Infinite Ebullience
Chapter 1325 - 3: Nightfall

Chapter 1325: Chapter 3: Nightfall

Pang Meiqin felt like a blissfully happy little woman, cohabiting with Tang Zheng, even if it was just for one day, brought her immense joy. She was about to finish her meal and head to the bed for some fun when Sha Ou’s phone call came through, dampening her spirits.

"Hey, Tang Zheng, let’s have dinner together tonight, I have something to ask of you." Sha Ou said humbly.

"Okay," Tang Zheng hung up after listening to Sha Ou’s words about not taking no for an answer.

"What’s it about?" Pang Meiqin looked at Tang Zheng with suspicion.

"It’s probably about Ai Yixin," Tang Zheng felt a headache coming on, knowing there was absolutely no chance of reconciliation between those two.

"What are you planning to do?" Pang Meiqin didn’t care about the life or death of Ai Renqi and Sha Ou, she frowned, "Where is he meeting you tonight?"

"At a KTV!" As soon as Tang Zheng finished speaking, Pang Meiqin snuggled up to him, "What are you doing?"

"I’m going to drain you, so I don’t leave anything for those other women." Pang Meiqin kissed Tang Zheng and began to undress him.

"What are you talking about?" Tang Zheng refused, just last night, he had experienced Pang Meiqin’s vigor, she was fiercely passionate, and the thought still scared him. If he hadn’t been so physically resilient, he probably wouldn’t have been able to get out of bed.

"Just remember, when I come back, I’ll check, and if the public supply is less than yesterday, I’ll punish you!" Although Pang Meiqin was jealous, she still knew her limits and didn’t interfere with Tang Zheng’s private life, for now, was not the time.

Tang Zheng left home early, choosing not to drive. Under the night sky, dotted with stars, he hadn’t really looked at the city in nearly a year.

In front of a trash can on Huai Mao Street, Tang Zheng saw an old man dressed as a sanitation worker, sweeping up the scattered debris with a broom.

A girl, around fifth grade, ran past Tang Zheng shouting "Grandpa!" She was carrying a book bag and holding her belly, which obviously had something stuffed inside.

Seeing the untroubled smile on the girl’s face, Tang Zheng couldn’t help but look back.

"Grandpa, it’s time to eat!" The girl ran up to the old man, her beautiful eyes curved into crescent moons, "We’ve got steamed buns today!"

"Good girl, Yin Yin, you eat first. Grandpa will finish up here!" The old man’s face, which had been frowning, suddenly bloomed with indulgent smiles at the sight of his granddaughter, and he seemed to be filled with strength.

The girl ran to the side of the street where euonymus was planted in a concrete flowerbed, squatted down, and took out her homework, placing it on the concrete ledge to begin writing under the street lights.

"You little rascal!" Grampa had no choice but to approach her with his broom.

"Sit down, Grandpa!" The girl puffed out her cheeks and blew twice to clear away the dust. Then she lifted her clothing, took out a white plastic bag filled with freshly bought steamed buns, "Oh no, some got squished."

Pouting, the girl placed the buns on her grandfather’s lap, then opened her book bag, took out a jar filled with pickles, and handed one of the two pairs of chopsticks to her grandpa.

Tang Zheng paused, the girl’s movements were practiced; she clearly often ate on the street with her grandfather.

"Hurry up and eat, Grandpa, they won’t taste as good once they’re cold," the girl said as she opened the plastic bag, and a steamy aroma wafted out. After taking a deep breath and swallowing her saliva, she picked up a bun, used her left hand to catch any drippings, and held it to her grandfather’s mouth, "Eat!"

The old man knew his granddaughter’s temperament—unless he took the first bite, she would persist for a long time—so he bit into it.

"Tasty, you have some too, Yin Yin." The old man intended to pat her on the head, but seeing his somewhat dirty hands, he withdrew them.

With a sweet smile, the girl finished the remaining Xiao Long Bao, then picked up another to offer to the old man.

"We each have one, let’s see who can eat faster!" the girl said, her words muffled, as she opened the jar of pickles.

"You eat first, Grandpa’s teeth aren’t good, and I eat slowly." The buns were small; the old man could put three in his mouth at once, but he chewed the first bite very slowly because there clearly weren’t enough buns for both of them.

The girl nodded but then took another food container from her book bag containing a steamed bun and bit into it without hesitation.

"Grandpa, I scored a hundred on my test, and I got praised again today!" The girl began to share her achievements, then talked about a classmate who was called out for low grades and would need to bring in their parents.

Tang Zheng lingered for a long time. After finishing their warm meal, the girl sat on the old man’s lap, asking him to bow his head so she could wipe his mouth.

Watching grandfather and granddaughter rest their foreheads together, speaking of unknown things, occasionally showing happy smiles, people passed by on Long Street, pedestrians rushed by the roadside, cars honked thunderously. But at that moment, it felt as if the entire world consisted only of the old man and the girl!

A smile crossed Tang Zheng’s lips as he turned and walked away, feeling warmed by the scene that had etched itself into his memory.

When he arrived at the KTV, which even in name exuded a sense of lavishness, Sha Ou had been waiting for a while. In Tang Zheng’s presence, perhaps due to unfamiliarity and being burdened with worries, Sha Ou toned down his usual rebellious edge.

"That’s not like you!" Tang Zheng sighed, "Is it necessary to be this troubled?"

"I’m not afraid of Ai Yixin, I just feel terribly innocent." Sha Ou had indirectly learned about Chu Baichuan and his wife from Old Soldier, as well as Tang Zheng’s attitude toward them. If it were someone like Li Xinlan, he wouldn’t even dare to ask Tang Zheng for a reconciliation.

"You want me to be the peacemaker?" Looking at the KTV’s main entrance, Tang Zheng felt somewhat out of place in this noisy environment.

"Let’s put the troubles aside for now and have some fun!" Sha Ou wrapped his arm around Tang Zheng and headed towards the KTV, "I heard from Brother Lin that your life is quite bland. That’s not like an energetic young man."

"Energy? Do we need it?" Tang Zheng naturally wrapped his arm around Sha Ou, and once inside the Trojan Room, he felt anything but free. Aside from numbing oneself with drink and distraction, talking about ideals and striving for a better life seemed like a waste of time.

"That’s exactly why we should indulge. Otherwise, wouldn’t it be a loss if we died without having lived a little?" Sha Ou led Tang Zheng straight into the private room they’d booked in advance.

The hostesses in the private room were very enthusiastic and all too familiar with Sha Ou, clearly indicating that he’d been here often to splurge.

"This is our Group Leader, what do you think? Drop-dead gorgeous, right?" Sha Ou popped open a bottle of red wine, and within five minutes, twelve girls walked into the private room.

An array of cheongsams, each exuding its own mannerism, combined with the suggestive lighting, was enough to make any man’s blood boil.

Tang Zheng didn’t even glance at the women, took a swig straight from the bottle, selected a song, grabbed the microphone, and belted out a note.

The Group Leader’s attitude was clear, leaving Sha Ou somewhat helpless, but what mattered most was that the gesture of goodwill had to be delivered.

"Go call over the prettiest girl you have here!" Money was no object for Sha Ou, and a flurry of banknotes ensured the manager wouldn’t dare be negligent.

The women, who had been only a tad distracted, now gleamed with excitement at Sha Ou’s generosity—here stood a true spendthrift.

With a wave of his hand, Sha Ou dismissed the ordinary, gaudy women.

"Do as you please, don’t mind me!" Tang Zheng chuckled, teasing Sha Ou, "Is she your sweetheart?"

"Ha ha, you’re too kind!" Sha Ou replied with an embarrassed smile.

"I don’t like him at all—such a brute!" The hostess shot Sha Ou a disdainful look, her tone conveying an intimacy that was unmistakable. She was wearing a short cheongsam that left little to the imagination.

Tang Zheng gave the hostess a passing glance and kept singing.

"Of course, I’m a brute. How else could I dominate you in bed?" Sha Ou tried to lighten the mood, but unfortunately, Tang Zheng was too detached.

As Tang Zheng sang, his mind was caught up with other thoughts. Sha Ou had changed. Perhaps it was the frequent encounters with death, the immense pressure—that he’d learned to be indulgent. He was even beginning to forget the original intent to avenge his fellow robbery companions.

Sha Ou gave the hostess a look, hoping she’d warm up the room, but glancing at Tang Zheng’s face, as impassive as an iceberg, she found herself at a loss for words.

Fortunately, the lull didn’t last long, and ten girls came in, a flock of glittering women, finally bringing the temperature back up. A mix of perfume scents began to waft through the room.

It was evident that most of these girls were just making up the numbers, but the quality wasn’t bad—after all, the prettiest were never short of clients.

"Let’s all have fun together!" Sha Ou chose two girls who looked innocent and pushed them towards Tang Zheng. He then sat down orderly next to the hostess to chat.

The women, clearly skilled, subtly flirted with Tang Zheng, gradually becoming bolder when they saw no results.

Knocks on the private room door brought in a girl pitching beverages.

Sha Ou gestured broadly for all to stay, money was no object, and he couldn’t afford to seem petty in front of Tang Zheng.

"No need. We can’t drink that much!" Tang Zheng gestured, trying to refuse.

"Sir, this wine is really nice!" The girl’s voice was soft, hitting Tang Zheng’s eardrums amidst the noisy room.

"Your sales pitch could really use some work," Tang Zheng observed the girl. Although she wore makeup, she could barely pass for a ninth-grader—it was an undeniable hint of adolescence.

The girl faltered, unsure of what to say next. It was her second day on the job, and she hadn’t sold a single bottle. Hearing Sha Ou earlier, she mustered her courage but didn’t know how to proceed.

"You keep me company, and we’ll keep the wine," Tang Zheng suddenly exclaimed, catching Sha Ou off guard.

The two women sitting beside Tang Zheng teased him for playing favorites.

Startled, the girl hesitated no longer and left the private room—selling drinks was her job, nothing else.

"I heard her mom is sick. She’s working part-time in secret to pay for the medical bills, not telling her brother," said a woman with purple eyeshadow, astutely sharing the exact kind of story Tang Zheng was interested in.

Tang Zheng nodded. It was merely a minor incident, but in less than five minutes, it had escalated into a storm.

(To be continued. If you like this work, please visit Qidian (qidian.com) to vote and send monthly passes. Your support is my greatest motivation.)