BPIFC -Volume 1 – Chapter 84 The Banquet (Part 4)

“W-w-w-why? Is th-th-there no justice left?”

Upon hearing the old monk suggest matching Che Qianzi with Meng Qiqi, Zhang Zhiyan’s face flushed crimson with anger. He had been pursuing Miss Meng for over ten years, and only recently had he begun to see a glimmer of hope. Why should he hand her over to this half-grown brat?

Before Zhang Zhiyan could finish speaking, Meng Qiqi shoved him aside and glared at the old monk.

“Old monk, I don’t mind if you sneak a few glances at my legs once in a while. But now you’re pushing your luck and playing matchmaker?”

“Take a look at yourself! Is this something a monk should be doing? Why don’t you go find a temple and recite some scriptures instead of meddling in other people’s affairs?”

Before she finished, Che Qianzi exploded as well.

“Oh, come on! If my mother were still alive, she’d probably be only a few years older than her. Look at her age. Big sister, you’re over thirty already, right? I’m not even nineteen yet. She’s an old cow eating—”

Before he could say “young grass,” the furious Meng Qiqi grabbed a wine bottle from the table and hurled it at him.

Che Qianzi quickly dodged.

Seeing how she had attacked without warning, he became angry too. Though he never hit women, he snatched up a water pitcher and splashed its contents all over Meng Qiqi.

Seeing the woman he adored being bullied, Zhang Zhiyan let out a strange cry and lunged at Che Qianzi.

Already furious from his argument with Meng Qiqi, Che Qianzi directed all his pent-up anger at Zhang Zhiyan.

Before Zhang Zhiyan could even land properly, Che Qianzi charged forward and rammed him.

Bang!

The impact sent Zhang Zhiyan flying into the wall.

His old wounds had not yet healed, and the collision reopened them. The pain was so severe that he couldn’t get up for quite some time.

Seeing that an actual fight had broken out, Huang Ran and Sun Desheng hurriedly intervened.

Huang Ran restrained Meng Qiqi while trying to calm her.

“Master was only joking. Why are you taking it seriously?”

“Besides, things between you and Zhiyan are practically settled already…”

Then he suddenly noticed:

“Zhiyan, why are you coughing up blood?”

Meanwhile, Sun Desheng was trying to talk sense into Che Qianzi.

“Brother, honestly, the old monk meant well. You’re nineteen, and Miss Meng is twenty-eight. That’s only nine years apart. They say an older wife by three years brings a brick of gold—you’d be getting three bricks!”

“Don’t be so greedy…”

“Hey! Is Stutter Zhang dying or something? Don’t even think about scamming us. We don’t fall for that trick!”

Meanwhile, the old monk watched the chaos with a grin while chewing shark meat.

“Isn’t this just like Ximen Qing kicking Wu Dalang?”

“Couldn’t wait anymore, could you?”

“Pretending that neither of you wants the match, then dragging little Stutter into the middle and beating him to death.”

“Do you really think Buddha Master doesn’t understand?”

Because of the old monk’s enormous status, neither Huang Ran nor Sun Desheng dared offend him.

The two exchanged glances.

It seemed tonight’s banquet would have to end here.

Just as they were preparing to drag their respective people away, the private room door opened.

A black-haired Shen La entered, accompanied by a woman in her twenties.

Seeing the scene inside, Shen La froze.

“Great Sage, what’s going on?”

“Wasn’t Old Huang treating everyone to dinner?”

“How did it turn into a fight?”

“Did things get out of hand?”

“Master Shangshan, you’re here too?”

“You people have the nerve to act wild in front of Master?”

At that moment, everyone in the room except the old monk, Shen La, and the woman had the exact same thought:

Without this monk, none of this would’ve happened.

It didn’t take a genius to guess that this woman was Shen La’s blind-date partner.

Since he had brought her here, it meant the two had hit it off.

Sun Desheng burst into laughter. Holding Che Qianzi tightly with one hand, he patted Shen La’s shoulder with the other and winked at the young woman.

“La Zi, who is this beautiful lady? Introduce her to us. Maybe someday we’ll even become relatives!”

The woman looked about twenty-four or twenty-five. She was slender and graceful, with delicate features.

Hearing Sun Desheng’s words, she blushed and shyly hid behind Shen La.

Shen La smiled awkwardly.

“This is Zhao Qing, my… friend.”

“Old Huang kept urging me, so I brought Xiao Zhao along. Old Huang, I didn’t tell you beforehand. Is that alright?”

“The more, the merrier.”

With an outsider present, Huang Ran quickly led Meng Qiqi away and helped the fallen Zhang Zhiyan to his feet.

After separating them from Che Qianzi, he smiled.

“I’ll tell the staff to add two more settings. Two more portions of shark fin and abalone with fish maw should do.”

The young woman hurriedly waved her hands.

“No need to trouble yourselves. I just came to accompany Shen La for a bit.”

“We’ve already eaten.”

“I’ll sit for a while and leave. Really, there’s no need.”

“What trouble?”

Sun Desheng grinned.

“It’s just an extra pair of chopsticks.”

After making a funny face at Shen La, he personally called over a waiter and ordered two more sets of tableware.

Then he smiled at Zhao Qing.

“Little Zhao, right?”

“Our La Zi has never brought a girlfriend out before.”

“Alright, alright, I know you’re not officially boyfriend and girlfriend yet. You’re just seeing how things go.”

“But as you spend time together, anything is possible.”

“Honestly, there aren’t many men in the world who can compare with our La Zi.”

“Old Huang, isn’t this a happy occasion? Shouldn’t you show some generosity?”

“Great Sage!”

Shen La laughed bitterly.

“Your spit is flying everywhere. Don’t scare her.”

“Old Huang, ignore him and sit down.”

“Xiao Zhao and I only met today. If you frighten her and she refuses to see me again, that’ll be a problem.”

“You guys chat. We’ll sit for a while and leave. I still have to take her home.”

“No need to go home if it’s too late.”

The old monk suddenly interjected.

Putting his palms together, he solemnly chanted a Buddhist invocation before continuing:

“Buddha guides those with affinity.”

“Female benefactor, listen to this monk.”

“Little La Zi is truly a good person.”

“Everyone in this world may deceive you, but monks do not dare speak falsehoods.”

“If you miss this temple, you’ll never find such an effective Bodhisattva again.”

“Namo Amitabha…”

When the old monk uttered that first sentence, Shen La’s heart nearly jumped into his throat.

He was terrified that the lecherous monk would say something inappropriate.

Fortunately, the rest of his speech sounded dignified and worthy of an eminent monk.

The young woman’s face turned red.

Lowering her head, she remained silent.

But a moment later, she smiled sweetly and glanced at the man beside her.

There’s hope!

Sun Desheng grinned.

“Little Zhao, Shen La probably told you about me already.”

“I’m the Sun Wukong—Sun Dasheng—in his stories.”

“A tiny civil servant, and a brother who’s been through life and death with him.”

“From now on, we’re all family.”

“La Zi is good in every way, except he isn’t very good with words. Don’t take offense.”

“What do you do for work, Little Zhao?”

“Whether you have a house or car doesn’t matter. Our La Zi has them.”

“What’s his is yours.”

Embarrassed, Zhao Qing smiled shyly.

“I’m also a civil servant.”

“I’m a forensic pathologist in the Municipal Bureau’s Judicial Division.”

“I know everyone means well for us.”

“But shouldn’t the two of us spend some time getting to know each other first?”

Shen La was obviously very satisfied with her.

Afraid that Sun Desheng’s enthusiasm might scare her away, he shot Fatty Sun a warning look.

“Great Sage, if you scare Xiao Zhao, I swear I shouldn’t have brought her.”

“If you keep talking nonsense, we’re leaving.”

“Xiao Zhao, don’t mind him.”

“Sun Dasheng and I are too familiar with each other. He doesn’t know when to stop.”

Before he could finish speaking, the private room door opened again.

A waitress entered carrying another dish.

“Grilled shark liver.”

“This is also from a young shark. It has been coated with beef fat and grilled to medium-rare.”

“Please enjoy…”