During this meal, Zhu Ziqiang had been nothing but a third wheel. Once he had eaten and drunk his fill, he ignored Gu Kaiyuan's attempts to make him stay and hurried away.
Although Gu Kaiyuan and Chen Dafu hadn't left him out in the cold—frequently inviting him to drink and eat—he still felt completely out of place. Furthermore, their conversation was far too profound; he felt as though he heard the words but couldn't grasp the meaning behind them. He waited anxiously for Chen Dafu to finally set down his bowl and chopsticks before hastily making an excuse about urgent matters at home and taking his leave.
