Teresa's promised $10 million was deposited into the account at noon.
"Very efficient."
Looking at the notification from the mobile banking app that the money had arrived, Lu Li was very satisfied.
However, Teresa stayed for more than two hours and still showed no sign of leaving.
She was staring intently at the giant screen TV in the living room, which was showing the National Day military parade of Xia Country.
It was almost noon, so Lu Li politely asked, "Teresa, would you like to have lunch together?"
"Okay." Teresa smiled faintly.
"If it's convenient, I'd prefer to do it myself. I'd love to try cooking with a top-of-the-line stove."
Jessica was furious when she heard this!
This was a program she had reserved for Lu Li, and she had even bought all sorts of ingredients in advance. How did that wicked woman know about it?!
Jessica gripped Lu Li's arm tightly and winked repeatedly, urging him to find a way to get rid of the woman.
Before Lu Li speak, Teresa gracefully stood up and extended her hand in invitation:
"Jessica, let's go together."
Putting everything else aside, Teresa's family background and appearance were both quite good, making her hard to dislike.
Jessica felt mostly worried and insecure.
Meeting the other person's clear and friendly gaze, I proactively extended my hand...
The two girls held hands and went to the kitchen together. Lu Li also made it clear to Academician Liu that she "did not care about appearance, only practicality".
He put down his phone, stretched, and then ate a piece of donkey-hide Ejiao that Wan Qing had made.
As soon as it hit his stomach, his face turned bright red all the way to his ears, as if he had drunk a whole pound of liquor.
Taking advantage of the medicine's effects, Lu Li went to the garden to practice the White Dragon Whip Technique, using it to invigorate his qi and blood and temper his muscles and bones.
He has consistently practiced martial arts every day without fail, and with the help of medicinal diet, he is even more powerful. Now, the "thump thump" sounds from his punches are getting louder and louder.
After finishing one round of practice, the aroma of food could already be faintly smelled.
"Is it... beef tacos?"
~~~~~~~~~~
Meanwhile, the two girls were silently busy in the kitchen.
Teresa cut the beef into walnut-sized pieces and pan-fried them until they developed an appealing brown crust.
Jessica, meanwhile, was far away, busy making some kind of sauce.
The room was very quiet, with only the faint sound of grease popping.
Suddenly, Teresa spoke up, "Lu Li bought this villa in your name..."
Jessica's expression shifted, but she remained silent.
Teresa continued, "Mansions, prestigious schools, a handsome and wealthy partner... Jessica, do you know, you're living the life I've always dreamed of."
Jessica looked up, wondering what the other person meant by those words.
Teresa sighed, looking rather melancholy:
"Actually, I don't want to be the mayor's daughter, having to maintain a certain demeanor every day, wearing simple clothes, and upholding my mother's political image. She's running for president, and whether she succeeds or not, I'll marry some rich guy I've never met, or the son of a general..."
As she spoke, Teresa gave a self-deprecating laugh, then looked directly into Jessica's eyes and said:
"So, I won't take anything away from you. I'll just fall on him like a leaf, staying for a little while... I hope you don't mind."
Jessica lowered her head and thought for a few minutes, then came over with her sauce and said:
"I bought some tortillas in advance, let's make beef tacos."
Teresa nodded vigorously. "Thank you, Jessica."
~~~~~~~~~~~
"Girls' thoughts... are really strange."
Lu Li didn't understand why the two girls had suddenly become so close.
They sat together for dinner, and in the afternoon they even went out together to buy swimsuits and swam in the pool... The two foreign women in swimsuits were quite a sight to behold.
While the girls played in the water, Lu Li contacted UPS international logistics to have his mosquito coils delivered.
The villa fully caters to the needs of the wealthy, with a garage that can park four Raptors, and finally a place to put the Calming Incense.
At this moment, Lu Li lit an incense stick to test its effect, while simultaneously considering what he needed to bring back to the other world:
"We have the radio and walkie-talkies. Next, we just need to wait for the Titanium alloy spheres and the heavy weapons from Aurora to arrive."
"There are a lot of good stuff this time, we need to stir things up. I don't like the Izumo Concession..."
Gradually, the fragrance took effect, and Lu Li's thoughts began to wander...
"Not bad, it has 90% of the original's efficacy."
Lu Li randomly sampled two items and was very satisfied with their quality.
I remember the last batch, many of which only had 80% of the original's efficacy. This batch is getting better and better.
"Who knows, maybe one day we'll catch up with the original, or even... surpass it!"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
By the time we finished, it was already dark.
Back at the villa, Lu Li discovered that Teresa was still there, watching TV with Jessica.
He was somewhat puzzled but didn't want to send them away, while Jessica gave a mysterious smile:
"Teresa will be staying here tonight~"
"What happened? Have you two gotten so close?"
Lu Li was completely puzzled, but it was a good thing that Jessica had an older, good friend to look after her.
That night, the two girls held hands and went to sleep together. Lu Li chose a bedroom on the second floor and lay down.
I don't know why, but I couldn't fall asleep tonight, tossing and turning.
Lu Li assumed it was because he wasn't used to hugging Jessica, that slippery doll-like girl, so he didn't pay much attention.
Actually, his subconscious sensed something was wrong, so instead of letting his body rest, he remained in a state of heightened arousal.
Sure enough, after a short while, Lu Li heard light footsteps, and then the door opened.
Please forgive my intrusion.
Teresa entered and said gently and politely, "We need a closer relationship between us, and this is also my mother's order."
Lu Li was about to sit up, but the other person gently pressed him down and leaned over to say:
"I have already obtained Jessica's understanding, so you don't need to worry."
Teresa took off the headband and put it aside, saying softly:
"I'm afraid of getting hurt, so please let me take the lead. A strong gentleman will understand a girl's feelings, right?"
~~~~~~~~~~~
The next day, the warm midday sun streamed through the window, shining on the girl's pale face.
Teresa raised her arm to shield her eyes and lay on the bed in a daze for a while.
"It seems like it's been five years since I last slept in..."
With her mother's permission not to go home, she could stay here as long as she wanted and get up whenever she wanted.
Teresa wrapped herself tightly in the sheets, rolled into the warm sunshine, and enjoyed her rare freedom.
However, the plum blossom stains on the white bed sheet were particularly conspicuous in the sunlight.
"That was so rude... it was my oversight..."
Teresa forced herself to get out of bed, despite feeling unwell, and was about to go wash up.
But just then, Jessica knocked on the door, peeked in, and asked, "Are you alright?"
"I'm not feeling well," Teresa said truthfully, frowning. "He's right, you should wait patiently for two years."