The whole way Rong Zian was mumbling under his breathe, meeting these two must have been the universe expressing its displeasure with him once more. His hands were tied and he was nauseous for being held upside down for so long and was simply grateful when they reached the building. The sly fox didn't bother getting in with them, he stayed outside while the giant did all the dirty work.
"Do you want the credit for catching a petty thief? It seems you don't have the balls to collect your prize?" sneered Rong Zian as he was hauled into the building. Wu Yange just grinned but didn't respond, this person though inferior had managed to make him feel a mixture of emotions in just a few hours and had just figured out the cause of this man's arrogance. It was because he had no idea who Wu Yange was from the start otherwise he wouldn't have cursed or bothered running away from him.
Ying Tie flung Rong Zian to the ground as soon as they got into the office but the middle-aged scruffy-looking guard didn't seem fazed at all. He just smiled and saluted both men saying, "I see young master Rong has brought along a new friend."
Stunned speechless, the brawny man corrected the guard, "You misunderstand, we aren't friends neither am I here for a friendly visit. This man is a criminal I apprehended for stealing goods."
His reaction was unexpected, the officer joined Rong Zian in a burst of sarcastic laughter but seeing that the giant was losing his patience, he clarified, "Indeed you have misunderstood, we already caught the thief all because of this young master. He's the one who solved the case for us as he has done numerous times."
Rong Zian didn't give him time to digest the information, he just demanded, "untie me," with a stern voice. Slightly embarrassed Ying Tie reluctantly loosen the rope while the young man conversed with the guard. He didn't even what to pursue Rong Zian in the first place, it was all Wu Yange's doing and was now being subjected to such embarrassment.
"Madam Fengfu said you can pass by her place tomorrow to receive your payment," said the old guard cheerfully.
"Okay thanks, Wen Liu, I will be going now. I have some unfinished business with an arrogant bastard," he said with a spring in his step. He couldn't wait to rub it in that maniac's face, they had wasted his entire day for no reason. If he had been back in his old timeline he would have sued them for wrongful arrest but since he couldn't, they had to compensate him. Ying Tie followed closely behind him extremely embarrassed and as soon as they stepped out, he walked over to the prince and whispered to him the situation.
With a sly smirk on his face, Rong Zian stood in front of them all nonchalant with his arms folded as master and servant deliberated on how to compensate him. Though at fault, the prince with an indifferent expression asked in a domineering tone, "What do you want? One time offer only. Rubies, gold, or teals you name it."
'What the fuck you made for, I am the one who got forcibly roped into a game of hide and seek all day. Douchebag,' he thought while contemplating through what he desired the most.
Riches all sounded great but Rong Zian was really tired of sleeping on that uncomfortable bed and eating food unfit for normal human consumption. He had to be a penny pincher and save up so one day he would free from the Rong Mansion which meant he could eat what he wanted every day. Rong Zian had to suck it up and eat those tasteless vegetables for a better future. But if someone else was paying then, "I want a comfortable bed and delicious food for the night, I know a place."
The two men were tongue-tied, the idiot actually asked for such a ridiculous basic thing when he been offered a house full of treasures. Ying Tie tsked while the prince thought, 'this man is indeed stupid.' He cautiously studied Rong Zian thinking he was maybe homeless but the man was too well dressed for him to be without a home.
Rong Zian led them through the crowded streets of Hexie just as darkness descended upon the city. The streets were well lit with beautiful lanterns but Wu Yange couldn't figure out where they were, a lot had changed since he hadn't been back home for the past five years, he barely recognized the city. They followed Rong Zian into a fairly busy inn and from the looks of it, one would mistake it for a brothel because of the beautiful coquettish hosts.
"What kind of place did you take us too? We can't be seen in such a scandalous place," complained Ying Tie with the look of disgust on his face as one of the ladies winked at him flaunting her assets.
Rong Zian came between the two men draping his arms on each one's shoulder, "gentlemen you misunderstand. This is a place for men…..or women who enjoy good food, exquisite wine, and beautiful women. There is a strict no sexual solicitation policy here hence not a brothel. Come on have a seat," he said as he followed a beautiful girl he seemed familiar with. Wu Yange glared at the arm around his shoulder and brushing it off at light speed. He couldn't stand being touched by anyone including his mother and Rong Zian was no exception.
Wu Yange didn't contest and followed him to the table but Ying Tie was reluctant. Just as they sat down the beautiful girl conversed with Rong Zian for a while, with a strong sense of familiarity. Both men watched as the two chattered as though they were invisible and quickly noted Rong Zian's bad habit. The man never kept his hands to himself, frequently tagging the maiden's sleeve or gently caressing her arm or wrist with provocative eyes. Unable to bear it any longer, Wu Yange loudly cleared his throat and asked, "Are you going to order or you plan on eating her instead?"
Her eyes lit up seeing Wu Yange's exquisite picturesque face looking right at her, she couldn't help but giggle like a little schoolgirl, playfully twirling a long strand of hair in a coy manner. "Don't worry my young master, I already ordered detective Rong Rong's usual as soon as you walked in the shop unless maybe you have different tastes?" she replied while her fingers were itching to touch that flawless smooth skin and so she stretched her hand reaching for him.
Wu Yange was about to stop her but Rong Zian beat him to it, he instantly grabbed her wrist scolding her, "Don't touch him, he is…..umm special." They all looked at him puzzled and understood why because he had spoken without thinking it through, and had to redeem himself. "Honey you can't just put hands on any man when I am around, you know how jealous I can be," he said in the softest tone they had ever heard since they met him a couple of hours ago.
'Is that the same mouth that swearing like a sailor a few hours ago?' thought Ying Tie averting his gaze from such an obnoxious scene. "And you say this is not a brothel," rebuked Ying Tie as he stood up to leave, "master, I will be outside waiting for you to finish eating," he said addressing Wu Yange. The prince nodded as though permitting him and sipped some of his oolong tea that had just been served.
The girl eventually excused herself just as the roasted duck and steaming hot rice were served. There was no point being there anymore because Rong Zian was famous for losing interest once he set his eyes on a plate food especially meat. Its was as if the rest of the world was non-existent when faced with Peking duck.
An assortment of vegetables was just laying there untouched with Rong Zian purposefully avoiding them. "Why are you are not eating the vegetable?" asked Wu Yange as he observed him working his way around the vegetables just to get to the meat, avoiding them as though they were vermin. Rong Zian hated vegetables especially after transmigration, whatever the cook at the Rong Mansion was doing to those vegetables made them taste horrible. Heck, even dogs in modern time ate better than he did.
"I don't like them plus I am not a rabbit," he replied as he continued eating as though he had more than one stomach. The prince wasn't hungry, playfully moving his food around with his chopsticks while observing Rong Zian. The gracefully handled whatever he laid his hands on but ate such a huge portion. As skinny as this man was Wu Yange couldn't help but wonder where all the food went. Once done eating three potions including the prince's and all the duck gone, Rong Zian called for a different host, "Is my room ready?" he asked getting ready to stand up.
"Yes young master, you can come to see if it meets your expectations," she said in a soft-spoken voice that could literary put someone to sleep. They both stood up as Rong Zian whispered in her ear, "Did you run my bath? Hopefully, you spared no expense because this man is paying."
She chuckled and whispered back but the prince following behind them couldn't make out what they were talking about. Suddenly he began a little envious, though he was fine-looking, he never had the gift of flirting with girls. They would always try to chat him up but he always came off cold and indifferent. The one time he had tried to smile at a girl which was mistaken for sarcasm so he never bothered with it ever again. His childhood engagement was the longest interaction he had with a girl but even that he rejected at fifteen when he figured it wasn't for him. In his heart, he had already decided he was destined to be alone so he never tried.
The room was superb, suitable for nobility with a double bed on one end of the room and on the other end, a standard private bath. The wine was served with Rong Zian's eyes beaming as though he had seen salvation. His craving for alcohol hadn't been sated in a very long time and so he proceeded to fill the cups before politely offering some to the prince but Wu Yange refused his offer iterating that he didn't drink alcohol so Rong Zian didn't persist. The prince watched him as he downed several cups of wine in one go with no sign of being mellow in the slightest. He furrowed his brows at this sight, in his entire life, he had never met a person this lean with such a high appetite and tolerance for alcohol.
Somehow curious about him, he became inquisitive, "why don't you study to be an investigator and work under the magistrate?"
"I do it for quick cash and am not that good at it," he cautiously replied recklessly indulging in another cup. It didn't make sense to him why such a frosty individual who had harassed him endlessly since the time they met was now curious to know more about him.
Wu Yange wanted to follow up with another question about what his real job was but his nature barred him, so he sipped his cup of tea in silence. The prince had taken a liking to this man's character and hoped they could be friends in the future but that thought only lasted up until Rong Zian suddenly stood up and took off his clothes complaining, "You guys tossed me around so much my body aches. I am going to take a bath you can stay here if you want to."
By the time he finished his sentence, he was already stark naked, in his birthday suit, walking towards the bath with no care in the world. One must try and understand Rong Zian because in his era he had been to a boarding school so he didn't find it inappropriate undressing in front of a man but Wu Yange on the other end took offence choking on his tea, he had seen everything.
He stormed out of the room mumbling all kinds of curses heading for the exit, he had never encountered such a shameless man. All the thoughts of friendship fled out of the window suddenly relieved at the thought of never seeing him again.