Ban Lan was taken aback, looked at Cen Ji, and it took her a while to realize the implication of his words. She opened her mouth, then pouted angrily and refused to look at him again.
Ban Lan was indeed angry. But as soon as she left Zhai Huan's place, the pent-up anger in her heart was dispelled by a gentle breeze. What angered her was Cen Ji's complete indifference towards her. Now that she saw Cen Ji had misunderstood her again, she felt even more wronged.
"Bang!" She slammed her hand on the table.
Cen Ji looked at her strangely: "What's wrong?"
Ban Lan said, "My hands are itching."
Upon hearing this, Cen Ji ignored her again.
The two were engrossed in their food when they suddenly heard a loud crash beside them.
"Pah! What the hell is this wine? It's so bland it's practically nonexistent!" A middle-aged man slammed the wine jug onto the ground.
Ban Lan glanced sideways.
I've seen people with yellow teeth before, but I've never seen teeth this yellow.
Ban Lan sighed and lowered her head, unable to bear it any longer.
The shopkeeper hurriedly stepped forward, bowing and scraping, saying, "Oh my, sir, this is our shop's finest Fenjiu..."
The middle-aged man kicked him, yelling, "Go ahead and kick me!"
Ban Lan sighed again.
The shopkeeper said with a bitter face, "I really didn't lie to you, this wine has been a signature product in my shop for seventy years."
The middle-aged man glared angrily: "Pah! Stop spouting nonsense! This wine is like water, it doesn't even have a hint of spiciness, and you dare call it good?"
Ban Lan sighed again and then snorted, "What a waste!"
The middle-aged man was taken aback, not understanding. After thinking for a moment, he realized the word "violent" seemed to imply something unfriendly, so he yelled at Ban Lan, "Hey girl, explain yourself!"
Ban Lan put down her chopsticks, turned around and said, "Oh, I just said you were 'wasting resources'."
The middle-aged man thought Ban Lan would be afraid of his roar, but to his surprise, she obediently turned around and answered his question with a very serious expression.
The middle-aged man thought for a moment, and it seemed that he did not "lick" the wine, but instead threw it directly on the ground.
Hmm, that girl is talking nonsense!
"Nonsense!" The middle-aged man suddenly understood: "This brat hasn't even grown up yet and she's already meddling in her grandfather's affairs. Does she have a father but no one to raise her?!"
Those familiar with Banlan know that Banlan hates being called "orphaned".
Similarly, those familiar with Ban Lan know that he likes to refer to himself as "Laozi" when he is furious.
So Ban Lan was indeed furious this time, and her anger was uncontrollable.
Ban Lan pointed at the middle-aged man's mouthful of yellow teeth and said, "I'm just wondering, you've got a mouthful of corn kernels, how come your spit tastes like chives!"
Before the middle-aged man could retort, Ban Lan stood up abruptly, darted to the man in a flash, slammed his hand on the table, and said, "You bumpkin, drinking sake like it's strong liquor and making a fool of yourself! A rough man drinks rough liquor. Someone like you should just take a pound of strong liquor and go home to get drunk on your bed!"
The hotel suddenly fell silent.
Cen Ji recalled Zhai Huan's words.
Zhai Huan said Ban Lan crawled out of a garbage dump, and now that I think about it, there's some truth to that. At least it took Cen Ji a long time to carefully choose his words and phrases before he could utter those insults.
The middle-aged man didn't react for a moment, while the hotel manager turned his back and covered his mouth to chuckle.
Cen Ji glanced at the sky, asked the innkeeper for a room, put down his bowl and chopsticks, and without looking at Ban Lan again, went upstairs, leaving all the noise behind.
*******
The moon rises above the treetops.
Cen Ji opened the door and saw Ban Lan sleeping soundly at his door, holding a small jar of wine.
He bent down, about to wake her, when he suddenly noticed a tear hanging in the corner of her eye.
Cen Ji stiffened for a moment, then patted her on the shoulder.
Ban Lan opened her eyes and looked at him. "What's wrong?"
Cen Ji said, "Go inside and sleep."
Ban Lan said "Oh," picked up the wine jar, and went into the quiet room.
Cen Ji said weakly, "I mean, go to your own room to sleep."
Ban Lan said innocently, "But the shopkeeper said you slept in the last room."
Cen Ji could only say, "Then you can sleep here, I'll go out."
Ban Lan suddenly said, "Do you hate me that much?"
Just as Cen Ji was about to speak, he suddenly saw the flickering sorrow on Ban Lan's face under the candlelight and changed his words, saying, "I cannot tarnish your reputation."
Ban Lan sat down at the table and sighed softly, "Keep chatting with me."
Cen Ji looked at her and could only say, "Alright."
Ban Lan lay on the table, her head resting on the small jar of wine, and said, "Old Gu said that girls can't fight, can't swear, and can't drink."
Cen Ji asked, "Who is Lao Gu?"