TGCF Extras

TGCF Extra - Chapter 248

Having spoken, in a manner that was neither too hurried or too slow, he retrieved an item from around his waist. It was another gold leaf.
Two pieces of gold leaves, exactly identical!
Without giving it any thought, Xie Lian said, "So this actually belongs to you?"
San-lang said, "Oh, I had indeed dropped something, which was why I had doubled back to look......"
Hearing this, Xie Lian was deeply afraid that he would misunderstand, and hurriedly said, "San-lang, let me explain."
San-lang said, "No need to be anxious. I would naturally listen to daozhang's explanation."
Xie Lian breathed out in relief, and said, "It's like this: This gold leaf, I had picked up just now on the road. My original thought was to wait for the owner to return so that I may give it back to him, but after I had waited for more than an hour, no one came by to look for it. At the same time, I was indeed......"
Having spoken up to here, he felt a bit embarrassed. He lowered his head, and said in a small voice, "And so, I...... acted on my own initiative, and borrowed a little first, to buy a little something to eat. It was that mantou..... I had intended to pay back the money with interest at a later date, but no matter how I put it, it still returns to the point that I had taken something that wasn't mine without asking. I'm sorry."
But San-lang was beaming as he said, "There's no need for daozhang to feel like that. Isn't it after a common human response? Besides, I always had the intention of inviting you to join me for a meal, and that mantou, in the end, wasn't I the one who ate it? Such a small thing, don't let it trouble you. Don't you find it very astonishing? What a coincidence, for something I had lost, to be picked up by no other person than daozhang. This must really be a fated meeting.[2]"
Having received his forgiveness and understanding, Xie Lian's heart eased. He said. "That said, San-lang, you too should be careful ah. Dropping something so shiny on the road, and yet you did not notice - next time, don't be so careless ah."
At this moment, the crowd of waiters who had been cowering at the side, said, "These two honoured guests, have you calmed down? If you've calmed down, then let's calculate the cost of this smashed table!"
Xie Lian: "......"
If things had been as they were, payment would not have been an issue regardless of the sum. But now, he could barely even afford to buy a mantou. However, San-lang said, "It's alright. Put it on my tab."
It was clearly him who had struck out at San-lang just now, but San-lang was volunteering to help him pay for the things he had smashed. Xie Lian was so moved by his warmth and generosity that he was speechless, and after swallowing, said, "You......"

There was also something odd about the crowd of waiters. Even though their shop had been smashed up, they still came over cheerily to assist them with changing to an even more elegant table. As the two people sat down once again, Xie Lian could not help but feel both guilty and grateful, that no amount of words could sufficiently express how he felt. With a concerned tone, Hua Cheng spoke again, "Daozhang, listening to your speech just now, it seemed as though something is troubling you. What's wrong? Daozhang, just what has been done to you, and by whom?"
"......"
Something like this, how could Xie Lian voice it aloud? His expression, which had only just calmed down, blushed with shyness once again. Softly, he said, "...... it's nothing, there's nothing wrong."
But San-lang said, "If you don't mind, why don't you tell me about it? Perhaps San-lang, too, can
assist a little."
Even though he meant well, but Xie Lian felt as though he was being chased and cornered, without a way out. Unable to sit still, he said helplessly, "...... it's really nothing. San-lang, can you please stop asking anymore......"
It was too difficult to speak the truth.
Seeing how things were, San-lang no longer forced it, and said "Alright. Where did our previous conversation leave off? You wanted to meet Hua Cheng?"
Xie Lian gathered his attention, and said clearly, "Uhn. Does San-lang know a way?"
San-lang said, "Of course I know. But, for these few days, it won't be easy to meet Hua Cheng." "Why?"
Using chopsticks, San-lang arranged the vegetables plate into a large smiling face. He said, "It is said that, recently, his heart's beloved is feeling slightly unwell, and so he needs to accompany them. Besides this, he has no time for anything else."
Xie Lian thought, indeed, this Hua Cheng was truly a someone of a temperate personality, someone full of affection, and he grew to regard him even more favourably. He said, "I see. Then, how long must we wait before we can meet him?"
"Five days as an upper estimate, three days as a lower estimate. I suggest, daozhang, that there's no need to be anxious. Until then, why not be at ease and take a break."
Just as Xie Lian thought to himself that he did not have a place to stay, he heard San-lang add, "If daozhang does not have a place to stay, why not stay at my place for a bit? After all, my house is large, and not many people live there."
Xie Lian could no longer hold back, and said lightly,