Chapter Ninety-eight

  The big brother's ringtone sounded, the thin monkey made an apologetic gesture, pressed the answer key, "Hello! I'm Hou Jinwen." The thin monkey said politely, then nodded continuously, saying "Good, okay, definitely." About three minutes later, the phone hung up.

  The thin monkey explained one sentence of Liangzi's client lightly.

  The waiters quickly brought up the dishes they ordered, Huaiyang cuisine, one of the main local flavors. These dishes are made with fresh ingredients, good quality, fine knife work, exquisite production, proper fire, light and elegant, salty and fresh, diverse flavors, wide adaptability, and unique flavor.

  Thin monkey dots are all famous dishes, green fish splashing water under the chin, green fish bald lung, pickled Sichuan red braised circle, raw stir-fried grass head, white cut chicken, chicken bone sauce, rice wine pot head, shrimp and big wu ginseng, Songjiang perch, Fengjing pig trotters, crab meat large wing ribs.

  "Hey, big brother, try some authentic local dishes." The thin monkey invited with a warm smile, and the phone rang again. The thin monkey smiled helplessly and picked it up again.

  "Your younger brother and sister, as well as Jin Xiu, heard that you've arrived and want to come over," said the thin monkey.

  "Let's go! With such a big table of dishes, we can't finish them all, and it's been a long time since I've seen them." Liangzi said, putting down his chopsticks.

  "Come and eat while waiting." The thin monkey called out.

  About ten minutes later, two fashionable girls arrived. Liangzi first saw Jinxiu, who handed her sable coat to the waiter, with her hair curled in small waves and large golden earrings, a long golden necklace hanging down to her chest, swaying constantly as she moved. She was heavily made up, wearing a bright yellow sweater, tight jeans, and knee-high leather boots. Before speaking, a smile spread across her face: "Liangzi brother is here! Really, why didn't you say so earlier?"

  "Jin sui." Liangzi called out, when Skinny Monkey got married, he came too, and gave a gift without even having time to eat dinner.

  "You've really changed, I can hardly recognize you, it's true what they say: 'a girl changes eighteen times by the age of eighteen'."

  "Liangzi's mouth is as sweet as if it had been smeared with honey. It wasn't like this before. It must be Hongye sister who has trained him well." Jinxiu joked.

  Liangzi smiled but didn't speak. The thin monkey said, "This is your younger sister Zhuang Shuhui." He also said, "This is Liangzi, who grew up with me and now runs a hotel."

  Liáng zǐ qǐ shēn, wēn wén yǒu lǐ dào, "Pī hǎo. Wǒ jiào Liáng Hóng liè, tāmen dōu jiào wǒ Liáng zǐ." Tā kàn zhe chuān zhe dá bàn hé jǐn xiù yǒu yì qū gōng zhī miào de rén. Jiǎo ào de yǎn shén sǎo le Liáng zǐ yī yǎn, zhǐ shì ńg yī shēng, suàn shì dǎ le jiāo hū.

  The thin monkey pulled out the chair next to him, and when Liangzi wasn't paying attention, he gave her a fierce stare. She gave him an unimpressed look and sat down calmly.

  Zhuang Shuhui is not as good as her name suggests, and she has nothing to do with being virtuous and gentle. Her eyes are filled with criticism when looking at Liang Zi.

  Liángzi looked at the two newcomers. They were all Skinny Monkey's family members, and he didn't dare to interrupt, but in his heart, he muttered, "I didn't expect Skinny Monkey to marry such a wife! Doesn't she know how to maintain her husband's dignity in front of outsiders? Men care most about their dignity!"

  After everyone sat down, Skinny Monkey beckoned to Liangzi, "Our own people, come on and have a drink. Let's eat." They picked up the wine cups in front of them and drank them dry.

  The phone rang again, and Shou Hou got up to answer it. He walked away, and Jin Cai, fearing an awkward situation, asked: "It's been years since we last met, where did Liangzi make his fortune?"

  "I'll still follow her." Liang Zi said vaguely.

  "Liangzi, after coming out, I realized that the outside world is really big and colorful. It was truly a frog in a well before." Jinxiu brushed her hair back behind her ears.

  Her scarlet-painted fingernails sparkled, and Liangzi's heart tightened for a moment. Her sharp eyes flashed by, and she said nonchalantly, "Is that so? Running all over the world is all the same to me."

  "It's not the same, the county can't compare with this place. The difference is too big!" Jin Xiu said disdainfully, raising an eyebrow.

  "It's been a long time since you've returned to your hometown, right? You'll know once you go back." Liang Zi said calmly, now he was deeply influenced by Cheng Shigui and Fang Monan, his every move was elegant and refined, full of noble air.

  "How big can change be?" Jin Xiu said disapprovingly. These days are the ones people should live. Before, it was not even as good as pigs and dogs.

  Words don't match, half a sentence too much. Liang Zi silently picked up his wine glass and took a sip. It's really easy to change the heart of an old friend, but it's hard to say that the heart of an old friend is easily changed. No matter how I drink this wine, it's not as good as when they divided their first dividend, three people squeezed into a small tavern, with just a plate of peanuts, so delicious and mellow! Looking at the table full of delicacies from mountains and seas, why does it taste bland?

  Shouhou hung up the phone and came back. Liangzi directly stated his intention: "I'm going to America with Pangzi in a few days, are you going?"

  The thin monkey sat down, poured a cup of wine for Liang Ziman, "Going to the US? Oh! Look at her!......" The phone rang again, the thin monkey looked at him awkwardly and pressed the answer button.

  The thin monkey hung up the phone, and Liang Zi stared at him tightly, hoping he could say to go with them together. Unfortunately, he didn't speak, and Zhuang Shuhui pulled him aside and said: "Jinwen, didn't you promise me and Jinxiu to spend Christmas with us? You've been running around for years, how long has it been since we all got together, and when was the last time you went to your parents' place?" Although her voice was low, it was clearly meant for Liang Zi to hear.

  The thin monkey glared at Zhuang Shuhui and smiled helplessly: "Big brother, the New Year's market is approaching and it will definitely be crowded. I really can't leave, next time, next time we'll go again."

  Liang Zi watched their clumsy performance, feeling a bit nauseous. "I understand. Since you're busy, I'll leave first." He stood up, took out a napkin and elegantly wiped his hands, then tossed it aside.

  "Is big brother unhappy with little brother's hospitality?" Thin Monkey said somewhat uneasily.

  "No, something really happened, let's not delay." Liang Zidao said calmly.

  "Alright, I'll send you off." Thin Monkey took the overcoat from the coat rack and handed it to Liang Zi. After nodding goodbye to the two ladies, the two of them left the private room together, with Thin Monkey escorting him downstairs. "That's enough, I'll just see you off here!" Liang Zi said.

  "Alright then, I'll drive you back in my car!" said the thin monkey.

  "No need, taking a taxi is quite convenient." Liang Zi calmly declined.

  "All the best on your way, see her for me and give Nannan my regards. I still remember her feelings! Without her, there wouldn't be a me today." said Skinny Monkey with some excitement.

  If he had heard Skinny Monkey say that before dinner, Liangzi might have felt exceptionally relieved, but after what just happened, Liangzi simply found Skinny Monkey's hypocrisy annoying and wanted to leave this depressing place as soon as possible.

  Out of the hotel gate, the cold wind was howling. Liang Zi wrapped his coat tightly around him, feeling chilly to the bone and even colder in his heart. A black sedan stopped beside him, the driver got out and opened the door, Liang Zi got in and took a deep look at the hotel behind him.

  The thin monkey returned to the private room, and Zhuang Shuhui looked at him with dissatisfaction and said: "Who is he? Is it worth treating him with such good wine and dishes?"

  "Shu Hui. How can he be like this? He's been my friend since childhood, even if I don't want to, I shouldn't give him a cold face!" said the thin monkey after taking a sip of wine.

  "Hey! Are you trying to teach me? You know I hate those poor relatives of yours from the countryside." Zhuang Shuhui crossed her arms, looking away with a look of discontent.

  "Not in front of outsiders, at least spare me some face." The thin monkey begged.

  "When did I ever not give you face? Wasn't it just in front of your poor relatives?" said Zhuang Shuhui.

  "He's not a poor relative, and they're not here to freeload either," said Skinny Monkey.

  "Oh! I really can't tell. Where did he become so wealthy?" Zhuang Shuhui said disbelievingly. From his attire, accessories, to his demeanor and speech, everything was elegant and refined, not at all crude or unrefined, but the rest is really hard to discern.

  "Yes! Big brother, now that we're all out, where is Liangzi making his fortune?" Jinxiu also looked curious.

  "I don't know the specifics, I just know he's also left the county. He's doing hotel business." said Skinny Monkey, who was busy running around opening new branches and didn't have much time to stay in one place, so they rarely saw each other and only chatted briefly on the phone. Thinking about it, they hadn't had a good talk in a long time, and were planning to catch up properly, but the phone just kept ringing nonstop, especially with the upcoming Double Festival being extremely busy.

  "'Hotel?' Zhuang Shuhui snorted, 'Nowadays any roadside restaurant on the street claims to be a hotel. Look at that shabby appearance, I reckon they're not rich either.'"

  "Shu Hui, mind your manners when speaking." The thin monkey said, looking at her with a sharp and bitter expression.

  "Alright, let's eat!" Zhuang Shuhui waved her hand and said, "Take all these dishes away, they've gone cold and the flavor won't be good anymore. Bring some new ones up."

  "This is no good, it's also too wasteful, we haven't even started yet!" said the thin monkey.

  "Yes! It's still hot!" Jin Xiu said from the side.

  "You can't eat cold food, okay?" Zhuang Shuhui pointed to her belly and said.

  "Really? Then you call it new. I and Jin Chui will eat these." said the thin monkey.

  Zhuang Shuhui pouted, hesitated for a moment, and said, "Okay!" She waved her hand to call the waiter. Basically, she was still very satisfied with this husband of hers, who had money, ability, and listened to her.

  "By the way, I just received some new news from Big Brother, there's going to be a big move in the city..." Zhuang Shuhui said with a smile as the three of them started eating and chatting.

  On Christmas Day, people scattered all over the world gathered here in Fangmernan. Cheng Shigui, Han Zhikun, Airen, Diao Rong, Yang Fan, Liang Zi and Pangzi all came rushing over, no matter what, they had to bring him along. For this reason, Pangzi worked day and night for many days to squeeze out time.

  This year, there were no major actions, and everything went smoothly and in an orderly manner. After arriving here, everyone unanimously agreed that the annual summary meeting would go to other cities for a vacation summary. When it came to going to which place, opinions were divided, and it was difficult to decide, with all sorts of suggestions. In the end, they decided by drawing lots, writing down where they wanted to go, and Fang Mennai drew the winning ticket, which was Las Vegas.

  "Oh yeah! Long live the boss!" Allen exclaimed excitedly as he jumped up.

  "Now that we've drawn Las Vegas, let's get our things in order and set off in an hour," said Cheng Shigui. "Allen, you still need to hurry up and book a room, and... wait."

  "No problem, I've got it covered. I'll make sure you guys have a blast." Allen said with a pat on his chest, and then picked up the phone to make the arrangements.

  Actually, the rest of the people don't need to prepare, and the boxes are all placed under their feet! Xiao Yi hasn't returned home for a long time, plus Xiao Yi's husband and Grandma want the kids so much that they can't resist the persuasion from home over the phone, so they brought Da Bao and Er Ya back to China. Mo Bei and Stella have a Christmas performance, and only Fang Mo Nan is left to pack things up, after quickly packing, they flew to Nevada. (Your support is my greatest motivation.)