Chapter 194: 194 One person five slaps, only after they're done can they eat

194 One person five slaps, only after they're done can they eat.

Maomao was also quite spirited; after making a new friend, she immediately ordered milk tea and said she would treat Tushan Jiu and Xiang Yichu to milk tea.

Xiang Yichu instinctively wanted to refuse, after all his father had forbidden him from consuming too many grains, and most of his food was made from ghost power.

Moreover, the ghost-powered food that the whole family could muster would be left for him.

He had been accustomed to this since childhood.

But now, if something breaks the rule, he won't be satisfied with the status quo.

After a moment of hesitation in his heart, he said to Maomao, "Thank you; if there's a chance, next time I'll treat."

Tushan Jiu looked at him again in surprise, pursed her lips and smiled, saying, "Then I'll come the time after next."

Zhou Yilan beside them couldn't help but laugh.

The three of them, who aren't very good at making friends, need to learn how to.

She felt the team wasn't very complete, always sensing something was missing.

Fifteen minutes later, that thing arrived.

Oh, no, it was Wang Dongqing who came in carrying takeout.

His first words upon arrival were, "Yo! Everyone's here? What day is today, why is everyone so present! Who ordered the milk tea?"

Maomao: "I ordered it."

Wang Dongqing widened his eyes, "You ordered it? You're treating?"

Maomao nodded, "Isn't that okay? I want to make friends with Fellow Daoist Tushan and Fellow Daoist Xiang."

"'No, we've known each other for so many years, how come I never heard you wanted to be friends with me? These Fellow Daoist Tushan and Fellow Daoist Xiang are later arrivals; you can't just prioritize newcomers. I don't care—hurry up and order me a cup too, or I'll cause a scene!'"

"'You're too noisy.' Maomao said calmly, reaching out to take his milk tea and sharing it among Tushan Jiu, Xiang Yichu, and Zhou Yilan."

Wang Dongqing pointed at himself, "Me? Noisy? Not at all, Maomao—when I was little you didn't say that; because I spoke late, you used to call me Little Mute."

Maomao ignored him, picked up a cup of milk tea, recalled how her master treated friends to a meal, and imitated the manner: "Everyone, today I'm fortunate to meet you all; from now on we're friends. I'm older than all of you, and I'll also be taking the exam next year. If anything comes up, just speak up—I may be slow to react, but I'm not slow at catching ghosts. Friends, I'll finish this; feel free to do as you wish."

After speaking, she lightly bumped each cup, then drank through the straw with glug-glug sounds.

Tushan Jiu thought she was adorable, softened her brows and eyes, also took a sip of milk tea through the straw.

Xiang Yichu looked at Maomao, then at Tushan Jiu, then at his milk tea, opened the straw, inserted it, and took a sip.

He furrowed his brows, thinking, "The taste is a bit strange, strangely delicious."

Feeling ignored, Wang Dongqing stormed off angrily.

But less than a minute later, he returned, holding a disposable paper cup filled with water.

He forcibly stepped up and bumped cups with the three of them, saying, "I want to join in too—I'll finish it; you guys do as you please!"

The three stared at Wang Dongqing, speechless.

Zhou Yilan at the service desk curled her lips and murmured, "Mm, now this taste is right!"

She opened the computer, searched the system for Wang Dongqing's name, glanced at it, and said, "Since we're good friends, we should be thorough. Wang Dongqing, there's a ghost complaint that your attitude is bad, you spout ghostly nonsense, and you've punched and kicked people. Based on your several such actions, we now penalize you by deducting 0.5 points—come sign."

She originally had to send a notice, but this saves the trouble.

Wang Dongqing: "!!!"

Maomao gulped down her milk tea in one go, then bade farewell to Tushan Jiu and the others, "See you next time; I have some things to do first."

Tushan Jiu: "I'm leaving too; might as well go together."

Xiang Yichu, holding his milk tea in one hand, also indicated he'd go along.

The three walked out together, while Wang Dongqing hurried forward a step to sign.

After signing in a crawling‑like manner, Wang Dongqing also chased after them.

At the alley's inner exit, the three emerged.

Wang Dongqing quickly chased after them on his electric scooter, "Hey, wait for me, hey, are we still friends? Heartless!"

Tushan Jiu glanced at him and reminded, "Your order is about to time out."

No sooner had she spoken than Wang Dongqing twisted the throttle to the max, "Friends, farewell to the jianghu—I'll go first!"

Tushan Jiu curled her lips in a smile, truly having inexplicably gained several friends.

After leaving the alley, Tushan Jiu got into the car, Xiang Yichu also got in, while Maomao took a taxi herself, as she still needed to return to the funeral home to do the deceased's makeup.

But before she got in the car, she suddenly realized something and laughed out loud.

As for why she laughed—

It wasn't that she found Wang Dongqing and Tushan Jiu's earlier conversation funny; only now did she belatedly realize it.

After leaving the intersection, each person returned to their own life.

Regarding Qiongzi's feint, Tushan Jiu said that when she finally finds him, she will definitely find a chance to retort twice!

But little did they know, over here Qiongzi still hasn't been found, and then another matter arose.

Inside a private orphanage in Nan Cheng.

A group of five‑ to six‑year‑old children, each holding a doll, stood honestly in the corner of the wall.

Before them was a woman in her fifties.

In her hand she held a wooden stick as a teaching rod, glaring at them with a fierce expression.

"'Stick out your hands—one person gets five slaps, and only after they're done can they eat!'"

One chubby white child, with round, glistening eyes, looked like he was about to cry, clutching his doll tightly.

He didn't understand why the dean‑mother had been hitting their palms these past few days.

They had been sleeping well and behaving obediently; today they merely went to the rooftop to play for a while, accidentally fell asleep somewhere, and now they're due for another round of slaps—the dean‑mother has truly become terrifying!

Unable to hold back, the chubby child began to wail loudly.

Seeing this, the other children also joined in crying.

In an instant, the cafeteria was overwhelmed by fierce crying.

Kang Shuangrou closed her eyes, then opened them again, and ruthlessly took the ruler and swatted each child's butt once.

Kang Wan, standing nearby, grabbed her mother and said, "Director Mom, forget it—I'll talk to them properly later."

Xiao Pang and the two other mischievous children quickly pleaded, "Director Mom, we were wrong—we won't dare do it again!"

Kang Shuangrou trembled all over with anger and waved her hand at Kang Wan.

Kang Wan hurriedly told the line of children, "Don't forget to thank Director Mom—come on, hurry to wash your face and hands, get ready to eat; Director Mom also baked egg tarts today!"

Children this age remember food, not punishment; hearing there was food, they completely forgot the earlier spanking, clutching their dolls and waddling after Kang Wan to the restroom.

Because Xiao Pang was running too fast, the doll he was holding flew out of his hand.

Kang Shuangrou rubbed her forehead, her back drenched in cold sweat, feeling a bit chilly.

She braced her hands on her knees and pushed herself up.

She bent over to pick up the doll Xiao Pang had dropped while running.

To her surprise, she saw the doll first blink its eyes, then break into a grin at her.