Chapter 2025: To This Dog A*s Life
“When you feel that life isn’t working out for you, don’t be flustered. Touch your empty pocket, and cry it all out,” Mag calmly told the middle-aged man who was sitting at the door of his tavern, and looking out at the crowd at Titan Tavern diagonally across the road.
That man turned back to look at Mag woefully. His lips moved and tears welled up in his eyes.
Judging from his attire, although he did not seem rich, he was definitely not a homeless man.
But, one thing Mag could be sure of—the man definitely did not have enough money in his pocket to buy even a glass of wine. However, he did not feel like going home. Therefore, he sat at the door of a tavern while looking at another tavern.
The crowd and noise there had nothing to do with me because I had no money.
“If a man has no money in his pocket, he can never stand up tall.” Mag sighed and took out the few gold coins he collected last night, tossing them in his hand.
The man appeared to become even more resentful. He glanced at the gold coins in Mag’s hand, and retracted his gaze angrily.
Judging from physical size, he was not certain that he could snatch those gold coins from this darn tavern owner.
After a moment of silence, that man turned back and looked at Mag. “I have a story, and you have wine.”
“I’m sorry, but I’m not interested.” Mag shook his head.
The middle-aged man: π__π…
“But, since you’re so interested in the tavern there, why didn’t you sit at their doorstep?” Mag asked curiously.
“There are so many people there. I’ll be embarrassed. Besides, it’s rather warm to sit here.” The man glanced at Mag, and was still plenty resentful.
“Oh, I see.” Mag thought for a while, and felt offended all of a sudden.
Why?
Did he think there’s no one here at all?
On top of that, he’s here for the free warmer?
“It is rather cold outside today.” Mag stomped his feet. Although the warmer inside made the air at the door feel slightly warmer, there was still the chilling wind.
“Yes. It would be great if there was a place to sit.” The man nodded as he rubbed his hands together, and looked at Mag expectantly.
“This step is rather flat. I’ll leave the door ajar for you.” Mag smiled generously. After that, he left the door slightly open so that the warm air from the tavern would blow out.
“Thanks.” The man nodded woefully.
“You’re welcome.” Mag waved his hand generously, and turned to walk into the tavern.
“Ah…” Pasa sighed, and pulled his little blanket tighter around himself.
It was too hard to be a man.
He had been a long-distance horse-drawn carriage coachman for more than 20 years. He had been delivering goods for traders, and had been to several places. However, he had just lost his job today.
His boss said that war might happen soon, and the trading route would be blocked. There was no idea when it would resume, so all the coachmen were dismissed.
It would take two more days before he could receive his salary for the month. Even if he did receive his wages from his boss, he would have to hand it over to his wife immediately.
Of course, he was not afraid of his wife. He… respected his wife.
Yes, exactly.
He had three children at home, and they were all growing. Initially, they could still get by with his meager salary.
After sitting around for a while, Pasa got up to go home. He had thought things through. He would look for a job tomorrow, and even if he was not going to be a coachman anymore, he could go somewhere else to find other jobs to do. At least he should not let his family starve.
“A drink or two?” Just then, a familiar voice came from behind.
Pasa turned back, and was shocked at Mag, who was carrying a little stool and a tray.
Mag placed the tray on the little stool. On the tray was a plate of drunkard peanuts and slightly less than half a bottle of Maotai left behind by the group just now. Because there were too many of them, Mag didn’t know whom to pass it to, so he decided to settle it this way.
Mag sat down beside Pasa on the step with the stool in between them. The door behind them was wide open, and the warm air from inside blew out, chasing away the chill.
Pop~
Mag pulled out the cork, and poured it into two glasses.
“Fantastic wine!”
Pasa’s eyes lit up the moment he smelled the fragrance of the alcohol. He was not a drinker, but coachmen would always drink in the winter to get rid of the cold. After roaming around for so many years, Pasa had also tried wines from various places, but he had never smelled something so aromatic.
“You have great taste.” Mag poured two glasses of wine. He reached for a cup, and told Pasa, “Here, to this dog a*s life.”
“To this dog a*s life.” Pasa picked up the glass, clinked with Mag, and chugged the liquid down.
This was a great wine that Pasa had never had before in his life. The moment he swallowed the wine, the warmth started rushing up to the rest of his body. There was the warmth from this great wine and also the warmth from the wine offered by a stranger in this chilling wind.
“Drunkard peanuts. Try it.” Mag threw one peanut into his mouth, and crunched on it.
Pasa also put a peanut into his mouth. He was shocked that this ordinary peanut could be so crunchy and spicy. This made him feel like having another glass.
Mag filled up Pasa’s glass once again. However, he did not clink glasses with him again. This was not beer. If they drank one cup after another, this leftover wine would be gone in no time, and he would not know what to do if this fellow got drunk.
“I’m a coachman. I’ve been to many places. Twilight Forest, Wind Forest, Chaos City… I’ve been to all of them. The only place I haven’t been to is Demon Islands. I heard that demons eat humans. Besides, you need to take a ferry there, so I didn’t go…” Pasa started chatting with Mag. However, he did not talk about his hard life, but about the things he saw and heard as a coachman roaming around Norland Continent for all these years.
Mag was listening rather intently most of the time. He was listening about the world from the perspective of a coachman and what a coachman thought of this world.
This was a rather interesting experience. At least it was not something he would experience often in his life.
Looking at an ordinary man living life seriously.
“Thank you for your beautiful wine. When I have money in my pocket, I’ll drink with you again. Next time… it’s my treat,” Pasa, who was slightly tipsy, told Mag seriously.
“Sure, your treat next time.” Mag nodded with a smile. He packed the leftover drunkard peanuts, and hung it at Pasa’s waist. There were three sweets in there too because he heard about his three children at home.
“Goodbye.” Pasa waved his hand, and staggered off.
Mag stood by the door, and watched him disappear down the street. After ensuring that Pasa could go home on his own, he turned to enter the tavern, and switched off the light for the signboard.
That fellow… is rather strange? The door to Titan Tavern opened. Eiffie frowned and was puzzled.
“Lady boss, another bottle!” A shout came from the tavern.
“Coming.” Eiffie entered the tavern to continue hustling.
***
“Where did you go and have fun? You didn’t even come back for dinner? You’re getting all capable, aren’t you?” A big woman stood at the door of an old house. When she saw Pasa staggering over, she raised her voice, and tightened her grip on the clog in her hand.
Three little heads peeked out from the door behind, looking at Pasa pitifully..