Chapter 26: An Old Beggar? Sworn Brothers After Wine!
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They had been running with their heads down for so long that neither of them had expected to reach the southernmost edge of the Northern Region, not far from the border.
The area was remote and desolate. After walking for half a day, they finally found a town where they could rest.
The town was not large, yet it was exceptionally lively.
At that point, Ye Changsheng could no longer be bothered with formalities. He went straight to the finest hotel in town.
In the past, he would have avoided a place like this at all costs. But after his trip to the Qingyun Sect, he had made a fortune, so naturally he intended to indulge himself properly.
Before they even entered, a burst of commotion came from inside.
“You filthy old beggar! You spend all day scamming people for food and drink. Get out of here at once, and stop ruining my business!”
A white-haired old man was thrown out. His clothes were ragged, his face was covered in dirt, and he held a cane in his hand. He looked exactly like an old beggar.
“If you don’t want me to eat, then I won’t eat! As if I care about your lousy place!”
Su Qinqin hurried forward and helped the old beggar to his feet.
“Oh, my! Little girl, you really are beautiful and kindhearted!”
The waiter pointed at the old beggar and said, “Honored guests, don’t pay any attention to this old beggar. He’s always trying to deceive people. Whatever you do, don’t believe him.”
The old beggar glared at him and protested, “Don’t let this villain fool you. I’m perfectly fine!”
“If the two of you would treat me to a meal…”
The old beggar looked at Ye Changsheng with an expectant expression.
Ye Changsheng gave an helpless smile. “All right, then. Old sir, come along with us.”
“Wonderful! Young man, you really are a good person!”
For a moment, Ye Changsheng did not know what to say. In his previous life, it had been bad enough to receive a “nice guy” label from girls. And now even this old man was giving him one?
The moment they sat down, the old beggar pointed at Ye Changsheng and shouted,
“Young man, I can tell from your extraordinary bones that—”
Ye Changsheng had heard this entire routine enough times to be sick of it.
“Old sir, let’s order some food first.”
At those words, the old beggar’s face lit up.
“Wonderful! I’ve been waiting for you to say that, young brother.”
“Order whatever you like.”
“Young brother, you’re generous! In that case, I won’t hold back.”
The waiter looked at the old beggar and asked impatiently, “What do you want to eat?”
The old beggar picked up the menu and merely glanced at it.
“You snobbish fool who looks down on people—bring me everything on the menu.”
The waiter ignored the old beggar and turned instead to Ye Changsheng, the wealthy patron.
“Just do as he says.”
“Right away!”
Before long, the table was covered with all kinds of delicacies.
“Eat, eat!”
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“Then I really won’t hold back.”
The old beggar truly did not hold back. Since using chopsticks was too slow, he began eating with his hands. He devoured the food like a starving wolf. Before the other two had even managed a few bites, the entire table had been swept clean.
“This…”
The two of them fell silent at the sight.
That old beggar ate even faster than he drank!
The old beggar rubbed his stomach and gave a sheepish grin. “Sorry about that. I just happen to eat rather quickly.”
Ye Changsheng smiled and turned to the side. “Waiter, bring us another serving of everything.”
The moment the food arrived, the old beggar immediately began eating again.
Su Qinqin stared at him in astonishment. “Old sir, after eating all that, you still have room?”
“That was only to whet my appetite. The real meal is just beginning!”
With that, the old beggar opened his mouth and inhaled the food like a raging storm.
Ye Changsheng managed only a few bites before it was gone again.
“Another serving.”
“Another…”
They ordered every item on the menu twelve times in all.
The greater the quantity they ordered, the more miserable the kitchen became. They had never seen such an enormous order, and the cooks swung their spatulas so frantically that they seemed ready to smoke.
The old beggar reclined in his chair and rubbed his stomach, smiling with satisfaction.
“Seven-tenths full—that’s just right for enjoying the afternoon.”
“Bring me several more jars of good wine! And pack them up to take away!”
Only after the old beggar was full did Ye Changsheng and Su Qinqin finally pick up their chopsticks.
When they had finished eating, Ye Changsheng went downstairs and walked over to the shopkeeper.
“Bring me the bill!”
The shopkeeper pulled out one list after another and calculated at incredible speed. His abacus nearly smoked from the effort.
“Please wait, honored guest. Allow me to calculate the total…”
After waiting for a while, Ye Changsheng could no longer bear to watch. He placed a high-grade spirit stone on the table.
“Shopkeeper, will this be enough?”
The moment the shopkeeper saw the high-grade spirit stone, his eyes gleamed. He nodded vigorously.
“More than enough! More than enough!”
After settling the bill, the old beggar hugged two jars of wine and gave a mischievous smile.
“Young brother, come with me.”
Ye Changsheng did not think much of it and followed the old beggar outside.
The three of them arrived at a ruined temple. Su Qinqin looked around in confusion.
“What is this place?”
“My home.”
“Old sir, you actually live here?”
The old beggar smiled and nodded.
“I wander beneath the heavens. Wherever I go, that place becomes my home.”
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After saying this, the old beggar picked up a wine jar and began gulping down wine.
Then he came to himself and glanced at Ye Changsheng.
“Young brother, don’t just sit there watching me drink. Have some yourself.”
The old beggar tossed a jar of wine to Ye Changsheng. Unable to refuse, Ye Changsheng lifted it and took a sip.
Suddenly remembering something, Ye Changsheng asked curiously, “Old sir, what is your name?”
“My name is Wan Jianyi!”
Ye Changsheng looked the old beggar up and down, thinking, “This old man looks utterly ordinary, yet his name is astonishingly imposing…”
Based on his many years of experience reading novels, Wan Jianyi was certainly no ordinary man.
“System…”
[Name: Wan Jianyi]
[Age: Nearing death]
[Cultivation: Unknown]
Ye Changsheng stared at the panel in bewilderment.
“Near death? Unknown? System, is something wrong with you?”
[All information is subject to the system panel.]
Ye Changsheng looked at Wan Jianyi and summed up his thoughts in a single sentence.
“This old man is not simple!”
At first, Ye Changsheng had been somewhat wary. But alcohol emboldened even the timid, and after a few drinks, he completely let himself go.
“Drink!”
“Drink deeply!”
Su Qinqin watched the two of them and gave a helpless smile.
“As expected, staying with this old drunkard has corrupted even Sir.”
She could not bear to watch any longer and turned to walk outside.
Once Su Qinqin had left, the two men became even more uninhibited.
With flushed faces, Ye Changsheng and Wan Jianyi were already thoroughly drunk. They clung tightly to each other.
“Good brother, I’ve lived for so many years. Why couldn’t I have met you sooner?”
Wan Jianyi patted Ye Changsheng on the shoulder and let out a long sigh.
“Good brother, I feel the same!”
Suddenly, an idea occurred to Wan Jianyi.
“Since fate has brought us together, why don’t the two of us become sworn brothers of different surnames here today?”
“Good!”
With the atmosphere already reaching this point, Ye Changsheng could hardly refuse.
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