Chapter 65: The Gathering Part 2

The complete opposite of Tao Zhi.

Last year, Tao Zhi had to follow Fu Zheng around like a lackey, always at the young master’s side, so he never attended gatherings, only activities. They perfectly missed each other.

Last week at the orphanage volunteer work, the Club President had mentioned him, so Tao Zhi had some impression.

“Hello, Senior.” Tao Zhi stood and greeted him.

“Hello.” The guy smiled, in a good mood.

Tao Zhi’s politeness was misinterpreted as deference, pleasing him, so he sat down smoothly.

Quite sensible, this newbie.

Once seated, he saw the sparkling water in Tao Zhi’s hand and raised a brow. “Why are you drinking sparkling water?”

“Huh?” Tao Zhi looked down at his cup.

What was wrong with sparkling water?

He’d been drinking it all evening.

Tao Zhi had poor tolerance and worried about causing trouble if he got drunk, so he’d avoided alcohol entirely. Someone had asked about beer at dinner, but he refused, and they dropped it.

Now…

His sparkling water was snatched away and replaced with canned beer. Tao Zhi looked bewildered. “Senior…”

“What are you doing?” The Club President frowned. “He can’t drink. Why force him?”

“Who’s forcing? It’s just one beer. Who gets drunk on beer?”

“No one gets drunk on beer, right?”

The Club President: “?”

She thought about it.

Well, technically…

“Sorry, I really do get drunk on beer.” Tao Zhi admitted truthfully, a bit embarrassed. “Senior, sparkling water is fine for me.”

“Don’t joke.” The guy didn’t believe him.

He’d just praised the newbie, and now he wasn’t giving the senior face.

Dissatisfied, he pulled the tab on the beer while talking, asserting his authority. “We’re out for fun—drink a bit to liven things up. Don’t be a buzzkill on purpose.”

“Senior, I’m not trying to be a buzzkill.” Tao Zhi was troubled.

His tolerance was truly bad. The only alcohol he’d drunk without getting tipsy was that fruit wine at Wei Yu Club. Everything else—beer, red wine—got him buzzed.

Especially red wine—

Tao Zhi suppressed the rising thoughts and waved it off. “Sorry.”

“Not giving the senior face?” The guy’s tone darkened.

“Enough. If he doesn’t want to, he doesn’t. Who says you must drink?” The Club President rolled her eyes and snatched the beer from the guy’s hand.

The guy thought she was drinking and was about to praise her boldness when she shoved it back into his left hand. “I’m your senior too. If I tell you to finish this can, will you?”

“If you tell me to drink, of course I will.” The guy really chugged it down.

“Wow.” Nearby people noticed and started cheering. “What’s going on? Chugging like that.”

“Junior, your turn.” The guy set down the empty can and nodded at Tao Zhi.

Uh.

Tao Zhi opened his mouth.

He didn’t want to drink. He’d really get drunk and embarrass himself babbling nonsense.

He was stuck. “Senior, I…”

Just as he spoke, the room door opened. Several male waiters entered, drawing everyone’s attention.

Tao Zhi looked over too.

“Whoa, who ordered so much booze? All imports too.”

“Big spender. Does our club budget cover this?”

“Ah?!” The Club President shot up, panicked.

It didn’t!

The club had no such funds!

“Sorry, wrong room?” She hurried forward to block them. “We only ordered a few pitchers of beer. This isn’t ours.”

“No mistake.” The waiter smiled slightly and placed all the drinks on the table.

The Club President glanced at the bottles: red wine, champagne, whiskey, Hennessy—everything.

Beer too, but not their cheap brand; it was King of Clowns!

Her scalp tingled. “We really didn’t order…”

“Mr. Fu did.” The waiter said.

“Mr. Fu” left everyone baffled, but Tao Zhi’s head snapped up, instinctively scanning the waiters.

No Fu Si Heng.

“Mr. Fu said these drinks are a gift to everyone, thanking you for taking care of his younger brother usually. He hopes you all have fun tonight. Also, his brother has poor tolerance, so please go easy—don’t force drinks on him, let him go home happy.”

As he finished, the last waiter approached with a tray.

A beautifully colored drink sat on it. He placed it before Tao Zhi. “Mr. Fu said this fruit wine is very low-proof. You won’t get drunk—only this one glass.”

?

What.

Tao Zhi didn’t react.

Everyone’s eyes turned to him.

Huh?

Huh??

Tao Zhi was even more confused.

The waiters left after delivering. The room fell eerily silent for seconds before erupting. Tao Zhi became the center of attention.

“Tao Zhi! You have a brother? Wait, how’s he surnamed Fu?”

“Cousin maybe?”

“No way, never heard…”

Tao Zhi’s poor family was known to anyone familiar with him, hence the part-times and following Fu Zheng.

This big spender didn’t fit.

Wait.

Mr. Fu? Fu Zheng?

It clicked for the Club President. Her eyes lit up post-shock, nudging Tao Zhi. “This Mr. Fu—is it Fu Zheng?”

“Uh…” Tao Zhi had been equally stunned. Hearing her, his eyes shifted, and he instinctively denied. “Not Fu Zheng…”

It’d been ages since he heard Fu Zheng’s name. Tao Zhi zoned out briefly.

He’d asked Fu Si Heng about Fu Zheng before.