Wu Tiejiang said solemnly, "Isn't it just a little Dark Demon Silver? A coating will do the job. It wasn't that you didn't hear clearly; I didn't explain clearly... It really was my mistake! You must tell your wife not to worry, not to worry in the slightest!"
"Good, good."
Zuo Changlu nodded and said apologetically, "Am I making too much trouble for you? Asking a bit too much, haha..."
"No! No trouble at all!"
"It's only right!"
Wu Tiejiang wore an honest, guileless expression. "Brother, it's getting late. Do you think..."
"Mm, I'll head home now."
Zuo Changlu said helplessly, "I wanted to invite you out for a drink, but you simply wouldn't go. Ah, you've been working hard, too. Look, I brought you a bottle of erguotou. I remember it's your favorite-Hundred-Year Niuer! Just look at the bottle. Positively brimming with imperial grandeur."
Zuo Changlu produced a bottle and handed it over. "Brother, don't stand on ceremony. Take it and drink your fill. I've got more when you're done."
"Oh, such fine liquor..."
Wu Tiejiang's broad, bronze-cast face was trembling.
He forced himself to look pleasantly surprised. "How could I possibly accept..."
"It's fine. We're brothers-why stand on ceremony? Drink all you like. I can't promise anything else, but I've got fine liquor in unlimited supply!"
Zuo Changlu laughed, thought it over, and, finding nothing else he had overlooked, finally turned to leave.
Before leaving, he even gave Wu Tiejiang an affectionate pat on the shoulder. "Brother, thanks for all your hard work!"
Wu Tiejiang went into the smithy.
With a sigh, he set the erguotou on the table, examined it carefully, then unscrewed the cap and sniffed it. He couldn't help going mad.
"My dear brother! It really is ordinary erguotou!"
"What a loss... If anyone found