Xu Fei didn’t know much about liquor. Drinking at that small restaurant the other day was the first time in her life she’d ever had alcohol.
But even she, a teetotaler, had heard of the legendary reputation of Flying Fairy Maotai.
Out of curiosity, Xu Fei had looked up the price after drinking that day. ’Good heavens,’ she thought, ’a single bottle costs more than three thousand, almost four thousand yuan! That’s nearly my entire month’s salary.’
Seeing Wu Jun bring out such an expensive bottle of liquor to treat her father, the look in Xu Fei’s eyes softened. That indescribable feeling in her heart grew even stronger.
"Wu Jun, my dad usually just drinks cheap, unbottled liquor. Anything will do for him, you don’t have to use this." Xu Fei suddenly walked to the bedroom doorway, grabbing Wu Jun’s arm and whispering.
It wasn’t that she wasn’t a dutiful daughter. It was just that she and her father, Xu Shucai, were ordinary people from a small village. Drinking liquor that cost several thousand yuan felt too extravagant, something they couldn’t possibly accept.
She was already embarrassed enough that Wu Jun had insisted on treating them. Letting him spend so much more money would only make her feel worse.
"You silly girl. It’s not every day your dad comes to visit. What kind of host would I be if I hid away my good liquor?" Wu Jun gently removed her hand and said with a smile, "This is meant for drinking, no matter who it is. Don’t worry about it."
Seeing that Wu Jun had made up his mind, Xu Fei said no more. She followed him toward the supermarket entrance.
Xu Shucai was already waiting outside. Xu Fei locked the door. Just as Wu Jun was about to leave the building, he noticed a thick glob of phlegm spat on the wall to his right.
When the young man Xu Fei had called Xu Penghui left just a moment ago, Wu Jun had heard him spit. Without a doubt, this gob of phlegm on the wall was his handiwork.
First, he was smoking in the supermarket, and now this crude, uncivilized act. Wu Jun’s impression of Xu Penghui worsened.
"What’s wrong, Wu Jun?" Xu Fei finished locking the door and asked, seeing him just standing there.
"Nothing. Just waiting for you to lock up. Let’s go." After speaking, Wu Jun headed out of the stairwell, and Xu Fei followed close behind.
The moment he stepped out of the stairwell, Wu Jun saw Xu Penghui about to toss a lit cigarette butt into a trash can. He quickly called out, "Hey, Xu, stub that out before you throw it away. You don’t want to start a fire."
Hearing Wu Jun’s warning, Xu Fei also saw what Xu Penghui was doing. She said with a displeased look, "Xu Penghui, what is wrong with you? Why are you just tossing a lit cigarette like that? What if it starts a fire?"
Xu Penghui’s expression turned ugly as he heard Wu Jun and Xu Fei ganging up to criticize him.
The moment Wu Jun had stepped out of the bedroom, Xu Penghui had felt threatened.
Xu Fei’s boss was taller and better-looking than him. Tall, handsome, and with a fair complexion—just like a pretty boy.
’If Xu Fei spends too much time with him,’ he thought, ’there’s no guarantee she won’t be captivated by this pretty boy.’
"It’s just a cigarette butt. Do you have to make such a big deal out of it?" Xu Penghui shot Wu Jun a glare, snorted, and viciously stubbed the cigarette out on the rim of the trash can before flicking it inside.
Wu Jun’s dislike for Xu Penghui grew. ’What’s with that look, kid?’ he thought. ’Did I do something to you?’
’So you’re the one throwing a lit cigarette into a trash can, but somehow you think you’re in the right.’
Although his opinion of Xu Penghui was steadily declining, he was Xu Fei’s classmate, and Xu Shucai was right there. Wu Jun couldn’t let his annoyance show too obviously. He ignored Xu Penghui’s retort and stepped forward to speak to Xu Shucai. "Uncle Xu, sorry to keep you waiting. Let’s head out of the residential complex for dinner."
Xu Shucai quickly replied, "Not at all, not at all. Boss Wu, this is really too much trouble for you. If you ask me, my daughter and I would be fine with a simple meal."
"Nonsense," Wu Jun said. "We’re from the same hometown, and Xu Fei works for me. If I didn’t even treat you to a meal, I’d become a laughingstock among the folks back home if word got out."
"Well, in that case, thank you for your trouble, Boss Wu." Seeing that Wu Jun wasn’t just being polite—he had locked up the supermarket and even brought out the liquor—Xu Shucai didn’t protest any further.
"It’s no trouble at all. What’s troublesome about a meal? Xu Fei and I have to eat anyway. Let’s go." Wu Jun gestured for the father-daughter duo, and Xu Penghui the freeloader, to head out.
"Are we walking?" Xu Penghui suddenly cut in. "A big boss like ’President Wu’ can’t even spare a little gas money? It’s not exactly a short walk from here, you know."
Hearing how Xu Penghui addressed him, Wu Jun just shook his head and smiled. ’This kid is, without a doubt, the most obnoxious person I’ve met in my twenty-odd years of life. No one even comes close.’
He was just the owner of a small supermarket. Being called "President Wu" and a "big boss" was a deliberate attempt to make him look bad.
"Xu Penghui, what is your problem? Can you just be quiet for a minute? Why are you being so difficult about a simple meal?" Xu Fei’s expression turned sour as she reprimanded him.
"It’s fine, Xu Fei. It’s nothing," Wu Jun said, placating her. He didn’t want to make a scene. "It’s not that I’m trying to save gas money," he explained. "I just don’t have a car yet."
Seeing Xu Fei jump to Wu Jun’s defense only confirmed Xu Penghui’s suspicions. ’If these two spend too much time together,’ he thought, ’something is bound to happen!’
"No car? Then we can take mine." Feeling he’d scored a point against Wu Jun, Xu Penghui pressed the button on his key fob. A nearby Wuling Hongguang chirped as it unlocked. "Uncle Xu, Feifei, get in!" he called out.
Xu Penghui got into the driver’s seat. Xu Fei ushered her father and Wu Jun into the back row, and the Wuling Hongguang started up, heading for the complex exit.
As he drove, Xu Penghui said, "President Wu, cars are pretty cheap these days. If money’s tight, you can just make a down payment and get a loan. I mean, who doesn’t have a car in this day and age?"
Wu Jun: "..."
’Am I really getting looked down on by someone driving a Wuling minivan?’ Wu Jun thought. ’Now I’ve really seen it all.’
Xu Fei frowned. "Xu Penghui, you’re awfully talkative today. Can you just be quiet for a minute?"
Xu Fei’s words seemed to have an effect on Xu Penghui. The atmosphere in the car turned awkward, and the group fell silent.
The supermarket wasn’t far from the complex exit. They were out in less than five minutes. Xu Penghui parked on the side of the road, and the four of them got out and walked toward a small restaurant.
Inside the restaurant, Wu Jun handed the menu to Xu Shucai, telling him to order whatever he liked and not to stand on ceremony.
Xu Shucai quickly pushed the menu back to Wu Jun, insisting that anything would be fine and he’d eat whatever was ordered.
"Oh, come on, Uncle Xu," Xu Penghui said, snatching the menu from them. "It’s not every day President Wu treats us to a meal. We shouldn’t be polite."
Xu Penghui then flipped through the menu, deliberately picking the most expensive items. He ordered about ten dishes, not a single one costing less than fifty yuan. He handed the menu to the waitress who was waiting nearby. "We’ll start with these. If it’s not enough, we’ll order more."
"Right away. Please wait a moment, your food will be out shortly." Seeing the customer order so many expensive dishes, the waitress’s delight was written all over her face. She took the menu and hurried toward the kitchen.
Faced with Xu Penghui’s relentless provocations, Xu Fei’s patience reached its breaking point. Just as she was about to blow up, Wu Jun grabbed her hand under the table.
"Xu Fei, I’m going to step out and get you a drink." Wu Jun squeezed her hand, giving her a subtle signal, then stood up and headed for the door.
"Wu Jun, I’ll go with you." It was the first time he had ever held her hand like that. Her face turned so red it felt like it could burst, and she quickly stood to follow him out the door.