Amid the crowd.
The old blue ox carried several people forward at an unhurried pace.
"We are guilty! We deserve to lead Young Master Cao's ox!"
"What an honor it is to lead Young Master Cao's ox!"
Two ropes as thick as wooden poles looped around the ox's horns and rested across Cheng Feng's and Zhang Yang's shoulders.
Everyone wore strange looks, pointing and commenting.
"How miserable!"
"Of all the people they could have provoked, they had to pick Young Master Cao. Serves them right!"
Everyone had seen how arrogant those two had been earlier. They deserved to end up like this.
All anyone could say was that they had kicked an iron plate.
Not far away, Heavenly Water Douluo, Cheng Gang, and the others flew over. After speaking with Cao Yu, they took away the two princes leading the ox.
Since they had already been reduced to idiots, there was no need to torment them any further.
Heavenly Water Douluo and the Star Luo Imperial Family would negotiate with the Heaven Dou Empire.
They would make up a few more reasons, saying that a Ferocious Beast had frightened the two out of their wits.
In the end, the Heaven Dou Empire would probably have to swallow bitter herbs in silence and swallow its own shattered teeth.
After all, the Heaven Dou Empire's strength was far inferior to the Star Luo Empire's. Even if it wanted to resist, it lacked the strength.
"Auntie Li, how much is this shop of yours?"
"Young Master Cao, do you want to buy this place?"
Stopping outside a fruit shop, Cao Yu asked Auntie Li inside.
The woman was still reeling from the earlier shock, and his question left her a little dazed.
"That's right. How much would it cost to buy it?"
"Young Master Cao, if you sincerely want it, then fifty thousand Gold Soul Coins. That's the lowest price."
"Indeed, that's already a very fair price."
Everyone nodded, looking at the woman inside the shop and thinking that she was absolutely right to do this.
Although she might still take a loss, she would gain a favor from the Cao Clan. This deal was no loss for her!
"Fifty thousand?"
Cao Yu frowned.
"Young Master Cao, do you think that's too much? But the price really can't go any lower."
Auntie Li looked caught between laughter and tears. This was already her greatest concession. Any lower, and she would not even recover her costs.
The people around them agreed. "Yes, Young Master Cao, your Auntie Li isn't deceiving you. This shop is worth that price."
"No... I think Auntie Li's asking price is too low. How about a hundred thousand? I'll also pay another hundred thousand for the shop next door."
The price really was too low.
Cao Yu had been hoping to spend more money and then receive ten times the amount back.
As it happened, the shop next door also belonged to Auntie Li, and she hurriedly spoke.
"Young Master Cao, a hundred thousand for both shops will do. There's no need to pay so much."
"Two hundred thousand. It's settled!"
"Well..."
Before Auntie Li could refuse, Cao Yu took out a crude Storage Soul Tool.
He extended his divine sense and probed inside. Two hundred thousand Gold Soul Coins lay quietly within, radiating a dazzling glow.
Afterward, he successfully bought both shops. Once he completed all the paperwork with Auntie Li, the two buildings officially changed hands.
[Ding, your expenditure has been returned tenfold. You have received 2 million Gold Soul Coins!]
The shops stood along a central stretch of road in the city center, with heavy foot traffic on ordinary days. There was no better place to open a business.
"Little Yu, why did you buy this place?"
"I have plenty of money. Let me pay for it."
Looking at the delighted Cao Yu, Xu Jiujiu asked curiously.
"I want to open a hotpot restaurant here."
"Besides, I have money, so there's no need for you to pay for me, Big Sister," Cao Yu replied.
"A hotpot restaurant? Why have I never heard of anything like that? Is it tasty?"
"It's tasty." Cao Yu nodded.
Tang Ya's eyes instantly widened. At the mention of something tasty, she could not help drooling.
Xu Jiujiu was just as curious as Ning Tian. After all, they had grown this old without ever hearing of a hotpot restaurant.
Their ignorance confirmed Cao Yu's guess.
So many delicacies from my original world don't exist here!
There's profit to be made!
The day I become a rich young master is just around the corner.
And so, a few weeks later, the Cao Hotpot Restaurant opened without a hitch.
"What's that smell? It's so fragrant!"
Passersby could not help stopping, then finally walked into the hotpot restaurant out of curiosity.
It had to be said that the secret hotpot seasoning awarded by the system tasted truly exceptional. Its numbing, spicy fragrance spread through every street and alley.
The restaurant attracted a large crowd of customers as soon as it opened.
People who had never tasted anything so delicious were instantly conquered by hotpot.
After that, the shop was immediately packed, with customers filling it beyond capacity every day.
Cao Yu could only put the vacant shop to use as well, and thus there were two Cao Hotpot Restaurants.
"Little Yu, you're amazing! You actually came up with something so delicious." Xu Jiujiu circled around Cao Yu.
"Little Yu, can I eat there for free?" As a seasoned foodie, Tang Ya naturally refused to fall behind. She licked her lips as she asked.
Meanwhile, Ning Tian secretly watched Cao Yu, her gaze full of deep meaning. When her eyes happened to meet his, she shyly turned away, pretending she had seen nothing.
Cao Yu secretly rejoiced.
When I get the chance, I'll deepen my relationship with Ning Tian and strive to win her over soon!
I have to say, Big Sister Ning Tian's little mouth is so sweet! He rather missed that taste.
Time passed little by little.
By the time Cao Yu was around three, Ning Tian had become his fiancée.
The beginning of all this had to be traced back to Cao Yu's ready-made father.
It had been an open scheme. Cao Yu's ready-made father, Cao Xiang, had been invited to the Nine Treasures Glazed Tile Sect by Sect Master Ning.
Then he had been plied with alcohol until he was drunk.
"Brother Cao, what do you think about a marriage between my daughter and Little Yu?"
"Mm... your daughter, Ning Tian? Wonderful! It would be best if she could marry Little Yu."
"In-law, hearing you say that puts my mind at ease."
Sect Master Ning revealed a smug smile. How long had he endured to finally see this day!
In any case, his daughter Ning Tian and Cao Yu had already developed feelings for each other. They were a match made in heaven, making this an absolutely perfect arrangement.
Then, the next day, the Nine Treasures Glazed Tile Sect announced Ning Tian and Cao Yu's engagement. The news spread throughout the Star Luo Empire.
"That old fox Ning Feng!"
"Utterly despicable!"
By the time Cao Yu was three and a half.
His ready-made father had once again been plied with alcohol until he was drunk. This time, it was the Tang Sect and the Star Luo Imperial Family.
"Little Yu... here!"
Afterward, Xu Jiujiu and Tang Ya each held a written agreement and handed it to Cao Yu with tender, affectionate gazes.
While he was not paying attention, Xu Jiujiu and Tang Ya each stole a kiss from him, then ran away shyly.
At the time, he was utterly dumbfounded.
Happiness had arrived too suddenly, like a tornado.
That time, his ready-made father, Cao Xiang, was given a sound beating by his mother, Luo Lingyun, who was still fuming, because he had stepped through the door with his left foot first.
In the end, it was the old master who intervened. Only after a good deal of persuasion did he manage to calm Luo Lingyun down.
At this point, Cao Yu held three agreements in total, belonging to Xu Jiujiu, Tang Ya, and Big Sister Ning Tian.
At that moment, he actually choked up, speechless...
(Next, three years later...)
(End of chapter)