Chapter 227 — Waiting for News

"After you, Boss Wei Zhao!" Zhong Yongliang opened the car door and gestured for him to get in.

The Audi's driver found it strange — he had no idea what had gotten into Young Master Zhong today. Why was he acting like some underling, opening the door for somebody else? But before he came he had received Zhong Fabai's instructions: don't ask what you shouldn't ask, just focus on driving. So the driver simply pretended he had seen nothing.

Only after Wei Zhao got in did Zhong Yongliang take the passenger seat.

"Young Master Zhong, where are we going?" the driver asked once Zhong Yongliang had settled in.

"The Liangbai Grand Hotel," Zhong Yongliang instructed.

The driver nodded, started the car, and sped toward their destination.

Sitting in the car, Wei Zhao appeared to be idly, almost boredly, watching the scenery, but in truth he was quietly observing the movements of Zhong Yongliang and the driver. Yet the whole way, neither of them did anything out of the ordinary. Wei Zhao paid him no attention either, knowing he was putting on an act, and let him be — he would see just what tricks this little bastard was up to.

At the door of a private room, the waiter pushed it open and said: "Young Master Zhong, please..."

"Damn it, do you even know how to talk? This is Boss Wei Zhao — even I have to call him Boss, are you blind?" Zhong Yongliang glared at the waiter. How could the man have so little sense?

"Yes! Yes!" the waiter hurriedly said. "This way, Boss Wei Zhao!"

Wei Zhao nodded without a word and walked into the room; only then did Zhong Yongliang, his face full of fawning, close the door behind them.

Wei Zhao plopped himself down at the table and looked at Zhong Yongliang: "All right, out with it — whatever you've got to say, say it."

"Boss Wei Zhao, the dishes will be here any moment. Let's talk over the meal!" Zhong Yongliang said ingratiatingly. In fact, he had been waiting all along for a text from Brother Black Panther; with no word yet from that quarter, he could only stall Wei Zhao for now.

"Suit yourself," Wei Zhao said, watching Zhong Yongliang's faintly anxious expression. He gave a cold snort and let him keep up the performance.

Before long the door was pushed open again and the waiter came in with a serving cart, laying out dish after dish of delicacies — the table was piled high. Even Wei Zhao clicked his tongue inwardly: Zhong Yongliang really was willing to spend.

But Wei Zhao had no particular demands when it came to food; his standards were low — as long as he could eat his fill, that was enough.

Seeing that Wei Zhao seemed less than interested, Zhong Yongliang was slightly disappointed. To his mind, Wei Zhao was a poor student, and to get to eat a top-grade seafood feast like this was a rare opportunity indeed.

"Boss Wei Zhao, do these dishes not suit your taste?" Zhong Yongliang assumed Wei Zhao simply didn't care for seafood, so he asked.

"It's fine. I'll make do," Wei Zhao said mildly.

"..." Zhong Yongliang was angry enough to curse. This spread — and he called it making do? A table like this would cost tens of thousands at least, and he called it making do? But then Zhong Yongliang thought: never mind, this is the last meal Wei Zhao will eat before he dies — might as well treat it as the Last Supper, a feast with a hidden blade. And so he let it go. "Ha, Boss Wei Zhao, if there's anything else you need, just say the word. Wine? Red wine goes great with seafood!"

"No need. Bring me two bowls of rice," Wei Zhao said, waving a hand to cut him off.

"Huh?!" Zhong Yongliang was stunned, inwardly cursing Wei Zhao for wasting good things — such delicious seafood, and he wanted to eat it with rice? Was he out of his mind? Still, Zhong Yongliang found the waiter and ordered two bowls of rice for Wei Zhao.

Wei Zhao took the rice without ceremony and began demolishing it, sweeping through like wind scattering clouds; in the blink of an eye, the table's worth of delicacies, together with the two bowls of rice, had all gone into Wei Zhao's belly. "Not bad, I suppose. Not as good as braised pork," Wei Zhao said, patting his full stomach and letting out a satisfied burp.

"..." Zhong Yongliang nearly rolled his eyes. Had he known, he would have just treated this pauper to braised pork — all this money wasted, and for nothing, without even a word of thanks.

"All right, let's get down to business. Fed and watered — time to beat somebody up," Wei Zhao said, glancing at Zhong Yongliang.

"A beating?" Zhong Yongliang froze, at a loss as to what Wei Zhao meant. He gave a dry laugh. "You're joking, Boss Wei Zhao. As for the actual business..."

Zhong Yongliang hedged aloud, but inwardly he was frantic. Wei Zhao had eaten far too quickly. The original plan had been to order a pile of seafood and then settle in for a slow round of drinks with him — that alone should have dragged things out for an hour or two. Who would have guessed Wei Zhao would finish the whole spread in under twenty minutes, wiping out every last dish? What was he supposed to do with all the time left over now?

Zhong Yongliang could only pray that Black Panther's side would hurry it up, get the job done faster. Just as he was praying, the phone in his pocket buzzed twice. Zhong Yongliang was overjoyed. He pulled out the phone and took a look — the message read: "Fake IDs, guns for sale, loan sharking, revenge services, bargain prices..."

Son of a bitch! Zhong Yongliang cursed under his breath. What the hell was this? If you people could really get revenge for me, I wouldn't be in this mess.

"Do you actually have something to say or not?" Wei Zhao was getting impatient. Zhong Yongliang was definitely up to some trick — and he kept glancing at his phone, clearly waiting for some kind of signal.

"I do, I do!" Zhong Yongliang had no way out now. He could only say, "Well, the thing is — Zou Ruoming likes Tang Zhi. You know that, right?"

"Cut the nonsense. Get to the point," Wei Zhao said, without answering.