Chapter 71: Chapter 069: Finger-Guessing Game

Li Tieniu hurriedly gave Ye Chen a thumbs up, sending him a few meaningful glances as if to say, "Ye Chen, you’ve really got guts, daring to trick our beautiful CEO. Impressive." Ye Chen grinned, his eyes sliding over to Li Ruo, whose expression seemed colder than ever.

"President Li, let me toast you!" Ye Chen quickly poured Li Ruo a glass of beer.

"Ah?" Li Ruo was momentarily stunned, then awkwardly asked, "Is… is this glass clean? Is it hygienic? Also, does this barbecue stall have a business license, a hygiene permit?"

"President Li, you really are out of touch with the sufferings of ordinary people," Ye Chen sighed helplessly. "We’re all just common folk trying to earn a living. Do you know how much it costs to rent a shop? Do you know how long it takes to get a business license, how many people you have to beg, how many hoops you have to jump through? Do you know how much a hygiene permit really costs? All these things… you have no idea!"

"But… when the company handles these things, it’s done very quickly," Li Ruo replied, confused.

"As I thought, you’re truly out of touch," Ye Chen shook his head. "Big enterprises, state-supported companies, of course they have a green channel—even express service. But do you know what it’s like for regular people with no connections or capital? Even the simplest permit gets delayed, obstructed, and extorted at every step."

"Is… is it really that bad?" Li Ruo looked at Ye Chen in astonishment.

"Of course you wouldn’t know," Ye Chen snorted. "Let me tell you, the food at this barbecue stall is much cleaner and safer than those fancy restaurants with all their paperwork."

"Alright, I… I’ll trust you," Li Ruo conceded, never having imagined that getting a simple permit could come at such a cost.

She changed her glass, wiped it over and over with a wet napkin, and nearly wanted to scald it with boiling water. Ye Chen filled her glass with beer, then smiled, "Brothers, let’s raise a toast to our adorable, beautiful, and dazzling CEO!"

"Ho ho ho!" The crowd cheered, their excitement overflowing.

Li Ruo’s cheeks flushed, adding a shy charm to her beauty, making her even more captivating. Ye Chen gazed at her, thinking to himself that this woman was truly extraordinary—such a flawless face, any man would want to marry her. What a pity…

"Hey, why are you staring at me like that?" Li Ruo frowned at him.

"Heh, President Li, haven’t you heard the saying ‘a beauty is a feast for the eyes’?" Ye Chen grinned.

"Hmph!" Li Ruo snorted, but the corners of her mouth curled up slightly. She shot Ye Chen a glare but said nothing, and Ye Chen quickly gathered everyone, "Tieniu, come on, let’s drink!"

"Alright!" Seeing that Li Ruo was easygoing, Li Tieniu immediately stripped off his outer shirt, revealing a tank top over his broad, muscular frame with a tuft of chest hair peeking out. He stood with one foot on a bench, clenched his fist, and shouted loudly, "One heart, two brothers, three at Peach Garden, four seasons of wealth, five for the leader, six for smooth sailing, seven for luck, eight steeds, nine rings, and a full house!"

In a drinking contest with Ye Chen, Li Tieniu lost miserably. After several rounds, his spirits soared, and the surrounding security guards joined in cheering. Li Ruo’s eyes sparkled; she seemed fascinated by the game as she and Ye Chen exchanged hand gestures and played drinking games. Why had she never seen or played such a thing before?

"No, no, let’s switch it up!" Li Tieniu gritted his teeth. "Ye Chen, let’s play a different game!"

"Fine, no matter how many you change, you’ll still lose!" Ye Chen laughed heartily. Liu Momo was busy helping her mother with the supplies and couldn’t join Ye Chen, but her eyes remained fixed on him. Even if she couldn’t join him, watching him from behind was enough to make her content. Seeing Ye Chen so happy, she couldn’t help but smile with joy.

"Damn it, this time I’ll give you a tough one!" Li Tieniu shouted.

"Go ahead, I’ll take whatever you throw at me!" Ye Chen replied, laughing.

"One bed, two people sleeping, three in the midnight hour, four legs in the air, five fingers wandering, six relatives denied, seven up and down, nine in and ten out!" Li Tieniu roared. Ye Chen was stunned—damn, that was bold. He glanced at Li Ruo, surprised to see excitement flicker in her eyes. She seemed quite interested in this. Ye Chen immediately realized she was changing again, from icy cool by day to playful by night…

Such a transformation was hard to take in.

"Hmph, that’s nothing…" Ye Chen snorted. "Listen to mine: one bed, two people sleeping, three at midnight, four legs tangled, five mouths moving, slipping under the covers, climbing on top, but not going all the way—utter torment!"

The whole place burst into laughter. If Li Tieniu’s drinking chant was suggestive, Ye Chen’s was downright explicit. Even the nearby women blushed at his words. Behind Ye Chen, Liu Momo’s face flushed red—this Ye Chen was really mischievous. Didn’t he realize there were ladies present? She glanced at Li Ruo, and though she didn’t know her, she could tell from Li Ruo’s aura of nobility and aloofness that she was no ordinary woman. Liu Momo looked at her with admiration, thinking, "This sister is truly beautiful."

Li Ruo grabbed Ye Chen’s arm, "Ye Chen, teach me! I want to play too!"

"Are you sure?" Ye Chen eyed her doubtfully. "This is the most uncouth of all folk drinking games."

"No problem!" Li Ruo nodded eagerly.

And so, the two of them began a lively round of games, trading lines back and forth. Li Ruo laughed to the point of doubling over. At first, everyone was shocked—no one had ever seen President Li laugh before, but tonight she seemed almost giddy. Ye Chen took her hand, teaching her step by step. Li Ruo was quick to learn and soon caught on. At first, Ye Chen, being the veteran, won several times, making Li Ruo drink a lot. But soon, Li Ruo’s intelligence and her grasp of psychology turned the tables, winning round after round and leaving Ye Chen feeling frustrated.

That night, everyone ate and drank their fill, devouring meat and gulping down beer, thoroughly enjoying themselves.

Outside Jianghuai University, the street was packed with people. Many were eating barbecue or running street stalls. Even though it was already past eight, the crowds showed no sign of thinning.

Suddenly, a piercing whistle sounded. From both sides of the street, two minibuses marked "Police" screeched to a halt. More than a dozen city enforcement officers in riot gear, wielding shields and iron rods, jumped out of each vehicle.

"It’s the city enforcers!" cried a street vendor at the edge of the road, his voice cracking with alarm.

His shout set off a wave of panic among the stallholders. Those with mobile carts hurriedly pushed them away; others frantically loaded their goods as best they could. For stalls like Liu Momo’s family’s barbecue, there was nothing to do but wait for the enforcers to demolish it.

"Momo, quick, pack up! Let’s go!" Liu’s mother was on the verge of tears. Why did they have to come now, just when the grill was at its hottest and the food was already cooking? Liu Momo, equally anxious, stuffed as much of the barbecue supplies into bags as possible.

The enforcers charged down the street, smashing everything in their path—people and stalls alike. It was chaos, more shocking than a gang fight. Some stall owners couldn’t bear to see their possessions destroyed—after all, it was their life savings. Who would set up a stall if they weren’t desperate? A single sweep from the enforcers could wipe out a year or more of hard-earned savings.

"Dammit! If you touch my stuff, I’ll fight you!" a burly man rushed over, but how could one person stand against so many enforcers? Dressed in riot gear, the officers looked as if they were going to war. The squad leader, his belly protruding, sneered coldly, "Go on, take care of him!"

"Yes, sir!" Three enforcers immediately closed in and beat the man with their iron rods until he spat blood and collapsed.

"My God, what is this…" Li Ruo stared, dumbfounded. These men in police uniforms—they were civil servants, paid by the state, living off taxpayers, yet here they were beating up the very people who supported them. Li Ruo looked at Ye Chen in disbelief, "Who are these people?"

"City enforcers," Ye Chen replied with a wry smile. "They’re even worse than dogs."

"Brother Chen, help me!" Liu Momo, struggling with a large container, called out. Ye Chen hurried over, lifted the supplies onto the tricycle, and reassured them, "Auntie, Momo, don’t be afraid. With me here, they won’t dare do anything to you."

"Brother Chen, these people are always so aggressive, and they don’t get punished even if they kill someone. We’d better leave quickly!" Liu Momo was desperate to pack up, but it was too late—two enforcers with shields and iron rods had already reached their stall. Wearing riot helmets, their fierce faces visible through the visors, they snarled, "Old hag, don’t you know you can’t set up a stall here? You never learn. Smash it!"

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