Collecting Rent From All Realms, Even Empresses Must Pay Tribute
Ch. 84 - Don't You Say That to Every Ex-Girlfriend?

A short while later, Father Luo returned home.

He first took over the cooking duties from Mother Luo, then noticed the new shoes by the door.

"Why didn't you let XiXi do this? Is Ye Chuan here?" Father Luo asked.

That child, even after coming home, didn't help her mother.

"She was helping earlier. I told them to go rest in their room. School is tiring these days. It's fine for me to move around a bit," Mother Luo said with a smile. 

Just then, Luo Xi and Ye Chuan emerged from her room.

"Hello, Uncle," Ye Chuan greeted him.

"Dad, you're back," Luo Xi said with a smile, smoothing out her slightly wrinkled clothes.

Father Luo nodded, his gaze lingering on Ye Chuan behind Luo Xi. He said meaningfully, "You've both grown up."

Ye Chuan smiled, hearing Father Luo's words.

Indeed, Luo Xi had grown up, grown… out of his control.

Since it was Luo Xi's birthday, Ye Chuan had prepared a cake and even tidied up the room for a simple celebration.

He placed candles on the cake, lit them with his phone's flashlight, and drew the curtains.

The candlelight flickered gently, and Luo Xi was wearing a small birthday hat that came with the cake.

The cake was decorated with a cute little bear, a design Ye Chuan had specially requested.

After all, Luo Xi seemed to like little bears.

Even her underwear had little bears on them.

"Alright, let's blow out the candles. Another year older, may the coming year be filled with happiness and success," Mother Luo said with a smile.

Just as Luo Xi nodded and was about to blow out the candles, Father Luo stopped her. 

"XiXi, your birthday is also your mother's day of suffering. Thank your mother for raising you, understand?"

"Yes, I know," Luo Xi turned to Mother Luo and expressed her gratitude.

"It's just a birthday, what suffering are you talking about? Don't say such things," Mother Luo chided Father Luo.

Father Luo always knew how to spoil the mood. Did they have to cry on a birthday?

"Phew." Luo Xi blew out the candles. After the flames were extinguished, she took out her phone and took a few pictures.

"Who bought you this phone?" Father Luo noticed Luo Xi's new phone.

"This isn't cheap, is it?"

"It's a birthday present from Chuan Chuan," Luo Xi said with a grin.

Ye Chuan nodded in confirmation.

"You're still young, don't spend money recklessly, okay? Can't you keep using your old phone until it breaks?" Father Luo shook his head, hearing that Ye Chuan had bought it. 

He knew how poor Ye Chuan used to be. How could he be spending so much money now?

"I'm not spending recklessly," Ye Chuan said, shaking his head.

He wasn't a spendthrift. Even with several hundred thousand yuan, besides buying Luo Xi a ten-thousand-yuan phone and a bracelet, he had mostly spent his money on increasing his strength.

Of course, that was the major expense.

But how could improving his strength be considered reckless spending?

The money he spent now would bring him greater returns in the future; it was an investment.

At least that's what Ye Chuan believed.

After the cake was cut and distributed, Luo Xi pulled Ye Chuan aside and started taking pictures. 

Seeing their closeness, Father Luo and Mother Luo weren't surprised.

After all, they always acted like that, whether they were dating or not, so Father Luo and Mother Luo didn't think much of it.

"Editing the photos?" Ye Chuan asked, seeing Luo Xi busy on her phone after taking the pictures, and leaned closer for a look.

But Luo Xi pulled her hand back, not letting him see.

"So secretive," Ye Chuan said, seeing Luo Xi's behavior. What was there to hide?

"Heh heh, I'll show you after I'm done."

"There's nothing to edit," Ye Chuan said. After all, Luo Xi was already very pretty; using editing apps would only make the photos less natural.

"Okay, I'm done." Luo Xi seemed to have finished editing and posted the photos on her WeChat Moments (TL: Similar to a Facebook wall).

Ye Chuan took out his phone, opened Luo Xi's Moments, and saw her birthday post.

Nine photos: the cake, photos of her parents, but the most prominent ones were the silver bracelet he had given her and a photo of them together.

In the photo, Ye Chuan and Luo Xi were cheek to cheek, with a pink heart drawn on their faces, split perfectly in half.

"You spent all that time just to draw a heart?"

"Hmph, what's wrong with that?" Luo Xi said.

Drawing a heart like that was also a way of announcing their relationship to everyone on her Moments.

"Whatever you like," Ye Chuan said. But it was good; it would save some clowns from misunderstanding.

"You have to post too," Luo Xi said, scooting closer and linking her arm through his.

"Why?"

"I'm your girlfriend, why shouldn't you post?" Luo Xi said, asserting her claim, her eyes narrowing playfully.

"You don't have other girlfriends, do you?"

"Can't say for sure," Ye Chuan said innocently, spreading his hands.

"How dare you!" Luo Xi lightly slapped Ye Chuan's arm repeatedly, but her slaps were so light they felt like mosquito bites.

"Are you going to post or not?"

"I'll think about it," Ye Chuan feigned hesitation. "I'm not motivated."

Luo Xi knew what he meant. She leaned closer, checking if her parents were looking, then quickly pecked Ye Chuan on the cheek.

"Here, post it yourself," Ye Chuan handed his phone to Luo Xi.

"Hee hee."

Luo Xi took Ye Chuan's phone and made a post on his Moments.

Soon, many people liked the post.

Especially Ye Chuan's seven or eight ex-girlfriends, who seemed unsurprised.

Ex-girlfriend A: Well, another meal ticket.

Ex-girlfriend C: I knew it.

Ex-girlfriend F: Isn't that your childhood sweetheart?

…

Seeing their replies, Luo Xi looked at Ye Chuan. "Aren't you going to delete your ex-girlfriends?"

"If you want, I can delete them," Ye Chuan said casually. He hadn't bothered after they broke up.

[Ex-girlfriend: You don't love me at all! You're only after my money! Always asking me where to eat! Using my card! We're breaking up!

Ye Chuan: Okay.]

That was roughly how it went.

Luo Xi shook her head and returned the phone to Ye Chuan. 

"I won't become one of them, right?"

Ye Chuan found her expression amusing.

"I gave you my first kiss, what do you think?"

Luo Xi was skeptical. "Don't you say that to every girl?"