Chapter 480: Being Looked Down and Despised
The mind of students was actually very simple. In particular, were the freshmen, who had just entered university and had not been misguided by their peers, or had their minds invaded by the social intrusion of materialistic desires, leading them to have less sn.o.bbish thoughts. Such trivial favor was enough to make them smile and look satisfied.
As for Yue Kai, he was a local richie, and it was something everyone in cla.s.s knew very well. After all, for a freshman to drive a BMW was definitely a rare occasion.
However, for Yue Kai to pay the bill was Tang Xiu’s way for him to get along with everyone else.
Cla.s.s was boring and rather tedious. Tang Xiu spent his time comfortably in the joyous atmosphere of the cla.s.sroom, and then went to the campus library. His application for the library card had been approved, so he borrowed some books and left the campus in a hurry.
After returning to his place, Tang Xiu looked at the five children wearing dirty clothes. The five were sweating profusely as they practiced martial arts. He clapped his hands and smilingly spoke to them, “All right, guys. Go wash your face now, I’ll take you to buy some things.”
“All right!”
Though there was a pleasantly surprised expression on their faces, they didn’t cheer. Tenderness and immaturity was missing from them, replaced by the sign of maturity a few ahead of their real age. Tang Xiu felt somewhat satisfied after this, though he was also a bit sad and distressed inside.
They were orphans! With no relatives or friends, they were bound to have a rough fate. For homeless children, they were always without sufficient food to eat, and anything may happen to them!
Such a tragic fate came knocking while they this young, yet this predicament didn’t strike them down. Though they were once adopted, it was kind of sad and sorrowful for them to have a brawl with another group of children just because of two packs of instant noodles just after they had started wandering the streets for a few months.
While quietly watching their backs as they ran to the back door, Tang Xiu secretly made up his mind that regardless of whether they could become his trusted subordinates or not; regardless of whether they could get the opportunity to learn immortal cultivation techniques or not; he would never let them alone, abandoned, homeless, and forsaken yet again.
However, testing them was necessary, and the tempering he imposed on them would not reduce.
In the future, anyone who wanted to be in his trust as well as be his right arm must endure pain and suffering ordinary people were unable to bear. They must use everything they had to fend off the predicament by their own sweat and blood. For those who were able to persevere through the mighty waves that crashed on the sandy sh.o.r.e, and then finally survived, they would be the ones who were qualified and eligible to follow him back to the Immortal World, going to a wider world arena, galloping and opening that place with their fists.
***
In a nearby commercial street…
Leading the five children, Tang Xiu strolled around a family store to buy things for them. For each child he bought four sets of clothes, shoes, and socks; while the design and color were freely picked by each of them. He found that despite of them not having gone go to school yet, they were actually able to read, so Tang Xiu also bought a lot of textbooks, such as foreign language books as well as many others.
After two hours, it was already 12 at noon. His Range Rover had already been sent back, so its entire trunk was now filled with the purchases.
Afterward, Tang Xiu took them directly to the Everlasting Feast Hall since he had an appointment with Li Laoshan there. From Chi Nan he learned that Li Laoshan had booked an ordinary box. As he handed the children to Chi Nan, he went straight to find Li Laoshan.
“Old Brother Li, I have tons of things to do in the afternoon, so I not drinking at this time,” said Tang Xiu smilingly as he pulled the chair and sat across Li Laoshan.
Li Laoshan nodded. Rubbing his hands, he said, “Anyways, Brother Tang, can you sell me a batch of G.o.ds Nectar through the back door of your Magnificent Tang Corp?”
“Old Brother Li, G.o.ds Nectar is currently being produced in small numbers, and now the market is in short supply of it. Even though I’m the owner of the Magnificent Tang Corp, I can’t guarantee that we have that many G.o.ds Nectar in stock. How about this. Send someone to Star City to look for Kang Xia to take ten boxes of G.o.ds Nectar? Just think of it as the compensation for me being unable to accompany you drinking today.”
Ten boxes?
Li Laoshan was overjoyed and smilingly said, “Brother Tang, I know that G.o.ds Nectar is not cheap, so I must still pay for them. Ten boxes are enough. You don’t know yet, but for us, the businessmen from the North, drinking G.o.ds Nectar is considered an honor. If you invite someone to dinner and serve G.o.ds Nectar, you will definitely make the guests satisfied, and gifting it would be considered as giving them face.”
After saying that, he blinked and spoke with his voice toned down, “Brother Tang, let me tell you a secret. Nowadays, gifting money is not as good as gifting G.o.ds Nectar, because this wine is simply very difficult to buy.”
“It seems that G.o.ds Nectar is really popular,” said Tang Xiu with a smile.
“Yeah, it’s far more than popular, if you ask me,” said Li Laoshan. “It’s sought after and praised by countless people. It’s a pity that the Magnificent Tang Corp has a very limited production of it, though. You know, I’ve sent people and wasted a great deal of effort, yet I only got a box. I simply cannot smell other wines ever since I tasted G.o.ds Nectar. Ah, that’s right. Is your company short of funds? If it is, just tell me. Though I’m about to face that action, taking out several hundred million yuan wouldn’t be a problem for me as long as your Magnificent Tang Corp added a few more production lines for G.o.ds Nectar. Rest a.s.sured, brother. This old brother of yours doesn’t want interest on the loan, and you can decide when to pay it back.”
“Old Brother Li, it’s not that I’m lacking funds, to be honest,” said Tang Xiu smilingly. “It’s just that the establishment of the Magnificent Tang Corp is just too small, and it’s been only a short time since we entered the liquor business. We must carry it out with a slow production even though the wine is doing well on the market. Otherwise, not only will I only bite off more than I can chew, I would even get choked to death. Anyhow, I accept your good intention, though; but forget about lending me money. After you have finished this batch of G.o.ds Nectar you can go directly to Star City to find Kang Xia.”
Li Laoshan nodded and looked thoughtful before he replied, “You’re right. So be it then, and let us not talk about this anymore. Say…”
Knock, knock…
A knock on the door interrupted him.
The door pushed open and a young and beautiful woman in a long red dress and red high-heeled shoes, with long flowing hair, entered the box with a smile. Everything on her was of famous brands, even her handbag and jewelry hanging on her were also very expensive.
“Honey, I’m not late, am I?” The woman’s slender waist was akin to a willow tree as it swayed from side to side when she came toward Li Laoshan.
A smile outlined on the corner of Li Laoshan’s mouth, as his palm patted the woman’s b.u.t.tocks. He then smiled and said, “You aren’t late, and the dishes are not yet cold, either! Anyhow, Brother Tang, let me introduce you to Wenwen, Sun Wen. She’s my woman in Shanghai. That’s right, I just set up a small company in Shanghai, a home renovation company. She’s responsible for taking care of the place on my behalf here.”
“Please have a sit!” Tang Xiu faintly smiled and gestured.
Tang Xiu didn’t feel like paying attention to Li Laoshan’s private life. Hence, he wouldn’t repel the woman since she was Li Laoshan’s woman. After the greetings, Tang Xiu smiled lightly and said, “Old Brother Li is truly a person who knows how to enjoy life, yet I never thought you would also have a ‘company’ in Shanghai, too.”
Upon hearing the subtle meaning in Tang Xiu’s words, Li Laoshan looked awkward for a moment before it flickered away. Then, he laughed and said, “Ah, kind of laughable isn’t it, Brother Tang? Anyhow, I set up a small company in Shanghai mainly because Wenwen doesn’t want to stay in the Northeast, so I let her live here. Anyways, Wenwen, this is Tang Xiu, my buddy.”
A shrewd look suffused in Sun Wen’s eyes when she looked at Tang Xiu, and then sat next to Li Laoshan and smilingly said, “How do you do, little brother? There are not many people who can catch the eyes of our family’s Old Li. Anyways, may I know what occupation little brother is currently engaged in?”
Little brother?
Tang Xiu’s complexion coagulated, while Li Laoshan was dumbfounded.
After a moment of silence, Tang Xiu calmly answered, “I’m a student.”
A student?
Sun Wen was startled for a moment before a disdaining look flashed in her eyes. Li Laoshan’s introduction originally piqued her interest toward Tang Xiu, but his answer made her totally uninterested.
“Ah, being a student is really great. They are like flowers in a greenhouse. An age of having a dream in the cradle. My family’s Old Li is really great, for he never sees the status of others when making friends. As long as he likes you, anyone can become his good buddy. Little brother, it seems your disposition and temperament really hit off well with Old Li.”
“SHUT UP!”
Li Laoshan finally responded, and angrily scolded.
Tang Xiu waved his hand while smiling and said, “You’re right. Old Brother Li and I do indeed hit it off pretty well. Furthermore, we indeed didn’t care about such old-fas.h.i.+oned things about each other’s backgrounds and ident.i.ties when we got acquainted. Anyhow, Old Brother Li does have very good luck for being able to meet a woman such as you who really understands him.”
Somehow, Sun Wen’s expression was a bit odd, as she hesitated for a moment and then said, “I’ll tell you, then! Our family’s Old Li has unusual vision. There are indeed few men in the world who can be on par with him, yet I have never found one.”
“SCRAM!”
Li Laoshan finally could no longer stand it. He slapped the tabletop and angrily yelled.
“Honey, you…” Sun Wen looked blank. She was evidently praising him in front of someone else. She didn’t understand, why would Li Laoshan be angry and scold her?
“Dear, why you…”
Out of anger, Li Laoshan angrily yelled, “Didn’t you hear me? SCRAM! And see how I will pack you up when I go back. You’re disgraceful!”
Tang Xiu’s mouth twitched a few times and secretly sighed inside. He had no favorable impression toward Sun Wen, for he could sense her stupidity from her words and mannerisms. However, didn’t she look very smart when she entered?
“Old Brother Li, we don’t speak in such a way with our own family. Let us just forget it! Don’t become upset because of such a trivial matter. Let’s get together, eat, and enjoy the happiness, shall we?”
Knock, knock…
The door was knocked once again. As the door was pushed open, Chi Nan personally brought two dishes inside. After placing them on the table, she looked at Tang Xiu and said with a smile, “Boss, the children are currently having a meal in the next box. I’ll tell them to go to my office to wait for you after they’ve finished their meal.”
“All right!” Tang Xiu nodded. He suddenly recalled something and quickly said, “Chi Nan, they will be living together with me for some time. Help me find some housekeepers to help them with daily activities. Also, find several private tutors as well. The tutors must be from all subjects and they have to devise the curriculum and teach them basic knowledge first.”
“Boss, about the time…” asked Chi Nan.
“A maximum of one month,” said Tang Xiu.
“All right. I’ll keep it in mind and will immediately make some calls. Also, I’ll take them to the Bluestar Villa Complex later,” said Chi Nan respectfully.
“All right!” Tang Xiu nodded.