Xie Changyu looked at Wu Dacheng in surprise, then shook his own hand. “Oho~ Pretty tough, huh?”
“Now then, mighty warrior, don’t you think you should let go of my hand first? Otherwise, you’re going to look pretty silly.”
Ever since Wu Dacheng started following his Boss, he had completely abandoned the burdensome concept of shame. Thus, the moment he opened his mouth, sheer nonsense came spilling out.
“The world of heroes is a lonely one. But I’m an innovative Kid who received a modern education, so I’m a hero who refuses to be lonely!”
The Kid argued with Xie Changyu in a low voice while continuing to cling tightly to his hand without the slightest intention of letting go.
He looked exactly like someone who believed that the moment he released that hand, a corpse from a horror movie would come lunging around the corner!
Holding on to someone made him feel much safer. After all, this was a ruthless man with built-in venom. If they ran into anything nasty, he could just send Xie Changyu out to spray it with poison!
Quick, convenient, and easy—practically a must-have travel accessory!
The more Wu Dacheng thought about it, the more convinced he became that his decision had been absolutely correct. He even began secretly praising himself for being so clever!
Watching the Kid’s eyes dart around, Xie Changyu could tell at a glance that he had inherited at least eighty percent of his sister’s skills. He was definitely plotting something bad!
For all he knew, the Kid was secretly cursing him in his head, just like his sister did!
Still, Xie Changyu did not pull his hand away. He merely gave a couple of amused snorts. “Then why don’t you hold my big brother’s hand?”
“My big brother is the truly reliable one, okay? His aura is so powerful that nothing can even get close to him. With him around, everything is worry-free!”
Wu Dacheng sneaked a glance at Lu Huaiyu, then pursed his lips and said nothing.
Instead, he began cursing furiously to himself.
Reliable my ass!
He was the first person I grabbed, and that bastard deliberately blew air against the back of my neck and scared me half to death!
He’s just as bad as my Boss!
Of course, his Boss was bad in an incredibly charming way!
The Kid immediately set his sights on Xie Changyu. And don’t ask why he didn’t choose Liang Zhou or Shen Yunqiong.
The answer was simple: the two of them were still growing and didn’t look as tall as Xie Changyu. A guy over six feet tall naturally looked a lot more reassuring!
At least in a purely physical sense, he really did look safer.
Faced with the Little Fatty’s resentful stare, Lu Huaiyu felt not the slightest bit guilty about teasing him. Instead, he was basking in the satisfaction of a successful prank.
Xie Tangning was enjoying the show just as much. She had witnessed her big brother’s childish little scare tactic from the beginning.
And while she was a reliable Boss, she was also a shamelessly wicked one. She had not offered even the slightest warning, merely stood by and watched the Kid get startled again and again.
She had even recorded this precious footage on her phone: an early human visiting an ancient tomb and training himself to overcome his fear.
Looking at the Little Fatty’s deeply aggrieved expression, Xie Changyu suddenly put two and two together. He turned and shot his brother an accusing look.
“Big brother~ You’re so mean~”
“So mean it’s actually kind of attractive~ You little devil~”
The smug look on Lu Huaiyu’s face, which had appeared after his successful prank, instantly froze. His entire face filled with disgust.
“Ugh~ Tsk~ Eww~”
Three exclamations in a row were enough to show just how badly Chairman Lu had been traumatized!
“Disgusting. Stay away from me. I really don’t know what your fans see in you.”
“If you dare use that tone with me again…”
Before he could finish his threat, Xie Tangning’s syrupy voice joined the attack from beside him.
“Exactly~ Big brother is so mean~ Scaring a Kid even though you’re already so old~”
“But what are you going to do? I recorded that childish little performance of yours just now~ You’re not planning to let the company find out that its dignified chairman is actually this childish, are you?”
Hearing the Kid’s blatant threat, Lu Huaiyu pinched the bridge of his nose, exhausted.
What was he supposed to do when his own younger siblings devoted themselves every day to humiliating him?
Asking for urgent advice online!
When Xie Tangning saw that he wasn’t responding, she immediately grew anxious.
“Big brother, say something~ If you don’t answer soon, I’m going to execute the hostage!”
“By ‘execute the hostage,’ I mean that once we finish filming, everyone in the company will know that their decisive, take-no-prisoners chairman is actually an immature man who scares Kids for fun!”
Seeing the Kid’s borrowed-authority act, Lu Huaiyu said he could tell exactly what kind of mischief she was up to without even needing to think.
He glared at her irritably and gave her an answer she should have expected.
“Then execute the hostage! There’s no chance of a bigger allowance!”
He had only increased her allowance the night before after she had sweet-talked him into a good mood, so he had no intention of giving in so easily this time.
At the very least, until Xie Tangning fired enough sugary ammunition at him, he was not going to increase her allowance again!
“And don’t copy Er Yu’s ‘brain has left the building’ routine, all right? There are cameras and an audience everywhere. Whether you execute the hostage or not makes no difference.”
Having failed to get the answer she wanted, Xie Tangning furrowed her brows and puffed out her cheeks. She looked ready to start throwing a tantrum.
“Big brother~ Can’t you play along with me for once?”
“Do you have any idea how difficult you’re making things for me by rejecting me in front of the cameras?”
Her attempt at looking fierce made her resemble a tiny, ferocious kitten. Lu Huaiyu laughed, tapped her on the head, and gently pinched one of her puffed-up cheeks.
“You change moods every other second. Just where does that little head of yours get all these strange ideas?”
“Even the way you get angry is adorable~ No wonder you’re the kitten I raised~”
Though she had failed to secure a larger allowance, Xie Tangning wasn’t disappointed in the slightest. Instead, she casually linked her arm through her brother’s and pestered him to explain the origins of the ancient tomb in front of them, along with all kinds of historical stories.
She had never actually been trying to get more pocket money. She simply enjoyed the process of using her wits to trick her big brother, Mom, and Dad into giving her more.
It was a special little hobby of hers, and Lu Huaiyu and the others were more than happy to play along.
After all, Chairman Lu worked so hard to earn money and support the family. How could he really let his own sister go without?
The only person who genuinely had his allowance restricted and was short on cash was Monkey Bro.
A few steps behind Xie Tangning, Qin Shuchun watched her own Top Bestie cling to her big brother without a care in the world. She let out an exaggeratedly disgusted sound.
“She’s so clingy~ She’s already this old and still hangs all over her big brother~”
“Unlike me. I’ve been independent since I was little. Good job, me!”
Xie Wanwan and Su Xiaoye, whose arms Qin Shuchun was holding, both twitched at the corners of their mouths.
There was a reason Qin Shuchun had become Xie Tangning’s Top Bestie!
They had the same narcissistic, smug, sharp-tongued personality. Qin Shuchun was practically a copy of Xie Tangning!
Xie Wanwan tugged at her arm. “Qin, before you call someone else clingy, shouldn’t you let go of my arm first?”
Su Xiaoye nodded along. “What you said is completely true, without even a drop of exaggeration, but why does it sound so strange coming from you?”
Qin Shuchun didn’t feel embarrassed in the slightest. Instead, she hugged both their arms even more tightly.
She had decided that today, she was going to enjoy being held on both sides!
"I'm not being clingy. It's just that I saw you two, one being a little tsundere and the other being a little quiet one, not knowing how to create show effects, so I accompanied you two!"
"Hey~ It's another day being touched by my own kind - heartedness. You two don't need to thank me, okay~"
Su Xiaoye lowered her head and snickered. Qin Shuchun was really so confident!
Xie Wanwan clicked her tongue in disdain: "Shameless~ I think it's clearly that Xie Tangning left you behind because she values her brother more than her friends!"
"You just remembered us two. Humph~ You're really good at lying with that mouth of yours!"
On the surface, the little girl seemed to be disgusted, but inside, she was as excited as if there was a little kitten doing backflips non - stop.
She loved this kind of relaxed feeling of hanging out with friends!
There was no comparison, no showing off, and no hierarchy.
Just pure sincerity.
They were just her friends.
