Drinking

"You could guess that?" Jiang asked, looking at Zhang Ruofeng in disbelief. He hadn't expected Zhang Ruofeng to instantly deduce the reason he had secured this secluded corner, yet Zhang Ruofeng seemed to take it for granted, showing no reaction at all.

"When we walked in, most people were cheering for you, but two adventurers were looking at you with ill intent. I figured you must have had a conflict with them, which is why you were assigned this corner." Although Zhang Ruofeng thought Jiang had been a bit embarrassing just now, those two men glaring at him amidst a crowd of laughing adventurers stood out like a sore thumb; it was easy to spot.

"Your observational skills are terrifying." Jiang stared at Zhang Ruofeng as if he were a monster. After all, even he hadn't noticed that the adventurers he'd had a run-in with at this tavern were present today.

"It would be a miracle if you could notice anything." Zhang Ruofeng curled his lip, looking at Jiang helplessly. "All your attention was focused on the female owner; how could you possibly notice anything else?"

Just as Jiang was about to speak, a girl dressed as a bartender walked over. "You two, need anything?"

"Oh? You're on service duty today, Coco?" Jiang was clearly very familiar with the place, knowing the name of the girl taking orders. Zhang Ruofeng looked at the cat-girl bartender, feeling a sense of familiarity, but since he couldn't recall where he might have seen her, he didn't dwell on it. "Give us two beers, a serving of fried fish, and a serving of fries."

"One grilled chicken breast, please!" Knowing Zhang Ruofeng was treating, Jiang didn't stand on ceremony and added another item to the order.

"Got it, just a moment~" The cat-girl confirmed their order, cast a deliberate glance at Zhang Ruofeng, and then turned away.

"Hm? Do you know Coco?" Jiang asked, curious to see the cat-girl Coco paying such close attention to Zhang Ruofeng.

Zhang Ruofeng shook his head, puzzled. He had no recollection of interacting with any beast-kin other than Heluo, and he had no memory of the cat-girl Coco either. Neither of them dwelled on it, instead chatting about trivial matters. Jiang shared some recent anecdotes, while Zhang Ruofeng mostly responded occasionally. When Jiang recounted something funny, Zhang Ruofeng only gave a faint shake of his head, offering a silent prayer for the adventurers Jiang mocked—the stories Jiang told always carried a hint of derision.

After a while, their food arrived one after another. Neither said much; they clinked their glasses and then turned their attention to the meal. Zhang Ruofeng picked up a fry coated in red sauce, though he knew from the scent that it wasn't ketchup, but chili sauce.

"Hm?" Zhang Ruofeng's eyes widened instantly after eating one. He hadn't expected the sauce to be this spicy. Feeling as though his mouth were on fire, he quickly took a large gulp of beer and lit a cigarette.

"Hahahaha!" Jiang laughed uncontrollably at Zhang Ruofeng's disheveled state, beer even dripping from the corner of his mouth. "The owner of this place is a half-dwarf, and spice is a flavor dwarves absolutely love."

"Yeah, I've experienced it." After the heat subsided, Zhang Ruofeng had to admit the spice was quite unique. Once the burn faded, his mouth was filled with a savory fragrance. "It tastes pretty good."

"Oh, so you appreciate the benefits of this chili sauce too." Jiang, as if having found a kindred spirit, praised the sauce fervently. For a moment, it gave Zhang Ruofeng the illusion of being back in the Anime Club, with friends desperately trying to sell him on a game.

"You're so animated; you really do love this place, don't you?" Zhang Ruofeng said calmly. Watching Jiang's excited expression, he felt a twinge of envy. After all, this world wasn't the one he was familiar with, and living every day with such caution was truly exhausting.

"Of course. I come here to eat whenever I get the chance, though it's rare because I'm broke." Jiang's mood dampened as he spoke. As a level 1 adventurer, life wasn't exactly comfortable. The Magic Stone from monsters on the first few floors of the Dungeon didn't fetch much money, and it was often barely enough to cover gear, weapons, and daily living expenses. That was why many habitually chose to join a large Familia; it meant better development, and while no one would help you in the Dungeon, you could save a lot on food and lodging.

The two chatted aimlessly, and in the blink of an eye, they had each downed three large mugs of beer. Zhang Ruofeng felt the beer in this world had a kick of at least 14 percent—even the Russian beer he'd had before wasn't this strong. Three mugs in, he was already feeling tipsy.

"Let me tell you," Jiang's tongue was starting to slur. It seemed his tolerance was low, or perhaps the fatigue from spending the last few days forging Zhang Ruofeng's weapon had caught up with him. He was already quite drunk. "The best thing in this place is the whole grilled steak. Next time, next time you have to treat me to that."

"You're certainly not shy, are you?" Zhang Ruofeng actually liked Jiang's blunt personality, though he deeply understood why this guy could be so annoying at times. "A whole grilled steak costs 3,000 Faris. You really know how to pick."

"That's because I really love this place," Jiang said happily.

"I don't think you love the place; I think you love someone in this place." Zhang Ruofeng hadn't said it at first, but Jiang was noticeably more nervous and well-behaved in front of the female owner. As an outsider, it was easy to see through his intentions.

"Pfft!" Jiang, who had been drinking, spat his beer out. His secret had been discovered just like that. Was he really that bad at hiding it? "You knew that?"

"And the owner knows it too, right?" Zhang Ruofeng frowned. The owner was quite accommodating to Jiang; otherwise, someone who attracted as much trouble as he did probably wouldn't have been welcomed back a second time.

"Sigh~ Of course she knows." Even the frivolous Jiang looked a bit dejected. "I confessed to her, after all, but I was rejected in a second."

"Hm?" Zhang Ruofeng hadn't expected Jiang to launch such a decisive offensive, only to be sunk immediately.

"Don't let her cold, frosty expression fool you. She's actually only 19, you know?" Jiang glanced secretly at Christa, who was sitting motionless at the bar. "But she's a level 2 adventurer, much stronger than us."