Having told Tian Cheng to wait in the car, Long Hua had entered the Lan Si Restaurant alone, and upon walking up to the restaurant’s fifth floor—
“Took you long enough.”
Saying this is Wu Xiao, who is seated at the large wooden table—with her head turned towards Long Hua’s direction.
Beside the table is a wide view of the vast cityscape, and a seat away from Wu Xiao is Yun You, who is currently smoking a cigarette.
Replying to Wu Xiao’s remark, Long Hua says—
“Can’t be helped. There was quite a bit to take care of.”
“Such as?”
“Hmm. Such as, such as…”
Towards Long Hua’s laziness to explain himself, Wu Xiao sighs, and says—
“Such as going out to eat dinner with others, and going to the airport to pick up another woman? Actually, make that three women.”
Ignoring how Wu Xiao had managed to find out about what he was doing at the airport, Long Hua replies—
“I don’t think a doll can count towards that total. Also, I only have a business relationship with the other two.”
Towards Long Hua’s reply, Wu Xiao shrugs her shoulders, and says—
“Regardless, my dearest has been far too unfaithful to me as of late.”
“As of late? We still hardly know each other. Not to mention, I never agreed to this marriage. …In any case, enough games, get to the point.”
“Oh?”
Seeing Long Hua catching on quickly, Wu Xiao smiles with satisfaction, and says—
“Point is, you owe me more than two tunes now.”
“…Ai.”
Being informed of this, Long Hua sighs, while Yun You says—
“Right then. About time I headed off.”
Rising off his seat, Yun You takes out a bottle of wine from his storage pouch, and walking over to Long Hua, he presses it to the latter’s chest.
Receiving the wine, Long Hua smiles.
“Thanks.”
“Yeah, yeah.”
Just as Yun You walks pass him, Long Hua turns around, and—
“Hang on.”
Stolen story; please report.
Taking out two spirit herb cigars, Long Hua hands them to Yun You, while continuing to say—
“Consider it our meeting gift.”
“Hm?”
Receiving the two spirit herb cigars, Yun You looks at them with a frown, but he nevertheless stores them away, while Long Hua remarks—
“If you want more, bring me some rare metals and minerals, or even magic treasures.”
Even if using the Tai Xuan Emperor’s gacha system comes with risks, there might still be a need to do so in the future—if push comes to shove. Hence, the need to collect pull-currency ahead of time.
“Tch. You can forget about it. Regardless of how good these cigars might be, I won’t stoop so low as to go to you for them.”
“Oh? Well, shall see then.”
As Yun You walks down the stairs, Long Hua turns his attention back to Wu Xiao, who remarks—
“Giving him those things so that he would collect resources for you, you really are just the worse, aren’t you, my dearest?”
“Aren’t you just as bad—for not telling him to not accept those then?”
As Long Hua seats himself with a chair between them, Wu Xiao replies—
“I’m your wife first.”
Raising a sigh, Long Hua replies—
“No one else is watching, what’s the point of continuing to pretend?”
“No fun at all. And why are you storing that bottle away? It was a gift to us, not to you alone.”
“…”
With reluctance, Long Hua places the bottle onto the table, while Wu Xiao takes out two glass goblets.
As it is fruit wine that they are drinking, it doesn’t feel appropriate to use ceramic cups.
Filling the two goblets to a quarter each, Long Hua swirls the clear-colored wine, and gives it a brief sniff.
“Peaches, is it?”
Just as Long Hua is about to down the clear liquid, Wu Xiao raises her vessel in his direction with a smile of amusement, while saying—
“Cheers.”
“…Cheers.”
Clanging their goblets together, the two proceed to down the contents.
The sweet taste of the wine is rather mild—making it easy to drink.
While refilling his goblet, Long Hua says—
“The friend I was picking up at the airport, she needs a job to keep herself occupied.”
“She can work here as a live-in employee.”
“…Not going to ask—why I care so much for her?”
Taking the bottle from Long Hua, Wu Xiao refills her goblet, and replies—
“You mentioned that it’s a business relationship, that’s all that I need to know.”
“…”
Not knowing what to reply with, Long Hua takes a sip of wine, and moves onto the next topic, which is—
“I’ve already made an announcement saying that the Spirit Extracts will be sold here.”
“Well, that explains the constant inquiries that I’ve been receiving.”
Setting the goblet down, Long Hua takes out the Spirit Extracts, a total of 22 bottles.
Storing the Spirit Extracts away, Wu Xiao places three items onto the table, and after taking a sip of wine in a smug manner, she says—
“Your results, so then, when will you owe up to your debt, my dearest?”
“…”
Begrudgingly storing the three rare metals away, Long Hua heaves a heavy sigh.
From the looks of it, he won’t be able to leave the restaurant until he’s paid his dues, to which, the Tai Xuan Emperor remarks—
(Get it over with *-laoban, those three items added together, along with your current asset, it’s enough for you to reach pity.)
“…”
Taking out the black jadeite flute, Long Hua blows into it a few times to refamiliarize himself with the instrument.
Quietly sipping the wine, Wu Xiao waits for Long Hua to finish preparations.
While refamiliarizing himself with the flute, Long Hua thought—
(Three tunes… What do I even play? Hmm…)
Turning to Wu Xiao, Long Hua asks—
“Surnamed Wu, you’re able to hear the intent behind a tune, right?”
“To a certain degree, but why ask this now?”
“No, just curious.”
Turning away from Wu Xiao, Long Hua smiles in an odd manner.
………
Leaning his back against a wall—located in a secluded alley, Yun You takes out one of the cigars that he had received from Long Hua.
“…”
Giving the cigar a quick sniff, Yun You ignites it, and presses it to his lips.
“…”
Puffing on the cigar in silence, Yun You closes his eyes.
“………”
And before he realizes it, his smoking session has reached its end.
“…”
As the cigar’s butt drops from his hand, Yun You takes out the second cigar; however, he couldn’t bring himself to light it.
“Screw you, surnamed Long…”