After Zhou Budao took the stage, a commotion arose from the guests below.
Countless rounds of applause and flattery followed. Su Yang picked out a piece of earwax and muttered, "These people, usually the big shots of Songhai, are all acting like lapdogs now."
He couldn't be bothered to watch the situation on stage. Zhou Budao's speech was nothing but empty talk, bragging about his contributions to Songhai and the country.
"Hmm?"
Su Yang's gaze flicked to the crowd below. A boy of seventeen or eighteen, looking furtive, slipped out from the throng. Judging by his direction, he seemed to be coming from Zhou Budao's main table.
However, the crowd was surging, and everyone's attention was fixed on Zhou Budao. No one noticed.
Su Yang narrowed his eyes, activating his "Insightful Eyes."
Zhou Li... Zhou Budao's foolish son, and his only son.
For the past ten days, ever since Zhou Budao arrived in Songhai, this kid had been confined to his room, almost driven mad with boredom.
"No, he seemed foolish to begin with."
Su Yang recalled that Bai XinHui had mentioned Bai ZhanChen arranging a marriage for her, and it was likely for this fellow.
"But I can't blame him. If I were cooped up in a room every day, I'd go mad too."
Su Yang's curiosity about Zhou Li piqued. He patted Yang ManGe's shoulder and stood up, "I'm going to relieve myself."
"Relieve yourself?"
"Pee."
Yang ManGe and her best friend both rolled their eyes at him and continued watching the stage.
Su Yang followed Zhou Li.
Leaving the banquet hall, Zhou Li surprisingly headed for the back door.
"There are guards at the front, so he's going to the back? Not stupid after all."
Su Yang chuckled. Following him, he saw that the back door of the Supreme Hotel was also sealed off.
The area was overgrown with weeds and desolate, no wonder there were no guards.
But the next moment, Zhou Li sniffed the air and, like a dog, crawled onto the ground.
Soon, to Su Yang's astonishment, Zhou Li disappeared into the grass!
Su Yang stepped forward to look. "Holy crap! A doggy door!"
This kid actually crawled out through a doggy door?
Su Yang's face twitched. Although he was curious about what Zhou Li was running off to do, he couldn't possibly follow him through a doggy door!
No, absolutely not!
Su Yang looked up and observed. The back door was sealed, and the wall was at least five meters high.
Even with his current skills, it wouldn't be easy to jump over.
"Regardless, crawling through a doggy door is something I will never do!"
...
Zhou Li got up from the ground, turned his head, and revealed a simple, honest smile. "Hehe, I'm so smart."
Behind the Supreme Hotel was a food street. Zhou Li sniffed the air and immediately locked onto a stall.
"Tanghulu! Candied hawthorn!"
Zhou Li approached a stall, his eyes falling on the red hawthorn berries coated in crystal sugar. He swallowed. "I want to eat tanghulu..."
As he spoke, he instinctively reached out and pulled one free, licking it with his tongue.
"Wow wow, delicious! So delicious!"
The vendor, who had been shouting all evening, chuckled. Finally, a big sucker had arrived.
"Young man, thank you for your patronage. That'll be 25 yuan per skewer."
Zhou Li, still eating the tanghulu, completely ignored him.
"Young man? Hey, don't just eat, pay first?"
But Zhou Li acted as if he couldn't hear him. After finishing one skewer, he reached out to take another.
The vendor's face turned green.
"You want more without paying?"
Zhou Li's hand was grabbed. "Money? My dad has money."
"Where is your dad?"
"In the back."
With that, Zhou Li reached out again and took another skewer of tanghulu.
The vendor looked behind him. Not a soul in sight.
"Damn it, you little idiot, you dare to mess with me!"
He'd heard this street had many suckers, but he'd ended up with a dine-and-dasher...
The vendor, furious, slapped Zhou Li across the face.
*Slap!*
Zhou Li froze, standing there foolishly. "You, why did you hit me?"
As he spoke, Zhou Li sat down on the ground and began to cry.
"Did I hit him too hard?"
Seeing more and more people gathering, the vendor immediately shouted, "You silly boy, why are you buying things if you have no money? Everyone, come and see! This kid is a deadbeat! This is my small business, and he's trying to skip out on the bill!"
Zhou Li shook his head like a rattle drum. "Wuwuwu, my dad has lots and lots of money, he'll pay you."
"Bullshit! You're this old and still like an idiot. Call your dad out!"
"I'm not an idiot, I'm not an idiot!"
Zhou Li's eyes turned red from crying. He grabbed the vendor's hand. "I'm really not an idiot. My dad said I'll definitely get better!"
His demeanor made the vendor laugh. "You're not an idiot, am I? Get lost!"
Not only was he not making money, but he was also being taken advantage of by a fool. The vendor kicked Zhou Li again.
"It hurts so much, why did you hit me... My dad wouldn't even hit me..."
Passersby whispered among themselves.
"Whose silly kid is this? Where are his parents?"
"Look at his clothes, they're quite expensive. Is he the foolish young master of some prominent family?"
"Let's go, let's go, don't get involved in trouble!"
From within the crowd, Su Yang rubbed his temples. "Finally found you."
Damn it, he'd run this far in the blink of an eye.
He spat out some grass from his mouth. "Hey, you, how much did he eat?"
Seeing someone stepping forward, the vendor said, "Are you his dad? Fifty yuan."
"???"
Su Yang's face instantly darkened. "You're selling tanghulu for fifty yuan?"
The vendor patted his stall. "Ancestral secret recipe tanghulu, fifty yuan a skewer. Your son has already eaten my goods. I'm an honest businessman, otherwise I'd have charged you a few hundred."
Su Yang smiled.
He had money, but he wasn't an idiot.
"Are you going to pay or not? If not, I'm calling the police!"
The vendor was impatient. It was late at night, and he wanted to scam whoever he could.
Zhou Li crawled up and tugged at Su Yang's sleeve. "Big brother, can you please buy me a skewer of candied hawthorn?"
"Alright, wait over there."
"Thank you, big brother, thank you, big brother!"
Su Yang felt inexplicably annoyed. He had only come out to watch the show, but his heart softened.
Setting aside Zhou Li's identity, he was just a lonely and helpless child at the moment.
Su Yang considered himself not a do-gooder, but he couldn't just abandon a child.
"Call the police. I'll also tell the police about your visit to the brothel yesterday."
The vendor was stunned by Su Yang's words. "You! What nonsense are you spouting!"
"And the day before yesterday, you peeked at Mrs. Zhang next door while she was bathing, and you stole her underwear."
"You! You brat, who exactly are you!"
"That's none of your business. Also, the day before yesterday you bought five bottles of ink... and..."
"Wait, wait, wait!"
The vendor quickly stopped Su Yang. "I'm scared of you, who exactly are you..."
But Su Yang just looked at him with a forced smile, making the vendor uneasy.
Damn it, this kid isn't going to expose my secrets, is he?
"Brother! I'll give you these hawthorns, I don't want them anymore, okay?"
Before Su Yang could reply, the vendor scurried away, leaving behind an entire row of candied hawthorn.
Su Yang ignored him and saw Zhou Li's eager gaze. "Alright, eat as much as you want."