Chapter 96: Meeting Beiming Xue for the First Time (2/2)
“Oh nothing, just making small talk.”
Beiming Xue giggled at my reply. “Why didn’t you ask me if I have a boyfriend, boss?”
I spread my arms. “That doesn’t matter, Bloody Mercenaries don’t discriminate between girls and women. Also, I’m not Du Thirteen. I would never ask something like that.”
“Mu…”
Beiming Xue pursed her lips and made a noise to show her displeasure.
It was at this moment Du Thirteen walked over with a bag of ice creams and asked, “So, do you have a boyfriend, Lil Beiming?”
The only girl in our workshop froze like a statue. Some time later, she whispered to me, “Boss, you really are his brother…”
I snickered. Du Thirteen and I knew each other since the day we wore open-crotch pants. I could guess the exact number of hair he has on his body, to say nothing of his behavior.
A while later, a huge man with a curly beard all over his face appeared at Suzhou railway station. He had a lazy and harmless smile on his face. It was none other than Yamete, the healer we were all waiting for!
His real name was Ma Dai. It was a very courageous name.
“Welcome to Suzhou, Mamate!”
I walked up to him, extended my hand and introduced myself. “My name is Lu Chen, and my ID in Heavenblessed is Broken Halberd Sinks Into Sand. In Bloody Mercenaries, I am the Chief of Rooms, Head of Trash Management, and Assistant Head of the Sub-District. You may address me as Head Lu from here on.”
Yamete laughed loudly and shook my hand. “Please take good care of me, Head Lu. I’m a 25-year-old shut-in, and this is the first time I’ve ever traveled this far to live in a city. I’m sure I’ll be troubling you lots from here on.”
I gave him a nod. “Don’t mention it. We are brothers, aren’t we?”
It was at this moment a smiling Beiming Xue walked up to us and asked, “Mamate, are you really only 25 years old? You look old enough to be Lu Chen’s uncle even though he’s only a year younger than you.”
“Uncle…”
Yamete’s face twitched once before he forced out a smile. “You’re Beiming Xue, right? Here’s a sweet from your uncle. Be a good girl, will you?”
His smile was so vulgar that Beiming Xue actually took a few steps back. She nervously clung to my arm and said, “Boss…”
I consoled her. “It’s a joke, all members of Bloody Mercenaries are upstanding gentlemen. Alright, we’ve dilly-dallied long enough. Let’s head back and get you both settled in first. Once the rooms are assigned and the luggages are in place, we’ll go for dinner and celebrate your arrival. No one is allowed to go home without getting drunk tonight!”
“Alright!”
……
I relaxed when we finally arrived at the workshop and set down Beiming Xue’s luggage. I was sweating like a dog, to be honest. The amount of stuff a girl could bring with her on her travels was unreal.
Yamete exclaimed in pleasant surprise when he walked into the workshop, “Wow, it’s so vast!”
I nodded. “It’s a house with four rooms and a living room. The rent will be deducted from our operation funds.”
“Okay. How should we assign the rooms?” Yamete asked.
The hearts of every man in the room skipped a beat as they turned to look at Beiming Xue. It was obvious that everyone was concerned with the only girl in the workshop, a beautiful one no less.
“Ahem…”
I cut off their delusions before they could take form and declared, “Beiming Xue will stay in the eastmost room, and I will sleep in the room next to hers. Thirteen and Mamate will share a room in the westmost room, and Gui Guzi, the room next to theirs. An extra bed should do the work.”
Beiming Xue smiled sweetly. “Okay!”
Gui Guzi looked perfectly calm. He was more concerned about ways to improve himself in the game rather than room distribution.
Du Thirteen was disgruntled, complaining and objecting to the split of course, while Mamate looked at him with a kindly, fatherly expression on his face. I knew then that there would be no problems with our room distribution.
I helped Beiming Xue set up her gaming equipment such as installing the wires while she hung her clothes inside the wardrobe. It only took her a moment to fill it up completely. I could almost mistake her room for a dress shop.
I looked up and called out to her. “Beiming, you are connected to the internet now.”
“Okay. Thanks boss!” Beiming Xue smiled in reply. She was currently folding a pink bra.
I froze for three full seconds before I smiled in return and ran out of the door. Behind me, Beiming Xue giggled like a silver bell.
……
It was past 7 pm in the evening when we headed out. Our destination was Happy House, Qin Lan Hall.
The table was covered in delicious food, and I even ordered two bottles of high-quality white spirit. Beiming Xue got a glass of fruit juice, of course.
Beiming Xue’s appetite rose as she stared at the food. She said while holding her chopsticks, “It’s been a long while since I ate outside. There’s nothing like a restaurant’s food!”
I shot a look at her thin arms and smiled kindly. “Don’t hold back. You need to add some meat to your bones…”
“...”
Mamate laughed loudly at our exchange before holding up his glass. “Alright, should we drink one to Bloody Mercenaries and our bright future?”
“Yeah!”
We clinked our glasses together and downed the contents in one gulp. Alcohol was an amazing thing that could get people drunk and loosen the mask a human normally wore to hide their true self. It was no wonder that the saying “in vino veritas” existed.
About three rounds later, everyone’s face was more or less red. Clearly, everyone except Beiming Xue was a little drunk.
Mamate wrapped his arm around Du Thirteen’s shoulders and said, “I’ve always been alone before this, so I’m really glad that I got to make a sister and brothers like you all! Would you like to go for another round, Lu Chen?”
“Let’s go!”
My stomach was positively burning after downing another glass of alcohol. Man, this thing is seriously strong!
I suddenly decided that now was the time and got up to my feet. Gripping my glass tightly, I declared with a serious expression, “Brothers and sisters, there is something I must tell you all before we continue!”
“Oh?!”
Du Thirteen, Gui Guzi, and Mamate all looked at me with surprise. Beiming Xue also looked at me and asked, “What is this about, Lu Chen?”
“I want to tell you all the reason I founded our workshop in the first place!”
“I see. What is it?” Yamete asked with a wide-eyed look.
I answered, “If you played Spirit of Grief before, you probably remember a player named Falling Dust…”
“Falling Dust?” Yamete’s eyes turned serious. “Are you talking about that forgotten genius? The player who was given high praise by Lonely Grave?”