God-Level All-rounder Expert
Chapter 532 - 572, Drinking Buddies

Chapter 532: Chapter 572, Drinking Buddies

The elderly man had a small vegetable garden in front of him, which, although not very large, was filled with a variety of vegetables: Chinese lettuce, cabbage, cauliflower, garlic sprouts—it had everything. Right next to the vegetable plot was a hoe and a bucket of clear water.

Beside the elderly man lay a hat and a mature, steady cellphone, together with a pack of cigarettes and a lighter.

Upon hearing Fang Yi’s voice, the elderly man turned his head to look over. When he saw Fang Yi, a stranger, he was obviously taken aback and stared as he asked, "Who are you?"

"I am your..." Fang Yi instinctively started to say ’I am your biggest supporter,’ but he quickly came to his senses, recalling Zhou Xuewen’s advice to keep a low profile in this place, where some retired veterans lived. The man before him might well be one of these retired figures.

Keep it low-key!

Fang Yi hastened to say with a smile, "Elder, I am your relative."

"Relative?"

"Yes, a distant relative, a very distant one," Fang Yi said.

"What’s my surname, then? What’s my name?" the elderly man asked.

I knew you were going to ask that, Fang Yi thought to himself as he said with a smile, "I won’t say."

The elderly man said, "It’s not that you won’t say, it’s that you don’t know." There was a hint of mockery in his eyes.

Fang Yi, not blushing or skipping a beat, responded, "I know, but I just won’t say."

The elderly man looked at Fang Yi in a curious way and said, "I’ve seen people with thick skin before, but never as thick as yours. Do you know who I am?"

"Who?" After a moment’s thought, Fang Yi replied, "You must be a retired veteran from Tianjing."

The elderly man’s gaze became even more curious and he said, "I am Zhu Youde."

"Zhu Youde?" Fang Yi pondered and shook his head, "I haven’t heard of you. Were you a high official before?"

With a peculiar expression, Zhu Youde said, "Kid, you’re not from this courtyard, are you?" Noticing the two boxed bottles of wine in Fang Yi’s hands, Zhu Youde commented, "So you’re here to look for a shortcut."

Now it was Fang Yi’s turn to be surprised: "Old man, you’re being a bit harsh, aren’t you? I just brought two bottles of wine; how does that count as looking for a shortcut? Are you jealous? If you’re jealous, I’ll just give you these two bottles of liquor."

Since Fang Yi wouldn’t be seeing Li Chun right away, he simply placed the two boxed bottles of wine in front of Zhu Youde.

Zhu Youde actually seemed pleased and laughed, "You’re quite an interesting young man. However, I prefer high-proof alcohol, so I don’t fancy what you’ve brought."

Fang Yi said, "If you don’t want it, that’s fine by me. I’ll just take it back and drink it myself."

Zhu Youde waved his hand and said, "Alright, alright, since you brought it, I’d be rude not to drink it. Come on, we have nothing better to do, let’s drink together."

"At least you know what’s good for you. Come on, let’s not waste it." Fang Yi opened a bottle of the boxed wine, then suddenly realized a problem, "We don’t have any cups for the wine, nor do we have any snacks. Drinking just liquor is kind of boring."

Zhu Youde agreed sentimentally, "Yes, just drinking is indeed boring. Wait here for a few minutes." He got up and walked out of the vegetable patch, leaving Fang Yi alone.

Fang Yi lit up a cigarette. His reason for striking up a conversation with Zhu Youde was to get some information from him, and since he couldn’t find Ma Yong just yet, Fang Yi decided to simply join Zhu Youde for a drink.

Zhu Youde left the vegetable garden and took a small path into the house. As soon as he entered, a guard named Wei Meng stepped forward to salute him: "Chief!"

Zhu Youde was startled and said, "Luo Feng, can you keep it down? Don’t startle me like that. Secretary Liu, go get some peanuts and broad beans."

"Yes."

Beside the guard, there was another person, Secretary Liu, who, upon receiving Zhu Youde’s instructions, immediately went to take care of it. In no time, he brought over two plates, one with peanuts and the other with fava beans, as well as a pair of chopsticks.

"Bring another pair of chopsticks," Zhu Youde said.

Secretary Liu was puzzled, but he didn’t need to question the instructions of his superior. He promptly went to fetch another pair of chopsticks.

Afterward, Zhu Youde took the two plates and walked toward the vegetable garden. Secretary Liu wanted to follow, but Zhu Youde scolded him away.

Once in the vegetable garden, and seeing Fang Yi still there, Zhu Youde thought the young man was quite likeable—though a bit impetuous, his temperament suited his own and his way of speaking was much to his taste.

"Old master, just a plate of peanuts and a plate of fava beans? That’s a bit stingy," Fang Yi said.

"What else do you want?" Zhu Youde asked. No one had ever dared to be so picky with him, yet this young man had the audacity, which made Zhu Youde want to reveal his identity just to put him in his place.

"I thought there might be some meat and fish. Old master, you’re really penny-pinching here, but fine, let’s make do," Fang Yi gestured dismissively, taking the wine cup from the old master.

Zhu Youde feared the frustration might give him a heart attack. He had hosted the man so generously, and yet he talked about ’making do’? When had he ever been stingy?

Zhu Youde placed the two plates on the ground, and Fang Yi raised his wine cup, saying, "Old master, I’ll drink first." With that, he downed a cup of white wine from the white porcelain cup.

After drinking, Fang Yi casually grabbed a few peanuts and threw them into his mouth, as comfortable as if he were in his own home. This left Zhu Youde, watching by the side, a bit dumbfounded.

"Young man, what’s your name?" Zhu Youde asked.

"Fang Yi."

"Your surname is Fang? Could it be that you are a young descendant of the Fang Family?" Zhu Youde inquired.

"Old master, so you know of the Fang Family," Fang Yi said with self-deprecating laughter. "I’m nothing more than a lowly bastard of the Fang Family... ah well, let’s not talk about this, come on, let’s drink!"

Zhu Youde looked slightly bemused, but he knew all too well the petty affairs of great houses like the Fangs. He wasn’t the type to pry, so he didn’t ask further. Finding such a congenial drinking companion, Zhu Youde naturally wouldn’t send him away.

The old and the young sat in front of the bamboo grove and the vegetable garden, drinking. The peanuts and fava beans on the plates were quickly being depleted. Fang Yi then said, "Old master, I have something I’d like to ask you about."

"What is it?"

"You must move around this courtyard quite often. Have you seen any strangers?" Fang Yi described Ma Yong’s appearance and demeanor, looking at Zhu Youde expectantly.

"In fact," Zhu Youde began, "if I’m honest with you, I only come back here occasionally. I don’t live here permanently."

Fang Yi understood what Zhu Youde meant. Not living here permanently meant he hadn’t seen Ma Yong; all the effort was for nothing.

Fang Yi thought it a waste of time to linger any longer and said, "Old master, I’ve really enjoyed the drink today. One of these days, I’ll bring you some Deer Blood Wine that I’ve brewed myself—guaranteed to make you feel good."

"Deer Blood Wine?" Zhu Youde’s eyes lit up with excitement. "Is it brewed with deer blood?"

"Yes, but my Deer Blood Wine is different from the rest. It’s good for improving vision and virility. It’s a secret recipe passed down by my old man. I promise you’ll want a second round after the first," Fang Yi said, rising to his feet and scaling the fence to exit the bamboo grove.

Zhu Youde watched the direction in which Fang Yi disappeared, thinking deeply. "Deer Blood Wine that improves vision and virility, only that old senior knew how to make it. How does this young man know?" He recalled a past event, where the old senior spoke to him in the same manner.

Reflecting on the past, Zhu Youde felt quite emotional.

In the midst of his reverie, Secretary Liu walked in. Seeing a wine cup and a box of unopened liquor near Zhu Youde, he couldn’t help but wonder. The chief never drank such drinks; what made him consider it today?

However, Secretary Liu didn’t dare to ask and said respectfully, "Chief, Assemblyman Li Chun has come to visit and is waiting in the living room."

Zhu Youde snapped back to reality and replied, "Assemblyman Li has arrived, eh? Let’s go and meet him."