Chapter Twenty-Nine: Pouring Wine

Just as Chu Dong and Zhao Fan were having a lively conversation at the bar, Chu Dong’s phone rang. To his surprise, it was his “father-in-law,” Tan Songhai, calling. There was nothing urgent—Tan simply wondered why Chu Dong hadn’t visited for several days and invited him over for dinner. If it had been anyone else, Chu Dong might have found an excuse, but he dared not take Tan Songhai’s call lightly. If he refused, his own mother would surely call to press him, so he hurriedly took his leave of Zhao Fan.

By the time Chu Dong arrived at the Tan household, dusk had not yet fully settled. What surprised him was that it wasn’t just the Tan family present—Li Youlan was there as well. Chu Dong greeted her with a polite nod and a smile, and given that Tan’s parents were there, Li Youlan simply turned away, pretending not to notice him. Tan Xue ignored him completely, but little Yu’er came running over, calling him “brother-in-law” this and “brother-in-law” that, so much so that Tan Xue, fuming, dragged her friend Li Youlan into the bedroom.

“Dongzi, what have you been busy with lately?” Tan Songhai asked, holding his beloved purple clay teapot as always, his face brightening at Chu Dong’s arrival.

“Oh, just keeping myself occupied. While I’m young, I want to earn a bit more—save up for a wife, you know,” Chu Dong replied, as candid as ever. With Tan Xue absent, he felt much more at ease.

“You rascal,” Tan Songhai chuckled, “and yet you don’t have time to come see your uncle? You know, I’ve been reading a lot of chess books lately and feel I’ve improved quite a bit. I haven’t seen you these past few days, and my hands are itching for a game. Come, play a round with me.”

He didn’t mind Chu Dong’s irreverence at all, laughing heartily. Not only did he want to give his daughter and Chu Dong more time together, he was also eager to test whether his own chess skills had improved.

Chu Dong gladly obliged. Madam Tan got up to help the housekeeper with dinner, and though little Yu’er didn’t really understand the game, she hovered nearby, pretending to give advice with great enthusiasm.

Meanwhile, in the bedroom, Li Youlan pounded a stuffed toy on Tan Xue’s bed in a fit of pique, as if venting her frustration on Chu Dong himself. “Xue’er, are you really going to throw away your youth for that fool?”

“Did you see my father? It’s as if Chu Dong is his real son and I’m the adopted daughter. The way he smiles at him, it’s like he’s drunk on celestial wine. Sometimes I really wonder if I’m not his own child,” Tan Xue replied, biting her lip, her beautiful face expressionless. She snatched the stuffed toy from Li Youlan, jumped onto the bed, and proceeded to torment it herself.

“I think we should show uncle Tan Chu Dong’s true colors. Here’s what we’ll do tonight…” Li Youlan crawled onto the bed and whispered her plan into Tan Xue’s ear.

When dinner was ready, Tan Xue emerged hand-in-hand with Li Youlan, walking out with unhurried grace. Little Yu’er skipped along beside them. The three stood together, each as lovely as a flower in her own season, dazzling in their beauty. Even Chu Dong, usually composed, found himself nearly drooling at the sight.

“Come, let’s eat. Since Youlan is here tonight, I’m going to indulge myself,” Tan Songhai announced, then whispered to Chu Dong, “Your aunt says my blood viscosity is high and won’t let me eat fatty meat lately, but I’m craving it.”

Once everyone was seated, including Chu Dong and Li Youlan, Tan Songhai noticed there was no wine on the table and was immediately displeased. He put down his chopsticks and glared at his wife.

“It’s bad enough you won’t let me drink, but now that Dongzi is here, you’re not even serving wine?”

Madam Tan shot him an exasperated look and, as if performing a magic trick, produced a bottle of Maotai and a glass from who-knows-where.

“How did you know I hadn’t prepared any wine? But even if I had, you’re not getting a drop.”

Tan Songhai licked his lips but, realizing his health wouldn’t permit him to drink, resigned himself to eating in a huff.

With the old man unable to drink, his appetite faded, and little Yu’er ate even less—barely a spoonful of rice before declaring herself full. Eventually, only Chu Dong, Tan Xue, and Li Youlan remained at the table.

“It’s no fun drinking alone. How about this: Youlan and I will have red wine with you,” Tan Xue suggested. For once, her usually frosty face blossomed with a captivating smile.

“That’s great, but I hope you won’t get drunk before the night’s even begun,” Chu Dong replied coolly, unfazed by Tan Xue’s change in demeanor.

“Just don’t start any drunken antics. We wouldn’t want our ‘brother-in-law’ to become a bad example for Yu’er,” Li Youlan teased, alluding to the time Chu Dong took Yu’er to play arcade games. But in the Tan household, she wouldn’t dare truly antagonize the feisty little girl.

After Tan Songhai and his wife left the table, Li Youlan relaxed, finally feeling free after holding back for so long.

“What are you all talking about?” Little Yu’er asked, not following their conversation. She picked up a book and headed to her room, pausing to hug Chu Dong’s neck and sweetly bid her “brother-in-law” goodnight.

Now, only Chu Dong, Tan Xue, and Li Youlan remained at the table. No longer needing to play the refined lady, Li Youlan grabbed two wine glasses, filled them halfway with red wine, and, raising her glass challengingly, asked, “So, how are we doing this?”

“However you like. I’m not about to stoop to arguing with you ladies,” Chu Dong scoffed, clearly unimpressed by the alliance of Tan Xue and Li Youlan.

“Don’t talk big only to back down later,” Li Youlan thought, secretly pleased—Chu Dong’s carelessness increased their chances of victory.

Tan Xue, though, was not as experienced as her friend. Having never tasted alcohol, she had no idea how much she could handle or even what it would taste like. Now, as she was about to join in, a wave of nervousness washed over her, and under the table, she tugged at Li Youlan’s hand.

Li Youlan squeezed Tan Xue’s slender fingers in reassurance, signaling that everything was under control.

“If we each drink a glass of red wine for every glass of white you have, isn’t that a bit unfair?” Li Youlan pressed.

A man must stand by his word. By now, Chu Dong sensed that neither Li Youlan nor Tan Xue intended to go easy on him. But having agreed to let them set the terms, he couldn’t back down. On the drinking table, a woman bold enough to raise her glass is always to be reckoned with—a timeless warning. Caught off guard, Chu Dong blushed slightly at being cornered by Li Youlan’s words, but he refused to show weakness.

“When have I ever gone back on my word? One glass for one glass it is,” he replied, face flushed but determined.

“All right, then I’ll start.” With that, Li Youlan raised her glass to Chu Dong and drained it in one go. A delicate flush blossomed on her fair face, making her look all the more alluring.

Looking at the white liquor before him, Chu Dong felt a spasm in his stomach. It wasn’t that he couldn’t handle strong drink—a hundred milliliters of spirits was nothing to him—but tonight, he had no idea how many rounds it would take to satisfy his formidable opponents.