbed Shazhu's wine cup, raised her neck and drank all the wine, coughed a few times, then her little face flushed red as she pointed at Xu Damào and said, "Xu Damào bro, when did you grow a donkey face?"

After saying that.

Her little head lay on the table.

Shazhu was anxious as if on fire.

His family only has this one little sister.

Something happened.

He couldn't bear the responsibility.

He turned, hoisted He Yushui onto his back, and shouted at Xu Damào, who was still sitting foolishly in place, unaware of what had happened.

"Xu Damào, I'm taking the little girl to the hospital to check her out; you go ahead and eat and drink."

Without waiting for Xu Damào's agreement.

Carrying He Yushui, he rushed out of Dong Lai Shun.

"You're sick."

Watching Shazhu's retreating back, Xu Damào muttered softly, then grabbed the chopsticks, dumped the remaining dishes on the table into the hot pot, and began to eat slowly and carefully.

He ate two bites.

He felt something was off.

Others steal donkeys, but he stole the wedge used to tether their donkey—this is just asking for trouble.

Even Shazhu, who was supposed to pay the bill, has run off—what am I still doing here?

His butt was just about to leave the stool.

The plump attendant nearby, eyeing him like a tiger, came over to Xu Damào with small quick steps.

"Comrade, the total is twenty-three thousand five hundred."

Xu Damào nearly couldn't catch his breath and would have passed out.

Clearly Shazhu was treating, so how did it turn into me paying the bill!

Twenty-three thousand five hundred.

That's a huge sum!

The key is he ate even less than Shazhu, and the meat was all eaten by Shazhu and Yushui.

A feeling of helplessness welled up in Xu Damào's heart.

"Want to eat a free meal, huh?"

"No, I just haven't had enough yet, I want to eat something more." Xu Damào tried to save face, "Forget it, I won't eat, just have some soup."

Twenty-five thousand yuan was taken out of Xu Damào's pocket, and given to the plump attendant amidst his reluctant heartache.

"Bastard Shazhu!"

"You wait."