2022-11-13 03:18:02"Brother waiter, can I have a bottle of Meadow Spring wine as usual, please?" Chen Tu made his order at the same waiter that attended to his needs over the past few days.
"Right away, dear customer. Give me a minute." the waiter nodded and went to the kitchen. He appeared to be slightly surprised by Chen Tu's four continuous visits. And each time, it's for a single bottle of Meadow Spring Wine.
(This is his fourth day here. Could it be that he was addicted to drinking? He was not more than ten years old, for heaven's sake...)
Naturally, the waiter wouldn't speak his mind out loud. And as long it's within his mind, he can say whatever he likes. Furthermore, he doesn't even have a kinship with Chen Tu, so what's the point of worrying on his behalf?
A bottle of Meadow Spring Wine was brought out from the kitchen.
After paying the waiter five Contribution Tokens, Chen Tu took the bottle and left.
Chen Tu had been thinking over the night. Today, he would greet the elder first without bringing out the wine. If the elder decided to be difficult, he would use it for fishing for some treasure from the elder.
Unfortunately, planning will always be a step behind variables.
"Junior Chen Tu greets the elder. I wonder if the elder found anything useful for this junior after a night?" Chen Tu greeted the elder as usual while looking at the elder on the tree.
"Oh... You're here? Did you not bring any wine over today?" the elder uninterestedly replied to Chen Tu. His eyes were busy searching for the bottle of Meadow Spring Wine. When he failed to see the bottle in Chen Tu's hand, the elder's expression turned sour.
"Is there no wine?" the elder asked again.
"There's wine, of course. It's in this junior's hand." Chen Tu knew that the elder wouldn't behave if he weren't given what he wanted. Hence, he took the bottle from a sack and gave it to the elder.
"What's the point of hiding this in the first place? You should just take this out instead of playing tricks with this senior," the elder quickly snatched the bottle from Chen Tu's hand. Without saying anything else, the elder flipped the cork away and poured a mouthful into his throat.
The burning intensity from the wine didn't seem to be affecting the elder as he savored the lingering flavor in his mouth.
"Not bad at all. Looks like this brat is getting much better at delivering wine." the elder's expression was friendlier now. He appeared extremely satisfied with the wine but had no indication of doing anything else.
For example, taking out what he had promised Chen Tu yesterday.
"Did the elder find anything to help this junior learn how to write and read?" Chen Tu asked. He would be a fool if he remained compliant and passive about this.
"What treasure did this senior promise you? Was there a written proof that I owe you something?" the elder suddenly challenged Chen Tu's word. It appeared that he had been preparing to renegade his words from yesterday.
From the start, this elder had no intention of taking or looking for a way to help Chen Tu. He merely entertained him in exchange for a few bottles of wine. If Chen Tu was smarter, wouldn't he have noticed this early on and not now?
"This... Is blasphemous!" Chen Tu was made speechless.
Naturally, there's no written proof between them. And even if there was, does Chen Tu know how to write and read them out? He's illiterate from the beginning, meaning he couldn't even write his own name or prepare a promise letter.
"Elder, you're obviously taking advantage of this junior!" Chen Tu couldn't help but voice out his dissatisfaction.
Over the four days, he had been delivering wine earnestly just to obtain the elder's approval. But in return, this senior tried to renegade his own words and acted like nothing happened?
"So what if I am indeed taking advantage of you? Who would people choose to believe, between you and a senior like me?" the elder said.
"Remember. It wasn't I who approached you first, but you did. Did I came to you and ask for the wine, or its you who deliver them to me?" the elder added. He sounded like he was on the side of morality.
"You can't simply blame this senior for drinking a few bottles of wine from you. I might be a drunkard, but I still have my own limitation. It would be difficult to bribe me with some wine, junior." the elder continued.
For a split second, his face appeared thicker than a clay wall. Perhaps even a Spiritual Fire Bull would have difficulty bringing it down.
"You!!!" Chen Tu tightened his fist from anger. As someone with low social status from birth and illiterate, what kind of words could he use to refute the senior?
He was made fun of. He was completely taken as a fool without knowing what to say. Even five years' worth of social knowledge from following Chen Zigang couldn't help Chen Tu in this situation.
"Angry? Come and punch this senior. I won't retaliate. Just take it as the payment for the four bottles of wine." the elder continued and descended from the tree. He then moved his face closer to Chen Tu and even pulled the latter's fist close to his face.
"Punch me." the elder said.
Chen Tu's mind was clouded with all kinds of choices. But he eventually won the battle against all negative thoughts and pulled his fist away from the elder's face.
**Hoo...**
Chen Tu took a few deep breaths to calm his restless heart. He had no idea that the elder secretly smiled after seeing the extent of self-control Chen Tu had.
"Junior will treat this as a lesson on my lack of understanding about people's hearts. And since elder wasn't intended in helping junior in the first place, please take care." Chen Tu paid his final respect to the elder before leaving.
He had accepted the fact he was fooled and was taught a lesson like what Qin Lei told him yesterday. Furthermore, this experience made him a better person and someone who understands more about appreciating each opportunity.
"Hold it right there." the elder said.
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