Chapter 88

Chapter 88: One and His Enemies Are Bound to Meet

Translator: GravityTales  Editor: GravityTales

The Everlasting Feast Hall had a total of three floors with interesting and appealing antique interior decorations. The first floor was an open-style dining hall with 200 dining tables. The second floor was for 108 private dining boxes with a spacious and comfortable environment. And the third floor was for the Honorable Guests area. And the number of people who were eligible to enter this floor could be counted with one’s hands.

The restaurant manager had already been notified about Tang Xiu’s arrival and greeted warmly, “You’re Mr. Tang, yes? I’m the manager of Everlasting Feast Hall, Chu Yanqing. Little Boss has already informed me that the Honorable Guest’s lounge on the third floor has already been prepared. You and your friends can dine there right now. Your necessities are on us, free of charge.”

“Please lead the way!” Tang Xiu calmly nodded.

Jia Ruidao was somewhat quite excited and followed Tang Xiu at his side. He then smiled and said, “Brother Tang, we’ve been sucked into a limelight just because we’re with you. Do you know that countless dignitaries want to dine on the third floor and got stopped by the security guards? I have never thought that I could also dine in the Everlasting Feast Hall’s Honorable Guest Lounge today.”

Tang Xiu shook his head and said, “It’s just a mundane life enjoyment. It has no significant meaning.”

Jia Ruidao smiled wryly, “Each person has a different pursuit in life. For you, it’s only trivial and mundane, and such a person like you is very rare!”

Tang Xiu thought that Jia Ruidao’s words were quite reasonable. Everyone had their own pursuit. Some were after fame and mundane life enjoyment. Some others pursued spiritual balance and advancement. He himself also only pursued 2 points, wanting to be with his mother and make her happy, and cultivating himself.

The third floor had a total of 18 private halls, with each nearly 200 square meters big. Although the interior decoration was also filled with antiquities, but it was luxuriously and exquisitely designed. Even though Tang Xiu wasn’t an antique expert, he could see that those objects inside were antiquities.

“Ah, painting?” The moment Jia Ruidao entered the private hall, he found the wall was filled with calligraphies and paintings. After having observed for awhile, he suddenly exclaimed.

The restaurant manager smiled, “Our boss once participated in an auction at the port area. So she bought this painting from there. I heard she had spent 9 digits to win the bid.”

Tang Xiu’s complexion moved and asked, “You have seen your boss? What I mean is, not your Little Boss.”

The restaurant manager nodded and said, “Of course! I have seen her when I got bankrupt due to my gambling addiction. I even listed the company and lost my CEO position. My family was broken, we couldn’t even have a decent full three meals a day that time. It could be said that life for me was falling into the abyss. Then, I met Boss. She paid my debt, taught me martial arts, and let me manage this Everlasting Feast Hall for her. Time does fly fast. It has been 20 years since I’ve been here.”

Tang Xiu asked, “What’s your Boss’s name? How old is she?”

The restaurant manager answered, “We cannot easily expose our boss’s name. But for her age… I have seen her 4 times in the last 10 years. When I first met her, she looked like she was in her 20s. And the last time I saw her in the last 10 years, she was still just like in her 20s. And this also made me feel strange. It is as though time doesn’t leave any traces on her at all.”

20-year-old appearance? Wasn’t it almost the same as Gu Xiaoxue?

Tang Xiu frowned. A little girl’s appearance emerged in his mind. The first time she left him, her appearance was in her 18s.

Tang Xiu suddenly said, “Please help me find a pen and paper.”

“Please wait a bit!”

Restaurant manager immediately informed Tang Xiu’s request to another attendant through his walkie-talkie. He then put the menu in front of Tang Xiu and the others. When Tang Xiu and the others had finished ordering the food, he handed the pen and paper to Tang Xiu. Whilst waiting for the ordered dishes to come, Tang Xiu painted someone’s face on the paper.

It was his first apprentice’s appearance in the Immortal World that he was painting. He painted her in her 18s’ appearance, the blooming flower-like age. Along with Tang Xiu’s drawing, a vivid-lifelike girl portrait gradually presented itself. It was as though the painting was alive, and the girl was very beautiful, she would even be able to conquer people and country alike with her smiling appearance. The girl being portrayed on the paper was smiling, as though the painting was alive.

“What a beautiful painting!” Jia Ruidao and his apprentices said inside the hall, as well as the restaurant manager who was being attracted deeply by the girl painted by Tang Xiu. They were as though in a trance seeing such a country-toppler-gorgeous girl. It was as if she was standing and smiling in front of them.

“Take a look, did she look like this?” Tang Xiu turned and spoke to the restaurant manager, and asked in a deep tone.

The restaurant manager was abruptly awoken from his trance-like fascination. He reluctantly moved his eyes from the painting, shook his head and then replied, “What you painted is a fairy. Although our Boss is very beautiful, but she’s completely different from your painting.”

“Is it not her?” A trace of loss and a disappointed feeling arose inside Tang Xiu’s heart. But, a trace of relief also surfaced. He did indeed want to see his first apprentice that he had brought up and cared about, but he was afraid that she was also involved with those who had betrayed him.

“Forget it, then. Thanks, you can go back to your work!”

“Alright!”

The restaurant manager complied and then left the hall.

Delicious and exquisite delicacies, as well as exquisite wines were unceasingly sent to their dining table. 2 young pretty attendants didn’t leave the hall as they served and filled wine cups for Tang Xiu, Jia Ruidao, and the others.

“The wine is decent enough!”

This was the first time Tang Xiu had drank wine after he had come back to the modern times. He sipped the wine and carefully savored the taste, and nodded to praise it. He had drunk countless types of wine and was also a Master in wine brewing. The good wines from The Everlasting Feast Hall could be considered as having a good taste for him.

Decent enough? The wine was only decent enough?

Jia Ruidao who drained a cup of wine in a gulp was struck by something and suddenly froze when he heard Tang Xiu’s comment. He had lived for more than 60 years, and this was his first time tasting such delicious and exquisite wine. But why would Tang Xiu give such “decent” evaluation?

Tang Xiu’s comment also made Jia Ruidao’s three apprentices shake their heads. They also loved wine. But tasting this level of such exquisite wine was also a first. So they couldn’t help but ridicule Tang Xiu’s comment inside secretly.

“Brother Tang, I can vouch that this is not your ordinary wine. I dare say that we don’t have such a wine in the second-floor private box. Even though the wine served on the second floor are also good wines, but compared to this one, it’s just like comparing day and night.” Jia Ruidao retorted and laughed.

Tang Xiu gave a toast and said, “Let’s toast and drink some more.”

It was midnight sharp…

Tang Xiu, Jia Ruidao, and his apprentices drank and feasted to their fill. After that, they directly left the restaurant. Since they didn’t need to pay the bill, Jia Ruidao could save a lot of money. One must know that booking private boxes on the second floor would cost at least 100,000 yuan. And it was for the cheapest box and services. Such an exquisite sumptuous feast like they just had, in Jia Ruidao’s secret estimation, it would have cost them more than 1 million yuan had they must pay for it themselves.

Under the dim light of the night…

Five people were striding along the wood pathway. Cicadas and other small insects were lingering around the pathway’s dim lights. When they were about to arrive at the parking lot, the pathway was blocked by people as a mocking laughter struck their ears.

“Aha. Isn’t this Master Jia Ruidao? The loser during the day, actually still has the mood to have a feast in the Everlasting Hall? What a great way, to cast away sorrows with liquor, don’t you think so?”

There were 12 people in front of them. The one who was speaking was one of the 3 young men in front. Tang Xiu didn’t know him, but Jia Ruidao and his apprentices knew him. He was exactly their opponent, Chen Kai. He was a famous hedonist playboy from Jingmen Island.

Jia Ruidao stepped forward and coldly spoke, “Chen Kai, such a rude attitude is unnecessary. The humiliation you’ve given me, you will pay it back by hundreds of times.”

Chen Kai burst into laughter and loudly shouted, “What did you say? Have I misunderstood your spits? You thought you still have the chance to rise tomorrow, did you? Tomorrow, you will find out why these flowers are bleached with red! Hahaha…”

“You…” Jia Ruidao was furious.

“Chen Kai, is he that Jia Ruidao? The famous professional gambler?” Another young man asked.

Chen Kai stared at Jia Ruidao with a provocative attitude. But he replied to that young man with a flattering expression, “Big Brother Chu, he’s indeed Jia Ruidao, the loser who even almost sold his pants after losing to us. Those 3 guys behind him are his apprentices. Ah right, the youngest one, is his son, this prodigy has messed up his own family.”

The young man observed Jia Ruidao, nodding his head and said, “Chen Kai, do remember to behave yourself, we might meet them later. In case they give in, this matter ends here. I like that fine piece of jade pendant and I don’t want any troubles after having it later.”

“Ah, alright then. Consider that I’ve given you that jade as a gift, Big Brother Chu.” Chen Kai replied with a happy expression.

Jia Ruidao was stunned. His vision shifted back and forth between Chen Kai and the youth as he then raged over and roared, “Fuck your fart, Chen Kai! That jade pendant is a memento from my wife! I’ve been preparing to get it back. If you dare to give it to others, don’t blame this old man for forcing you by any means necessary!”

Chen Kai mocked in disdain, “Buzz off! The things I have won are mine! It’s my own business to do everything I want with it. Why should I fucking listen to your fart? If you really have the balls and abilities, just bring it on! This young master will never cower.”

“Chen Kai!” The young man who had just spoken shouted in a low tone.

Chen Kai shrunk back and laughed dryly, “Big Brother Chu, this damn old fogey started it.”

Jia Ruidao’s eyes turned bloodshot, even blue veins sprouted on his head. It was as though he would eat and swallow him. He stared preying at Chen Kai and said, “The things I’ve lost, I will win them back tomorrow. I’ll have your life look better tomorrow.”

The youth named Chu only spoke lightly when he saw Jia Ruidao angry, “The things that I’ve obtained are also never lost from me. If you want that jade pendant back, you can look for me. Ah, I forgot to introduce myself. I’m Chu Yi from Beijing.”

Tang Xiu took a step, looked at Chu Yi and said, “You have just said before to behave properly in life in case we might meet again in the future. Since the jade pendant is a memento from his wife, you ought to give him the chance first. In case that he wins tomorrow, then give it back. But if he loses then we will never mention about this jade pendant matter anymore. And everything must be over after the gambling house ended tomorrow. How about it?”

Chu Yi squinted his eyes, looking at tang Xiu and asked with a faint smile, “Who are you?”

“Tang Xiu!”

*[Long Taos]: side characters in Chinese operas who perform acrobatics and fight scenes

*[12.47 to 13.07]: don’t ask me about the tree sap