CH 13

The place where they ate was at Fuxiang House, a local restaurant, and the restaurant was on the second floor along the street. The evening was the best time for the business, the lobby was full of guests when they entered, and there was a lively clamour everywhere.

Chen Yuncheng followed Zhang Wenyong through the crowd, and a waiter greeted them halfway through and took them to a private room inside.

As soon as the private room door opened, Chen Yuncheng saw six or seven people sitting around the round table. All of them were young people, two or three of whom he knew.

Everyone he knew greeted him, and some even stood up and called out “Yong ge,” then nodded to him and called, “Cheng ge.”

Zhang Wenyong sat on the main seat opposite the door and said with a smile, “Still remember your Cheng ge, eh.” As soon as Zhang Wenyong sat down, someone handed him a cigarette, and then someone took a lighter to help him light it.

Chen Yuncheng found a seat by himself and sat down.

The private room was small, with the door closed and the air conditioner on, the whole room was filled with smoke and the air was foul.

The young man that sat next to Chen Yuncheng originally knew him, but at this time he didn’t talk to him again, and didn’t even look at him.

Chen Yuncheng was still at ease, he opened his jacket to reveal the cotton shirt inside, glanced around the table, and asked, “Is Anlin here yet?”

Zhang Wenyong answered him with a cigarette in his mouth, “Don’t be in a hurry, I’ve already sent someone to pick him up.”

Chen Yuncheng calmly said, “I’m not in a hurry.”

There were five or six dishes of cold dishes on the round table, no one touched the chopsticks, everyone was smoking and chatting, and only Chen Yuncheng occasionally took a sip from the teacup in front of him, and soon drank the cup to the bottom.

No one helped him to refill his tea, and the waiter in the old restaurant was not attentive. The waiter only opened the door and asked if he should serve the food, and then never came again.

Chen Yuncheng put the empty cup back.

After waiting for about 20 minutes, the door of the private room was pushed open again, and a tall, thin young man came in from the door. The young man looked like he was in his twenties. Because of his single eyelids, his eyes were long and narrow, his nose was high, his lips were thin, and his hair was cut so short that his scalp could almost be seen.

As soon as he entered the door, Zhang Wenyong stood up immediately and greeted him with a smile, “Anlin, you are finally back.”

The others followed Zhang Wenyong and stood up to look at the person at the door, and Chen Yuncheng also stood up slowly.

Guan Anlin stood at the door, his eyes swept across the faces of everyone and finally stopped in front of Chen Yuncheng. He stared blankly at Chen Yuncheng for a few seconds, then walked towards Zhang Wenyong, and called out “Yong ge”, before he raised his hand and hugged him.

Zhang Wenyong patted him on the back, “You have suffered for the past two years.”

Guan Anlin didn’t speak and just shook his head.

After that, Zhang Wenyong introduced him to the young people at this table one by one. Two of whom Guan Anlin knew, while the rest were people he met for the first time.

Chen Yuncheng watched Guan Anlin shook hands with those people with a calm and indifferent expression, and felt that he didn’t look like the Guan Anlin he remembered at all.

It was not until the end that Zhang Wenyong pointed to Chen Yuncheng and said to Guan Anlin, “Chen Yuncheng, you still remember him, right?”

Chen Yuncheng didn’t extend his hand, just looked at Guan Anlin earnestly, and said to him, “Anlin.”

Guan Anlin didn’t respond, and said coldly, “I don’t recognize this person anymore.”

Zhang Wenyong was smoking a cigarette with the expression of watching a good show. When he heard this, he patted Guan Anlin on the shoulder with a smile, and said, “It’s okay if you don’t recognise him. Let’s sit down to eat first, and then take your time to talk.”

Guan Anlin’s seat was opposite of Chen Yuncheng. Before he sat down, he took off his dark jacket. Inside was a tight black jumper, which completely outlined his figure. One could see that his chest and arms were all tightly muscled. These were muscles that had been developed over a long period of time doing physical work, not exaggerated but very powerful.

At this time, Zhang Wenyong called the waiter to serve hot dishes and then asked the accompanying junior to open a bottle of white wine. For a while, the whole private room was lively, and everyone was busy pouring wine and toasting.

Only Chen Yuncheng was free, no one toasted him, and no one took the initiative to talk to him.

Chen Yuncheng didn’t eat much food. He just glanced at Guan Anlin occasionally as the smoke filled the room. He wanted to chat with Guan Anlin, but he wasn’t sure if Guan Anlin wanted to chat with him.

Guan Anlin never looked at Chen Yuncheng again except for the moment he first came in.

Zhang Wenyong didn’t intend to simply let Chen Yuncheng go. When three-quarters of the meal was eaten, he suddenly said to Guan Anlin, “Anlin, you said you don’t recognize Chen Yuncheng, do you mean you don’t want to pursue the past? “

Guan Anlin probably didn’t expect Zhang Wenyong to suddenly say this. He raised his hand and placed the chopsticks in front of him neatly on the table. He asked Zhang Wenyong, “Yong ge, what do you think I should pursue?”

The whole private room was quiet and listened to them.

Zhang Wenyong had been smoking all night. He tapped his finger on the table and said, “For those of us who are out and about, the most taboo thing is not to preach about morality, don’t you think so?”

Guan Anlin didn’t speak, he was also smoking and stared at the bowl in front of him as if he was a little lost.

Zhang Wenyong didn’t care if he didn’t get an answer and continued, “At that time you went in so suddenly that we couldn’t look into many things in detail. Now I’m asking you, did someone betray you?”

He was asking Guan Anlin, but his eyes kept looking at Chen Yuncheng.

Guan Anlin raised his head and looked at Chen Yuncheng.

Chen Yuncheng faced them calmly.

Zhang Wenyong said, “Anlin, don’t be afraid, you are Yong ge’s brother. If something happens, Yong ge will naturally help you out clean up those who should be cleaned up.”

Guan Anlin looked at Chen Yuncheng. After a long time, he put the cigarette between his fingers to his lips, took a slow breath, and said, “Thank you Yong ge, but there are some things I want to handle by myself.”

Zhang Wenyong was a little surprised and asked him, “Are you sure?”

Guan Anlin nodded, “I’m sure.”

Zhang Wenyong seemed unhappy, his face slumped slightly, and he leaned back on the back of the chair, but still said, “Fine, two years have passed anyway, there’s no rush.”

After he finished speaking, Chen Yuncheng said to Guan Anlin, “Anlin, can we talk?”

Guan Anlin looked at Chen Yuncheng, and before he could answer, the private room door was pushed open from the outside. Zhou Yan walked in a hurry, carrying a cold air that had not yet been dispersed, and said, “Yong ge, I’m sorry I just had something, I’m late.”

After he finished speaking, he saw Chen Yuncheng, and his whole body suddenly stopped in place.

Chen Yuncheng frowned and looked at Zhou Yan.

Zhou Yan said softly, “Cheng ge, I didn’t know you were here today.”

Chen Yuncheng stood up and asked Zhang Wenyong, “Yong ge, I have something to tell Zhou Yan, do you have anything else?”

Zhang Wenyong didn’t answer, just glanced at Guan Anlin.

Guan Anlin’s expression was cold.

Zhang Wenyong spread his hands, “Anlin said he wanted to handle it himself, so from now on, it’s none of my business, so help yourself.”

Only then did Zhou Yan notice Guan Anlin, with a surprised expression, “Lin ge? You are out?”

Chen Yuncheng had already walked toward Zhou Yan and said to him, “Let’s go, I have something to ask you.”

At this time, Guan Anlin called out in a cold voice, “Chen Yuncheng.”

Chen Yuncheng turned his head and said to Guan Anlin, “Anlin, I’ll find you later, we can sit down and talk slowly.”

After he said that, he took the lead and walked out of the private room. Zhou Yan immediately followed.