Chapter 974: Clothes Make the Man

Even after four days had passed, whenever she thought of it, Tao Tao still couldn’t help but have nightmares.

He had thought the legendary Boss Wang was already outrageous, but after dining with Boss Wang at Jin Meilin, he realized Boss Wang was even more incredible than outrageous—guns were pulled out, yet he remained calm, chatting and laughing as if nothing had happened; worse still, he casually took the gun into his hands, and even more astonishingly, after extorting, he dared return the gun to Du Honggen.

Then, during the meal, he acted as if no one else was there—only the most expert dishes were ordered, only aged Maotai was drunk; he even smiled amiably while talking to Du Honggen and Lu Meilin, who had been smiling nervously beside him, as if nothing had occurred.

Finally, amid Du Honggen and Lu Meilin’s enthusiastic farewell, Boss Wang pedaled his tricycle, looking utterly disgusted, and dumped him back at his home on Gu Ling Road.

That night he had a nightmare, and for the past few days his appetite had been poor; Lu Meilin called him the next day to order seafood, and he had to psych himself up before going over—Lu Meilin’s disdain mixed with politeness eased his nerves slightly, yet he couldn’t stop recalling the suffocating silence in that private room that night.

The sharp click of the pistol’s empty chamber kept echoing in his ears…

“Lunch is about to start—where are you going?”

As his bedmate, Fang Mei was sharply aware of Tao Tao’s odd behavior these past few days; though she herself felt deeply insecure, she knew this time it had nothing to do with women—after all, it was she who had washed the pants Tao Tao had urinated in. She wanted to care, but Tao Tao refused to speak of it.

“Oh, Boss Wang needs me—he asked me to go see him. Lunch? I’ll eat at Yedongjing—after all, I’ve got to support Ah Bao’s business. I’m off, I’m off…”

Tao Tao waved his hand impatiently, stepped out, and rode his bicycle toward Jin Xian Road.

On the way, he kept pondering: it had been days since anything happened—what did Boss Wang want with him? He couldn’t figure it out, yet couldn’t help recalling that night’s brush with death, and once again felt the trembling relief of having survived.

Long Teng Seasoning Shop had been handed over to Jin Bao’s mother, and nothing much had changed; if anything, since Wang Yan no longer worked much, she had hired another person—and unlike Wang Yan, she had significantly increased production, spending each day alone in her twenty-square-meter space secretly mixing ingredients, then delivering each batch as it was ready.

This made Wang Yan into a babysitter; Jin Bao’s mother, desperate to earn money, had no time to care for the child. The chubby kid either hung around Wang Yan or followed Master Ge. But there was a benefit—the little guy had become much more cheerful; Wang Yan even weighed him, and he’d lost some weight.

Even at noon, foreign customers waiting in line to buy the seasoning showed no sign of leaving, still smoking and chatting. After over two months, the seasoning’s reputation had spread not just across Shanghai, but nationwide; regardless of regional taste differences, it was simply delicious. Some people from other places made round trips just to buy it, then sold it back home at Shanghai restaurant prices and made decent profits.

At this moment—or for a long time to come—there was never a shortage of consumers: on one hand, the newly wealthy; on the other, government and enterprise staff who paid with IOUs for whatever tasted good.

When Tao Tao arrived, he saw the same bustle—but different, across the street: Wang Yan, wearing a white long-sleeved shirt with sleeves rolled up, the shirt tucked into loose dress pants, and leather shoes on his feet, leaned against a brand-new Santana, smoking silently as he watched the shop’s busy activity, showing no intention to help.

“You’re here, Tao Zong.” Wang Yan greeted with a smile.

“Boss Wang, you said there was good news—what good news?” Tao Tao took the Huazhi cigarette Wang Yan offered, then pulled out his own lighter and lit it.

He now felt Wang Yan was too intimidating, too uncomfortable—even the Huazhi tasted bland in his mouth. Normally, he’d be thrilled; after all, Fang Mei was frugal, and letting him smoke at all was generous, let alone letting him smoke Huazhi.

“Did you deliver the seasoning to Jin Meilin?”

“I did. Lu Meilin was quite polite. Jin Meilin is the top restaurant on Huanghe Road—adding one more client means I earn a lot more. Thank you, Boss Wang.”

After a pause, Tao Tao added, “But Boss Wang, this is still too dangerous. Oh my, guns were pulled out! You absolutely can’t do this again—life is only once, you don’t even have a wife, and you’ve got hundreds of thousands stuffed in your cabinet, unspent—how pathetic is that?

A small car? What’s so great about twenty thousand? I heard the Santana’s price has dropped, most parts are domestic, at most it’s a hundred and fifty thousand. You can afford it, so why stir up trouble? If Du Honggen holds a grudge and shoots you in the back, no matter how tough you are, you can’t dodge a bullet.”

“So many words—why didn’t you say any of this when I dropped you off that night?”

“Oh my, I was so scared I peed my pants—I had nightmares that very night, you don’t know…” Tao Tao mumbled about his terrifying dreams, cautiously asking Wang Yan, “Boss Wang, you didn’t tell anyone about me peeing my pants, right?”

“I told everyone—if I didn’t, how could I keep it secret? Last time on Huanghe Road, when we fought, the police came looking for me when I was vending on Zhapu Road. If word got out I extorted a car, wouldn’t they lock me up?”

“Oh my, I thought you didn’t know! Since you know the consequences, you absolutely mustn’t act impulsively again. Gangsters and black society—we can’t touch them. Who knows if they have officials behind them? You’re all alone—you’ll die with no one to bury you.”

“Aren’t you the most loyal guy? You’re not going to abandon me?”

“Of course I’m the most loyal—I’m the only one who’d go! Master Ge is too timid—Boss Wang, don’t judge me just because I peed my pants; if it were Master Ge, he’d be scared to death.”

Tao Tao waved his hand, then suddenly realized—he’d been terrified at first, so how come he now dared say Boss Wang might die?

He snapped to attention and changed the subject: “Boss Wang, what’s this good news?”

Wang Yan carelessly tossed his cigarette butt on the ground, crushed it under his heavy leather shoe, turned, opened the car door, and pulled out a Motorola phone, handing it over: “This is the good news.”

“Good news?” Tao Tao automatically took the phone, then looked up sharply, “For me?”

“Why would I give it to you?”

“Of course to make sure you keep your mouth shut and don’t blab around. Otherwise I wouldn’t have said anything—I peed my pants, for heaven’s sake! If word got out, how embarrassing would that be?”

“Du Honggen and Lu Meilin aren’t that petty—a Motorola phone costs less than twenty thousand to register. I gave it to you to snap you out of it, to make you understand clearly.”

“So I can keep it?”

“Take it—I took a car worth over a hundred thousand, what are you afraid of? If trouble comes, it’s my trouble, not yours.”

“Then I’ll take it. Honestly, Boss Wang, I’ve always wanted a Motorola phone for easier contact. I also wanted to buy a minivan—so I could pick up and deliver goods anywhere. But Fang Mei hoards the money and refuses to give me any. This woman—long hair, short vision—she’ll never make big money.”

“So tell me—was what I did right?”

“Oh my, absolutely right—couldn’t be more right!” Tao Tao excitedly gripped the Motorola phone and slammed it into his other palm—*thwack*—“In my opinion, Du Honggen’s money was ill-gotten, and you asked for too little.”

Wang Yan chuckled and shook his head: “Let’s go, Tao Zong—dinner at Yedongjing.”

“What? You got a new car—why not drive?”

“It’s less than a hundred meters away—too much trouble.”

“You’ve got a new car—you’ve got to show it off.”

Wang Yan waved him off, ignoring him, and strolled toward Yedongjing.

Yedongjing’s business was mediocre, mostly sustained by regulars. The dishes weren’t outstanding, the cooking wasn’t exceptional, the prices weren’t cheap, the space wasn’t large, and the boss’s temper was terrible—how could it possibly be popular?

Of course, Yedongjing didn’t care much about casual customers—it relied mostly on Ah Bao’s friends. As for the Yedongjing crew—Wang Yan, Master Ge, Tao Tao, Ling Hong—none of them paid for meals; they ate two meals a day, lunch and dinner, for free.

But Wang Yan ate less than the others—he simply loved eating, and usually wandered around looking for good food. Master Ge and Ling Hong, like before, ate breakfast nearby, then eagerly headed to Yedongjing for lunch and dinner.

Tao Tao came often—after all, it was Ah Bao’s business, and he’d almost become a shareholder, though he’d been too afraid of losing money to commit; still, he had to help out, liven things up, and spend some of Ah Bao’s money. On the other hand, it was also an escape from Fang Mei—he could drink, chat, and relax here.

When they arrived at Yedongjing, Ling Zi and the others were already laughing and chatting; surprisingly, Ah Bao was there too. Everyone greeted each other with smiles and nods, sat down, and the waiters began serving dishes.

Ling Hong said, “Oh my, Tao Tao, where have you been hiding these past few days? You’ve got a Motorola now?”

“For business contact—much more convenient now.” Tao Tao grinned broadly, but kept his wits—he showed off the phone briefly, then changed the subject: “Ah Bao, why are you here today?”

“I’m a shareholder—can’t I come?” Ah Bao nodded toward Wang Yan. “Boss Wang, I’ve got good news—you’re going to get rich.”

Wang Yan raised an eyebrow in mock surprise: “Did Electric Vacuum go up?”

“More than that—it’s already at 120, up thirty percent.”

Master Ge exclaimed, “So he made thirty thousand?”

“Sixty thousand, Master Ge,” Tao Tao said, fiddling with the Motorola. “Later, Boss Wang had Ah Bao buy another hundred thousand worth.”

Ling Zi laughed: “Then Boss Wang has to treat us.”

“Nah, it’s still early—we haven’t sold yet. Wait until September.”

“I think it’ll double easily—the market’s picking up. Honestly, I’ve bought some too,” Ah Bao said, then added, “Boss Wang, I heard Jin Meilin invited you to dinner again?”

“That was days ago. They lost face at my place, and everyone—known or unknown—laughed at them. They couldn’t take it anymore, so they called me over to show the world they were still on good terms. A fancy restaurant invites you to dinner—why not eat? I don’t care about face, so let’s all be happy. No need to hold a grudge.”

Hmm… what could Tao Tao say? He just ate quietly, fiddling with the Motorola, pretending he knew nothing.

Ling Zi said, “I say you shouldn’t have gone—it’s too cruel. If you weren’t strong, they’d have stolen your recipe. You don’t need them—why be afraid? If you bully someone, you should expect to be bullied back.”

Ah Bao shook his head and smiled: “It’s not that simple. Even if you don’t need them, you shouldn’t make enemies. Du Honggen still has some reputation—better to keep your distance. He might not help you succeed, but he’s very good at ruining things. Boss Wang came to Shanghai alone—he’s better off avoiding trouble. Harmony is how you make money.”

Wang Yan nodded with a smile and said, “Ah Bao, I’ve got a favor to ask.”

“We’re friends—no need to say ‘favor.’ If I can help, I will,” Ah Bao replied without hesitation, sincerely.

“It’s not a big deal—people say I should look more like a boss. So I bought a Santana and a Motorola, but they say ‘clothes make the man, saddle makes the horse.’ I’ve noticed all the bosses dress in suits like you, but their clothes aren’t well-made—I find yours the most comfortable. So I’d like you to recommend a tailor—I want to order a few suits.”

“Oh my, you finally got it!” Ling Zi said. “I’ve been saying this for ages—a boss making hundreds of thousands a month shouldn’t dress like a beggar, or deliver goods himself. Now that you’ve handed the shop to Jin Bao’s mother, it’s perfect—you should upgrade. Ah Bao, not just a tailor—get a cobbler too, and a barber as well.”

“Boss Wang’s build is great—I know. Once he wears custom suits and leather shoes, oh my, he’ll make girls faint. And don’t forget a watch—something high-end.”

“Yes, yes, I’ll go buy them at the mall. Thanks so much, Ah Bao.”

“I’m just making a recommendation—no trouble at all.” Ah Bao smiled, stood up, grabbed paper and pen, wrote down an address, “I’ll call ahead—you can go directly.”

“Good.”

“Wait—hold on.” Master Ge waved his hand. “You bought a car? How come I didn’t know? I see you every day pedaling your tricycle, and your bike’s still mine—where’s your car?”

Wang Yan smiled: “Just arrived.”

“Just arrived? Don’t lie to me. Before coming to Yedongjing, I passed your shop—didn’t see your car.”

“Why are you so nosy, old man? After lunch, come with me—I’ll give you a ride.”

“Oh my, look at your attitude now, Little Northeast.” Master Ge looked around. “You don’t know—he came here and…”

“Stop it, Master Ge. I’ve known you for barely a month, and you’ve told this story a hundred times. You’re clearly senile—you should go to the hospital and check if your brain’s broken,” Ling Hong interrupted impatiently.

“Ling Hong, I’ve been cutting your rent…”

Ling Hong’s words successfully diverted Master Ge’s attention; the two began bickering back and forth. Tao Tao perked up too, chiming in occasionally—total chaos.

Wang Yan naturally didn’t join in—he ate heartily, smiling, and after they finished arguing, resumed his usual habit of criticizing the little monk. In fact, every time he ate here, he had something to say to the little monk.

It wasn’t that he ate free and insulted the cook—the little monk was actually decent, willing to listen and study; after Wang Yan casually commented, the little monk always came to ask for more. For a cook, improving his craft was essential; since the little monk himself recognized the need, Wang Yan was happy to offer more advice. Compared to when Yedongjing first opened, the little monk’s skills had improved greatly.

Watching the little monk scribbling furiously in his notebook, Ah Bao laughed: “Boss Wang knows how to eat—I just like a bowl of rice soaked in broth.”

“Oh, you’re one to talk,” Ling Zi interrupted before Wang Yan could speak. “You don’t know how to eat? The salted fish must be from Qibao, the chicken feet from Chuansha, the pickled vegetables from Zhujiajiao, the cakes from Chongming—you don’t even know how to eat?”

“Those are Master Ge and Ling Hong’s favorites—I just taste a bit,” Ah Bao shook his head.

Wang Yan said: “In the past, we were poor—just trying to fill our stomachs, no luxury. Now we’re lucky—goods are plentiful, everyone’s making money—so we should be more refined. Today’s dishes—the little monk makes one flavor, another master chef would make another. The same ingredients, cooked better, is always better. Little monk, you still need to improve.”

“Little monk’s doing fine,” Master Ge said. “His skills have improved lately.”

“My business is better too,” Ling Zi smiled.

The little monk scratched his head: “It’s all thanks to Boss Wang’s guidance—I wouldn’t have improved so much without him.”

“Your own dedication matters most.”

Ling Hong spoke up: “Boss Wang, I heard from Master Ge you cook really well—when will you make a full meal for us to try?”

“I think that’s a great idea,” Master Ge chimed in. “Let’s wait until September—when you make money from stocks, you can cook here.”

“You know how to plan, Master Ge,” Wang Yan chuckled. “Fine—when I sell the stocks, whether I make or lose money, I’ll cook a big feast for everyone.”

“I’ll help!” the little monk grinned.

“You’re the cook—whose job is it to help? Go on, go eat your meal,” Ling Hong waved him off…

Time passed, and everyone had grown accustomed to each other’s ways. Of course, Wang Yan, an outsider who didn’t belong here, had also blended in. So calling him “Boss Wang” was just a nickname—not a polite formality for strangers. Just like everyone else except Tao Tao called Ah Bao “Ah Bao Zong.”

The Yedongjing crew now looked exactly as they would later: eating, drinking, laughing daily. Amid the fast-paced, turbulent changes of the era, they moved slowly, unhurriedly—a sharp contrast to Ah Bao’s explosive success outside.

After the meal, everyone dispersed.

Ah Bao pulled Tao Tao aside on the street to smoke. “You’re hiding something from me, aren’t you?”

Tao Tao’s mind was flooded with a storm of images; he shook his head firmly: “Absolutely not.”

“Not at all?”

“Truly not. We grew up naked together, good brothers—I’ve slept with Fang Mei, you know that. What could I possibly hide from you? Oh my, after all these years, you don’t believe me? Bao, I’m deeply disappointed in you.”

“Nah, nah, nah—you haven’t changed one bit in all these years,” Bao grumbled, punching him in the chest. “Every time you lie to me, you turn the blame on me. Always stirring up trouble—so annoying.”

Exposed, Tao Tao felt no embarrassment at all; he punched Bao back and grinned: “Good brother, you still know me best.”

“Stop smiling. Tell me the truth—what’s going on?”

“How did you figure it out?”

“Last year you argued with Fang Mei over buying a mobile phone, and she still refused, didn’t she?”

“I saved up my own secret money to buy it.”

“You’ve never had more than ten yuan in your pocket. How much do you owe me? Why not pay me back first before buying a mobile phone?”

“Well, well…”

“Enough. Don’t make it up,” Bao said, lighting a cigarette. “Fang Mei told me everything. A few days ago, you went to Huanghe Road to deliver seafood to Hong Lu, came home very late, and Wang Boss drove you back. He even said you peed your pants. That night you had a nightmare, screaming, ‘I didn’t say it! It wasn’t me! Don’t kill me!’ These past few days you’ve been listless. When Fang Mei asked you, you wouldn’t answer.”

“Oh my, I knew it—women can’t be trusted,” Tao Tao fumed, slamming the mobile phone into his palm. “This woman’s going to be the death of me.”

He looked anxious but lowered his voice: “Bao, don’t push me, okay? I really can’t tell you—if I do, I’ll be killed.”

“Fine.”

“Oh my, good brother, good brother, then I…”

“Then I’ll tell everyone you peed your pants,” Bao shrugged, smirking. “See for yourself.”

“Bao, I misjudged you. You’d threaten me with something like that? How am I supposed to survive after this? You’ve got no brotherly loyalty at all.”

“Hurry up. I mean it. Three… two…”

“Alright, alright!” Tao Tao swatted away Bao’s counting fingers, irritated. “I’ll tell you—but don’t you dare tell anyone else, or someone will die. Even if no one dies, I’ll end up in jail.”

“Are you going to talk?”

“I’ll tell, I’ll tell. The day I delivered seafood to Hong Lu, I overheard people talking about Jin Meilin inviting Wang Boss to dinner. Just as I was leaving, I saw Wang Boss from afar at Jingxiu…”

Tao Tao droned on—not a complicated story, yet he made it last half an hour. He swallowed hard and said: “You understand now? Du Honggen has a gun. If this gets out and others find out he lost even more face with Wang Boss—giving him a car, giving him a mobile phone—he’ll go insane.”

“And last time Wang Boss got into a fight on Huanghe Road, the police found him within two days. Now if this gets out—with a gun involved—it’s all over. Wang Boss got himself a Santana and two mobile phones—that’s over a hundred thousand yuan! He won’t get shot, but he’ll be locked up for ten years. I’ll get three years at least. He gave me the mobile phone to shut me up. Wang Boss gets ten years, I get three.”

“Good brother, I told you everything—don’t get me killed.”

After hearing Tao Tao’s rambling, Bao was stunned. Was it really that serious? It sounded like a gangster movie. He knew Tao Tao exaggerated, so he asked cautiously: “You’re not exaggerating, are you?”

“I admit I sometimes exaggerate, but this time I swear—I didn’t add a single drop of oil. I raised my hand, stepped back. I was this far from Wang Boss—I saw everything clearly. This is a matter of life and death. How could I lie? Good brother, you must keep this secret—or I’m dead.”

Bao exhaled deeply, steadied himself, and shook his head: “Do you really not trust me? I’ll tell Fang Mei—tell her not to worry. Don’t argue with her when you get home. She cares about you.”

“I’ll pretend I know nothing—otherwise, explaining it will never end, and someone will die,” Tao Tao waved his hand irritably, then suddenly smiled. “Bao, good brother, I’m so glad you’re here. After telling you, I feel instantly lighter. You don’t know—I’ve been terrified these past few days.”

“Now I’m the one who’s terrified. How could you be so stupid? You knew it was a trap, yet you still went along with Wang Boss.”

“No, I’ve thought about it these past few days. I realized Wang Boss never intended to take me along in the first place.”

“Then why did he change his mind?”

“I said something similar to what Lingzi said before—I told them they started it, and I didn’t expect to run into you. If someone else had come, they’d have beaten him to death. The recipe would’ve been lost, and he wouldn’t have been safe—he’d have been beaten badly. Then he called me ‘Manager Tao,’ said he’d underestimated me.”

“Then he praised my loyalty, put me on the spot—I had no choice but to go with him to Jin Meilin. He’d already said he wanted me to deliver seafood to Jin Meilin—and sure enough, here I am. I think from the start, he never meant to be polite. They were truly bullying people. But thank goodness Wang Boss is even stronger.”

“Oh my, after they finished negotiating, Wang Boss just tossed the gun to Du Honggen. That guy panicked, trembling. He wanted to say, ‘Aren’t you afraid I’ll shoot you back?’ But Wang Boss didn’t change expression—he just smiled like he always does with us. He said, ‘I’ll break all five limbs of yours, leave you rotting in bed.’”

“At the time, I didn’t even know what ‘five limbs’ meant. Later I figured it out—it was his penis. I bet Du Honggen didn’t understand either—he was too scared to ask. Oh my, I nearly died laughing.”

Bao couldn’t help laughing—Tao Tao was so carefree. Just moments ago he was begging for his life, now he was mocking Du Honggen.

He said: “Alright, I get it. Don’t worry—I won’t tell anyone. Go home. And don’t you dare give Fang Mei any trouble—or I’ll beat you.”

“Oh my, you’ve been ‘Boss Bao’ too long—you’ve lost your strength. Who’s beating whom, I wonder?” Tao Tao laughed, punched Bao, then suddenly grew serious. “You’re not laughing at me, are you?”

“What?”

“I mean…,” Tao Tao scowled at Bao’s smile. “That thing I said…”

“Who knows who better than us? How could I laugh at you? If I were you, I’d probably do the same.”

“Same as me? You’d be worse. I’m leaving!” Tao Tao looked relaxed, turned on his heel, and walked away.

“Hey, wait.”

“What?”

“Aren’t you going to save a number on the mobile phone?”

“Oh, right, right—I forgot. I need to save Wang Boss, Teacher Ge, Lingzi, Linghong’s numbers. But how do I save them?”

“This damn thing dies after one call—it’s unreliable. Write numbers on paper. What if the phone runs out of power? Can you remember everyone’s numbers?”

“Right, right—but you can’t just carry a phone book around like that.”

“Then you carry it in your bag.”

“Do you have an extra one? Give me one—I don’t know what’s good or bad.”

Bao stared, speechless: “Let’s go back to the shop. I’ll give you my bag. You’ve talked enough—you need a drink of water.”

“Oh my, you didn’t mention it, but I’m parched.” Tao Tao didn’t wait for Bao—he turned and walked straight back to Yedongjing.

Bao stood there, helplessly shaking his head, then followed him back.

The matter involving Du Honggen and Lu Meilin was settled. Du Honggen wasn’t heroic—he was just a cowardly bully. Even if Wang Yan gave him eight courage, he wouldn’t dare show his teeth. Lu Meilin wasn’t an issue either—married to a gambling ne’er-do-well, she had to be tough herself, loitering around Huanghe Road, another bully who preyed on the weak and incapable of causing real trouble.

But Wang Yan did take money and do the job. Otherwise, what good would beating Du Honggen up do? When the police came, Du Honggen and Lu Meilin would both claim they fell. But he didn’t do that—he ate with them, was warmly seen off by them, and they all played a scene of harmony and goodwill. That was more than enough.

He didn’t go there intending to get a car. At first, he just wanted to see what kind of man Du Honggen was—and incidentally, have a meal. But Du Honggen wasn’t submissive, so Wang Yan decided on the spot to teach the kid a lesson. Now everything was perfect.

Teacher Ge watched Wang Yan being measured by the old tailor, deeply annoyed: “Why did you drag me here to get your clothes made?”

“Didn’t I just take you for a ride?”

“Yes.”

“The ride’s over.”

“Fine, you little Northeasterner—you’re messing with me?”

Wang Yan shook his head: “Why would I be so boring? What’s the point of messing with you? I just happened to pass by. I took you for a ride in the new car, and now we’re getting clothes made—two things done in one trip. Perfect.”

“Then take me back.”

“A taxi won’t cost much. Or take the bus.”

“You brought me out—you pay.” Teacher Ge pouted, but didn’t push it. “Aren’t you going to get a haircut next?”

“Yes. After the haircut, I’ll soak in a bath—feel good.”

Teacher Ge, who had stood up, sat back down: “I’ve got nothing to do. You’re bored too. I’ll humor you. But I’m getting a haircut and a bath too.”

“You’re so stingy—I wonder where your coffin money’s going.”

“Even if I had more coffin money, I couldn’t match your monthly earnings. Don’t I get sick? Doesn’t medicine cost money? I save and live frugally—that’s a spirit you should learn. Don’t act like a nouveau riche when you get a little money—it’s ugly.”

“But all your savings get eaten and drunk up here. Who saves like this and drinks two liang of Maotai every day? Pay me back for the alcohol.”

“Oh my, we’re friends—don’t count every penny. I’ve lowered your rent, let you ride my bike, done you countless favors—what have I ever said? What’s the point of tallying it all up?”

“Didn’t you say everything?”

Wang Yan chuckled and shook his head. The old man had no shame—what could he say? But the old man was truly good—he’d always helped enthusiastically. Though he nagged, it was still enjoyable to be around…

Bao’s tailor was excellent—highly skilled, well-known. Many people ordered clothes here, and even shoes—all one-stop service. An old master who’d spent his life in the trade, he took advantage of the opening-up era to open his own shop. He brought along family members and took on apprentices. This was real craftsmanship—true high-end tailoring, destined to grow even more profitable.

Wang Yan was a simple man. To save time, he ordered many sets of clothes for spring, summer, autumn, and winter, many pairs of shoes, and countless shirts. His measurements were kept on file, and the master would surely remember his preferences during their conversations. Next time he wanted new clothes, he’d just call—convenient.

Of course, he never truly argued with Teacher Ge. He took the old man for a haircut, trimming his slightly long center-parted hair short and thinning it out—giving him a clean, neat side-parted slick-back style, much like Bao’s.

A full transformation would wait until the clothes and shoes were finished.

Teacher Ge droned on: Wang Yan shouldn’t keep living in his place—it didn’t match his new wardrobe and hairstyle. He should move into a long-term room at the Peace Hotel, like Bao.

Of course, it was unnecessary—a long-term room cost thousands per month, while Teacher Ge’s place was only fifty yuan. The only downside was no private bathroom, making showers inconvenient. But there was a public bathhouse nearby—two yuan per visit. Even daily, it’d cost only sixty yuan a month. The math was clear.