90. Drunk, Part One

Sister Yang drove me to her factory. It was just after quitting time, and the workers were gradually filing out.

When they saw me step out of Sister Yang’s car unharmed, the workshop director, Yang Tianfeng, gave me a sly once-over and asked with a look of surprise, “They didn’t do anything to you?”

I could tell the man was jealous of me, so I said coldly, “What could those cowards do to me?”

Yang Tianfeng said, “You’re really something.”

I replied with a hint of mockery, “It’s not that I’m something. It’s that some people are too spineless, terrified of everything, and only think about running for their lives.”

Sister Yang could see the tension between us, so she came over and said, “A Feng really is impressive. Not only did he resolve everything perfectly, he even managed to walk away without a scratch.”

Yang Tianfeng found the whole thing dull after hearing that, so he left in that used Nissan of his.

I walked into Sister Yang’s dining room and saw the table already covered with all kinds of cooked dishes. Her daughter, Xiaoya, had already started sneaking bites, and the family housekeeper said to her boss’s wife when she saw us come in, “Madam, the food is ready. I’ll head back now.”

Sister Yang politely said, “Sister Jing, you worked hard today. Stay and eat with us before you go.”

Sister Jing chuckled. “Madam, my son came back from his studies in the provincial capital today, and I have to go back and keep him company, so I won’t eat. The soup you wanted has already been prepared; just heat it up later. I’ll come early tomorrow morning to wash the bowls and chopsticks.”

Sister Yang said, “All right, I understand. Then we won’t keep you.”

In truth, Sister Yang was only pretending to be polite. She wanted to invite me to dinner, and naturally she did not want the housekeeper to interrupt. Of course Sister Jing knew that too, so once she finished her work, she went home.

After spending so many days together, Sister Yang’s daughter had become quite familiar with me, and she liked me very much. I was the one who had rescued her, and later I often took her to and from school. Especially that day, when I knocked out Bald Leopard with one punch, I became, in her eyes, an immensely powerful uncle.

When Xiaoya saw us, she asked, “Mom, did Uncle already drive the bad guys away?”

Sister Yang smiled. “Yes. Xiaoya, do you think Uncle is amazing?”

Xiaoya gnawed on a duck leg braised in sesame oil and mumbled through a mouthful, “Mm! Uncle is like Ultraman. He can beat the bad guys!”

Sister Yang let her daughter keep eating, hoping she would finish early and go to bed sooner.

Then she asked me to sit down. “I really feel a bit embarrassed today. It’s fortunate that you came away unharmed, though it was a close call.”

I smiled. “It’s nothing. I understand how you felt. The child is the most important thing. Besides, even if you had stayed with me, it wouldn’t have helped. You might even have distracted me, forcing me to protect you as well.”

Sister Yang said sadly, “Thank you for understanding. Honestly, when I left you behind and went away today, I felt terrible. I felt like such an ungrateful person... Ah, I’m truly sorry.”

I smiled. “Sister Yang, you don’t need to feel guilty. Didn’t you come back for me? Besides, I’m not unharmed, am I?”

She said, “Yes, thank goodness! By the way, why did they let you go so easily?”

I smiled. “Because I’ve got a trump card. Once I showed it, they didn’t dare offend me anymore, and they obediently let me leave.”

She asked curiously, “What trump card?”

I said, “That has to stay secret for now. If I tell you, it won’t work anymore.”

She thought I was joking on purpose, and said, “Still keeping secrets? What kind of thing needs to be kept secret? Looks like you’re just a sly little rascal, always making things mysterious.”

I laughed. “Since you know I’m a rascal, why take a rascal so seriously? Even if he tells you, it may not be true.”

She said, “All right, if you want to keep it secret, I won’t ask. What shall we drink tonight?”

I said, “Anything. Whatever you want to drink, I’ll keep you company.”

Smiling, she took out a bottle of red wine. “Then let’s have red wine. How about that?”

“All right,” I said. “Though for me, drinking red wine is a bit of a waste, since I can’t really taste the difference between a good one and a bad one.”

She laughed. “Me neither. But tonight, to thank you, I have to toast you.”

With that, she opened the wine and filled my glass. When Xiaoya saw us drinking red wine, she insisted on having some too, and Sister Yang could only let her have a tiny taste. Xiaoya found it tasteless and not very good at all, so she lost interest in drinking and went back to gnawing her duck leg.

Smiling, Sister Yang said, “A Feng, thank you for helping me solve this problem. I’ll toast you.”

I said, “Sister Yang, there’s no need to be so polite. Now that this matter is settled, I can finally relax. After this, I’m planning to leave.”

As I spoke, I took a sip of wine.

Sister Yang was startled. “You want to leave? Where are you going?”

I said, “I haven’t really been working much at the factory. If I keep loafing around like this, the other employees will start gossiping.”

She said, “My factory may not make much profit, but it can still afford to support one more worker, so I hope you can stay and help me manage things here.”

I replied, “Thank you for your kindness, Sister Yang. I’m planning to go to Shanghai in a few days to visit a friend, so I’m sorry.”

I thought to myself that the workshop director here already disliked me. Why should I stay and make life uncomfortable for myself?

Seeing that my mind was made up, she said regretfully, “Then I’ll only have to wait until you’re done with your matters. But you’re always welcome to come back, any time, anywhere.”

I smiled. “All right. When I have time, I’ll come back and see you.”

When Xiaoya heard that I was leaving, she started making a fuss and refused to let me go. Sister Yang coaxed her, first making sure she finished her meal and washed up, then soothing her back to her room to sleep.

It took Sister Yang about half an hour to get Xiaoya settled into bed. Only then did she come downstairs to drink with me.

By then I was already about seventy percent drunk, my face flushed red.

She laughed. “You’ve been drinking without waiting for me. I ought to punish you with three more glasses.”

She pushed the wineglass up to my lips and insisted I drink it. I laughed. “Sister Yang, are you trying to get me drunk?”

With a charming smile, she said, “I’ll drink with you too.”

Then she drained her own glass in one gulp. Seeing how bold she was drinking, and since red wine was not very strong, I downed mine as well.

After Sister Yang drank a few glasses with me, her face had turned rosy too, and she seemed about seventy percent drunk herself. With a sweet laugh, she said, “It’s so hot!”

With that, she took off her outer garment, revealing her slender figure, which stirred something in me.

I smiled. “It’s winter now. Be careful not to catch a chill.”

She laughed. “It’s fine. The air conditioner’s on.”

At last I felt I had had enough. If I kept going, I would surely end up dead drunk.

Sister Yang still seemed to want to keep going, but seeing that I did not want to drink anymore, she did not force me. So we casually ate a little more, preparing to go back to our rooms and sleep.

My room was next to the living room on the first floor, so I stood up to leave.

Sister Yang, swaying drunkenly, headed toward the upstairs landing, but after only a few steps she stumbled and fell heavily onto the sofa in the living room.