Liquor Bureau

At noon, just as I returned to the classroom, I heard a classmate calling me.

"Who is it? It's the middle of the day, and they're not letting anyone rest!" I complained, already wishing for a good nap.

"It's a beautiful girl. I tell you, Liu Lei, you're in luck!" my classmate said, drooling.

"Who is it?" Zhao Yanyan, who had been working on problems, immediately lifted her head when she heard that a beautiful girl was looking for me.

"How would I know?" I explained, feeling a bit guilty.

"Hmph!" Zhao Yanyan snorted and stopped paying attention to me.

I gave a dry laugh and walked out of the classroom. To my surprise, the person looking for me was Chen Wei'er. She was standing near the stairs, not far from our classroom, dressed neatly in a pale pink down jacket that stood out.

"Wei'er!" I called.

When Chen Wei'er heard me, her face turned red, and she awkwardly said, "This is school, don't call me that. People might misunderstand!"

Does she mean that outside of school, I can call her Wei'er?

"Heh, well, no one's around, right?" I joked.

"Even if no one's around, you still shouldn't! The way you say it makes it sound like we have some sort of relationship," Chen Wei'er gave me a playful glance and said.

"Why are you looking for me?" I quickly changed the topic, not wanting to get caught up in this relationship talk.

"I'm here to give you the money. Thanks again for last time!" Chen Wei'er pulled out a stack of neatly folded bills from her pocket and placed them in my hand.

"You don't have to rush. I don't need it," I quickly declined. I knew about her family's situation, and over a hundred yuan was a significant amount for her, but to me, it wasn't a big deal at all.

"I can't do that! I've borrowed it for so long. I should've paid you back earlier, but there was just no way. My brother got into trouble with Yang Kaiyuan, and we had to pay over twenty thousand in medical bills! These past few days, my mom and I have just started making some extra money," Chen Wei'er said, feeling embarrassed.

"What!? You paid him the medical fees?" I asked, shocked.

"Yeah! Afterward, Captain Yang came to us and said we had to settle it privately, or else my brother would be arrested. I didn't want to trouble you again, so we just paid him off!" Chen Wei'er explained.

"Captain Yang?! Alright, I understand. Don't worry about it, I'll take care of this and get the money back for you!" I muttered to myself, cursing under my breath. Damn it, Yang Shuguang's already on duty, and he's still acting all high and mighty. Is he out of his mind? Wait until I make him pay it back.

"Don't do anything rash! Captain Yang is a cop, you don't want to cause more trouble for me. Our family's already in a tough spot!" Chen Wei'er quickly shook her head, trying to stop me.

"He's a cop? Please, are there cops like him? He's just a neighborhood patrol member, bullying people with his badge! Now he's not even that anymore! Don't worry, I'll make sure nothing goes wrong. You can relax," I said, feeling a warmth in my heart from Chen Wei'er's concern for me.

"Oh, then just be careful. I feel like he's a bad guy," Chen Wei'er warned, her face full of worry.

"I know. Is there anything else?" I asked.

"Well... my mom wanted to thank you for what happened last time, and she said... she said you should come over to my house tonight. She wants to invite you to dinner," Chen Wei'er said, her face turning red.

"Tonight?" I recalled that I had already promised Zhao Yanyan to go buy some stationery with her. "I don't think I can tonight..." I replied.

"Oh," Chen Wei'er nodded, a trace of disappointment crossing her face, but then she quickly recovered, "It's fine. If you have something to do, don't worry about it. Don't let it interfere with anything important."

Important? I sweat. Since when did going shopping with my girlfriend become important? However, visiting Chen Wei'er's house might be a good opportunity. If we both got drunk and something happened... that would be amazing. And judging by her figure, she's pretty well-developed—her small chest is perky, though not as big as Xia Jing's, but still impressive. Plus, her figure is just as good as Zhao Yanyan's. I couldn't help but drool a little.

So I quickly said, "I'm busy tonight, but I'll be free tomorrow night. Is that okay?"

"That's great! It's a deal then! I'll wait for you at the school gate after class tomorrow. Don't leave me hanging!" Chen Wei'er said happily, skipping away.

When I returned to the classroom, Zhao Yanyan quickly lowered her head, pretending to focus on her work. But I could see that her notebook was still as blank as it had been during the exam—she hadn't written a single word. This little girl must have been thinking about me the whole time and couldn't focus on her work.

Sure enough, as soon as I sat down, Zhao Yanyan nonchalantly asked, "Who was that?"

Although her tone was casual, the anxious expression on her face betrayed her.

"Chen Wei'er," I said with a smile.

"What did she want from you?" Zhao Yanyan immediately became alert as soon as she heard the name.

"Nothing, just repaying me the money," I explained.

"Repay you money? When did she borrow money from you?" Zhao Yanyan asked, her eyes widening.

I had no choice but to explain everything about what happened on New Year's Day to Zhao Yanyan.

After hearing the whole story, Zhao Yanyan thoughtfully said, "Liu Lei, I'm glad you told me. I don't care whether you like Chen Wei'er or not, but I don't want you to lie to me."

"I'll never lie to you, trust me, Yanyan," I sighed.

Zhao Yanyan nodded happily and continued working on her problems.

"Zhao Yanyan!" An excited voice suddenly rang out in my ear.

At that moment, Zhao Yanyan and I were picking out stationery at the department store in Songjiang City.

"This person is my middle school classmate. He used to chase after me," Zhao Yanyan whispered in my ear.

I turned to look and saw a smiling, overweight man waddling toward us.

The man rushed towards us at an astonishing speed, like a windstorm. I honestly wondered how someone with such a body could move that fast.

"Zhao Yanyan, what a coincidence! You're shopping here too!" The man rubbed his hands together excitedly.

"Hehe, yeah, it's been a while," Zhao Yanyan smiled back.

"This is...?" The man noticed me standing next to Zhao Yanyan and looked surprised.

"This is... my boyfriend," Zhao Yanyan said with a blush, though I could see the joy on her face.

"Ah! You have a boyfriend!" The man's expression immediately became pained. "Yanyan, when did you get a boyfriend?!"

"A few months ago, when I just started high school," Zhao Yanyan smiled and replied.

"But didn't you say you weren't going to have a boyfriend while you were in school?" the man asked, still not giving up.

"Some things just happen when they happen. It's not something we can control, is it?" Zhao Yanyan explained apologetically.

"Ohhh!" The man held his head, shaking it and sighing. "Guess I missed my chance."

After a moment of sadness, the man quickly recovered, his expression dimming as he extended his hand to me. "Hello, lucky guy. I'm Wu Tian."

"Hello, I'm Liu Lei!" I reached out and shook his hand. Although he was my rival, for some reason, I didn't feel as much animosity toward him as I thought I would.

"Well, I wish you both happiness. Since it's Yanyan's choice, I'm sure you have something special. But don't you dare hurt her. I won't give up! Watch out, I might swoop in!" Wu Tian said as he patted my shoulder.

"Don't worry, I won't give you that chance!" I laughed.

"It's getting late. Let's grab something to eat, shall we? Old classmate, you're not going to refuse, are you?" Wu Tian said casually.

Zhao Yanyan turned to look at me, and I knew she was seeking my opinion. I nodded; this Wu Tian wasn't a bad guy, and he was worth befriending.

"Alright, but not too late," Zhao Yanyan replied. Since Zhao Junsheng and my mother had given their approval for my relationship with Zhao Yanyan, our actions became much freer, and we no longer had to rush home on time every day.

"I didn't expect that the usually frosty Zhao Yanyan could also turn into a gentle, little woman. Liu, I have to say, I really admire you!" Wu Tian noticed the way Zhao Yanyan looked at me just now and teased me, his tone a little sour.

"My Yanyan's always been gentle, hasn't she?" I said as I gently stroked Zhao Yanyan's hair.

Zhao Yanyan obediently nodded, looking as cute as a kitten.

"Damn, don't keep teasing me! I give up! Big brother, from now on, I'll call you 'Big Brother.' I'll follow you! You're too damn impressive, really bringing honor to us men!" Wu Tian said with admiration.

"Alright, let's go eat. If you keep talking, I'll just take Zhao Yanyan and leave!" I threatened.

"Okay, okay, let's go!" Wu Tian grinned.

After we exited the department store, Wu Tian hailed a taxi and got into the front passenger seat. Zhao Yanyan and I followed and got in the back.

"To Tian Shang Ren Jian," Wu Tian told the driver once we were settled in.

"Didn't expect it, Old Wu. You're quite the big spender!" I said. Tian Shang Ren Jian was one of the most famous, high-end hotels in Songjiang City. The prices there were so high that many people would be shocked; even an average worker couldn't afford a dish.

"Big brother, don't call me 'Old Wu,' you can call me 'Fat Wu' or 'Dead Fatty,' that's what most of my close friends call me," Wu Tian said.

"Damn, there are actually people who like being called 'Dead Fatty?' First time I've ever heard of it!" I muttered.

"Hehe," Wu Tian chuckled awkwardly.

When we arrived at Tian Shang Ren Jian, Wu Tian confidently went to the lobby manager to ask for a private room. He expertly ordered some dishes, then led us to the "Qingyun Pavilion" room. Seeing how familiar he was with the place, it was clear he was a regular here. I couldn't help but wonder what Wu Tian's family did, as he seemed to have a lot of money.

"Wu Tian, what do you do now? Didn't you join the military?" Zhao Yanyan, noticing the sudden shift in Wu Tian's status, asked curiously.

"Hey, don't bring it up. I didn't pass the exam in high school, so what else could I do? I joined the military!" Wu Tian sighed.

"Joined the military? How could you be this rich from the military?" I pointed to the luxurious private room and asked.

"Rich? Big brother, you think I'm really rich? This hotel is actually a military property, and whenever I come, I just keep track of the accounts!" Wu Tian laughed.

"Tracking accounts? So you're pretty high up, huh? You must have a decent rank to be doing that," I said, honestly impressed. Even if it was a military-owned property, no ordinary soldier would be allowed to handle the accounts.

"Ah! Big brother, don't mock me. I'm just a driver! But my dad's a big shot, and I drive for him, so I get a little benefit from it," Wu Tian said, making light of it.

"Your dad's a big shot? Now that's impressive!" I exclaimed. High-ranking officials in the military were no small matter.

"Don't flatter me. If I didn't get some good food and drinks out of being with him, I wouldn't care about him. The old man's narrow-minded," Wu Tian sneered.

At this, both Zhao Yanyan and I were stunned.

"What's wrong, you two?" Wu Tian asked when he saw us frozen, confused. "It's just a generation gap, a generation gap!"

After the food was served, Wu Tian poured a huge mug of liquor for me and said, "Big brother, since I'm calling you big brother, you can't leave me hanging. You have to drink this whole mug!"

"Wu Tian, what do you think you're doing?! Are you trying to get my husband drunk?" Before I could say anything, Zhao Yanyan objected first.

"Sigh! She's already calling you her husband! Can you two stop rubbing it in my face?" Wu Tian grumbled. "Liu didn't say anything, so what are you so worried about? Drinking is what men do together!"

"Are you...are you saying I'm in the way here?" Zhao Yanyan huffed.

"No way!" Wu Tian quickly denied.

"Alright, Yanyan, don't worry, I can handle this." My drinking capacity in this life was nothing compared to what it used to be. Being a CEO in China meant plenty of drinking, and it was never in small amounts.

Seeing my confident expression, Zhao Yanyan didn't object any further, but she whispered in my ear, "Be careful, honey. Wu Tian might be trying to get you drunk!"

I smiled and assured her not to worry.

By the end, Wu Tian and I were calling each other brothers, though he was technically older than me, but insisted on making me his big brother.

"Big brother, you've got to teach me your ways with women!" Wu Tian, completely wasted, shamelessly said this right in front of Zhao Yanyan, whom he once pursued so earnestly.

"Haha, no problem. But this stuff depends on personal insight," I said, launching into a speech about some of the dating techniques I had picked up in my previous life.

Zhao Yanyan furrowed her brows as she listened. Suddenly, she pinched my waist like a crab and whispered, "So, tell me—how do you know all this? Did you use these tricks on me?"

"You know yourself whether I did or not," I chuckled. Honestly, I had never actually gone out of my way to pursue Zhao Yanyan. Everything between us had felt natural, like it was meant to be.

"Well, don't say any more. You'll end up corrupting him!" Zhao Yanyan warned me.

Realizing it was best not to continue, I quickly changed the topic. But Wu Tian, who had been listening with rapt attention, took my nonsense as foolproof advice for picking up women. Seeing me stop, he immediately protested, "Hey, why'd you stop? Keep going!"

I quickly raised my glass to deflect, "Let's drink! Cheers!"

"Right!" Wu Tian, easily distracted by the mention of drinking, grabbed his glass, clearly forgetting the previous topic. Filling his cup to the brim, he declared, "Come on, big brother! We say in the northeast, 'If you've got strong feelings, drink it all; if they're shallow, just have a sip. But if they're iron-clad, drink 'til your stomach bleeds!' Let's drink until no one can stand! If anyone's not bleeding, they don't go home!"

Whoa, this guy was seriously wasted. Stomach bleeding? More like brain fog. In my last life, I drank myself to death once, and there's no way I'm doing that again. I'm not crazy!

Throughout the night, I'd been pacing myself, and now drunken Wu Tian was no match for my sober self. Every time he downed a full glass, I'd just take a sip. Eventually, after draining another glass, he collapsed on the table, completely out cold.

"Is he alright? Should we take him to the hospital?" Zhao Yanyan asked, worried, as she looked at Wu Tian, now sprawled out like a dead pig.

"He's fine. Guys like him who drink a lot know their own limits; if he's had enough, he'll just pass out." I sipped some tea and rinsed my mouth.

"Oh, and how do you know that? Come on, tell me! Do you go out drinking a lot?" Zhao Yanyan asked suspiciously.

"Of course not! I…heard it from your dad!" Seeing Zhao Yanyan's displeased look, I quickly denied it, conveniently pushing the blame onto Zhao Junsheng.

"Hmph! My dad is always leading you astray. I'll have to settle things with him someday," Zhao Yanyan muttered angrily.

Heh, looks like Zhao Junsheng is going to take the fall for this one! It reminds me of a saying: What's an employee for? To take the heat for the boss!

I stepped out of the private room and called over the server to pay the bill. After a moment, the server returned with a receipt for Wu Tian to sign, but after calling out his name several times, the guy was completely unresponsive.

"Could you have him pay next time?" I asked the server.

"Sorry, though we know him, the hotel has strict policies. It's really difficult for us," the server replied.

This military-owned hotel had its fair share of rules. Looked like he wouldn't be signing, so I asked reluctantly, "How much is the total?"

The server handed me the bill and said, "That'll be 4,623 yuan. Thank you."

Whoa, this meal was pricey—barely ate anything, and it cost over 4,000 yuan. At this rate in '95, this place is nearly on par with the Shangri-La. I took out my bank card and handed it over, asking, "Any discounts?"

The server took my card and replied, "Without a signature, we can offer 10% off."

"Forget the signature—just swipe it!" I waved my hand. Losing over 4,000 yuan for no reason… I'll make sure to get my money's worth from Wu Tian someday.

After settling the bill, I left the hotel with Zhao Yanyan. As we walked out, she pointed to Wu Tian, still asleep at the table, and asked, "Are we really just going to leave him here?"

"No need. This hotel belongs to his family's unit; they'll probably send someone to pick him up," I replied casually. As I said it, I realized I'd been foolish to pay at all