"Hey, Brother Qiang."
"Finished up?" Zhou Qiang's voice came through the phone with a hint of laughter, with some noise in the background.
"I just got off work. Are you free right now, Brother Qiang? I'd like to treat you to dinner."
"Of course I'm free. Come straight to Hongbin Tower. I've got something to take care of here, so I'll wait for you."
Hongbin Tower? That place was too expensive.
A trace of hesitation crossed his mind. But on second thought, Zhou Qiang had treated him at Hongbin Tower before. He could consider it returning the favor.
"Okay, I'll be right there."
This was Wang Xiaoliang's third time walking into Hongbin Tower, and it seemed different from the previous two times.
He no longer felt the place was so far beyond his reach.
He called Zhou Qiang. It was still the Listening to the Waves Pavilion private room.
He pushed open the door. Zhou Qiang was already sitting inside.
It was a small private room that seated six, but he was alone, leisurely sipping tea.
"Xiaoliang, you're here. Have a seat." Zhou Qiang pointed to the seat across from him.
"Brother Qiang, have you been waiting long?" Wang Xiaoliang pulled out the chair and sat down.
"No, I just got here too." Zhou Qiang pushed the menu toward him. "See what you'd like. Don't be shy."
Wang Xiaoliang opened the beautifully made menu. Looking at the names of the dishes and the numbers after them, he felt his heart begin to race. He had no idea how to order any of this.
"Brother Qiang, you do it. I don't know what to order." He pushed the menu back.
Zhou Qiang smiled. Without looking at the menu again, he said directly to the server standing nearby, "Steamed grouper, beef short