Chapter 157: An Unexpected, Pleasant Surprise
The shop’s owner was guarded by the four staffers as he stood at of the counter. His reply to Tang Xiu was as though he had answered the same question for many times, carrying along with it his resolution and decisiveness.
Tang Xiu thought for a moment as he nodded and said, “I’ll take it. Give me your bank account and I’ll transfer the money in the next few minutes.”
The shop owner looked at him with a disdaining expression when he spoke, “Little Brother, you don’t need to casually boast. The price is 100 million, and not a thousand.”
“Whether I’m able to afford the price or not, it’s my problem. You only need to tell me your bank account. If within the next few minutes the money has been transferred to your account, then our deal is concluded. The money is yours and you give me this Tianshan Snow Lotus. If the money isn’t there, that means that I have no money to pay you. Besides, you got nothing to lose either way.” Said Tang Xiu
The shop owner thought for a moment; and he too felt that Tang Xiu’s argument was reasonable. He immediately ordered one of his staffs to tell his bank card number to Tang Xiu.
Squeezing out of the crowd, Tang Xiu then dialed Gu Xiaoxue’s cell number.
“You’re looking for me Grand Master?”
The surprised and pleasant voice of Gui Xiaoxue came out of the phone.
“Yes, I need one hundred million yuan right now, do you have some money there?” asked Tang Xiu.
Gu Xiaoxue replied with a laugh, “I do. if one hundred million is insufficient, I’ll transfer one billion to you!”
One billion?
Tang Xiu couldn’t help but roll his eyes. He just realized that he was really poor. Even his grand disciples could casually provide one billion, while one hundred million already gave him quite a headache.
However, he had no choice but ask Gu Xiaoxue’s help as his last resort. The Tianshan Snow Lotus was, after all, very important. If he could get it, not only would it make Gu Yin’s cultivation level increase greatly, it would also would greatly benefit Gu Yan’er who was still unconscious.
“No need. I only need one hundred million. I’ll text you the bank account and you must transfer the money within the next several minutes to this account.” Tang Xiu said.
“Understood!”
Gu Xiaoxue replied.
A few minutes later…
The shop owner looked at Long Zhenglin with desperate look, saying, “Little Brother, your friend hasn’t come back. He simply cannot afford to provide one hundred million, right? Please don’t make things more difficult for me; I also need to sell this Tianshan Snow Lotus! Take a look at those people. They also have been waiting.”
He knew who Long Zhenglin was, as well as was acutely aware about his identity. Otherwise, he could have kicked him out a long time ago.
“Old… err… Boss, the money has just been transferred. I just counted the amount. It’s exactly one hundred million.” The shop staff who had been staring at the phone screen received a notification from a text message that the money had been transferred, as he immediately called out with an excited expression.
The shop owner stared blankly for a moment before a look of disbelief was cast on his face as he exclaimed, “T-That… that Little Brother… How many minutes have it been? He really has transferred one hundred million? Take a look and verify it again, is the amount correct?”
The shop staff read it again. After verifying it, he said, “Yes Boss, it’s correct. It’s exactly one hundred million. Take a look at it!”
At this moment…
Tang Xiu squeezed back into the crowd and came over again. Then, he looked at the shop owner and asked, “Well, has the money been transferred?”
The shop owner nodded and replied, “Yes.”
“So, this Tianshan Snow Lotus should be mine, yes? If you have no more things to say, can I take it now?” Tang Xiu said.
The shop owner’s lower lip wiggled before he replied with a nod, “Yes, it’s yours.”
Tang Xiu revealed a faint smile as he glanced at Long Zhenglin—who was also quite surprised—with a grateful expression. He received the jade box and after covering the lid, he and Long Zhenglin squeezed out of the crowd and left the Medicinal Herbs Market as fast as possible.
In the cab, on the way back to Star City First High School…
Long Zhenglin looked at Tang Xiu and said with a beaming smile, “Eldest Brother, I did something good this time, didn’t I? I know that you’ve been looking for precious medicinal ingredients everywhere. Therefore, I have been strolling around the Medicinal Herbs Market regularly. I didn’t expect that I would come across such a precious load today though. So, how would you reward me?”
Tang Xiu said while laughing, “How about… I give you my kiss? You want it?”
“Hell, fuck!”
Long Zhenglin showed his middle finger.
Tang Xiu looked at the jade box in his hand. After being silent for a long while, he then slowly said, “Give me some time for your reward, I assure you that you’ll get some big surprise from me.”
“What surprise? What is it?” Long Zhenglin replied with a surprised expression.
“It’s a secret for now, though. Well, let’s change the topic. You know I still need to go back to school; so, are you gonna follow me or what?” Tang Xiu said.
Shrugging his shoulders, Long Zhenglin let out a smile and said, “It’s fine with me! Besides, I have always been strolling around without plans recently, and I got nothing to do anyway.”
“Huh? Do you still want to continue like this? Man, you’re not a kid anymore you know. I think you gotta have something to do. Even if the goal is only a small one, but at the very least, you gotta have some ability to support your own ass. I know that the Long Group will be taken care of by your big brother, so you don’t need to worry about your future. But with such a fortunate starting circumstance, why don’t you start pursuing your own dream?” Tang Xiu asked.
Long Zhenglin opened up his arms and said, “My dream is only sleep and wake up naturally, and then counting the money I succeeded in obtaining until my hands cramped. I got the first one, so it’s the second dream I’m hoping to achieve now.”
Tang Xiu said with an indifferent tone, “Since you haven’t achieved your second dream, then fight. Struggle for your own success. Besides, I think you should leave Star City to roam the outside world, and strive hard to work your way out there. You too know the saying that a tiger father won’t beget a dog son, right? Your father is a great man. He has been working hard to support your family, and he has been successful to make such a family fortune. And I think that his sons are not a waste either.”
Going to the outside world and working hard?
With an astonished expression, Long Zhenglin looked at Tang Xiu and said, “Why should I go to the outside world and work hard there if I wanna make money? I have the support of my Long Family here. Either a social network and business channels, I can have those easily. Making money here will be much easier than in outside world, right?”
“Forever being sheltered under the eagle’s wings, the fledgling eaglet will never be able to soar and fly in the sky! Lemme give you an analogy. Just imagine, what if one day your Dad and your big brother weren’t there for you? To whose shoulders would you cling yourself onto then? I’ll make this short for you. The ones who are relying on their parents, the heavens and the places, they never had and never will be real strong and courageous men! There will come a time in one’s life that a boy will have to leave and live his own life. Don’t tell me that you don’t wanna be a real man; a genuine REAL man just like your father and grandfather used to be?” Tang Xiu gave his speech.
"This…"
As shaken as he was, Long Zhenglin was blown up by Tang Xiu’s words. Never had he thought about this issue before, and no one questioned him before.
Thus, Tang Xiu’s words were as though heavy blows to his head, causing him to suddenly wake up.
For a long time Long Zhenglin was silent. Eventually, after the taxi was about to arrive at Star City First High School, only then he slowly asked, “Eldest Brother, tell me, what should I do now?”
“Ask your heart as to what you wanna do! Money isn’t a problem for you now. So, not only can you pursue anything you like, but you also can use it to make money. Star City, for me, is only a small place and a starting point. I’ll definitely get out of this place to go to the outside world and develop myself in much bigger stages. Therefore, I also don’t want my friend to have a mediocre future.” Tang Xiu said indifferently.
With a sinking tone, Long Zhenglin said, “I got your point and thoughts Eldest Brother! Don’t worry, gimme some time to clear up my head and you’ll be the first one I’ll tell you about my plan.”
After that, he asked the taxi driver to stop and directly left alone.
Looking at Long Zhenglin’s shoulders, Tang Xiu was secretly sighing inside. It was not in his intention to stimulate Long Zhenglin in the first place. But looking at him being idle and doing nothing all day, was not something he could stand to see. Because, with such behavior, what’s the difference between him and those second generation nouveau-riche, famous playboys and young masters?
Quickly, Tang Xiu crossed the top of the school’s wall to slip in and return back to his school. What made him quite relieved was that Han Qingwu didn’t return to the class. His classmates also thought that he was away because Han Qingwu called him and had yet to come back.
This one day, had finally been endured!
And after Han Qingwu announced that they would have a holiday for the second and third day, the class suddenly turned noisy and boiled up.
“Hehehe, Eldest Brother, can we stay in your house in the next two days?” Yuan Chuling revealed a “sucking up” expression with a mischievous laugh.
“Staying at my house? What for? Don’t you have to go back to your own home?” Tang Xiu confused.
Cheng Yannan turned around and said with a beaming smile, “Well, we plan to spend these last two days fully studying the rest of the subjects we have yet to understand. So, we’ll completely rely on you to teach us. Teacher Tang, you wouldn’t be thinking of ditching us in the last critical moment, would you?”
"What?"
Tang Xiu was stunned. In fact, he was also planning to spend these two days to take a good rest, and also accompany his mother in the restaurant. But upon hearing Yuan Chuling and Cheng Yannan’s words, he immediately felt as though his head would explode. It was as if they were pasted on him just like the dogskin plasters.
After hesitating for a moment, Tang Xiu said, “How about this… You don’t need to stay, but you can come to my house every morning. I’ll continue giving you the tutoring and you are free in the afternoon. Besides, I wanna rest well at nights too you know.”
"Deal!"
Yuan Chuling joyfully replied with a laugh.
A cunning glint appeared in Cheng Yannan’s eyes as she said, “Tang Xiu, one more thing. We too are planning to show our thanks to you for tutoring us all these times. I, Yuan Chuling, Xia Wanfen, and Li Xiaoqian have talked about it, and we want to treat you to a dinner and a karaoke tonight. And… you are not allowed to refuse!”
Dinner and karaoke?
Having a dinner wasn’t a problem for him, but he was curious about singing. He too had been to a KTV before, albeit only once. And the last time he was in the KTV, was helping Ouyang Lulu to solve some troubles. Thus, he was also curious, how good a singer was he?
“Fine! I’ll consider it as a relaxation before having the College Entrance Test.”
The smile on Cheng Yannan’s face got thicker as she replied with a beaming smile, “Thanks a bunch for your presence Teacher Tang. We’ll look forward for it. Farewell then.”
“See you later!” Tang Xiu nodded.
****
The five had dinner in a fairly good restaurant. And after a great “thanks” dinner, they took a taxi and went to an upscale KTV.
Nowadays, was the time of feasting, pleasure seeking, and indulging life in luxury. Thus, it made the KTV’s business very hot as countless of blue and white-collars turned crazy as the nightlife began. All day long they had been working; they needed to vent at night. And choosing to have a karaoke at KTV was quite good a choice.
The five people arrived at one box with the guidance of the attendant. The box could be said to be quite luxurious as the the four people pushed Tang Xiu to sing on the stage.
“No, no. I really can’t sing. I usually don’t listen to any songs and neither do I know how to sing! How about I request a song from you all and I’ll be drinking and listening to you singing.” Said Tang Xiu with a forced smile.
Xia Wanfen, the shy one, looked at Tang Xiu with a disbelieving expression. “You really can’t sing and seldom listen to any songs?”
“Yes…” Tang Xiu said.
Notes:
Man… that was quite a speech Tang Xiu said to Long Zhenglin. FYI, this chapter was written when the author had to deal with some issues with his family…