Chapter 116: Gotcha

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Qiao Mian had no idea about Xiao Longnu’s chaotic thoughts. He stroked the cat for a while, exchanged a few casual words, and then got straight to the point. Handing over the file folder, he smiled, “These are literacy class courses and some materials I had prepared. You can arrange them as you see fit.”

“Literacy class?” Xiao Longnu asked in surprise.

“You mentioned earlier that you wanted to understand the knowledge here,” Qiao Mian replied with a smile. “In the future, when newcomers arrive, we’ll have them undergo concentrated training first.”

Xiao Longnu nodded in agreement.

Qiao Mian glanced around and saw that everyone else was sitting upright at the table, intently staring at their computer screens. Right in the middle of his view, a young woman was repeatedly opening and closing a document.

He couldn’t help but find it amusing.

“Well then, I’ll take my leave,” he said as he turned to go. Staying any longer would only make things uncomfortable for others.

These people were already helping out without pay, managing many affairs of the park in an orderly fashion. Qiao Mian could never say they weren’t doing a good job.

As for letting them have free rein during leisure time...

That was something Xiao Longnu should decide, and he didn’t need to play the good guy here.

“Wait a moment.” Just as Qiao Mian reached the door, Xiao Longnu suddenly caught up with him.

He stopped, surprised to see her.

She pursed her lips, took a deep breath to calm herself, and then said, “We’re planning to have dinner at Hai Di Lao tonight. Would you like to join us?”

Qiao Mian shook his head. “I have other matters.”

Xiao Longnu’s tightly clenched fist relaxed, revealing obvious disappointment, but she forced a smile, “Then you focus on your work.”

She had been fed a lot of pep talks by those colleagues, about how a woman’s pursuit of a man is just a thin veil away, and she wanted to give it a try...

Seeing her expression sour, Qiao Mian hesitated for a moment and said, “It’s been a long time since I ate there. I do miss it. If possible, could you help me pack some to go?”

Xiao Longnu’s mood instantly brightened. “I’ll bring it over to you tonight.”

Qiao Mian nodded and smiled as he walked away.

Just before leaving, he suddenly looked back and noticed all eyes were fixed on him.

Upon his gaze, except for the two fat cats, the others quickly averted their eyes and pretended to be busy with work.

Qiao Mian felt a wave of frustration.

Three women are already a drama; with a dozen more, how many scenes must be playing out!

No wonder Xiao Longnu wasn’t easily influenced!

...

Evening.

Beside a small stream in the Dinosaur Park.

Xiao Longnu set up a portable hotpot stove, placed the base ingredients, poured in water, and brought it to a boil.

“You don’t eat this often, do you?” Qiao Mian asked, noticing her practiced movements.

Xiao Longnu rolled up her sleeves and said, “Sometimes when I crave it, I make some at home with grandma.”

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“At home?”

“Just over there,” Xiao Longnu smiled. “There’s no cellphone signal at all, and grandma doesn’t want to go back now.”

Qiao Mian chuckled, “Practicing the Jade Maiden Classic should involve clearing the mind and desire, right? That place seems more suitable?”

Xiao Longnu shook her head, “Practicing in the fitness plaza won’t lead to any missteps or demonic possession, plus...”

She smiled mischievously, “If even the grandmaster can’t do it, why should I?”

Qiao Mian could only laugh helplessly.

He suspected Xiao Longnu had learned that from those women.

“Besides, you said there’s a chance to ascend to immortality later. Why bother clinging to the Jade Maiden Classic?” Xiao Longnu smiled at Qiao Mian again.

Qiao Mian swallowed quietly and looked away.

Steam bubbled from the boiling pot.

The hotpot base smelled incredibly appetizing.

Xiao Longnu asked for Qiao Mian’s opinion, then casually tossed in some beef and lamb, saying, “Mr. Qiao, being so outstanding, you must be very popular, right?”

“Not really,” Qiao Mian replied.

He hadn’t been very popular before, but since acquiring the Fantasy Park, the whole world had become friendly to him.

Even the old man from Eagle Sauce Country openly welcomed him to visit the White House, promising to receive him with honors surpassing those of international heads of state.

This was a world apart from the time he sold cherries in the county town and was chased by urban management officers.

“How many girlfriends did you have when you were in school?” Xiao Longnu stirred the meat with her chopsticks, her tone indifferent.

Qiao Mian’s mother had already revealed many details about him to her, but she wanted to verify this on her own.

Qiao Mian was a bit startled.

Then he felt speechless.

He really had been corrupted by those women.

“I never met anyone with values that matched mine,” Qiao Mian said.

Xiao Longnu pursed her lips and picked up a piece of meat.

“But I did have an online relationship once,” Qiao Mian added.

Xiao Longnu expressionlessly put the meat back into the pot.

“Later I found out it was a man pretending to be a female account, just scamming for game skins,” Qiao Mian sighed.

Xiao Longnu tried to hold back but couldn’t stop the corners of her mouth from curling upward.

She picked up a piece of meat and put it into Qiao Mian’s bowl: “It should be cooked. Try it.”

The meat was tender.

The flavor was quite good.

“How do you feel here?” Qiao Mian asked. “Compared to being in the ancient tomb?”

“Very good,” Xiao Longnu smiled. “It was stuffy there. Grandma would occasionally tell me about the outside world but rarely chatted with me. She wanted me to focus on cultivation.”

She smiled again, “But that’s not necessary now. I know many people have practiced the Jade Maiden Classic, and grandma hasn’t mentioned it since.”

Qiao Mian smiled as he looked at her.

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From his perspective, Xiao Longnu now was no different from an ordinary girl on Earth.

She wore a white shirt and jeans, her hair simply tied back, unadorned yet still charming.

She loved good food, enjoyed watching dramas, had a friend like Liang Xiaoyu, and occasionally went shopping and to the movies with her.

This was vastly different from the cold, ethereal image she was said to have.

“Everyone’s very warm,” Xiao Longnu said with a smile. “The office people brought me lots of delicious snacks. You saw that today, right?”

“You mean the snack cabinet?” Qiao Mian asked.

“Yes.” Xiao Longnu handed another piece of meat to Qiao Mian.

“That’s nice.” Qiao Mian ate the meat.

Seeing that Xiao Longnu kept giving him food but didn’t eat herself, he couldn’t help but ask, “Aren’t you going to eat?”

Xiao Longnu shook her head, “I already ate with them.”

“Eat some more. I saw you secretly swallowing,” Qiao Mian teased.

Xiao Longnu’s face flushed instantly. She lowered her head slightly and pouted.

Qiao Mian quickly added a piece of lamb to her bowl: “This one’s good. Try it.”

Xiao Longnu hesitated, “If I eat too much, won’t I get fat?”

“You’re so thin, you should eat more,” Qiao Mian said.

Xiao Longnu looked down. “Auntie said the same thing. Do you really think I’m too skinny?”

“No, I think you’re just right,” Qiao Mian said instinctively.

Suddenly, Xiao Longnu looked up, her gaze intense. “So you really like me the way I am?”

The bright moon hung high in the sky.

Soft moonlight spilled down.

At that moment, Xiao Longnu seemed to glow with light.

Like a fairy descended to the mortal world.

Her eyes were like clear springs, making it hard for Qiao Mian to look away.

Just as he was about to speak, a beast’s roar suddenly sounded.

Immediately after, two figures—one large and one small—burst out from the nearby thicket.

Leading was a carnivorous bovid dragon, and clinging to its back was a noticeably younger Zhou Botong.

“Got you!” Zhou Botong shouted excitedly from atop the beast.

Qiao Mian lightly touched his forehead, feeling a bit helpless.

Xiao Longnu turned her head calmly.

Her eyes, however, almost seemed to blaze with fire.

A stolen moment.