HLM -Chapter 1438 The Bachelor Night

Motak soon delivered a barrel of home-brewed beer. This was beer specially supplied for the wedding—crafted by a professional brewer using farm-grown barley malt and spring water. The aroma was rich and mellow.

Wang Bo poured two large mugs and sat down. “Come on, Dabao—let’s have a drink first.”

Zhong Dabao lifted his mug, eyes lighting up. “Holy crap, this beer smells amazing.”

Without waiting for Wang Bo, he took a huge gulp. His eyes lit up even more. “What kind of beer is this? Why is it so damn good? Compared to this, the beer at home is basically horse piss.”

Wang Bo teased him. “What, you’ve drunk horse piss before?”

Zhong Dabao chuckled. “Never had horse piss, but I’ve had whale piss.”

Drinking beer and taking in the scenery, Wang Bo sighed with emotion. “So, how about it—when I first came to New Zealand, did you ever imagine I’d end up like this one day?”

Zhong Dabao tore off a piece of dried fish, chewing it with relish. “Yeah… honestly, I still kind of feel like it’s—well—like a dream.”

“‘Like a dream,’ huh? Not bad use of an idiom,” Wang Bo laughed.

Zhong Dabao rarely blushed. He scratched his head. “Don’t laugh at me. I don’t have much education, but it’s not that I didn’t want to study—it’s just that my brain’s not very sharp.”

“Your brain’s plenty sharp,” Wang Bo said. “Don’t overthink it.”

Zhong Dabao shook his head. “You don’t need to comfort me. I’m not upset. I’ve got a good brother like you, a great wife like Taotao. Even if I’m a bit dumb—hell, even if I’m a total idiot—I’m happy.”

Then he added, “But I hope my kids won’t be as dumb as me. I want to make sure they get a good education, become cultured like you. Not like me—only know how to fish. And especially not like me when facing scenery this beautiful, only able to say ‘damn, that’s fucking nice,’ without a single idiom or poem to describe it.”

Wang Bo patted him on the shoulder. “Drink up. Stop thinking about this bullshit.”

Zhong Dabao took a hearty swig. “Alright, haha! Honestly, I’m not sad at all—I’m happy. Really happy! Never thought my brother would turn out this successful. If you told me you were a king now, I’d believe it!”

The two of them drank beer, ate dried fish and fillets, reminisced about their youth—laughing loudly at times, sighing with emotion at others. They talked for the entire afternoon, until both were thoroughly tipsy.

That drunkenness was only the beginning. Over the next few days, more guests arrived in Sunset Town, and Wang Bo’s drinking sessions only increased.

On the last day of September, the craziest drinking party in Sunset Town began—the bachelor party night.

Its real name should be the farewell-to-singlehood party. New Zealanders love this kind of thing. Before a couple gets married, their brothers and best girlfriends organize a party—usually the night before the wedding—for the bride and groom to go completely wild.

New Zealanders aren’t particularly fond of getting married, but they treat marriage itself with great reverence.

Before marriage, you can go as crazy as you like. Once you’re married, though, you become the pillar of a family. Whether man or woman, you have to keep yourself in check—no heavy drinking, no promiscuity, no indulgence in gambling or debauchery. None of that garbage is allowed.

That’s why the night before the wedding is often an all-out blowout.

Sunset Town frequently hosts parties, but this one was specially prepared for Wang Bo and the other soon-to-be newlyweds. As a result, it drew even more people and was organized on an especially grand scale.

The party was split into two venues: the central square, which was all men—the main battlefield for the men’s bachelor party; and the lakeside beach, which was all women—the venue for the ladies’ party.

Bonfires blazed in the square, and numerous banners hung on the railings, bearing party slogans:

“Youth doesn’t last—hurry up and fall in love.”

“Love brings us closer.”

“Hold your hand, stay together forever.”

“Experience closeness, love forever.”

…and many more.

The Sunset Band, who had been trying to break into the American music scene, returned early. As the party began, a steel cage—like those used in cage-fighting tournaments—stood on the stage in the square. Suddenly, Reddy and Lane, along with the other two members, appeared inside the cage.

Tonight’s theme was Crazy Night. Reddy let his long hair loose and whipped it around, then immediately roared into the mic with his high-pitched voice:

“Move it, guys! Shake your asses, whip your heads! Hands up and shout with me! Hey hey hey! Everybody get up—hey hey hey!”

“Sunset Band! Oh yeah!!”

The moment the four appeared, wild cheers erupted.

Many young people rushed toward the stage, but the steel cage blocked them from reaching the band. That was exactly why the cage was there—not only to amplify the savage atmosphere, but also to protect the band members inside.

Wang Bo was in the crowd as well, standing with Charlie, Bowen and the others. He clinked beer bottles with them and shook his bottle hard.

As the bottle shook, carbon dioxide blasted the beer out in a spray. Wang Bo grabbed Bowen, shoved the bottle straight into his mouth, and screamed, “Hey hey hey! Hey hey hey!”

Bowen opened his mouth to curse. “Shit—mmph—oh oh oh!”

An entire bottle of beer was forced down. Wang Bo tossed the empty bottle away and dove into the crowd.

Bowen, furious, tried to find him but failed. Turning around, he shouted, “Which one of you—shit!”

Charlie wrapped an arm around Bowen and jammed his own beer bottle into Bowen’s mouth as well—his method even more brutal than Wang Bo’s.

After that, Bowen didn’t dare say another word. Clutching his beer, he hurried into the crowd himself.

Unfortunately, the crowd had its sights set on them. Someone shouted, “Games! Games! Games! Catch the groom! Catch the groom!”

“Oh yeah, catch the groom! Come on, guys—catch the groom!”

Wang Bo was just congratulating himself on having escaped Bowen’s revenge when the people around him suddenly all looked his way—eyes filled with unmistakable ill intent.

“Brothers, listen to me—this kind of game really shouldn’t be played…” Wang Bo said in horror.

Dozens of arms reached for him. He struggled to push them away, but there were too many. It was like a zombie horde spotting a living human—everyone surged forward, grabbed him, and several people hoisted him overhead.

Like carrying cargo, they lifted him up and moved him toward the center of the crowd. Wang Bo didn’t dare struggle. Charlie was a cautionary tale—when Charlie struggled, people couldn’t hold him steady, and he crashed to the ground, dizzy and battered.

Soon, Juan was also found and hoisted up. Wang Bo heard him screaming miserably, “Shit, fine, grab me, but who the hell is touching my ass?! Don’t pop my chrysanthemum! Please—don’t touch my ass!”

In the center of the crowd stood a huge vat filled to the brim with beer. When Wang Bo was carried over and saw that massive barrel, his heart sank.

But by then, it was too late to run.

Like tossing a sack of grain, the crowd threw him straight into the beer vat…