As Zhang Hao was dribbling past a defender, the phone in his pocket suddenly rang.
Chapter 35: Picking Up the Wife from School
"Wait a second, let me take this call."
"Oh."
The boy nodded and stopped trying to steal the ball.
After all, he couldn't steal it anyway, couldn't score even if he did, and couldn't win even if he scored.
An 80-point gap had already sealed the outcome of the match.
Zhang Hao pulled out his phone and saw two words displayed on the screen: Wife.
Why would she take the initiative to call him?
Filled with doubt, Zhang Hao answered the call.
"I've got something to do at school and might be back a bit late. Once the nanny gets off work, you look after Baobao. Call me if anything comes up."
"Got it, wife."
"Mhm, that's it for now, hanging up."
The call ended.
Zhang Hao put his phone back into his pocket.
Just as he was getting ready to dribble past a defender, he suddenly froze.
The nanny gets off work at five o'clock!
It seemed like it was almost five o'clock right now!
Zhang Hao took out his phone to check: 4:52!
"No good, I have to get back right away."
Zhang Hao waved at the referee.
The referee first called a timeout, then walked over and asked with a smile, "What is it, student Zhang Hao?"
"Teacher, something urgent came up and I have to head back right away. Let the substitute go in."
"Alright then, off you go."
The referee felt a bit reluctant to see him go because Zhang Hao's basketball skills were simply breathtaking—even more thrilling to watch than an NBA game.
If not for knowing that he had three adorable babies to look after, the referee definitely wouldn't have let him leave.
"Then I'm heading out."
Zhang Hao left the court immediately.
Even though he hadn't won first place in the basketball tournament yet, and leaving now meant forfeiting the 100,000 yuan prize, compared to the babies, it didn't even amount to one-percent of their importance.
Ten-odd minutes later.
Zhang Hao arrived back at his front door.
Since he had his keys, he opened the door and walked right in.
"Hee hee hee~"
Childish laughter drifted from the bedroom.
Zhang Hao smiled as he walked into the bedroom and saw the nanny playing with toys alongside the three adorable babies.
"Daddy~"
"Daddy~"
"Daddy~"
Seeing Zhang Hao, the three little ones danced with joy.
Clearly, Zhang Hao was much more tempting than toys.
"Hey~"
Zhang Hao answered with a sweet voice, walked over to the edge of the bed, and sat down.
Seeing the three babies crawling over toward him, he scooped them all up into his arms.
Then, looking at the nanny, he said, "Aunt Mei, I'm truly sorry for coming back a bit late due to something urgent. You can head off now."
* Xiao Zhang*, you're being too polite, it's just a few minutes difference. Well then, I'll be leaving first."
"Watch your step on the way."
Seeing that the nanny had left, he started playing with the babies, having the time of his life.
Looking at the three little ones, the more he looked, the more he adored them.
Suddenly, a familiar voice rang out in his mind.
"Ding: Task triggered. Record a video of the babies and post it on Kuaishou. Complete it to receive a 100,000 yuan cash prize."
A look of delight appeared on Zhang Hao's face.
This task was way too simple.
"Babies, Daddy is going to record a video of you."
With that, he took out his phone and downloaded Kuaishou.
He sat the three babies in a row and started recording.
"Babies, look at the camera. Say 'Daddy'."
"Daddy~"
"Daddy~"
"Dada~"
"Alrighty~"
Once the recording was successful, he posted it directly on Kuaishou.
"Ding: Congratulations to the Host for completing the task. The 100,000 yuan prize has been deposited."
"Master, master, a text message has arrived."
Zhang Hao took out his phone and checked: his bank card balance was over 3.8 million yuan.
Not bad, he was one step closer to his little goal of 100 million.
At this rate, he could achieve his little goal of 100 million in less than half a year.
Half an hour later.
Zhang Hao glanced at the time; it was almost six o'clock.
Even though Su Yuyan hadn't returned yet, he decided to start preparing dinner.
First, the babies were getting hungry.
Second, so Su Yuyan could have a hot meal as soon as she got back.
"Ding~"
Just as Zhang Hao was about to place the three babies into their stroller, the System's voice suddenly rang out.
"Congratulations to the Host for winning the basketball tournament championship. The 100,000 yuan prize has been deposited."
Zhang Hao was stunned.
Didn't he withdraw halfway through the match? How was the task still completed?
Could it be that his class won first place?
Ring, ring, ring.
Amidst his confusion, his phone rang.
Pulling it out, he saw it was a call from Zhao Yong.
"Haozi, come out for a gathering tonight."
"Not going, I'm at home watching the kids."
"That's easy to fix. Just bring the babies and your wife along. It's a great chance for us to meet her."
"No can do, my wife isn't back yet."
"Is that so? Well, no big deal then. You aren't sleeping at the Goddess Su's house anyway, the brothers are waiting for you, and we're on holiday tomorrow."
"Alright, we'll talk about it later."
"Alrighty, waiting for your call."
Zhang Hao said "sounds good" with a smile, and just as he was about to hang up, a thought suddenly crossed his mind.
"Wait, is Teachers' College holding its sports meeting today as well?"
According to past tradition, university sports meetings were always held during the same period.
And since Su Yuyan had said she would be busy and back late, that meant Teachers' College must be holding its sports meeting today too.
"Of course. Teachers' College is so close to our campus, so naturally it's the same day. Oh yeah, your wife should be heading back soon too, right?"
"Mhm."
Zhang Hao nodded slightly. "How about this? I'll go pick up my wife in a bit. If she agrees, I'll bring her and the babies along to the gathering."
"Really?"
"Of course it's real. After all, the kids have to meet the family sooner or later."
"Damn!"
Zhang Hao smiled and hung up the phone.
"Babies, we're going to pick up Mommy first, and then go have a big feast, okay?"
Hearing that, the three babies excitedly waved their little arms.
Since the babies were already seven months old, they could be taken out to experience new things, which was also beneficial for their brain development.
Next, he placed the three babies into the stroller.
He walked out of the residential complex to the parking spot, put the three babies into their respective safety seats in the back row, and then loaded the stroller into the trunk.
Because this Hongqi H9 had massive interior space, fitting three child safety seats in the back row was an absolute breeze.
Aside from its imposing exterior, practicality was the main reason he bought this car.
He had to admit, domestically-made cars were getting better and better.
At the gates of Haicheng Teachers' University.
At this moment, students passing through the gate were coming in an endless stream, each and every one full of youthful vigor.
With the arrival of the May Day holiday, ninety-nine percent of the students had already left campus.
Some went out in groups of three or five to have a gathering and strengthen their bonds.
Some went on dates in pairs to vent long-suppressed romantic feelings.
Some walked alone, savoring the warmth and coldness of this world.
Just then, a Hongqi H9 slowly pulled up to the roadside by the school gate.
The moment this car appeared, it instantly drew everyone's gaze.
"What kind of car is that? A Rolls-Royce?"
"Doesn't look like it. I've ridden in a big Rolls, and it's way bigger than this."
"That's a Hongqi H9, the ceiling of domestic cars. When I get rich in the future, I'm buying one too."
"Turns out it's a Hongqi. It looks so majestic!"
"Just in terms of aura, it's enough to crush the German trio."
...
While everyone was chattering in discussion, the car door opened, and a handsome, dashing young man stepped out.
"Who is that guy? He doesn't look like he's from our college."
"Don't know him, but he looks familiar. I feel like I've seen him somewhere before."
"Needless to say, he's definitely here to pick up his girlfriend."
At that moment, a heavily made-up female student walked toward the car.
When the onlookers saw this, their jaws practically dropped in shock.
"No way, this dude is so handsome, and he's actually Pan Yinlian's boyfriend? This is totally like a withered flower stuck in gold."
"That seriously blinded my 24k titanium alloy dog eyes!"
Chapter 36: What's There to Hide?
"Handsome, would you mind adding me on WeChat?"
Pan Yinlian walked up to Zhang Hao and flashed what she thought was a charming smile.
"Not convenient."
Zhang Hao frowned and refused.
Seeing this Pan Yinlian instantly reminded him of an episode in *Journey to the West* where Zhu Bajie tried to put on makeup.
They looked dead alike.
Rejected, Pan Yinlian didn't give up.
Looking at the handsome and wealthy Zhang Hao, she thought to herself that even a one-night stand would do.
As a seasoned player, she had plenty of ways to extract money from rich and handsome guys to enrich her own life.
"Hate it~ I had to swallow my pride just to say that, are you really being this heartless?"
As she spoke, she leaned a step closer to Zhang Hao.
Zhang Hao stepped back, a look of annoyance plastered across his face.
"Why don't you ask the three little princesses in the car if they agree first."
"Little princesses?"
Pan Yinlian froze for a second, then gave a sultry smile. "You already have three, do you really mind adding one more?"
With that, she craned her neck to peek inside the car.
But the moment she looked, she froze completely.
She saw three adorable babies sitting in the back seat, all staring at her with innocent, pure eyes.
In an instant, Pan Yinlian's face turned as red as a monkey's bottom, and she scurried away in embarrassment.
Right at that moment, a graceful figure hurried out from the school gate.
Surrounding students saw her and greeted her with smiles.
"Goodbye, Teacher Su."
"Don't call me teacher, we're in the same year, just call me teaching assistant."
"Got it, Teacher Su."
"Mischievous."
That's right, this graceful figure was none other than Su Yuyan.
Thinking of the babies at home, she couldn't help feeling a bit anxious.
Could Zhang Hao take good care of the babies all by himself?
Had the babies eaten?
What if they made a messy poopy diaper, could Zhang Hao handle it?
What if they cried and he didn't know how to soothe them?
Filled with worry, she hurriedly walked toward the shared electric bicycles parked by the gate.
Just then, a familiar voice suddenly rang out.
"Wife!"
Su Yuyan couldn't help starting, freezing right in her tracks.
Th-That's Zhang Hao's voice, isn't it?
Why is he here?!
When the surrounding students heard this word "wife," they all wore expressions of shock.
Wife?
Was he addressing her so intimately?
She wondered which girl was so lucky to become this handsome guy's wife.
For a moment, the students' gazes swept everywhere, starting to search around.
Su Yuyan was immensely nervous at this moment.
This Zhang Hao is unbelievable—how did he find his way to the school?
And why didn't he give her a heads-up beforehand?
Wait, could the babies be here too?!
At the thought of the babies, Su Yuyan hurriedly looked in the direction of the voice.
When she saw Zhang Hao standing next to a Hongqi car, her delicate brows knitted together.
Looking closer, she spotted the three babies sitting in the back seat and immediately walked over.
Seeing Su Yuyan approach, Zhang Hao smiled warmly.
Just as he was about to greet her, he saw Su Yuyan yank open the front passenger door and climb right in.
"Drive, let's go!"
Su Yuyan said in a lowered voice, her cheeks flushed a bright red.
Zhang Hao was slightly puzzled.
Logically speaking, his and Su Yuyan's situation was already common knowledge at his own school; how could nobody at her school know about it?
After all, in this era of developed networks, nothing remained a secret.
Especially since the two schools were so close to each other.
"What are you standing there for, hurry up and drive!"
Hearing Su Yuyan urge him on, Zhang Hao immediately got into the car and drove forward.
At that exact moment, an astonished voice shattered the quiet atmosphere.
"Oh, I remember now! That handsome guy is Zhang Hao, Su Yuyan's husband."
"Huh? Really or fake?"
"Of course it's real, I have a photo on my phone, look."
"Oh my god, it actually is!"
"That's great! Now Teacher Su won't have to struggle taking care of three babies all by herself."
"I didn't expect her husband to be so handsome, I'm so jealous."
...
Inside the car, Su Yuyan wore a stern face.
"Why did you come to my school? And why didn't you tell me in advance? It's so embarrassing."
Although her situation had already spread throughout the school, the commotion had settled down half a year ago.
Today's appearance by Zhang Hao would definitely push her personal affairs right back into the spotlight.
Zhang Hao smiled. "What's there to be embarrassed about? It's not like our situation is a secret. With a wife as pretty as you and three cute babies, I'm just too proud to show off—why would I try to keep it hidden?"
The corners of Su Yuyan's mouth twitched into a helpless expression.
Good thing it was already the holidays.
If classes were still in session, anyone she met at school tomorrow would definitely bombard her with questions.
"By the way, wife, let's not go back to cook. Let's take the babies out to eat instead."
"I don't want to go."
"Why not?"
"My mind is a mess right now."
"Oh."
Zhang Hao smiled and nodded, pulled his phone out of his pocket, and dialed Zhao Yong's number.
"Bro, your sister-in-law agreed. Where are we eating later?"
Su Yuyan, sitting beside him, froze. She glared at Zhang Hao with furrowed brows and muttered in a low voice, "When did I ever agree?!"
Zhang Hao ignored her as Zhao Yong's excited voice came through the earpiece.
"Really? That's awesome! I've already booked a private room at Shenghai Grand Hotel. I heard they hired a brand-new master chef, and the food is supposed to be amazing."
"Shenghai Grand Hotel, works for me."
Hearing that familiar name, Zhang Hao smiled.
Liu Huaqiang that fatty was truly shrewd; instead of saying he bought a secret recipe, he claimed they hired a new master chef—smooth move.
"Alright, see you at the hotel entrance later then."
"OK!"
Zhang Hao hung up the phone and placed it onto the wireless charging pad.
At this moment, Su Yuyan furrowed her delicate brows. "If you want to go, you go. The babies and I are not going—just drop us back home."
"No way, you're coming!"
This was the first time Zhang Hao had been so firm.
The reason was simply the scene that had just unfolded at the school gate.
Since he had a wife and kids, why shouldn't let others know?
Keeping it a secret made it feel like something shameful.
Su Yuyan was slightly stunned. Seeing Zhang Hao's serious expression, she figured he must have some important reason, so she had no choice but to give in.
"Fine. What kind of people will we be meeting later?"
"Just my roommates. They've all heard tales of your legendary beauty and have been dying to meet you for ages."
"Roommates?"
Su Yuyan was slightly taken aback.
She had thought it was some important formal occasion, but it turned out to be just college roommates.
Perhaps his relationship with his roommates was truly exceptional.
Before long, Zhang Hao drove them to Shenghai Grand Hotel.
He parked the car in a stall, and together with Su Yuyan and the three adorable babies, walked up to the hotel entrance.
Right at that moment, he saw five or six people squatting by the entrance.
Looking closer, it was Zhao Yong and his group, along with a few classmates who had participated in the basketball tournament.
Zhang Hao smiled faintly. "These guys are something else. They could've just waited inside a private room, yet they're waiting out here. They're way too polite."
Hearing this, Su Yuyan couldn't help asking, "Are those boys your roommates?"
"Mhm, three of them are. The rest are classmates. They definitely knew you were coming, so they came out specially to welcome you."
"That's so embarrassing."
Su Yuyan smiled faintly, feeling a slight flutter of nervousness.
At that moment, Zhao Yong spotted Zhang Hao and walked over looking dejected.
"Sister-in-law."
Zhao Yong first greeted Su Yuyan, then looked at Zhang Hao with displeasure. "Haozi, let's go eat somewhere else. I don't even want to come to this dump anymore."
Zhang Hao froze slightly, frowning as he asked, "What's wrong? Didn't you already book a room?"
"Don't even ask. I booked the room at noon, but when we got here, the front desk claimed someone else had already taken it. Who are we even supposed to reason with?"
Zhang Hao nodded slightly, pondered for a moment, and walked straight toward the entrance.
Chapter 37: Do I Look That Immature in Your Eyes?
"Haozi, get back here!"
Seeing Zhang Hao walk into the hotel, Zhao Yong hurried after him.
Because he knew Zhang Hao was prone to acting on impulse.
More importantly, the guy knew martial arts; if he lost his temper and hurt someone, paying compensation was a minor issue, but if it constituted criminal liability, forget about graduation—his life would be completely ruined.
Soon, Zhao Yong caught up to Zhang Hao, grabbing tightly onto his arm and refusing to let go.
"Haozi, it's just a meal, there's no need to make such a big fuss."
Zhang Hao smiled and asked, "Do I look that immature in your eyes?"
"Mhm."
Zhao Yong nodded with absolute seriousness.
The corners of Zhang Hao's twitching mouth tightened as he continued walking toward the hotel.
Even though Zhao Yong refused to let go, he could feel that Zhang Hao's strength was shockingly immense, and he was simply dragged inside right along with him.
At this moment, the front desk receptionist was busy fussing over her newly done manicure.
Wearing a white shirt and possessing delicate facial features, she gave off an air of pure beauty.
Suddenly, she noticed guests arriving and immediately put on her professional fake smile.
But when she looked closer, her delicate brows furrowed.
"Just those broke college students again, so annoying."
At that moment, Zhang Hao approached the front desk and demanded, "We booked a private room at noon, why is it gone now?"
"Because it's already occupied."
The beautiful receptionist replied with an indifferent, dismissive attitude.
She saw too many gatherings of broke students like them.
They didn't spend much money yet occupied space, hurting the hotel's business.
There was an even more outrageous time when ten students showed up, ordered only three dishes and a crate of beer, and drank from five in the afternoon until eleven at night, spending a grand total of 438 yuan—not even as expensive as a single bottle of red wine ordered by those wealthy bosses.
At this point, Zhao Yong stepped in to persuade him: "Haozi, let's just forget it. Let's go eat somewhere else."
Zhang Hao waved a hand, his gaze turning serious as he looked at the receptionist.
"Since we made the reservation first, it shouldn't be given away to others. That's the most basic principle. Call your manager."
"Our manager isn't here."
"Very well."
Zhang Hao sneered and nodded, taking out his phone to contact Wang Fugui.
Seeing this, Zhao Yong's heart skipped a beat, convinced that Zhang Hao was about to call in backup.
Since his own persuasion had failed, and seeing Su Yuyan pushing the stroller over, he immediately turned to her for help.
"Sister-in-law, please talk some sense into Haozi. It's just a meal, there's no need to make a mountain out of a molehill."
Su Yuyan smiled and nodded. "Zhang Hao, let's just let it go."
"It's fine, wife."
Zhang Hao replied with a smile. At that moment, Wang Fugui's voice came through the receiver.
"Young Master Zhang, what made you think to call me?"
"I'm in the lobby of your hotel. The private room I booked at noon was taken by someone else. Isn't this a bit against the rules?"
"There's such a thing? I'll be right down."
"Sorry to trouble you."
Zhang Hao exchanged a polite pleasantry and then hung up the phone.