It was another rainy night in Kabukicho, and the light drizzle obscured the dazzling and colorful neon signs.
In this cold winter weather, there are fewer people on the streets of Juhui Street, but the bars and izakayas are more lively, with drinkers drinking hot wine, cooking hot dishes, and laughing and chatting about various topics.
Elizabeth was walking in the alley leading to the fish pond, and Judy and Taoist Yu Cheng were also going there.
The rain made the narrow alleyway damp and cold. She saw a ragged homeless man lying next to the garbage pile, using a few pieces of cardboard to block the rain, so she went up and asked:
"Hello, do you need new clothes? Our Red Rain Group provides free new clothes for delivery..."
"No, go away." The homeless man turned over and continued to sleep.
Elizabeth continued walking first. In this city, people have complicated stories.
If someone exiles himself, it is best not to judge others without understanding the story behind it.
This time she came to visit Lao Fan because there was a new situation in her search for the "wonderful man in food preparation".
A few days ago, Director Yu Cheng was responsible for looking for ways to treat neurological problems in Dongtu Street.
Later, she discovered one after another that the strange person in food preparation seemed to be Lao Fan, the angel was the sharer, Lao Fan was related to the master, and the tonic wine was related to the sharer, so she did not let Taoist Yu Cheng continue to search, but some of the connections she had made before
It didn't break either.
I got contacted by a line today, saying that there was a batch of neurological drugs for sale.
Taoist priest Yu Cheng is not sure how reliable it is, but he is probably a liar who "does Abao".
Elizabeth knew better than to be gullible. Old Fan was still in the fish pond, so she wanted to go to the fish pond first to check and ask.
Brother Angel and Lorna went to Dongtu Street a few days ago. I wonder if they are back today.
There was a sign on the glass door of Yutang Izakaya saying it was closed tonight, but laughter could be heard from inside the bar.
Elizabeth raised her hand and knocked on the door, "Everyone?"
"Oh, red-haired Liz!" Sakai Shukichi turned around and shouted, "Hua Qing, go and open the door."
Although Sakai Kao didn't want to be ordered around by her brother, she immediately went to welcome the three of them into the izakaya.
It was really lively tonight. In addition to the brother and sister, Quan Lao, Vivian and Nimue, and Lao Cai, everyone was laughing at Xiu Ji's insulting words, which was about Lao Fan's robbery.
With a hiss, Lao Fan stood at the kitchen counter behind the bar, putting some side dishes into the pot and holding a spatula to stir-fry.
The fat, round face was expressionless, and there was anger in his eyes.
"Good evening." Elizabeth greeted everyone and asked, "Has the angel not come back yet?"
"No." Sakai Huaqing whispered. He Sang, Lorna and Pandora have been visiting friends on Dongtu Street for three days. I don't know how they had fun there and whether they took a bath in the hot springs.
"Taoist Master Yu Cheng! Come and judge, do you think a food master like Lao Fan can be beaten?"
Shukichi Sakai held up the wine bowl and looked at the young Eastern Sword Immortal with drunken eyes. He was wearing a Taoist robe full of electronic codes and holding a Eastern-style sheathed long sword. He had an extraordinary bearing. This was the Sword Immortal.
.
"I'm a poor Taoist... I don't dare to lie." Taoist Master Yu Cheng was a little dumb when asked, and he didn't know what was going on.
Yu Cheng looked at Lao Fan. Although they were from the same professional department, the abilities of different schools were very different.
The chef holding the sword and the chef holding the spatula can be said to be two different things.
However, just looking at it now, I feel an inexplicable sense of sword.
"That means I can't." Shukichi Sakai said happily, "But you, Master Yucheng, don't know how to cook either."
Everyone smiled when they saw Lao Fan waving the "champion spatula" in his hand, and the cooking movements were very smooth.
"It doesn't cost money anyway, so you should just believe it." Lao Cai looked at the young people, his eyes behind his glasses seemed to be thinking about something far away, and smiled: "When Lao Fan was young, he really used to fight and kill.
"
"He can be called the most ruthless person in Dongtu Street." Sakai Shukichi can even memorize it. "He robbed at least three hundred kilograms of fat."
"Vanderbilt, you say you're good after you eat, you say you're full after you eat..." Boxer murmured something to make up a lyric.
"How cruel?" Nimue was very interested in this. She had already heard from Vivian about Sophia's current situation, but unfortunately she hadn't seen her yet, and Miss Caiyin didn't allow her to see her.
"Just be ruthless, just be ruthless." Lao Cai said, shaking his head with a smile.
Everyone thought it was nonsense when they saw Lao Cai's appearance. Even he himself was not confident. Sakai Shukichi added: "Lao Cai, we have lost a big customer like Hua Qing recently and are very short of money. You can use your good words as wine money, right?"
.”
"Brother..." Sakai Kao suddenly muttered, trying to discredit him: "I haven't had plastic surgery, but I have gone to Lao Cai's beauty salon."
At this time, everyone heard Lao Fan say in a cold voice: "Don't talk about me, Lao Cai is here to kill me too, he's more ruthless than you."
What? Everyone suddenly seemed to have discovered a new world and stared at Lao Cai.
In fact, Lao Fan had said before that he and Lao Cai were the ones who robbed escorts, but they automatically ignored this information. Now Lao Fan had to emphasize it before he paid attention.
Because when it comes to fighting and killing, although Lao Fan is not up to par with the procedures, he is a hot-tempered person who seems to be good at fighting.
As for Lao Cai, medical robotic arms and scalpels can indeed kill people, but Lao Cai?
Usually I would not even step on an ant to death, but I am really cruel and ruthless when giving people plastic surgery.
"Lao Cai, why don't you tell everyone about it?" Sakai Shukichi asked, "It will also give me more creative inspiration."
"Back then, I was young." Lao Cai raised his glass and took a sip of sake. "I was very angry, just like anyone who lives on the streets."
Elizabeth kept listening to the jokes and banter and did not participate in it. Naturally, neither did Judy.
They were not sure whether Lao Fan could beat him, but he was probably a food-preparing expert...
The audience laughed for a while before Elizabeth found an opportunity to ask Lao Fan: "We at Hongyu found a batch of 'tonic wine' on Dongtu Street. What do you think..."
According to what Brother Angel said, she should have talked to him, but he was not on Shouhui Street. She should be able to ask like this, right?
But before Elizabeth could finish speaking, Lao Fan interrupted with a black face: "I don't know what kind of wine is outside the fish pond."
"Oh, I understand." Elizabeth saw Lao Fan's attitude and knew that 90% of the batch of neurological drugs were fake.
"Don't believe anything about tonic wine or drinking wine." Lao Cai also gave some advice, "There aren't that many cheap and good things."
"Dongtu Street, Xiaohe and the others have been there for a few days. I wonder if they bought us any gifts?" Sakai Shukichi said.
"Let's just form a group and go play." Vivian was very interested, "Go over there and buy some Eastern New Year goods."
"Okay!" Nimue raised her hand in agreement. Sakai Huaqing also cheered up, "I'll go too, I have a lot of new year's goods I want to buy, and it would be nice to go and see how Hesang and the others are doing."
Sakai Shukichi patted the bar and became excited, "Who else is missing? Asai? Cookie? The more people there are, the more fun it will be."
Boxer understood the lip reading and said immediately: "I saw Asai walking by with a woman in his arms on the street this morning."
"Hey, if you don't look for the fish pond when you come back, you'll look for a woman. That guy is really not interesting." Shukichi Sakai stood up unsteadily and walked outside the izakaya, "I'll look for him and let's go to Dongtu Street together.
.”
Listening to this, Elizabeth was actually very excited and wanted to go play with everyone.
Moreover, she was really planning to take someone to Dongtu Street. After all, there were no absolutes in the world, and that batch of neurological drugs was a very hard-to-get progress. She wanted to see what was going on.
But since she was on a different road from the others in the fish pond and didn't have much time to play, she didn't say anything at this time.
Because of the plan to form a group to play, Vivian, Nimue and Sakai Kao all left one after another, and Boxer also left with his guitar, all to make preparations before setting off tomorrow.
When Elizabeth saw that Lao Fan still didn't look good, she remembered that Brother Angel had ordered him to be the transfer...
She had crossed the threshold today, so she stopped disturbing him and left with Judy and Taoist Master Yu Cheng.
The izakaya suddenly became quiet. Lao Fan put down the spatula and stopped cooking new dishes. He took a wine bottle and poured some wine, chatting and drinking with Lao Cai who had not left yet.
"That drunkard boy, sooner or later I have to deal with him." Lao Fan said in a low voice, "And that little boxer who sang nonsense, that thermos cowherd, that crazy race, these brats all need to be dealt with.
"
"Haha, don't tell me, you really can't beat them now."
Lao Cai smiled more happily than before, knowing that this old friend was never really angry, otherwise he would have exploded long ago.
It was a scene like this, with everyone laughing and joking around, that was why Lao Fan wanted to open a fish pond.
Everyone also knows that Lao Fan has a big heart and a fat body, so they use him as a mascot so hard.
"How are Xiaohe and the others doing at Dongtu Street?" Lao Cai asked again, "Have you called back?"
"I reported that they were safe and that they were staying at Wenhe Hall. It would be best for them to stay for a year and a half to avoid the annoyance of looking at them."
"Xiuji and the others are also going to play, should nothing happen?"
"Just don't go to the Qingyun Gang in the Southern District to cause trouble." Lao Fan exhaled through his nose, "I'll go to Licai later to talk to Kumiko and talk to them. They won't listen to me, but listen to Kumiko."
At this time, the weather news was being broadcast on the wooden box TV over there. The weather forecaster said: "Affected by the strong cold air, it is expected that the first snow of the year will happen in Liuguang City tomorrow and the day after tomorrow."
Lao Fan and Lao Cai stopped talking when they heard the sound, looked at the TV screen, and just drank in silence for a while.
It’s another year, and the first snow is coming again.
Some things have gone so long that they have become unreal.
Listening to the teasing and joking of the young people, Lao Cai sometimes really wondered, did those past events really happen? Just bragging, how could it be possible? He and Lao Fan were just two old street dogs on Shouhui Street.
"Lao Fan, I'm leaving too. I'll come back when it snows." Lao Cai put down his wine glass, stood up and left with a sigh and a smile.
When Lao Fan was the only one left in the Yutang Izakaya, it was too quiet, and even the sound of the TV could not drive away the loneliness.
The rustle of rain outside hit my heart, making it even more deserted.
Lao Fan finished putting away the dishes, chopsticks, and wine utensils, took the remote control to turn off the TV, and walked over to Li Cai.
He never stayed in the fish pond at night. There was a living room on the first floor of Licai near the hall, where he usually rested.
Lao Fan could only fall asleep listening to the singing, dancing, laughter and noise in the lobby outside.