“The host of that wine party?” Xie Dongcheng asked.

“Yes,” Yu Zi nodded, “I’ve inquired about it. Paul has an investment firm under him. In the past couple of years, they’ve been looking for investment opportunities in North City.”

“But aren’t they in real estate? Would they be willing to invest in our industry?” Xie Dongcheng wondered.

“Xuyang has been intending to turn in a different direction since the beginning of this year. Two years ago, they acquired a huge piece of land, but the transportation and school resources in that area have yet to materialize, leading to delays in land development. The real estate market has been declining for the past two years, which is also a significant blow to them. Real estate is like a big ship. Once it sets sail from the harbor, it’s hard to change course.”

“I see. So they’re looking for more flexible industries to invest in.”

“Smart,” Yu Zi pinched his cheek.

“When do we go see Paul?” Xie Dongcheng, who had never experienced such a thing, was somewhat looking forward to it.

“No rush. I picked up his secretary’s business card last time. I heard he’s attending an industry summit recently, so we’ll go when he’s back.”

Yu Zi had been on a business trip to Bai Cheng for a few days, so he hadn’t been back to the restaurant for a while. Although Xie Dongcheng had Xiao Liu to take care of things, it was still necessary to go back regularly to check the accounts. Xie Dongcheng went to look for office space with an intermediary in the afternoon, so Yu Zi went to the restaurant alone.

However, when Yu Zi pushed open the glass door of the restaurant, he was startled by the sight before him.

Xiao Liu stood in the middle of the front hall, his hair soaked, with dark liquid dripping down from the ends. Standing next to him was a man with a face full of flesh, wrestling with Yang Ke, whose shirt buttons were all undone. The other customers stood up to watch the scene, and the situation was momentarily out of control.

“Stop it!” Yu Zi shouted to them.

Half an hour later, everyone stood in the police station. Yu Zi finally understood the ins and outs of the matter.

In the afternoon, a man came to the store, and after ordering, he waited for only three or four minutes before complaining that Xiao Liu was too slow in taking his order. He dragged Xiao Liu to the table and scolded him. He cursed him out, saying all sorts of harsh things.

Xiao Liu couldn’t stand it and retorted. As a result, the man became furious and poured the hot coffee from his cup onto Xiao Liu.

Seeing this, Yang Ke immediately came over to break it up. But the man became even more aggressive and raised his hand to slap Yang Ke, leading to a scuffle between the two.

Sitting uneasily outside the office of the police station, Xiao Liu’s voice trembled a bit as he asked Yu Zi, “Will this have any negative impact on Yang Ke? He’s a top student…”

“No, it won’t. At most, it will be just mediation. After all, that man was the one who started the fight.”

“Really?”

“Really,” Yu Zi patted his back.

After the mediation at the police station, Yang Ke and the man were released, each having written a five-hundred-word guarantee statement.

Seeing him coming out, Xiao Liu hurriedly went up to him, “They didn’t give you a hard time, did they?”

There was still a bruise on the corner of Yang Ke’s mouth, and Xiao Liu was about to reach out and touch it when he discreetly withdrew his hand.

Yang Ke shook his head, “No. He admitted that he started the fight.”

Seeing Xiao Liu still looking worried and constantly looking inside, Yang Ke smiled at him, “Don’t worry, everything’s fine. I have classes in the afternoon, so I’ll head back first.”

Xiao Liu lowered his eyes and moved his Adam’s apple before nodding to him and answering softly, “Go ahead.”

Following behind Yu Zi out of the police station, since there were others in the restaurant watching, they didn’t hurry to go back.

Originally, Yu Zi was walking ahead of him, but suddenly stopped and turned to ask him, “Do you like Yang Ke?”

Xiao Liu’s face suddenly flushed, and he subconsciously touched his ear, “Ah…”

Seeing his stiff expression, Yu Zi laughed, “Just kidding.”

After a while, he suddenly looked at Yu Zi, “Is it that obvious?”

Yu Zi didn’t expect this trick to actually work, so he cleared his throat and asked him in a deep voice, “Have you told him?”

“I dare not.” Xiao Liu quickly waved his hand, “Who am I to say… But there should be many people who like him, not just me.”

Yu Zi saw Xiao Liu nervous like this for the first time, and found it somewhat amusing.

Yu Zi pretended to be casual and continued, “Has he shown any signs?”

“You mean Yang Ke?”

“Yes.”

Xiao Liu squinted, glanced at the sun, which seemed to be like fire in the sky, and seemed lost in thought.

Five seconds later, he lowered his eyes and said to Yu Zi, “He invites me to have coffee every day. But I really hate coffee. Yet he insists on making it for me every day. I can only drink it all in front of him.”

Xiao Liu lowered his head, looking at the asphalt exposed to the scorching sun, “It’s really bitter. Adding sugar doesn’t make it less bitter.”

“Why don’t you tell him you don’t like drinking it then?”

“I’m afraid he’ll think I’m unsophisticated.” Xiao Liu clenched the hem of his clothes and then shook his hand, “Forget it, talking about this makes me even more unsophisticated.”

Yu Zi chuckled, people in love are all the same.

Yu Zi watched him kicking the pebbles on the ground and remembered there was another thing he wanted to tell him today.

“Liu Ye.”

Xiao Liu was startled, Yu Zi rarely called him by his full name, “What’s wrong, boss?”

“From now on, you don’t have to worry about being bullied.”

“Huh? What do you mean?”

Yu Zi took out a key from his pocket and stuffed it into his hand, “I’m giving you the key to the restaurant.”

Xiao Liu was surprised, “No, boss, what are you doing? Are you leaving us?”

“Don’t talk nonsense. I’m fine. I just want to entrust the management of this restaurant to you. After balancing the accounts each month, you can take a 30% share of the profit.”

“Wow! No, boss, I can’t do this. I didn’t invest in opening the shop, how can I take this money? No, no.” Xiao Liu waved his hands repeatedly, retreating several steps in fear.

“Who has the final say, me or you?” Yu Zi laughed.

“You, you’re the boss.”

“Then listen to me.”

Xiao Liu’s fingers tightened around the key, looking up at Yu Zi through the sunlight, his eyes seemed to be filled with tears.

Yu Zi gently patted his shoulder, “From now on, you’re a boss too. If anyone dares to provoke you, you can kick them out anytime.”

The bus Xiao Liu was waiting for arrived at the restaurant, he turned around three times before getting on, then waved several times at Yu Zi through the window after boarding.

Yu Zi smiled at him and watched him board the bus and go far away.

Yu Zi was certainly not doing charity. He had been pondering over this matter on the plane back from Bai Cheng. He was going to start doing business with the winery, so he wouldn’t have the energy to manage the restaurant all the time. In this way, the restaurant could continue to provide cash flow without consuming too much of his time.

Xiao Liu had been here for almost half a year, with enough experience and flexibility. Entrusting the restaurant to him was a good choice. And with a 30% commission, it would be enough for Xiao Liu to change his life.

Five minutes later, Xie Dongcheng parked the black Toyota on the side of the road.

“Is it resolved?” he asked, pressing down the car window.

Yu Zi nodded, opened the car door and got in, “The mediation is done, Little Friction.”

The car restarted, Yu Zi fastened his seatbelt, casually glanced at the driver’s seat, and noticed that Xie Dongcheng had changed into a new outfit, the same one they bought together last time at the World Trade Center.

“Why? So formal today.”

Xie Dongcheng coughed, “I want to go on a date with you.”

Yu Zi knew what he was implying, “What kind of date? As a secretary, dining with your new boss?”

“No. As the boyfriend of the new boss.”

Yu Zi felt that Xie Dongcheng’s thick skin was growing thicker, speaking so shamelessly without blushing. But then again, they had been busy with winery matters since they got together, and they had never had a proper time alone.

Yu Zi played along, “So what special arrangements does the boyfriend have?”

Xie Dongcheng had already driven the car further away, seemingly not heading back to Fangjiyuan.

“Just dinner.”

Yu Zi was intrigued, sensing there were other arrangements, he was interested, and didn’t push the matter further.

Half an hour later, the two sat in a private room at a lakeside Western restaurant.

Yu Zi had been to this restaurant before, and the average cost per person was very high. It seemed that Xie Dongcheng was really splurging today.

“Why bring me here?” Yu Zi propped his chin with his hand, looking at the man sitting across from him.

“I want to treat you to a more expensive steak.” Xie Dongcheng looked up at him, “See the difference between this and the fifteen-dollar one.”

“Hahaha—” Yu Zi burst into laughter. He didn’t expect him to remember that.

The waiter brought a bottle of wine. Xie Dongcheng was already familiar with this procedure and picked up the wine bottle to take a look, then asked the waiter to pour it into the decanter.

After watching the wine swaying in the decanter for a moment, Xie Dongcheng looked up at Yu Zi and said, “This color, it looks like it’s been aged for over five years.”

“Tsk. Our Secretary Xie is now well-educated.”

“Fast trains run on the rails.” Xie Dongcheng blurted out.

“…Where did you learn these idioms?”

“On the car radio.”

Yu Zi looked at his face and thought that this person hadn’t changed at all. He was still the big boy who wore a gray vest and played with fish all day.

The steak, which cost eight hundred yuan per person, was indeed more complex to eat than the fifteen-dollar one.

Halfway through the meal, Xie Dongcheng suddenly put down his fork and looked at Yu Zi seriously, “After we finish eating, there’s another arrangement.”

“What arrangement?” Yu Zi held up his highball glass, looking at him through the curved glass wall of the cup.

“Let’s watch a movie,” Xie Dongcheng said solemnly, but the next sentence almost made Yu Zi spit out his drink.

Xie Dongcheng cleared his throat and said, “Let’s watch something exciting.”

“Exciting?!” Yu Zi forced the drink down his throat and put down his glass.

“Yeah. I promise it’ll be exciting.”

Yu Zi couldn’t focus on eating anymore, he was curious to see what exciting movie Xie Dongcheng would arrange.

In his mind, he quickly searched for recent romantic movies and movie titles that sounded like they had restricted performances.

They hastily finished their expensive dinner and then drove to the cinema.

Before entering the theater, Xie Dongcheng urged Yu Zi to use the restroom.

“This movie has no boring parts, it’s very exciting. Hurry up,” Xie Dongcheng said.

Yu Zi could only go to the restroom under his watchful gaze.

However, five minutes later, he regretted following Xie Dongcheng into the theater.

The two of them sat in the perfect viewing position in the middle of the theater. After the opening credits flashed by, a huge title appeared in the center of the screen.

— “Vengeful Spirit 2”