Chapter 21 of 100

Chapter 21

15 min read3,841 words

This day was rather quiet. Although Luo Tai could see the distant teaching building through the window, he felt that it was not in the same world as him. There, sitting were diligent students, the future medical experts. Their lives were not on the same track as his.

"For the continuation of that pale love, for the beauty that was gained and then lost..." At this moment, the ringtone of the mobile phone in Luo Tai's pocket sounded. This made him shudder, as he had not heard the sound of modern communication tools for a month.

He came to his senses, took out his phone, and saw a very familiar phone number on the display — Sun Fatso.

Sun Fatso's real name was Sun Ji-tuo. He graduated from the same technical school and the same class as Luo Tai. He was also an electrician, but he worked in a factory. He had been Luo Tai's friend for nearly ten years and was Luo Tai's only close friend.

Luo Tai couldn't quite figure out why he and Sun Fatso became friends, as their personalities were very different. Sun Fatso was an outgoing and humorous person, and logically, he and Luo Tai, who was a quiet person, wouldn't get along. However, they became close friends.

If there had to be a reason, it was indeed a matter of personality. In Sun Fatso's eyes, Luo Tai was the best listener. When they chatted, it was often Sun Fatso who talked animatedly while Luo Tai listened quietly. Occasionally, Luo Tai would say a word or two, which would hit the right spot in Sun Fatso's conversation, making it even more interesting. Over time, Sun Fatso began to regard Luo Tai as his best friend.

Luo Tai's silence and his limited social circle made Sun Fatso willing to share his inner thoughts with him. Conversely, Luo Tai also enjoyed listening to Sun Fatso's stories, which was the best way for him to learn about various interesting anecdotes. Although Luo Tai knew that 80% of what Sun Fatso said was exaggeration or fantasy.

However, these harmless exaggerations were nothing. For example, when they were in technical school, Sun Fatso said that his grandmother's sister's cousin's uncle was related to a founding hero. He claimed that he had already contacted the hero's family, and his fate was about to change.

Years had passed, and Sun Fatso had only gained a dozen pounds, with nothing else changing... However, Luo Tai never mocked Sun Fatso about these things. Luo Tai believed that sometimes people needed a non-existent "backing," which could be wealth, a background, or a woman. These "backings" often concealed people's inner vulnerabilities.

You could call this "backing" a daydream or a hope!!

People live because of hope, even if that hope is very slim.

"Hey, Fatso, what's up?" Luo Tai answered the phone.

"Are you off work yet?" came the voice of Fatso from the other end.

"Almost... I'll be done in half an hour," Luo Tai subconsciously glanced at the clock in the duty room and continued.

"Great, let's go to the restaurant near your house tonight. I want to have a drink with you. I have some good news to tell you," Fatso said.

"Good news my ass, you just want a free meal from me," Luo Tai said with a smile.

"Hey, I'm serious. My girlfriend is coming. What do you think? Isn't that good news? Alright, see you at the restaurant after work," Fatso said.

"Wait, don't hang up yet," Luo Tai hurriedly said, "When did you get a girlfriend? What do you mean 'coming'? Looks like she's from out of town? You're quite the guy..."

"Hehe, don't ask yet, I'll tell you when we meet. Oh, and when you get to the restaurant, order the stir-fried garlic sprouts with meat. That dish is really good there," Sun Fatso said.

"You're just making up excuses to get a free meal from me," Luo Tai shook his head and hung up the phone.

Half an hour later, Luo Tai finished work. He changed into his work clothes and left the campus. On his way home, he went to an ATM on the street and checked the bank card given by the "god." There was indeed 100,000 yuan in it. Luo Tai took out the card in amazement and muttered to himself: "Amazing, this is my salary for four years without eating or drinking!"

He didn't withdraw any money but put the card away and continued on his way home. He was thinking about what he could do with 100,000 yuan. He couldn't start a business, as the amount was insufficient. Buy a car? Hmm... that would be a bit extravagant, and he didn't even have a driver's license. After much thought, he realized that in this era of currency devaluation, he could do nothing but spend the money gradually.

Thus, he arrived at the restaurant he had agreed to meet Sun Fatso at. This small restaurant was at the entrance of the village where he lived. It wasn't big, just a place for home-style dishes. However, it was where he and Sun Fatso often had meals.

It was here that Sun Fatso would pontificate and wax eloquent, and Luo Tai would foot the bill. Sun Fatso always said, "At your place, you pay; at my place, I pay."

It sounded reasonable, but they had never had a meal at his place...

Luo Tai went inside, found a table near the corner, and ordered a few small dishes. Of course, the main dish was the stir-fried garlic sprouts with meat. He also ordered a bottle of Erguotou, their go-to drink for get-togethers.

Not long after, Sun Fatso arrived. He was wearing a blue long-sleeved shirt and black pants. His short hair made his head look more round and solid. His eyes were small, so they became slits when he smiled.

Sun Fatso was not much shorter than Luo Tai, so he looked quite sturdy. To be honest, if he dressed well and carried a nice briefcase, he could pass for a successful businessman.

"Phew~~~" Sun Fatso plopped down across from Luo Tai and said, "The traffic in Jibei City is really a mess. The rush hour is so congested, it's almost as bad as Beijing."

Luo Tai looked out the window and said, "Really? You got stuck in traffic on your bike?"

"Even on a bike, it's congested. Crossing a street, at least ten thousand bikes, it's like a floodgate opening. In the future, I'll learn from you and run to work," he said, loosening his collar button.

Luo Tai smiled and said, "I've already ordered the dishes you like: shredded potatoes, peanuts, and this..." He pointed to the stir-fried garlic sprouts with meat.

"Thanks a lot," Sun Fatso gave Luo Tai a thumbs up and continued, "Not bad for a seven-kilometer ride."

"Alright, a 200-pound guy riding seven kilometers... How moved will the restaurant owner be for this dish?" Luo Tai said.

"Hehe." Sun Fatso laughed, opened the bottle of Erguotou, poured some for Luo Tai and himself, and raised his glass, "Let's have a drink first. It's been a while since we had a drink."

Luo Tai raised his glass, thinking... Yes, it has been a month for me, but... He said, "Didn't we drink three days ago?"

"Zzz..." Sun Fatso took a sip of the wine, picked up his chopsticks, and put a piece of meat in his mouth. While chewing, he said, "A day without seeing you feels like three autumns."

"Your damn, that's for couples," Luo Tai rolled his eyes and said, "Tell me your news, what's with the girlfriend?"

"Hehe." Sun Fatso put down his chopsticks, looked around mysteriously, and then took out a photo from his pocket, handing it to Luo Tai, "Take a look at this, how does it look?"

Luo Tai took the photo, squinted, and saw Sun Fatso standing side by side with a woman, with a ceremony square in the background.

The woman looked like a celestial being, and Luo Tai's eyes lit up. He looked at the photo and then at the smiling Sun Fatso. He said to Sun Fatso, "This woman... Isn't this Liu Yifei? A movie star... Yes, it's Liu Yifei! She's the 'Immortal Sister'... This..."

Luo Tai wasn't wrong. The woman in the photo was wearing a white evening gown, smiling charmingly. She was indeed the dream goddess of countless otakus, the mainland star Liu Yifei. She was the Little Dragon Maiden in "The Return of the Condor Heroes" and the "Immortal Sister" in "Demons and Gods."

"Hehe, my girlfriend," Sun Fatso said with a smile.

"This is Liu Yifei!" Luo Tai shook his head and said.

"What? Can't Liu Yifei be my girlfriend?" Sun Fatso picked up his chopsticks and picked up a peanut.

Luo Tai looked at Sun Fatso as if he were a monster and said, "You must be out of your mind from too much masturbation."

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