Hearing Huo Kai’s annoying tone, Tang Xiaoman immediately knew he had recently been doing very well in the business world.
Not only had her key commercial intelligence helped the Huo Group, but Gu Heng had also been detained twice, which directly disrupted internal decision-making within the Gu Group.
Now, the Huo Group was already showing signs of completely overwhelming the Gu Group.
Tang Xiaoman didn’t waste words and threw out her bait directly.
“I’ve got the property certificate. I’m your neighbor now. How about I treat Young Master Huo to a meal?”
“Sure. You decide the time and place.” After his last big win, Huo Kai had no reason to refuse.
When they met again, Huo Kai looked at Tang Xiaoman with more appreciation and even praised her a bit.
“I heard you fought three thugs on your own and became a widely praised heroine in Tianlai Castle! I didn’t expect that—when did you learn such skills?”
Tang Xiaoman replied modestly, “Oh, it was just a coincidence.”
Huo Kai didn’t take it too seriously. He assumed the rumors were exaggerated or had hidden details.
What he truly cared about was one thing.
“So, what good news are you bringing this time?”
Tang Xiaoman gave a mysterious smile. “I’ve got a guaranteed profitable investment. Interested, Young Master Huo?”
Huo Kai’s eyes lit up. “I’m all ears.”
“For now, it’s confidential,” she said, blinking.
Huo Kai: “……”
After dangling his curiosity enough, Tang Xiaoman finally revealed her purpose.
“As long as Young Master Huo invests 100 million with me, I’ll return double the principal in three months. How about it?”
Huo Kai’s eyelid twitched. His instincts as a businessman told him something was off.
There was no such thing as a guaranteed profit, and doubling money in three months sounded like a Ponzi scheme.
“May I ask, Young Master Huo, the last 100 million you spent—was it worth it?” Tang Xiaoman asked at just the right moment.
At this, Huo Kai’s expression immediately brightened.
Worth it. Extremely worth it.
Tang Xiaoman pressed again. “So, are you willing to invest again?”
“I am!”
After dinner, Huo Kai left the restaurant. Sitting in his car, he suddenly felt something was wrong.
Last time, his 100 million investment brought him massive profits thanks to Tang Xiaoman’s intelligence. But this time, he had handed over another 100 million without even seeing anything.
Wasn’t that a bit foolish?
He rubbed his nose, feeling slightly tricked.
But since he had already made so much last time, even losing another 100 million didn’t matter much.
So he generously decided not to dwell on it.
“Drive.”
Tang Xiaoman’s account was once again credited with 100 million. Her impression of Huo Kai improved significantly.
He was a smart businessman. He definitely saw the risk in the deal, yet still paid without hesitation.
That meant he wasn’t petty.
Since she had helped him earn so much last time, this 100 million could just be considered a bonus—even if it was lost.
Since he was generous, she wouldn’t treat him unfairly either.
When the disaster arrived, this money would rapidly lose value anyway. She would later exchange it for triple the value in supplies—far more useful than holding a pile of worthless paper.
Now she had another 100 million, over 100 more cubic meters of space, and nearly 20 additional square meters of living space in her storage world.
She was ready to continue stockpiling in high spirits.
But just as she was about to get started, she discovered—yet again—that she was being followed.
It didn’t take much thinking to know who it was. Either the Gu family or the Su family.
Tang Xiaoman grew annoyed and decided to show some force.
She called Zhou Yichen. “Send me five of your strongest bodyguards!”
Fifteen minutes later, a seven-seat business vehicle arrived.
Zhou Yichen personally led five male bodyguards over.
Tang Xiaoman glanced at their badges—01 to 05. Their strength seemed to match their size.
Zhou Yichen approached quickly. “Miss Tang, are you alright?”
Tang Xiaoman looked in the rearview mirror. The “tails” were gone.
Or perhaps they were hiding, waiting for her to be alone again.
She didn’t care to waste time on them anymore.
“I’m fine,” she said, putting on sunglasses and smiling. “01 stays. The rest of you go back with Captain Zhou.”
Zhou Yichen: “……”
His expression became complicated.
Tang Xiaoman told No. 01, “You drive.”
Under the envious and jealous gazes of the other bodyguards, No. 01 walked over stiffly.
“I’ll drive, Miss Tang.”
She didn’t refuse and moved to the passenger seat.
She glanced around—no sign of the followers.
They were probably intimidated and retreating to report back.
Heh. Want to play tough? They’d better have the skills.
No. 01 drove seriously, eyes fixed forward. But his face was flushed and his heart kept racing.
He was now certain the boss had taken a liking to him.
Being chosen personally—even Captain Zhou had been sidelined.
A little pride rose in him, mixed with unease.
Was he attracting too much attention? Would others resent him?
More importantly—if the boss made a request, should he agree?
He struggled with this all the way until they reached a food street.
“Stop the car,” Tang Xiaoman suddenly said.
No. 01 braked quickly.
“You can get out now,” she said.
“Huh?” He didn’t understand.
Tang Xiaoman smiled lightly. “I suddenly want to drive around myself. Take a taxi back.”
She transferred a generous amount of fare to his salary account.
No. 01 stiffened. What exactly did the boss mean?
Only after getting into a taxi did he finally understand—
She had just used an excuse to transfer money to him.
Faced with this “olive branch,” should he respond?
In the end, he decided to hold his principles.
He was strong enough to pass selection on his own—he didn’t need to rely on anything else.
He would show her he wasn’t a casual man.
Tang Xiaoman personally drove into the food street and began an aggressive food stockpiling spree.
Fresh fried skewers, baked pastries, freshly cooked dishes—all packed into containers and stored into her space.
Steamed sea bass, fish soup, chicken soup with herbs, pork rice bowls, seafood boil, grilled steak, shrimp snacks, sea cucumber with scallion sauce…
Duck in rice wine, braised softshell turtle, fried whitefish, sweet soy duck cubes, braised pork knuckles, yellow-braised fish…
Beef tail soup, roasted pigeon, sweet-and-sour pork, garlic ribs, stir-fried mixed vegetables, oyster sauce tofu, honey-glazed wings, braised pork belly, mushroom beef stew, curry beef and potatoes, smoked fish, soy-braised beef…
And more: meat pies, dumplings, pancakes, fried rice, lamb soup, fish stewed in milk broth, herbal chicken, ginkgo pork knuckle, ginseng chicken stew…
She ordered five servings of each dish, packing them into the car and storing them into the space while still hot.
She spent the entire afternoon on the food street, as if she wanted to empty the whole place into her storage.
Money flowed out, food flowed in—an impressive haul.
By the time night fell, she was too full and too tired to continue, reluctantly ending her “battle.”
She called Zhou Yichen and asked him to send bodyguards to pick her up.
“Hm? Should we still send No. 01?” Zhou Yichen asked politely.
Tang Xiaoman replied, “This time, you come personally. I need to talk to you alone.”