"Didn't you go to talk about the warehouse's salary increase, why are you bringing up beds?" Fan Yan said.
Liu Xian glared fiercely at Fan Yan and said, "I'm afraid to even mention getting out of bed to the boss, and you want me to talk..." He turned his face away in anger and continued, "Talking about the warehouse and salary increases, isn't that asking for death!"
"Look at your cowardly spirit," Fan Yan sighed.
"If you're so capable, why don't you go?"
"I'm not going. We're all out here working for others. It's good enough that they provide us with food and lodging!" Fan Yan looked at Liu Xian with disdain. "I would never be as foolish as you and offend people, especially those who pay us."
"You're right about that, but," Liu Xian cupped his chin, "I finally understand why the boss is rich."
Fan Yan, seeing Liu Xian's serious, thoughtful expression, exposed him: "You're going to say the boss makes money because he has many treasures, aren't you?"
"Tsk, why are you... why aren't you cooperating with me to act curious today? You're usually very cooperative," Liu Xian said, displeased.
"Normal is normal, but I've understood a principle today."
"What principle?" Liu Xian raised an eyebrow.
"It's better to offend someone like you than to offend the boss who pays me," Fan Yan smiled and walked to the bedside.
Liu Xian's expression froze. He turned around, put a hand on his hip, and looked at Fan Yan, saying, "No, what do you mean by that?"
"What I mean is," Fan Yan leaned back against the neatly folded quilt and said, "If you hadn't acted on your emotions, I could have had money. Now that you've said it, it's all ruined."
Liu Xian looked at Fan Yan, who seemed to be blaming him, and nodded, saying, "Alright, it's all my fault, okay?"
"Since you know you're wrong, do you want to treat me to a meal?" Fan Yan said.
"You've got some nerve."
"What do you mean 'got some nerve'?" Fan Yan said, staring at Liu Xian's face. "Normally, when I offend you, I treat you to a meal. This time, you ruined our good thing, shouldn't you compensate me?"
Liu Xian was momentarily speechless. He pointed at Fan Yan's face and said, "You kid, how did I not realize you were so cunning? Talking about the warehouse's salary increase was your idea, you..."
"I just said it casually. I didn't want you to go just now, but you didn't listen to me," Fan Yan interrupted.
Liu Xian was completely speechless.
Fan Yan smiled. "Treat me to a meal."
"I'll treat you to steamed buns when the holiday comes."
"If it's steamed buns, then it's a month," Fan Yan held up a finger.
"No..." Liu Xian couldn't help but laugh. "You only treat me to hot pot, and I treat you to steamed buns, and you're still unhappy."
"Come on! You're being unfair," Fan Yan sat up excitedly and explained in detail, "How much meat and how many vegetables do you eat in one hot pot meal? Have you forgotten? Each time it costs hundreds. Are you not finding yourself ridiculous saying this now?"
"You didn't eat?" Liu Xian asked in a low voice, not daring to speak loudly.
"I ate, but did I eat as much as you?" Fan Yan said, suddenly standing up and walking in front of Liu Xian. "Do you know who ate the dishes and meat I ordered? Please, when was I ever angry?"
"This is going too far," Liu Xian said softly, looking down.
"It is going too far. Anyway, I won't treat you to hot pot anymore. I'll make you angry, and you can deal with it yourself," Fan Yan said emotionally.
Liu Xian rolled his eyes and said, "In your eyes, our friendship is so worthless that it's broken over a meal of steamed buns?"
"This isn't the first time or two. It's always like this. You fob me off with a meal of steamed buns. When I offer to treat you to steamed buns, you strongly demand hot pot. If I don't treat you, you get angry and sulk. You tell me to treat you to steamed buns, when have I ever been angry? None of us have it easy out here. You take advantage of me like this, and I've never said anything. You speaking like this now is really unpleasant." Fan Yan pointed at himself.
"It was you first..." Liu Xian stopped halfway through his sentence, remembering how he had unceremoniously eaten hot pot whenever Fan Yan treated him. He said softly, "I thought you always seemed quite happy eating steamed buns."
"Of course, I'd be happy to see steamed buns for breakfast in the morning, but after eating, when I think about it in my heart..." Fan Yan patted his chest. "I'm just not happy."
Liu Xian looked at Fan Yan's agitated state since the argument began and said, "It seems you've been holding back for a long time."
"It has been quite a while," Fan Yan said firmly.
Liu Xian knew he was in the wrong, so he said, "It's good that we can clear the air. Then I'll treat you to steak."
"You said it," Fan Yan pointed at Liu Xian.
"Yes," Liu Xian agreed.
"When?" Fan Yan asked.
Liu Xian smiled. "Alright, you rest. I'll ask a friend to help me book a restaurant. How about today?"
"Why don't you book it yourself?" Fan Yan asked.
"My friend is in this business, he can get a discount," Liu Xian said, seeing Fan Yan's changing expression and hastily explaining, "If we don't book, it will cost thousands. With a booking, it's about the same price as the hot pot you treated me to."
Fan Yan remained silent and walked back to the bed and sat down.
Liu Xian gave an awkward smile and took out his phone to send a message to his friend.
Hey, buddy, can you help me book a reasonably priced steakhouse?
After sending it, he waited for a moment. A thumbs-up gesture came back from the other side.
Liu Xian smiled faintly, turned off his phone screen, and looked back at Fan Yan. "Alright, let's wait for the news." As soon as he finished speaking, his phone pinged.
Fan Yan raised his eyebrows.
Liu Xian chuckled sheepishly and opened his phone. He saw the message: Tonight at 7 PM, [Restaurant Name], everything is ready.
Thanks. Liu Xian replied and said, "Alright, wear something formal tonight at seven."
"Okay," Fan Yan replied and lay down again.
Just then, Zhang Yan pushed the door open and said, "Um, could you please move the bed out?"
"Okay," Fan Yan sat up again.
Liu Xian glanced at Fan Yan and said, "Boss, we're not working overtime tonight, can we go out?"
"You arrange your own time," Zhang Yan said and left.
Fan Yan let out a sigh of relief.
Zhang Yan walked to the sofa in the courtyard. Just as he was about to bend down to pick up his water cup, Mu Anxiao's phone rang.
"Who would call her?" Zhang Yan muttered. He bent down, picked up the phone, and saw the number: "That guy Feng Qishi." As he spoke, he glanced at Mu Anxiao and, with a jolt, hung up the phone.
At the hospital, Feng Qishi lay in bed, picked up his phone, and let out a light hum. "Mu Shazi actually hung up my call, is he crazy?" Saying this, he dialed again.
In the courtyard, Zhang Yan saw Feng Qishi calling again and breathed a sigh of relief, then answered. However, before he could even speak, Feng Qishi's excited voice came through: "Mu Shazi, I'm kindly concerned about you, why did you hang up my call?"