"Brother Shen, thank you so much today. You've helped me a great deal. I'll toast you with this drink."
After Shen Lang and Wang Yuyan left the orphanage, they arrived at Chu Ling'er's restaurant. Chu Ling'er, in a great mood, personally cooked a table full of delicious dishes. Not only that, but she also brought out a bottle of Maotai, worth three hundred thousand yuan, with a steel cap.
At the dinner table, Chu Ling'er raised her wine glass and respectfully said to Shen Lang.
"Ling'er, you're too kind. Compared to Dean Zhou's ancient zither, the help I provided is nothing."
Shen Lang raised his glass and clinked it with Chu Ling'er's, smiling. "What shocks me is you. As a restaurant owner, you care about orphaned children with congenital disabilities. You are a kind girl."
"So, this glass of wine is our mutual toast. I'll finish mine, and you can drink as you please."
With that, Shen Lang raised his glass and drank the wine in one gulp, leaving not a drop.
Seeing Shen Lang go this far, Chu Ling'er didn't hesitate. She also raised her glass and drank the wine clean, not a drop remaining.
"Husband, I heard this steel-capped Maotai is a good wine. Can I have a taste?"
Seeing Shen Lang and Chu Ling'er each finish a glass, Wang Yuyan, who was beside them, couldn't help herself and asked cautiously.
"Of course. If you want to drink, go ahead. It's fine."
Shen Lang said gently to Wang Yuyan, "With me here, drink to your heart's content. I promise you won't feel any discomfort after drinking, only a pleasant sleep."
After speaking, Shen Lang picked up a decanter and then a wine glass, pouring a glass of wine for Wang Yuyan himself.
Wang Yuyan, seeing this, became as excited as a child seeing candy. She then drank half the glass, but it was so potent that she started coughing.
"This wine has an endless aftertaste, but it's too strong."
After drinking half a glass, Wang Yuyan finally commented, "I still prefer milder wines. I don't like this kind of strong liquor."
"Is that so?"
Shen Lang smiled upon hearing this and said, "I heard An Lan is developing a new wine. When she succeeds, I'll have her create a special one for you. Perhaps you'll like that kind of wine."
"An Lan? You know my cousin?"
Before Wang Yuyan could respond, Chu Ling'er exclaimed in shock.
"Your cousin?"
Upon hearing this, both Shen Lang and Wang Yuyan were astonished and asked.
"Yes, my cousin is An Lan. Her bar is called Forget Worry Tavern, and the wines she concocts are incredibly magical, even capable of making one forget days of memories."
Chu Ling'er explained, "Brother Shen, I truly didn't expect you to know my cousin. It seems we are indeed fated."
"Is that so..."
Hearing Chu Ling'er's words, Wang Yuyan and Shen Lang exchanged a look and then smiled. "I didn't expect the circle in Nanling to be so small. We know people everywhere."
"Sister, why are you here?"
As Shen Lang and Wang Yuyan shared a smile, Chu Ling'er suddenly looked at a girl in black walking towards them, reflexively stood up, and asked.
The girl in black was slender and graceful. Her face was as breathtakingly beautiful as an angel's. She walked with light steps, as if each movement caused lotuses to bloom beneath her feet.
This girl in black was none other than Chu Ling'er's older sister, the one Shen Lang had been thinking about for over a decade—Chu Ge.
"Just passing by, and I thought I'd drop in to see you. However, it seems I've come at an inopportune time. Since you have guests to entertain, I'll be leaving."
Chu Ge glanced at Chu Ling'er, uttered a few words indifferently, and turned to leave.
"Wait—"
Just as Chu Ge took a few steps, Shen Lang stood up and called out.
"Oh, it's you again?"
When Chu Ge turned to look at Shen Lang, she said impatiently, "You've schemed against my sister to get close to me. But no matter how much you do, it's futile. I am truly not the Chu Ge you speak of. We don't know each other at all."
"Shen Lang, stay away from my sister. Don't set your sights on her, or I will never let you off."
With that, Chu Ge pulled out a bank card from her bag and threw it directly in front of Shen Lang, saying, "This card has two million yuan. It should be more than enough to fix your car. We are even now."
"Sister, there must be a misunderstanding between you and Brother Shen. Please sit down, and we can talk it through."
Seeing the atmosphere turn tense and filled with palpable tension, Chu Ling'er stepped forward, grabbing Chu Ge's arm and smiling. "Sister, you've really misunderstood Brother Shen. He's definitely not someone who schemes against others. He not only taught those people from Sun's Real Estate a lesson, making them give up their plan to annex the orphanage, but he also cured over a dozen orphaned children with congenital disabilities. Not only that, but he also plans to invest in the orphanage so that all the children can go to school."
"Brother Shen is the best person I've ever met. He is kind-hearted and forthright. He wouldn't do such underhanded things. You must have a misunderstanding about him. You should clarify things between you."
Hearing Chu Ling'er's words, Chu Ge was startled. She never expected Shen Lang to have done so much and solved such a huge problem for the orphanage.
"Shen Lang, thank you for helping the orphanage and those poor children."
Chu Ge had always been helping the orphanage too, so upon learning of Shen Lang's extensive efforts, her gaze towards him was no longer as cold and displeased. She said gently.
"No need for thanks. It was a trivial matter, nothing to speak of."
Seeing Chu Ge's attitude change towards him, Shen Lang felt much better. "I apologize. Perhaps I was too presumptuous. You are truly not the Chu Ge in my memory. I mistook you for someone else. I apologize for my rudeness just now and last time."
Since Chu Ge didn't wish to acknowledge her past self, Shen Lang saw no need to dwell on it. Getting to know the current Chu Ge might not be a bad thing.
Hearing Shen Lang's words, a clear look of joy appeared on Chu Ge's face. She said, "It's alright. There are many people with the same name and similar appearances in this world. Mistaking someone is not a big deal. We can consider ourselves acquainted now."
"It's my honor to meet you."
Shen Lang smiled with relief upon hearing Chu Ge's words and said, "Miss Chu Ge, I hope we can be friends in the future."
"I am honored to be friends with someone like Mr. Shen."
Chu Ge looked at Shen Lang and said with a smile.
However, just as Chu Ge finished speaking, a woman from a nearby table, without any warning, grabbed a teapot full of boiling hot tea and hurled it directly at Chu Ge.
"What?"
Shen Lang was shocked that someone would attack Chu Ge. He wanted to warn her, but it was too late. He ended up shielding Chu Ge with his own body from the thrown teapot.