His friends did not boo him as they usually did because those VIP cards were definitely enough to make any child proud and excited.
"Good heavens! Are they real?"
"Is it Wu Mayan? Is it the legendary 'Eagle of Iron Plateau' Wu Mayan?"
"I'm told that he is the top expert in the younger generation of the Flying Star Sector. No. He is basically the best expert below the age of thirty in both the Heaven's Origin Sector and the Flying Star Sector!
"It is said that he grew up in the primitive, barbaric Iron Plateau and had a lot of adventures. Later, he had the privilege of studying under the legendary Vulture Li Yao. Now, he has advanced above the 160th level of the Refinement Stage, which is the unique training system of the qi-trainers. Translated into our system, he is definitely as strong as a Core Formation Stage Cultivator!"
"My idol! Wu Mayan has always been my idol! Brat, how did you get those VIP cards for my idol's fan meeting? Speak! Speak now!"
The girls were eyeing the fat boy as if he were a handsome Mr. CEO, while the boys were eying the fat boy as if they were planning to tie him up and interrogate him about his relationship with Wu Mayan.
The fat boy was smiling so contentedly that his eyes were barely visible. After acting mysteriously for such a long time, he finally confessed dutifully. "You know that my uncle is a Cultivator of the Purple Spirit Sect. Over the past month, my uncle and his fellows have been taking part in the operation to demolish the bases of the Patriots Partnership. He happened to be Wu Mayan's partner. My uncle and Wu Mayan discovered that their body moving techniques were quite complementary and therefore exchanged the skills. They became friends after that.
"Once they got to know each other, my uncle took the opportunity to invite Wu Mayan to have a fan meeting in the Purple Spirit Sect. Wu Mayan agreed. So, as my uncle's dear nephew, I naturally had access to the VIP cards!
"Not half bad, right? With my uncle being there, every one of you will get the chance to talk to Wu Mayan closely. You will also have gifts that are the robes of the qi-trainers with his autograph. Chances are that we will even be having dinner together! Tell me, hasn't Brother Si Mao offered you a great treat?"
"Totally! This is definitely the greatest treat! All hail Brother Si Mao! The fan meeting is in two hours, and the headquarters of the Purple Spirit Sect are not close from here! There will certainly be a traffic jam when the people in the Federal Square disperse!"
"No, no. I have to change my clothes before meeting Wu Mayan!"
"Right, of course. I need to change my clothes, too!"
Several girls hurried to raise their hands.
Wu Mayan was less than twenty-five years old, almost of the same age as them. He was young, wealthy, handsome, strong, and had the exotic charisma of the Flying Star Sector. He was essentially a prince of Iron Plateau!
He was definitely an idol for all the young girls in the federation!
Meeting Wu Mayan without makeup and proper clothes? They would be insane!
The girls were all talking and laughing. Even Guo Xiaohe also fantasized for quite a long time while holding the VIP card for Wu Mayan's fan meeting. Looking at Wu Mayan's slightly primitive and yet extraordinarily handsome face on the back of the card, she felt tempted, but she still gritted his teeth and gave the VIP card back to the fat boy.
"Si Mao, do excuse me, but there's something I need to do later. I won't be going!"
"What!"
All her friends were shocked.
The fat boy was so dumbfounded that he was stammering, "Are—are you serious? Xiaohe, don't you like Wu Mayan best? I clung to my uncle's leg and screamed for two hours in order to get those cards for the fan meeting. What a rarely-seen opportunity to chat and even dine with your idol! And you're not going? What are you going to do instead?"
"Yes. The school is having a holiday, and we can't join the army now. What can you possibly be occupied with?"
Her confidantes found it strange, too. They blinked and said, "Wu Mayan's photos practically cover the walls of your room. How can you let go of such an opportunity?"
Blushing, Guo Xiaohe stammered for a long time. Finally, she gritted her teeth, craned her neck, and declared, "My dad is bringing me to eat barbeque and drink tea in the suburbs with his two colleagues!"
She was answered by silence.
All the boys and girls looked at each other in bewilderment, feeling that they were in a dream. It was not until half a minute later, when everybody's expression was weirder than ever, that a few boys could not help it any longer and burst into laughter.
"I thought that it was something serious. Drinking tea with your dad's colleagues? You've got to be kidding me! Miss Guo Xiaohe, since when have you become so old-fashioned? Are you really the Guo Xiaohe that we know? You are not possessed by a devil, are you?"
"Are you serious?"
The fat boy scratched his hair hard and roared, "Guo Xiaohe, do you have any idea how difficult it was for me to get those cards? I'd forgive you if you really have something important, but drinking tea with your dad's colleagues? I feel embarrassed for you! Do you prefer meeting the nerd colleagues from your old man's poor Bureau of Meteorology than meeting the legendary prince of Iron Plateau? I'm really suspicious that you are spellbound!"
Guo Xiaohe was so embarrassed that her face was as red as the bottom of a monkey, but when the fat boy mentioned her father's workplace, she immediately jumped up and snatched the fat boy's ears as fast as lightning.
"Ahhh. Ouch! Ouch! Ouch! Let go of me! What a rude woman!"
"Shut up, Si Mao. I forbid you to speak evil of my father!"
"It wasn't me! You're the one who has been saying that the Bureau of Meteorology is a wretched sh*thole, aren't you?"
"I—" Guo Xiaohe was lost for words. She let go of the fat boy and replied awkwardly, "I didn't know the real situation before. In fact—in fact, it was not true. My father is not a simple nerd. He is a… real hero!"
"Huh?" All the young people beamed with interest and crowded to her. "What do you mean?"
"When I was in hospital, my mom told me many things about my father." Guo Xiaohe looked at her feet and said in a daze, "I was wrong all the time. My dad was busy for a reason. He is not a random worker sitting in the office of the Bureau of Meteorology. It is a highly-dangerous job that he has been doing!"
"What exactly is this dangerous job that my uncle has been doing?"
The fat boy moved closer and sat next to Guo Xiaohe.
"Studying the storms is only part of his job," Guo Xiaohe said solemnly. "When some of the storms are too strong, he will fly into the sky in person to change the weather conditions so that the storms that can potentially destroy the city will be destroyed in advance."
"Oh!" Everybody nodded, not very excited.
The fat boy scratched his head. "That explains a lot. It does sound… impressive. But speaking of which, are there such strong storms that can destroy a city in the federation? Why have I never heard about them before?"
"Because they were destroyed by my dad beforehand!" Guo Xiaohe glared at him. "Where can you possibly hear about them?"
"Yes, yes, yes. You're right, Xiaohe. My uncle is truly a top-tier hero. However…" The fat boy was not willing to give up yet. "But he can't be as much of a hero as Wu Mayan is, right? Moreover, you can see your dad every day, but not Wu Mayan. Why don't you tell my uncle? My uncle will certainly not blame you if he knows that you are meeting Wu Mayan!"
"Enough. Stop talking about 'my uncle'. Who's your uncle?" Guo Xiaohe was relieved after she made up her mind. She stood up and placed the beverage cup on the fat boy's head. "I haven't seen my dad for almost half a year. The last excursion and barbeque we had were like centuries ago. Wu Mayan is important, but can he be more important than my dad? You go now. Remember to ask for an autographed robe for me. And take more photos. Haha!"
"No problem!"
Her confidantes waved their portable crystal processors.
"You'll be watching the livestream. We guarantee that even the hair on Wu Mayan's face will be captured clearly. Chances are that you may have the chance to talk to your idol remotely!"
"I know, you are all my reliable sisters! Alright. My dad has sent me a message. He must be waiting for me somewhere!"
Guo Xiaohe hopped down the steps.
"Are you really not going?" The fat boy's voice was full of disappointment.
"Are you really not?"
The boys in the behind were echoing in an amusing tone. "Our Brother Si Mao got those VIP cards specifically for you. We are all taking your advantage. Brother Si Mao's heart will be broken if you are not going!"
Everybody laughed.
Guo Xiaohe's face was as red as the flag. She pretended that she did not hear it and fled, half jumping and half running.
Ten minutes later, she found Guo Chunfeng and his ragged supermarket shuttle in the parking lot to the east of the square.
Guo Xiaohe glared at Guo Chunfeng angrily.
With an innocent smile, Guo Chunfeng had no idea what he had done wrong.
"Dear dad!" Guo Xiaohe crawled in the shuttle and jabbed Guo Chunfeng chest. "Not that I'm blaming you. I know that you are a pedant and you can't come up with anything refreshing. You want to bring me and mom for tedrinking and barbeque. That's fine!
"But did you have to choose today?
"Do you know what today is? This is your wedding anniversary, buddy! Do you have any idea what wedding anniversary means? I even sent a message to you a few days ago. You said that you'd got it and you would prepare a big surprise for us!
"As it turns out, your surprise is to hike, barbeque, and drink tea with your daughter, your wife, and your colleagues?
"My dear father, is your head really different from the minds of us the normal people?"
Guo Chunfeng continued smiling, as if whatever his daughter said, even if it was meaningless noise, would be the best entertainment for him. He waited until his daughter had vented her anger and said lightheartedly, "It can't be helped. I've been too busy recently, and I'll be even busier in the near future. I have to do everything at once in my one-day holiday!
"I have two colleagues, no, friends, that you will be interested in meeting. Also… there's something that I need to tell you."
Guo Xiaohe's ears suddenly pricked up as she realized the weight of her father's words. She demanded warily, "What is it?"
"Everything." Looking ahead, Guo Chunfeng said casually, "Things about my workplace, why I rarely come home, and why I act so mysteriously sometimes. Also, I'm going to tell you something that is about to happen. Your life may experience drastic changes soon, too."
Guo Xiaohe gasped and covered her mouth.
Guo Chunfeng frowned. "What's up?"
"Dad, you're not telling me that the reason you hardly came home is that you have a mistress in your workplace and now you are finally telling my mom everything and ask for a divorce, are you?" Guo Xiaohe moaned miserably.
"…" Guo Chunfeng.