The Strongest Delivery Man - Chapter 7

“The night is still young. I don’t think we’ve had enough fun yet. How about we move to a bar?” Zhou Qi suggested. “I know a new place that’s really lively!”

“Sounds great!” Liang Xiaoli and Du Qian threw their hands up in agreement.

“Going back too late isn’t a good idea. What if the dormitory gates are locked?” Luo Na, a typical goody-two-shoes, hesitated.

“What’s there to worry about? We’re all together. Do you think someone’s going to eat you?” Lin Shuangshuang said boldly. “The dorm closes at eleven; we’ll just go back a little earlier.”

“Alright then.” Seeing that her friends had all agreed, Luo Na didn’t insist further.

Zhou Qi glanced at Fang Ye and smiled. “Fang, do you want to come with us?”

“No thanks. I still have to deliver food tomorrow. You guys have fun.” Fang Ye replied, not wanting to be a third wheel.

“Delivering food doesn’t make much money, does it?” Zhou Qi chuckled. “How about this? My dad’s company needs an errand runner. The probation period pays four to five thousand a month, and after graduation, you can go full-time with benefits. Interested?”

Fang Ye shook his head. “No need. I think being a delivery man is pretty good. There are even unexpected surprises sometimes.”

The others looked at him with disdain. What kind of surprises could a mere delivery job bring?

“Waiter, the bill, please!” Lin Shuangshuang waved over the server, who arrived with the check ready.

“Who will be paying?” the waitress asked politely.

“I will,” Fang Ye said.

Even though the dinner experience wasn’t exactly pleasant and Lin Shuangshuang had invited extra people without consulting him, he still decided to keep his promise and pay.

The waitress smiled and handed him the bill. “Sir, here is tonight’s total. Please have a look!”

Fang Ye picked it up and frowned. “Private room charge: 45,500…”

Hearing the number, Liang Xiaoli and the others exchanged smug glances, while Luo Na looked uncomfortable.

“Oh my god, why is it so expensive?” Fang Ye pretended to be utterly shocked and slowly took out his old, worn-out phone.

The waitress was confused. This guy drove a luxury car worth tens of millions, yet he was acting like he was reluctant to spend money. Was he a cheapskate?

Seeing the others enjoying his apparent distress, Fang Ye silently praised his own acting skills.

“Maybe I should pay instead?”

Just as everyone was watching the drama unfold, Luo Na suddenly stood up.

Huh?

Not only were Lin Shuangshuang and the other roommates surprised, but even Zhou Qi and Zhang Zikai were stunned.

Who would’ve thought Luo Na was actually a rich girl? She could casually pull out tens of thousands just like that?

“Xiao Na, are you drunk? What are you talking about?” Liang Xiaoli couldn’t believe it. Luo Na always dressed simply and never bought makeup, leading them to assume she came from a modest background.

“I’m not drunk.” Luo Na took out her phone from her bag, genuinely intending to pay for Fang Ye.

Zhou Qi finally lost his patience and sneered. “Fang, isn’t it a bit much to let a girl pay for you?”

Zhang Zikai chimed in, “Yeah, if you don’t have money, don’t try to show off!”

Lin Shuangshuang feigned concern. “Don’t be so harsh on him. This is my fault for choosing a restaurant beyond his budget…”

Fang Ye didn’t respond. He simply folded his arms and watched them perform.

“Still, no man can let a girl pay the bill. If word gets out, people will think I, Zhou Qi, have no shame!” Zhou Qi said righteously. “It’s just over forty thousand—I’ll pay!”

“Fang Ye, I don’t know what to say. If you didn’t have money, you should’ve said so earlier. With how you’re acting, there’s no way Shuangshuang would ever be your girlfriend!” Du Qian mocked. “Thank goodness Zhou Qi is here tonight. Hurry up and thank him!”

“Why should I thank him?” Fang Ye smirked. “I only said it was expensive, not that I couldn’t afford it. He’s the one desperate to show off.”

“Fang Ye, how can you say that? Zhou Qi was just being kind. If he hadn’t stepped in, you’d be stuck washing dishes in the kitchen. You should learn to be grateful!” Liang Xiaoli scolded.

Lin Shuangshuang stayed silent, but her expression showed her disdain.

Fang Ye was now the target of everyone’s criticism. Luo Na wanted to defend him, but Lin Shuangshuang pulled her back, and even the blonde girl started making sarcastic remarks.

“Fang, I hope you remember this lesson: if you don’t have the strength, don’t pretend to be something you’re not. Otherwise, you’ll get yourself into serious trouble!” Zhou Qi lectured, acting as if he were imparting wisdom. “Once you step into society, you’ll understand if I was right or not.”

“Thanks for the lesson, Zhou,” Fang Ye said nonchalantly before putting away his phone. Since Zhou Qi was so eager to show off, he might as well let him. Saying thanks wasn’t a big deal, after all.

“It’s nothing, just under fifty thousand after all.” Zhou Qi glanced at the bill carelessly and took out his phone to pay.

“Sir, there’s another bill underneath,” the waitress reminded him.

“Another one?” Zhou Qi was stunned.

“Yes, sir. The full amount couldn’t fit on one slip,” the waitress explained apologetically.

“Oh, I see.” Zhou Qi, unfazed, flipped over the first bill.

Item: ‘Sunken Ship’ – 1 bottle
Price: 2,210,000

Total: ¥2,255,500!

“F*ck!”

Zhou Qi blurted out a curse after seeing the total. His face went through a fascinating transformation—turning white, then red, then black in an instant.

Zhang Zikai, noticing his cousin’s odd expression, curiously took the bill and was also shocked.

“Waiter, this must be a mistake! What kind of ‘shipwreck’ wine costs over two million? Are you trying to rob us?!” Zhang Zikai shouted.

“Sir, this bottle of wine was purchased by our manager at an auction at Carlsberg last year. All certificates and invoices are authentic. I can show you,” the waiter was prepared, handing over the documents as she spoke.

Zhou Qi took a look. Sure enough, it was a certificate from the Carlsberg auction, and the invoice price matched the bill exactly. The hotel hadn’t overcharged a single cent, it was completely legitimate!

“‘Sunken Ship 1907 Heidsieck’ is a legendary wine,” the waiter continued with a smile. “Originally intended for Tsar Nicholas II’s court in St. Petersburg in the early 20th century, the shipment was lost when German submarines sank the transport vessel. The bottles remained preserved in the icy waters of the Gulf of Finland for nearly 80 years until Swedish divers discovered them in 1997. In 2013, the Ritz-Carlton Wine Cellar set its price at $280,000 per bottle.”

As the waiter went on with the detailed introduction, Zhou Qi’s face turned darker and darker.

He had completely shot himself in the foot! He had wanted to humiliate Fang Ye, but who would’ve thought the wine would be this ridiculously expensive? Even his father wouldn’t spend so much on a single bottle!

“Qi, what do we do now?” Lin Shuangshuang asked, panicking at the price.

The other girls were just as dumbfounded. Over two million dollars could buy a luxury sports car already!

“What do you mean ‘what do we do’? I’m not paying for this!” Zhou Qi slammed the bill on the table. “Whoever ordered it should pay!”

“How can you be like this?” Luo Na angrily said. “You were the one who asked for the wine, and you drank the most. Now you’re just backing out?”

Since Fang Ye was driving, he hadn’t touched a drop. He’d only had juice.

“I told him to order wine, but I never told him to order something this expensive!” Zhou Qi shouted in frustration. “I could pay for those other two bottles of Margaux, but I’m absolutely not paying for this Sunken Ship!”

To be honest, even if he wanted to, he simply couldn’t. He didn’t even have a million in available credit…

“Zhou, let’s be real—you were the one who insisted on paying, right?” Fang Ye sneered. “I just gave you the chance to show off. Who’s to blame here? If you don’t have the strength, don’t be pretentious. Now look at you. You’ve walked right into your own trap.”

Returning Zhou Qi’s words verbatim, Fang Ye nearly made him spit bl00d in rage.