Chapter - 87 Fighting Contest to Find a Suitor (4) (2/2)

The boy shook his head.

”Then we'll let it warmed up…”

”No,” the boy said, ”what is warmed up isn't good anymore…”

He called the waiter, ordered him to throw all away and prepare new dishes with fresh ingredients. The manager, cooks and waiters found this attitude quite strange, but they did it readily. The Mongols had a habit of showing extreme hospitability to their guests, and besides, it's the first time of his life Guo Jing handled money, he didn't knew its value at all. But even if he did know, he got along so well with the boy, he felt such a pleasure in the boy's company, he would have spent ten times as much without batting an eye.

The new dishes were served, the boy ate some mouthful and had enough. ”You are really an idiot”, the waiter inwardly said to Guo Jing, ”This little urchin has taken advantage of you.”

He brought the check, which amounted to nineteen taels, seventy-four conderins. Guo Jing took a gold ingot, ordered the waiter to change against taels at the money changer, and paid.

When they left the restaurant, the northwind blew violently. The young boy seemed to feel cold. He shivered and said, ”I've disturbed you … Now, goodbye.”

Seeing the boy dressed not warm enough, Guo Jing felt his heart tightening. He removed his black sable coat and covered the shoulders of the boy:

”Brother,” he said, ”I got the impression we've known each other forever. Please accept this coat.”

He had four gold ingots left, he took two ingots, slipped them into the coat's pocket. Without even thanking, the boy, wearing the sable coat, stepped along heavily.

After walking about ten steps, he turned and saw Guo Jing, holding his horse by its bridle, fixedly looking at him. He understood Guo Jing did not want to separate like that, then he made a gesture with his hand. Guo Jing approached him eagerly and required, ”Does worthy brother still need something?”

”I haven't yet asked for the name of my big brother,” said the boy smiling.

”Indeed,” Guo Jing said laughing, ”we forgot about that. My name is Guo and Jing is my first name. And you, brother?”

”My name is Huang and my first name is Rong.”

”Where are you bound for?” asked Guo Jing. ”If you want to go towards the South, we could travel together, what do you think?”

”I do not go towards the South,” Huang Rong said, shaking his head. Then he said suddenly, ”Big brother, I'm still hungry…”

”Very well,” Guo Jing ardently said. ”Let us eat something together.”

This time, Huang Rong brought him to the House of Eternal Celebration, the principal restaurant of Kalgan, which decoration accurately imitated the great establishments of the ancient capital of Song, Bianliang. He did not order a feast anymore, but asked only four plates of fine pastry, a pot of longjin tea (famous green tea of the province Zhejiang), and both continued their rambling conversation.