Dong Qiangqiang's Story of Leaving Germany

Chapter 1158. A Thousand Cups of Wine Without Getting Drunk
"Well said." Dong Qiangqiang followed Lu Shan's words and sighed sincerely, "That's why the ancients said that Chinese intellectuals should take it as their responsibility to 'establish their minds for the world, establish their lives for the people, inherit the lost knowledge of the past sages, and create peace for all generations.'"

"What are you talking about?" Lu Shan revealed his accent in confusion.

"The Four Lines of Hengqu, don't you want to raise the level of your thought later?" Dong Qiangqiang asked, "Or did I recite it wrong?"

"No, no, these four sentences are really cool. This is the first time I've heard them. Please say them again so I can write them down and tell them to foreigners later," Lu Shan said as he took out a notebook. "What is the first sentence for the world?"

Two young people in their prime years were walking on the street, talking and laughing. The afternoon sun was shining brightly, and the streets paved with oval cobblestones were dazzlingly illuminated by the September sun. The air was filled with the fragrance of dried leaves and a hint of damp fishy smell brought by the sea breeze. Dong Qiangqiang was very puzzled: Munich is located inland and not by the sea. The nearest coastline is a hundred kilometers away. Where does the sea breeze come from?
"If there is a warm and pleasant Italian restaurant in Munich, it must be this one located at the corner of George Street and Wenzel Street in Schwabing. But I didn't say this, it was said by Mr. Bai. He has reviewed restaurants in various European countries, and there are not many good ones that he can praise, so I am borrowing this flower to offer to Buddha." Lu Shan pointed to a building in front of him and smiled, "As long as you walk into that Italian restaurant, time will secretly turn a corner. Of course, this sentence was not said by me, but by Sister Lan. I am borrowing this flower to offer to Buddha, hehe..."

The restaurant located in the downtown area looks like a luxurious and tranquil oasis in the desert from a distance. There is a hollow awning in front of the restaurant. The mottled sunlight playfully jumps from the gaps in the awning to the outdoor dining table below. The dried peppers and garlic hanging under the awning sway in the wind. The elegant willow branch decorations and abundant floral elements make the outdoor area one of the cutest little gardens in the city. At the door stands a large hand-painted wooden sign, on which the restaurant name and "Restaurant Selection" are written in a sloppy but gentle artistic style that Dong Qiangqiang can't recognize at all.

When the weather is good, outdoor tables are always in short supply, not only in Germany, but also throughout Europe. Seeing that there were still many people queuing up for outdoor tables, Dong Qiangqiang and Lu Shan did not argue and walked straight into the restaurant. After all, indoor privacy is better and it is more convenient to talk.

As soon as I walked in, a mixture of fresh basil leaves, slightly burnt garlic, sweet and sour tomato sauce, and rich cheese aroma hit me, like an old letter full of tempting past that has not been opened. The restaurant is higher than Dong Qiangqiang expected, and the atmosphere under the dome is unique. Rows of crystal chandeliers hang from the height. The interior decoration style cleverly combines old wall tiles and original wooden structures. Sunlight pours into the room from the Mediterranean-style arched semicircular windows, reflecting the olive oil bottles on the table with golden green light. Whenever the autumn wind bypasses the crimson velvet curtains and playfully fiddles with the crystal chandelier, the crystals collide and make a crisp and pleasant tinkling sound. The colorful light then swims on the walls, the ground, and everyone's face, making the diners feel particularly comfortable.

On the walls were family photos yellowed by the smoke of daily life, old photos of the older generation working in the fields when they were young, photos of the restaurant owner (Dong Qiangqiang guessed) with a celebrity, and hand-woven Italian flags. Thin-necked candles stood on each dark brown wooden table. Three layers of various foreign wines were stacked on the top of the bar. A bartender was mixing cocktails. Behind him was a semi-open kitchen. Dong Qiangqiang saw a middle-aged man in a white chef's uniform holding a long spatula to put the pizza into the oven. His expression was as focused as if he was offering sacrifices. Beside him, a pair of hands were lightly frying pasta. The sound of the spatula hitting the edge of the pot sounded rhythmically, like a brisk percussion instrument, or like the sound of cicadas in the scorching sun.

Apart from a couple, there were only a few elderly people in the restaurant sitting at tables by the windows. They looked like local regulars. They ignored the new diners and just quietly sipped their coffee, read newspapers, and occasionally chatted in low voices.

It is neither noisy nor lonely here. Diners chat in low voices and clink glasses. Outside the restaurant, there is a hustle and bustle of traffic and the sun is blazing. In this small restaurant, time is like the alleys of Munich, quietly winding forward. The whole world slows down unconsciously. In the blend of a cocktail and truffle cream pasta, the worldly troubles are separated by a wall.

The waiter took Lu Shan's tip and left with a smile on his face. Dong Qiangqiang looked at the table full of dishes and couldn't help saying, "Naples seafood pizza, smoked tuna, juicy fillet steak, double-serving salty grilled sea bass, beef tartare pie, the store's treasured pasta, shrimp risotto, salmon fettuccine, and two appetizers: caprese salad and tomato and red onion salad, and wine... It's too much, give me a refund, how can we finish so much?"

Dong Qiangqiang led many tours in the first two years, and he had eaten at many Italian restaurants. Seeing that the restaurant was located in the city center and the decoration was modern and elegant yet warm and comfortable, he knew it would not be cheap. When he saw that the menu changed with the seasons and the prices were "touching", he was even more shocked. He was already past the age where food was a magnet, and he couldn't help but say earnestly, "You have won the jackpot. Okay, I know you have money, but don't act like this. Be careful not to go from frugality to extravagance. Let's have a medium pizza, two plates of salad, two grilled chicken wings, and two jugs of Munich dark beer, and we will enjoy it. It's simple and delicious. Besides, today we are here to chat, not to feed you."

"Brother Qiang, haven't you heard that saying? The highest level of entertaining is to make the person you invite walk in with the help of the wall and walk out with the help of the wall."

"You mean the buffet?" "Haha, they're almost the same, almost the same," Lu Shan said with a grin. "You don't know, this restaurant is said to have opened shortly after the end of World War II. It was opened by a group of Italians stranded in the local area. Before the reunification of East and West Germany, it was already the mainstay of the catering industry here. Although it's not as good as the HB Royal Beer Hall, it's old enough to be considered a time-honored brand. In the past, whether in Hanover or Trier, I always ate you. It's not easy for you to come here once, and I don't know when you will come next time. How can I just order a spaghetti burger for you and send you away? What kind of person would I be then? I'm not Lei..."

"Hey, kid, you tell me everything," Dong Qiangqiang scolded, "Don't make this a habit."

Lu Shan was so quick to speak that he mumbled something. He wanted to try to make amends, but he felt it was unnecessary. "Brother Qiang, actually everyone would think so even if I didn't say it. As far as I can remember, he never treated us in Hanover. Every time (he treated us), it was either you or Mr. Bai. Forget it, let's not talk about him. Let's just say that this time, you must listen to me. What's the big deal if you have too much? You can pack it up if you can't finish it. You can save yourself from cooking in the next few days. I don't have time to cook when I work anyway."

"You've started working?" Dong Qiangqiang was a little surprised. He thought Lu Shan would take advantage of the rare summer vacation to relax, travel and unwind. After all, once classes started, it would be difficult to be as relaxed as today.

As the two were talking, cold dishes and wine in various containers were served one by one. The service was already good, and it was even more special after the tip. The service was as smooth as silk and impeccable.

When you put several kinds of wine together, the aroma of malt caramel is as sweet as honey, intertwined with the aroma of roasted nuts in the store, warm and fresh without losing the distinct layers. With a light sniff, you can also catch the faint smell of caramel and dark bread crust, as if you just passed by a bakery in the old town.

Dong Qiangqiang had been walking for the whole morning and was really hungry, so he quickly ate a few bites. Although he didn't know how the main meal would be, the two salad appetizers were indeed eye-catching, especially the mozzarella cheese in the Caprese salad, which was soft and fresh, the tomatoes were all sweet and sour, and the red onions were so fresh that it made people cry.

Then I heard Lu Shan say in a clear voice: "Brother Qiang, since I arrived in Germany, thanks to you and Sister Lan, whether it is taking preparatory courses, applying for universities or changing cities, I have not encountered any troubles, and everything has been extremely smooth. Now think about it, I am very lucky to know you. No matter where I am, I have been taken good care of by you. My sister is not as caring as you two. Before I came, many people reminded me that I should be prepared to suffer a lot in Germany, but I really don’t have to worry about anything except studying hard. I am very happy that you came to see me today. You didn’t drive, so you can drink as much as you want. Look, I ordered cocktails, white wine, dark beer, and white beer. I don’t know which one you like, so I just try them all. I will buy the one you like." Lu Shan picked up the draft beer at hand and said emotionally, "Brother Qiang, I toast you with the first glass, and also Sister Lan. Thank you for taking care of me all the time. I used to have limited abilities, but now I am also a formal college student. In the future, if you need me, please feel free to speak. I promise to be there at any time and never talk nonsense."

Lu Shan was about to look up when he finished speaking, but Dong Qiangqiang quickly grabbed his wrist and said, "Hey, what are you doing? You got yourself drunk right away? Are you going to talk or not?"

"This little bit (of wine) is okay, I know the limit." Lu Shan smiled nonchalantly.

"Don't drink like this even if you can. Mixing drinks will make you drunk easily. It's safer to drink from high-alcohol to low-alcohol. It's not too late for you to drink after answering my questions."

"Hey, Sister Lan also reminded me of this. Don't worry, I'm not a drunkard. Well, she taught me this word." After spending a long time with Dong Qiangqiang and Du Lan, Lu Shan's spoken English has become more diverse, and he can speak various Northeastern dialects with erhua sounds. "As soon as I got the admission letter, I asked Sister Lan to do two things for me. One is to find an apartment, and the other is to find a job. Sister Lan is very capable and she quickly took care of both. I drank because I was really happy that you came. Besides, I don't have to go to the factory tomorrow, so getting drunk won't delay anything."