"I don't know either, Xiaoli has come over to eat."
Li Xiaoli didn't mind and picked up her chopsticks, ready to start eating.
Tang Ming was already impatient with anticipation. As the saying goes, "Man is iron, rice is steel, if you don't eat, you starve." He was starving right now.
Six dishes and one soup, all made from rare ingredients, including seafood and delicacies from the mountains. Even the pot of soup was simmered with matsutake mushrooms, filling the air with an enticing aroma.
Tang Ming picked up his bowl and chopsticks and began eating quickly. To the amazement of both Liu Mengting and Li Xiaoli, the six dishes were soon completely devoured, leaving just one small bowl of soup.
"Mengmeng, I didn't see any other amazing skills from Tang Ming, but he's definitely got an appetite! He eats like five people!"
Li Xiaoli looked at Liu Mengting with a peculiar expression and smirked mockingly.
"The soup is good, why aren't you drinking it?"
Tang Ming couldn't be bothered with the women's opinions of him and eyed the soup eagerly.
"Hehehe, go ahead, drink up. We're done."
Liu Mengting laughed strangely, feeling embarrassed by her bodyguard's behavior, who seemed like he had just been released from a refugee camp.
"We can't waste it. Your chef's skills are quite something, all the dishes suited my taste."
Tang Ming lifted the pot of soup and drank it all in one go, patting his stomach in satisfaction.
After the meal, Tang Ming thought about the current situation. It wasn't bad at all, except for getting tricked and having to be a bodyguard for his fiancée. The rest of the living arrangements were great!
Besides, he had a monthly salary of fifty thousand yuan. This kind of job was hard to find fault with—it was flawless!
It was way better than being exploited by the old man every day.
In the past, Tang Ming hadn't earned a single penny from his assignments, as all the fees went straight into the old man Tang X's account, under the pretense of saving for his future wedding...
But did Liu Mengting need money?
Liu Mengting and Li Xiaoli hadn't eaten much. They got up and returned to the living room, and Tang Ming followed them out. After a meal, the beauties needed to move around a bit, or they would gain weight.
In the living room, Liu Mengting watched Tang Ming's slightly damp hair while exercising. "Tang Ming, did you just take a shower?"
"Yeah."
Tang Ming nodded, thinking how he had rushed here without bringing anything. Living in this villa, dressing poorly didn't seem right. Should he have the young lady solve his clothing issues too?
Anyway, her family was rich, so why not take advantage?
"Taking a shower without changing clothes, that's really dirty."
Li Xiaoli scooted away, not wanting to get close to Tang Ming.
"Can't help it, I didn't bring any clothes with me, so I have to make do."
Tang Ming didn't feel the least bit embarrassed; he almost sounded justified. He had been waiting for this conversation!
Liu Mengting thought about it. This guy needed to follow her often. If he wore the same clothes all the time, the smell would kill her. She suggested, "Let's go out. We'll buy you some clothes this evening."
"Wow, Mengmeng is so nice, even buying him clothes!"
Li Xiaoli felt Tang Ming had really hit the jackpot.
"Can't help it, we can't have him wear the same set all day long, can we?"
Liu Mengting said as she called the driver to get ready to take her out.
There were plenty of luxury cars in the garage, all bought by Liu Mengting's father at great expense, ranging from Audi and Mercedes to Porsche and Ferrari. Many were limited editions, but to Liu Mengting, a young girl, luxury cars didn't hold much appeal.
The driver chose a solid dark-colored Toyota minivan. Since the Liu family's cars were rarely used and well-maintained, they all looked brand new.
The minivan pulled up to the front of the villa. The driver stopped and opened the door, waiting.
Liu Mengting pointed to the front and instructed, "Tang Ming, you sit in the front passenger seat. From now on, always sit there, got it?"
"Yeah, got it."
Tang Ming nodded, thinking about the new clothes he would soon have. He didn't feel as annoyed by the women's bossy attitude anymore.
The three of them got in the car, and the driver started it, taking them to the city's commercial center.
The Mediterranean in Songlan City had risen as a commercial center in recent years, considered a city landmark. It was nearing evening, the sky was dark, and the cool breeze was blowing. But in the Mediterranean, there were tall buildings, dazzling lights, and neon signs, with throngs of people bustling about.
Being there, one could feel the urban atmosphere, which was entirely different from the desolate base where Tang Ming had stayed, with its yellow sand and fierce winds. Besides the cracked earth, there were only sparse blue plants!
It was desolate and lonely there, while here it was noisy and lively.
"Miss, do you need me to accompany you?"
The minivan stopped in the mall's parking lot, and the driver opened the door.
"No need, we have a bodyguard."
Li Xiaoli pointed to Tang Ming and deliberately raised her voice.
Liu Mengting had seen Tang Ming's skills, so she wasn't worried about any problems.
The three of them mingled with the urban crowd, looking at the brightly lit shops on both sides of the street. The variety of items inside naturally sparked a desire to buy.
Only then did Tang Ming realize that going shopping with women was a mistake. Liu Mengting and Li Xiaoli were complete shopaholics!
Once they arrived, they forgot their initial purpose of buying clothes for Tang Ming, completely immersed in their own shopping spree, ignoring Tang Ming altogether.
Half an hour later, Tang Ming was carrying several big bags, none of which were his, leaving him very frustrated.
"Sir, it's not convenient for you to enter. Please wait outside."
Tang Ming had been following the two women around, but a voice suddenly stopped him in his tracks.
When Tang Ming looked up, he saw that it was a lingerie shop for women and felt relieved he hadn't gone in.
Regular underwear was one thing, but lingerie? He would be seen as a pervert if he went in there!
These two girls were quite trendy, daring to buy anything...
After two hours of shopping, they passed by a men's brand store, and Liu Mengting finally remembered Tang Ming, casually bought him a few sets of clothes, and then left. This was just fine with Tang Ming—his legs were almost numb.
Finally getting new clothes lifted Tang Ming's mood slightly, despite the colors not being to his liking. But it was better than nothing.
As they walked by a salon, Li Xiaoli insisted on getting her hair cared for, and Liu Mengting had no choice but to agree.
Once inside, there was a promotion going on, which included Tang Ming as well.
Half an hour later, the three of them walked out together, but Tang Ming looked completely different!
With some free time, he had changed into his new clothes in the salon's restroom. Sporting new clothes and a new hairstyle, he looked entirely different from his previous shabby self—much more handsome!
As the saying goes, "Fine feathers make fine birds."
"Oh my, Tang Ming looks a bit like a male god after getting spruced up."
Li Xiaoli looked at Tang Ming in surprise, sizing him up and clicking her tongue in wonder.
Liu Mengting found Tang Ming much more pleasing to the eye. At least, taking him to school now wouldn't be an embarrassment among her classmates. He had finally evolved from a country bumpkin to a city slicker.
"Who's this male god?"
Tang Ming touched his hair and bragged, "I feel like I resemble Chow Yun-fat, the stylist just said so."