Chapter Fifty-Six: Drawing Near with Billions

“The person I was waiting for has arrived. Want to come meet him together?” Having just shared someone’s ice cream, Ye Yan felt it would be rude to leave Zhang Chulan here alone.

“Sure,” Zhang Chulan replied without hesitation.

He was genuinely curious about Ye Yan’s friends. After all, in his mind, Ye Yan was already marked as a big shot, and if that was the case, how bad could his friends be?

“Let’s go then,” Ye Yan said simply, and started walking toward the mountain gate. Not far away, a young man dressed in a dark blue Daoist robe, carrying a hiking backpack and wearing a baseball cap, was approaching at a steady pace.

There weren’t many people at the mountain gate at this moment.

At a glance, Zhang Chulan noticed him immediately. Judging by the man’s steps as he drew closer, he figured this must be Ye Yan’s friend.

So, this is what a big shot’s friend looks like?

A glimmer of curiosity flashed in Zhang Chulan’s eyes.

He couldn’t sense any energy from the man. He looked like just another regular Daoist priest—nothing about him seemed to match up with Ye Yan’s aura. Zhang Chulan was puzzled.

As Zhang Chulan was mulling this over, the two sides had already come face to face at the mountain gate.

Ye Yan looked at Wang Ye, who was leaning on a hiking stick, his face pale and weary from travel, and quipped, “Hey, President Ye, you told me you’d reached the foot of the mountain twenty minutes ago. I’ve been sitting here for twenty minutes—smoked nearly half a pack—and didn’t even catch a glimpse of you. Is it the latest trend to take a donkey cart up the mountain now?”

“Don’t mention it,” Wang Ye sighed, his face full of woe. “I helped out some poor folks on the way, then turned around and realized I’d lost my wallet. I didn’t even have enough for a ticket. If it weren’t for this Daoist robe, I probably wouldn’t have made it past the gate at all.”

Ye Yan opened his mouth as if to say something, but hesitated. “Brother, just how long have you been holding back up there on the mountain? It’s just a short distance to the Luotian Grand Ceremony and you managed to help the poor along the way?”

“I was holding back up there… No, wait, what are you thinking? I was helping the needy for real, not whatever dirty thing you’ve got swirling in your head.”

Ye Yan’s smile was full of mischief as he shot Wang Ye a knowing look. “Hey, I never said you weren’t being upright. But look, you just admitted it yourself.”

“Give me a break!” Wang Ye rolled his eyes and made a rude gesture at Ye Yan.

Their banter wasn’t especially deep, nor was it particularly concealed; even Zhang Chulan, who was still young and naïve, got the joke instantly and couldn’t help but feel tears well up in his eyes.

Listen to these guys—do they even speak human language?

These days, even monks and Daoist priests go out to help the poor, yet he, a college student, is still single and has never even dated.

Big shot’s friend, huh?

I’m still clinging to my kind-hearted aunt.

Chastity mark? Who’s guarding what, exactly?

Zhang Chulan was filled with regret. He really shouldn’t have come along… For what? To humiliate himself?

Standing directly opposite, Wang Ye immediately noticed Zhang Chulan’s tears and pointed at him in confusion. “Ye Yan, what’s up with your friend? Why’s he crying?”

“Crying?” Ye Yan was stunned. He turned and saw Zhang Chulan hastily turning away to wipe his eyes. In puzzlement, he asked, “Are you… feeling unwell?”

“It’s nothing, really.” Zhang Chulan stubbornly wiped away his tears and forced a smile. “It’s just the wind at the mountaintop. I’ve had this problem for years… my eyes water in the wind. It’ll pass soon, don’t worry about me.”

Wind?

Is there any wind?

He certainly didn’t feel a breeze. It was broad daylight, and he doubted his senses had grown so dull as to miss even that.

Still, since Zhang Chulan had said as much, Ye Yan decided not to press him further.

You don’t say, I won’t ask.

Such is the tacit understanding of adults.

Since Ye Yan let it go, Wang Ye naturally took it even more lightly, acting as if nothing had happened.

“All right then.” Wang Ye tossed his hiking stick aside and plopped himself down at the mountain gate, not caring at all about the looks from passersby.

He glanced at Ye Yan, rubbing his dark-circled face with a sigh. “Either of you got anything to eat? If you do, hand it over. I haven’t had a proper meal in nearly two days—I really can’t hold out anymore.”

“There’s a restaurant just ahead. Why don’t we go in and get you something?” Ye Yan suggested, glancing around.

After all, they weren’t here as tourists—who would think to bring food along?

“Ice cream, maybe…” Having finally recovered from his sadness, Zhang Chulan pulled two ice creams from a convenience bag.

“Yes!” Wang Ye reached out eagerly, but Ye Yan cut in, “Eating ice cream on an empty stomach isn’t good for you. The restaurant’s just a few steps away—let’s get you some porridge first to line your stomach.”

Seeing the ice cream he was about to receive slipping away, Wang Ye put on a pitiful face. “Come on, I’m not that delicate. My body can take it.”

Ye Yan ignored him, stepped forward, and practically dragged Wang Ye toward the restaurant.

…

San Bowls Inn.

Inside a private room.

Wang Ye, with a bowl of hot porridge in one hand and a large chicken leg in the other, stuffed his face greedily, oil splattering everywhere—hardly the image of an ascetic priest.

Ye Yan and Zhang Chulan, meanwhile, made no move to eat, just sat quietly by.

He must have been truly starving. The food was mediocre at best and ridiculously overpriced, yet Wang Ye devoured it all as if it were a feast, barely pausing for breath.

A few minutes later, after downing the last mouthful of porridge, Wang Ye patted his stomach and burped contentedly. “Finally full.”

“Had enough?” Ye Yan asked.

Wang Ye nodded.

Looking at Wang Ye slouched in his chair, Ye Yan shook his head and asked, “So why did you suddenly decide to come to the Luotian Grand Ceremony? There was no sign at all.”

Ye Yan hadn’t known in advance that Wang Ye would attend. He didn’t hear from him until he’d already reached the foot of Dragon-Tiger Mountain.

It was all quite abrupt.

And so, he’d been waiting on the mountain ever since.

Hearing Ye Yan’s question, Wang Ye rolled his eyes as he picked his teeth with a toothpick. “If someone as shameless as you can come here to bully kids, why can’t I, a proper descendant of Wudang, show up as well?”

“Besides, you didn’t give any warning either. If I hadn’t seen your post about the tickets at the gate, who would’ve known you were coming?”

Ye Yan was left speechless, mouth opening and closing. “I was forced into it…”

“Yeah, right.” Wang Ye snorted. “Anyway, we’re all here now—no point in talking about that. How about you introduce your friend?”

His gaze landed on Zhang Chulan.

Ye Yan gestured toward Zhang Chulan. “This is Zhang Chulan, an employee at the company’s North China branch. He’s also here to participate in the Luotian Grand Ceremony.”

Then, introducing Wang Ye, he continued, “And this is Wang Ye, Taoist priest from Wudang Mountain. As for his skills—well, they’re so-so. But as a person, he’s… exceedingly wealthy, and enjoys getting close to people with billions…”