CHAPTER 252: CHAPTER 150: THE TRUTH

After discussing, everyone chose a small hotel under the Liangyou Chain, a well-known dining enterprise in Island City that is close to Qing University. Though not large, the hotel’s cleanliness ensured confidence in dining.

After entering the private room, Tang Luo handed the menu to Dongdong: "Today, we’ll order whatever you like, can you recognize the characters?" Then she patted her head: "My bad, Dongdong is already in fourth grade. If you couldn’t read, that would be troublesome. Don’t be mad at me, okay?"

Dongdong, playing the Little Adults, waved his hand: "No worries, I won’t hold it against you." He pushed the menu towards Luo Ye: "Sister Ye’er, you order. I love whatever you pick."

"Little guy, always acting grown up..." Tang Luo chuckled, pinching Dongdong’s cheeks: "Being young is blissful. Even if malnourished, your skin is still so tender."

Xing Nong rolled her eyes in exasperation, stretching her words: "May I ask, how old are you, elder?"

"As high as a ten-story building..."

Seeing that the two of them had bantered to the point where even the waiter nearly got hurt internally, Luo Ye pulled the closer Xing Nong: "Stop messing around. Everyone orders something they like. Don’t make me do all the work..."

After the waiter left, Tang Luo pursed her lips discontentedly: "Luoluo, I like that you care for your dad’s subordinate, but I don’t like that you prepaid for it."

"Tangtang, I adhere to principles in what I do. It’s okay to let you treat if Uncle Xiao Huang came along, but since he didn’t, there’s no reason for you to treat. He is my dad’s subordinate, and as his daughter, it’s right for me to care about his subordinates. Aren’t you worried Brother Fu Mo will get jealous?" Xiao Huang didn’t want to interfere with everyone’s chat and couldn’t be dragged in no matter how Luo Ye tried.

Tang Luo covered her head: "The leader of faulty logic is here. I used to say Xing Nong was the preacher of flawed reasoning, but you are even worse."

Fu Mo cleared his throat and glanced around for opinions: "Today, we celebrate Dongdong’s outstanding performance and later... well, everyone will understand. Shall we get a few beers, okay?"

"Sure!" Luo Ye, Xing Nong, Ying Nuo almost replied simultaneously. Though Tang Luo was joking and making a fuss, a trace of melancholy persisted in her eyes. Given her personality, the matter must not be insignificant. Everyone knew her well, so they refrained from asking, trusting Fu Mo’s sense of propriety and naturally cooperating.

The dishes were served, and the beer was placed on the table. After the waiter filled everyone’s glasses, Fu Mo motioned: "You may leave; we’ll call you when needed."

"Yes!" The waiter bowed slightly and left`.

Tang Luo took a deep breath, stood up with her glass: "Today, I’m leading the toast, and no one is to compete with me. The first toast, to our everlasting friendship!"

"Tangtang, we don’t need to chug, do we? It’s just a gesture..." Before Ying Nuo could finish, Tang Luo had already emptied her glass, forcing everyone else to drink up in cooperation.

"The second toast, congratulations to Dongdong for shedding his ’black household’ status!" Tang Luo took a deep breath and looked at Dongdong: "Remember the kindness Sister Ye’er, Sister Xing Nong, Sister Ying Nuo, and Brother Fu Mo have shown towards you. Dongdong is a fortunate child!"

Dongdong stood up and firmly nodded his little head: "I remember everyone who’s good to me, and will always remember. But Sister Tangtang, aren’t you planning to treat me well?"

"I will, I will!" Tang Luo once again drained her glass and promptly filled the third one. Fu Mo frowned: "Tangtang, eat some dishes first."

"The third toast, don’t forget about me!" Ignoring Fu Mo’s advice, Tang Luo downed it again, and the others had no choice but to follow suit. Of course, although Dongdong’s glass also contained an amber liquid, it was in fact tea.

Even if the beer was low in alcohol, for those who don’t normally drink, guzzling it down quickly was still a shock. After three glasses, both Tang Luo and Ying Nuo’s little faces turned feverishly red. Luo Ye and Xing Nong were slightly stronger, and Fu Mo hurriedly urged everyone to eat. Dongdong also considerately helped serve dishes to the sisters.

"Dongdong, stop fussing over us, focus on eating. You need to nourish yourself properly. When girls wear perfectly fitting dresses on an empty body, it’s okay, but if your pants could fall off, that would be too embarrassing..."

Luo Ye interrupted Tang Luo trying to maintain a forced smile: "Tangtang, spit it out. We’ve been together this long, you should know, if you don’t speak up, no one’s in the mood to eat."

Tang Luo was silent momentarily, earnestly scanning everyone, "Precisely because I understand, I opened with these three drinks. If I don’t tell, you won’t forcefully ask, yet it weighs on your minds, naturally making this meal tasteless. If anyone is to blame, blame me for not knowing how to disguise my feelings from the start."