Chapter 17 (1/2)

Chapter 17

Yiwu Business Center was near Jiangling University Town. There were internet cafes, pool rooms, restaurants, cafes, and rows of hotels. It was the one-stop center for university students, especially since everything was affordable.

Chen Hansheng and his group did not take the car. They walked the entire way and stopped by a food stall. A waiter came over quickly to inform them that their beer was on sale. “Do you want to try it?”

The boys in the class all looked at Chen Hansheng. After all, he was the leader. Chen Hansheng then looked at Guo Zhongyun. He was the real boss among them.

Guo Zhongyun shook his head. “The Kung Pao chicken here isn’t very good. It gave me stomach flu the last time I ate it. Let’s go somewhere else.”

Chen Hansheng laughed internally. Professor Guo had been teaching at the university for years. If anyone could give reliable reviews for anything in this area, it would be him.

In the end, the boys followed Professor Guo to another place and the twenty-seven boys sat at three tables. A woman who seemed to be the owner of the place walked over. “Professor Guo, are these your new students?”

Guo Zhongyun nodded and then ordered with familiarity. “Give me the usuals. Please watch the prep hygiene.”

“Don’t worry, Professor Guo. What kind of wine would you like to drink?”

He had acted strictly when he didn’t permit them to drink earlier. But how could he refuse it while surrounded by so many boys? Just as he was hesitating, Chen Hansheng cut in. “A case of beer for each table. If you need extra time to prep them, serve us some peanuts first, please.”

Since Chen Hansheng had stepped in and smoothened things out for him, Professor Guo was able to save himself from embarrassment. He agreed with Hansheng and nodded. “A case for each table, nothing more.”

Not all the boys wanted to drink. They just wanted to get a chance to know their professor and ‘class president’. But since the professor had agreed with Hansheng, there was nothing they could say.

At first, things were a little awkward. However, once the beer and hot dishes had been served, the atmosphere immediately changed.

There weren’t many things that guys in university could compete with, at least not this batch of students. Their family conditions were similar, and so were their facial features and the rate at which they changed girlfriends. The only thing they had left to compare was their alcohol tolerance.

In fact, alcohol tolerance was an important measure of a boy’s status in the dormitory. Many would start drinking ridiculous amounts just to build their tolerance and make a point.

The professor, Guo Zhongyun, had a good alcohol tolerance. He also believed that drinking depended on one’s character. As he ate, he waited for his students to toast while paying attention to each of them.

He quickly observed that some should never be allowed to drink. Li Zhennan, for example, was obviously a good student but he was already crying and homesick after drinking two glasses of beer.

Some others could drink a little more but turned mischievous. For example, Jin Yangming had already drunk half a kilo of beer but acted as if he had only drunk a third. Anyone who drank with him would either try to drink as much or pour some away secretly.

And then, there were those who could hold their alcohol. Yang Shichao, Guo Shaoqiang, and Chen Hansheng all had drunk at least one and a half kilos of beer.

However, there was still a difference among those who could drink.

Yang Shichao and Guo Shaoqiang took advantage of their high tolerance and targeted those who didn’t to drink with them. If the other person vomited or passed out, the duo would shout happily.

The duo would guilt-trip others with the words, ‘You don’t want to drink with me? Are you looking down on me?’, to make others unable to refuse them. Even Jin Yangming and Li Zhennan, who were their roommates, were not left out.

Chen Hansheng, on the other hand, would only drink with others who were willing, regardless of whether they could hold their drinks or not. For those who refused, Hansheng would still happily drink tea with them.

He started to target Yang Shichao who had good alcohol tolerance and liked to cause trouble.

“Shichao, what the f*ck is going on with you? Didn’t you say that we would get drunk together? Why are you already so wasted without me”

When Chen Hansheng raised his sixth glass of wine in a row, Yang Shichao couldn’t hold it in any longer. His tongue began to twist. “You dog, you b*stard Chen Hansheng. I…I know what you’re doing. You’re making me drunk on purpose.”

Then, Yang Shichao passed out on the table with a bang.

After knocking one down, Chen Hansheng turned to Guo Shaoqiang. “Shaoqiang, come here. Let’s talk about life’s ideals.”

Guo Shaoqiang was flustered. He had seen how sober Hansheng still was despite already drinking a few times with some of the other boys. He could hold his drink without spilling any and his tongue had not rolled yet.

Guo Shaoqiang immediately admitted defeat and said, “Hansheng, let’s save that conversation for another time, alright? If we get too drunk now, who’s going to watch out for our classmates?”