Pretending To Be A Boss

Chapter 27: Chapter 20: Yuan Longping's Pot

Tang Xian, though intelligent, was not omniscient and omnipotent.

Dong Ran was also unable to explain the Second Miss's thoughts clearly.

Seeing Dong Ran's expression, Tang Xian knew in his heart that Dong Ran was just a pawn and was not privy to Li Xiaoyu's plans.

He shook his head and said, "It seems that even after all these years, her brain still has issues. Your mistress, the least likely thing she would do, is to send a woman to serve me."

Of course, Tang Xian did not think that Dong Ran was serving him; on the contrary, Tang Xian had always been the one in charge of resolving the food issue.

He liked girls who could cook.

Tang Xian's favorite era was the ancient times of the twenty-first century.

Science had not reached the quantum realm at the time, but for this reason, many traditions were preserved.

Such as cooking.

However, that era was not perfect.

Tang Xian couldn't understand how, subsisting at the bottom of society, without any survival skills, one couldn't live past a week.

The rules of the lower echelons were archaic yet fair: survival of the fittest, those who worked more, gained more.

But in this book, Mister Zhuang Gengzhi gave an elegant explanation.

It all stemmed from—great scientific researchers like Yuan Longping and Xie Hua'an solving the greatest challenge of biological survival—food, resulting in too many people having nothing to do after filling their bellies.

So it's safe to say that rice is very important and worthy of research.

"Tang, what happened afterward? How did the Second Miss treat you then?"

"Later, she confessed to me," Tang Xian said calmly.

Dong Ran was as if struck by a bolt of lightning out of the blue.

"Confessed? The Second Miss... actually confessed her feelings?"

"It was then that I found out, she has a special sense of possessiveness towards me. She would only allow people close to me who had no chance of becoming rivals in love."

"And you?"

"I'm not a pedophile, and I wouldn't fancy a twelve-year-old girl. She may be pretty, but she lacks the aura of Natalie Portman."

Dong Ran's eyes widened, and her mouth hung open; she had guessed it, but she hadn't thought that Tang would actually dare to reject the Second Miss.

The Second Miss was now eighteen, and although Dong Ran didn't know Natalie Portman, the Second Miss was the most beautiful woman she had ever seen.

"Moreover, a woman who can't cook, who doesn't even have the basic means of survival—how can you talk about love? In the end, it all comes down to being too well-fed."

Tang Xian's criteria for choosing a spouse included one ironclad rule: knowing how to cook.

He himself could cook, and even had some skills in the art, that was one thing; whether the woman could cook was a completely different matter.

Dong Ran was at a loss for words.

"Tang, I remember you saying that you have someone you like... wouldn't that mean the Second Miss..."

"They've never met, during our third academic year she transferred to another stronghold. This topic is not worth continuing. You're oblivious to Li Xiaoyu's intentions, and I can't comprehend the thoughts of a high IQ imbecile."

Regarding topics that wouldn't yield results, Tang Xian would quickly conclude the conversation.

"So, what are we going to do next…? What exactly am I supposed to do, and when the time comes... how should I report to the Second Miss?"

"Did she explicitly say that you must lose your virtue to me?"

Dong Ran's face flushed red in an instant, a hint of shyness as she shook her head.

"Then that's settled, a virgin with four innate gifts, no one on the lower levels can afford that price. Since she has no hard requirements of you, you can report to her truthfully about what you've seen in the mining area."

"Ah... you don't mind?"

"I don't mind, but about the encounter with the nine-tailed fox, you'll have to change your story. Say you met it alone, and the nine-tailed fox wasn't interested in you, so it let you go. You can't say that I saved you."

Dong Ran nodded her head, understanding the importance and urgency of the matter.

"In any case, you need to go back tonight. Have your second miss pull some strings to update the map urgently, the forest is now a red zone, and dissuade anyone looking to take on missions there. At the same time, think of a reason to keep meeting up with me, just to be safe."

"I have to leave tonight..."

"Mm."

"What about you?"

Her task was to supervise Tang Xian, but although Dong Ran had only spent a short time with Tang Xian, and despite his toxic tongue, she had grown appreciative of him.

Appreciative of his indifference to feminine charms. Of the delicious food he brought. And for saving her from a calamity-level creature.

She didn't want to leave Tang.

As Dong Ran thought this, she hoped Tang Xian would go back with her.

"I still have things to do. The Jiuye Biphasic Orchid, it should only exist solitarily within the forest range, and is very rare. I have to find three of them."

"So you have to go other places?"

Dong Ran was actually quite curious about what creature Tang Xian would hunt next.

Foxes are so cute, how could anyone eat a fox, this was something Dong Ran remembered well.

"No need, I'll return to the mining area tomorrow, then tomorrow night, if your master still assigns you to watch over me after your report, you can come to my place."

During the time Dong Ran was unconscious, Tang Xian had already strategized his next moves.

Initially, he had intended to stay in the mining area for seven days, but now that was no longer possible.

The Jiuye Biphasic Orchid was too rare; to find three of them required covering too vast an area. Fortunately, he had cheat-like options.

Eating was Tang Xian's eternal pleasure, and for his next hunt, he needed Dong Ran's help as well.

If Dong Ran was unable to come back, he would have to hire someone at a high price from among the hunters.

He had only one week, and after that, Tang Xian would fulfill his promise to Qing JiuYu as scheduled.

Thinking this over, Tang Xian realized his schedule was rather full, and he was quite busy.

"Okay... I'll figure out a way. If worse comes to worst... I won't tell the second miss anything." Dong Ran was now a little uncomfortable and somewhat afraid knowing the second miss liked Tang Xian.

Having received Tang Xian's invitation, she felt a mix of anticipation and increased apprehension.

Tang Xian shook his head and gave Dong Ran a look as if she were an idiot, saying:

"The best approach is to report truthfully, without exaggeration or revealing personal emotions. Just provide a clear account of my actions. Li Xiaoyu may have issues with her thinking, but she's very efficient in her work. She'll continue to use you if she sees your value. If you can't provide intelligence, it'll prove you're a failure and she won't keep employing you."

Although Dong Ran was not very smart, she had a high moral compass and was a kind-hearted girl. Tang Xian might disdain her intelligence, but he didn't dislike her.

Dong Ran had a moment of clarity; indeed, what Tang said seemed more in line with the second miss's style.

"Tomorrow morning, I'll go in search of the Jiuye Biphasic Orchid. With a bit of luck, I'll be back in the mining area by the afternoon. You can now open the portal rift and go back."