When Ye Qiu reported in, the bespectacled man in charge of welcoming the freshmen told them to gather at Room 601 in Building Two at 3 PM. Thus, they didn't dare drink too much at lunch. Each had just one bottle of beer. Li Dazhuang, who couldn't handle his liquor well, and Han Shuang, who was drinking for the first time, both had flushed cheeks and rosy faces before finishing their beers.
Yang Le smacked his lips, glancing from Li Dazhuang to Ye Qiu, and remarked regretfully, "We have to gather this afternoon, so we can't drink much. Let's reschedule and drink till we drop next time." He could tell Ye Qiu could hold his liquor well.
Ye Qiu nodded. He didn't mind drinking; to him, drinking was no different from drinking water.
As Ye Qiu listened to Li Dazhuang recounting his flirtatious high school days, he saw the square-faced man who came in with Tang Guo earlier walking over, a bottle of white liquor in one hand and two empty glasses in the other. Ye Qiu exchanged a glance with Yang Le; they both guessed the man's intention.
Sure enough, the square-faced man stopped beside Ye Qiu and said, "Brother, you're Ye Qiu, right? I'm Yang Aiguo. We're all friends of Tang Guo, and today is our first meeting. Come, I'll drink a toast to you."
Though Yang Aiguo had a rustic name, his demeanor was rather elegant. Without waiting for Ye Qiu's agreement, he thumbed off the bottle cap and poured the liquor into the glasses.
"Thank you. I'm just Miss Tang's bodyguard," Ye Qiu replied with a smile, graciously accepting the glass offered by Yang Aiguo.
Yang Aiguo was taken aback. He hadn't expected the kid to be so humble. If another man had won the favor of the Tang family's eldest daughter, he'd probably be boasting by now. Even if not outright, he'd drop hints about his special relationship with Tang Guo. But this kid was different, going to lengths to downplay it.
With these thoughts, Yang Aiguo found Ye Qiu less disagreeable. At least he didn't say anything to provoke him or dampen his spirits. This made Yang Aiguo more inclined to drink with him.
"No need for explanations; we all know the deal. Come on, deep feelings, bottoms up. I'll go first."
Yang Aiguo downed his glass in one go. Ye Qiu smiled and followed suit, drinking his glass dry.
"Good. Very straightforward. Now that we've met, we're friends. Let's have another drink," Yang Aiguo said, not giving Ye Qiu a chance to refuse. He swiftly refilled the glasses, handing one to Ye Qiu and holding the other himself. "Brother, I'll go first."
Han Shuang wanted to say something, but Ye Qiu waved it off, signaling he was fine. He drank the second glass just as smoothly.
After two glasses of high-proof liquor, Yang Aiguo's face showed a hint of color, but he held his liquor well. He poured another glass for himself and Ye Qiu, saying, "Tea shouldn't overflow, but with liquor, three cups is a must. Let's have one more."
Yang Aiguo grew up in a military compound, admiring soldiers for their discipline, strength, and straightforwardness. Drinking was a way to show that straightforwardness. From a young age, he and his friends would steal liquor from home, and as he grew older, he frequently attended drinking gatherings, honing his capacity.
This fast-drinking style was tough on most, but Yang Aiguo saw Ye Qiu's calm demeanor and clear eyes, realizing he was a tough opponent.
Signaling, a few more men, also holding bottles, appeared from the staircase. They had exchanged glances with Ye Qiu earlier, all friends of Yang Aiguo. They hadn't spoken due to Tang Guo's hasty introduction.
Yang Aiguo introduced everyone with a smile, then said, "Meeting is fate. Drinking with fewer people is dull; let's have a contest between our tables. What do you say?"
Yang Le knew they aimed to get Ye Qiu drunk, so he stood to intercede. "Brothers, it's an honor to meet you. But we shouldn't drink too much today. We have a meeting at 3 PM. It's the first day, and showing up drunk would be disrespectful. How about we set a date to drink properly next time?"
"Brother, you sound like a Northerner too. Why so reluctant? We Northerners drink to enjoy. We live and die by the moment, so why worry about small matters? Since we've started, let's keep drinking. We're freshmen too; we don't fear the teachers," said a buzz-cut man beside Yang Aiguo, his crude but persuasive words leaving no room for retreat.
Ye Qiu instantly noted the man's muscular build and thick calluses on his palm, indicating rigorous training. This bunch seemed military-trained.
Yang Le wanted to say more, but Ye Qiu patted his shoulder, and Yang Le fell silent, reassured by Ye Qiu's calm authority. It reminded him of the feeling he got from his father, instilling confidence that Ye Qiu would handle things well.
Turning to Yang Aiguo, Ye Qiu said, "How about this: I don't mind skipping the meeting, but my friends must attend. Our archaeology class has only twenty students. Missing five would look bad for the teacher. I'll drink with you. How about it?"
Yang Aiguo was surprised. He had planned for a four-on-four contest but Ye Qiu's proposal turned it into a one-on-four. He knew his friends' drinking capacities well. Was this kid a bottomless pit?
"That's unfair to you," Yang Aiguo said, feeling awkward.
"No problem. You're no match for me," Ye Qiu taunted, preempting further entanglement with Yang Le and Li Dazhuang.
"Courting death. If I don't drink you under the table today, I'll crawl home. Let's go, no more games. We'll drink fast," the buzz-cut man declared hotly. He opened two bottles of Moutai, handing one to Ye Qiu. "First to finish wins. If we're still standing, we move to the next bottle. You can quit anytime if you can't keep up."
"No objections," Ye Qiu agreed with a smile, checking the bottle's proof before drinking straight from it.
This stunned not only Yang Le and Li Dazhuang but also Yang Aiguo's crew, seasoned drinkers themselves. They had never seen someone drink Moutai like that.
The restaurant, popular with Beijing University students, was also frequented by students from Beijing Foreign Studies University, Beijing Conservatory of Music, and the Beijing Film Academy, which had produced countless stars. Many girls from these schools, stylishly dressed and charming, walked in. Seeing the drinking contest and Ye Qiu swigging Moutai straight from the bottle, they clapped and cheered, their clear voices adding a touch of allure to the men's game.
To read the manga version, please click the YouTube link https://youtu.be/GnU613H6xm8