"Rong Haodong, what are you playing at?"
As Rong Haodong gave the order, a group of his subordinates quickly prepared a jar of yellow wine, a stack of paper money, and even incense and candles.
"Big Brother, is my intention not clear enough? I want to acknowledge you as my Big Brother."
Rong Haodong said, "Give me this chance to be your little brother."
Shen Lang heard this and quipped, "Rong Haodong, are you out of your mind? You're a young master, and you're intent on being someone's subordinate?"
"Heh heh... Big Brother, it's different."
Rong Haodong said, "Being someone else's subordinate is demeaning, but being the subordinate of a formidable person like you, Big Brother, is something to be proud of."
"Big Brother, please give me a chance."
Speaking of which, Rong Haodong looked at Zhou Jian and pleaded, "Young Master Zhou, aren't you Shen Shao's cousin? Why aren't you saying a good word for me at this moment?"
"Why should I put in a good word for you?"
Rong Haodong heard this and snorted coldly, "We are drinking buddies, not sworn friends. If you want me to help you, what's in it for me?"
"Zhou Jian, you scoundrel, you really are just a drinking buddy, with no sincerity at all."
Hearing Zhou Jian's words, Rong Haodong took a deep breath and cursed.
"Rong Haodong, was your brain kicked by a donkey? I already said we're drinking buddies, so why would there be any sincerity?"
Zhou Jian was clear-headed. When he played with female internet celebrities, he didn't believe in love. When he ate and drank with drinking buddies, he equally didn't believe in friendship. It was all just for show. If one took it too seriously, it would lose its fun.
Zhou Jian crossed his arms and looked on with a theatrical air, "If you want me to help you, bring me something of value?"
"Value? What value?"
Rong Haodong heard this and asked with curiosity.
"It's simple. I heard your old man has a jar of three-hundred-year-old Huadiao wine in his collection. If you promise to get me that jar of Huadiao wine, I'll plead with my brother to take you as his subordinate," Zhou Jian thought for a moment and said with a smile.
"Zhou Jian, you dog, you're trying to kill me."
Hearing Zhou Jian's words, Rong Haodong gritted his teeth and said, "My father's jar of Huadiao wine was left by a Zhuangyuan from the Qing Dynasty. My father cherishes that jar of wine more than his own life. If you're after that jar of Huadiao wine, you might as well kill me directly."
"Is it that serious? It's just a jar of wine."
Zhou Jian heard this and quipped, "As expected of someone from a merchant family, you're stingy and calculating."
Rong Haodong retorted, "It seems your family is also in business, and your father is also very stingy. He kept a mistress who bore him a daughter, and in the end, he only gave her two hundred thousand."
"You scoundrel, how dare you bring up my family's shame?"
Hearing Rong Haodong's words, Zhou Jian was instantly enraged, grabbed Rong Haodong by the collar, and was about to throw a punch.
Zhou Jian's father indeed wanted a daughter, so he kept a graduate student who bore him a daughter. However, in the end, he only gave her two hundred thousand and then severed all ties.
Zhou Jian, with his billions in assets, only gave a mere two hundred thousand. Outsiders said Zhou Jian was stingy, and Zhou Jian had been ridiculed for this matter quite a bit. However, such ridicule was usually behind his back. This was the first time someone like Rong Haodong had openly and directly mocked him to his face, so how could he not be enraged?
"Young Master Zhou, calm down. We are both people of status. How can we fight in public? It would be undignified," Rong Haodong said, looking at the furious Zhou Jian with a smile. "How about you help me, and I'll introduce Li Ruobing to you?"
"Li Ruobing is pure and beautiful, like a fairy. If you can have a taste of her, you'll never forget it in this lifetime."
"Get lost—"
After Rong Haodong finished speaking, before Zhou Jian could even curse, Shen Lang had already cursed. Li Ruobing was the hottest female star in the entertainment industry today. She was pure and beautiful, like a celestial being, and bore a striking resemblance to Wang Yuyan. Therefore, hearing Rong Haodong speak with such vulgar thoughts felt like an insult to Wang Yuyan, and Shen Lang couldn't stand it.
"Big Brother, I'm sorry, did I say something wrong?"
Seeing Shen Lang's anger, Rong Haodong was startled. However, when Rong Haodong looked at Wang Yuyan next to Shen Lang, he was shocked: "Li Ruobing, why are you here?"
"What Li Ruobing? This is my sister-in-law. Her name is Wang Yuyan," Zhou Jian said rudely. Although Zhou Jian was also shocked by how similar Wang Yuyan looked to Li Ruobing, Wang Yuyan was even colder and more beautiful than Li Ruobing, almost like a celestial maiden descending to earth.
"Ah, I'm sorry, Sister-in-law, I mistook you for someone else."
Hearing Zhou Jian's words, Rong Haodong felt completely bewildered, but he instinctively apologized.
"Alright, Rong Haodong, I know what you're thinking. Don't play so many games." Seeing Rong Haodong sincerely apologize, Shen Lang smiled and said, "You want to befriend me, and I'm happy to. However, friendship is not about those so-called sworn brother ceremonies. It's about sincerity, you understand?"
"Big Brother, I understand."
Rong Haodong heard this and smiled, "As long as I consider you my Big Brother in my heart, then whether we are sworn brothers or not, you are my Big Brother."
"Good, a promising student." Shen Lang said with satisfaction, "As long as you sincerely make friends, I will also treat you sincerely. It's all up to you, not me."
With that, Shen Lang strode towards Luo Dongyang's family and began to examine them.
"Hmm, all minor injuries, nothing serious. I'll treat you and it'll be fine." After checking their bodies, Shen Lang said with a smile, then took out the Taiyi Divine Needles and began to treat them, quickly healing their injuries.
"Shen Lang, thank you today. If it weren't for you, the consequences would have been unimaginable." After Luo Dongyang's family stood up, they were extremely grateful to Shen Lang.
"Don't be polite. We're all family. This is what I should do." Shen Lang smiled faintly at Luo Dongyang's family and said, "With what happened today, I don't think we have the appetite for a meal. You should go back first, and we'll get together another time."
"Okay, then our family will leave first." Shen Lang was right. With Xu Longxiang's little interlude, Luo Dongyang's family indeed had no mood for further dining. After bidding farewell to Shen Lang, they soon left the First Floor. However, as they left, Luo Xiaobai and her sister looked at Shen Lang with a hint of complex emotion in their eyes.
"Alas, a fated entanglement." Zhou Jian, being an experienced player in romance, understood what the Luo Xiaobai sisters were thinking from a single glance and chuckled meaningfully.
After Luo Dongyang's family left, Shen Lang and Wang Yuyan also prepared to leave. However, just as Shen Lang was about to speak, Rong Haodong interrupted, "Big Brother, don't go. We've finally reunited here. You must at least give me the opportunity to host a meal, to properly entertain you and toast you."
Rong Haodong used to wish he could kill Shen Lang on sight and dismember him. But ever since Shen Lang wreaked havoc in Yangguo, single-handedly defeated Yangguo's martial arts, and even killed Ryūgen Tamon-no-Kami, Rong Haodong's attitude towards Shen Lang transformed from hatred to respect. Yes, Rong Haodong's respect was not feigned; it was genuine admiration and reverence from the bottom of his heart.
"Husband, since he has such sincerity, then you should accompany them for a few drinks. We don't have anything urgent to go back for anyway," Wang Yuyan said to Shen Lang with a gentle smile.
"Alright, since you say so, then I'll listen to you." Shen Lang was worried that Wang Yuyan might not like it, which was why he wanted to leave quickly with her. But since Wang Yuyan didn't mind, Shen Lang naturally went with the flow.
"Someone, prepare a banquet for me. I want to properly entertain my Big Brother." Hearing Shen Lang's words, Rong Haodong was overjoyed and immediately instructed the staff of the First Floor to prepare a feast.
Just then, Tang Wan'er, who hadn't appeared for a long time, arrived at Nanling Airport.