Chapter 1019: Back To Shanghai
Translator: Exodus Tales Editor: Exodus Tales
With his particularly sharp hearing, Tang Xiu could naturally hear Zhang Xinya and Zhang Xinyue’s dialog. Regardless, he was really at wit’s end of how to face these nearly identical twin sisters. Especially towards Zhang Xinyue, since things had happened and gotten to this point. Regardless of how big her heart was, he could tell that it was nearly impossible for her to just brush the matter away.
“Let’s go, guys.”
Having no solution as to how to deal with it, Tang Xiu didn’t bother to think about the issue any longer. He believed that it would eventually sort itself out. He believed that Zhang Xinya had her own plan since she had notified Zhang Xinyue in advance to pick her up at the airport.
The Toyota Erffa was a s.p.a.cious car. Though it only had a few seats, it was enough to accommodate Tang Xiu, Zhang Xinya, and Tang 28’s group of five. Zhang Xinyue served as its driver and took everyone to the Bluestar Villa Complex.
“Are you guys going to stop by?” asked Tang Xiu after he and Tang 28’s team got off, looking at the Zhang sisters.
“We’re not stopping by.” Zhang Xinya shook her head and smilingly said, “Just take the little guys and rest earlier. We’ll come here later if we have time.”
“Alright then,” replied Tang Xiu as he watched them leave. Afterward, he immediately turned to look at the villa’s front door. He finally felt relaxed after having been away from home for so long. Things always piling up and kept him so busy and strained his mind all these days.
“Little guys, you can pick any of the guest rooms on the first floor.”
Tang Xiu gave them an order before heading to the second floor alone. The two housekeepers were not at home, so he went straight to the bathroom on the second floor, took a shower, changed his clothes, and then went to the study. Just as he was about to take a seat, he heard familiar voices from the outside the window.
“The brown sauce spareribs cooked by Auntie is definitely a must, Xiaowan. I’m sure you won’t be able to forget it after you taste it. But Auntie can’t cook the crabs that well though, especially with this recipe. I don’t think I can do better than the ones prepared by those seafood restaurants. Well, I think I’ll need you to cook it yourself.”
“No worries, Auntie. Just steam the crabs and I’ll prepare the ingredients and seasonings.”
“That’s great.”
While standing at the window, Tang Xiu never thought that the two women who just came back with shopping bags turned out to be his mother, Su Lingyun, and his adopted sister, Chen Xiaowan. Just as he was about to call them, he saw Tang 28’s group of five children rush out of the villa, stopping them with cold faces and daggers in their hands.
“Eh… who are you guys…”
Su Lingyun and Chen Xiaowan were completely dumbfounded. They just left home shortly, but how come the house had so many children all of a sudden? More so that these children looked so savage with boiling murderous intent just like some small devil sp.a.w.ns.
“28!”
Tang Xiu’s figure flashed and appeared outside the villa’s door in just a blink. A smile appeared on his face as he said, “The five of you, keep in mind that they are my family members and the ones who you need to protect in the future. Put your weapons away!”
Tang 28’s group of five put away their daggers instantly.
Excitement instantly suffused Su Lingyun’s face after seeing Tang Xiu. She cast away all her confusion and strode towards him, observing him from head to toe for a while, and then said concernedly, “Just where did you go this summer vacation, Sonny? Look at you… you’re a lot tanned and thinner than before. You definitely had a bad diet, didn’t you? Why didn’t you take care of yourself well, huh?”
“Uh, I was kinda busy with things abroad, Mom. That’s why I just returned to China. Anyhow, how did you come to Shanghai, though? And where’s Dad?” replied Tang Xiu with a beaming face.
“Your Dad went to the capital. He’s busy preparing for your grandpa’s 80th birthday in advance, though it’s still a week later,” said Su Lingyun with a smile. “Anyhow, I thought you’ve all started your new semester, so you didn’t go back to Star City. I was worried that you had gotten into some kind of accident, so I came here. But fortunately, that girl Kang Xia told me that you were busy with things abroad, so I didn’t call you and just stayed here to wait for you to come back.”
“Well, you could’ve just given me a call, Mom,” replied Tang Xiu smilingly.
“Who said I didn’t call you, Kid?” Su Linyung snappily said, “I called you dozens of times these days, and not once could I get it through. I just guessed that you got a bad signal abroad.”
“Uh…”
Only then did Tang Xiu remember that he had been training the children soldiers before going back to the homeland without stopping by anywhere. He forgot that his cell phone had run out of battery and he didn’t even bother to charge it. After shaking his head, he then looked at Chen Xiaowan and smilingly said, “Well, it’s been just a few months, but you look much more beautiful now, Sis Xiaowan.”
Chen Xiaowan chuckled and tenderly replied, “You got a sweet mouth now, boy. Just wait for a bit, Big Sis will steam the crabs for you.”
Tang Xiu nodded in response and smilingly introduced. “Mom, Sis Xiaowan, this is Tang 28. He and the other four are orphans adopted by me a year ago, and I brought them back with me this time. They didn’t know who you both were previously, so… Ah, well, please don’t mind it.”
An understanding look crossed Su Lingyun’s face upon hearing his words, yet she still scolded him with a bit of a blaming tone. “Don’t you see that they’re still children, Xiu’er? Why did you let them carry a dangerous thing like those daggers? What if they accidentally hurt themselves, huh?”
“You don’t need to worry about it, Mom. They are all quite powerful cultivators,” replied Tang Xiu with a smile. “They won’t hurt themselves and such accidents won’t happen to them. Anyhow, I just came back and am going to campus after the meal, though. It’s September 10th today and I haven’t reported to the school yet.”
Su Lingyun gave a quick nod and said, “You’re indeed a few days late, Kid. You’re always too busy, but you can’t ruin your studies, alright?! Anyways, Mom will cook something for you now. You can go to your campus after the meal. And do remember to apologize to your professors!”
“Alright!” Tang Xiu nodded with a smile.
As Su Lingyun and Chen Xiaowan entered the villa and went straight to the kitchen to cook, Tang Xiu said to Tang 28’s group of five, “Remember not to easily reveal your daggers and offend people randomly from now on, got it? Also, Tang 28, you’re going to follow me in the future, while the four of you will stay here to watch the house. Keep in mind that you’re all cultivators and you’re not allowed to show your strength in front of common people.”
“Understood!” Tang 28’s team of five hurriedly complied.
During mealtime, Su Lingyun and Chen Xiaowan repeatedly asked Tang 28’s group to have a meal together, but the latter kept stubbornly refusing them. Even until the former gave them the dishes, they just carried their meals to their rooms and ate there. Certainly, Tang Xiu got another round of reprimands from Su Lingyun and Chen Xiowan because of it.
To skip around the predicament, Tang Xiu still used the sacred word of “custom and rules” and hurriedly left for Shanghai University after having a rushed meal. Just as he arrived at the campus gate, however, he saw some luxurious supercars vrooming and stopped near the campus gate with some arrogant young masters in gaudy fas.h.i.+ons leaning on the cars, pointing and commenting on the girls who came in and out of the campus.
‘Haih, these silk pants keep sp.a.w.ning wherever and whenever.’
Tang Xiu shook his head and walked straight to the campus gate as troublesome things b.u.mped into him.
“Mind helping me and lend me your cell phone for a second, handsome?” Several girls donning infamous brand attire and apparent make-up blocked Tang Xiu’s path. The leader of the girls acted even bolder by grabbing his hands.
“You’re all belles, yet you’re striking up a chat by calling me handsome?” Tang Xiu forced a wry smile. “Asking some guy’s cell phone number is a bit of an outdated trick, no?”
“Got no other way, handsome!” The girl laughed and said, “A beau suddenly came into our sight and made us excited, so no time to think about any new ideas to strike. Just give us your cell number, handsome. If you got some spare time, we want you to have a meal with us.”
“I already have a girlfriend, so no thanks.” Refused Tang Xiu smilingly.
The girl was stunned and looked somewhat disappointed. “That’s fine either way, though. You got a girlfriend or not, for couples to break up is just normal nowadays, right? No walls can last forever and no boyfriend can’t be s.n.a.t.c.hed in this world. Besides, you’re not married yet. It’s not like it’s immoral to pursue the man we like, no?”
This time, Tang Xiu was utterly dumbfounded and couldn’t help laughing. He just didn’t expect that the girls nowadays would be this bold and so thick-skinned. He recalled the time when he was in mid-school when boys and girls didn’t have many contacts. Even when he was in elementary school, there was a demarcation line between the desks for male and female students.
Shortly after, Tang Xiu gave them a fake cell number and then took his out-of-battery cell phone out to show them, earning himself a smooth escape at the exchange of their dissatisfied expressions.
As he came to the dorm, he was quite surprised to see n.o.body there. No trace of Yue Kai and Hu Qingsong. But there should be no cla.s.s at this time, so they shouldn’t be grabbing a bite either even if they went out.
“Shoot! Here comes the rare guest!”
When Tang Xiu pushed the unlocked dorm’s door facing his and went inside, Zhao Liang, who was listening to songs with earphones, suddenly had his eyes lit up. He grinned widely and removed the earphones.
“I’m just a few days late to report to campus. No need to make a fuss over it, no?” Tang Xiu grinned back and said, “Anyways, where are Yue Kai and the rest? I just went to my dorm and none of them were there.”
“Hehe, you got no idea, don’t you Big Bro Tang?” Zhao Liang grinningly replied, “That b.a.s.t.a.r.d Yue Kai and the others got nothing to do and just ran to the girls’ sorority house. I heard that they are helping Hu Qingsong to pursue a first-year girl. I guess they must be going to that girl’s dorm now.”
“Ah, so Old Hu has his hormones in heat now?” asked Tang Xiu grinningly.
“It’s not just him, so is Yue Kai. Speaking of it, we got tons of belles among the freshmen this year. Some of them are d.a.m.n top chicks! They may not compare to the Campus Belles, but d.a.m.n… they are not that far off either.”
“Haha… cut the c.r.a.p, will you? Anyways, I’m going out to find them,” said Tang Xiu with a grin.
Zhao Liang hurriedly stopped Tang Xiu and let out a strange smirk. “Ehh? No way. You can’t go out, Big Bro Tang. Otherwise…”
“Huh? Otherwise what?” Tang Xiu was confused.
“Otherwise things will go south for Old Hu.” Zhao Liang laughed and said, “Your charm index has kinda broken the roof of our campus, you see. You’re at the top of the Campus Beau list now. With you going out, Old Hu and the rest won’t catch the girls they have a crush on and it will be you who’ll get some peach blossoms yet again instead.”
Cough, cough…
No matter how reluctant Tang Xiu was to admit it, he was well aware that he was a bit of a flower admirer. Regardless, he already had many women now and didn’t want to court other women anymore, be it intentionally or unintentionally.