After greeting Luohan, Jiang Hao left the distillery, crossed the smooth flagstone streets, and returned to his home on the front street. The three-courtyard residence, with its gray brick walls and green tiles, was not luxurious, but it was very comfortable to live in.
Er Dan's Mother had become the full-time housekeeper, helping the family wash clothes and cook. Jiu'er was also diligent, keeping the house neat and spotless.
When she saw Jiang Hao return, Jiu'er hurried over to take his hat and help him remove his long robe. "Nothing happened at the distillery, right?"
"Nothing. Everything's fine," Jiang Hao said.
"I made dinner. You came back at just the right time, so let's eat," Jiu'er said.
The two sat down in the dining room. Four dishes and a soup—not lavish, but warm and cozy. Jiang Hao said, "Let's have some wine."
"You want a drink? What would you like? I'll go get it." Jiu'er stood up.
"Let's have Maotai."
Jiu'er brought over a small jar of genuine Maotai. Since coming here, Jiang Hao had bought quite a few kinds of liquor, all so he could taste what alcohol from this era was like.
Jiu'er poured Jiang Hao a bowl. Jiang Hao took the jar and poured a bowl for Jiu'er as well. Surprised, she said, "I'm drinking too?"
"Have some with me," Jiang Hao said.
"Alright, I'll have a little with the head of the household." Jiu'er obediently agreed.
They raised their bowls and clinked them together, then each took a big gulp. Jiu'er chuckled. "This Maotai really is delicious. It'd be wonderful if we could brew wine this good someday."
Jiang Hao looked at Jiu'er. "Are you used to living here?"
Jiu'er served him some food. "What's there not to get used to? It's wonderful. I never would have dared dream of a life like this before."
As long as she was used to it, that was good.
The two chatted about everyday matters as they drank. Each had two bowls. Jiang Hao was feeling a little dizzy, while Jiu'er seemed completely unaffected.
The woman helped Jiang Hao into the inner room and seated him on a square-backed chair. Before long, she brought over a wooden basin, removed his shoes, and placed both his feet in the hot water. As she scrubbed his feet, Jiu'er said, "You were running around all day. Soak your feet, and you'll sleep better."
It really felt wonderful!
Jiang Hao gazed at Jiu'er through a haze, his heart filled with reluctance.
Perhaps he would never get to enjoy such care again in this lifetime.
A man struggled outside—suffering, exhausted, busy, facing hardship after hardship. Yet when he came home, a woman was waiting for him. She made him a hot meal, brought him a basin of hot water to wash his feet, and pressed her warm body against his. That was enough. More than enough.
That alone gave a man boundless passion to venture out into the world, fearless no matter how great the storms ahead.
Unfortunately, in modern society, very few women could do that. Or rather, they had almost vanished entirely.
If any man met a woman like this, he should cherish her dearly!
Jiang Hao opened his eyes and found the surroundings somewhat unfamiliar. Looking more closely, he remembered—this was his own home.
The twelve-hour mandatory return had sent him back home.
Jiang Hao stared blankly at the ceiling.
There had been no goodbye.
Getting drunk last night had been deliberate, because he did not want to face a farewell.
He got up, walked onto the balcony, and looked at the staggered clusters of buildings outside. Jiang Hao felt as though he had been transported into another lifetime.
He lit a cigarette and silently stared at the distant Han River.
He watched the sun sink westward, watched crimson clouds fill the sky, watched darkness gradually fall. Streetlights came on, and neon lights flickered to life on distant buildings.
Jiang Hao took a deep breath.
"Open the system panel."
Whoosh—
A curtain of light appeared before his eyes.
In the rewards section, only one reward was marked: "One Vacheron Constantin watch."
Jiang Hao had already sold the watch, yet the reward had remained listed there. He had once wondered: if he ever failed a mission and the system deducted a reward, choosing the watch, would that Vacheron Constantin vanish directly from the wrist of the person who had bought it?
Heh, who knew?
Looking at the mission section again, there were several messages.
"Customer feedback: Very satisfied with this purchase. The 'sorghum liquor' had a very distinctive flavor, and the customer greatly enjoyed the experience."
"Congratulations to the collector for completing this mission. The system has issued a reward. Please claim it."
Claiming a reward was always the most exciting moment.
Jiang Hao tapped the claim reward button on the system panel.
Whoosh—
A new reward notification appeared on the panel.
"Congratulations, collector. You have received the skill reward: 'Thousand Cups Not Drunk.'"
Thousand Cups Not Drunk.
Did that mean he would not get drunk no matter how much he drank?
Jiang Hao curled his lips. He truly wanted to complain.
Was this some exclusive skill for useless drunkards? What use was it to him? What use could it possibly have? Was he supposed to become a drinking companion?
Jiang Hao was not very satisfied with the reward, but that was how the system worked. He had no power to argue back. What, was he supposed to cross the stars and the universe to another plane and file a complaint with them?
Jiang Hao suddenly felt that the system's lack of interactivity might be intentional on the aliens' part. Yeah, it had to be.
Without customer service, there was not even anywhere to complain.
As the city lights began to glow, Jiang Hao felt an emptiness in his heart. He decided to go out for a walk. He had just gained a new skill, and although he was not too pleased with it, he still wanted to test this "Thousand Cups Not Drunk" skill. Could it really let him drink a thousand cups without getting drunk?
Binhai City was even livelier at night. Jiang Hao went to a bar. He rarely came to places like this because he had never had the money. He had only gone once before with friends, and someone else had paid.
Feidi Bar was a Qing Bar. Its counter was fairly large, and the tall bar stools were quite comfortable, so plenty of people sat directly at the bar to drink and chat. Jiang Hao casually found a seat and sat down.
The bartender was an uncle in his thirties with a short beard, carrying a certain rugged middle-aged charm. "What'll you have?"
"What do you have?"
Before obtaining the system—or rather, before traveling to the world of Red Sorghum—the few times Jiang Hao had drunk alcohol, it had only been at roadside barbecue stalls with his dorm mates, eating skewers. He did not understand, so he did not pretend to. He simply asked.
The bartender immediately knew Jiang Hao was a bar rookie. He took out a drink menu and set it on the counter. "Beer, brandy, vodka, whiskey, wine, or cocktails. The prices are listed here."
Jiang Hao gave it a glance. Beer cost several hundred per case. Cocktails like Candy Night, *****, Angel's Kiss, and Pink Lady ranged from thirty to fifty yuan per glass. Bordeaux Red was 398, Changyu Cabernet 298, Jack Daniel's 368, Chivas 398, and Hennessy 880.
He had no idea whether those prices were expensive or cheap for a bar.
Since he had come to drink today, he would try a little of everything and see exactly how this Thousand Cups Not Drunk skill worked.
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