He won 900 million in the lottery.

Since returning from Shanghai, I have indeed drifted apart from my friends.

We didn't have money before.

I have money now.

So I feel like I'm pretty materialistic. When I'm broke, I try to squeeze into crowds, but when I have money, I just want to have fun by myself.

However, humans are social creatures, and after being alone for a long time, they will miss their fellow human beings. But this is not because of friendship. Perhaps it is because they are tired of a life of abundance, perhaps because there is no one around to flatter them, or perhaps because they lack people to provide emotional value.

Then I was startled. Back then, I was penniless. Why were the eldest and second eldest brothers willing to play with me?

Is it because of my personal charm?

Or is it because I can provide emotional value?

Then I thought again, people need each other precisely because they provide emotional value; they can listen, they can complain, and they can vent.

So, I'm going to invite my friends to have a meal together.

Zhang Luode, Zhao Chu, Liu Haitao, Zhao Zifeng, and Li Tie are in the same circle.

There was another circle represented by Chen Sheng.

I have other "friends".

We'll be meeting them all this month.

First, give Li Tie a call.

Me: "Hey bro, how's it going lately?"

Li Tie: "He has performed well in his meritorious service and has been waiting at home for a summons. The procuratorate has not yet filed charges."

Me: "Don't be stingy with the money, try to get things done. If you can get a suspended sentence, that would be the best outcome."

Li Tie didn't hold back in praising Zhou Minyi over the phone: "Zhou Minyi has already helped me a lot, otherwise I would definitely be in jail..."

Me: "How dare you talk like that!"

Li Tie realized what I meant and quickly changed the subject: "Why did you call me?"

Me: "We're going drinking tonight. I'll send the address to the group later. Please reply that you received it."

Li Tie: "I don't want to go, it's pointless."

Me: "What's wrong?"

Li Tie: "Given my current situation, going there would only make them laugh at me, so why bother?"

Me: "You're just a clown anyway, what's wrong with laughing? Besides, nobody knows you're in trouble yet."

Yes, he was originally a clown... If he didn't define himself, how could he better integrate into society?

I'll call Zhang Luode and the others one by one again, and tell them in the group chat to send their locations.

Some people think that inviting someone to dinner is as simple as having someone notify them, but that's not the case.

If you notify A and then have A notify B, B will feel that you are not sincere.

This isn't being pretentious.

It's not that I'm being petty, it's just that this "B" isn't you.

Private room in a restaurant.

I arrived 10 minutes early, and the boss, Zhang Luode, was the first to arrive: "Did you bring any alcohol?"

Me: "I brought it."

Zhang Luode: "What kind of wine? I don't drink junk wine. I usually drink Maotai."

Zhang Luode and I are indeed quite close. He always invites me for drinks, and he always brings good wine. Also, because I'm short on funds, I never bring my own alcohol, which is why I ended up in this situation. He's rich, and he always brings his own alcohol with him in his car; it's a common practice in our social circle.

Me: "1573, is that okay?"

Zhang Luode sat down: "Well, it's barely passable."

I forced a laugh and said, "Thank you for your recognition."

Zhang Luode: "What have you been so busy with since you got back? You're only treating us to dinner now? I've been wanting to invite you to dinner for ages."

What Zhang Luode said is true; he has a drinking problem, drinking a pound of alcohol every day...

Before three sentences could be exchanged, Zhao Zifeng arrived.

Zhao Zifeng: "You two bosses are here early."

Me: "Please have a seat, Director Zhao..."

Okay, this was just a joke between friends. Zhao Zifeng is just a clerk, and he only wants to be a clerk his whole life. He has no desires or ambitions, and he has a very positive attitude. Maybe that's why he can be in the same circle as us.

The last time I met Zhao Zifeng was a few days ago. Haitao got scammed by a telecom fraudster and came to us to complain. Zhao Zifeng is a nice guy, so he gets along well with everyone. Not just Haitao, he lends money to anyone who asks, including me. The most he ever lends is 4 yuan, no more.

He also has his own reasons.

Before the meal started, Haitao, Zhao Chu, and Li Tie arrived on time.

We don't have a rule about forcing people to drink, but our drinking rule is based on the number of people plus one. For example, there are 6 people having dinner today, and the wine I've prepared is exactly one case plus one bottle. One case means one bottle per person, and one bottle is for everyone to have a little more if they want to drink to their heart's content at the end.

Cold dishes are served first, as usual.

Seeing that everyone had taken a few sips, I raised my glass and said, "Let's have the first drink! Happy Mid-Autumn Festival!"

Since the Mid-Autumn Festival hasn't arrived yet, everyone needs to spend time with their families, so we're celebrating the festival early.

The cold dish, Qianlong cabbage, is the most popular; it's gone in no time, with just one bite per person for six people.

Me: "Second cup!"

With the first cup set in motion, the second cup was less restrained; the main goal was to finish the first three cups quickly! Speed ​​was key! Large quantities were essential!

Me: "Third drink, brothers—"

When I brought up the three pseudo-concepts of "brothers," especially since everyone here had a friendship of over 15 years, and fueled by alcohol, we shouted our annual slogan: "Long live friendship!"

At that moment, I truly understood why my boss needed friends, and why I needed them too!

After three cups, hot dishes were served, and everyone started eating casually.

Since I was the host this time, naturally many topics of conversation originated from my position.

Zhao Zifeng: "Boss Shen, are you really going back to your hometown for good this time? Are you really not going out again?"

Me: "Okay."

Zhao Zifeng raised his glass and clinked it against mine: "I heard from Haitao that you started a company back in your hometown?"

I gave a wry smile: "I just wanted to have some fun, but now Haitao has made sure everyone knows about it."

Hai Tao, who was standing to the side, complained, "I drank too much that day and blurted it out in a daze. Besides, Director Zhao is the only one in the circle who hasn't invested yet. What if he finds out someday? Wouldn't that make us look like we don't know how to handle things?"

When I thought about it, I realized that made sense.

Me: "Okay, let's talk at my company another day."

Actually, I was prepared to give up this company. The battle with Chen Hangtian is about to begin, and I can't let them take the risks with me. But the business is good, and it really makes money. I'll be frank with everyone. If you're willing, come on over.

When there are more than four people at a dinner table, they don't talk about serious matters.

Next came the toasting session. I noticed Haitao wasn't getting up, probably because he'd already transferred the money to Zhao Chu and was still upset. So I got up myself and went around toasting everyone.

If you say there's no hierarchy or distinction between friends, then it must mean you haven't known each other long enough or deeply enough.

Whenever we go around in circles, I always start with the boss, Zhang Luode. Why? Because he's willing to lend me money, and he always pays for our meals when we go out. "He who eats another's food is bound to him"—this isn't a derogatory term, it's just the rule.

Then we started toasting each other one by one.

In the middle of clinking glasses, the waiter brought out a fish, and before I knew it, they had placed the fish head on my plate.

Three at the head, four at the tail, five on the back, and six on the belly.

We're all family here, so there aren't many rules. Just three at the beginning and four at the end will do.

I circled back in 5 minutes, and no one had touched the fish. They were just waiting for me to drink and cut the ribbon.

I raised my glass: "Come on, Li Tie, bottoms up!"

Three cups were poured into one cup, and Li Tie poured four cups into one cup. The two of them then toasted each other!

As the alcohol took effect, the dinner party was about to start with boasting, and Li Tie was about to get into character. This circle was maintained and built on mutual emotional needs.

"Hey bro, I heard you started a male enhancement company?"

"Do you have any medicine? Give me two pills."

The mockery was genuine, and the desire to take medication was also genuine.

Until one time, Li Tie got drunk and talked to me, saying, "It doesn't matter, so what if they treat me like a clown?"

I then realized that he was suffering just as much as I was.