"Don't stop until I've walked out of this restaurant. And before the term ends, I want to have received the 500,000-star-coin transfer — tracking down my academy account shouldn't be beyond you. The day the money lands is the day I apply to the academy to cancel the penalty against you," His piece said, Zhao Chen led Zhao Wan'er and the others out of the restaurant.
Right up until then, Zhang Haoran knelt obediently on the floor, chanting over and over, "Grandfather Zhao Chen… I was wrong…"
Looking at the wreck of a scene, and at Zhang Haoran, for all the world a stray dog beaten out of house and home—
—Han Tianwang said in a low voice, "This Zhao Chen has some ability. But Haoran, you'd do well to remember: a gentleman's revenge is not too late at 10 years' remove. Keeping your place at the Northstar Starship Military Academy is what matters most."
"I'll make that fellow Zhao Chen pay a hundredfold, a thousandfold! I, Zhang Haoran, swear it!" Zhang Haoran knelt there on the floor, his whole face contorted.
"In truth I think… you'd do better to give it up. You're no match for that Zhao Chen." A refined, handsome man who'd kept silent all this while spoke for the first time — like a mere onlooker at this banquet.
But he didn't count his coming a wasted trip; this had been a fine show indeed.
"Young Master Sun, where there's a will there's a way. And besides, I do think that Zhao Chen went truly too far — he could stand to be taught a lesson." A cold glint flashed through Han Tianwang's eyes. A moment ago that Zhao Chen had refused him all face — and in front of Su Lan, no less.
That Young Master Sun smiled, and said nothing further.
"Ah… which of you gentlemen will be settling the bill…" Just then a restaurant manager came over, and looked at Zhang Haoran kneeling on the floor with a somewhat startled expression.
"How much." Zhang Haoran got to his feet, his legs still trembling a little.
"53,000 star coins in all; we can knock off the odd change for you." The manager spoke with a professional smile.
Zhang Haoran's body gave a lurch, and he nearly toppled to the floor. He stared at the man in astonishment. "50,000? Impossible — how could our one table possibly come to 50,000 star coins?"
"This table alone is only 25,000. But the guest who just left, besides the wine, also had two further identical meal-sets packed up to take away. So… it comes to 50,000 star coins…" the manager explained with a smile.
Took it to-go?
Rage surged up and struck at Zhang Haoran's heart; he spat out a mouthful of blood on the spot, and bellowed, "Zhao Chen!"
——————
The sight of Zhao Chen with two or three bags dangling from his left hand and two or three from his right was, in truth, rather comical.
"Wan'er's brother, you were really something back there. This meal… urp… truly wasn't for nothing — not only did I eat my fill, I got to watch a fine show besides. And you even packed food to take away… I stole a glance at the bill, a full 50,000 star coins. I'll bet Zhang Haoran's face went green when it came time to pay." The twin-tailed Xue Xiaoxiao patted her little belly as she spoke.
"Don't go calling him 'Wan'er's brother' — just call him Zhao Chen." Zhao Wan'er rolled her eyes, then fixed her stare on Zhao Chen. "Targeting Zhang Haoran the way you did — and refusing Han Tianwang his face on top of it. Aren't you afraid they'll come back at you for it later?"
"You make it sound as though, if I'd sat down all mild and pleasant to hash it out with them, they wouldn't come back at me down the line. Since it can't be changed either way — then why shouldn't I give the drowning dog a good beating?" Zhao Chen laughed, indifferent.
Su Lan covered her mouth and laughed softly. "Wan'er, this brother of yours really is something special. He's nothing like the bookworm-who-knows-only-his-studies you made him out to be. If a fellow like this counts as a dullard, then there are no clever people left in this world."
"How was I to know he'd hidden it all so deep?" Zhao Wan'er pouted.
Su Lan looked at Zhao Chen. "Junior Zhao Chen — I must give you a word of warning, all the same. Today you've well and truly given offense to both Zhang Haoran and Han Tianwang. Zhang Haoran I don't know, but Han Tianwang is a smiling tiger — a petty, small-hearted sort. You refused him his face today, and in the future he'll surely find some matter or other to trip you up on."
"Mm. I'll be careful," said Zhao Chen with a nod.
"Do you have any plans for the break?" Xue Xiaoxiao asked, curious.
"Wan'er and I are going back to the fief. I am, after all, the baron in name; a whole heap of matters is waiting there for me to see to." Zhao Chen said it helplessly.
"A heap of matters, he says. The affairs of the fief are all arranged for you by your sister anyway." Zhao Wan'er rolled her eyes.
"Speaking of your sister — I recall she serves in the Starlight Empire's imperial navy. I've heard she's remarkable; she's even become a starship captain in the Princess's own guard," said Su Lan.
Zhao Chen thought of this sister of his.
In truth his impressions of her were few. From as far back as he could remember, their parents had already been gone — and by that time his sister had already been away at a starship academy, and after graduating had gone off to the imperial navy.
The time she spent back at the fief came to less than a month out of any given year — and even within that month, the times they met could be counted on one's fingers.
But Zhao Wan'er was right: were it not for this sister of theirs seeing to the affairs of the fief, there was no telling what state Zhao Chen's fief would be in by now.
"Oh — right. This year you won't need to book a ticket. Ride back on my ship," Zhao Chen said to Zhao Wan'er.
In years past, Zhao Chen and Zhao Wan'er had both booked starship tickets to make the trip back to the fief.
"Flying a ship back costs dozens of times more than a ticket, you know." Zhao Wan'er leaned in close to Zhao Chen and murmured it.
Zhao Chen laughed. "Don't forget — your brother's a man of means now." He was thinking of that 500,000 star coins.
Zhao Wan'er rolled her eyes. "Fine, then." Honestly, taking one's own ship home was at least three times faster than a starship ticket.
"Then head back for the moment; we set out the day after tomorrow. Let me know whatever you need to move. I'll go on ahead — I've got all this food, and cold food's no good." With that, Zhao Chen bid Su Lan and the others farewell and hurried off.
"Is your brother a glutton? All that food — how long can he possibly eat it, all on his own?" Xue Xiaoxiao said, unable to keep from swallowing.
Because the smell of that food had truly been something.
Zhao Wan'er watched her brother's retreating back, and felt he'd changed a great deal — as though she hardly knew him anymore.
"That brother of yours is an interesting one," Su Lan remarked.
Both Zhao Wan'er and Xue Xiaoxiao were taken aback — for a man Su Lan would call "interesting" was rarer than an endangered beast.
……
Blizzard Zero.
Zhao Chen came panting up into the ship's hold, where Charlotte, per his order, had long since been waiting.
"Quick, help me… help me carry these…" Zhao Chen passed the several meal-boxes in his hands over to Charlotte.
He looked at his own arms and wrists, chafed red with angry marks; a few of his fingers had even gone purple for want of blood.
"Captain, what's inside these?" Charlotte looked at the bags in both her hands.
"A secret. Notify every crew member to gather at the dining hall!" Zhao Chen gave a mysterious smile.
Charlotte asked nothing further, and passed the order down as Zhao Chen bade her; then the two of them set off toward the ship's dining hall.
"Don't you need me to carry some for you?" Zhao Chen looked at Charlotte, bearing so great a load and yet perfectly steady, her face not so much as changing color.
"Is it heavy?" Charlotte asked back, mild as anything.
Zhao Chen was momentarily at a loss. Well, all right… so this was the strength of the beast-folk White Tiger clan.