Two evenings later, Jiang Hao received a call from Wang Baohua. "Brother, it's Brother Hua. I've asked Hailiang, Xiaoquan, and Wang Shu out for drinks tonight. You coming?"
"Sure." Jiang Hao agreed without hesitation.
He had been busy for so many days without a break, and he wanted to rest too.
Er Ge Barbecue Stall on Yuhua Road, eight tonight.
"No problem."
Jiang Hao delivered a few more orders. When it was almost time, he rode his electric scooter over and found that three people were already there.
"Li Hailiang and Liu Xiaoquan. Do you remember them? They were in the same year as us. We played basketball together, and they both stayed in Binhai to work."
Jiang Hao quickly shook hands with them and exchanged greetings.
After some small talk, they sat down.
"Where's the other guy?" Jiang Hao asked.
"That guy Wang Shu isn't coming. Said his girlfriend had something going on and called for him. That simp immediately ran over wagging his tail," Liu Xiaoquan teased.
"Finding a girlfriend these days is hard enough. Women are difficult to please. Would he dare not listen to her?" Li Hailiang said with a laugh.
The four ordered three cold dishes—smashed cucumbers, peanuts and edamame, and a mixed salad—along with several dozen skewers. Wang Baohua asked whether they wanted liquor or beer.
"Liquor. Get two bottles. Half a jin each to start," Liu Xiaoquan said.
Wang Baohua then ordered two bottles of Erguotou.
Why liquor? Because liquor was cheaper. Drinking too little beer was unsatisfying, while drinking too much of it cost several yuan per bottle. Once it added up, the price became too high.
The four drank and chatted, talking about amusing things from their school days. Everyone laughed as they reminisced about school, but when the topic turned