Chapter 31: The Sentiment of Staying Until Drunk

Liuyu Pavilion. Wu Yue arrived early, without any particular reason—he simply came because he wanted to. However, upon arrival, he was unexpectedly stopped at the door by a humble-looking attendant. The young man, whose very appearance radiated festivity, said apologetically, “Young master, what an unfortunate coincidence. Liuyu Pavilion has been fully booked for today.”

Wu Yue pondered for a moment—it was indeed Liuyu Pavilion. Yu Fu, burning with anger, exclaimed, “I knew that so-called Little Dog Gang was deceiving us. Wu Yue, let’s go! We’ll confront them directly!”

Zhao Qingzhi mused thoughtfully, “That can’t be right. Wu Yue, could you be mistaken?”

“Impossible. Could there be another Liuyu Pavilion?” Wu Yue was puzzled as well, but the attendant had already withdrawn, still wearing a warm smile from afar. Wu Yue didn’t bother to inquire further.

As for Li Wenzhang, after a brief silence, he whispered, “Do you think there’s a chance the venue has been reserved by the Fierce Tiger Gang?”

Wu Yue and Yu Fu, along with Zhao Qingzhi, were just about to consider this when two streaks of light roared through the air, heedless of the chaos left in their wake. After all, as one of the elders of Black Veil City, such reckless speed was a privilege he enjoyed.

This banquet was of immense importance, already declared the Fierce Tiger Gang’s top priority event in recent times.

Whether Wu Yue would finally let go of past grudges or deepen his alliances depended entirely on today. Even more crucial was the ambitious development plan for Black Veil City, which was currently enthusiastically recruiting talents.

Though the city appeared calm and harmonious both inside and out when Wu Yue arrived, the elders’ council of Black Veil City was in an uproar. They unanimously believed Wu Yue had ill intentions. Though Wu Yue alone couldn’t cause great turmoil, even a moderate disturbance was best avoided. Thus, a strategy of courtesy followed by force was settled upon.

Outside Liuyu Pavilion, watching the two figures approach, Wu Yue finally understood why Pingyuan was reluctant to treat the gang leader’s illness. It wasn’t that he was especially ugly—his style was rugged, complemented by a towering height over two meters. More importantly, the matriarch of the Fierce Tiger Gang, a refined woman standing about 1.6 meters tall, embodied the gentle elegance of Jiangnan. The stark contrast between them was striking.

“Gang leader? Madam?” Wu Yue admitted sheepishly that he still did not know their names.

“Brother Wu, hahaha.” A hearty laugh came from the matriarch, tinged with a faintly strange lightness. The Fierce Tiger Gang leader chuckled behind her, emanating the aura of a devoted husband.

“You two must be the man of the house and the lady of the house, right?” Li Wenzhang asked with a teasing smile, his question both provocative and playful. Though everyone could plainly see the truth, they were curious about how the couple would respond.

“No.” Unexpectedly, the gang leader shook his head, “She runs everything inside and out. I’m just here to eat free meals.” He smiled shyly.

The two young men were momentarily stunned. Li Wenzhang widened his eyes, then sighed deeply, “The gang leader is indeed a shrewd one.”

Laughter erupted. The awkwardness among the six dissolved rapidly—truly, laughter and jokes are the best bridges between strangers.

“Brother Wu, you’ve come quite early. Upon hearing the news, the two of us rushed over in a flurry. We didn’t even have time to put on makeup.” There was a hint of reproach in her tone, yet it was laced with a familiar warmth, as if old friends reunited after years apart.

“Madam is naturally enchanting; no powder or paint is needed,” Li Wenzhang said, lightly tapping his fan.

“I was referring to my husband,” the matriarch replied with a graceful smile, full of charm. Li Wenzhang was momentarily speechless, and Wu Yue was quietly taken aback—this couple was truly peculiar. “The invitation simply mentioned a dinner, no specific time, so we decided to come early.”

This time, the gang leader and his wife were the ones caught off guard, though their manners were far superior to the other four, avoiding any boisterous laughter.

“We’ve decided that this friend of yours is now a friend of ours,” the matriarch said earnestly.

“Since we’re friends, let’s go inside,” Wu Yue smiled. Although he felt a good impression of the couple, it was not yet a meeting of kindred spirits. Both Qingyuzi and Wu Yue shared this view—friends are friends, but it never hurts to keep one’s guard up.

“Oh dear, young master, we truly cannot accommodate other guests here at Liuyu Pavilion,” the attendant said as he approached, then froze mid-sentence.

“What’s going on?” The matriarch’s delicate brows furrowed, a commanding presence naturally emanating.

“Haha, just a trivial matter, nothing to worry about,” Wu Yue shook his head. The attendant looked at Wu Yue with deep gratitude. For Wu Yue, it was just a few words; for the attendant, it was a matter of life and death.

The matriarch smiled gently, “I only fear our hospitality won’t be sufficient.” Though appearing unconcerned, her mind was already resolved to get to the bottom of even the smallest issue. She firmly believed that success lay in the details and was filled with intense curiosity.

The banquet was resplendent with dishes and flowing wine, a lavish feast to stir the heart’s springtime passion. After several rounds of drinking, both parties grew much more familiar. It was undeniable that the gang leader and his wife were gifted conversationalists, which only loosened everyone’s tongues further.

Yu Fu, for instance, launched into a carefree eating spree, prompting Wu Yue to sheepishly explain that the boy had rarely tasted good food before and simply couldn’t help himself. The couple received this explanation with great delight.

Li Wenzhang became the main conversationalist on their side, and it was fortunate he restrained himself from commenting on the dishes too much, lest the shopkeeper nearby grow nervous. Zhao Qingzhi, usually quiet and reserved around strangers, was especially silent.

Wu Yue became the primary focus of the couple’s conversation. Names were exchanged: the matriarch was Lu Xinying, while the gang leader was Hu Wushuang.

Then came the serious matters.

Lu Xinying sincerely apologized, admitting that a year ago her control was lax and her subordinates had mistakenly attacked Wu Yue. Though they were all wiped out, she still felt deeply sorry. There was nothing more to say—just an earnest apology. She assured Wu Yue that if he ever needed anything, he could come to the Fierce Tiger Gang. While she could not promise results, they would always try their best. Then, with a bold gesture, she downed three bowls of wine. Hu Wushuang grinned and swiftly followed suit.

Next came the second matter. Though the odds were slim, what if it succeeded? The couple enthusiastically invited Wu Yue to join the Fierce Tiger Gang, promising generous treatment and light duties. They encouraged him to name his terms and revealed all the plans for Black Veil City’s development.

Wu Yue neither accepted nor declined, only raising his cup repeatedly. As the saying goes, “One should drink three hundred cups without words.” Earthly sorrows are but fleeting clouds—nothing worth fretting over.

Tonight, he only wished to drink, to remain unyielding until intoxication claimed him.