Chapter 23: Money Is a Bastard (Extra Chapter for Elder Salty Fish Night Sauce)

After a long while, he reluctantly opened his eyes, excitement shining in them. “Indescribable!” he exclaimed.

Ding Mengyao smiled without replying, then picked up another bottle of red wine. “This is the Grand Sail, Dragon Boat Estate, 1999 Reserve. This wine is renowned for its exquisite elegance and smoothness. Now, with more Cabernet Sauvignon blended in, it has become even richer and more flavorful.”

“It pairs best with Swiss Gruyère, semi-soft and mild Reblochon, roasted lamb, and game birds. The taste is truly superb.”

Zhuang Chen tasted it again and couldn’t help but sigh, “Today has really opened my eyes. I never knew much about red wine—I used to think it was just a foreign affectation. Who would have thought the flavor would leave such a lingering impression? This trip was truly worthwhile!”

Ding Mengyao laughed heartily, teasing, “With your praise, it’s all worth it!”

They exchanged a smile, both understanding that wine is the best lubricant for human connection. Zhuang Chen truly felt that today was a day of rich rewards. First, the art of incense had given his sense of smell an unprecedented thrill.

Then, savoring truly fine wine had brought immense satisfaction to his taste buds—an experience for him no less thrilling than the finest cuisine.

“I still don’t quite understand—how can ordinary grapes produce such complex and ever-changing flavors?”

Ding Mengyao set down her glass and explained, “I believe grape aromas fall into three main categories. The first is the primary aroma, or the fruitiness, which mainly comes from the grape variety itself.”

“For instance, Cabernet Sauvignon carries a distinct blackcurrant scent, Pinot Noir is famous for its classic strawberry note, and Gewürztraminer for its lychee aroma. These are not long-lasting—they fade or transform as the wine ages.”

“The second type of aroma arises from the fermentation process itself. As yeast turns sugar into alcohol, it creates many fragrant compounds.”

“The third type appears after bottling and aging: the bouquet that develops with time. In white wines, this can manifest as baked bread, smoke, honey, biscuit, toffee, or nutty notes. In red wines, the aged bouquet is even more varied—leather, tobacco, autumn leaves, chocolate, coffee, mushrooms, even the scent of Italian salami.”

Zhuang Chen suddenly saw it all clearly. Such complexity and change in a single glass—no wonder wine had conquered the world.

“Recommend me a few red wines and some books. I’d like to study this properly,” Zhuang Chen said, his cheeks tinged with red as the wine’s aftereffects set in. Glancing at the composed Ding Mengyao, he added sincerely, “I’ll definitely come more often in the future, so we can exchange ideas.”

“Promise me, we’ll meet again!” For a rare moment, Ding Mengyao revealed a touch of charm. She took out her phone and opened WeChat. “Writing by hand is too much trouble. If you have any questions in the future, just send me a voice message.”

They exchanged contact details. Ding Mengyao selected six fine vintage bottles, each representing a different region’s style, for Zhuang Chen to take home and savor slowly.

Forty-six thousand was charged to his card. By the time he stepped outside, the city lights were already aglow. As he got into his car and glanced at the sign of the Chang’an Club, he couldn’t help but sigh, “It’s so enjoyable here, I don’t even want to leave!”

In the morning, he’d swum a few laps, had a personal fitness session with a beautiful trainer, then finished with a massage and a soak in the hot spring.

At noon, he enjoyed gourmet food, tasted fine wines, and finally immersed himself in the art of incense...

An idle day had slipped by just like that.

Zhuang Chen couldn’t help but smile—he’d found another perfect place to while away his time. He knew he’d come often, especially since he could chat with all kinds of beautiful women. This, surely, was the life of youth.

Just as he reached his front door, Tang Hong called, inviting him to inspect potential studio locations. Zhuang Chen dismissed it without a thought—was such a trivial matter worth his attention?

“Handle it yourself. No need to report the details to me, I only care about the result!”

After hanging up, Tang Hong quietly breathed a sigh of relief. Recalling all she’d seen of her new boss, she couldn’t help but sigh, “That’s right, two million is nothing to him—why would he care?”

She looked at herself in the mirror, took a deep breath, her eyes shining with determination as she encouraged herself, “Tang Hong, you can