Chapter 38: Reborn 1987 Chapter 38: Laying It Bare

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Protagonist:

Jiang Wenyu

After he finished speaking, Li Chen's expression turned very deep, as if he were thinking about something.

Wang Tao was secretly pleased, but on the surface he remained calm and composed as he said, "Li Chen, I'm doing this for Jiang Wenyu's sake. Yes, he did refuse my invitation, but I reckon it's all because you, this friend of his, are around — he's too embarrassed to come work for me. You're a sensible person, and count as a cultured one too; I hope you can think clearly about the pros and cons involved."

"..."

Li Chen stayed silent still, and in the end Wang Tao didn't say anything more either, walking out slowly.

Once he left the shop, Wang Tao laughed out loud in delight. In truth he didn't know whether Jiang Wenyu had refused him for some other reason, but as long as he cut off Jiang Wenyu's source of income, wouldn't it be a piece of cake to go find him later and talk cooperation?

He left happily, while Li Chen inside the shop remained silent, seemingly struggling and hesitating.

……

The next day, Jiang Wenyu arrived rather late this time, mainly because there wasn't much work; he only got to Li Chen's shop around ten o'clock. As soon as he arrived, he saw a large table set up in the shop, with two bottles of liquor, and Li Chen was constantly carrying purchased dishes from the back room onto the table.

Jiang Wenyu smiled wryly and said, "Who are you hosting a banquet for?"

The moment he saw Jiang Wenyu arrive, Li Chen immediately burst into hearty laughter: "The only friend I, Li Chen, know is you — who else would I invite? It's almost noon anyway; come on, eat up!"

With nothing else to do, Jiang Wenyu simply sat down. For some reason today Li Chen was exceptionally enthusiastic, even insisting on pouring wine for Jiang Wenyu.

"Didn't I say I don't drink?" Jiang Wenyu waved his hands repeatedly.

Li Chen paid no heed, pouring as he said, "Just a tiny bit, don't worry — afterward I'll go tell Chen Lan."

Jiang Wenyu felt Li Chen was very strange today, but couldn't put his finger on it; compared to usual he was really quite different. He didn't refuse outright but didn't touch the cup either, instead eating while exclaiming, "Delicious, is this the braised pig head meat from Lao Li's place?"

Lao Li is a pork vendor in the Mall, a genuine pig farmer through and through, and his prices are generally very fair.

Li Chen laughed heartily: "That's right, I had him set it aside for me in advance." Having said that, he himself downed a large cup of wine.

After eating and drinking for a while, Li Chen suddenly stood up, raising his cup: "Brother, come, I toast you!"

Jiang Wenyu subconsciously clinked cups with him, and only after seeing Li Chen drain it in one gulp and shout in satisfaction did he ask involuntarily, "What's really up with you today? Did something get to you?"

Li Chen took a deep breath, then laughed loudly and cheerfully again: "I, Li Chen, am born easygoing — how could I be gotten to by anything!"

But Jiang Wenyu felt something was definitely off, and pressed: "Alright, we've known each other this long — you can't hide it from me. Spill it, what happened? It wouldn't be that some woman dumped you, would it?"

Hearing that, Li Chen immediately waved his hands: "Cut it out. Although I don't care about those things, with my looks, my bearing, my assets — not many women would dare dump me."

He drank another cup and continued: "Back in the day at Dahatan I got to know quite a few songstresses; ah, thinking of those years, it was damn fucking great! Now it's no good — I'm not young anymore, heart and soul just fucking know how to make money, can't get any fun no matter what I try."

Dahatan is a place name, a domestic coastal city just as famous as Jianghai City, very developed.

Jiang Wenyu nodded in agreement: "Well said — we're all doing it for a living, for our families."

Li Chen smiled and said: "No no no, you're doing it for your family, I'm doing it for a living."

After a few cups his face was already a bit red; he poured another and downed it in one go, then said: "Doing it for family is good — for family you can have ambition, have ability. You, Jiang Wenyu, are a capable man, different from me, Li Chen. I'm at most just a peddler of appliances, no real talent to speak of."