Chapter 50: Xiaolongnü Borrows Money

Granny Sun rose to open the door.

Her voice, brimming with delight, quickly floated into the room: “Just now, the girls were talking about you, Mr. Qiao, and here you are!”

Liang Xiaoyu and Little Dragon Maiden, who had been laughing together, immediately composed themselves. They exchanged a glance and stood up in unison.

Qiao Mian had already stepped into the room.

Taking in the chaotic mess of dishes before him, he sighed with regret, “Looks like I’ve missed the best part.”

“What would you like to eat?” Little Dragon Maiden’s eyes curved with a smile. “I’ll make something for you.”

“Drifting just delivered fresh ingredients this morning. They’re at their best,” Granny Sun added.

“No need,” Qiao Mian waved his hand quickly. “I was just saying.”

Liang Xiaoyu looked at Little Dragon Maiden, momentarily speechless.

Aren’t you supposed to be the high-cold goddess, revered by millions, a master martial artist known for your icy composure? Why are you acting like the principal? Let’s not be a sycophant, alright?

She cleared her throat and smiled, “Actually, I bought a double portion of food. There’s another set back at my place—should I bring it over?”

“Really, there’s no need.” Qiao Mian waved her off again.

He already knew from Zero that they were having a meal. In fact, he’d deliberately wandered outside until they’d finished, making use of his internal energy to disguise himself.

“I actually wanted to ask you all something,” Qiao Mian said.

Seeing his gaze shift between her and Granny Sun, Little Dragon Maiden nodded and asked, “What is it?”

“Shall we talk outside?” Liang Xiaoyu glanced at the pile of chicken bones on her plate, embarrassed. “It’s a bit messy in here.”

She grumbled inwardly: Little Dragon Maiden and Granny Sun didn’t eat any less than I did—where are their leftovers? Wait, I barely ate any meat, so why is my plate full of bones?

She shot a suspicious look at Little Dragon Maiden.

“Alright,” Qiao Mian agreed. “Let’s take a walk outside.”

“I’ll just change my clothes.” Seeing Granny Sun winking at her repeatedly, Little Dragon Maiden’s cheeks turned pink.

She was still wearing the Hello Kitty cartoon pajamas Liang Xiaoyu had given her. Comfortable, yes, but hardly dignified.

“Alright,” Qiao Mian said. “I’ll wait for you outside.”

Five minutes later.

Qiao Mian’s eyes lit up as he saw Little Dragon Maiden emerge in a light green dress.

In recent days, she’d abandoned her simple cloth garments in favor of the Earthly clothes Liang Xiaoyu had gifted her. Each time he saw her in a new outfit, Qiao Mian felt a jolt of surprise. Beautiful women truly looked good in anything—or even in nothing at all.

Liang Xiaoyu, standing to the side, pursed her lips, jealous.

She considered herself attractive, but years of outdoor living had left her skin a bit rough. At twenty-four, she was hardly a match for an eighteen-year-old girl. Even some of her most devoted fans in the livestream had defected.

But in truth, few in this world could compare to Little Dragon Maiden’s beauty and presence.

A bit of makeup and grooming, and she might not be inferior at all.

“I should stock up on cosmetics,” Liang Xiaoyu thought. “Remember to do morning and evening skincare from now on.”

“There are no ugly women, only lazy ones—let’s do this!” she encouraged herself.

Seeing Granny Sun and Little Dragon Maiden walking alongside Qiao Mian, Liang Xiaoyu trotted to join them. No one had said she couldn’t come; she’d definitely tag along. Who knew, she might overhear some inside information—or gather intel on the competition.

“How are you finding the books I gave you before?” Qiao Mian asked, making casual conversation. He felt it would be abrupt to get straight to the main topic. Better to warm things up first.

“I finished the elementary ones and am working through the middle school books,” Little Dragon Maiden replied, head down. “Some things are hard to understand.”

Already finding middle school difficult? Qiao Mian chuckled inwardly. She wasn’t as brilliant as all that.

“Is it math or physics?” he asked with a smile. “Or chemistry and biology?”

She shook her head. “Those are fine—Xiaoyu helped explain the tricky bits. It’s more about political subjects…” and she launched into a list.

Qiao Mian blinked. “Isn’t that all pretty straightforward?”

Little Dragon Maiden tilted her head at him, her innocent confusion sending a wave of warmth through him.

He looked away, affecting nonchalance. “I’ll find you a teacher another day.”

“A teacher?” she echoed in surprise. “Like at school here on Earth?”

“More like a tutor,” Qiao Mian improvised. “I’ll arrange for a training class. Anyone interested can join.”

Little Dragon Maiden’s eyes sparkled. “That sounds great!”

“Might as well send her to university,” Liang Xiaoyu cut in from behind.

Qiao Mian glanced back at her, then at Little Dragon Maiden, noticing the eager anticipation in her gaze. He wondered what Liang Xiaoyu had told her to make her so keen on studying.

Thinking it over, he understood. Little Dragon Maiden had grown up in a tomb, isolated from everyone except Granny Sun. As an outwardly cold but inwardly passionate young woman, she couldn’t possibly enjoy such a stifling, lonely life.

Perhaps, when she had martial arts training to focus on, she got used to it. But now, after meeting all sorts of people in the park, watching TV dramas every night, and being influenced by Liang Xiaoyu, she yearned for the outside world and longed for an ordinary girl’s life.

“Do you want to go to university?” Qiao Mian asked.

If that was what she wanted, it wouldn’t be difficult to arrange. Given the status of Fantasy Park, any university in any country would accept a student he recommended. Once he had more staff, he could easily grant Little Dragon Maiden a long vacation to experience campus life.

But Little Dragon Maiden shook her head. “I’m just curious.”

She smiled, “I want to go out with Xiaoyu this weekend—would that be alright?”

Qiao Mian smiled. “Of course.”

He wasn’t her father. No one in their right mind would mess with a martial arts master from another dimension.

“But,” Little Dragon Maiden said shyly, “Xiaoyu said I’d need money to go shopping…”

Liang Xiaoyu quickly added, “I said I’d pay for everything!”

Little Dragon Maiden turned her clear gaze on Qiao Mian.

He froze. Why are you looking at me? Do I look like a bank?

“Mr. Qiao, could you lend me some money?” Little Dragon Maiden asked softly.

Borrow money!

Qiao Mian instinctively shoved his hands in his pockets. He didn’t have any money. He lived off his parents’ generosity, and whenever he needed groceries or clothes, he asked Drifting to pick them up for him. He’d never given Transformers any cash and had no idea where they got it.

“How much do you need?” Qiao Mian asked.

“About a million,” Little Dragon Maiden replied.

She remembered the price tags on the clothes Liang Xiaoyu had given her—each costing several thousand. Add in things like phones, computers, bedding, bags, and it easily totaled a few hundred thousand. Though she knew from the internet that such a sum was a fortune on Earth, surely Mr. Qiao wasn’t short of money.

Besides, she’d read somewhere online: If you want someone to remember you, the best way is to borrow money from them.

Though slightly embarrassed, she’d watched enough urban romance dramas lately to know this wasn’t the time to be shy.

Hesitation leads to defeat; decisiveness brings victory!