Errands and evening with Lu zong and mates

Another relatively early rise so I went for a bit of a walk before the rain stopped any notion of anything close to yesterday's one. I recognised the place I was was where I have drunk tea in the past with Weiwei, so I took a picture and let her know, and she called me to pick her up from her office so I did. Then Xiao Nong asked if I could bring her and her son some lean meat zhou and some green tea, so I did that too, but didn't stay more than a couple of minutes before leaving just as the heavens opened. Then Weiwei said she'd messed up some paperwork and could I take her back to the office to fix it? Blimey am I becoming some sort of errand boy here? Anyway of course I did after a change of trousers. I have the time after all.

Three minutes of rain and one change of trousers

A bit later I took her to some place a few km away where she gave the papers to another woman. I didn't ask. I wanted to but by now was bloody knackered and just needed to sleep, even if it was getting on for 4pm. I hope it isn't dodgy business though, as I could be an accessory.

Finally, back home by myself I allowed myself a couple of beers and before 7pm set the alarm for 9pm, which was when I should be at Lu zong's. Two hours was just about the right time to get some rest, but hopefully not have me up all night. I pinged Lu zong to let him know I'd be around soon, but then Xiao Nong pinged me to say she was in KTV (yet again) and to come round. Well it was sort of on the way to Jiang Bing Lu in the sense it was south of our house, so I thought I would, and found her there with just some other bloke. Well I guess 9.30pm is a bit early for raucousness, even here. I stayed no more than half an hour and though she complained at leaving so early I did say I'd told her I'd been invited out (yesterday) for 9pm and it was already nearly 10pm. I said I'd try to be back in an hour, but thought it was unlikely, very unlikely.

There was no problem with me turning up at gone 10pm of course; the guys were already in good spirits and the tricolour of baijiu, hongjiu, and pijiu were in full flow. It was a great laugh and I think I'm really starting to appreciate my improved Chinese now; I can speak with new people and pretty much understand them without too much translating on the phone. I met some boss who said something about drinking tomorrow, and some muscley bloke who said he works out at the same gym and we'd go together one afternoon. I did ping Xiao Nong some time after 1am but she was already home, and anyway I'd had enough so we decided to call it a night some time between 1 and 2am, but at least this time I didn't get lost on the way back.

Great company and food at Lu zong's part-owned bar in Jiang Bing Lu