Chapter 125: Life’s Rare Indulgence

I first stopped by the bank next door to withdraw one hundred thousand in cash, fearing that we might not have enough to cover the bill after our meal.

Lu Xuehan carried a small white handbag, just the right size for the cash. She said with a smile, "I've never held this much money before."

I immediately replied, "I've never withdrawn this much at once, either..."

Xu Lin laughed at our lack of experience. Later, when I announced that everyone would receive a bonus of five million RMB, it caused quite a stir. Guozi excitedly told Joly, "Big sister, we can buy a house and keep a boy toy! We won't have to sell ourselves anymore!"

Xinyu patted Guozi on the shoulder and said, "Don't get too excited. Why not just let Lin Fan keep you? This guy is worth hundreds of millions now; following him, you'll be living the high life for the rest of your life!"

Guozi gave me a suggestive look and asked, "How about it, handsome? What do you think of me?"

"You little hussy!" I teased, then stared at her chest. "You're still too young; you don't pique my interest yet. Wait until you've grown up a bit. For now, even if I were to keep anyone, it would be Xinyu and Xuehan!"

Lu Xuehan playfully punched me, while Xinyu gave me a charming, sidelong glance and said in a sweet voice, "Everyone heard that! Don't you dare go back on your word!"

I paused for a moment and quickly said, "Let's go, let's go! It was just a joke. Murong Shanshan is still waiting for us at the school gate!"

We set off. Xu Lin deliberately maneuvered Xinyu and Lu Xuehan away from my side and then whispered to me, "Tell me the truth, Lin Fan, do you actually like Xinyu and Xuehan?"

I was slightly taken aback. I looked into Xu Lin's beautiful eyes, and after a long silence, I replied woodenly, "I'm not sure myself. I don't dislike them, at any rate... and I feel pretty good when I'm with them."

Xu Lin smiled, her gaze lingering on a pair of student lovers embracing at a distant bus stop. She said thoughtfully, "Sometimes I really envy them. So carefree..."

"Carefree, my foot!" I blurted out a profanity, then glanced at the couple. "What's so great about being a student? They can't even afford a hotel room, which is why they're making out on the street, corrupting the youth of the nation."

Xinyu, who had caught up to us, chimed in with complete agreement, calling them a "pair of lovebirds."

Xu Lin was speechless and sighed, "I really give up on you two..."

***

A group of eight of us walked up to the main gate of X University. Apart from me, the other seven were stunning young women. In particular, Xinyu, Lu Xuehan, and Xu Lin were beautiful enough to stun any student. Most of the male students walking out of the university gates stopped dead in their tracks the moment they saw us.

Murong Shanshan walked out of the campus, radiant as ever. Beside her was Keke, who was chattering away. To my surprise, a bespectacled boy was also following them. Taking a closer look, I realized it was that thief called "Stealer," whose real name was apparently Xu Xing.

"Shanshan, are you really busy tonight? Tomorrow is the start of the break, and we'll be apart for a whole month..." I could hear Xu Xing's voice from afar.

"Yes, that's right. It's the break tomorrow. What of it?" Murong Shanshan replied indifferently, then added firmly, "I have plans tonight. I'm busy!"

Keke asked with a smile, "What plans do you have tonight? How come I don't know about them?"

Murong Shanshan was speechless, silently complaining that Keke didn't know how to read the room. She shot her a look and said, "I'm taking people to get a Guild Creation Token tonight!"

As Murong Shanshan approached, I asked in surprise, "Getting a Guild Creation Token? Haven't all the big bosses nearby already been killed?"

"Most have, yes. But recently, a friend of mine discovered a boss with no visible level in the Shadowmoon Valley, south of Silvermoon City. A full-health, 37-level tank knight was killed in mere seconds!" Murong Shanshan pouted and continued, "Based on my deduction, that boss is at least level 50 and uses area-of-effect magic. My friend was one-shotted before he even saw the boss's face!"

I nodded. "Let's talk about that later. Everyone must be hungry; let's head to the restaurant first."

Murong Shanshan smiled at me, then turned to Xu Xing. "Aren't you supposed to go home and have dinner with your dad? Why are you still following me?"

Xu Xing looked at us awkwardly, but no one offered him any sympathy. Murong Shanshan pointed the other way and said, "The bus is over there. Go on."

With no other choice, Xu Xing had to take the bus home.

***

XX Hotel was the highest-end establishment in the area. When our group entered, chatting and laughing, the waiters were somewhat surprised. People who could afford to eat here were usually pot-bellied bosses or beautiful women kept by wealthy men; a group of pure youths like us was a rare sight.

We booked a private room. A waiter in a formal uniform brought us the menu. Xu Lin, who was the most worldly among us, took charge of ordering. Xinyu kept sighing in disbelief, "Wow, why are the names of these dishes so poetic? Oh, I know this one—braised shrimp—450 a plate?!"

Xu Lin whispered, "Duh. Why else would you say this place is high-end?"

Murong Shanshan, who was standing nearby, seemed to hear their conversation and was holding back laughter so hard her fair face turned red. The waiter was also covering her mouth to hide a smile.

Xu Lin ordered a few cheaper dishes and passed the menu around.

Lu Xuehan took it and read the prices aloud: "Hibiscus chicken slices, 200; tofu with fish, 250..."

Murong Shanshan couldn't take it anymore and said with a smile, "Let me order!"

I immediately sensed trouble. As expected, Murong Shanshan didn't hold back: "Braised monkey head mushroom, 800; shark fin with three ingredients, 1,400!"

Even though I didn't need to worry about money, I was still stunned by dishes costing over a thousand apiece.

After we finished ordering, there were 16 dishes in total, costing less than twenty thousand—quite manageable.

Xu Lin checked the list and ordered two bottles of liquor at 1,000 each. Since we were already splurging, we didn't care about the extra cost.

Seeing that everything was settled, Murong Shanshan smiled and said, "After we finish eating, there's something I need your help with this afternoon!"

"What is it?" Xu Lin asked in surprise.