Elder brother's garrison

"Here you go." Lu Ming handed the mask and other items to Xiao Bai with both hands.

"What is this...?" Xiaobai looked at the mask that Luming handed over with a puzzled expression.

“It’s dangerous to show your face outside.” Lu Ming said as she put on her hat, tucked her chestnut hair into it, and then carefully put on her mask and sunglasses.

"Oh... you're afraid of being recognized by fans." Xiaobai accepted the mask Luming handed her with deep feeling, thought for a moment, and then said, "But, if the three of us are all wearing masks and sunglasses and walking together, in a sense, we'll become quite conspicuous, right?"

"Ah..." Lu Ming's hand, which was adjusting his mask, stopped in place.

Xiaobai's words make a lot of sense.

If the goal is simply to conceal one's appearance and reduce attention from others, then wearing masks and sunglasses is indeed effective for solo travelers. However, if traveling in a group, three people wearing masks and sunglasses and sneaking around on the street will only attract more unnecessary attention.

It's clear that Lu Ming has no experience traveling in groups and is completely unaware of this.

“Miss Luming, you wear it. Loki and I don’t need it.” Xiaobai smiled and handed the mask back to Luming. “Loki and I aren’t celebrities. Even if we went out without makeup, no one would recognize us. Besides, with us around, Miss Luming, you won’t stand out any more.”

“…Hmm.” Lu Ming nodded gently after hearing Xiao Bai’s words.

Inside the car, Lu Ming tidied his belongings and, after confirming that his appearance was sufficiently concealed, confidently opened the car door and jumped out.

Before getting out of the car, Xiaobai glanced at the driver in the driver's seat.

After getting off the bus at Luming's place, the driver considered his mission accomplished. He picked up the instant noodles, which were almost completely soaked in soup, and slurped them up in small sips.

"Thank you so much, Uncle Driver," Xiaobai said to the driver.

"Oh!" The driver turned around and glanced at Xiaobai, giving him a simple and honest smile. "You're welcome, you're welcome."

"If we just take Miss Luming away like this, won't you be punished, Uncle Driver?" Xiaobai asked worriedly.

"Hey, I'm just a lousy driver. All I do is pick people up and drive. Nothing else matters to me." The driver shrugged fearlessly. "Miss Luming has already said she'll explain to my manager why I'm taking you away. As for what happens after that, who you are, where you're from, and where Luming is taking you, that's beyond my responsibility."

"I see." Xiao Bai was relieved after hearing the driver's explanation.

Xiao Bai moved to the edge of the car door, placing one foot on the car sill outside the door.

The driver inside the car waved to Xiaobai.

"Oh, right." Before getting off the bus, Xiaobai, who was standing on the edge of the vehicle, seemed to remember something and turned back to the driver with a smile, "Uncle Driver."

"What are you doing?"

"Eating instant noodles all the time isn't good for your health. You should eat something regular sometimes." Xiao Bai waved to the driver with a big smile. "We're off then, goodbye, Uncle!"

After saying that, Xiaobai jumped out of the car.

Loki, who was inside the car, nodded to the driver and then got out of the car.

The car door was closed from the outside.

Inside the car, the driver stood there, staring blankly at the mushy instant noodles.

"...Goodness." The driver looked down at the remaining half of the instant noodles and muttered to himself, "Isn't it because instant noodles are convenient...? These days, young girls are quite considerate."

The driver scratched his head, placed the instant noodles on the passenger seat, and thought for a while.

"Hmm... Come to think of it, this is the first time I've seen Miss Lu Ming get into a car with a friend."

"So Miss Luming has friends too..."

"They don't seem like bad people, so there's probably nothing to worry about."

"Luckily, all the passengers were girls. If a guy had gotten on the bus, the fans at the scenic spot would have gone crazy...hehe."

"oops……"

"Let me check the map. There should be some cheap and affordable restaurants around here..."

The driver hummed a little tune and opened his phone.

The sound of touchscreens clicking filled the carriage.

"..."

"Let's have some barbecue again, it's been a while."

……

At the edge of the road, Lu Ming pressed his winter hat against his head, watching the traffic and pedestrians filling the street.

"Does Miss Luming often go out to play like this?" Xiaobai asked Luming.

"Hmm." Lu Ming looked at Xiao Bai and nodded. "When I'm resting, I go out like this."

"I see. I noticed how skilled you were at taking out your mask just now."

"..." Lu Ming touched the mask on his face, and his two sapphire-like eyes curved towards Xiao Bai.

Although there weren't as many pedestrians on the streets of Yuncheng as during peak hours, the number of people coming and going was still considerable. Xiaobai, Luming, and Loki walked with the flow of people, and most of the pedestrians around them were either engrossed in playing on their phones or hurrying along. Their stealth operation was quite successful.

Lu Ming led Xiao Bai and Loki through the bustling streets. Both Xiao Bai and Lu Ming were the kind of people who had a lot of free time. As they walked, they looked at the surrounding buildings and pedestrians, and occasionally stopped to admire the beautiful scenery they saw.

Stop and go along the way.

Lu Ming took Xiao Bai out this time not only to express his gratitude for what happened on set, but also to introduce Xiao Bai to his favorite restaurants.

Xiao Bai was also very interested in the restaurant that the big star Lu Ming liked.

It's common knowledge that celebrities are not short of money. Some top stars can even earn around two million a day. While top-tier celebrities like Lu Ming, a national goddess, may not earn more, they certainly don't earn much less. Of course, not all of Lu Ming's earnings go directly into her pocket. After taxes, the money first goes to her exclusive entertainment company's account, and after a series of revenue sharing, it finally reaches her personal coffers. Even so, it's an undeniable fact that Ms. Lu Ming is financially well-off.

What kind of great place is this restaurant that a celebrity who has no worries about money would like to visit?

Could it be one of those expensive and luxurious places with world-class chefs, where the starting price is five or six figures and you feel the pinch just from drinking a glass of water?

With this thought in mind, Xiaobai followed Luming through the streets and alleys, and finally stopped on a fairly bustling ordinary street.

"We're here." Lu Ming's eyes lit up with joy as he pointed to the restaurant ahead.

"Huh? Is this it?" Xiaobai looked at the rather ordinary road around her, looking confused.

Although the area is relatively bustling, it doesn't seem like the kind of location a high-end restaurant should be in. Following Lu Ming's finger, Xiao Bai saw a delicate and exquisite blue shop by the roadside. Compared to a high-end restaurant, this place seemed more like a small tea restaurant. The entrance was decorated with colorful flowers, and the signboard next to it was filled with various snacks. Every now and then, ordinary pedestrians carrying bags would go in and out of the shop, making it look like a niche but thriving business.

This is... Lu Ming's favorite restaurant?

It looks rather ordinary.

"This is it." Lu Ming nodded to Xiao Bai.

"Huh? A tea restaurant?" Xiaobai was stunned.

"Hmm." Lu Ming looked at Xiao Bai's surprised expression, somewhat puzzled. "What's wrong?"

"Ah...no, it's nothing." Xiaobai quickly waved her hand, then smiled at Luming, "I thought you were going to take me to one of those fancy restaurants."

"Then, should we go to another restaurant?" Lu Ming was at a loss when he heard Xiao Bai's words. "We can still go to..."

"No need, no need, I was just saying it offhand. It's still better here," Xiaobai quickly reassured Luming.

"..." Seeing Xiaobai's sincere gaze, Luming finally felt relieved.

Upon arriving at the tea restaurant, the group pushed open the door.

Jingle Bell.

The bell on the shop door rang crisply, and a pretty shop assistant greeted them with a smile.

"Welcome! How many people are in your party?" The clerk asked with a smile.

"Hmm." Lu Ming skillfully held up three fingers.

"Okay, is a window seat alright?" The waiter smiled and led Xiaobai and the other two to a window seat, then took out a pen and paper and asked with a smile, "What would you like to eat?"

"The usual." Lu Ming sat down and looked at the shop assistant.

"Okay, how about these two?" The shop assistant smiled and looked at Little White and Loki.

"Uh, I... I wish I were like her." Xiaobai pointed at Luming.

“Me too,” Loki said to the shop assistant, sitting upright to the side.

"Three servings, the usual, right? Received!" The clerk smiled and jotted it down in his notebook. "Please wait a moment, it will be served to you shortly."

After the shop assistant left, Xiaobai looked at Luming.

"Deer... cough cough, um..." Xiaobai lowered her voice and asked cautiously, "The shop assistants here seem to know you?"

“I’ll come here occasionally these days.” Lu Ming nodded.

Does she know who you are?

"I don't know." Lu Ming shook his head. "I won't take off my mask here."

"What a pity." Xiaobai watched the shop assistant's departing figure and propped her chin up with her hand.

Chapter 2281 Keep Your Wealth to Yourself

The employee at this tea restaurant seemed to be the owner's daughter or something similar; she appeared to be a teenage girl, in the prime of her life, full of youthful energy and always smiling. During the brief interaction, Xiaobai also noticed a familiar little doll hanging from her waist, just like the ones Lu Ming had sacrificed to distract the tourists at the scenic spot.

These little dolls are only the size of a thumb and have a rather unique appearance. I had heard Lu Ming mention before that they were merchandise from her agency. Since this young female shop assistant is wearing one of these dolls on her waist as an accessory, it's safe to say that she's probably a fan of Ms. Lu Ming.

It's a real shame that she never recognized Lu Ming, who had visited her shop so many times.

Just as Xiaobai was thinking, the shop assistant who had left came back with a vase filled with bright little flowers.

"Today's flowers are freesias, I hope they bring you a good mood." The shop assistant walked up to Xiaobai, smiled, placed the vase in the center of the table, and then left.

Xiao Bai stared in surprise at the vase on the table, then watched the shop assistant leave with curiosity.

"Miss Luming, this is..."

"It's a tradition at this restaurant that they put flowers on all the tables for their guests."

"Oh...I see."

“I like…this tradition,” Lu Ming said softly, looking at the flowers on the table and stroking the air above the flowers. “The flowers in this restaurant…make me feel at ease.”

"Does Miss Luming like flowers very much?" Xiaobai asked.

“I used to keep them.” Lu Ming withdrew her hand, looked out the window, and said softly, “...I’m too busy now, so I won’t keep them anymore.”

"I understand," Xiaobai nodded.

Footsteps soon sounded from one side.

Xiao Bai turned her head and saw the shop assistant who had just left carrying three plates filled with golden food with a smile on her face. Each plate was much larger than her palm, but she could easily hold the plates with both hands and arms and walk to Xiao Bai and the other two.

"Guests, your meals are ready. Three of the usual, fish and chips, right?"

The waiter placed three plates on the table, each plate displaying several crispy, fried fish strips and sizzling fish.

After pushing the plates in front of the three people, the waiter smiled and said, "Enjoy your meal," before slowly leaving.

Xiao Bai looked down at the food on the plate, then looked up.

"Is this the same as Miss Luming described?"

"Ah."

"This is really...an unexpected hobby."

"Miss Lu Lin, don't you like it?"

"Who doesn't love freshly fried French fries?" Xiaobai asked with a smile.

Xiaobai grabbed a French fry and put it in her mouth. It was crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, and the aroma of potatoes instantly filled her mouth. She then grabbed a fried fish stick and took a bite. She immediately found it to be crispy on the outside, tender on the inside, and juicy.

how to say.

Although fish and chips is a simple street food, the difference in skill level makes a difference in the experience. The fish and chips Xiaobai ate was noticeably better than the fries and fish pieces she had eaten at fast food restaurants before.

It's okay to have something like this once in a while.

Xiao Bai thought to herself, then looked up at Lu Ming.

Lu Ming did not remove her mask while eating. She gently pulled up the lower half of the mask, pinched a large piece of fried fish strip and stuffed it into the mask, and then her fair cheeks visibly bulged out.

Lu Ming ate quietly, his eyes sparkling with delight.

A serving of fish and chips was enough for a girl to eat her fill. After eating quietly for more than ten minutes, only golden crumbs remained on the plates in front of the three of them.

Little White patted its belly contentedly and leaned back in the chair.

Seeing this, Loki took out a tissue and gently wiped the oil off Whitey's lips.

"As expected of Miss Luming's recommendation, the food here is indeed delicious." Xiaobai said to Luming with a smile, "We can also see fresh flowers while we eat, and the view of the street through the window is very pleasant."

"I'm glad you like it..." Lu Ming lowered his head somewhat reservedly.