The Accomplice 04

The Shopkeeper gritted his teeth. "Fine, fine, fine. You're something else. Young people these days really know how to put on an act. If you don't have money, don't come out to eat. Consider this fish on the house—now pay the bill and get the hell out!"

Fang Zhiyi, however, looked at Lin Zhou. Lin Zhou dodged his gaze, looking somewhat evasive. "I just think everyone has it hard; you shouldn't be so petty..."

This was exactly the sentence Fang Zhiyi had been waiting for. He pointed at Lin Zhou. "Lin Zhou, I treat you like a brother, and you say this about me? Others take us for easy marks to rip off, and when I simply ask why, you call me petty? I'm leaving!"

As soon as the word "leaving" came out, Fang Zhiyi turned on his heel and walked away. For a moment, everyone on the scene was stunned. By the time Lin Zhou reacted and tried to chase after him, he was grabbed by the Shopkeeper. "Stand still! Trying to dine and dash, are you? Pay up! I want every cent for this table today!"

He could tell Lin Zhou was easier to bully, so the fish he had previously waived was no longer free.

Lin Zhou was so anxious his face turned red. Where would he get the money to pay the bill?

"I... it's not me paying, it was his treat..." Lin Zhou stammered incoherently.

A guest drinking nearby mocked, "We can see that. The guy treating took one bite, while you were there stuffing your face. Taking him for a ride, huh? Hahahaha."

"I... I didn't..." Lin Zhou suddenly thought of the time he was caught stealing as a child. Just like now, many people were watching, and he wanted to find a crack in the ground to crawl into.

"A grown man like you can't cough up three hundred? Cut the act! Pay up, or I'm calling the police!" The Shopkeeper had Lin Zhou dead to rights.

Lin Zhou was on the verge of tears, especially hearing the whispers of the people around him; he felt they were all laughing at him.

He called Fang Zhiyi, but Fang seemed to still be angry and didn't pick up at all. Finally, he called his own father. Father Lin arrived cursing, paid the money, and kicked him twice in public. Lin Zhou, having lost all face, could only slink away behind Father Lin.

True to his nature, immediately after leaving, Lin Zhou explained to Father Lin, "It's all Fang Zhiyi's fault. He said he was treating me to dinner, ordered so many dishes, and then ran off when it was time to pay!"

Hearing this, Father Lin was furious. "I knew that kid wasn't any good! And you're stupid, too! You believe whatever he says? Huh?" The more he thought about it, the angrier he got. "I'm going to find him!"

Following the sound of banging on the door, Fang Zhiyi opened it, looking puzzled.

"Uncle Lin? What's this about?"

Father Lin looked at him furiously. "Fang Zhiyi, I watched you grow up. Why did you play a trick on Lin Zhou like this today?"

Lin Zhou's face was also full of resentment. It was all because of him that his reputation was in tatters!

Fang Zhiyi looked bewildered. "How did I trick him?"

Father Lin said, "You invited him to dinner, ordered all that food, and finally ran away without paying, right? I had to go pay the money... You really..."

Fang Zhiyi slapped his thigh. "Uncle Lin, you paid?"

Father Lin was taken aback by this reaction. "Yeah."

"I left money! Three hundred, tucked under the plate," Fang Zhiyi said.

"What? You... why didn't you say so?" Father Lin was momentarily at a loss.

"I've been friends with Lin Zhou for so many years, how could I leave him stranded there? I know he has no money—otherwise, he wouldn't constantly be asking to borrow from me. Before I left, I even pointed at the plate. I thought he understood."

Father Lin turned to look at Lin Zhou. "You've been borrowing money from him?"

Lin Zhou looked at Fang Zhiyi in panic. Fang Zhiyi also seemed to realize he had slipped up and immediately smiled. "Not borrowing, uh, well, this... my bad, my bad."

*Slap!* A sharp slap across the face. Lin Zhou felt his dignity shatter on the floor.

Father Lin pointed at him. "Go to that shop right now and get that three hundred back for me. If you don't get it back, don't bother coming home!" He turned and looked at Fang Zhiyi, let out a hmph, and turned to go home.

"I... oh my, honestly, I was so angered by that Shopkeeper today that I wasn't thinking straight... We've been brothers for so many years, you know me. You won't blame me, right? You're not that petty."

Lin Zhou was rendered speechless by this preemptive barrage. He could only bury his head and go find that three hundred yuan.

Neither he nor Father Lin doubted the truth of Fang Zhiyi's words. Fang Zhiyi was right; after so many years, Lin Zhou knew Fang Zhiyi's character too well—he simply couldn't tell a lie.

Only, Lin Zhou didn't find the money. Instead, the Shopkeeper mocked him relentlessly.

"Shopkeeper, where is the three hundred my friend left?"

"What three hundred, five hundred? Don't start trouble! Get lost!"

"He put three hundred under the plate!"

"I didn't see it! You trying to scam me?"

The Shopkeeper's voice rose again. The crowd that had previously dispersed saw there was a sequel to the drama and immediately perked up again.

Lin Zhou had lost enough face for one day. Seeing the situation, he didn't ask further and left dejectedly.

Did Fang Zhiyi lie? No, he might be foolish, but he wasn't bad.

Then that Shopkeeper must have pocketed the three hundred! Lin Zhou wore a vicious expression. It was all Fang Zhiyi's fault for insisting on eating at such a crummy roadside stall!

Without the money, Lin Zhou didn't dare go home that night. He wanted to go to Fang Zhiyi's house, but Fang Zhiyi seemed deaf to his knocking, and his phone was turned off. Lin Zhou had to make do with sleeping in the hallway for the night.

Fang Zhiyi had originally thought this guy would learn his lesson after this incident, but he hadn't expected the guy to be like a lingering spirit that refused to disperse.

"Do you know that because of you, I had to sleep in the hallway all night?" On the street, Fang Zhiyi endured the nagging beside him.

"My dad is just like that—domineering and ignorant. He's been poor all his life and wants me to stay poor too. My mom left back then because she couldn't stand him, but she actually didn't take me with her..." Lin Zhou started his mode of pouring out grievances.

Usually, when a person like him started talking this way, it was first to spread negative energy, and second to elicit Fang Zhiyi's sympathy.

But seeing Fang Zhiyi show no reaction, Lin Zhou couldn't hold back anymore. "Have you considered that project my sworn brother mentioned last time?"

Fang Zhiyi flashed a grin, his white teeth seeming to glint with a chill. Lin Zhou felt an inexplicable sense of dread.

"Since you brought that up, actually, I have some good news to tell you."

"Huh?"

"Our company has a project with a three hundred percent profit margin. I happen to be in charge of it. I secretly threw all my savings into it. It'll triple in value by then. Don't say I'm not a good brother—how about you buy a share too?"

Lin Zhou was instantly tongue-tied. This... why did it feel like these weren't his lines?

A moment later, Lin Zhou laughed awkwardly. "Stop joking, you know I don't have any money."

Fang Zhiyi glanced at him. "I'll lend it to you. But I don't have much. I'll lend you a thousand."

"A thousand? What can a thousand do?" Lin Zhou was getting anxious.