“Boss, Sis Xiaojin has just finished another one…” Tang Xiaomu ran into the dining room while carrying a plate of pork covered with green peppers. She hadn’t finish her words when her eyes landed on Ouyang Lulu.

Tang Xiu took the dishes and smilingly said, “Xiaomu, this is your aunt Lulu.”

“How do you do, Aunt Lulu?” Said Tang Xiaomu in a cute manner.

Auntie?

Ouyang Lulu’s mouth twitched. She squeezed out a smile and nodded to Tang Xiaomu. Then, she turned her head with a question tag on her face toward Tang Xiu.

“I just adopted five orphans. She’s Tang Xiaomu, whereas the other four are Tang Xiaojin, Tang Xiaoshui, Tang Xiaohuo, and Tang Xiaotu. These dishes were cooked by them.”

Ouyang Lulu got up and strode toward the kitchen. When she saw the four busy small figures there, she immediately returned to the dining room and angrily glared at Tang Xiu, “Say, Tang Xiu! Are you still human? They are still kids, and you’re making them cook?”

“Weren’t you the one who wanted to eat? If you don’t want to eat, I’ll go to the living room first and wait there.”

“You…”

She rolled her eyes at Tang Xiu, and then pulled Tang Xiaomu’s hand and softly said, “Little Mu, let us go to the kitchen, Auntie will help you with the cooking.”

About ten minutes later, another batch of dishes had been served in the dining room along with hot steamed white rice and a bowl that was placed in front of Tang Xiu. Tang Xiu himself wasn’t hungry, but the children’s cooking still roused his appetite.

Quickly after stuffing himself Tang Xiu looked at the five children and Ouyang Lulu, who were similarly full, and said, “The five of you can rest now; go study by yourselves. Lulu, let us have a chat in the living room.”

“Wait. I haven’t washed the dishes yet,” said Ouyang Lulu.

“You can wash them later. Anyways, you came over so late, so you should have something to say, right?” Asked Tang Xiu.

Seemingly reminded of something, Ouyang Lulu quickly ran back to the dining room. Taking her bag, she took out a red invitation envelope from the inside. She handed it over with both of her hands and said, “Boss Tang, my restaurant will be opened for business tomorrow. I’m inviting you to participate in the opening ceremony.”

“You’ve a restaurant and is opening it for business? So, being secretive and mysterious all this while after coming to Shanghai was because of this?” Tang Xiu asked with a strange expression.

“Of course!” Ouyang Lulu proudly said. “I’ve poured all of my wealth on it. Now I’m broke. From tomorrow on, however, I will have a handsome income from my restaurant, though; my financial crisis will pass for sure. How about it? Will you accept my invitation or not? I’m keeping the position of cutting the ribbon vacant since I want you to do it!”

Tang Xiu took the invitation. Then, he shook his head and smilingly said, “I will come, that’s for sure. But forget about cutting the ribbon! I’m neither a big shot nor someone famous… Shortly put, cutting the ribbon is your job. Besides, me doing it will only garner people’s attention. And that is not my style at all.”

Ouyang Lulu came to Tang Xiu’s side, took a seat and took his arm with both hands. Acting like a bit like coquettish, spoiled brat, she spoke in a swaying manner, “I know your character, yet it’s not to be made a precedent, no? You’re among the few awesome people I know of. Besides, this restaurant is my own private property; it doesn’t belong to the Ouyang Family. I really hope that you would be the one to cut the ribbon.”

Tang Xiu was feeling a bit helpless inside. But when he looked at the expression on Ouyang Lulu’s face, he forced a smile and said, “Forget it, like you said yourself, it’s not be made a precedent. Anyways, did you invite the media?”

“No, absolutely not!” Ouyang Lulu hastily shook her head. “There will definitely be no media reporters, not even their shadows. I did invite some officials of the city and celebrities, though. As for the others, aside from the staff of my Paradise Manor, there will be some guests that are attracted by the recent advertisements. That’s right, there should also be some businessmen in Shanghai who have business relations with my Ouyang Family as well.”

“It should be quite extravagant!” Said Tang Xiu with a laugh.

“How could I not go big? All my wealth has been poured into it! Nevertheless, I’m very sure that my Paradise Manor will be very hot. Okay, let me tell you a secret. I went to the Everlasting Feast Hall and Seaside Strait manor and used my steal art to snatch their dishes. I even signed a contract with your uncle, Tang Dong, about buying meat from him. Some of the special cuisines are produced with the fierce beasts’ meat from the Seaside Strait Manor. I guarantee that it will taste so delicious that all the guest will be drooling and wolfing them down.”

“You really have gone all in, it seems,” said Tang Xiu with a chuckle.

“But of course!” Ouyang Lulu proudly replied with a happy smile.

Half an hour later, she hurriedly left due to take care of a few issues of the opening. However, just as Tang Xiu walked inside, Mu Wanying came out carrying a lot of things.

“What are these things?” Asked Tang Xiu while looking at the dozen or so big bags Mu Wanying was carrying.

“I bought some snacks as well as some clothes for Xiaojin and the rest,” answered Mu Wanying with a smile. “The luggage and the travel bag are mine, though. My dorm has been out of power and noisy recently. Hence, I’m going to stay here for the next two nights. Also, I’m going to Beijing the day after tomorrow.”

My place is not a hotel, girl!

Tang Xiu could only groan inside. He waved his hand and said, “Feel free to pick a room. Anyways, I’m going to class tomorrow, so I’ll rest first.”

“All right!” Mu Wanying picked up the stuff from the big bag and headed to the room where Tang Xiaojing and the other five were staying.

The next morning, Tang Xiu went to the campus. At noon, he then rushed and arrived at the address written on the invitation. To his astonishment, Paradise Manor encompassed a large area and was located at a very good geographical environment. The location was only 20 kilometers away from Shanghai University.

The site had been decorated with lanterns and colorful festoons. It was full of festivity.

By the time Tang Xiu arrived there, he found that the large parking was already full, many of which were luxury cars. Before riding the sightseeing vehicle that was specially arranged to welcome guests to the buildings shaped in 品 formation, Tang Xiu secretly sighed at the astuteness of the designer.

The three buildings were three floors high each. One of which had an antique flavor, a pagoda-like pavilion, and a modern european-style one. The pagoda-like pavilion stood erect at the back in the middle, while the vast majority of guests had gathered on the fountain square outside this pavilion.

Tang Xiu took a glance around and found that there was no one he was acquainted with, so he walked inside. He saw Ouyang Lulu greeting several guests in the pavilion hall, so he just waved at her and proceeded further inside. There was a good seating spot in the corner, so he took a seat on the sofa and started fiddling with his phone.

Ugh, this guy is really…

Upon seeing what Tang Xiu was doing, Ouyang Lulu couldn’t help but feel edgy inside. After greeting a few guests, she strode toward him and resentfully said, “How can you be so idle? Come with me to greet the guests!”

“Huh?” Tang Xiu confused. “I’m not the Boss nor am I the manager. Why must I greet the guests? Besides, I don’t even know them.”

“This Paradise Manor will be my dowry later,” said Ouyang Lulu indignantly.

“What does your dowry have anything to do with me, anyway?” Asked Tang Xiu bluntly.

Ouyang Lulu patted her forehead, and then sat next to Tang Xiu. She pulled his arm and said, “This Ouyang Lulu has set her eyes way too high, and you are the only one who can enter my eyes; thus, my future husband will be you! So, this Paradise Manor will also be your property. Therefore, you must follow me and welcome the guests, and then I will introduce you to each of them.”

Tang Xiu’s face sank as he pushed Ouyang Lulu’s hand and retorted, “Lulu, I think of you as a friend, so stop joking. I’ve already told you that I won’t talk about having a woman for the next few years. The matter of having a wife who will bear a child for me is far from what I have in mind. You know very well about my disposition, so I hope you can stop here.”

A bit of disappointment flashed inside Ouyang Lulu’s eyes, and was feeling quite uncomfortable inwardly. Yet, she still seriously replied, “Look, I’m not joking with you. Even if I don’t introduce you to the others today, you must still become my husband in the future. You say you don’t want to talk about having a woman right now, so I’ll be waiting for you. Even if you say you’ll take another woman to bear a child for you in the future, I’ll still be waiting for you. I, Ouyang Lulu, can afford to wait, even if we both have grown old and our hairs have gone white.”

“You…”

Tang Xiu was unable to utter any words regarding this type of dog skin plaster.

Holding Tang Xiu’s hand yet again, Ouyang Lulu said, “What are you, you, and me, me, huh? Don’t tell me you feel don’t the need to take responsibility after you have stolen my heart, huh? I don’t care. Shortly put, you will be Ouyang Lulu’s man. My property will be your property, and I’ll give them to you if you want it now. If you want them in the future, then in the future I’ll give them to you.”

Suddenly, her eyes turned and she talked in a low voice, “That’s right, this is my property. If you feel that it’s not enough, the Ouyang Family will have to give a lot of dowries in the future. In time to come I can help you in many essential things. For example, the Ouyangs are a wealthy family.”

Tang Xiu was at a loss whether he had to cry or laugh. Suddenly, a famous saying whose essence was truth in itself coming from the ancestors sprung inside his mind: A maiden who goes out of her family to get married is akin to something that has lost and cannot be retrieved again. And this girl, she was truly heading out and intended to go!

If I were to have such a daughter later, I might as well choke her to death and forget about her, An absurd and ridiculous thought suddenly popped up inside Tang Xiu’s mind.

“Boss, several city leaders have come,” said a well-dressed middle-aged woman.

“Tang Xiu, are you really not willing to welcome the guests with me?” Asked Ouyang Lulu.

“No, I won’t go!” Tang Xiu shook his head and firmly answered.

While loosening his arm, Ouyang Lulu helplessly said, “I won’t insist and force you since you don’t want to go. Manager Huang, keep an eye on him; don’t let him slip away. And bring him to me when the time to cut the ribbon comes. Do remember that he’s the highest Boss in this Paradise Manor. His orders are more effective and imperative than mine.”

“Boss, have you made a mistake? He…” Manager Huang replied with an incredulous expression.

“No, I’m not making a mistake. I know what I’m talking about,” said Ouyang Lulu firmly, “He will soon be my, Ouyang Lulu’s boyfriend. He will become Ouyang Lulu’s husband in the future, and then he will also be the biological father of my children.”

Manager Huang stared at Tang Xiu with a queer expression, and then looked at Ouyang Lulu. Her mouth twitched a few times before she nodded and said, “I understand.”

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