“Choose one of the two.”
The conniving Jiang Suan was setting another trap.
Fortunately, Hong Dou, the boss lady, saw through it instantly.
She lightly tapped the man’s head with her painted fan and rolled her eyes.
“What are you trying to do?”
“Uh… I wouldn’t dare.”
Jiang Suan had played a bit too cheeky.
Hong Dou’s face flushed red in an instant.
She really didn’t want to understand his meaning so quickly.
She gave him a light kick on the leg; anyone else would have been kicked out of the shop long ago.
However, the most embarrassing sounds had already been heard by him.
At this point, a little more teasing was harmless.
Ever since Jiang Suan appeared before her, he hadn’t been serious for a second.
If he didn’t act a little lewd on purpose, she would actually worry that he had been replaced by a body double.
“Haha… I’ll stop messing around.
You’ve worked hard, Miss Hong Dou.”
“In that case, let me serve you next.
My place, or right here?”
“That’s more like it.
Let’s go, to your place.”
Accumulated fatigue weighed on Hong Dou, and she was already impatient.
She truly loved the man’s hands; his massages were addictive.
What else could she do?
“Hurry, hurry, hurry…”
“Jiang Suan, double-time it!”
The woman in the qipao pulled Jiang Suan along, grinning as they walked out of The Tea Immortal and ran toward the Shi-Gui Pavilion.
Li An, Li Bao, and Li Ning were looking after the shop.
Seeing their big brother return, they excitedly crowded around, neglecting the storefront.
It was then that Hong Dou realized she’d made a mistake—she shouldn’t have come to Jiang Suan’s place just because it was close.
Fortunately, Jiang Suan was considerate.
“Ahem… I have some business with your Sister Hong Dou tonight.
Be good, and I’ll treat you to something delicious tomorrow, okay?”
“Yay!”
“But you two should mind your volume.
We’re just kids; we shouldn’t be hearing things we aren’t supposed to.”
“Cough, cough, cough!”
Hong Dou leaned against the wall, her face so red she wished she could find a crack in the floor to crawl into.
These little rascals—did they really just dare to tease her?
“Believe it or not, I won’t make any more pastries for you!”
“Waaa, Sister Hong Dou, we were wrong!”
“But… Brother Jiang Suan, we really did hear strange noises from inside the house all afternoon.
Is there a ghost?”
Li An made a spooky face, telling the story as if it were true.
However, she didn’t manage to scare the two adults.
It seemed that compared to Sister Youye, she was still far behind.
The little girls made a disappointed exit.
Hong Dou leaned quietly against Jiang Suan’s back, so lazy she wanted to just drape herself over him.
She urged him to open the door quickly.
Then, she teased him under her breath.
“How could there be a ghost?
Right?
Unless you’ve got a hidden mistress in there.
Jiang Suan, what exactly is in the house?”
“Miss Hong Dou, you’re overthinking it.
How could I have a hidden mis—”
“Hidden…”
Mistress??
His hand on the lock froze.
Speaking of which, what did that humanoid Divination Bangboo actually look like?
He was starting to panic a little.
The thing was built to his preferences, and he was quite confident in his own aesthetic.
Wait, it wouldn’t be…
naked, would it?
Even if they were just normal friends, he had promised it would just be the two of them.
If he brought one woman home only to encounter another stunningly beautiful stranger, what would the consequences be?
It didn’t need to be said, right?
“Hey, hey, why aren’t you opening the door?”
“I’m saying, you didn’t actually hide a woman in here, did you?”
“Miss Hong Dou, you know I’ve been out all day.
I’m not entirely sure who’s in the house myself.”
“Open it!”
Hong Dou smiled mischievously, looking like she was about to catch him in the act.
This was a great opportunity to get to know Jiang Suan better.
All this mystery and ghost talk…
She was going to unmask him!
“Evidence, come forth—”
The woman impatiently snatched the key and pushed the door open, only to lock eyes with a pink-haired girl.
A pink gemstone was embedded in the girl’s forehead, looking like a third eye.
Her long hair was braided like fluttering butterflies.
She was leisurely brewing tea, kneeling by the table.
She wore no shoes; white stockings tightly hugged her legs and delicate feet, creating an alluring curve.
Every pour, every movement.
She displayed the poise of a high-born lady.
Even seeing the intruders, she didn’t panic at all.
“Master, Mistress, welcome home.”
“…”
The doorway fell silent.
Jiang Suan covered his face.
Hong Dou stood stunned for a long time before shooting a hollow look at the man.
There were so many things to criticize that she didn’t know where to start.
Was this guy’s preference actually petite girls?
And this kind of elegant, refined lady type at that.
And what the hell was “Mistress”?
Was it on purpose?
No, wait, what era still used master-servant terminology?
“Jiang Suan…”
“Ahem… if I said this is the first time I’ve seen her, would you believe me?
First of all, I’m not a lolicon.
Second, I’m not a pervert.
Finally, she’s a Bangboo.
Really, believe me.”
Jiang Suan massaged his temples, feeling a headache coming on.
The Master Diviner Fu had descended from the heavens.
Was he really a lolicon?
[Divination, beauty—doesn’t Fu Xuan fit the bill perfectly?
Is it that white stockings and thick thighs aren’t good enough, or are jade-like feet not appealing?
Don’t worry, she’s just a Bangboo!]
[Host, please use her as you wish.]
“Use,” huh…
Jiang Suan let his imagination wander for a second, and his face couldn’t help but redden further.
This was a temptation even a seasoned master couldn’t resist, but…
Bangboos have human rights too!
It was a direct test of human nature.
But that wasn’t the point right now.
Jiang Suan discreetly observed Hong Dou’s expression.
He could feel Hong Dou’s suspicion rising.
The only reason she remained rational was based on her previous judgment and her trust in his character.
This was an image management crisis…
Just as he thought that.
Hong Dou’s gaze turned sharp, piercing through him.
“Abducting a young girl and having her call you ‘Master.’ Very good, Jiang Suan.
Stand right there and don’t move.
You have the right to remain silent, but anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law!”
“…”
Jiang Suan wanted to defend himself, but she pinched his mouth shut.
She rolled her eyes at him—little mouth, stay closed.
However, looking at her, she probably didn’t actually think he was a criminal.
He raised his hands to show his innocence.
Only then was Hong Dou satisfied.
She walked over to the girl’s side, her heart aching for her.
“Young lady, tell big sister, are you a Bangboo?
Is he holding some kind of leverage over you?
I’ll back you up.”
“Bangboo” Fu Xuan chuckled softly.
“If the Mistress doesn’t believe it, she can test it for herself.”
“I’m not the Mistress… fine, excuse me!”
To verify, Hong Dou simply went ahead and checked.
Her face was soft, her chest was soft, everything had warmth.
When she opened her mouth, there was warm breath.
No mechanical ports could be found, and her hair felt real.
Without a word, she pulled Fu Xuan into the inner room for a more thorough inspection.
She was so realistic she was exactly like a human…
You call this a Bangboo?!
“Hey, Jiang Suan, I think we need to talk.”
She poked her head out from the room, her face completely flushed.
Clearly, the “exploration” she had just conducted made her certain that New Eridu didn’t possess the technology to create such a realistic Bangboo.
However, Fu Xuan had demonstrated her hands, used her third eye as a Type-C port to discharge electricity and charge a phone, and performed ultra-high-intensity calculations and information retrieval.
A mortal could never do those things.
Thus, the three sat in a circle in the bedroom, beginning their first family meeting.
Hong Dou spoke first, laying down the law.
“You must respect her human rights.
No messing around.”
“Fine.”
“No lewd stuff.”
“I…”
“Don’t ‘I’ me.
Do you want me to call the police?”
“I was going to say, what kind of person do you take me for!
That’s a slanderous attack on my character.”
Jiang Suan protested, but his protest was overruled.
“You’d better be…”
“Also, even though she’s a Bangboo, she’s no different from a human.
From now on, I’m her guardian.
You’d better watch yourself.”
“…”
Miss Hong Dou was being overly bossy tonight.
It was only because Jiang Suan had a good temper that he went along with her; after all, the flustered boss lady was quite cute.
But he still couldn’t resist teasing her.
“Hey, I say, Hong Dou.
She’s clearly my Bangboo, why are you interfering so much?”