Chen Jian couldn’t immediately figure out what Shan Yu was thanking him for, but he caught a whiff of alcohol and his attention instantly shifted. There was baijiu in Shan Yu’s glass.
“Can’t you drink?” he took the glass and sniffed again, confirming it was indeed baijiu.
Thankfully, it was a small glass. If it were the teacup Chen Erhu was holding, Shan Yu would have likely dropped dead on the spot after one drink.
“I haven’t taken my medicine today,” Shan Yu said.
“There should be at least a day’s interval!” Chen Jian said in a hushed voice, pulling out his phone and starting to search. An opening day fight in the morning, and then the boss gets seriously ill from drinking in the evening…
“I’ve never taken any medicine,” Shan Yu said.
Chen Jian’s rapidly tapping fingers on the screen paused. He turned to look at Shan Yu: “Your leg is this badly injured and you’re not taking medicine?”
“It’s been over a month since I got the brace,” Shan Yu said. “Who takes anti-inflammatory medicine for that long?”
“Then you’re just…” Chen Jian didn’t finish his sentence when an arm stretched out between him and Shan Yu.
“I knew it,” Chen Erhu said, holding his glass, his face already red. “Boss Shan, you lied to me…”
Chen Jian was startled. He spoke so softly, yet he could hear it? Was his hearing that good?
“Were you drinking baijiu just now!” Chen Erhu pointed at the small glass. “Were you!”
It seemed his eyesight was good.
“Haven’t taken medicine these past few days,” Shan Yu picked up the glass, poured more wine into it, and clinked it with Chen Erhu’s. “Thank you for your hard work, Boss Chen.”
Chen Erhu seemed drunk. His emotions were overflowing, and tears welled up in his eyes: “It’s not hard work, but I consider you a brother, and you don’t…”
“Boss Chen,” Chen Jian grabbed his arm, stood up, and helped Chen Erhu, who was about to lunge at Shan Yu, back to an upright position. Then he reached out and took the glass full of wine from Shan Yu’s hand, holding it in front of Chen Erhu. “Do you still consider me a brother? Are you going to drink this glass?”
“Drink!” Chen Erhu nodded vigorously. “Brother!”
After drinking that glass of wine, Chen Erhu’s legs started to go weak. Brother Si and Brother Wu came over and, along with Sanbing, helped him towards the guest room – the one Chen Dahu had slept in for two minutes. Chen Jian had left it uncleaned, just in case someone drank too much tonight and needed to be tossed in there. Chen Jian breathed a sigh of relief and sat back down.
“You worry too much, Manager Chen,” Shan Yu said.
You’re annoyed I took your wine, aren’t you?
“You really shouldn’t drink, I see a pile of medicine under your coffee table,” Chen Jian said. “Even if it’s not anti-inflammatory medicine, you should still drink less. You shouldn’t drink when you’re injured.”
Shan Yu sighed and said nothing more, taking a sip of the cola next to him.
Chen Jian was silent for a while, finally remembering their previous conversation.
“Just now you said thank you…” He could still feel a pang in his nose remembering that thank you, and though the topic had helplessly moved on, he still went back. “No need to be so… polite.”
“Chen Jian,” Shan Yu leaned back in his chair and turned his head to look at him. “You really are…”
“Hmm?” Chen Jian looked at him.
“Nothing. Go greet the guests,” Shan Yu tilted his chin. “Hu Pan’s the only one bouncing back and forth.”
“Oh.” Chen Jian stood up.
There were many people today, and they were all quite familiar with each other, so everyone ate very relaxed. The children ran off to play after they were full, with the adults calling after them. Not to mention Xiao Dou’er, Chen Jian even felt like it was New Year’s. When he worked at the hotel, New Year’s was always full of children running and adults chasing…
He chatted with people around the tables, almost done with his rounds, and turned to go back to his own table to eat a few bites, but suddenly realized Shan Yu wasn’t in his seat, and the wheelchair next to him was also gone. Just as he was about to ask Xiao Dou’er’s grandfather, Tang Rui came over with a drink: “I didn’t get a chance to talk to you properly earlier.”
“Brother Rui,” Chen Jian smiled.
“You stop drinking, I see you’ve had quite a bit already,” Tang Rui drank the wine in his glass. “I’ll do the drinking.”
“Did you drive here?” Chen Jian asked.
“I’m not going back to the shop today,” Tang Rui said, patting his shoulder. “Chen Jian, you’ve really made something of yourself. I only came here once before, to deliver a car, and I didn’t even go inside. I had no idea it was so beautiful in here, such a good place, and it’s all yours now. You must do well!”
“Brother Rui, it’s not mine,” Chen Jian said with a smile.
“It’s under your management,” Tang Rui slapped him on the back, a little emotional. “I knew you wouldn’t always be working. Such a good kid! We’re genuinely happy for you.”
“Thank you, Brother Rui,” Chen Jian said.
After Tang Rui was pulled away by Chen Xiaohu, Chen Jian walked over to Xiao Dou’er’s grandfather and asked, “Grandpa, did you see where our boss went?”
“He said he went upstairs to rest for a bit,” Grandpa said. “Maybe he’s tired from being busy with the opening these past few days? And his leg is like that.”
That’s not it, he’s not tired.
He’s so lazy he can’t even bother to turn on his walkie-talkie.
I’m the one who’s tired.
“Okay, I understand,” Chen Jian nodded. “I’ll go up and check. Grandpa, if you’re leaving later, let me know, and I’ll see you off.”
“No need,” Grandpa waved his hand. “Chen Jiali told us to go back with his cousin-in-law. We’re staying in the village with the kids tonight, it’s on the way, don’t worry about us.”
Chen Jian glanced at Sanbing over there. Chen Boss’s only sober employee, Chen Jiali, nodded at him and smiled, raising his glass, looking quite proper.
What?
…He might not actually be sober.
Chen Jian looked at the people in the restaurant again, then walked to the elevator door and saw that the elevator display showed it was on the fourth floor. He really did go up. He hesitated for a moment, pressed the button, and walked into the elevator when it came down. When he was about to press the floor button, he paused, looking at the panel reflected in the metal plate opposite, aimed and poked. It was off. He aimed again, and poked again. He pressed the third floor, and the elevator started to go up.
Forget it, he sighed, and pressed the fourth floor again. As the sounds from outside slowly faded, he felt he must have drunk quite a bit today. Now, leaning against the wall, he felt a little dizzy. He usually only drank with Tang Rui sometimes, and rarely had occasions like this where he drank so much. But thankfully, he could still speak and walk normally.
The office light was on, and the door was half-open. Chen Jian walked over and knocked on the door, hearing no sound. He poked half his head in to look and saw Shan Yu lying on the sofa, his arm over his eyes, his legs still propped up on that stack of cushions.
“Boss Shan,” he called out softly. Shan Yu had trouble sleeping, so it was unlikely he’d fall asleep so early, nor would he be drunk, given that small glass of wine was only about five qian… For him to just lie there motionless was quite unusual, especially since he left without even telling Chen Jian.
“It’s Chen Jian,” Chen Jian walked into the office. “I’m coming in, are you okay?”
Shan Yu made no sound and didn’t move, just lying there quietly.
“Shan Yu?” Chen Jian felt a little panicked. Perhaps because he’d had some alcohol, his thoughts were a little too active, and he felt some inexplicable worries. He walked to the side of the sofa and observed, but couldn’t make anything out.
“Shan Yu?” He called out softly again, bending down to listen for his breathing. It had to be said, Shan Yu’s breathing was almost inaudible. Xiao Dou’er’s breathing was heavier when she was asleep, and with all the noise downstairs earlier, his ears were still ringing, so he couldn’t hear any other sounds clearly.
Just as he was about to straighten up, Shan Yu’s arm suddenly lifted slightly, and he said, “Turn off the light.”
“Ah.” Chen Jian’s breath hitched in his throat, a strong and awkward feeling of being caught doing something wrong. As he tried to back away, he tripped on a protruding corner of a cushion next to him, falling directly to his knees in front of the sofa. “Okay.”
Shan Yu moved his arm away and turned his head to look at him: “It’s only fourteen thousand. Stand up.”
“…I might have drunk a bit too much just now.” Chen Jian propped himself up on the coffee table. “Are you awake, or did I wake you up?”
“I’ve never fallen asleep at nine in the evening in my life,” Shan Yu said.
“Then you didn’t answer when I called you?” Chen Jian was shocked. “I thought something… happened to you.”
“What happened?” Shan Yu smiled. “Did I die?”
Who knows? When you drink too much, your mind gets active.
“You rest. I just heard from Xiao Dou’er’s grandpa that you left and thought something might be wrong, so I came up to check,” Chen Jian said, quickly walking towards the door. “You should probably go into the bedroom to sleep. It’s a bit cool at night now, don’t catch a cold.” Without waiting for Shan Yu to speak, he had already walked out of the office and closed the door behind him.
“Hey!” Shan Yu called from inside, followed by a short whistle.
Turn off the light.
Forgot.
Chen Jian quickly went back, opened the door, slapped the switch by the door, and then closed the door.
When he returned downstairs, many guests had already started to leave. Hu Pan and Sanbing were greeting them at the door. All the lights in the courtyard and on the road outside the gate were on, illuminating the area and making it look very lively. Chen Jian stood on the small road outside the gate for a while, then looked back inside. There were a few people smoking in the pavilion, all employees of the guesthouse.
After all the guests left, the employees staggered back into the restaurant and began to clean up.
“My ears are ringing,” Hu Pan said, pressing her ears repeatedly.
“A room full of people, yelling to be heard, and playing music,” Zhao Fangfang said, quickly clearing the dishes. “Of course your ears would be ringing.”
“Sister Zhao, we can clean up. Why don’t you go settle your daughter?” Hu Pan said. Zhao Fangfang’s daughter was staying with her in the staff dormitory on the fourth floor tonight.
“Don’t worry about her, she’s been taking care of herself since she was little,” Zhao Fangfang said with a smile. “Given our situation, her father and I usually don’t have much time for her. Some bosses make you work more than ten hours and won’t even let you take a thirty-minute break.”
“I’ve met so many bosses like that,” Hu Pan said, shaking her head. “That’s why I say Boss Shan is a good boss. It’s my first time meeting a boss like him.”
“All bosses are pretty much the same,” Chen Erhu, having slept enough in the room, now sat on a chair nearby, stretching his legs and leaning his head back.
“That’s not true, they’re not all the same,” Zhao Fangfang said. “Boss Shan is indeed good. That previous Boss Qian was both stingy and fierce.”
Chen Erhu smiled: “Shan Yu just knows how to be a boss, how to win people over.”
Chen Jian, who was sweeping the floor with a broom, glanced at him, wondering if Chen Erhu was drunk or if his brain was deprived of oxygen from being choked by his brother.
“He’s seen the world, and he speaks very sincerely, and treats people equally,” Chen Erhu said, pouting. “You, look at yourselves, which one of you has experienced such kindness? You immediately feel like this place is home, and you’re immediately devoted.”
“Brother Erhu, Brother Erhu,” Sanbing went over and handed him a glass of water. “Drink some water.”
“Look at Chen Jian,” Chen Erhu pointed at Chen Jian. “What was he like before?”
“Just like this,” Sanbing glanced at Chen Jian.
“What’s he like now!” Chen Erhu raised his voice.
“Just… still like this,” Sanbing said.
“He’s devoted to Shan Yu, devoted!” Chen Erhu patted his thigh in anguish. “Was he like that to Qian Yu!”
“Chen Jian is the manager now,” Lao Wu couldn’t help but say. “He wasn’t the manager before!”
Chen Jian sighed.
He even gave money.
There were indeed a lot of things to do, but he also gave a lot of money.
Chen Jian gestured to Sanbing, telling him to get Chen Erhu back into the room.
“Shan Yu is too good at winning people over,” Chen Erhu said, full of sorrow, his face contorted. “Too good at winning people over…”
Sanbing dragged Chen Erhu back into the room. When he closed the door, Chen Jian heard Chen Erhu crying.
“How much did he drink!” Hu Pan frowned. “What kind of nonsense is that?”
“Pan Pan, watch your language,” Lao Si said, looking at her. “We’re still sitting here.”
“What about you sitting here? I’d say the same thing if you were standing,” Hu Pan said. “What, is it bad if the boss doesn’t put on airs?”
He still puts on airs, and a lot of them.
“Isn’t it good if the boss is sincere?” Hu Pan said. “I’ve never seen a boss like this. Does that mean a boss like this is a bad person?”
“That’s true,” Lao Wu said.
Lao Si glanced at Lao Wu.
“We don’t know what Brother Erhu meant,” Lao Wu said. “I didn’t even understand if he was praising or scolding.”
“He’s praising, definitely not scolding,” Sanbing pulled Chen Jian to the backyard and whispered, “I’ve been with him for so many years, I feel like he respects him but is also very unwilling to respect him.”
Chen Jian looked at Sanbing: “You dropped out after junior high, didn’t you?”
“How do I put it,” Sanbing said, “I dropped out in my second year of high school.”
Chen Jian didn’t speak.
“What I mean is, he’s very unwilling to accept that he respects Boss Shan,” Sanbing said with a sigh. “He just wishes he could be a boss like that too, good at talking, good at handling things, with loyal subordinates…”
“Go rest,” Chen Jian patted Sanbing’s shoulder. “Everyone’s tired today.”
“I still have to do a round of patrols,” Sanbing said.
“I’ll patrol the courtyard,” Chen Jian said. “I need to sober up anyway.”
After Sanbing went back inside, Chen Jian took a flashlight and walked around the road outside, then walked around the courtyard again, finally stopping at the stone table in the northeast corner of the courtyard. After spacing out for a while leaning against the stone table, Chen Jian lay down on the long bench nearby.
From this position, he could see the office on the fourth floor, and the huge moon hanging in the night sky.
Devoted.
When Chen Erhu said those four words, Chen Jian felt a sudden pang of discomfort in his heart.
A jolt.
What the hell is devoted?
Where did this ‘devoted’ come from?
He was indeed working hard, for the smooth opening and operation of Dayin. He wanted to work here, for a stable and very good income… Before he heard Chen Erhu say those four words, that’s what he thought. But now, he suddenly felt a little shaken.
“I don’t care what his reason is,” Shan Yu walked slowly around the office with his phone. “I’m giving him a month. He solves Chen Dahu, or I solve him.”
“How are you going to solve him?” Yue Lang asked. “Break his arms or legs?”
“Brother, this is a society governed by law,” Shan Yu said.
“Alright, alright, a society governed by law,” Yue Lang laughed. “So, what’s the plan?”
“Do you think he can’t solve Chen Dahu?” Shan Yu leaned by the window, pulling the curtain open a crack to look outside.
“He absolutely won’t actively contact these troubles. For him to solve Chen Dahu means making himself untraceable,” Yue Lang said. “Is this guy a small-time gangster? Would he dare to cause trouble again?”
“Not for now, but as long as this place can make money, he won’t give up. It’s annoying,” Shan Yu said. “You first…”
“What?” Yue Lang asked.
Shan Yu didn’t speak. He pushed the window open a crack, saw that the person lying on the long bench below was Chen Jian, and clicked his tongue.
“Finish your sentence before you click your tongue,” Yue Lang said.
“Help me find some kind of bottle, jar, or other ornament. Not too small, hard to hide,” Shan Yu said. “Around ten thousand, clearly priced with an invoice, and sent over.”
“What for?” Yue Lang asked.
“To eat,” Shan Yu said.
“You’re going to eat that damn ornament?” Yue Lang said.
“You know it’s an ornament, why are you asking?” Shan Yu said.
Yue Lang laughed: “Alright, I’ll send you one.”
“I’ll buy it,” Shan Yu said, grabbing the window handle and suddenly pushing the window open wide.
Chen Jian, lying on the long bench, sprang up and instantly disappeared as if kicked by a donkey.
Woah, that speed.
