Chapter 2759: Meeting Old Liu

Zhou Andong watched the ambulance disappear into the night, finished the last sip of baijiu in his cup, stood up, stretched his limbs, exhaled, and said: "Boss lady, settle the bill!"

The boss lady quickly walked over: "Boss, it's seventy-eight in total, just give me seventy."

Zhou Andong chuckled: "You knocked off eight yuan all at once—still making a profit?"

"Earn a little less!" the boss lady said with a smile: "Just come by a few more times later and it'll add up."

"Boss lady, you're so good at business—you'll definitely make big money in the future." Zhou Andong reached into his pocket, fumbled around, then strode toward the opposite side: "Dalin, settle the bill."

Tang Lin, who had just stepped out, pulled his leg back, then reached into his pocket, took out a hundred yuan, and tossed it onto the table, boldly telling the boss lady: "No need for change."

"Thank you, boss!" the boss lady hurriedly thanked him, hurriedly followed them, escorted Zhou Andong and Tang Lin to the middle of the road, and only turned back after they got into their car.

The boss watched the Mercedes and Crown slowly drive away, picked up the half-bottle of tribute wine left on the table, and examined it from left to right.

The boss lady returned, saw the boss holding the wine bottle, slapped her thigh: "Oh, there's still half a bottle of wine here—I thought it was all gone! What should we do now? We can't even catch up to them."

The boss's eyes never left the bottle: "Someone that big a boss, driving a Mercedes and a yellow Crown—how could they possibly take the leftover wine? They definitely don't want it."

The boss lady thought about it and agreed, then said irritably: "If they don't want it, just put it away. Why are you staring at it like that—can you see flowers or money in it?"

"You clueless old woman," the boss said, holding the bottle up to her face: "Look—does this tribute wine differ from the one my brother-in-law bought for our dad during New Year?"

The boss lady pushed his hand away: "I don't drink alcohol—how would I notice these details?"

The boss found a bottle cap on the table and screwed it on: "My brother-in-law's tribute wine had a blue cap, blue label, and white bottle. This one has a red cap, red label, red bottle, and even two dragons on it—this bottle alone is worth several yuan."

"Alright, alright!" the boss lady said helplessly: "No one's coming anymore—hurry up and pack up, I'm dead tired."

"Here!" the boss carefully placed the bottle down, then tidied up while saying: "My brother-in-law's tribute wine is different from theirs—do you think he bought fake wine to fool our dad?"

The boss lady snapped: "How do you know? Maybe the few people who just drank it were drinking fake wine?"

"How could that be?" the boss said, his voice rising several notches: "They drive cars worth hundreds of thousands—could they possibly drink fake wine? Just look at that bottle—it couldn't possibly be fake."

The boss lady snorted: "Then go settle accounts with your elder sister's husband tomorrow—ask him why he gave our dad fake wine. Is he looking down on our family or what?"

"I'll definitely go ask him," the boss said firmly: "If he doesn't give me a reasonable explanation, just wait and see how I deal with him."

Zhou Andong didn't realize that the half-bottle of wine he hadn't taken with him nearly caused a family "tragedy." Since it was too late to go home, he opened a room at Ginwan Hotel and even borrowed a camera from the hotel.

Tang Lin also didn't go home—he opened a room at Ginwan Hotel, tidied up, then ran to Zuo Zuo's room. Then he directed Wen Tian and a few others to strip Zuo Zuo of all his clothes, leaving only his underwear.

Zhou Andong entered with the camera, and Tang Lin grinned: "Brother Dong, should we strip off his underwear too? That way, the photos will have commemorative value."

Zhou Andong's mouth twitched: "You're really not afraid he'll grab a knife and slash you?"

"Then let's do it this way," Tang Lin chuckled: "I'll pose, you take the pictures."

"Alright!" Zhou Andong opened the lens cap: "Don't think I'm bragging—I'm actually a professional photographer."

Zuo Zuo slept like a dead pig—Tang Lin posed him this way and that, but he didn't stir at all. Meanwhile, Zhou Andong held the camera, and with each click of the shutter, Zuo Zuo's various seductive poses were instantly frozen, preserved forever.

After the entire roll of film was used up, Tang Lin still felt unsatisfied: "This roll is a bit short—any more film left? Let's take a few more shots."

"No!" Zhou Andong shook his head: "Thirty-six shots are enough—one photo buys him a meal, that's enough to make him suffer for a while."

Tang Lin scratched his head: "I'm just afraid this dead pig isn't afraid of boiling water—we've been working hard for nothing."

Zhou Andong let out a hey-laugh: "If he refuses, we'll just show the photos to his current girlfriend. Later, we'll show them to his wife, then his son, then his grandson."

Tang Lin's eyes lit up—he slapped his thigh: "Brilliant idea! No matter how thick-skinned this idiot is, he won't lose face in front of his own woman."

Zhou Andong yawned, handed the camera to Tang Lin: "Find someone familiar to develop the photos—play is play, mischief is mischief, but if the photos leak out, it'll be bad."

Thinking about how people in the future would photograph that door, Zhou Andong's gaze fell on Zuo Zuo, his eyes blinking involuntarily. Still, gotta say—this idiot's physique isn't bad. If the photos leak, they might even attract some lonely, resentful women from the inner chambers.

"What's there to fear!" Tang Lin took the camera: "He's still got his underwear on—just treat it as a swimsuit photo."

After saying that, Tang Lin froze for a moment, then mysteriously said: "Brother Dong, want to put him in swim trunks, take a few photos, and print them as a calendar?"

Zhou Andong's mouth twisted hard: "That's your call—I'll pretend I know nothing about it."

Tang Lin laughed hehehe: "I'm just joking. If he actually did that, Zuo Zuo would probably grab a gun and blast him."

"I'm going to sleep," Zhou Andong said, ignoring Tang Lin, and walked away.

……………………

The next day, Zhou Andong slept until past nine, washed up simply, left the room. He didn't even eat breakfast, summoned Wen Tian and a few others, and left the hotel.

"Wentian, go to West Mountain," Zhou Andong said, then closed his eyes.

West Mountain—a heavily guarded two-story building—Old Man Liu was in his study reading a document when rhythmic knocking came from the door.

"Come in!" Old Man Liu shouted without looking up.

The study door was gently pushed open, and the secretary tiptoed in, then stood before the desk and whispered: "Old Liu, Comrade Zhou Andong, the factory director of Mao Factory, has arrived and wishes to see you."

Old Liu jerked his head up—behind his reading glasses, his eyes were full of vigilance. Inside, he muttered: This little fox coming to see me? Surely no good intent.

"Did he say what it's about?"

The secretary's expression turned strange: "He said it's been a long time since he last saw you, he really misses you, so he came to visit—to ease his longing."

Old Liu's mouth twisted hard: "Just tell him I have no time—tell him to come another day."

The secretary hesitated, then said: "He said if you're busy, he'll just wait at the gate. At noon, just bring him a meal. If… if…"

The secretary trailed off, unsure whether to continue.

Old Liu's eyes kept twitching: "Go on."

The secretary took a deep breath: "He said if your family is struggling and has no leftover grain, he'll go eat at the Ye family next door. The Ye family is big and prosperous—they definitely won't miss one mouthful. When the time comes, he'll borrow some grain from them and bring it home to you."

"Let him in!"

Old Liu took a deep breath: Zhou Andong, that little fox, dares to say that—then he absolutely dares to do it. I don't want Ye Pu that old fool to laugh at us, so I have to let Zhou Andong come in. Besides, I also want to know what this little fox wants from me.