Chapter 42

## Chapter Guide

**The Boss Should Pay for the Meal** (吃饭当然老大买单 *Chī Fàn Dāng Rán Lǎo Dà Mǎi Dān*) is the forty-second chapter of Tong Yao's *Guardians of Night*.

## Summary

As he walks down a street, Che Yongtai thinks that in the human world, girls dislike people who resort to violence arbitrarily. He then remembers the time he beat up the man at the restaurant, reminiscing that the manager showed admiration for his violent act instead of disgust. He then concludes that girls like violence, but it depends on the timing.

Walking past the brutal scene of Li Lingbiao being battered by a muscular man, Che Yongtai notices the two but pays no attention to Li's begging for help, prioritizing the location of Xiahou High School instead. He then walks by two onlooking girls, who remark that the beating has been transpiring for the past few minutes, and express their wish for a brave and good-hearted person to intervene. Hearing this, Che Yongtai immediately knocks the burly man unconscious and sends him flying with a single punch to the face. As the girls praise Che Yongtai, Li Lingbiao pledges his loyalty to him as thanks for saving his life. The demon lord accepts and asks him about the location of Xiahou High School. Li Lingbiao eagerly agrees to take him to the school and find whoever he is looking for, but cannot do so on the current day. When asked why, he responds that it is Sunday, and classes are not in session. Noting that Che Yongtai does not appear normal and might be involved with the Department of Night, and his strength is superior to Ye Yan, Li Lingbiao tries to ingratiate himself with the demon. He offers to bring Che Yongtao to the high school the next day, and asks if he would like to drink together. While Che Yongtai initially refuses, he accepts after hearing that Li will be bringing some girls to accompany them.

At a restaurant, Li Lingbiao and Che Yongtai are seen drinking alcohol and eating with two hostesses. As the two girls serve Che Yongtai wine, Li Lingbiao declares that Che Yongtai is his "big bro" (大哥 *Dà Gē*) henceforth, and orders the waiter to serve them the best alcohol they have. After two hours of drinking, a drunk Li Lingbiao asks for the bill, which shocks him sober upon realizing they must pay twenty-two thousand yuan. The waiter explains that they were served the restaurant's best quality imported red wine, which costs two thousand per bottle. While Li laments that he only brought five thousand yuan, which he thought was enough for any amount of food and drinks, an intoxicated Che Yongtai offers to pay instead. Che Yongtai realizes that he doesn't enough money on him either, but then remembers that after selling his kidney he was paid twenty thousand. He then manifests a knife, scaring Li Lingbiao and the hostess next to him, who think he plans to assault the waiter and warn him of the restaurant's close proximity to the police station. With a single slash, Che Yongtai extracts his kidney and tells the waiter to exchange it for money, horrifying everyone present. The waiter concedes and respectfully asks Che Yongtai to leave while telling him his meal is on the house. He also offers to pay the protection racket if Che Yongtai so demands.

## Characters in Order of Appearance

* Che Yongtai
* Li Lingbiao