There were all kinds of snack stalls, restaurants, and entertainment venues along this street, including internet cafés, hotels, bathhouses, foot massage parlors, KTVs, bars, and more. Basically, whatever you wanted, it was there.
The nearby businesses had gone to great lengths to serve the students, afraid that their studies and daily lives might become dull.
It was Saturday, and the area was even livelier than usual. The internet cafés were packed, the hotels probably had no rooms left for tonight, and the tables set up outside the restaurants were nearly full.
Thankfully, it wasn't mealtime yet. Otherwise, even getting a meal would've been a hassle.
A black Sprinter President pulled up slowly by the roadside near a barbecue shop. Two men climbed out, each weighing around two hundred pounds.
They were Li Xian and Wang Meng.
Their builds were pretty common in the Northeast, but the Sprinter President was so huge that it drew plenty of attention.
At several tables by the roadside, diners watched the enormous Sprinter President slowly drive away. Someone spoke up.
"Holy crap, that van's huge. I ought to get one someday."
"Are you blind? That's a van?! If you can get one, I'll take your last name!"
"Who do you think you're looking down on..."
"Heh... you got two million to spare?"
"What? Two million? That big van's got gold trim or something..."
"Stop calling it a van. See that logo? It's a Mercedes-Benz. Let me educate you today: that car's called a Sprinter President. It's a top-of-the-line luxury RV. It might not look like much on the outside, but the inside would blow your mind.
"Know who rides in these things? Company bigwigs, top celebrities. You need serious money to afford one. And you want one? You've had too much to drink. Eat something..."
"Damn... It's that awesome?"
"If you don't know anything, don't show it off in public. It's embarrassing... Let's drink, let's drink..."
"You're right, bro. Cheers... By the way, did you see those two guys who just got out? They don't look rich. They've got a two-million-yuan car, yet they're here eating barbecue..."
"Keep your voice down. Don't get yourself in trouble. How could we understand how rich people think? I've even seen a guy in a Ferrari cruising through a back alley..."
"A guy in a Ferrari, looking for a hundred-fifty- or two-hundred-yuan hookup... That..."
"Heh... There's probably more to it than meets the eye..."
"Shit... Which alley? Take me there after we finish drinking..."
The speaker might not have meant anything by it, but the listener took it to heart.
Hearing that a car cost two million yuan was still pretty shocking to ordinary folks. After all, that was about what a three-bedroom apartment in this area cost.
Several tables of diners discreetly sized up Li Xian and Wang Meng, wondering what sort of big shots would arrive in a two-million-yuan luxury car to eat barbecue.
But Li Xian and Wang Meng's looks and clothes disappointed them a little. Neither man looked rich.
Aside from being a bit chubby, there was nothing special about them.
Just as the diners lost interest and went back to clinking glasses and eating barbecue, Li Xian called loudly toward the shop, "Third Sister! Grill ten plates of kidneys first. The usual—cook them extra crispy."
Whoosh~~ Whoosh~~~
Countless gazes turned their way, and the chatter around them suddenly dropped a notch.
Holy crap... Ten plates of kidneys? Was he trying to bleed himself dry?
Damn, we order skewers one at a time, and this guy orders by the plate.
Good grief, how much would ten plates cost? Five skewers to a plate, twenty yuan each... That's a thousand yuan just for kidneys.
Could he finish all that? With that build, maybe...
Did rich people these days all like to go this overboard?
"Bro... Can we really eat that much?" Wang Meng tugged at Li Xian's shirt and whispered. He glanced around at all the strange looks. "Everyone's staring at us. Keep it low-key."
Was eating barbecue really showing off?
"Who cares what they think? We're eating our fill today. Whatever we can't finish, we'll take home." Li Xian had been craving kidneys for ages. He'd come today just to taste them. He had the system-produced, unbranded Strong Digestive Pills, so this was the perfect chance to see how well they worked.
"We still won't be able to finish them if we take them home." Wang Meng didn't know whether to laugh or cry. He could usually manage three to five skewers, but ten plates was way too much.
Li Xian was about to say something when a heavyset woman hurried out of the shop. She was the Third Sister Li Xian had called for, the owner of Laosan BBQ.
Li Xian and Wang Meng had known Third Sister for years. They'd often come here for barbecue when they were students.
"I was wondering who'd come by. Turns out it's you, Xianzi." Third Sister had thought some big spender had arrived, so she was a little disappointed to see Li Xian. Still, she kept smiling. "You hardly ever come by. Don't tease me, all right?"
"Third Sister, I'm not teasing you."
"Ten plates of kidneys would cost a thousand... You really want that many?" Third Sister had been about to mention the price tactfully, but when she saw Li Xian toss a wad of pink bills onto the table, she swallowed her words and changed what she was saying.
"Absolutely. Grill ten plates of kidneys first. I want other stuff too."
"Okay, but... I don't think we have that many." Third Sister considered what the shop had in stock and said.
Looks like I can't make up for all the kidneys I missed out on in one go.
Li Xian didn't press the issue. "Just bring out however many you have."
"Then no problem. What else do you want, little bro?" Third Sister asked right away.
"Bring a case of pure draft beer to start. Ten servings each of beef, lamb, and pork belly; two plates of scallops, two plates of oysters; five servings each of chicken wings, gizzards, and skin; two whole fish; cartilage, pork skirt, crispy eggs, chives..." Li Xian rattled off a long list, making his own mouth water.
Third Sister, who was taking the order beside him, was stunned. Her eyes were as wide as light bulbs. Wang Meng sat there in a daze, wondering: Did they come here to eat barbecue or rob the place?
The other diners were no less stunned. They listened to every word, their hearts beating in time with Li Xian's order.
The beer didn't taste as good, and the skewers weren't as delicious. We're all eating barbecue, so why did theirs seem so much better?
What was going on?
Li Xian looked at the dazed Third Sister in confusion and asked, "Did I talk too fast? Couldn't you keep up?"
At the sound of his voice, Third Sister snapped back to her senses. She glanced at the order and hurriedly said, "I got it all down."
She was stunned, but she'd still written it all down on instinct.
"Good. That'll do for now."
Third Sister went to put in the order. Wang Meng finally came to his senses and said, "Brother Xian, how big a lottery prize did you win to go this wild?"
Li Xian poured himself a glass of water, took a sip, and said, "I told you in the car. I don't even buy lottery tickets. What prize would I win?"
"Then where'd the money come from?"
"That's a long story. My dad—"
"Didn't your dad pass away?"
"Uh, he came back to life. It's complicated."
P.S. I've had so few investments! Has nobody invested? Please give me one! Much appreciated.
Before you continue