Chapter 147 — The Long-Awaited...

"Heh, so you're on vacation. Perfect timing—give Lele a call and have her come too. It's been so long, I've missed her." Zhu Youhua's words were high-sounding, but his intentions were plain to all—even Zhang Bin understood what was going on.

Wang Mei looked up at Yang Ce; only after he gave a slight nod did she take out her phone and dial Huang Yan's number. Huang Yan was bored at home anyway, and when Wang Mei called, she agreed readily—though of course Wang Mei did not mention that Zhu Youhua was there.

Zhu Youhua did not notice this little maneuver of Wang Mei's. Hearing that Huang Yan was coming, he was overjoyed. He glanced at the wine on the table and said at once, "How can you drink such low-grade wine?"

"The restaurant gives it for free," Wang Mei said coolly to Zhu Youhua.

"Oh—I'll go ask for a good bottle and order a few more dishes." With that, Zhu Youhua stood up and headed for the bar.

"What kind of bird is this guy, and where did he come from?" The moment Zhu Youhua was gone, Zhang Bin could not hold back. "What do you mean, low-grade wine? We call this being frugal. The boss of some little company dares to put on airs in front of our boss? Let's just ignore him from now on."

"I had no choice—it was a matter of owing him a favor," Wang Mei said somewhat helplessly. "Once, Lele and I were flying to Donghai, and on the plane we ran into two young thugs who kept making lewd remarks at us. It was Boss Zhu who got us out of it. And he seems to have some influence in Donghai—the moment we got off the plane, those two punks were badly beaten by a bunch of men whose identities we never learned."

To be continued

860. Only Able to Watch...

860. Only Able to Watch "We were still worried that the thugs might take revenge on Lele and me after getting off the plane, but we never expected Boss Zhu to settle the trouble for us before we even had to," Wang Mei said with a touch of helplessness. "Afterward Boss Zhu invited Lele and me to dinner, and it was hard to refuse, so we had a meal together."

"He's courting Huang Yan?" Yang Ce cut in to ask.

"Yes, that's right—I only noticed recently," Wang Mei said. "Before, Boss Zhu only showed us friendliness as a friend would. He often takes the flight Lele and I are on, and after getting off the plane, he always invites us to dinner."

"And how does Huang Yan feel about it?" Yang Minlan cared nothing for that; he only wanted to know what Huang Yan thought. Though the two of them were lovers now, the foundation of their relationship was none too solid, and Yang Ce did not want anyone to slip in through the cracks.

"After Huang Yan understood Boss Zhu's intentions, she started keeping her distance from him," Wang Mei said. "Lele doesn't like men like Boss Zhu. He doesn't know Lele's family background, so he keeps seizing the chance to show off his wealth before her, which makes Lele think him very vulgar."

Yang Xutang was left speechless. Though he did not know what Huang Yan's family did, with a casino as big as Hua Wei sitting there, how could they possibly be poor? Showing off wealth before Huang Yan was like brandishing a blade before Guan Yu—a fool's display.

"Still, I'm rather puzzled—you put on more airs and act more like a big shot than this Boss Zhu does. How did Lele ever fall for you?" After the conversation at the dinner table and a few glasses of red wine, Wang Mei had gradually loosened up. In her eyes, Yang Cenbin was actually quite easygoing as a person; she had simply imagined him to be far more solemn than he was. So now she could even crack a joke.

"I wouldn't say that—look, I'm drinking free red wine here. How could I compete with Zhu Youhua's showmanship?" Yang Jincong said with a smile, gesturing at the red wine on the table.

"Heh heh, I mean the airs you put on in other respects. But honestly, if it weren't for Zhang Bin, I might have fallen for you too," Wang Mei said with a laugh.

"Don't talk nonsense—tonight Zhang Bin will come after me with a cleaver," Yang Shuoxuan said, laughing.

"I wouldn't dare, Boss—I don't want to end up in a police station again," Zhang Bin said with a woebegone face.

All three of them burst out laughing.

Just then Zhu Youhua came back from the bar, followed by the restaurant waiter.

"So what's everyone talking about that's so interesting? Laughing this happily—tell me too," Zhu Youhua said as he sat down, acting as though he had known them all for years.

"Nothing." Wang Mei shook her head. "Whatever you ordered, you really didn't need to order so much. We've almost finished eating."

"How could I do that? It's my treat, so I have to order more," Zhu Youhua said with a wave of his hand. "I've ordered a bottle of 2000 Lafite and a few desserts. You order some more things for Lele too."

As he spoke, the waiter placed the menu in front of Wang Mei.

Wang Mei flipped through the menu and, under Zhu Youhua's urging, reluctantly ordered a few desserts that Huang Yan loved, then handed the menu back to the waiter.

"By the way, buddy, let me discuss something with you," Zhu Youhua said, turning around to Yang Yanzhou after the waiter had gone.

"Oh? What is it?" Yang Ce was eating a lamb chop. Hearing Zhu Youhua's question, he spat out the bone in his mouth and muttered to himself, "This lamb chop is grilled nicely."

"How about you go sit at that table over there for a while?" Zhu Youhua said, pointing at an empty table nearby.

"Why go over there?" Yang Ce asked, feigning ignorance. He rather wanted to see what trick this Zhu Youhua was playing.

"A friend is coming in a bit, and there won't be room here," Zhu Youhua said with a shrug. He had never met Yang Ce before, nor had he heard Wang Mei or Huang Yan mention this person, so he subconsciously assumed Yang Ce must be a friend of Zhang Bin's and didn't know Huang Yan.

In fact, Yang Ce was indeed Zhang Bin's friend, but he was more familiar with Huang Yan than words could say.

"Oh, but I haven't eaten my fill yet," Yang Ce said, continuing to gnaw on his lamb chop.

"That doesn't matter. Just go eat at that table—order whatever you want, it's all on me," Zhu Youhua promised, patting his chest.

"Really? I can order more of the things I like?" Yang Ce asked with feigned surprise.

"Of course. I told you, it's my treat," Zhu Youhua said magnanimously.

"Oh, that sounds like a good suggestion." Yang Ce swallowed the lamb chop in his mouth, then said with some unease, "You're really treating?"

"Of course it's real." Zhu Youhua was caught between laughter and tears. Taking Yang Ce for a pauper who feared he'd be stuck with the bill if he ate at the other table, he said, "Ask Miss Wang Mei—whenever I eat with her, isn't it always me who pays?"

"Wang Mei and I have only just met too," Yang Jiyan said. "I'm still a little suspicious. What if you don't pay the bill later? Wouldn't I have been played for a fool?"

"Ha, I've never seen anyone so cautious as you," Zhu Youhua said with a hearty laugh, then pointed at the waiter. "Tell you what—I'll leave my credit card with the waiter and tell him right now that I'm paying for both tables."

With that, Zhu Youhua pulled out his credit card and handed it to the waiter.

"That works for me. Now I'm reassured," Yang Yuting said with a nod, looking quite satisfied.

Zhu Youhua had never seen such a petty person. But on second thought, he supposed Yang Shuoxuan wasn't from a wealthy class—he'd probably been invited here by Wang Mei or Zhang Bin, just freeloading. The way he'd savored that lamb chop, he couldn't be any rich man.

Under Zhang Bin and Wang Mei's astonished gazes, Yang Ce picked up his coat and went straight to a two-person table not far away, leaving an empty seat at the original four-person table.

Zhang Bin and Wang Mei had no idea what Yang Ce was up to. Had a screw come loose in his head? Huang Yan was Yang Juehuan's woman—and he'd just given her up? That didn't seem like Yang Juehuan's character at all.