Tea-flavored Romance

Xiao Ling'er has two different personas depending on whether she's familiar with someone or not. In front of Lu Jiujiu and the others, she'll ruthlessly kill Master Ning, displaying exceptional skill in joint locks. But in front of others, she's just a weak little sister who won't fight back when bullied by her brother, and whose eyes well up with tears.

Ning Yuan was already used to this little girl's tendency to only attack him with heavy blows. After the three of them greeted each other and got to know each other, he began to ask Lin Xiaoya about the important matters of the game exhibition.

"Have Gu Guanxue and the others arrived? Am I late?"

He had escorted the two children all the way here, so naturally he couldn't meet up with Gu Xihua and the others right away. When he saw Lin Xiaoya appear, Ning Yuan subconsciously thought that everyone else had already arrived and that he was the only one who hadn't arrived yet.

Why didn't Xuebao urge me? Shouldn't she have called to ask where I was?

Master Lin shook his head slightly and smiled, "Not late... Actually, some people from our club haven't all arrived yet. As for Xiaoxue... I think I just saw her negotiating with people from the company?"

"Is something wrong?" Ning Yuan frowned. Seeing that Ning Yuan seemed to have misunderstood something, Lin Xiaoya explained, "No, it's mainly about coordinating the performance time. We can't write it too rigidly in the contract, so we have to adjust it on the spot..."

"Xiaoxue must have participated in similar events before, and she seemed to handle them with ease. So I didn't help her there..."

"Actually, I can't really help her much... Xiaoxue is amazing..." Master Lin said with a wry smile, "I've participated in several more similar anime conventions than her, but when we actually ran into trouble, I was actually less calm and intelligent than her..."

"What trouble have you run into over there?" Ning Yuan asked with a strange expression, sensing the girl's underlying meaning.

Lin Xiaoya paused slightly, a hint of surprise on her face, as if she had accidentally said something inappropriate. She brushed a strand of hair behind her ear and said with a forced smile, "It's not really a problem...actually, I'm alone..."

Her smooth, delicate wrist brushed past her ear, as if deliberately drawing attention to her slightly pale face. Beneath her white dress, her body swayed slightly, exuding a fragile air that seemed as if a gust of wind could topple her over.

Ning Yiling: Keep an eye on...

She's the old White Lotus cult leader... She uses her bravado to arouse boys' protective instincts, manipulating those guys who think they're very manly, leaving them helpless...

Is this your tea ceremony?! Lin Xiaoya!

If that's all there is to it, then you might as well admit defeat! My brother is not that simple!

Ning Yuan: "That won't do. How can a girl handle trouble all by herself? Tell me, maybe I can help you?"

The little leek spirit was stunned for a moment, then turned to look at Master Ning with some disbelief.

My brother, is it really that simple?!

Little did she know Ning Yuan's ulterior motives. With his intelligence and prior precautions, how could he not have guessed Master Lin's scheme? If it were any other unrelated Miss Cha Cha, he would naturally encourage her and, incidentally, give her a hand...

Ahem... a quick pep talk and they'd call it a day. But the other party is Master Lin, so this matter is not so simple.

"Nothing ventured, nothing gained." Even assuming the worst, this girl had openly helped him and Gu Guanxue. If she were truly in trouble, it wouldn't be unreasonable for him to lend a hand. After all, they were able to contact relevant game companies using their anime club's shortlist.

If you owe someone a favor, you must always think about repaying it as soon as possible, and you must never get involved in karma! Otherwise, what will you use to defend yourself when Master Lin launches a full-scale attack in the future? Your body?

The Fallen Husband... Ning Master Limited?

What if Lin Xiaoya dyes her hair blonde again someday...

Fast forward to his ominous old age, his body covered in yellow hair?

It's ridiculous just thinking about it!

The three of them were lost in thought, their minds racing, leaving only Lu Hanhan watching them. They all seemed to fall silent for a few seconds, feeling puzzled.

Why have they suddenly stopped talking?

Lin Xiaoya's silence was symbolic, intended to reveal her inner turmoil and unease, as well as her shame at troubling others. It must be said that both this girl and Xuebao are excellent actors, one a performer who relies on expression, and the other a performer who relies on experiential learning.

There's no definitive answer as to which of their acting styles is superior. Lin Xiaoya looked at Ning Yuan with a conflicted expression and replied softly:

"Actually... it's not a big problem."

"Our club's costumes and props... seem to have been slightly damaged during transport..."

Chapter 154: Backstabbed!

What is the specific extent of the damage?

"One of the buttons on the chest of the priest's robe seems to be missing..."

"Pastor? That's you... cough cough... Excuse me, what does that button look like? Could I use a safety pin instead?"

Master Lin's cheeks flushed, and the tips of his ears turned slightly red: "That button serves both decorative and securing functions; it was a crucial part of the design. If that button is lost, not only..."

"Not only is there a risk of wardrobe malfunctions, but it also makes the structure of the cosplay costume loose... just like some revealing outfits..."

"But that wardrobe malfunction wasn't really an accident... it just... looked a bit inappropriate..."

At this point, Lin Xiaoya's voice was barely audible. She lowered her head, her cheeks flushed, and whispered, "We've already contacted the club members still at school. They're all very anxious, and everyone is trying their best to find them..."

"Forehead……"

Master Ning looked up at the sky. Actually, there wasn't much to be embarrassed about in this matter. The main problem was that Master Lin's behavior was too awkward, which made him feel strange as well.

Okay, Master Lin, I know you're trying to portray a girl's shy and cute side, making me think you have a youthful charm. But if you keep explaining like this, what was originally a fairly serious explanation is about to become inappropriate.

Besides, the naive and innocent girl next to me is naiver, more innocent, and sweeter than you, and she's also older than you...

We're at a disadvantage in every aspect!

Lin Xiaoya, as expected of someone with extensive experience, immediately changed her demeanor when she saw that Ning Yuan's reaction didn't seem to be buying it. She reverted to her usual capable and mature anime club president persona: "In short, now we just need to wait for news."

“That’s definitely not enough.” Ning Yuan frowned slightly. “We need to do it from multiple angles simultaneously to be on the safe side…”

Have you contacted the game company or the organizer? Are your costumes and props your own, or were they provided by them?

"We rented it ourselves..."

"How far is that store from here? Contact the staff and see if you can find a way to send another set over, so that the people from the anime club don't leave empty-handed and then not have enough time to go back and ask for another set."

"OK……"

"Also, contact the person in charge of your game company's event and ask him to coordinate the order, whether it's extending the showgirls' performance time or staggering your appearance order, anything that can squeeze out a little more time."

"Also, don't just look around the school. Have a few people check all the places you've walked through the exhibition hall... You can also ask the cleaning staff if it might have been lost here."

"Um... okay..."

It must be said that when Master Ning activated his "King Mode," he remained calm and clear-headed when faced with difficulties. He methodically sorted out Lin Xiaoya's current predicament and proposed a concise and effective solution.

Lin Xiaoya was slightly taken aback, as if she felt that Ning Yuan exuded an aura of reliability. This surprised her somewhat.

She had intended for him to show her a reliable side, but when he actually pulled off a move, she found Ning Yuan rather handsome.

This is impossible! Master Lin quickly reflected on herself and realized that she must have been too immersed in the role, which led her to have such a terrible thought... Those who reach the realm of the Ox Immortal must be devoid of emotions, without sorrow or joy, in order to attain the Great Dao.

Feelings will only slow down how quickly I break up couples!

Lin Xiaoya composed herself and gave Ning Yuan a look of admiration and gratitude. Only she knew how much of that admiration and gratitude was genuine, but judging from her acting skills alone, Ning Yuan felt that this girl was probably about to fast forward to offering herself to him.

If an ordinary boy put on such a show of confidence in front of a girl, and she then looked at him with such admiration, wouldn't he immediately become arrogant?

Master Ning: I dare not be arrogant, I absolutely dare not be arrogant...

"Then let's go meet up with Gu Guanxue first," Ning Yuan said. "Remember to contact me if you have any problems... You have my number, right?"

"Yes, thank you."

"Hey, don't be so polite, we're all friends. I'm going to find Gu Guanxue now, see you later. Good luck."

After a brief farewell to Master Lin, Ning Yuan withdrew his gaze and walked forward with the two little girls without looking to either side. Ning Yiling stared at him with hostility the whole way, as if she wanted to kill this despicable person who only knew how to deceive his sister with her eyes.

You promised to do everything in the Sister's Mantra, but you still lied... Ningyuan, you bastard! You have no heart!

What? The sister signed the contract after Lin Xiaoya appeared? That's alright, Ning Yuan, you still have no heart!

I was just getting along really well with a tea girl, and now she wants to take me to meet a new one. This guy doesn't seem to take my words seriously at all!

Thinking of this, Ning 10 unconsciously moved closer to Ning Yuan's arm, turning his grab into a hug, his eyes filled with hostility.

Why don't we just grab his arm and not let go? I don't believe his tea will not explode if he sees this!

A little girl beside him nuzzled against his arm, a sudden and obvious movement that naturally caught Ning Yuan's attention. He glanced at Ning Yiling, intending to ask her what was wrong with her, but instead received a glare from the little girl.

Ning Yuan: ?

Doesn't a washboard hurt? Why don't you and Lu Jiujiu switch? Just don't tell anyone I said that.

While inwardly shouting this, Master Ning dared not utter a single word of displeasure, his face beaming with joy. Lu Jiujiu, standing to the side, seemed somewhat distracted. Ever since learning they were going to find Gu Guanxue, she had been glancing warily at her surroundings from time to time, as if searching for someone.

God help me, please don't run into Lu Tianjiao's people... I hope the person I contacted last time didn't betray me, right? I was being so careful...

As the saying goes, what you keep in mind will eventually come to pass. After passing through several exhibition halls, Ning Yuan and his two companions saw Xue Bao holding a form and negotiating with the female manager in front of her. Next to the female manager was a middle-aged man in a suit and tie, who looked like the CEO of the game company who had come to inspect the business.

Lu Jiujiu only glanced at the face of the suit-wearing CEO from afar, and her blood pressure immediately spiked. She opened her mouth, speechless, and was completely shocked into an "O" shape.

That uncle... that game company boss uncle!

Why is he here? What is his purpose? Who ordered him to be here? What is his motive?

It was Lu Tianjiao! This uncle must have betrayed me, telling Lu Tianjiao what I secretly did at their company!

Chapter 155: A Mortal Body Rivals the Tea Saint!

Lu Hanhan felt utterly devastated and incredibly wronged. What about the most basic trust between people, what about the persistence of a veteran gamer…?

It's all fake, completely fabricated!

Don't you old-school gamers have any backbone?! Backstabbing like that! Have you no morals?! Isn't this bullying an honest girl?!

Gu Guanxue, who was in the distance, seemed to be talking to the female manager. She casually pointed in the direction Ning Yuan had come from, and her eyes unexpectedly spotted him. This made the girl smile, and she smiled back at the female manager in front of her.

My friend is here.

Upon hearing this, the female manager and the suit-wearing CEO beside her both glanced in Master Ning's direction. After seeing who it was, the CEO was clearly stunned for a moment. He was just about to greet Miss Lu with great surprise when his eyes met Lu's deadly stare...

Originally, this little idiot's eyes could never scare anyone, but after being ruthlessly betrayed by the old gamer, Lu Jiujiu, who now knows the dangers of society, is clearly indignant and resentful. Under the influence of various grievances, even her originally pure and harmless little idiot eyes have begun to have a bit of intimidation.

Lu Jiujiu: *stares*... (You're dead if you dare say a word!)

There are no such things as naive and innocent little cuties in this world. If there are, it's because they haven't experienced the harsh realities and betrayals of society.

Upon seeing this, the veteran game company president Wang's expression changed. He immediately understood what Miss Lu was thinking, and abruptly stopped the sycophantic words that were about to spill out. Instead, he maintained his original authoritative president demeanor and addressed the person in charge beside him:

"Don't move around here, I'm going to wander around."

"Yes, Mr. Wang." The female manager bowed respectfully, her face showing a hint of trepidation. To be honest, she didn't know why a game produced by such a small department of Tide Interactive Entertainment would win the favor of President Wang, and even trouble him to come and inspect it personally!

He should be focusing his attention on investing in bigger game projects within the company!

Is this what is meant by the persistence and passion of veteran game developers—not judging games by their market value, but only by the intrinsic brilliance they contain?

The female manager felt she was being moved by President Wang, and unconsciously worked even harder. Ning Yuan and his group of three brushed past President Wang, which calmed Lu Jiujiu's tense expression slightly.