Chapter 83: Such a Drunkard

Fearing that Yan Wuxu would feel awkward, Su Ziceng still decided not to have dinner at the Su Family home. When Su Ziceng and Yan Wuxu were going downstairs, Chang Mei was still sitting in the lobby, not even giving Yan Wuxu a straight look, only superficially asking Su Ziceng a few questions. After Yan Wuxu left, Chang Mei made a phone call to Chang Chi: "Did you say that student named Yan Wuxu was dating Fei Qing before?" "Yes, but Fei Qing said they had broken up; she’s just a lowly woman from the Sixth District." Chang Chi had just finished a class and was selecting clothes for the opening ceremony tomorrow. "Don’t say that," Chang Mei scolded her, her dislike for Yan Wuxu stemming not only from the familiar look in her eyes but also from the familiar scent she emitted. Hearing her mother’s stern voice on the phone, Chang Chi stopped choosing her dress. She had violated her mother’s taboo again—she wasn’t allowed to say anything about the people or events of the Sixth District. "Alright, alright, I just forgot. I’m very happy today; don’t bring down my mood." Chang Chi glanced at Fei Qing standing beside her, helping to pick out clothes. They exchanged knowing looks before she hung up. "Are you sure Hang Yishao will also be there tomorrow? Will it really be okay for me to dress like that?" Chang Chi had been close to Fei Qing lately, not because they fancied each other, as outsiders anticipated, but because Fei Qing was a good friend of Hang Yishao. "How could I deceive the future, Miss Su?" Fei Qing looked at Chang Chi, who was getting fussy. The women around him all drooled over Hang Yishao, but unfortunately, his good buddy was a man who flitted among women—a fresh new look on Chang Chi was sure to pique his interest. Recently, Su Ziceng was also the same. "Yishao likes women with big eyes, long hair, and fair skin—you fit those criteria, but you dress a bit too androgynously. If you added just a bit more femininity, he would definitely notice you," Fei Qing picked a marigold deep-V dress and held it up against Chang Chi. Meanwhile, Su Ziceng was unaware of all this; she was currently troubled by matters related to Shang Yin. It took Boss Han several weeks to get news that was neither good nor bad. There was indeed news about Shang Yin; the private repair shop where Boss Han’s friend worked was indeed owned by Shang Yin. Sadly, Shang Yin had a peculiar temperament; he not only refused all sorts of interviews but also forbade his subordinates from leaking any information about his whereabouts. "He pays five times the salary of an ordinary person, so my brother wouldn’t dare to take the risk." Boss Han was out of options. Su Ziceng couldn’t help but feel disappointed with such an answer; the clues were broken again. It seemed she could only look for an opportunity to ask Su Qingchang, hoping that he might have a chance to come in contact with Shang Yin in a business setting. Dinner was at Mrs. Yang’s stall; Boss Han’s alcohol had run out, and everyone could only drink a few bottles of the light-tasting Mo City Beer. The mechanics at the repair shop felt a bit let down and urged Boss Han to come up with a way to sneak in more alcohol. "Difficult," Boss Han said after taking a gulp of beer. "Customs is strict now; they even inspect personal luggage." "What are you talking about?" Mrs. Yang brought over a plate of roasted leeks, only for it to be wiped clean by everyone. She scolded as she collected a few empty bottles: "Take it easy, you lot really have no manners. Aren’t you worried about making Ziceng laugh?" "How could we? Ziceng is one of us." Yan Wuxu stood up and took the beer bottles from Mrs. Yang’s hand. "It’s just that everyone finds the beer not quite up to par." "Not up to par?" Mrs. Yang looked at the empty beer bottles and shook her head: "All of you, so eager, as if you’re connoisseurs; a real drinker wouldn’t touch this stuff." As she spoke, Mrs. Yang pointed towards the outer part of the stall. Most of the tables at the stall were placed under a red and blue canvas awning. But when there were particularly many customers, a few additional tables would be set up outside the awning. That night, the peak of guests had passed, and the tables were left with bones and leftovers from the customers. There weren’t enough helpers in the shop, and Mrs. Yang had to clear them one by one, leaving the guests sitting outside unattended. The waters off Mo City weren’t clear enough, and the seafood caught from them often contained mud and sand. The seafood stalls sold only fresh produce cooked on the spot. Even with Mrs. Yang’s cooking skills, there was an inevitable fishy smell. Thus, despite Mo City Beer’s lackluster flavor, most customers would still order a few bottles—except for the lone guest sitting outside, who, after eating greasily, didn’t order any alcohol but poured from an old military water bottle for himself.