"Everyone's just arrived and must be tired. A simple meal will do. There's no need to be so extravagant..."
Before he could finish, Liu Erlong shot him a glare as cold as ice, forcing the rest of his words back down his throat.
She knew Flender's penny-pinching habits all too well. Back when they had traveled together, he would have split a single Copper Soul Coin into eight pieces to spend.
Liu Erlong simply planted both hands on her hips and straightened her waist, her fiery streak surfacing again as she glared at Flender and said:
"Enough of your grumbling! We're having a good meal today! You don't need to worry about the money!"
She paused, then softened her tone, though her resolve left no room for argument:
"Boss Fu, how many years has it been since we last saw each other? Now that we're together again, with the children here too, what's wrong with having a good meal?"
Her last words were a little quieter, but they pricked Flender's heart like a fine needle.
Looking at the anticipation in Liu Erlong's eyes and remembering their old friendship, he finally let the refusal on his lips turn into a helpless sigh and muttered:
"All right, all right, we'll do it your way. Your way, okay..."
Only then did Liu Erlong smile and reach out to pat his arm.
"That's more like it! Yin Shu, tell the kitchen to prepare extra dishes tonight, and open that jar of fruit wine we've been saving!"
That evening, inside Blue Tyrant Academy-
Liu Erlong sat at the head of the table, her smile brighter than the oil lamps on it. She picked up the wine jug to refill everyone's cups, her voice as clear as a silver bell:
"Come on, everyone, make yourselves at