ECG -Chapter 96 Rude

After several rounds of drinking, Lin Hao and Zhou Dongbing chatted very happily. He had never expected that someone like Zhou Dongbing, a big brother in the underworld, would have such extensive knowledge. He could quote classics, cite historical examples, and see through the ways of the world.

“Brother Zhou, how do you know so much?” Wu Xiaozhou, who was sitting nearby, was very curious and couldn’t help asking.

Zhou Dongbing chuckled. “I learned all this in the Dongshan Reeducation Camp!”

Lin Hao was startled for a moment, then immediately understood what he meant. Chunhe’s Dongshan Reform-through-Labor Farm, commonly called the “labor camp,” meant that Zhou Dongbing had served time in prison there.

Wu Xiaozhou wasn’t very surprised. After all, before entering university, he had also mixed around in society with Erfei and the others, so he had long known some of Zhou Dongbing’s past.

Zhou Dongbing didn’t have any reservations about it and continued, “From the beginning of spring when we planted crops until the autumn harvest, we were busy. For the remaining half a year, besides building heated brick beds, we just read books. During those years, I read a lot of books. Haha!”

Lin Hao and Wu Xiaozhou both showed looks of admiration. For someone to still persist in reading under those circumstances, his willpower was definitely beyond that of ordinary people.

Bai Zhitao was shocked inside. She never expected that this handsome and refined man in front of her had once been a convicted prisoner. She couldn’t understand it at all—Chu Yu beside her was a host at Chunhe Television Station, so how could she possibly be together with a former criminal?

When she first met Chu Yu, she had been very excited. She had always liked this host, and she never imagined that today she would even get to eat together with her.

Chu Yu asked her in a low voice, “Little sister, why did you go study vocal music? If you studied broadcasting and hosting, you’d definitely become famous!”

She was telling the truth. When she first saw Bai Zhitao after entering the restaurant, her eyes had immediately lit up. Bai Zhitao was wearing a white long down coat and a pair of long black leather boots that tightly hugged her legs. Standing together with Wu Xiaozhou, they looked like a perfect young couple.

Bai Zhitao wasn’t just fair-skinned with a good figure; her appearance also matched ordinary people’s sense of beauty. Her face looked elegant and gentle.

Bai Zhitao smiled. “I’ve liked singing since I was little. I really never thought about becoming a host. I think hosts need to be very cultured, but my studies were only average, so I never even dared think about it!”

The two women chatted for a while. Bai Zhitao stood up to go to the restroom, and Chu Yu also followed her up.

“Let’s go together.”

After washing her hands, Bai Zhitao stood outside the restroom waiting for Chu Yu.

Five people came staggering down the corridor toward them. The man leading them looked around forty years old. He had a greasy slicked-back hairstyle, a big flat face, a black mink coat draped over his shoulders, and a dazzling thick gold chain hanging outside his sweater.

At a glance, Bai Zhitao could tell they didn’t look like good people. She quickly lowered her head and turned her body toward the restroom door, avoiding looking at them.

Erfei, who was following behind the big-faced man, immediately spotted Bai Zhitao and whispered, “Boss, this girl is pretty!”

The big-faced man was none other than Boss Cao, also known as Cao Yitui—the same person who had sent Lin Hao a hundred flower baskets at Black Knight last year.

In Chunhe, if you mentioned Cao Cao, ordinary people might not know who you meant. But if you mentioned Cao Yitui, the name was famous everywhere. It was said that the origin of his nickname was extremely simple and crude: whenever he saw a beautiful woman, he wanted to “have a leg” with her.

(Cao Yitui literally means “Cao One-Leg”; “have a leg with someone” is slang for having an affair.)

Cao Yitui nodded repeatedly. His eyes were far sharper than Erfei’s. With just one glance, he could even judge Bai Zhitao’s cup size through her white cashmere sweater.

The five people walked behind Bai Zhitao. Cao Yitui stretched out his neck, took a deep breath near the back of her head, and looked intoxicated.

Erfei reached out, intending to grab Bai Zhitao’s shoulder, but Cao Yitui quickly stopped him. He turned his head, frowned, and scolded:

“Rude!”

After saying that, he walked forward with his hands behind his back.

Erfei and Tudou exchanged glances. Only then did they realize the biggest difference between a big brother in society and little punks like them. Look at Boss Cao’s style and his noble character…

The four of them felt enlightened. Their souls seemed to have been elevated, and they hurriedly chased after him.

When they walked out of the restaurant entrance, Cao Yitui told Erfei to bend down slightly, then leaned close to his ear and whispered:

“Pay more attention during this period. Find out where this little girl is from.”

Those words left Erfei completely stunned. His newly established worldview was once again thrown into serious doubt.

Lin Hao asked Chu Yu, “Sis, that band from Black Knight last year—the ones with Liu’er and the others—any news about them?”

Chu Yu shook her head. “During the summer, Liu’er even called me once. He said that after arriving in Yanjing for several months, he finally found a job. It was also at a bar, and the pay didn’t seem to be much either!”

Lin Hao nodded. He had expected this situation long ago. It all depended on whether they could endure it or not. In Yanjing, there were countless people playing in bands; talents from all over the country were rushing there. Trying to make a name for themselves just by relying on those few songs was not an easy thing!

“Oh right, he said he seemed to be preparing for some rock music festival next summer. I think it was called… called the Fangcaodi Rock Music Festival!”

“Oh?” Lin Hao was stunned. Fangcaodi Rock Music Festival? He really hadn’t heard of it. Looks like he would have to check online when he got back tonight. Next summer… Hmm, there was still time!

“But he only called that one time. After that, he hasn’t contacted me again until now. I guess Yanjing isn’t easy to survive in either!” Chu Yu said.

Lin Hao nodded. “How is the band at the bar now?”

“Not bad. It’s very stable. It’s just that the singers change a bit too often. There’s no helping it. These days, customers are hard to please. After a while, they get tired of the same thing!”

“Mm, customers all like fresh faces!”

“Are you coming back or not, kid?” Chu Yu laughed.

Lin Hao didn’t lack money anymore. He just wanted to use the winter vacation to read more books, so he smiled and said, “I brought back a pile of books to study. Next year I still have the graduate entrance exam retest, so Sis, just let your little brother slack off for a while!”

“What? Graduate entrance exam?” Chu Yu was shocked. “You haven’t even finished your second year yet, have you?”

Wu Xiaozhou had a face full of envy and resentment. “He’s just a monster. Our department head personally ran around making arrangements for him. He already graduated early, and he even passed the written part of the graduate exam. Now he’s just waiting for the retest next April!”

After saying that, Wu Xiaozhou added, “Ah, I’m so jealous I could die!”

Bai Zhitao also giggled. “That’s right, I’m jealous too. Now the whole school knows about it. There are even people suspecting that Lin Hao is our department head’s illegitimate son!”

“Hahahaha!”

The private room was filled with laughter.

After the dinner ended, the three of them first saw off Zhou Dongbing and Chu Yu. Watching their taxi drive away into the distance, Wu Xiaozhou looked puzzled.

“Brother Zhou is such a big boss, why is he still taking a taxi?”

Lin Hao patted the silly kid on the shoulder. “You didn’t notice? From the moment he arrived until he left, Brother Zhou never went to the restroom once.”

“Ah? What does that mean?” Wu Xiaozhou was completely confused. “His kidneys are really good?”

“Get lost!” Lin Hao cursed with a laugh and raised his foot as if he wanted to kick him. “When we were going downstairs, didn’t you notice he kept his head down and walked very quickly?”

Wu Xiaozhou thought about it, then nodded. A moment later, he suddenly understood.

“You mean he was afraid of running into someone he knew?”

Lin Hao looked pleased. Finally, this kid was teachable!

“Yeah, he might have a wife, and he and Sister Chu are also unclear with each other. He was afraid of bumping into someone he knew and getting embarrassed, right?”

Lin Hao stared at him in shock. “Your train of thought is really… damn!”

It was rare for him to swear.

“Lin Hao, could it be that Brother Zhou just didn’t want to run into acquaintances because he’d have to be polite and it would be troublesome?” Bai Zhitao asked from the side.

Lin Hao gave her a thumbs-up. “Taozi really is smart!”

Wu Xiaozhou was unhappy. Rolling his eyes, he said, “You went on and on for so many words, why didn’t you just say he was afraid of meeting acquaintances in the first place?”

Lin Hao pulled up the fur collar of his coat and tucked his neck in from the cold.

“Do you remember the last time we ate together? Brother Zhou just thought it was troublesome, that’s why he did this. Looks like people really can’t become too famous. Otherwise, wherever you go, it’ll all become troublesome!”

The speaker had no intention behind his words, but the listener took them to heart. Bai Zhitao carefully savored Lin Hao’s words. Then she shook her head.

What was she thinking? He wasn’t even famous yet, and she was already overthinking things!

She raised her eyes and looked at the pitch-black sky.

“Xiaowu, look, it’s snowing.”