Chapter 76

Li Qi's eyes sparkled, and he stared at Hong Tianji with a sly smile, as if the latter were a lamb waiting to be slaughtered.

Hong Tianji felt uneasy under Li Qi's naked gaze and subconsciously moved backward.

This action startled Li Qi, who then smiled and said, "Little Jiu, didn't you say you like eating the stinky tofu from Drunken Immortal Inn—oh, no, you said you like eating the stinky tofu."

"Right—right!"

Hong Tianji nodded.

Li Qi smiled and said, "Do you want to try the real skills of your big brother? Let me tell you, that stinky tofu is just a casual snack I made, it's nothing special."

Even stinky tofu is nothing special?

Hong Tianji nodded vigorously and said, "Of course I want to. Big Brother Li, what other dishes can you make?"

"There are many, too many to list in three days and three nights."

Li Qi shook his head and continued, "By the way, in three days, our Drunken Immortal Inn will be reopening. If you want to try my cooking, you must come."

Hong Tianji patted his chest and said, "Of course I'll come to support you."

This kid is really on the right track.

Li Qi smiled and suddenly said, "Little Jiu, I know you're the type who feels embarrassed to go out without carrying at least a few dozen strings of cash, but carrying so much money must be very uncomfortable, right?"

Hong Tianji shook his head and said, "I never carry money; I let my servants carry it."

You have character. I like that.

Li Qi continued, "But having a servant always around is quite inconvenient, isn't it?"

Hong Tianji thought for a moment and nodded, "Sometimes it is."

"Exactly, exactly. But you won't have to worry about that anymore."

Li Qi nodded seriously and said, "Our shop has recently introduced a membership card. It's a great thing that can solve all your problems."

"Membership card? What kind of dish is it?" Hong Tianji asked in confusion.

"Uh... the membership card isn't a dish."

Li Qi smiled awkwardly and said, "A membership card is actually a copper card. Don't underestimate it; it's a symbol of status. Once you buy our Drunken Immortal Inn's membership card, you can walk around our shop freely, and you can pay with the card directly, no need to bring a servant. Of course, that's not the main point. The key is that you can taste the dishes I make specially for you, tailored to your taste, and I guarantee you'll be hooked."

Hong Tianji's curiosity was piqued, and he nodded, "Hmm, this membership card sounds interesting. How much does it cost?"

"Talking about money hurts our friendship."

Li Qi gave him a reproachful look and continued, "Here's the thing: our shop has two types of membership cards. The regular one costs thirty strings of cash, and the gold one costs sixty strings. But since you're my buddy, the lady will definitely give you a discount. Little Jiu, to be honest, when I first saw you, I knew you were no ordinary person, either rich or noble, with a bright future. The regular membership card doesn't match your status. I think the gold membership card is tailor-made for you."

Hong Tianji frowned and exclaimed, "Wow! Sixty strings? That's too expensive."

"Not expensive at all. Not at all."

Li Qi shook his head and explained the benefits of the membership card to Hong Tianji in detail.

"Hmm, this idea is not bad."

Hong Tianji nodded thoughtfully and said, "Alright, I'll get the gold—gold membership card, but I don't have that much money on me now. I need to go back and get it."

"No rush, no rush. Big Brother trusts you."

Li Qi was overjoyed and continued, "By the way, our shop has also introduced a family package. If you bring more people to buy membership cards, you can get a five-string discount, meaning you can buy a gold membership card for fifty-five strings. You might as well bring your friends—friends to buy together, and you can save some money. Isn't that great?"

"That's a good idea." Hong Tianji nodded and smiled.

"Alright."

Li Qi immediately turned to Wu Furong and said, "Uncle Wu, remember, don't sell out the membership cards. Save a few for Little Jiu."

Wu Furong, who had been watching in amazement, nodded without thinking, "Yes, I remember." He secretly laughed, save a few? I could save dozens, since none have been sold yet.

Lady Qin and Bai Qianruo were thoroughly impressed by Li Qi's sales skills. They had seen good salespeople, but never one as skilled as him, who could seize every opportunity. In no time, he had earned sixty strings of cash, and perhaps even more.

Li Qi seemed still unsatisfied and leaned close to Wu Furong's ear, whispering, "Uncle Wu, there are so many rich people here. You should talk to them the same way I did."

Now, Li Qi was like a living insurance salesman.

"Okay, I'll do it later." Wu Furong nodded, but he was nervous. He didn't have Li Qi's silver tongue and had no idea how to approach it.

Just as Li Qi continued to persuade Hong Tianji, a discordant voice came from the opposite side, "Brother Kong Wen, I just thought of a couplet and want to ask for your advice."

It was Zou Zijian speaking.

"Oh? Brother Zijian, please share it."

"My couplet is 'Frogs in the water wear green clothes.'"

Damn! Fatso, you're clearly insulting me.

Li Qi looked down at his green shirt, a flash of anger in his eyes. He glanced at Zou Zijian and, thinking quickly, said loudly to Hong Tianji, "Little Jiu, Big Brother Li just thought of a couplet. Listen carefully. My couplet is 'Shrimps in the pot wear red robes.'"

At first, Hong Tianji didn't understand, but when he heard Li Qi's couplet, he realized what was happening and clapped his hands in approval, grinning, "And it's a fat shrimp."

Li Qi laughed heartily, "Exactly, exactly."

Bai Qianruo smiled without a word, thinking that this man really couldn't take a loss.

Zou Zijian had expected Li Qi, a mere cook, to be unable to match his couplet and to be on the defensive. He was both astonished and furious when Li Qi not only matched the couplet but also retaliated. Seeing Li Qi sitting in the corner, he coldly snorted, "Straw on the wall, heavy head, light feet, shallow roots."

Hey, you're not done yet?

Li Qi frowned. Although he was good at couplets, he only played occasionally, unlike Zou Zijian, who spent his days composing them. He had managed to match the couplet just now by a stroke of luck. In terms of skill, he was still inferior to Zou Zijian and needed to think carefully.

Just as Li Qi was thinking of a response, he heard Lady Qin say, "Bamboo in the mountains, sharp mouth, thick skin, hollow inside."

"Good! Lady, your literary talent is excellent. 'Bamboo in the mountains, sharp mouth, thick skin, hollow inside.'"

Li Qi was momentarily stunned but quickly reacted, clapping loudly to ensure Zou Zijian heard. This was so satisfying.

Bai Qianruo also thought it was brilliant and teased, "I didn't expect Sister Wang to still have such charm even after marriage."

Lady Qin blushed and glanced at Li Qi, "We are businessmen, don't offend everyone."

"You're right, you're right." Li Qi nodded and smiled, clearly taking advantage of the situation.

Seeing Lady Qin's support and Bai Qianruo sitting nearby, Zou Zijian dared not show off anymore, but his fat face looked as if he had eaten something foul.

Hong Tianji found their exchange interesting and said regretfully, "If I had known couplets were so fun, I wouldn't have put a centipede in my teacher's bowl back then."

Centipede? Oh my god.

Li Qi immediately kept his distance from him.

The others also looked at Hong Tianji with a mix of surprise and concern.

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Thank you to hu123zhanshi, Jueyun Bingbing, Xin Sen Miao Yan Yao Lei, Jing Bi, VIP7, Chen Yu, and Wu Ge 182 for your support.

{Piaotian Literature}