Cha Qing remained impassive and stepped aside. "What brings you here, Brother Gong Ga?"
"Brother Cha Qing, my nose is sharper than a snowfield mastiff's. I came back from outside and caught a delicious smell from you brothers' room—like you were having hotpot. The greedy worms in my belly immediately poked out their heads, so I came running over to join the fun. I even brought two bottles of good wine. And once I came in, sure enough! If you ask me, hotpot is all about liveliness. What's the point of shutting the door and eating it by yourselves? Stingy!"
Li Gongga lifted the wine jar. His face was extremely dark, his skin coarse, his cheeks flushed red, and the black pupils embedded beneath his puffy eyelids darted about.
Cha Qing was half helpless, half amused. "We're strangers in a strange land. We've lived here for half a year and don't know many people in Hantai Prefecture. We three brothers can only shut the door and drink a little wine by ourselves."
"Isn't there me?"
"Hahaha, you're right. Come, Brother Li, have a seat." Fan Zixuan pulled out a stool. "Kou Zhuang, go get another bowl and chopsticks."
Cha Qing poured the wine, lifted a plate, and put the beef and mutton into the pot, his eyes sweeping downward.
"I see Brother Li has a box hidden in his hand. You didn't come here just for hotpot today, did you?"
"Brother Cha Qing has keen eyes. I did want to discuss something with you three brothers."
"Brother Li is a straightforward man. Just say it. Why beat around the bush?"
"Fine." Li Gongga accepted the bowl and chopsticks, slapped the box from his sleeve onto the table, and pointed at Kou Zhuang. "We've known each other for nearly half a