The city of Xi Du, though elegant and beautiful, wasn't large; it took me barely ten minutes on my motorcycle to reach the Red Lantern Mala Tang Restaurant.

I saw Man Niao Niao and Qin Ping Er waiting for me outside "The Red Lantern," with countless greedy eyes from some rough-looking young men latching onto Qin Ping Er like hooks.

I brought the two of them into "The Red Lantern." The pockmarked owner rushed out, a distinctive grin plastered on his oily, sweaty face. "Yo-ho, Brother Ying! Haven't seen you in ages, welcome, welcome, a hearty welcome!" But when he saw Qin Ping Er walking in behind me, his eyes, which had been narrowed to slits, immediately bulged out like a bull's appendage; he froze there, dumbfounded.

Seeing his reaction, I pretended to be angry and said to him, "Boss Ma, what's with you? Got zapped by lightning?" Boss Ma snapped out of it, pulled his gaze back, let out a slight chuckle, and led us into a private room.

"Brother Ying, what would you like to eat?" Boss Ma asked me absently, his eyes fixed on Qin Ping Er once we were seated.

Since it was still early, there weren't many customers, and I noticed Boss Ma was quite free. Moreover, Qin Ping Er was a young woman; though exhausted and hungry, a woman cares about her appearance at any time. So I said to Boss Ma, "How about this: could we borrow your washroom so this lady can freshen up her face first? While she’s at it, perhaps the other fellow can take care of some much-needed cleaning. And you, quickly tell the young waitress to prepare a Mandarin Duck hot pot and get whatever delicious things you have ready, alright?"

Boss Ma readily agreed, saying yes repeatedly, that there was a washroom upstairs with hot water—enough for a bath, not just a face wash. He then waddled out, holding his large belly, to make arrangements.

I noticed Qin Ping Er send me a grateful smile before following the waitress upstairs to wash her face and rinse her mouth. Man Niao Niao, upon entering, had already checked his battered suitcase and Qin Ping Er's small, delicate red suitcase at the counter; he now followed them upstairs too.

While they were cleaning up, a young Tujia girl swiftly brought over a Mandarin Duck hot pot, lit the natural gas burner, and then returned with a tray of dishes, arranging them on the table, waiting only for the broth in the pot to boil before they could start cooking.

"Brother Ying, who is that girl? Why does she look mixed-race?" Boss Ma shuffled in, offered me a cigarette, and said conspiratorially.

"Her? I just met her myself... probably my aunt!" I glanced at Boss Ma, saw his grin about to fall off his face, and told him casually.

"Your aunt? An aunt that young and beautiful? — What a pity! Such a tempting fresh flower! It seems you can only smell but not pluck it!" Boss Ma shook his head and swayed his body, his tone feigning sorrow.

"Hey! I say, why don't you clear off?" Having already felt a bit down, I couldn't handle the provocation. I blew a puff of smoke at Boss Ma and stepped on his foot. He chuckled and backed out of the private room. This Boss Ma wasn't actually surnamed Ma; it was just that his face was covered in pockmarks like a mud patch trodden by cleats, and since he ran a mala tang shop, plus his incredible tolerance for alcohol—making him one of the "Bu" generation figures in the Xi Du drinking circles—his nickname was "Ma Bu Fan" (Ma Doesn't Flip). With all those "Ma" connections, everyone just called him "Boss Ma."

After I finished a few cigarettes, the hot pot broth slowly began to boil, and Man Niao Niao came down from upstairs. After his cleanup, the fellow looked much better. It seemed he’d washed his head and face, even styled his hair into a decent middle part. His beard, which resembled thatch, was shaved off, and he had changed into a clean short-sleeved shirt; the reddish-black tie was gone, and his liberation shoes had been swapped for a pair of brown leather shoes. However, the slightly mocking, roguish expression on his face hadn't diminished much.

"Got a smoke?" Niao Niao dragged a chair over, sat down heavily, and asked me for a cigarette.

"Got a light? Light it for your grand-sir!" He then asked me for a lighter.

I took the opportunity to tease him relentlessly: "You returning prodigal fellow is just a fourth-class citizen, having neither smoke nor fire!" I beckoned Boss Ma to bring Niao Niao a pack of cigarettes and a lighter. He accepted them nonchalantly, looking as if he deserved it, which thoroughly annoyed me.

"Tell me, what is your relationship with her?" I had many things I wanted to ask Man Niao Niao, but somehow this was the first question that came out. After asking, I realized how redundant the question was, and my face grew awkward. Man Niao Niao had already made his relationship with Qin Ping Er public; wasn't asking this question just making a fuss over nothing?

Seeing my embarrassment, Man Niao Niao blew a smoke ring, chuckled softly, and said slowly, "What relationship do you think she and I have?"

"Uh! That, Birdy..." Before I could finish speaking, a wave of fragrance, not quite orchid, not quite musk, washed over me. I turned my head and felt the same jolt as Boss Ma—Qin Ping Er, after her wash and dress-up, had ascended to a higher level of beauty. The utterly exhausted look from before was completely gone. The soft, lovable girl who had just gotten off the car had transformed into a super beauty brimming with wild charm, looking exceptionally youthful, bright, and radiant. I tried hard to rack my brain for adjectives to describe her, only to find the scraps of knowledge I’d picked up over a dozen years felt painfully inadequate. If the Qin Ping Er who stepped off the car was a wilting peony, the Qin Ping Er now was a dewy, glistening white lotus.

My blood boiled, and my heart filled with a chaotic mix of emotions.

"Birdy? What Birdy? Are we eating Birdy today? I don't eat that!" Qin Ping Er sat down, not looking at Man Niao Niao, and asked me curiously, her bright eyes fixed on me. I was stunned, looking confusedly at Man Niao Niao. Could it be that Qin Ping Er didn't know "Niao Niao" was his nickname? Man Niao Niao covered his mouth, snickered, and looked away, ignoring me.

Seeing Qin Ping Er still staring at me, I could only say lightly, "Niao Niao is Man Ming's nickname!"

"Oh? Niao Niao is Man Ming's nickname? How come I didn't know? How did he get it?" Qin Ping Er asked me, her eyes showing a playful curiosity.

"This... Boss Ma, bring the liquor!" Extremely embarrassed and unsure how to answer, I suddenly called out to Boss Ma in a flash of inspiration, secretly wiping a bead of cold sweat from my brow.

Boss Ma came in and asked, "Brother Ying, how many Watts of liquor?" His eyes darted sideways at Qin Ping Er. "How many Watts of liquor? What does that mean? Do you drink liquor by the Watt?" Qin Ping Er’s eyes widened further in confusion, asking Boss Ma. I quickly explained to her that this was a unique local dialect in Xi Du, meaning proof level, and they called "proof" a "Watt" to emphasize the spirit's potency. Qin Ping Er nodded in understanding and said to me, "The Tujia people are really interesting!"

Before I could say anything, Man Niao Niao was already giving orders to Boss Ma, "Don't bring any other liquor, we only want corn liquor, 45 Watts—it goes down easy!" When Boss Ma saw me nod, he turned and retrieved six small bottles of corn liquor from the counter.

"Bringing so much?" Qin Ping Er looked at the six bottles lined up in surprise.

Boss Ma quickly explained, "There are three of you, two bottles each. No one here drinks just one bottle; it represents good things coming in pairs!"

"I drink too? Is this a local custom?" Qin Ping Er's eyes widened again in astonishment!

I nodded and said, "More or less! No banquet is complete without alcohol. It’s not exactly a custom of ours, but it reflects the warm hospitality of the Tujia people! However, you can drink a little less. This corn liquor—that is, corn wine—is brewed from local, natural, green corn. Even if you drink a lot, it won't make your head fuzzy, but it’s not easy to swallow while drinking. When it goes down, it feels like a ball of fire burning from your mouth to your stomach!"

As I was describing the Tujia corn liquor to Qin Ping Er, Man Niao Niao over there had already poured a bottle into his cup. He threw his head back without waiting, finishing two ounces of corn liquor in one gulp. After swallowing, he wiped his mouth and sighed deeply, "Refreshing! Haven't had this stuff in years!"

I poured a small amount—less than half a bottle—into Qin Ping Er's cup and carefully said to her, "Aunt... Aunt, why don't you try some?"

Qin Ping Er's face immediately flushed red. She gave me a sidelong glance and chided, "Why are you calling me that? How unpleasant! Who is your aunt? Just call me by my name!"

Hearing her say that, I felt an inexplicable joy bubble up. I shot a standard, flirtatious male look at Niao Niao, who was currently wolfing down food, but I saw that Man Niao Niao wasn't looking at me at all, engrossed in his feast.

Seeing his manner of eating, I pointed at the menu and said to Niao Niao, "Niao Niao, want to try this item? I hear it’s the kind that nourishes what it pertains to!" Niao Niao was delighted. He snatched the menu, looked where I pointed, and realized it was pig brain marrow!

Niao Niao became furious, sprayed alcohol breath all over me, and lunged at me with a fierce burst, "You bastard, do you treat your elders like this? Did you stick your education up your donkey's backside?"

Having gotten my revenge, I drank two cups with him, then ignored him and turned to look at Qin Ping Er.

Qin Ping Er held the half-cup of liquor in her hand, brought it close to her nose, and sniffed. "Wow, so fragrant!" She imitated Man Niao Niao’s move and swallowed it in one gulp. I expected her to immediately shriek, but instead, she held the empty cup, smacked her lips, blinked, and savored the aftertaste carefully for a moment, then nodded, "This liquor is fiery, but the taste is very good!" She displayed the demeanor of someone thoroughly tested by alcohol, leaving me dumbfounded.

Seeing me staring intently, Qin Ping Er gave a shy smile and held her empty cup out to me. "What? Do the Tujia only offer one cup of wine to guests?" I snapped back to attention and hastily picked up the bottle to pour more into her cup. As I poured, I watched her expression, and seeing that she didn't pull her hand back, I ended up pouring all the rest of the liquor in the bottle into her cup.

"Brother Ying, let me toast you first, thank you for your hospitality. I might need your help with something later!" Qin Ping Er said to me with a smile, holding up her wine glass. The way she called me "Brother Ying" made half my body go numb and my head spin. Without thinking, I drank a cup with her.

"Niao Niao, thank you for taking care of me on the trip. Here, let me toast you," Qin Ping Er poured another cup for herself and said to Man Niao Niao. Man Niao Niao quickly swallowed the food in his mouth and raised his cup. "It's my duty, my duty! Don't be so polite, don't be so polite!" He took a small sip, but Qin Ping Er drained the cup in one go. Seeing this, Man Niao Niao also downed the contents of his cup. "Good! Pin Er has quite the capacity for alcohol! I'll drink too! Here, let me toast you too! Welcome to Xi Du!"

Listening from the side, my face was full of suspicion. Based on their words, were they not a couple? Then why did Qin Ping Er come to Xi Du? Tourism?

Just as I was about to ask for clarification, Boss Ma walked in carrying a few bottles of liquor, wearing his usual sinister smile. "Brother Ying, why haven't you introduced these two distinguished guests? That's not very hospitable! Introduce us so I can properly play the host's role!"

"Oh! This is my uncle, and also my friend; you can just call him Man Niao Niao! This one is... Miss Qin!" When introducing Qin Ping Er, I hesitated for a long time before uttering the somewhat stuffy "Miss Qin," which made even me feel awkward. Boss Ma gave Man Niao Niao a meaningful look. "Oh! So you are Brother Ying's uncle! Come, a toast to you. Where are you making your fortune?" Man Niao Niao took a sip and said flatly, "Making a fart of a fortune! — I work at the Earth Repair Group!" "Ah, that's good too! The status of migrant workers is getting higher these days! Look, you’ve even found such a beautiful wife!"

Qin Ping Er blushed and lowered her head, remaining silent. I pointed at Boss Ma toward Qin Ping Er and said, "This one is..." Before I finished, Boss Ma interjected, "Hehe, my name is Ma Bu Fan! I’m of the same generation as Brother Ying, so I toast the 'aunt' a cup!" Qin Ping Er’s face turned even redder, looking utterly embarrassed. She glared fiercely at Man Niao Niao twice, waving her hands wildly. "I'm not, I'm not! Don't call me that randomly.—By the way, your name is so strange?"

"His name is Ma Bu Fan, meaning he's formidable when it comes to drinking!" Seeing Qin Ping Er looking pitiful, I quickly covered for her.

"High praise, high praise! I don't have many hobbies, just this one! Well then, let me toast the young lady a cup, wishing you become more and more beautiful. I’ll drink mine first; you take your time!" Boss Ma drained the cup in front of him, proudly showing the bottom. Seeing his action, Qin Ping Er picked up her wine glass, smiled faintly, and downed the entire contents in one go, stunning the three of us men into staring at each other with ashen faces.

"Haha, I didn't expect the young lady to be a kindred spirit! Interesting, interesting!—Waitress, bring a few more bottles!" Boss Ma's eyes lit up, and he shouted toward the outside of the private room. In an instant, the waitress brought eight more bottles. Boss Ma didn't waste time; he twisted off the caps of two bottles right away and poured four full cups. "Hehe! When drinking buddies meet, a thousand cups are too few! Young lady, drink heartily (hei qi)! This round is on me! Brother Ying, Uncle Niao, show the spirit of the Tujia people and drink well with our distant guest! Today we'll drink until we drop, no backing out (la xi bai dai)!"

Boss Ma was ecstatic, but I felt hesitant. I was already feeling a little dizzy, and by the looks of it, two or three cups wouldn't settle the score. Man Niao Niao's face was also flushed, showing a trace of suffering, but Qin Ping Er seemed perfectly composed, displaying the bearing of a general ready to meet any challenge head-on. I was greatly shocked—how could this beauty drink so much?

"Let her eat some food first! She's been hungry for a long time!" I quickly made an excuse. "Right, right! Young lady, eat some food first, we’ll drink slowly!" Qin Ping Er picked up her chopsticks and began eating with elegant posture. After a few bites, her rosy lips looked even more tempting, glistening. She blew on the food, making little hsu-hsu sounds, and her eyes became bright. It seemed the mala tang suited her palate perfectly, astonishing the three of us local men—who would have thought this beauty could not only drink well but also handle spicy food!

Seeing our dumbfounded expressions, Qin Ping Er blushed slightly, picked up her wine glass, "Come, let me toast the three Tujia brothers, thank you for your generous hospitality! I’ll drink mine first too, shall I?" After saying that, she threw her head back and finished the wine in her cup, then, like Boss Ma, she flashed the bottom of the cup—a clear indication that they could handle whatever came next!

Boss Ma burst out laughing, "Refreshing! I'll drink mine too!" Man Niao Niao and I, looking defeated but unwilling to lose face, pretended to be hearty and downed our full cups. As soon as this cup went down, my stomach felt like it had caught fire, my whole body’s blood grew hot, my head buzzed, and my eyes became hazy. Qin Ping Er’s face appeared blurry and indistinct. That strange feeling I had when I first saw her resurfaced from the depths of my heart, but when I tried to trace its source, it vanished without a trace.

Man Niao Niao wasn't faring any better; his face was purplish-black, and he slumped in his chair, wiping the oily sweat from his face with his thick hand, panting heavily, trying to maintain an air of ease. Boss Ma, fueled by the liquor, was flushed and laughing loudly, his booming voice shaking the back wall. The pockmarks on his face seemed especially lively and animated with the twitching of his muscles. Qin Ping Er remained calm and collected, her face neither red nor pale, glowing with spirited radiance. Her bright eyes darted around gracefully, radiating an otherworldly, exquisite beauty untainted by earthly concerns.

"Great Hero Ma, I can't go on. You keep drinking with Miss Qin," I said weakly, fighting off the dizziness and the urge to vomit the contents of my stomach. Looking over at Man Niao Niao, he was already slumped like a sack of flour on his chair, eyes half-closed, drooling, seemingly asleep and not asleep.

"Got it! I'll take on this glorious mission!" Boss Ma patted my cheek, and the strong smell of alcohol washed over me, making my stomach cramp, nearly forcing me to reveal my true state. Luckily, Qin Ping Er happened to lean over to check on me, and a delicate, strange fragrance timely saved me from the verge of collapse.

"Young lady, those two have surrendered. I'll see this through to the end with you!" Hearing this ambiguous sentence, a surge of anger suddenly rose in my heart, and I prepared to deliver a sharp kick to Boss Ma, but my limbs felt weak and useless. I could only half-recline on the chair like Man Niao Niao, holding my head with both hands, forcing a composed look, squinting my eyes to watch Boss Ma and Qin Ping Er compete in drinking.

In a very short time, Boss Ma and Qin Ping Er each downed two more bottles, both in single gulps. Boss Ma, the self-proclaimed "Ma Bu Fan," was already slurring his words, his speech indistinct, his laughter considerably weaker, and the pockmarks on his face had quieted down. Qin Ping Er, however, remained as placid and self-possessed as before, her voice as crisp as a lone bird's call in a valley. "Boss Ma, let me toast you one more cup? Wishing your business prosperity across all seas and wealth flowing in all rivers!"

"Young lady, I appreciate your sentiment, but perhaps we can skip the drink? Ah? Otherwise, I might have to... go pig out!"

"Go pig out?"

"Uh! Like this! Sister... I’m calling you sister now, welcome... to join the Xi Du drinking circle's 'Bu' generation, uh... your surname is Qin, right? Then I'll call you... call you 'Qin Bu Zui' [Qin Never-Drunk]... uh!"