The Children Are My Own

Their interaction was observed by others.

Lou Quan said to Tao Qiu and Lou Yu, "You two are quite the prodigies; each one is a good child."

Several trusted aides teased, "Commander, is this... wanting a child? Or... looking for a partner?"

Chapter 95 The child is my own.

Because Lou Quan himself was indifferent to Bai Huan, his confidants, who were unaware of their past relationship, naturally did not consider Bai Huan to be Lou Quan's official girlfriend.

At this moment, when this sentence was mentioned, no one expected that there was a Bai Huan by Lou Quan's side.

Lou Yu glanced at Lou Quan but didn't interrupt. Lou Quan, without even changing his expression, calmly said, "I'm still young. Well, let's focus on my career. We can talk about relationships and kids later."

Before the confidants could say anything more, footsteps sounded outside the door again; it was John and his men arriving.

With new people joining, new topics naturally arose, and coupled with Lou Quan's deliberate avoidance, the matter was left unresolved.

Once everyone had arrived, the adjutant instructed the waiter to serve the food.

The gifts Tao Qiu gave to several people were placed nearby. Even through the food box, the aroma was so strong it seemed to waft straight into the crowd.

Lou Quan joked, "What a blunder! What a blunder! We should have sent these fruits next door. With them smelling so good, nobody's going to be able to eat today's dishes!"

Zhao Tao and the children had already sat down. Hearing this, Zhao Tao chuckled and said, "Can we eat? Of course we can! Our stomachs have been rumbling for ages. We might even ask the Commander to add some more food later, right? Yes, my darlings."

The children sat on high stools with cushions on top so that even the tiny ones could reach the tabletop.

Zhao Tao pointed to three kids, and the three kids cooperated perfectly.

Eldest Cub: "Yes, yes, Uncle, we have a huge appetite, is a little bit of rice enough for us?"

Second Cub: "There's lots of delicious food at the base too, we all love it."

"The food at the base is only slightly inferior to the fruit that Dad grows; we both really like it." The Third Cub is undoubtedly a master of diplomacy.

Lou Quan chuckled, "Three children? No wonder they grew up eating the fruits grown by Mr. Tao, each one of them has such a sweet tongue."

Lou Yu teased him, "You could eat more in the future and try to change your sharp tongue."

Lou Quan raised an eyebrow. "I'm always the gentlest, where? You're being sarcastic, aren't you?"

As he spoke, he looked at his adjutant and confidants.

The adjutant wore a pained expression, as if he were about to cry, "No, not poisonous at all. Let me make it clear beforehand, I was not threatened, and I did not lie."

Everyone was amused by his exaggerated expressions, even the three kids giggled.

Since they were only being served one table tonight, the dishes were served quickly.

The adults chatted and ate, but Zhao Tao and his three children were completely absorbed in their food, oblivious to everything else, their heads practically buried in their bowls.

The adults around them love to serve food to the three kids, and every time they get a sweet thank you, which makes them feel much better.

The meal took several hours. Zhao Tao and the kids were the first to be full. Lou Yu told him to take the children out to play. The restaurant had a small garden with pretty good scenery.

The waiters came to clear the tables, and Tao Qiu and the others moved to the tea room next door to drink tea and chat.

Lou Yu and his team knew that Lou Quan and Tao Qiu were about to discuss serious matters, so they made an excuse to go play with the kids, while their trusted men stayed behind, but they all sat at another table, listening without commenting.

Tao Qiu and Lou Yu sat side by side, while Lou Quan sat alone opposite them, his adjutant standing behind him.

Lou Quan personally poured Tao Qiu a cup of tea and pushed it in front of him, saying, "Please have some. This tea comes from the central base. Those old guys, aside from anything else, certainly know how to enjoy life. The tea tastes quite good."

"Thank you." Tao Qiu picked up her teacup and took a sip.

He may not be a tea connoisseur, but anyone with a sense of taste can tell that this tea has a refreshing taste and a long-lasting aftertaste, making it undoubtedly a good tea.

After Tao Qiu finished her tea, Lou Quan slowly continued, but his words went straight to the point of today's conversation. "The wheat that arrived last night has already undergone rough processing today. I believe it will be ready to be sold as new flour in a few days."

Tao Qiu gently stroked the rim of the teacup with her fingertips. "I guess you want to grind the wheat I grow and the wheat produced at your base into flour, mix them together, and then sell them?"

Lou Quan nodded. "Mr. Tao is wise. That's exactly what we plan to do. The rest of the rice will be handled in the same way."

The best approach is to deliver the wheat to the tables of the local people while keeping the secret of the new crop. This way, it shouldn't be discovered by the Lou Family's spies in the short term.

"What about the fruits and vegetables?" Tao Qiu asked curiously. "These are not easy to hide."

Lou Quan said, "I've discussed it with the research institute. We'll be purchasing a batch of special fruit and vegetable seeds from you, Mr. Tao. We'd like to see what the second and third generations will look like after being nurtured with your special abilities."

Lou Yu had mentioned this before, and Tao Qiu understood his meaning. "You want to know if the yield and taste will change after the second and third generations lose my special ability?"

"Exactly," Lou Quan said. "Our ideal outcome is that the yield remains the same, but the taste and its effects on the human body are weakened, so that outsiders won't notice anything amiss."

Tao Qiu said, "I haven't tried it, and I don't know what the final result will be, but I will try my best to cooperate with you if you need me to."

"With Mr. Tao's words, we can rest assured."

Tao Qiu then asked, "It will take at least half a year to get results. During this time, do you need me to help plant crops other than wheat and rice?"

Lou Quan said, "We also need fruits and vegetables, right? But the quantity needed is relatively small; just enough to supply the army."

Tao Qiu's crops also have health benefits for ordinary people, which is exactly what the army needs. Moreover, the army is highly secretive, so it's not easy for anyone to find out.

"I understand?" Tao Qiu replied.

Lou Quan's eyes seemed to ignite with sparks as he eagerly said, "I hope Mr. Tao can start working in the planting area as soon as possible. Don't worry, besides planting, you don't need to worry about anything else. Your salary and benefits will be among the highest in the Yong'an Base."

"Are you rich? You're a bastard. Tao Qiu still has to support her husband and kids, so the more money in her account, the better."

Tao Qiu said, "Afterwards, I will give you a copy of all the crop seeds I currently have. Whether you choose to research them or plant them is up to you."

After saying that, Tao Qiu remembered something and asked Lou Quan, "It shouldn't be long before it snows, right? I need to rest during the winter and don't want to use my powers extensively. If you need me, I can help you grow another batch of fruits and vegetables before winter, but the quantity might not be much."

Before he could finish speaking, Lou Quan immediately replied, "Yes, yes, I'll buy as many as you can grow."

Tao Qiu asked, "What about the price?"

Lou Quan stated a number, then added, "This is five times the price of ordinary vegetables."

Was Tao Qiu satisfied? He had only planned to earn some money for the New Year.

"Okay." Tao Qiu agreed.

Lou Quan laughed heartily, "Then I wish us a pleasant cooperation."

Hearing that the army would be able to eat the latest crop in winter, several of his trusted confidants were very happy. They held important positions in the army and cared deeply for their soldiers. Since they could enjoy such good food themselves, they certainly wanted their soldiers to enjoy it too.

The banquet is over? The deals are done? Everyone has their own plans, and soon they'll all be heading home.

On the way back, Lou Yu said to Tao Qiu, "I thought you wouldn't want to use your superpowers anymore after planting the wheat. We're not short of money, Qiuqiu, you don't need to work so hard."

Tao Qiu said, "I've rested for so long, I'm almost fully recovered. No one ever complains about having too much money; there's always a time when you'll need it."

The Eldest Cub in the back seat chimed in, "I know, they said in TV dramas that Dad's like that—being ambitious."

Second Cub said, "We also want to make money, so we can buy lots of nice things!"

"But we're just kids, what are we supposed to do? Nobody wants us for work." Third Cub spoke the harsh truth.

The Eldest Cub Second Cub couldn't help but sigh upon hearing this.

Tao Qiu chuckled, "You guys haven't even been to kindergarten, what kind of jobs can you possibly do?"

The kids were even more disappointed.

Lou Yu then said, "It's not that there aren't suitable ways for the kids to make money."

"What method?" Tao Qiu and Zai Zi asked in unison; they were both eager to know.

Lou Yu said, "Don't the kids know how to hunt? Once the new grain comes to market, the base residents will know there's a food shortage, so they won't be so stingy with their money. Then, if we sell mutated monster meat, we should be able to sell quite a bit."

Tao Qiu suddenly realized. "That's right, winter is for the New Year, even the stingiest family will at least buy some meat."

The boys figured it out too. The Second Cub quickly said, "The three of us hunting together are really good! We're sure to catch a big game and sell it for lots of money!"

Tao Qiu said expectantly, "It really is time to let the kids get some real-world experience in the wild."

Lou Yu said, "If you can really catch the prey, Dad will open a separate account for you and put all the money you earn in it, so you can spend it as you please."

"Okay, okay," the Third Cub readily agreed, "Daddy and Lou Yu Daddy are the best! Love you both!"

The Second Cub Eldest Cub also chimed in with sweet, flattering words, practically drowning out their fathers' praise.

Back at their lodgings, Huo Lan saw the children skipping and hopping all the way after getting off the bus, humming songs and looking incredibly happy. He chased after them to ask what was going on.