As soon as the news was released, Lu Yaoyang's phone was bombarded. He simply turned it off, leaving only a contactable email address.
Only then did Lu Yaoyang's situation quiet down considerably.
"Rivals, haven't you gone a bit too big with this move?" Bai Yuqi said, his mouth twitching as he held his phone. "My old man even called me, asking if you'd been scammed, if the Miao and Tang families were bullying you. If so, he said not to be afraid, the Bai family would fully support you."
Bai Yuqi chose his words euphemistically. His old man had started cursing on the phone, and he felt too embarrassed to repeat it.
"I haven't been scammed," Lu Yaoyang knew this was his teacher's concern. "I made this decision after serious consideration."
"I saw the news online too," Bai Yuqi leaned in and asked curiously. "Twenty million for seven days and six nights. Did you charter a train or a ship? Or do you, you rival, have other businesses behind my back?"
"Where would I have other businesses?" Xia Qingtian walked in with a fruit platter, smiling. "It's still your ship."
"Hmm???" Bai Yuqi blinked his eyes and pondered for a long time before asking, "Why didn't you mention this to me before?"
"You didn't mention it?" Xia Qingtian popped a grape into Lu Yaoyang's mouth.
"Is there a need to mention it?" Lu Yaoyang, eating the sweet grape, looked at Bai Yuqi and said, "If you use your ship, the Bai family can bring an additional three people aboard at no charge, and you can follow our optimal route. Do you have any complaints?"
"I..." Bai Yuqi was about to get angry, but upon re-listening to Lu Yaoyang's words, he couldn't find any reason to complain. "So... should I also say... thank you?"
"No need to thank me, just keep it in your heart," Lu Yaoyang said. "You handle the ship's arrangements and personnel. Since you're charging twenty million per person, you should at least put some effort into it."
"Okay, then I..." Bai Yuqi was about to agree when he thought again. "Hey? Why do I feel something is wrong? Are you trying to PUA me?"
"How could that be?" Xia Qingtian said with a smile. "Yaoyang is helping you."
"Is he helping me? Using my ship, my people, I'm responsible for all expenses on the ship, and twenty million per person is still none of your business?" Bai Yuqi frowned and asked, "Are you sure you're not trying to CPU me?"
"The three from the Bai family, including you, already add up to eighty million. Not only am I waiving eighty million for you, but I'm also giving you an opportunity to earn credit with the Bai family. With so much money, I could buy a ship temporarily," Lu Yaoyang looked at Bai Yuqi and said. "If you think I'm PUA-ing you, I can contact others."
"No, no, no!" Bai Yuqi immediately stopped him. "Let's do it this way, it's settled! I'll go tell my old man and the others. You, you really are my rival! You can't change your mind! It's settled!"
After speaking, Bai Yuqi rushed off in a hurry, as if afraid Lu Yaoyang would go back on his word.
Watching Bai Yuqi slip away like that, Xia Qingtian and Lu Yaoyang couldn't help but laugh.
Considering the relationship between the Bai family and Lu Yaoyang, Lu Yaoyang wouldn't accept the money from the Bai family.
It wouldn't be difficult to find a ship temporarily, but it would be difficult to find someone completely trustworthy to manage the ship and those ambitious young masters from prominent families.
This task could only be undertaken by Bai Yuqi.
"Young Master Bai has intelligence," Xia Qingtian said with a sly smile. "But it's very limited."
"Mm," Lu Yaoyang also chuckled. "Did you go see Qingyu?"
"I did," Xia Qingtian had gone to see Xia Qingyu earlier.
The kidnapping had been somewhat sudden, and Xia Qingtian was worried that Qingyu might be frightened, or that Xia Qingyu would take all the blame for bad things, affecting her mindset. Therefore, Xia Qingtian specifically went to talk to Xia Qingyu for a while.
Fortunately, Xia Qingyu was a smart person and understood immediately.
However, when it came to Nie Qingkong, Xia Qingyu's mindset was quite complex.
"Sister, I don't think Nie Qingkong is a bad person," Xia Qingyu hesitated. "Although he aided and abetted evil and might have done some bad things, I still feel like he... he shouldn't be like this."
Hearing Xia Qingyu say this, Xia Qingtian sighed and told Xia Qingyu what she had heard from Mrs. Miao: "Nie Qingkong and Xi Fu might both be unfortunate victims turned orphans by Xiang Xueyuan."
"Heavens!" Xia Qingyu gasped involuntarily after hearing this, a chill running down her spine, and a sense of dread arose.
"Qingyu, this is the first time I'm talking to you about your biological father, and it might be the last," Xia Qingtian looked seriously into Xia Qingyu's eyes. "He and I can never be on the same side. Sooner or later, there will be a life-or-death choice, and then..."
"Sister, as you said, he contributed a bit to my birth." Xia Qingyu completely understood Xia Qingtian's worries and firmly grasped Xia Qingtian's hand. "But the fire he didn't put out has erased all of that. Sister, don't worry about me. Whatever decision you make, I will support you."
Xia Qingtian looked into Xia Qingyu's eyes and nodded solemnly. "Mm, I understand."
After leaving Xia Qingyu's room, Xia Qingtian also went to chat with Wen Jiu, "borrowed" another fruit platter from Wen Jiu, and then returned to Lu Yaoyang's room.
"It's almost time for the Miao and Tang families to start as well," Xia Qingtian said, looking at the messages from Miao Tong and Tang Youxi on her phone.
"Okay, then let them start," Lu Yaoyang nodded. Xia Qingtian sent messages to both the Miao and Tang families.
Soon, the Miao and Tang families released their adventurer-specific medical kits.
【Tang Family Medical Kit, containing nineteen types of antidotes, 36 methods for combining antidotes, capable of neutralizing a hundred poisons, an essential specialized remedy for adventurers, priced at only 5 million, with a ten percent discount for those with a Lu family exploration invitation letter.】
【Miao Family Medical Kit, containing twenty types of antidote kits, 35 methods for combining antidote kits, capable of neutralizing a hundred蠱, an indispensable life-saving measure for adventurers, priced at 5 million, with a ten percent discount for those with a Lu family exploration invitation letter.】
Well, the bundling tactic was truly mastered by the Lu, Miao, and Tang families.
Although many scoffed inwardly, they still had to pay the money.
After all, they wanted to go to the treasure hunting grounds of the Lu, Miao, and Tang families, where countless strange poisons and bizarre蛊 might await them.
If for no other reason than to save their lives, they had to buy it!
Moreover, even those who weren't involved in this mess, but had witnessed the Tang family's farce at the Lei family auction, also wanted to prepare one.
Better safe than sorry.