Both women looked puzzled. I didn't know how to start, but Yi Xiaorou spoke first, "She must be your girlfriend, she's really beautiful."

Zhang Xiaoya blushed deeply. "No, no, Sister, you misunderstand. Xiaoya and Zhao Qian are classmates. It's just too noisy over there, so I followed him to find a quiet spot."

Yi Xiaorou nodded, then turned to me, "Tan Tian has already arrived with his grandfather and is backstage preparing. Soon, some of the important figures, along with the school leaders, will make their entrance. Tan Tian has already investigated your background; you should be very careful recently. I'm afraid he might act against you or your loved ones. How about I have Number Ten transferred over to protect you?"

I shook my head. I absolutely trusted Taotian’s capabilities. Every day, four teams totaling twenty-four mutant giant rats were secretly protecting these people. If they dared to make any move, I would know immediately.

Yi Xiaorou knew my personality and didn't press the issue. She just cautioned again, "Then you must be very careful. I'm going backstage. Wait for me after the alumni gathering ends."

Zhang Xiaoya interjected, "I'm sorry, Sister. Zhao Qian already promised to come to my house tonight. How about tomorrow?"

Yi Xiaorou gave me a knowing smile.

"Fine, but you have to tell me what your actual relationship is."

Zhang Xiaoya countered, "And what is your relationship with him?"

Yi Xiaorou pulled out a small notebook from her pocket and handed it to me. "Take this work pass with you; it should be useful for handling minor issues. As for you, Xiaoya, I’ll be honest, I am Zhao Qian’s patient, and he needs to treat me regularly."

As Yi Xiaorou spoke, she secretly watched Hua Qingqing stifle a laugh. She herself was blushing, as all three of them knew what kind of 'treatment' was being referred to.

Zhang Xiaoya, unaware of the truth, truly believed I was a doctor. "Zhao Qian, you're amazing! Not only do you run a company, but you can also heal people. Sister Yi, I'm Zhao Qian's classmate, and he recently saved my life. So tonight, I absolutely must take him home to meet my father. Can you grant me this one request?"

Yi Xiaorou smiled and stood up. "Fine, as long as you don't hide him away secretly."

Yi Xiaorou and Hua Qingqing left for backstage. Zhang Xiaoya watched me silently, finally speaking again, "Zhao Qian, why did you hide from me after you saved me? Is it because I’m not as pretty as those two girls? Or because I’m not as rich? Are you afraid I’ll cling to you? Do you know I’ve secretly cursed you ten thousand times? My dad and the neighbors said the fire was ferocious; not a single person dared to rush up to the fourth floor, yet you braved the raging flames, passed through the living room, found the small side room where I was sleeping, and managed to escape safely from the fourth floor even during that violent explosion. One old lady said your hair and eyebrows were completely burned off by the fire, yet you were unharmed. When I woke up in the hospital, I desperately wanted to meet this unknown hero. But my father only knew you sold Tie Niu brand tofu. After I was discharged, I searched for a long time. Who would have thought I'd run into you at the alumni gathering? Is this fate?"

As Zhang Xiaoya spoke, she reached out to gently stroke my bald head and my cosmetically filled-in eyebrows.

"Does it still hurt?"

I was somewhat taken aback by the flattery. Zhang Xiaoya was the center of attention now, and I was monopolizing her time here, which made me feel a bit sneaky and a bit frightened.

"I wasn't hiding from you. I was just too ashamed to be seen looking like this, so I haven't been selling much tofu lately."

"Will you hide from me in the future?" Zhang Xiaoya asked seriously.

I replied, "No. You're so beautiful, I wish you were by my side every day."

Zhang Xiaoya acted childishly, "Fine, a promise is a promise, or I'll accuse you of sexual harassment back in school."

I was shocked. "When did I ever do anything like that!"

"You deliberately touched my hair, and you borrowed my eraser and never returned it. And one time you spilled pen ink on my back—you thought I didn't know, but I knew everything, I just never said anything. You have to compensate me for all of that!"

Speechless...

The Fourth Alumni Gathering of Jingdu No. 1 Middle School finally commenced. Hosted by a professional MC, the guests were ushered in first. The first was a vigorous old general, Tan Zhong, a full General of the Republic's Army Ministry, one of the few remaining alumni from before the liberation.

Behind the old general were his family members. I was stunned to see Yi Xiaorou standing next to a man whose eyebrows danced and eyes glistened—it was Tan Tian, whom I had seen in videos before! Tan Tian repeatedly tried to hold Yi Xiaorou's hand discreetly, but Yi Xiaorou gently evaded him each time. Watching from below, my anger flared. Damn it, you think you can touch my woman? I'll settle with you sooner or later!

The second guest was Fang Chaoyang of Chaoyang Energy, the second giant among the Great Dragon Country's top five hundred enterprises. His accompanying family included a bevy of beautiful women.

Accompanied by the cheerful athletic march music, a bald monk suddenly leaped from his seat and ran wildly toward the podium, shouting, "Fenfen, Fangfang, Fang Yanmeng! I've finally found you!"

No one expected such a disruption during this solemn moment. The musicians hired by the hotel even forgot to continue playing, all staring with open mouths as the bald head reflected the lights, running closer.

The alumni below gaped, unable to close their mouths. The three stunning girls who had just ascended the stage from the rear suddenly burst into tears, discarding all pretense of poise and etiquette, heedless of their expensive gowns dragging on the floor. They tumbled off the platform and fell into the bald man's embrace.

"Brother Zhao, we thought we'd never see you again! You're actually alive! We missed Fenfen and Fangfang so much," Zhao Fen and Zhao Fang wept uncontrollably.

Fang Yanmeng repeatedly hit me. "Damn Zhao Qian, if you were going to die, you should have died completely! If you didn't die, you're not allowed to leave us for even half a step from now on! Since you didn't die, where have you been? Why didn't you contact us using the methods we left behind? Tell me, are you asking for a beating?"

I grabbed Fang Yanmeng's hand tightly. "Alright, stop hitting me. There are at least a thousand people watching us down there. It wasn't that I didn't want to find you; Dean Wu ruined the letters you left behind, and I couldn't see anything. Fenfen and Fangfang, you two are prettier than before. Brother Zhao missed you both so much."

Fang Yanmeng looked displeased and deliberately leaned her face close to mine. "They got prettier, what about me?"

"You got wilder! Be careful you don't end up unmarried!"

Fang Chaoyang understood the situation and signaled the host to continue. He then led us toward the backstage area. Good; I could already feel murderous gazes from below. It would be awkward to be intimate with Zhao Fen in front of so many people.

"Fang Chaoyang." The legendary energy magnate extended his hand to me.

"Zhao Qian." I released the three women, my heart calm, and took the giant's hand.

"You are that omnipotent herb acquisition agent my daughter talks about, the one who can walk on heaven and earth?" Fang Chaoyang asked calmly.

"Yes," I accepted the title without modesty, making Fang Yanmeng pinch me from behind. "Can't you be a little more polite? Why do you agree with everything my dad says?"

Fang Chaoyang remained composed. "I'm just glad you're safe. I must thank you properly for saving my daughter. I scolded this little girl a few harsh words, and she actually ran away from home in secret. Thank you for taking care of her during those days in the mountains. This amount of money isn't much; please accept it as a small token of my gratitude, Mr. Zhao."

Fang Chaoyang spoke while pulling out his checkbook, signing one casually, tearing it off, and handing it to me. I didn't take it, but Fang Yanmeng snatched it up immediately and carefully placed it in my pocket. She told me, "I know you don't like money, so I'll keep this for you. Unfortunately, my dress doesn't have pockets, so you can come get it back after the banquet."

After speaking, Fang Yanmeng pushed her father out of the room and bolted the door shut. "Okay, Brother Zhao Qian, now it's just the three of us. Let's have a proper intimate reunion!"

I was startled when Fang Yanmeng threw herself at me. Zhao Fen was watching nearby—wasn't this deliberately inviting a misunderstanding from Zhao Fen? Wait, why wasn't Zhao Fen angry that Fang Yanmeng was clinging to me?

Fang Yanmeng whispered in my ear, "You have good fortune, Zhao Qian. The three of us swore an oath: if you were lucky enough to survive, the three of us would become your girlfriends. You'll have plenty of fun from now on, but whoever becomes your wife in the end will be entirely your choice. You can boldly hug and kiss me now, because my status with Zhao Fen is equal. If you have enough courage, I'm willing to go crazy with you right now."

My brain short-circuited for five minutes. Three women becoming my girlfriends—this was a story only found in fantasy novels. Had I read too many pirated fantasy novels at Zhu Da’s shabby bookstore these past few days?

Seeing I had no reaction, Fang Yanmeng jumped off me and grabbed Zhao Fen's hand. "Fenfen, your husband is being foolish and doesn't believe my words. Tell him."

Zhao Fen blushed, unsure how to speak. Zhao Fang spoke up instead. "Brother Zhao, the night you treated my sister, she swore to be your maid, servant, and wife. Later, when you went to Black Pine Forest to save my sister, I also swore to be your maid, servant, and wife. You saved Mengmeng's life, and besides, you two had already been intimate before. While you were gone, the three of us confided in each other and prayed for your safety, and together we swore an oath to heaven: if you survived the disaster, the three of us would willingly be your girlfriends. Now that you're back, it's time for us to fulfill our promises."

After speaking, Zhao Fang ignored the gazes of the other two women and rushed over to give me a fierce kiss on the cheek.

Fang Yanmeng giggled, "Fenfen and Fangfang, Zhao Qian is so stunned he's gone mute. Let's not pay attention to him now; it's lively outside. Let's go out and have fun, and we'll deal with him when it’s time to sleep."

Returning to the banquet hall, the speeches by various leaders had just concluded, and the free mingling period had begun.

Xia Gao was taking photos below the stage. Seeing me come out from backstage, he scurried over and asked, "Where did you go? Why were you hugging those three crying beauties just now? I heard one of them is Fang Chaoyang’s precious daughter, and the other two are rare beauties. You sure are good at pretending, Zhao Qian. Spill it."

I hadn't snapped out of my daze and could only answer Xia Gao's first question. "I was just visiting God with the Bald Monk. You take your time figuring it out; I'm going to find a place to sober up."

I turned a corner and went back to the backstage restroom, splashing cold water fiercely on my face until I finally processed the situation. This was a good thing! If I could really have multiple women embracing me like in novels, and they were all sisters to one another, I would be ecstatic. I was already worried about my ambiguous relationship with Yi Xiaorou; Fang Yanmeng had just lit a beacon for me. If there could be three, why not four? Right, I figured it all out—that's what I'll do! Mom, Mom, I never thought the oath I made as a child would actually come true. Haha, I'm going to find you a whole group of daughters-in-law specifically to bear children.

When I returned to the main hall, brimming with excitement and ready to unleash my unparalleled woman-charming techniques, I found Yi Xiaorou being harassed by her husband! Tan Tian was hovering near Yi Xiaorou, trying to lure her into a dance.

Although Yi Xiaorou was in no actual danger, women like to play the victim. Seeing me approach, Yi Xiaorou jumped behind me like a little rabbit. "Zhao Qian, I'll listen to you on this one thing. If you don't like me tonight, I'll go through with the marriage ceremony with Tan Tian!"

Tan Tian was like a cat that smelled fish; his eyes were glued to Yi Xiaorou behind me. The restored Yi Xiaorou—her beautiful face and voluptuous mature figure—made him lose his appetite and lose sleep. This time, he had pulled Yi Xiaorou out under the pretext of his grandfather Tan Zhong's wishes, determined to bed the wife who didn't fit the mold tonight. Now, enemies met, and their eyes burned with animosity.

"Pretty boy, don't say I didn't warn you. I know everything about you. You are not worthy of competing with me for a woman!" Tan Tian said to me coldly.

I replied just as sharply, "Playboy, don't say I didn't warn you. I know everything about you without needing to investigate. You are not worthy of being Xiaorou's husband!"

Yi Xiaorou cheered me on from behind. "Zhao Qian, I didn't misjudge you. My future happiness rests entirely on you."

"What's happening?" Fang Yanmeng came over with Zhao Fen and Zhao Fang. A cat is a cat; as long as it smells fish, it acts lewdly. The issue here hadn't even been resolved, and Tan Tian had already set his sights on Zhao Fen and Zhao Fang. For now, he didn't dare touch Fang Yanmeng, as Chaoyang Energy was a company that even the Chairman of the Military Commission looked out for.

Tan Tian laughed loudly. "A bald tofu seller daring to steal my lawfully wedded wife, Tan Tian? That's hilarious! Zhao Qian, I'll make you die without even knowing how!"

"How dare you!" A female voice suddenly interjected.

"Xiao Chuchu!" I looked up and saw the beautiful reporter who loved telling ghost stories to scare people but ended up scaring herself—it was none other than the beauty reporter Xiao Chuchu!

"Damn Zhao Qian, why did you pretend to be dead and scare us? Do you know how many tears the four of us shed for you? I’ve never cried as much in my entire life as I did that day!" Xiao Chuchu was wearing a beautiful pink dress, her long, flowing hair casually tied at her shoulder, her bright eyes glittering with moisture.

Tan Tian seemed somewhat wary of Xiao Chuchu. He chuckled dryly, "Well, well, it's Miss Xiao. Are you trying to fight me for my wife's pretty boy?"

Xiao Chuchu suddenly swung her hand and delivered a resounding slap to Tan Tian's face, stunning everyone present. Even I would hesitate to strike Tan Tian publicly given the power behind him.

Xiao Chuchu spoke word by word, "Get out of my sight immediately, or starting tomorrow, every television station will carry a full report on Young Master Tan's debauched life!"

Tan Tian clutched his cheek. "Fine, Miss Xiao, you are ruthless. I’ll remember this slap. You better not fall into my hands, or I'll make it so you can't even die!"

Fang Yanmeng added fuel to the fire from the side. "Well hit, Chuchu! I’ve wanted to punch this scumbag for a long time."

Seeing the commotion, Hua Qingqing walked over and asked Yi Xiaorou, "What's wrong, Sister Rou? Should I notify Number Ten and Number Eleven to help?"

Tan Tian looked at the group of women he couldn't afford to offend, grit his teeth at me one last time, and then turned and left.

I said to Xiao Chuchu, "You shouldn't have provoked him. You need to be more careful when you go out in the future."

Xiao Chuchu looked annoyed. "Thanks for the concern, Great Hero Zhao. That piece of trash wouldn't dare do anything to me, or he wouldn't have left just like that."

Fang Yanmeng chimed in, "Stop worrying, Chuchu. She's the future successor of the National Television Station, controlling the media narrative of the Great Dragon Country. No matter how foolish this idiot is, his grandfather and father aren't. They won't pick a fight over such trivial matters with the boss of the media world."

Good heavens, these women were all extraordinary.

With Tan Tian gone, the women immediately reverted to their cheerful natures. "Zhao Qian, dance! I was first... No, I was the first to ask... Or should we draw straws..."

Tan Tian returned to his clique of hangers-on, clutching his swollen cheek. Jia Tie was among them, as was Chen Yibei, the General Manager of Sheng Tang Entertainment Company, the main sponsor of the alumni gathering.

Tan Tian said furiously, "You guys quickly think of a way for me to regain face! And I must have my wife tonight! I don't care if she's a nun now; the sight of her trembling bosom makes me want to spew blood. I won't rest until I have her!"

Chen Yibei thought to himself, Serves you right. You were so high and mighty when you could have her anytime, complaining about this and that. Now that you want her and she refuses, isn't that just being pathetic?

However, Chen Yibei dared not say this aloud. Although he had strong political backing, General Tan Zhong’s influence in the military was extraordinary.

"Young Master Tan, I suggest you cool down for now. There are too many distinguished young ladies here today, and you see how close they all are to your wife. If you try to force yourself on her now, won't you be asking for trouble? I suggest you shift your target temporarily and figure out how to take your wife down later—if force doesn't work, use drugs. If drugs don't work, inject her with an aphrodisiac needle; one shot will make even a lifelong virgin lose control."

Tan Tian cursed Chen Yibei. "Damn it, are you an idiot? My wife is a military officer; her status is not ordinary. The country has specifically assigned two Red Guards to ensure her safety. If I drug or inject her, I’ll probably be the first one to be dealt with."

Chen Yibei felt his pride wounded by the curse. He glanced at the smiling twin sisters and then said to Tan Tian, "Let's put your wife issue aside for a moment. Young Master Tan, what do you think of those twin girls?"

Jia Tie snorted, "Idiot! Use your brain before you act. I suspect your Sheng Tang Entertainment Company is barely surviving thanks to your old man. With your intellect, you won't even make it out of this banquet hall before collapsing. The older loli is a senior researcher in the Computer Science Department at our National Defense University. According to her rank, she is also protected by dedicated Red Guards. The younger loli is a senior researcher in the Aircraft Carrier Research Group at the Navy Institute. By rank, she also enjoys dedicated Red Guard protection. If you dare to lay a hand on senior national engineers, those Red Guards directly under the Military Commission can shoot you dead without anyone's consent. If they slap you with a treason charge, even if you survive, you won't have a good life."

Chen Yibei wiped the cold sweat from his face. He had been thinking about how to get his hands on those two lolis just now, but thankfully he restrained himself; otherwise, whether he would still be standing here was questionable.

Tan Tian cried out in distress, "This won't work, and that won't work! What do you suggest I do?! Am I just supposed to watch that adulterous pair enjoy their happiness!"

Jia Tie grinned slyly. "Young Master Tan, don't be angry. Those girls are untouchable, but there is one man we can target!"

Tan Tian suddenly understood. "Heh heh, let's act now! We'll make him lose face and suffer in front of thousands of alumni!"

When I returned to the banquet hall, eager to deploy my unparalleled skills for wooing women, I discovered Yi Xiaorou was being harassed by her husband! Tan Tian was clinging to Yi Xiaorou, trying to pull her into a dance.

Although Yi Xiaorou was perfectly safe, women like to feign weakness. When she saw me approach, Yi Xiaorou leaped behind me like a little rabbit. "Zhao Qian, I'll listen to you on this one thing. If you don't like me tonight, I'll go through with the marriage ceremony with Tan Tian!"

Tan Tian was like a cat that smelled fish, his eyes fixed on Yi Xiaorou behind me. The fully restored Yi Xiaorou—her beautiful face and voluptuous mature figure—made him lose his appetite and lose sleep. This time, he had pulled Yi Xiaorou out under the pretext of his grandfather Tan Zhong's wishes, determined to bed the wife who didn't fit the mold tonight. Now, enemies met, and their eyes burned with animosity.

"Pretty boy, don't say I didn't warn you. I know everything about you. You are not worthy of competing with me for a woman!" Tan Tian said to me coldly.

I replied just as sharply, "Playboy, don't say I didn't warn you. I know everything about you without needing to investigate. You are not worthy of being Xiaorou's husband!"

Yi Xiaorou cheered me on from behind. "Zhao Qian, I didn't misjudge you. My future happiness rests entirely on you."

"What's happening?" Fang Yanmeng came over with Zhao Fen and Zhao Fang. A cat is a cat; as long as it smells fish, it acts lewdly. The issue here hadn't even been resolved, and Tan Tian had already set his sights on Zhao Fen and Zhao Fang. For now, he didn't dare touch Fang Yanmeng, as Chaoyang Energy was a company that even the Chairman of the Military Commission looked out for.

Tan Tian laughed loudly. "A bald tofu seller daring to steal my lawfully wedded wife, Tan Tian? That's hilarious! Zhao Qian, I'll make you die without even knowing how!"

"How dare you!" A female voice suddenly interjected.

"Xiao Chuchu!" I looked up and saw the beautiful reporter who loved telling ghost stories to scare people but ended up scaring herself—it was none other than the beauty reporter Xiao Chuchu!

"Damn Zhao Qian, why did you pretend to be dead and scare us? Do you know how many tears the four of us shed for you? I’ve never cried as much in my entire life as I did that day!" Xiao Chuchu was wearing a beautiful pink dress, her long, flowing hair casually tied at her shoulder, her bright eyes glittering with moisture.

Tan Tian seemed somewhat wary of Xiao Chuchu. He chuckled dryly, "Well, well, it's Miss Xiao. Are you trying to fight me for my wife's pretty boy?"

Xiao Chuchu suddenly swung her hand and delivered a resounding slap to Tan Tian's face, stunning everyone present. Even I would hesitate to strike Tan Tian publicly given the power behind him.

Xiao Chuchu spoke word by word, "Get out of my sight immediately, or starting tomorrow, every television station will carry a full report on Young Master Tan's debauched life!"

Tan Tian clutched his cheek. "Fine, Miss Xiao, you are ruthless. I’ll remember this slap. You better not fall into my hands, or I'll make it so you can't even die!"

Fang Yanmeng added fuel to the fire from the side. "Well hit, Chuchu! I’ve wanted to punch this scumbag for a long time."

Seeing the commotion, Hua Qingqing walked over and asked Yi Xiaorou, "What's wrong, Sister Rou? Should I notify Number Ten and Number Eleven to help?"

Tan Tian looked at the group of women he couldn't afford to offend, grit his teeth at me one last time, and then turned and left.

I said to Xiao Chuchu, "You shouldn't have provoked him. You need to be more careful when you go out in the future."

Xiao Chuchu looked annoyed. "Thanks for the concern, Great Hero Zhao. That piece of trash wouldn't dare do anything to me, or he wouldn't have left just like that."

Fang Yanmeng chimed in, "Stop worrying, Chuchu. She's the future successor of the National Television Station, controlling the media narrative of the Great Dragon Country. No matter how foolish this idiot is, his grandfather and father aren't. They won't pick a fight over such trivial matters with the boss of the media world."

Good heavens, these women were all extraordinary.

With Tan Tian gone, the women immediately reverted to their cheerful natures. "Zhao Qian, dance! I was first... No, I was the first to ask... Or should we draw straws..."

Tan Tian returned to his clique of hangers-on, clutching his swollen cheek. Jia Tie was among them, as was Chen Yibei, the General Manager of Sheng Tang Entertainment Company, the main sponsor of the alumni gathering.

Tan Tian said furiously, "You guys quickly think of a way for me to regain face! And I must have my wife tonight! I don't care if she's a nun now; the sight of her trembling bosom makes me want to spew blood. I won't rest until I have her!"

Chen Yibei thought to himself, Serves you right. You were so high and mighty when you could have her anytime, complaining about this and that. Now that you want her and she refuses, isn't that just being pathetic?

However, Chen Yibei dared not say this aloud. Although he had strong political backing, General Tan Zhong’s influence in the military was extraordinary.

"Young Master Tan, I suggest you cool down for now. There are too many distinguished young ladies here today, and you see how close they all are to your wife. If you try to force yourself on her now, won't you be asking for trouble? I suggest you shift your target temporarily and figure out how to take your wife down later—if force doesn't work, use drugs. If drugs don't work, inject her with an aphrodisiac needle; one shot will make even a lifelong virgin lose control."

Tan Tian cursed Chen Yibei. "Damn it, are you an idiot? My wife is a military officer; her status is not ordinary. The country has specifically assigned two Red Guards to ensure her safety. If I drug or inject her, I’ll probably be the first one to be dealt with."

Chen Yibei felt his pride wounded by the curse. He glanced at the smiling twin sisters and then said to Tan Tian, "Let's put your wife issue aside for a moment. Young Master Tan, what do you think of those twin girls?"

Jia Tie snorted, "Idiot! Use your brain before you act. I suspect your Sheng Tang Entertainment Company is barely surviving thanks to your old man. With your intellect, you won't even make it out of this banquet hall before collapsing. The older loli is a senior researcher in the Computer Science Department at our National Defense University. According to her rank, she is also protected by dedicated Red Guards. The younger loli is a senior researcher in the Aircraft Carrier Research Group at the Navy Institute. By rank, she also enjoys dedicated Red Guard protection. If you dare to lay a hand on senior national engineers, those Red Guards directly under the Military Commission can shoot you dead without anyone's consent. If they slap you with a treason charge, even if you survive, you won't have a good life."

Chen Yibei wiped the cold sweat from his face. He had been thinking about how to get his hands on those two lolis just now, but thankfully he restrained himself; otherwise, whether he would still be standing here was questionable.

Tan Tian cried out in distress, "This won't work, and that won't work! What do you suggest I do?! Am I just supposed to watch that adulterous pair enjoy their happiness!"

Jia Tie grinned slyly. "Young Master Tan, don't be angry. Those girls are untouchable, but there is one man we can target!"

Tan Tian suddenly understood. "Heh heh, let's act now! We'll make him lose face and suffer in front of thousands of alumni!"