Li Fuguo clenched his teeth tightly, as if he had made a life-altering decision.
"Then...then let's order a Dongpo pork!"
Secretary Liu smiled professionally and kindly reminded him, "Brother Li, the Dongpo pork at the Peace Hotel isn't sold by the plate, it's sold by the piece."
"What the heck?"
Li Fuguo's eye twitched violently, and his voice changed tone.
"A piece of meat... sixty-eight?"
Too expensive.
The number hit him like a hammer blow, leaving his head buzzing.
In Funing County, pork costs two yuan per jin (0.5 kg), so sixty-eight yuan can buy more than thirty jin, enough for the whole family to eat for more than half a year.
Zhang Duotian, who was standing next to him, also turned pale. He leaned closer, lowered his voice, and pleaded.
"Fuguo, how about... we go somewhere else? This isn't a meal, it's a money-eating machine!"
"No way!" Li Fuguo retorted, his eyes darting around. "Brother Duotian, have you forgotten what Brother Gou said? When you're out on business, you can't be stingy! Money is meant to be spent. Let us try all kinds of dishes and learn some skills!"
That's what he said, but his heart was bleeding.
Secretary Liu watched the two whispering to each other, a barely perceptible smile flashing in his eyes, but he didn't point it out.
In the end, the three of them only ordered one piece of Dongpo pork, one plate of stir-fried vegetables, and three bowls of rice.
When the piece of Dongpo pork was served, Li Fuguo and Zhang Duotian stared wide-eyed.
The square pieces of meat, coated in a rich sauce, have an enticing amber color and gleam with an oily sheen under the light.
The aroma aggressively penetrates the nostrils, and just smelling it makes one's saliva secrete like crazy.
Li Fuguo trembled as he picked up a small piece and put it in his mouth.
In that instant, his eyes widened suddenly.
The fatty meat melts in your mouth, while the lean meat is tender and juicy. The rich flavor of sweet and salty explodes on your tongue, as if every taste bud is cheering.
It's so delicious!
It was so delicious that he wanted to swallow his own tongue.
However, when it came time to pay the bill, all the wonderful feelings vanished.
When Zhang Duotian heard that three bowls of rice would cost one yuan and fifty cents, his temper flared up instantly. Just as he was about to explode, Li Fuguo grabbed him and pulled him back.
As he walked out of the Peace Hotel, Zhang Duotian finally couldn't hold back and spat heavily at the corner of the wall, cursing under his breath.
"A rip-off! It's a total rip-off!"
Li Fuguo didn't stop him this time because he felt that Zhang Duotian was right to scold him, and he even felt a little relieved.
Only Secretary Liu's lips twitched slightly, and she awkwardly took two steps back, wishing she could disappear into a crack in the ground.
That's so embarrassing.
"Let's go find Qiming and the others!" Li Fuguo waved his hand, forcibly changing the subject.
Li Qiming, Li Weibing, and Zhang Mangui, following Zhang Cheng's instructions, also went to Shanghai to investigate, their task being to figure out the ins and outs of all entertainment venues.
More than half an hour later, the three arrived at a hotel called "Ningyang".
The environment is worlds apart from that of the Peace Hotel.
"Bang bang bang!"
Li Fuguo pounded on the door.
The door opened, and Li Qiming yawned, looking at them sleepily.
"Fu Guo? It's only this early, and you're already waking me up."
"It's almost noon!" Li Fuguo said as he strode inside.
The next moment.
Holy crap!
Li Fuguo's strange scream silenced the entire corridor.
He sprang out as if electrocuted, covered his eyes with his hands, and yelled at Li Qiming, "Brother Qiming! Your girlfriend is inside, why didn't you say so sooner!"
Li Qiming chuckled, showing no embarrassment whatsoever.
"Don't talk nonsense, that's not my boyfriend."
"Not your girlfriend?" Li Fuguo lowered his hand, looking at him incredulously. "Not your girlfriend? She sleeps in the same room as you?"
You wouldn't understand even if I told you.
Li Qiming strolled leisurely into the room, took out twenty yuan from his pocket, and casually tossed it onto the bed.
The young woman who had just sat up skillfully picked up two "ten-thousand-yuan" bills, gave Li Qiming a flirtatious wink, and then put them in her pocket with a smile. She then dressed and went out as if no one else was around, her figure swaying gracefully.
Li Fuguo and Zhang Duotian were completely stunned, staring blankly as the graceful figure disappeared at the end of the corridor.
"Qiming, you...you're messing around with women!" Zhang Duotian finally managed to squeeze out these words after a long pause.
Li Qiming lit a cigarette, took a deep drag, and the smoke he exhaled blurred the expression on his face.
"Tada-kun, you can't just say things like that. My relationship with that girl is purely platonic."
"Who has a friend who can share a bed?"
"It is precisely because we are friends that we should be honest with each other."
Grass!
Zhang Duotian's lips twitched violently as he barely suppressed the urge to kick him.
"By the way, we're leaving tonight." Li Qiming started packing his backpack, stuffing his clothes haphazardly inside. "I've found out that there are lots of girls and lively nightclubs in Sichuan. Let's go check it out there."
"Central Sichuan? That's so far!"
"It's not far at all, the train will take three or four days. How about you guys? How's the hotel arrangement going?"
Li Fuguo immediately deflated like a punctured balloon, and said with a wry smile, "I didn't accomplish anything."
He turned to Secretary Liu, with a hint of pleading: "Secretary Liu, perhaps you could trouble you to find us a few chefs?"
Secretary Liu nodded: "No problem. But which cuisine chef do you need? What's the base salary you can offer?"
Li Fuguo was stunned again.
"Secretary Liu, what cuisine do you think is most popular in Funing County?"
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