Li Ping'an picked up a piece of meat with his chopsticks.
He dipped it in the broth and popped it into his mouth.
"Mmm~"
The flavor was delicious.
Beneath its delicate texture, the shad had a distinctive flavor.
As he chewed, its fragrance filled his mouth.
The moment of eating shad had passed, yet its fragrance lingered between his teeth and cheeks.
A rich, meaty aroma spread through his mouth, a multilayered delight for his taste buds.
Jiaze did not seem to like fish.
Old Ox, meanwhile, gnawed on a braised ox hoof.
Seemingly reluctant to finish it in one bite, he chewed it bit by bit.
He was afraid that eating too quickly would waste the food's flavor.
"That Li Ping'an really wasn't much of a friend. He ran off while I was drinking and didn't even pay for the wine."
Liu Manzi spoke with a hint of drunkenness.
His tone sounded like the grumbling that went on between good friends, lending his words even more credibility.
Even the few people present who had not believed him began to waver.
Hmm?
Hearing his own name, Li Ping'an raised his eyebrows slightly.
Old Ox nudged Li Ping'an. "Moo~"
He's talking about you.
Li Ping'an listened a little longer and roughly pieced together what had happened.
He smiled without saying anything more.
He simply ate while casually listening to Liu Manzi boast.
The conversation in the eatery grew increasingly lively.
Li Ping'an found it entertaining too. Hearing about himself from someone else's mouth really was a different experience.
Before he knew it, darkness had fallen.
Li Ping'an rubbed his belly. A full eight plates of fish now sat before him.
He wiped his mouth and paid.
"Waiter, do you have rooms upstairs?"
"Yes, we do."
He had eaten and drunk his