Chapter 433: A True Color of a Man
Tang Xiu secretly sighed inside, watching the expressions of the people before him. He never liked boasting. nor did he like to look high-profile; yet he also didn’t want to keep concealing what he was. After all, these cla.s.smates of his were needed to get along with him for the next four years. If he kept concealing the truth from them, a knot would form in their hearts when they learned about it later, hence it would be better to expose it now.
Additionally, when those adopted orphans were sent to Jingmen Island, he also had an idea in mind to recruit some capable cla.s.smates in college, so that they would be useful to him in the future. Shanghai University was one of the better education inst.i.tutions in the country, and any of its students who pa.s.sed the tests, even though they were only nerds at present, could become very competent and able to do tons of work after undergoing some training, since each of them was very intelligent.
“Buddies, don’t continue to dawdle, will ya? Get your a.s.ses back to the dorm quickly and get ready!” Tang Xiu smiled and turned to the dorm’s door.
Yue Kai, Hu Qingsong, and the rest exchanged looks a few times, and then their gazes fell on Xue Chao at the same time. They finally realized that the relations.h.i.+p between Xue Chao and Tang Xiu was quite unusual. Many things remained oblivious to them, yet Xue Chao was crystal clear about them!
Seeing their eyes and expressions, Xue Chao hastily turned around to rush toward Tang Xiu, “Hey, Boss Tang, wait for me!”
However, just as he ran a few steps, the Yue Kai, Hu Qingsong, and Zhao Liang trio pulled him back and squeezed him in between them. Zhao Liang grinned and said, “Xue, don’t pretend you know nothing, will ya?! Speak! How many cars does Eldest Brother Tang have? You just said that in his villa…”
Remembering Tang Xiu’s exhortation to him about this matter, Xue Chao desperately shook his head and said, “No, I won’t say anything. I promised Boss Tang not to say anything. Blame that old Hu! If he wasn’t showing off just now, I wouldn’t have exposed Boss Tang’s secret!”
“Hey, hurry up! If you guys wanna know, I’ll tell you all in the evening.” Tang Xiu turned his head and looked at the four, “If any of you are late and unable to be ready at the campus entrance before six p.m., I’ll tell Mu Wanying how idiotic and bad you guys are, and how much you are not compatible with her. You can be sure that I’ll tell her tons of bad things about you!”
After hearing those threats, the Yue Kai trio hurriedly let go of Xue Chao, striding after Tang Xiu. The trio let out their best smiles, bowing and sc.r.a.ping repeatedly. Throwing out flattering words didn’t require money, to begin with, thus they madly spit them out.
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Dusk had come. Three cars were parked nearby Shanghai University’s gate. Tang Xiu’s group of five sat in three cars, waiting for the arrival of Mu Wanying’s group of four women.
Time flew by, and it was only a few minutes away from 6 p.m. Mu Wanying’s group of four turned out to be late. When they came up to the three cars, Mu Wanying looked calm, while the three good sisters around her had a look at the three cars and seemed surprised. Yue Kai, Hu Qingsong, and the gang were all decently dressed and acted like gentlemen.
“Did you wait for us for a long time, Tang Xiu?” asked Mu Wanying with a chuckle.
“Nah, we also just arrived for a while.” Tang Xiu shook his head and said, “Anyways, what do you want to eat tonight? It’s my treat!”
“It’s up to you, we’ll follow your arrangement,” Mu Wanying answered with a smile.
“All right, I’ll arrange it then!” Tang Xiu nodded and said with a smile, “Anyways, let me introduce you, this one is…”
With the introduction from Tang Xiu, the rest finally got to know each other. Mu Wanying also introduced the three good sisters of hers; namely, the tall Li Xinjie, Jiang Feiyan, and Hu Wei.
“All right, let’s get in the car!” Tang Xiu opened the driver’s door and took a seat directly.
What made Yue Kai, Hu Qingsong, and Zhao Liang helpless was that Mu Wanying and her three sisters were all going to Tang Xiu’s Land Rover SUV. Despite showing a charming smile at them, not one among these girls hinted at them that they would board their cars.
“d.a.m.n! I’m so depressed. If I knew it beforehand, I would rather buy that Land Rover Range Rover series than this one!” Yue Kai grunted resentfully in a murmur before he got into his car.
The cars started up.
Tang Xiu drove his car out of the campus gate. He then heard Mu Wanying who sat on the front seat speaking to him with a smile, “Tang Xiu, you didn’t partic.i.p.ate in the military training for new students, what did you do during that time? Anyhow, I also met your teacher-in-charge, Miss Han, yesterday. She seemed very annoyed when she talked about you.”
As for why Han Qingwu was mad at him, Tang Xiu was perfectly well aware. After all, he gave her an indifferent and aloof appearance the last time he met her. That must have made her incensed and testy. Regardless, he didn’t want to have too many contacts with Han Qingwu. Since she was already angry with him, he hoped that she would keep maintaining a distance with him. “Just a bit of misunderstanding, if you ask me.”
Nevertheless, Tang Xiu didn’t want to explain more, hence the casual reply.
Mu Wanying pursed her lips. As a woman, she had a unique, particular sixth sense about such things. She had a feeling that Han Qingwu acted differently toward Tang Xiu. She had also heard the hearsay about Han Qingwu and Tang Xiu recently. She learned that after Tang Xiu pa.s.sed the test to enter Shanghai University, Han Qingwu did all she could to be transferred from Star City First High School, and then managed to come work at Shanghai University. Though one should constantly strive to make progress, and coming to teach at Shanghai University would also give a better career and future than staying at Star City First High School, she felt that it was highly likely to be related to Tang Xiu.
“Junior Brother Tang, could it be that this year’s freshmen sons of local tyc.o.o.ns gathered in your dorm? A Land Rover Range Rover series, a BMW, and an Audi. These are luxurious cars that even many college students who have graduated long ago can’t afford, no?” Jiang Feiyan looked gorgeous. She was also the one among the girls who loved to smile the most, a smile had never left her face since they met.
“I really don’t know if all those people gathered in our dorm,” Tang Xiu chuckled and said, “But Yue Kai and Hu Qingsong indeed hail from well-off families. If you sisters are interested in them, I can help you build the bridges, though.”
“Hahaha. Nope, we are interested in you,” Jiang Feiyan laughed and said, “Do you think you can receive all of us?”
“h.e.l.l no, I won’t look for a girlfriend before graduating from university.” Tang Xiu couldn’t help chuckling and said, “Besides, studying is quite taxing and hard already.”
“Pfft… Hahaha…”
Jiang Feiyan couldn’t bear to laugh and then said with a smile, “Junior Brother Tang, you’re so funny. It is usually the girls who use this excuse to reject boys. Never thought that you would actually use that excuse now. Speaking about it, when I was in junior high and high school, I often used that kind of excuse too. But in the university… the boys in university seem to like a type of gorgeous belle such as Wanying; or a type of oval pretty face, Xinjie; or a type of la.s.s reeking with book aura, such as Weiwei. As for the type of girl I’m like, I’m quite unpopular here.”
“Well, you’re very cute, if you ask me.” Tang Xiu replied with a laugh.
“So, you like a cute one like me, Junior Brother Tang?” Jiang Feiyan laughed and replied.
Cough, cough… Tang Xiu coughed a few times and ceased replying to her.
“Pfft…” Li Xinjie chuckled and said, “Feiyan, don’t tease Junior Brother Tang. If he really chases you, that ‘husband’ of yours will surely be jealous to the bone!”
“Ugh…” Jiang Feiyan smacked her tongue, laughing and giggling before she stopped talking.
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Purple Garden...
It was located in the Jingxia District of Shanghai, a whole block of agritourism area. He had once chatted with Chi Nan and heard from her that this place seemed special. Their cars entered the road going through the quiet bamboo forest; a few minutes later, a s.h.i.+mmering small lake was visible, with an antique pavilion standing on the lakeside. Violet lights interspersed there, creating an imaginary, dreamlike ambient.
Inside the Purple Bamboo Forest, 80% of the parking s.p.a.ce was full of cars, many of them were luxury models. Everyone got out after the three cars parked in unoccupied s.p.a.ces. A handsome security guard wearing a headset greeted them, guiding them toward that unceasing, undulating thin track leading to the ancient pavilion.
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“Welcome, please follow me.”
The waitress was very pleasant to see. She had arranged a private box after receiving the notification from the security guard. She guided the nine people to the second floor and entered a s.p.a.cious private box with beautiful decorations, and said with a smile, “Ladies and gentlemen, would you like to see our restaurant’s menu? Or would you like to have free orders?”
Tang Xiu picked up a menu book on the table. After reading it a few times, he smiled and said, “Alright, give us your specialty dishes! We brought some wine for ourselves, but give us some of yours too!”
“All right! Please wait for a minute!”
The waitress’ eyes swept over two bottles held by Hu Qingsong. He cleverly masked his surprised expression and retreated with a smile.
When there were only Tang Xiu, Mu Wanying, and the others inside the private box, Xue Chao’s eyes stared wide as he interjected loudly, “Dear me, I’m shocked. Isn’t this place way too upscale? Boss Tang, why does it seem like you have brought me to a dream?”
“Pfft…”
“Hahaha…”
Everyone roared with laughter.
Tang Xiu himself was also amused by Xue Chao’s amazed expression. It was rustic, yet full of pure emotions. He walked two steps to Xue Chao’s side, patting his shoulders, and then said with a chuckle, “Old Xue, your mission tonight is to dine, drink, having fun laughing and drinking until you pa.s.s out, and hit the bunk. When you open your eyes tomorrow, you’ll know that you have indeed done it. Eh… hey, what did you pinch me for?”
“You can feel the pain, though. That means I’m not in a dream,” Xue Chao cheerfully said.
Tang Xiu couldn’t help laughing. Though he didn’t feel any pain at all, he pretended to make a fuss out of it in order to tease Xue Chao.
Amidst the merriment, everyone took a seat. Because Mu Wanying was the most familiar with Tang Xiu among the girls, she sat directly next to him, causing Yue Kai and Hu Qingsong wanting to join in and exchange positions with Tang Xiu. However, after a glance at Mu Wanying’s still and tranquil smiling appearance, they were embarra.s.sed instead.
“Eldest Brother Tang, where did you go when we were in the military training?” Hu Qingsong asked.
“Well, I was traveling around,” Tang Xiu said with a smile.
“Where to?” Hu Qingsong looked a bit envious and asked again.
“To Jingmen Island, and Shennong Ridge,” Tang Xiu said.
“That’s so d.a.m.n cool!” Hu Qingsong gave a thumbs-up and sighed, “You see your brothers are tanned, right? We got burned under the sun during the military training every day. But still, we aren’t as black as Xue Chao, though.”
“My uncle once told me that, black is the true color of men!” Xue Chao shot back. “He said that the darker their skin, the healthier they are!”
The one who seldom spoke, Hu Wei, suddenly said at this time, “Xue Chao, did your uncle tell you that a man with black skin is not as popular as those pretty boys?”
Xue Chao lifted his hand to scratch the back of his head. He then shook his head and smiled foolishly, “That uncle of mine never said that. He had dark skin too, but I think he might have never seen the likes of those pretty boys, though! To be honest, I think what my uncle is not correct. Having dark skin seems to not be related whatsoever to one’s health. Or else, he wouldn’t have lived to be fifty, and wouldn’t have gone to heaven to look for my aunt.”
Hu Wei’s mouth formed an arc, the teasing smile on her face was getting thicker when she looked at Xue Chao’s expression.