114. Self-Indulgence

In Zhang Yang's opinion, he would rather spend that time helping his parents' small shop.

There's really no need for a group of classmates who barely interact to join in the fun.

"But..." Meng Baihan typed two words, as if he wanted to say something more.

"Okay, you decide on the location first." Zhang Yang looked at Meng Baihan's repeated invitations, "I'll try my best to make it, but if I really can't make it, I'll let you know in advance."

Meng Baihan had invited him repeatedly, and it would be a bit unreasonable for him to refuse outright. He'd see how things went later.

"I'll assume you're definitely here," Meng Baihan replied happily.

Zhang Yang put down his phone, shook his head, and chuckled.

As the sun set, he checked out of the hotel, went downstairs, and drove to Haiqin Snack Bar.

These past few days, barring any unforeseen circumstances, he has been eating at his own shop most of the time.

Today is no exception.

In the evening, he drove slowly to the front of his shop.

Looking out the car window, Haiqin Snack Bar was brightly lit, another busy evening.

He smiled and found a spot to park his car near the entrance.

As soon as I got off the bus, I saw my aunt's brother, Li Kaiguang, and several of his colleagues coming towards me.

"Brother, are you coming to eat? I'll make the arrangements."

Zhang Yang stepped forward and greeted him with a smile.

"Zhang Yang!" Li Kaiguang walked up cheerfully, introducing him to his colleagues, "This is my brother. Please come and support my brother's shop more often."

"Li Kaiguang, your brother is a real heartthrob!"

"If your brother worked for our company, wouldn't those arrogant women be practically begging for his attention?"

Several male colleagues looked at the tall figure in front of them, joking around as they greeted Zhang Yang warmly.

Zhang Yang smiled, offered a few cigarettes, and then invited the group into the shop.

"Third Aunt, may your business prosper," Li Kaiguang Song Wenqin with a smile as soon as he entered.

"Oh, Kaiguang, come in, have a seat." Song Wenqin turned her head and saw that it was her aunt and nephew who had come to support her, so she quickly and warmly invited him into the private room.

It's called a private room, but it's really just a very small cubicle.

Li Kaiguang and his three colleagues sat at a small table, and Zhang Yang took out the menu and arranged the dishes for them.

"Want some wine? A bottle, please?" Zhang Yang asked with a smile.

"Then we must have something." Li Kaiguang seemed to be in a good mood today, and it looked like he was the one treating everyone.

"Okay, please have a seat. I'll get you some drinks." Zhang Yang put away the menu, smiled, and went out first.

The menu was sent to the kitchen, Zhang Zhaohai began to get busy.

Zhang Yang casually grabbed a bottle of baijiu from the store and brought it in for them.

"Zhang Yang, stop fussing. Come on, sit down and have something to eat and drink. I see you just got off the bus, you probably haven't eaten yet, have you?" Li Kaiguang insisted on pulling Zhang Yang back.

"Well... alright, let's have some together then." Zhang Yang didn't stand on ceremony and bought himself a bowl and chopsticks.

As night fell, Haiqin Snack Bar was bustling with noise and activity.

Inside the private room, Zhang Yang and his Li Kaiguang each poured themselves a small glass of wine, drinking and eating, enjoying a lively atmosphere.

"My aunt's family is getting more and more prosperous." Li Kaiguang clinked glasses with Zhang Yang, his tone full of emotion.

"It's nothing special, just small-scale stuff," Zhang Yang said with a casual smile, taking a sip of his drink.

"This is no small business. With your uncle's skills, it's bound to grow big sooner or later," Li Kaiguang said, shaking his head.

Zhang Yang smiled but didn't say anything.

Expanding the business is a given; the restaurant next door has already been acquired, but none of our relatives know about it.

After a satisfying meal, everyone exclaimed that the portions were far too large.

"Zhang Yang, is it possible that my aunt specially prepared such a large amount of food for us?" Li Kaiguang looked at Zhang Yang, noticing that there was still a lot of food left on the table that they were definitely going to pack up.

"No, the dishes are all the same. Our dishes are always inexpensive, delicious, and plentiful," Zhang Yang said confidently, glancing at the food.

Li Kaiguang's colleagues at the same table exchanged glances and nodded in agreement.

"Let's hold our company get-togethers here from now on."

"No doubt about it. It's so affordable, tastes good, and is close to the company. Where else would you choose? Li Kaiguang, our shop can be summed up in just four words."

"What four characters?" Li Kaiguang asked curiously.

"What a hidden gem of a shop!" they exclaimed almost in unison.

Zhang Yang casually picked up a few peanuts, listening to their chatter with a smile on his face. He was quite happy, to some extent.

He could tell whether it was just polite talk or the truth.

Seeing my parents' hard work being recognized by more and more customers brings them genuine joy.

On the table, Li Kaiguang's phone, which was placed on the table, suddenly lit up.

He picked it up immediately, his face initially beaming with satisfaction after a hearty meal, but suddenly his expression changed.

"What's wrong?" Zhang Yang glanced at him and asked casually.

"N-nothing..." Li Kaiguang stammered, his face pale, as he could barely hold his phone.

The colleagues at the table exchanged glances, as if they had guessed something.

"Li Kaiguang, is that the girl you've been talking about lately?"

"I've noticed you're always on your phone these past few days, what's going on?"

"We're all brothers, so if you're having any troubles or encounter any problems, feel free to tell us, and we'll give you some ideas."

"I'm really, really okay." Li Kaiguang kept shaking his head.

There are some things that colleagues naturally cannot share without reservation.

Zhang Yang saw this but didn't press the matter for answers.

The dinner, which was going quite well, was ruined by this unexpected little incident at the end.

"I'll go pay the bill," Li Kaiguang said, standing up.

"Come on, let me do it."

"I'll do it."

Several people pushed and shoved each other, vying for the item.

"It's on me, it's not uncommon for you to come and support us," Zhang Yang said from the side. "Don't fight over it."

"Oh, no, that won't do. It's just a small business, and my aunt and uncle have been working so hard." Li Kaiguang pushed the group aside and insisted on paying the bill.

As night fell, in front of Haiqin Snack Bar, Li Kaiguang's colleagues tactfully took their leave first.

Li Kaiguang didn't leave immediately; instead, he pulled Zhang Yang aside to have a chat.

Under the streetlights, the two brothers walked slowly along the roadside, as if they had been transported back to many years ago.

"What's wrong? Is there something you want to say?" After walking for a while, Zhang Yang asked with a smile.

"Hey, don't laugh at me, but I got roasted, roasted until I was speechless," Li Kaiguang said with difficulty, glancing at Zhang Yang.

"What's going on?" Zhang Yang stopped in his tracks.

Li Kaiguang sighed softly, took out his phone, and, no longer worried about his privacy, showed Zhang Yang the chat history directly.

Zhang Yang didn't usually pry into people's privacy, but since Li Kaiguang had so generously shown it off, he figured he might as well take a look.

The chat history was naturally the chat history between Li Kaiguang and the girl.

You've been sleeping too late these past few days. Remember to get some rest earlier and don't stay up late; it's bad for your health.

[Remember to eat breakfast. You're on your period now, so it's best to avoid spicy, stimulating, and cold foods.]

[By the way, cook for yourself, don't order takeout.]

The girl below gave a sharp retort:

[Hilarious! You didn't do anything, yet you act like you care about me a lot.]

[You didn't cry from being so touched, did you?]

Zhang Yang glanced at the chat history, then at Li Kaiguang's embarrassed face, and fell silent.

That's pretty awkward.

Not being a "simp" doesn't mean you can pursue a girl without putting in any effort, right? Any girl with even a modicum of attractiveness has been waiting for these few words of concern and care since childhood, hasn't she?

Love doesn't need material things, but it does need to be proven that it is.

Of course, if a girl is pursuing you, it won't matter if you just talk the talk but don't walk the walk. But right now, it's clear that Li Kaiguang isn't exactly her type.

In this situation, all talk and no action—well, it's obvious the other party is disgusted.

"Zhang Yang, do you think I did something wrong?" Li Kaiguang seemed to be asking Zhang Yang, but he was actually asking himself.

Zhang Yang didn't know what to say.

Anyway, if it were him, a few simple words of concern would make the other person incredibly happy.

"Occasionally, you still have to give something in return, of course, I mean mutual giving," Zhang Yang said ambiguously.

"Got it, I'll order takeout for her right away, make her some brown sugar water, and have her put her phone on her stomach so I can video call her and massage her with it on vibrate." Li Kaiguang seemed to understand instantly.

Zhang Yang clicked his tongue, watching Li Kaiguang's retaliatory fawning, and was somewhat speechless.

However, if you ask him to spout a bunch of profound principles and become an emotional guru, he simply can't bring himself to be so preachy.

These days, the greatest truths are the simplest.

Zhang Yang doesn't care about any methods; he's straightforward and does whatever he wants, which doesn't stop him from flirting with girls.

"What's wrong, Zhang Yang? You don't think this is appropriate?" Li Kaiguang observed Zhang Yang's expression and asked tentatively.

"I think..." Zhang Yang thought for a moment, "If you were in the other person's shoes, how would you feel if a member of the opposite sex suddenly tried to please you in retaliation?"

Li Kaiguang opened his mouth, imagined it for a moment, and then a wave of nausea surged in his chest.

Yes, he was disgusted with himself.

"So, it's hopeless?" he muttered to himself, suddenly lost in confusion.

He looked at the tall and handsome Zhang Yang in front of him, and suddenly, as if he had seen a lifeline, he grabbed Zhang Yang tightly.

"Good brother, save your brother."

"I don't know what to do either," Zhang Yang said with a laugh. "My method won't work for you either. How about you show me her WeChat Moments?"

Fortunately, the other person's WeChat Moments were not set to be visible for three days only.

If Li Kaiguang wants to see it, he can still see it.

The two stopped on the street, and Zhang Yang picked up his phone and casually scrolled through it.

Yeah, she's a pretty girl when she's wearing makeup.

Her WeChat Moments are mostly filled with everyday moments—work, food—but after reading through them all, her life seems overly monotonous.

She seems like a girl who loves to try new things, loves to show off, but also feels that her life is too mundane.

Li Kaiguang watched eagerly from the side, waiting for Zhang Yang to offer some advice.

"Um, how about you ask her out tonight?"

"How can I possibly ask her out so late at night? To see a movie or take a walk?" Li Kaiguang shrugged, thinking it was simply impossible.

"It's not like we're talking about going to the movies. How about you do something different for her, like inviting her to a bar for drinks?" Zhang Yang said.

There were some things he didn't say.

Anyway, he felt that this girl was someone who was unwilling to live a mundane life and loved excitement deep down.

Yeah, he looks serious, but he's actually quite the repressed pervert.

"That won't do, she's on her period. If I ask her out for drinks, won't she have a worse impression of me?" Li Kaiguang kept shaking his head.

"Who cares? It's practically over anyway, why do you care if she's on her period or not?" Zhang Yang said indifferently.

If they can't get you to come out, that's fine.

If you can still get someone to go out for drinks even when you're on your period, isn't that easy?

Looking at Zhang Yang's nonchalant attitude and thinking about his own dead end, Li Kaiguang thought it over and over and realized that it made sense.

Desperate, I tried anything, and cautiously sent out a message.

"Want to go out for drinks tonight?"

He felt there was no chance.

But to my surprise, the other party replied shortly after I sent the message.

"Now? Where to?"

"Holy crap, I've never seen her reply so quickly before!" Li Kaiguang slapped his thigh, his expression excited.

Zhang Yang felt relieved.

So that's really what kind of girl she is.

In real life, girls who are ethereal and unique are truly rare; most are just like this.

"Wait a minute, let me ask." Zhang Yang had never been to a nightclub in Yinghai.

However, he has a friend in his WeChat Moments, he doesn't remember when he added him, but he changed careers overnight and is now working in marketing at one of the biggest nightclubs in Yinghai.

I messaged him privately and asked if we could have a booth right now.

"Brother, no problem, when are you coming?" The other party replied immediately with great enthusiasm.

Zhang Yang glanced at Li Kaiguang, signaling him to reply to the girl.

A moment later, Li Kaiguang replied again.

"It's so late, I'm not going out alone. My best friend is coming with me. You should also invite a guy. Oh, and don't let him be shabby, or I'll lose face."

"All done!" Li Kaiguang looked up at Zhang Yang in front of him and raised his phone without saying a word.

"Little brother, can I borrow your handsome photo for a moment? I'm counting on you."

Zhang Yang hadn't reacted yet.

Well, the photo has already been taken.

He didn't say what he was setting up, but just glanced up at it.

Hmm, not bad, not bad. Under the streetlights at night, this photo he took actually has a bit of a goddess-like girl streetlight feel to it, hmm, a male version of a goddess-like girl.

He exudes god-like charm.

He was satisfied with himself; as for the other side...

Zhang Yang witnessed the chat box popping up with messages.

He was close by, so naturally he saw them all.

"Go there now, right away."

First came text messages, then one voice message after another.

It sounds like they're handing it out while jogging.

"It's just the two of you over there, right? No other girls?"

"If I told you my best friend suddenly wasn't coming and I was going by myself, you wouldn't find it strange, would you?"

"By the way, who is this handsome guy to you?"

"What, your brother? Never mind then, my best friend will still come as usual."

Li Kaiguang listened while muttering to himself.

"What does that mean? Her best friend comes over sometimes and doesn't come over sometimes."

"You're my brother, what does it have to do with whether she gets along with her best friend or not?"

Zhang Yang, who was listening in, felt somewhat ashamed.

Is this girl really that direct? He's a little unsure whether he should go or not.